The First Temptation

Selene's breath was steady, controlled, but her fingers tightened around the edge of her desk as she stared at Damian Rothschild. His smile was the same as ever-lazy, confident, and completely unbothered by the storm he had just unleashed in her office. She forced her voice to remain calm, despite the slow burn of rage igniting in her chest. "You bought shares in my company?" Damian tilted his head slightly, as if enjoying her reaction. "Twenty percent, to be exact." Selene exhaled through her nose, her expression unreadable. "That wasn't for sale." Damian's smirk deepened. "It was-just not to you." Selene's mind worked quickly, calculating. Someone inside her company had sold it to him. Someone she trusted had let him in. She masked the sharp stab of betrayal, focusing instead on the man standing in front of her. Damian had made a move. That meant he wanted something. Aurora, still standing beside her, was tense, her gaze flashing between them. Selene ignored the way her pulse jumped at Aurora's nearness. She couldn't afford distractions now. She leaned back in her chair, forcing a smirk onto her lips. "Let me guess. You think this will shake me?" Damian chuckled. "I think it will challenge you." Selene folded her arms. "And what exactly do you want, Damian?" He took a step closer, his voice smooth. "A partnership." Selene let out a cold laugh. "You must be joking." Damian shrugged, as if her answer didn't matter. "Your company is powerful, but I can make it stronger." Selene's smile didn't reach her eyes. "I don't need you to make my company stronger. I've built it from nothing, without your interference." Damian sighed, shaking his head. "So stubborn." He turned slightly, glancing at Aurora. "She was always like this, wasn't she?" Aurora's jaw tightened. "Don't bring me into this." Selene's gaze darkened. "That's the first smart thing you've said tonight." Damian grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Very well, I'll leave for now." He took a step back, smoothing his jacket. "But remember, Selene, I own a piece of your empire now. And sooner or later, you'll have to face me." Selene's voice was like ice. "We'll see about that." Damian chuckled, then turned toward the door. Just before he left, he paused, looking at Aurora once more. "I'll be waiting for you at home, darling." Aurora didn't answer. The moment the door shut behind him, the tension in the room thickened. Selene turned toward Aurora. "Tell me the truth. Did you know about this?" Aurora's eyes snapped to hers. "Of course not." Selene studied her face, searching for any sign of a lie. Aurora met her gaze and head-on,unwavering. Finally, Selene exhaled and looked away. Aurora took a step closer. "I didn't come here because of Damian. I came because of us." Selene's jaw clenched. "There is no us." Aurora hesitated, then said softly, "Then why does it still feel like there is?" Selene's pulse stuttered, but she kept her expression carefully neutral. "You're imagining things." Aurora didn't move, her voice quieter now. "No, I'm not." Silence stretched between them. The air between them was thick, heavy with something unspoken. Selene should have ended this conversation. She should have told Aurora to leave and never come back but she didn't. Aurora took another step forward, her perfume surrounding Selene like a memory she couldn't escape. "Do you remember the last time we stood this close?" Aurora's voice was barely above a whisper. Selene's throat tightened. Of course, she remembered. She remembered everything. She remembered the way Aurora had kissed her breathless, the way her hands had traced every inch of her skin, the way she had whispered Selene's name like it was something sacred. And she remembered waking up alone and felt abandoned. Selene forced herself to remain still, even as her pulse quickened. "That was a long time ago." Aurora's lips curved into the smallest smirk. "Not long enough." Selene hated the way her body reacted, the way a flicker of warmth spread through her chest despite every warning in her head. Aurora reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Selene's face. Selene caught her wrist before she could pull away. The moment their skin touched, it was as if the past slammed into them both at once. Aurora sucked in a sharp breath. Selene's grip tightened, torn between pulling her closer and pushing her away. She should let go. She needed to let go. But Aurora was so close, her golden eyes dark with something that mirrored Selene's own hunger. Selene's voice was low, controlled. "Don't play games with me." Aurora leaned in slightly, her breath ghosting over Selene's skin. "Who says I'm playing?" Selene's heart pounded. She should have ended this. She should have walked away. Instead, she did something she never should have done. She leaned in. Aurora's lips parted slightly, her breath hitching. The space between them disappeared. But just as Selene's lips almost brushed against Aurora's, the office door slammed open. Selene jerked back, her chest rising and falling sharply. Camille stood at the doorway, eyes widening as she took in the scene. Her voice was clipped. "Selene. We have a problem." Selene forced herself to breathe, shoving down everything that had just happened, everything that almost happened. She turned toward Camille, her voice steady. "What is it?" Camille's jaw clenched. "Someone just leaked your stockholders' meeting minutes to the press." Selene's stomach dropped. Aurora paled. Selene straightened, all traces of her earlier vulnerability disappearing. "Who leaked it?" Camille's voice was grim. "We don't know yet. But the documents? They're already spreading." Selene's blood ran cold. This wasn't an accident, this was deliberate attack and whoever was behind it,they were coming for her.