Until Zayden cheated, Selene Evander finally realized that the idea of eternal love was nothing but a painful illusion. The marriage she once believed would last forever crumbled in an instant, leaving wounds that refused to heal. After the divorce, Selene vowed never to let anyone into her heart again. But Alistair Vaughn stormed into her life like an unstoppable force. He didn't give her space to hide, nor did he allow her time to rebuild her defenses. Once, Selene thought that loving Zayden since their teenage years and eventually marrying him was the greatest blessing in her life. But now, all of it had become nothing more than bitter memories she desperately wanted to bury. She tried to walk away, distancing herself from the shadows of the past, escaping from the family that had broken her. Yet, Alistair kept coming closer, refusing to let her go. As if, in his world, there was only one goal-to make Selene his, no matter how many wounds he had to mend first.
Chapter 1 No relief
The moment Selene Evander signed the divorce papers, she felt nothing. No relief. No sadness. No anger. Just a hollow emptiness stretching across the remnants of a love she once believed would last forever.
She used to think that love could endure anything. She had loved Zayden Hale since they were teenagers. They had been inseparable, their names always spoken together as if they were destined to be one. Their wedding had been a grand affair-white roses, soft candlelight, and whispered promises of forever.
And yet, forever had an expiration date.
The affair had shattered her illusions. Zayden, the man she had given everything to, had betrayed her without hesitation. She had given him her youth, her dreams, her heart-and in return, he had given his to another woman.
Selene should have screamed, should have broken down in rage. Instead, she had smiled-a cold, lifeless curve of her lips-as she slid the divorce papers across the table.
"Sign it," she had said, her voice devoid of emotion.
Zayden had hesitated, guilt flickering in his hazel eyes. But it was too late for regrets. With a final stroke of his pen, their love story ended.
Now, standing alone in her apartment, she stared at the empty walls. Everything felt unfamiliar. The silence was deafening. The absence of Zayden's presence was suffocating, yet she refused to mourn. He did not deserve her tears.
She walked to the window, staring at the city lights below. Somewhere in the distance, people were falling in love, making promises they believed would never be broken. She had once been like them-naïve, hopeful.
Never again.
A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She frowned. It was nearly midnight-who would come at this hour?
Reluctantly, she walked over and pulled open the door.
And there he was.
Alistair Vaughn.
The man she had spent years avoiding.
Tall, devastatingly handsome, with piercing blue eyes that held a quiet intensity. His presence alone was overwhelming, suffocating. Unlike Zayden, who had once felt like warmth, Alistair was something else entirely. He was danger wrapped in elegance, a storm disguised as a man.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, gripping the doorframe as if it could keep her grounded.
Alistair didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied her-his gaze running over her as if he were assessing how much of her had changed since the last time they met.
"You're alone," he finally said, his voice deep and smooth, laced with something unreadable.
She scoffed. "That's not your concern."
But Alistair stepped forward, and instinctively, she stepped back. The air between them crackled with something dangerous.
"I warned you about him," he said, his voice quieter now. "I told you he would hurt you."
Selene's fingers curled into a fist. "And I told you to stay out of my life."
Alistair's lips curled into something between amusement and frustration. "You think you can just cut me out, Selene? After everything?"
Her throat tightened. She had spent years running from this man, running from the past they shared, from the chaos he always seemed to bring into her life.
"I'm done with all of it," she whispered. "With Zayden. With you. With everything."
Alistair took another step closer. "You think it's that easy?" His voice was softer now, but there was an edge to it. "You think just because you signed some papers, the past disappears?"
She hated how he always saw through her.
"I don't care about the past," she lied.
Alistair reached out then, his fingers brushing her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Then why are you trembling?"
Selene sucked in a sharp breath and tore herself away. "Leave, Alistair."
But the look in his eyes told her that he wouldn't.
And deep down, she feared that no matter how much she ran, Alistair Vaughn would never let her go.
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