Scarred Seductress

The Fall

Marina’s feet launched into motion again, carrying her around the quiet bedroom in seconds.

Damien was still in the living room with Selene, their voices rising and falling faintly in the distance.

“She… she’s pregnant for… for… Matteo?” she muttered, letting out a dry chuckle as she settled on the edge of the bed, her feet tapping the ground restlessly.

“That b***h… what exactly is she up to?” she added, her face twisting with more anger than she had felt in a really long time.

“She has the guts to get pregnant for a man like Matteo, all while fooling me into believing she only had eyes for Damien.”

She scoffed.

“Marina?” her mom’s voice echoed from the hallway. Marina hissed.

“Marina?” her mother called again, placing a quiet knock on the door before pushing it open.

“What happened… why are you—”

“I think I just got played, Mom….” Marina snarled, cutting the woman off.

She raised a brow.

“What are you talking about?”

“That slut wasn’t actually after Damien… she was after his father, Matteo.” She exclaimed, pushing to her feet, her hands thrown in the air as bitter chuckles shook her.

Her mother laughed too. “What the hell are you talking about, Marina? I mean, if it’s a joke, please cut it out…”

“I am not joking, Mom… she’s pregnant as we speak!”

Her eyes widened. “She’s what?” she screamed, horror spreading across her face.

Marina nodded quickly.

“I finally get it, Mom. From the second she walked through that door and into our lives… I should have seen it in her eyes. She would never be satisfied with Damien… she wants everything. She wants Matteo Moretti.”

The woman let out a low, disoriented chuckle. “How is it even possible? Matteo would never….”

“What do you suggest I do, Mom?” Marina blurted, hurrying to her mother’s side, her desperate eyes searching her mother’s face.

“If I don’t do anything, then I stand a big chance of losing everything to her… her child will take my Quinn’s place… the world would get to recognize the brat as Matteo’s only blood and—”

“You’re overreacting, Marina.” The woman cut in, snapping Marina to silence.

She lowered her restless gaze.

“Child or no child, Damien remains Matteo’s heir. Nothing and no one is changing that.” She snapped.

Marina shook her head, as if unable to find peace in the sound of that.

“We’ll find a way to deal with her… there’s no reason to panic, Marina…”

“There’s every reason to panic!” Marina exploded, shaking with fury.

Her mother raised a confused brow.

“If that child sees the light of day and has Matteo’s actual blood running through his veins, I lose everything!” she screamed, shoving her mother out of the way as she stormed for the door.

“Marina…” the woman called, following quickly behind her.

“What do you mean by that, Marina… is there something you know that I don’t?”

Marina ignored her and left the room, glancing quickly through the living room without catching the slightest glimpse of Selene or Damien.

Her heart sank.

“No… no… no…” she muttered, crossing the entire living room in seconds, her eyes searching for Selene in every corner. “Where did she go? Where did she go?”

“Marina, what is going on?” Her mother appeared behind her.

Marina said nothing and bolted out of the suite in search of Selene. She was not about to let her leave the house with that child still growing inside her.

“Selene!” she called, loud, urgent, and clear.

“Selene!” she yelled again, hurrying toward the grand living room and just about to scream her name once more when she spotted Selene standing at the edge of the stairs, as if lost in her thoughts.

“Marina…”

She turned quickly and gestured for her mother to be quiet. The woman obeyed.

“I warned you, b***h… don’t f*****g mess with me,” she snarled, closing the space between her and Selene as quietly as she could.

Just as Selene sensed a presence behind her and turned, Marina shoved her hard, sending her tumbling down the stairs in a split second.

Damien turned, his eyes widening in horror as he saw Selene crashing down and going still, blood pooling quickly around her.

“She deserves it…” Marina heaved, her face twisted in rage.

“What have you done?!” Damien barked, running to Selene’s side and gathering her into his arms.

Marina hissed, without an ounce of concern or fear.

And just as she made to turn, her eyes caught the slightest glimpse of Matteo’s bodyguard approaching the entrance of the living room quickly. She gasped, stumbling back as fear shot through her spine.

And of course… Matteo came into sight.