Scarred Seductress

A Familiar Smile

“In one… two… three… now…”

A smile curved Selene's lips as the phone lying on the table before her buzzed to life, just as she had expected.

She scoffed, shaking her head as she reached out for it.

“Good morning, ma'am.” Ava's calm voice cut through.

“Get to the point, Ava…” Selene growled, rolling her eyes.

“Uhmm… I—I accepted an appointment on your behalf, fixed for twelve today, at the Moretti family estate.” Ava croaked, her voice shaking badly, as though she was scared of Selene.

Selene smiled again.

“Mrs. Moretti reached out to me through her assistant, asking to meet you at her residence…”

“Good job,” Selene mouthed, flipping her long hair over her shoulder as she straightened to her feet, her palms reaching for her purse on the table.

“So… are you willing to meet her? I can cancel if you—”

“Your job is done, Ava… take a break for the day.”

She pulled the phone away from her ear and was just about to end the call when Ava spoke again.

“She’s sending a car to take you…”

Selene rolled her eyes and ended the call, shoving her phone into her purse. Her feet glided into motion, headed for the door, when subtle footsteps echoed down the stairs. She looked up and landed her eyes on Leo, the child curled into a corner, sad eyes digging into her.

“You’re… you’re up?” she asked softly, flashing him a small smile.

His nanny came scampering to his side in no time, taking his hand to lead him away.

“My apologies, ma’am…”

“There’s no need to apologise.” Selene cut her off, biting down on her lower lip as she tucked her face away, tears brewing quickly in her eyes.

“I’m really sorry—”

“Come here, Leo…” Selene said, cutting the woman off.

Leo tore his eyes from Selene, hesitant.

“Fine… I’m sorry I missed your first day of school, baby. I promise I’ll take you myself tomorrow.”

His eyes snapped back to her, lighting up with excitement.

“I promise…” Selene assured.

The child nodded quickly, a smile spreading across his face as he scurried down the stairs to meet her.

Selene lowered to his level and gently patted his hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you, Mama…” he muttered, returning the kiss to her cheek. Selene chuckled—this time genuinely.

“What do you say we have dinner together, baby?” she asked, and he nodded eagerly.

“Okay then… I’ll see you when I’m back, baby. Bye.”

She kissed him again, straightened, waved him a small goodbye, and proceeded toward the door, the genuine smile on her face lingering.

“See… Mama loves me,” she heard Leo brag to his nanny behind her.

The smile faded instantly as her heart crashed into her stomach.

She turned and watched him scurry back up the stairs, disappearing from sight, Ava’s words from the night before replaying in her head. No doubt Ava must have made the child worry that Selene’s distance meant she didn’t love him. Of course she did. Regardless of how cruel his birth had been, he was her baby. She would never trade him for anything in the world. Everything she was doing was to finally give peace to his sister and grandmother—not because she didn’t love him.

“Ma’am…” her butler approached, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She forced a smile.

“The ride is here, ma’am…” he said.

Selene’s gaze followed his, a scoff escaping her lips as she watched a luxurious limo glide through the gates—no doubt sent by Marina herself.

“Go get the car ready… I’ll be taking my own car,” she hissed.

He nodded quickly and hurried away.

———

“Give her back, Samantha… your beef is with me, not the poor child.” Marina bawled, shaking as she watched her dead sister, Samantha, hold her daughter Quinn hostage at the edge of the stairs, just about to push her down.

“How does it feel, Marina… how does it feel to beg—to beg for your daughter’s life?” Samantha taunted, tightening her grip on the child’s hair, ripping a painful yelp from her.

“Mama!” Quinn cried, clawing to get free.

“Please, Samantha, I beg you… stay dead and let my daughter go!” Marina screamed, collapsing to her knees.

“Dead?” Samantha laughed, her voice echoing through the grand living room, dead silence following.

“Look around you, Marina… look around and see who’s actually dead,” Samantha scorned, her voice dissolving into laughter.

Marina swallowed hard and glanced around shakily. A sharp gasp tore from her as she took in the lifeless bodies of her mother and father, lying in pools of their own blood.

She screamed, rushing forward to clutch her mother’s cold body.

“What did you do?”

“They’re your family too, Samantha… how could you—”

Samantha shoved the child.

Marina’s color drained as she watched Quinn tumble down the stairs, her body landing lifelessly in her own blood.

A scream ripped from Marina as she crawled forward, gathering her battered child into her arms.

“How dare you—” she growled, looking up—

Only to freeze.

The face before her no longer looked like Samantha.

It looked exactly like the woman who had just walked into her life hours earlier.

Selene.

Marina’s lips parted, but no sound came. Then came the roar—cheers and shouts from outside, a mob clawing and pushing to get in.

“Who… who… who are these people?” she cried, clawing at her hair, her sanity slipping.

She turned back toward the stairs—toward where Samantha, where Selene, had stood—

Nothing.

Empty.

She pushed herself up and staggered toward the exit when the main door burst open, the mob flooding inside—

A cold splash hit her face.

Marina gasped awake.

“Ma’am… are you okay?” her assistant rushed, setting aside the bowl of water and helping her sit up.

“You look like you were having a terrible nightmare…”

“Quinn… where is she? Where is my daughter?” Marina cried, shoving the girl aside as she leapt from the bed.

“Quinn is—”

Marina was already running.

She burst into the child’s Barney-themed bedroom—empty.

“Baby?” she called, panic clawing at her chest.

She raced back into the hallway, flew down the grand stairs—

“Mama!”

Marina froze.

Her knees gave up as she looked up and saw Quinn waving—from Selene’s arms.

A violent shiver ran down Marina’s spine at the familiar smile on Selene’s lips.

The same smile Samantha had worn in her nightmare.

The same smile that had burned her world without mercy.

How was she only noticing it now…

That familiarity.