Scarred Seductress

Under His Gaze

“Miss Selene….” the doctor mouthed with a small smile, gently clearing his throat.

“Don't… don't tell me…”

“Yes, Miss Selene… Mr. Moretti here happened to be at the hospital just in time—”

“Leave us,” Matteo growled, cutting the doctor off.

Selene looked away, panic spreading through her spine, her lips curling between her teeth.

“Of course…” the doctor murmured, taking a quiet step back and exiting the ward, with Ava following quickly behind him.

“Why?” Selene choked out, tears pooling in her eyes as she lifted her gaze back to his indifferent face.

“Why did you do it?”

“I ask the questions, Selene… and your job is only to answer them,” he huffed, stepping closer slowly, forcing Selene to stumble back with every step.

“Does the child still live?” he asked, forcing a tight swallow down Selene's throat.

“I won't ask again…”

“No!” Selene lied in one sharp breath, her eyes trembling over Matteo's face just in time to see his expression shift into something terrifying.

“If you're here, that means you've heard of the accident… the one that put my son in his condition.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I'm saying I lost the baby then,” she continued, lowering her head as her heart pounded.

“You're going to have to accept that there won't be any baby… it's not meant to be.”

“You never wanted it.” Matteo roared, his eyes dragging over Selene as his expression twisted with something close to rage.

Selene let out a dry chuckle. “Of course I want—”

“Don't try to play smart with me,” he hissed, silencing her.

She bit down on her lip and blinked the tears pooling in her eyes away. Of course she didn't. How was she supposed to bring to life his blood of all things—a Moretti blood?

“You made a deal with Marina…” he said, and Selene's eyes locked onto his quickly, her heart crashing wildly against her ribs.

“You get her father's worthless company shares in exchange for what exactly?”

A hollow laugh rippled from Selene's throat. “Why do you trouble yourself with such trivial matters, Matteo… it's totally normal for women to—”

“Get rid of the baby?” he cut in, the words catching in her throat as terror spread through her spine.

He actually knew everything.

Matteo let out a bitter scoff, ripping his eyes from her as he clenched his jaw—once.

“s**t,” Selene cursed as her breath spiraled, her palms going sweaty at her sides as she watched Matteo pace the room, slowly.

“It just doesn't make sense, Selene,” he grunted, his eyes never leaving her, studying her as she shook.

“You're a w***e… a gold digger…”

Selene's heart twisted.

“You're only in our lives because you're one of those sluts out there desperate to climb the social ladder,” he spat, leaving helpless tears gathering in Selene's eyes as his voice dropped with venom.

“And for women your type, the ultimate move will always be trapping men like me with a baby…”

Selene scoffed, bitter and pained, turning her tear-streaked face away.

“So why would you trade something so valuable, Selene… for the life of a child—worth everything you've worked your whole life for?”

He shook his head and closed the small space between them, gripping her chin and yanking her gaze back to him.

“I've always known there was something about you…” he snarled.

Selene's heart sank.

“And right now, I want nothing more than to find out.”

He released her roughly, almost sending her stumbling out of balance.

“Your little game is over, Selene…” he muttered darkly, “I’ll find out who you are.”

“The child lives,” Selene croaked, her lungs burning for air as more panic than she had ever felt seized her limbs.

Matteo laughed.

“I'm not lying, Matteo… it really lives,” she choked out, pressing a sharp nod.

A small smile stretched across Matteo's lips. “Nice strategy, Selene… as expected of you,” he huffed, shaking his head as he turned, striding for the door.

“I—I can get tested if you....”

“If you're this desperate to stop me… then I'm sure it's something worth finding out.”

Selene's knees buckled and she crumbled to the ground, her blood running cold as Matteo exited the ward, leaving her mind spiraling at the verge of losing itself.

If Matteo had even the slightest idea of her truth—

she’d be done for.