Still in Capri, Italy...
Selena, still standing in front of the floor length mirror of her luxurious suite, a silk robe was tied loosely around her waist, her face devoid of any of the emotions are voice pretended to carry.
"Thank you so much, Ser. I'll get back to you on what do next." She said, pressing the phone to her ear with just the right tremble in her voice.
They talked for a while and as she listened to the last few words of Serena, a pair of arms snaked around her waist, strong and familiar, the scent of expensive tobacco clinging to the man's breath.
"Babe—" he started, but was cut short by Selena signalling to him to wait as she listened to what Serena was saying before she finally hung up and turned to face him.
"Hey" She said, reaching up and wrapping her arms behind his neck to pull him down for a kiss. The kiss, soft at first, turned deeper and more claiming.
The man wasn't just a random guy, or some random fling. His name is Kayden Smith, the Chief Operating Officer of one of Reign Group's overseas branch, which means he technically works for Killian.
They had met at the company's annual gala the year. A luxurious, over the top event filed with expensive wines,building connections, and business deals masked as social niceties. As the CEO's wife, Selena is expected to attend as her husband's plus one and they've been attending it since she got married to him. But Killian, as the workaholic he his, always spends his time entertaining investors, board members and basically just business, leaving her to sit alone. This night wasn't any different and that was when Kayden found her.
It began with idle conversations, small talks here and there to fill the silence. But Kayden had given her something Killian hardly do, attention. He laughed at her jokes, listened to her talk, she felt like she mattered. They exchanged contacts, then one call turned to another, messages, secret meetings, and sneaking around.
That evening changed everything, it was never supposed to go far. But Kayden made feel seen so the affair began. Now, months later, she wasn't just hiding an affair, she was orchestrating something far more dangerous and was dragging Serena in the middle of it.
Selena pulled back from the kiss, her fingers still tracing the edge of Kayden's collarbone.
"So, What did she say?" Kayden asked, his arms still wrapped around her.
"She did it. She's pregnant." Selena replied. "She really did it." she continued with a proud little laugh.
Kayden didn't respond to that and just grinned at her "And the plan?"
"In motion." she whispered, brushing her thumb across his lips. "I'll be going back soon though but all we have to do for now is wait." she added, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Back in the Reign Mansion.
Serena stood by the window, one hand resting on her belly and the other holding her phone, unaware of the storm she had stepped into was far more calculated than she ever imagined.
*******************************
Three weeks had passed since the phone call with Selena, and it passed in strange yet comfortable silence. I had finally adjusted to the rhythm of this temporary life filled with morning sickness, ginger ale, prenatal vitamins, and appointments with family's private OBGYN. Killian had been caring and attentive more than ever. He made breakfast some mornings—weird, I know, rubbed my feet in the evenings, and looked after me like I was a delicate flower.
And that was maybe the most painful part of it, he didn't know. He didn't know I wasn't his wife.
I moved around the mansion like I was a ghost in borrowed skin and each smile I gave him was stained with guilt.
But the quiet didn't last....
This morning, an unexpected guest came unannounced, My mother.
I sat on the living room couch, spine stiff, pretending to sip tea I couldn't even taste. Killian was sat next to me, with one of his arm resting along the back of the couch behind me. His fingers playing lightly with my hair.
He didn't notice how tense I was. And across from us sat my mother, graceful and still, eyes drifting around the place like she was memorizing it, refusing to look at me. But I knew what she was doing, she was reading me.
"This is a beautiful place. It looks different from the last time I was here." She finally said, her voice was casual but her eyes weren't. "Selena always did have an eye for things like this."
"Yes, she does." Killian said, pulled me a little closer and pressed a kiss to my temple.
I forced a smile "Thank you, mum. I'm glad you like it."
Her gaze lingered on me, " Why are you quiet today? You're always talking nonstop when you're excited, or aren't you excited to see me?" She said, a flicker of sadness in her eyes, gone just as quickly as it came.
I felt so guilty, even though her visit caught me off guard and I'm freaking out inside right mow, I'm still happy to see my mum. As Serena, it's been long since I saw her physically, we mostly talked through phone calls and FaceTime, because I was far away from home and work doesn't let me visit home. This is the first time I'm seeing her in years.
My throat tightened and I choked up, "No, no.... I'm happy to see you." I managed, shaking my head, my voice cracked a little and tears pricked the corners of my eyes.
I stood up and crossed to room to her, lowering myself into the couch beside her. Without saying a word, I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her, tighter than I should have. She stiffened for a second and then hugged me back. And for a second, I felt like me, not Selena.
She pulled back slightly, holding me at arm's length, her eyes narrowing as they searched mine.
"Are you... pregnant?" she asked, voice low, as if saying it out loud would make it more real. " Why didn't you tell me?"
I blinked, I was surprised she noticed, I was just two months pregnant and my stomach only had a small bump, but I guess mother always knows.
"Yes" I whispered, nodding softly, shame clinging to me like a bodysuit. "I am."
Her eyes shifted, a mix of surprise, concern, and disappointment. Before she could speak again, Killian, still seated across from us, chimed in casually.
"Oh, I thought she already told her family."
The room went silent. My mother's eyes darted between the two of us, the corner of her lips twitching like she was biting back a storm.