His Silent Possession

“I hope you’re happy now.” The words were brutal. Cassian stood in his bedroom doorway swaying drunkenly with a bottle of bourbon in his hand, looking at Selene like she was dirt beneath his shoes. “Cassian, let’s just get you to bed— “No!” He kicked his foot back, slamming his boot against the door frame. “Don’t look at me with those eyes. Like you didn’t plan this.” “I didn’t want this, Cassian,” Selene whispered, her eyes blurring with tears. “I begged my father on my knees to cancel the arrangement. I didn’t want—” “Don’t lie to me!” He screamed, his voice cracking and raw. “She’s gone, Selene! She called me, she left the country because of this fake-ass situation, because of you! Because you could never say no to your father. You stayed quiet because you wanted me didn’t you?” He didn't believe her. He never would. That night, Cassian had locked himself in the bathroom. Through the door, above the sound of the running shower, she heard him sob. “I just really loved her,” he had choked out. And outside the door, sitting on the cold floor, Selene had whispered, “I know.” “Sign here, please.” The lawyer’s voice snapped out the memory from her head. Selene blinked, her vision clearing as the painful memory vanished. She wasn’t twenty-three anymore, she was twenty-eight sitting in a black leather chair inside the corporate headquarters of Vale Meridian Group. Across the mahogany conference table sat Cassian. He looked different now, broader, with a sharp jawline, wearing a blue tailored suit. For four years, he hadn’t spoken a single word to her. He had punished her with total and agonizing silence inside the massive house they both lived in, treating her like a ghost while he rotated women every night. But today, the five-year contract was over. Selene looked down at the divorce papers in front of her. Her hands weren’t shaking as she picked up the gold pen the lawyer had passed over, pressed the tip to the signature line and dragged it across the paper. Selene Arden. She pushed the documents across the table, and made herself look up, right into the dark eyes of Cassian Vale, who for the first time in years was looking right back at her. There was a sudden strange look on his face, that almost looked like regret, but Selene didn’t care anymore. Instead she stood up, picked up her bag and walked out of his office without saying a single word. “Selene!” In the busy corridor, Mica, her favorite marketing colleague, ran up to her with wide eyes. “I saw your office cleared out yesterday. Are you really leaving the company?” Selene forced out a bright fake smile. “Yes, I’m Moving to my own firm, Vellum Creative, full-time. It’s time to move on, I guess.” “Oh my god,” Mica gasped. “We’re totally going to miss you so much over here.” Right then, the expensive scent of sandalwood moved past her, and she didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. Cassian strode by surrounded by 3 assistants without sparing her a glance. The cruelty of it made Selene’s heartache, but she kept her smile locked in place until she reached the elevators. When she pushed through the glass doors of the lobby, she immediately saw her best friend Noa, leaning against her car, and arms folded tightly against her coat. The moment Noa saw Selene’s face, she stretched her arms open in understanding. Noa had been her anchor since college, stepping into the empty space left behind when the boy she grew up with became a stranger. Though she didn’t cry, because she had promised herself she wouldn’t waste another tear on Cassian Vale, she let herself lean comfortably into her friend’s shoulder. “I’ve got you,” Noa muttered, squeezing her tightly. “The bastard is officially behind you. Come on, get in the car. We’re going to see a comedy play.” The play was ridiculous. For two hours, Selene laughed until her stomach hurt, wiping away tears of actual relief. During the second act, she glanced over and saw Noa watching her with deep aching sadness. Noa knew the truth, Selene was laughing on the outside, but inside, five years of being treated like an invisible piece of trash had left deep scars. By 8:00pm, Noa dropped her off at her house. Selene walked up the stairs, expecting the house to be dark and empty as usual. But when she opened the front door, she froze. All the lights were on. Her stomach flipped, but she forced herself to walk into the kitchen. She opened the fridge, grabbed the jar of overnight oats she’d forgotten that morning, and started eating with a spoon, right there, with the fridge wide open. “Is this a new routine?” A deep voice cut through the quiet kitchen. Selene choked on the oats, coughing violently and slapping her hands against the counter as her eyes watered. Before she could recover, a cold bottle of water was slammed onto the marble counter right next to her hand. She looked up, gasping for air, and saw Cassian standing right there and staring down at her with a dark, intense look that she hadn’t seen on his face in years. Selene gripped the water bottle, taking a long gulp, and without a word, she grabbed her bag and her oats, turning her back on him to walk towards the main staircase. She just needed to get to her room. Six months. She thought to herself, she just had to survive six months of living under the same roof until the final divorce clause cleared. She had just placed her foot on the very first wooden step when she heard his voice again. “Selene” The sound echoed through the massive empty hallway and Selene stopped dead in her tracks. Cassian hadn’t said her name in four years. Hearing it now, in that deep, commanding voice, sent a cold chill straight down to her spine.