---
Kael put the divorce papers on the table and walked in with icy detachment.
Selene stared at the papers for a long time. The ink seemed to come alive, slicing her like a blade. It bled her heart. Time stood still. Her mind went blank. Her already messy world shattered completely.
She couldn't even cry. No screaming. No tears. Everything was dead silent.
She didn't know how it happened, but somehow she found herself standing in front of a bar.
"How did I get here?" she asked herself.
Selene stepped inside. This was her first time entering a place like this. The atmosphere was nothing like she had imagined. The music was loud—loud enough to drown out her sorrow—and strangely, that comforted her.
A bottle of wine sat on her table. Deep red. Expensive-looking. Normally, she wasn't the type to drink, but today, all she wanted was to drown in the buzz and forget the storm raging in her head.
She uncorked the bottle and took a swig. The bitter taste of alcohol assaulted her tongue, twisting her face into a grimace. Why do people enjoy this? she wondered. Still, she didn't stop. Gritting her teeth, she took another mouthful.
Slowly, her thoughts began to fade. Her body felt weightless, like paper. She imagined herself floating across the world. All she could think about was the wine in front of her. Grabbing a second bottle, she downed it in one go. And then—everything went dark.
---
Derek entered the bar and made his way to his usual spot in the far corner. He was a regular—known, but unapproachable. From where he sat, he liked to observe people in their rawest states.
Behind him stood two towering men in black tuxedos. Their cold gazes sent shivers down anyone's spine. Their presence alone was enough to clear a path.
Derek swirled his wine and took a slow sip, his eyes scanning the crowd—until they landed on a figure slumped over a table. Her hair was a tangled mess, and yet, something about her caught his attention.
He watched as she emptied her glass in one go. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Who brought this silly little thing here?
"Bring her to me," he said calmly.
One of the bodyguards nodded and approached her.
Selene, barely conscious, looked up as a shadow loomed over her. In her drunken haze, all she could see was a giant bottle of wine.
"Ohh, giant wine… come here… come for me," she giggled, waving at it.
The bodyguard raised a brow but said, "Let's go."
She smiled stupidly and didn't move an inch.
Without effort, he picked her up and led her toward Derek's table.
Naturally, the crowd parted. Whispers rippled through the bar. They knew who the bodyguards belonged to—but no one dared speak aloud.
Derek looked at the disheveled girl now seated before him. Though she was drunk, the pain in her eyes was something no alcohol could mask. She didn't belong here. This place didn't fit her.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
She reached for the wine on his table, but he snatched it away.
"What do you want?" she snapped.
"I asked you first," he said calmly.
"The same reason you're here," she retorted.
"So, you're a regular?"
She tried to glare at him—or at least she thought she did. "Mind your business. Now give me the wine."
"Nope."
"What's wrong with you?" she grumbled, clearly growing frustrated.
"Water," he called to the bartender. "And something light to eat."
Soon, a cold glass of water and a few delicacies were placed in front of her.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Better eat and drink that. Or tomorrow, you'll wake up feeling like your skull's been split in two."
She took the water and sipped. The chill of it brought a little clarity.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" she asked cautiously.
"I'm an investor. A businessman. Tell me why you're here, and maybe I can—"
"What do you want?" she cut him off.
"What makes you think I want anything?"
"I know your type. Anyway, I'm still a married woman."
"Still?" He tilted his head. "Why? Planning a divorce? Or was it the other way around?"
Her eyes flickered. He didn't miss it. Jackpot, he thought.
"I'm nobody worthy of your attention," she whispered, standing up to leave.
But she only took two steps before her knees gave way, and she stumbled backward.
Instinctively, Derek caught her, his arm sliding around her waist. She fell against his chest—his firm, chiseled chest—and his hand tightened slightly around her waist.
What a slender waist, he thought.
For a second, the world stood still.
Then, as if jolted by electricity, they separated quickly.
"I knew you were a pervert," she said with a glare and turned to leave.
He stopped her. "At least let my bodyguard take you home. You're drunk."
"I'll take a taxi," she muttered.
"It's dangerous for a woman like you, especially at night. There have been recent kidnappings in this area. So what do you say?"
"You can only take me to the block before my house."
"That's good enough," he said.
---
At the mansion, Kael's phone beeped.
A message from an unknown number.
He opened it—and his blood turned cold.
A picture. Selene… in the arms of another man. Her back pressed against his chest. His hands on her waist. The angle of the photo made it look far more intimate than it truly was.
The temperature in the bedroom dropped to zero.
---