Chapter 5
As Marina began to cry softly, Thorne stepped out from the examination room, quickly taking in the scene.
In an instant, he crossed the distance between them, pulling Marina protectively behind him as he turned to Selene, his voice furious.
“What did you do to Marina?” he demanded sharply. “She’s already frail–how can you torment her at a time like this?”
Selene watched his anger surge, a bitter smile curving her lips. So, even the calmest, most rational man could lose control over
Marina’s tears.
He hadn’t asked her what happened. Instinctively, he had placed her in the role of the villain.
This was her husband–the man she once believed she loved.
Pain gripped her chest, suffocating and unbearable.
Marina’s sobbing continued behind Thome. “Thorne, please don’t blame Selene. She didn’t really do anything she was just upset because she saw the ring you gave me. Please, it’s not her fault!”
Thorne’s expression darkened further, his eyes filled with suspicion. “The date of the Soul–Binding Ritual has already been set. Your
petty manipulations won’t change anything. I won’t let anything disrupt Marina’s recovery.”
He thought Selene was resisting the ritual, deliberately trying to worsen Marina’s fragile condition.
But Selene offered no defense. It was useless to explain Thome wouldn’t listen anyway. Silently, she turned away and returned to her room, gently closing the door behind her.
Now, only her spirit–weaving sketches offered comfort.
Drawing and designing ritual garments had always been her solace. Her greatest desire these past years was to see her creations presented at the Moonlight Ceremony. She had finally received an invitation to display her designs in the upcoming festival next year- but tragically, she wouldn’t survive to see it.
Determined, she resolved to finish these designs before the ritual claimed her. At least she could fulfill one final wish.
The medicine’s drowsiness overcame her as she sketched, and eventually, she drifted off to sleep, leaving her notebook beside the bed.
When she woke again, rustling sounds alerted her senses. Selene’s eyes snapped open to find a young girl scribbling wildly across her carefully drawn designs, completely destroying them.
Heart racing, Selene sat up sharply and grabbed the child’s wrist, her voice fierce. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The little girl looked up, startled. Her face bore a striking resemblance to Marina’s–this was Marina’s daughter, Tiara.
“You’re a bad woman!” Tiara shouted, bursting into tears. “You made my mother cry! I’m punishing you for hurting my mom!”
Her shrill voice pierced the quiet, like nails scraping glass.
Selene stared in anguish at the ruined designs, her lifework shredded by careless lines. Anger surged within her, overpowering any sense of restraint. “Who gave you permission to touch my belongings? Didn’t your mother teach you not to take things that aren’t yours?”
Tiara began wailing loudly. “Help! The bad lady is hurting me!” sho–cried, hysterical. “Uncle Thorne, Grandpa–save me!”
Moments later, Cedric and Thorne burst through the door, pushing Selene aside roughly. Their combined force sent her crashing painfully against the bed’s headboard. Her vision blurred, a sharp pain throbbing at the back of her skull.
Theo, hearing Tiara’s cries and seeing her tear–stained face and reddened wrist, rushed forward, hitting Selene angrily. “Why did you hurt Tiara? You’re a terrible mother!”
Tiara sobbed uncontrollably, feigning innocence. “I only wanted to cover her with a blanket because she looked cold. I don’t know what I did wrong–she suddenly woke up and tried to hit me! I was so scared; she almost killed me!”
Chapter 5
Cedric, enraged, seized Selene by her shoulders, forcing her roughly upward. “Selene Whitmoor, how dare you harm a child! Have you lost all sense of decency?”
Selene said nothing, her face pale from pain. Slowly, she reached back, feeling the sticky warmth of blood trickling through her hair.
Cedric didn’t notice, his anger blinding him as he gripped her hair tighter, forcing her gaze upward. “Is this how I raised you? Attacking a child–how could you?”
Pain blurred her vision as she gasped softly, fighting dizziness. Selene forced her voice steady, meeting Cedric’s eyes defiantly
“Dad,” she whispered bitterly, “if I told you I did nothing wrong, would you believe me?”
She looked slowly around at each accusing face–Thorne’s cold fury, Theo’s resentment, and Cedric’s disdain.
“Would any of you believe me?”
Chapter 5
