Another One Of Me Or Him

Selene's hands trembled slightly as she held the document, her pulse pounding in her ears. The letters blurred for a moment before sharpening again with each word carving a deeper wound into her understanding of the past; Her father's company had belonged to Lucian's family. The very empire she had been raised to believe was built from hard work and legacy had, in reality, been a debt repaid in silence. She forced herself to breathe, to push down the emotion clawing at her chest because all she needed right now was clarity, not rage but clarity was hard to grasp when the floor beneath her seemed to have disappeared. Lucian leaned back against his desk, watching her with that maddening patience. 'Tell me, Selene," he murmured, his voice deceptively smooth. 'Does it feel like the ground is crumbling beneath you yet?" Selene lifted her gaze, forcing steel into her expression. 'I thought you wanted to teach me control but all I see is someone desperate for my reaction." Lucian chuckled softly, shaking his head. 'I don't need to provoke you, Selene, you're unraveling all on your own." Her grip on the paper tightened. 'And yet, here I am, still standing." Lucian's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. 'For now."Selene exhaled sharply, setting the document down with deliberate care. 'What do you gain from this?" Lucian arched his brow. 'From what?" 'From showing me this," she gestured toward the papers. 'From making me question everything I thought I knew." Lucian was quiet for a moment then, with slow precision, he stepped closer, lowering his voice. 'Because the more you question the past, the more you realize how little control you've ever had." Selene's pulse spiked, but she refused to let him see the effect his words had on her, she wasn't a pawn nor was she his to manipulate. She lifted her chin slightly. 'And what if I don't care?" Lucian smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. 'Then that would be your first lie."The room fell into silence with a heavy tension thick in the air between them. Selene wanted to argue, to deny the unease curling in her stomach but the truth was suffocating. Lucian exhaled, stepping back. 'This isn't about winning, Selene, it never was."Selene clenched her jaw. 'Then what is it about?"Lucian studied her for a moment, then almost casually he turned toward the fireplace. 'Survival." The single word sent a shiver down her spine but before she could respond, the door opened and Eve entered, her expression unreadable as her gaze flickered between them. 'There's been movement," she said, directing the words toward Lucian. 'The guards found something in the east wing." Selene tensed; the east wing, that's the section of the estate she hadn't been allowed to explore. Lucian's eyes darkened slightly. 'What kind of movement?"Eve's jaw tightened. 'A breach."Selene's breath hitched, a breach? Lucian remained still, but the shift in his demeanor was unmistakable as he turned toward Selene, his gaze sharp. 'It seems your past isn't the only thing coming back to haunt you."Selene's stomach twisted. Eve cleared her throat. 'The security team is handling it, but I thought you'd want to know immediately."Lucian nodded once. 'Prepare the lower levels, I want every entrance locked down." Selene's pulse quickened; the lower levels were the same place where the hidden records had been found and the same place Lucian clearly didn't want her near. Eve hesitated before responding. 'And what about her?" Her gaze flickered toward Selene, and Lucian smirked slightly. 'She stays where I can see her."Selene's jaw tightened. 'And what if I refuse?" Lucian exhaled softly. 'Then I'll make sure you regret it." The threat was quiet, but it burned through the air like a match against gasoline. Selene's mind raced; breach meant someone had gotten in and if that were true, then someone was fighting against Lucian which means she wasn't alone in this but that also meant she was running out of time. Lucian turned toward Eve. 'Keep her here. I'll handle the rest." Eve gave a slight nod. 'Understood." Lucian's eyes flickered toward Selene one last time, without another word, he left. Selene exhaled slowly, turning toward Eve. 'Are you going to lock me up now?" Eve's lips twitched slightly, but there was no amusement in her eyes. 'Would it change anything?" Selene inhaled deeply, then shook her head. 'No." Eve hesitated before speaking again. 'Be careful, Selene." Selene frowned. 'Why?" Eve exhaled. 'Because whatever's happening outside that door... I don't think it will end the way you hope."Selene's heart pounded, she needed to get out.