He Begged Too Late After I Married His Rival

Adrian: Seli, help me. I've been drugged. Aurora Grand Hotel, Room 3001. Come now! When the message came through, Selene Vale was still in the bath. She didn't even dry herself properly before rushing out, barely managing to throw on a silk nightdress. The moment she pushed the door open, a loud pop exploded. Confetti burst into the air, and a glass of champagne was splashed straight at her. Cold liquid soaked her hair and slid down her skin. Selene froze in place. Laughter erupted around her. A group of well-dressed young men were doubled over, phones already raised. Their cameras zoomed in on her chest, where the thin silk clung to her body, damp and nearly transparent. Flash after flash lit up the room. "Oh, a bet's a bet. Pay up, pay up!" "Look at that. The Vale family's upbringing is truly eye-opening. She even came in her sleepwear. Did she really think Adrian needed her help? More like throwing herself at him. What a joke." "She's been shamelessly chasing Adrian for ten years. Like glue you can't peel off." The room roared with mockery. At the center, Adrian sat cross-legged, slowly rolling a string of prayer beads between his fingers, his expression detached, composed, and untouchable. At the commotion, he merely lifted his gaze and met Selene's eyes for a brief second. A trace of ridicule flickered across his face. "Selene, how many times do I have to say it? No matter what you do, I will never break my vows for you. Have you learned your lesson this time?" It hit her then. This had been nothing more than another one of his cruel games. A chill spread through her chest. The laughter and jeers around her faded into the background, leaving only his words echoing over and over, striking her heart. This was the man she had loved for ten years. He had claimed, late at night, that he'd been drugged. She had rushed here without a second thought, risking her reputation just to help him. And this was what she got in return. "I was wrong, Adrian. I won't chase after you anymore." Her voice trembled at the end. Tears slipped down her face and fell onto the floor. Ten years ago, she had been sent away to cultivate discipline and peace of mind. That was where she met Adrian. On the day they first met, a group of wealthy youths sent up the mountain had been noisy and restless. But Selene saw only him. Inside St. Elaris Abbey, incense curled through the air. Adrian knelt silently on a meditation cushion, unmoving, like a figure carved from stone, like something sacred. She had always been slow to awaken to love. She had met all kinds of men before, mature, playful, and serious, yet none of them had ever stirred her heart. Until she met Adrian. From that moment on, her heart beat wildly for him. During those years of cultivation, the young lady who once never woke before mid-morning began rising before five every day. She would help Master Rowan make herb-stuffed bread rolls, just so she could leave the largest one for Adrian. Life in St. Elaris Abbey was plain and strict. She would sneak down the mountain to buy him sweets, earning scoldings and strikes on her palms from Master Rowan. Even when her hands swelled painfully, she never regretted it. All it took was one smile from Adrian, and everything felt worth it. Later, after returning from the mountain, she heard that the Vale family and the Hale family were arranging a marriage alliance. Selene had cried with joy. She had wanted nothing more than to go register the marriage that very moment. But Adrian had splashed his coffee across her face. "I will not marry you. My purity is reserved for the one I will love for life." Selene had simply wiped her face dry and forced a small, awkward smile. 'The one I will love for life. What a beautiful phrase!' It was never meant for her. She had spent ten years trying to warm his heart, yet it never softened. Only when Vivian Snow appeared did she finally understand that even a man as unyielding as Adrian could be moved, just not by her. A hand suddenly took hers. A soft, affected voice sounded beside her, pulling her back to the present. "Seli, please don't misunderstand Adrian. They were only joking. You know how boys are, they never really grow up." Vivian spoke with concern, but her eyes gleamed with unmistakable satisfaction. "What's there to explain to her? She's just a gold digger clinging to an engagement, dreaming of marrying into the Hale family. Don't dirty your hands on her, Vivi." Adrian finally stood. He pulled Vivian into his arms, as if Selene were something unclean. "She lacks discipline. You are like a snow lotus. Don't be so kind to just anyone." "That's right, Vivi. With Selene here, even the air feels polluted. Let's go." They gathered around Vivian and left in a noisy crowd. Selene was left alone. Colorful ribbons from the confetti still tangled in her hair. She looked like a ridiculous clown. The cold winter wind of Northridge City swept in through the open door, biting and sharp. She sat there the entire night, wearing nothing but that thin nightdress. At dawn, when the first light broke, she made a call. Her voice was steady. "Mom, I agree to the marriage alliance with the Cross family."