Salena sat in the grand lounge of her father’s mansion, the soft ticking of the antique clock on the wall echoing in the heavy silence. Her fingers were wrapped around a glass of untouched water, but her mind was adrift, far from the plush sofas, the polished floors, and the warm scent of lavender that always lingered in this house. Her eyes were vacant—drawn inward—haunted by a name she hadn’t spoken aloud in weeks.
Alec.
Across from her, Mr. and Mrs. Hart exchanged a knowing glance. They hadn’t pressed Salena for answers, not directly. But they didn’t need to. The tabloids, the corporate whispers, the well-connected friends—they all painted the same picture. The golden couple had shattered.
The news of her divorce from Alec Blackwood hadn’t come from Salena’s lips, but from the cold s
