Frederick's POV
I led Selene down the hallway, my hand still cupping her face. Her skin was soft, trembling under my touch, and her tears clung to my fingers like dew. She looked fragile, breakable—everything Olivia refused to be.
"Forget her," I murmured again, softer this time, though my chest still heaved from the fury boiling inside me. "She doesn't know what she's doing. Don't take her words to heart."
Selene sniffled, lowering her lashes. "I… I'll try, my lord." Her voice trembled, and I hated how wounded she looked. What the hell was happening to me? Why did I care for a woman? This was a first. Ever since Hailee, I hadn't cared for anyone. With Olivia, I forced myself to try, still struggling every step of the way. But with Selene… it came naturally. The night I first saw her, something inside me shifted—an urge to protect her. I couldn't explain it.
