Chapter 25 up
“I want to meet.”
That short message made Selena’s heart race faster than usual. Vincent’s name was clearly displayed on her phone screen. Her hand trembled for a moment—caught between nerves and excitement—before a thin smile curved her lips.
She reread the message, making sure she hadn’t imagined it.
Vincent:
Ardent Café. Four p.m.
Selena stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes sparkled, her thoughts running far ahead. After all the rumors that had turned against her, after the insults and whispers that had shredded her pride, this invitation felt like salvation.
“In the end,” she murmured, “you still chose me.”
She didn’t know that beneath the calm of that message, Vincent had arranged every detail with cold, deliberate precision.
Ardent Café that afternoon was quiet, elegant, and serene. Soft music drifted through the air, sunlight slanting across polished wooden tables. Vincent was already seated in a corner, his posture straight, his expression unreadable.
Selena arrived in a dress she had chosen carefully—not excessive, but striking enough to draw attention. She approached with a smile crafted to look fragile.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet,” she said softly.
Vincent gave a brief nod. “Please, sit.”
A waiter came, orders were taken. Selena crossed her legs, waiting—hoping.
Vincent began without preamble. “I’ll get straight to the point.”
Selena held her breath.
“I know you’re under pressure,” Vincent continued calmly. “Those rumors aren’t trivial. Your reputation is at risk.”
Selena lowered her gaze, fiddling with the small spoon in front of her. “I never expected things to turn this cruel.”
Vincent watched her closely. “I can help you.”
She looked up quickly. “How?”
Vincent leaned back slightly. “On one condition.”
Silence settled over their table.
“I’m a man accustomed to getting what I want,” Vincent went on evenly. “And I won’t deny… my interest.”
Selena’s heart pounded. His words were like honey.
“What do you mean?” she asked, pretending to hesitate.
Vincent met her eyes. “I can give you protection. Money. Status. Everything Clark can’t give you.”
The mention of Clark made Selena stiffen.
“In return,” Vincent lowered his voice, “you’ll be mine. Not publicly. But you know what I mean.”
Selena swallowed.
This was her chance. She could defeat Nyla completely. This wealthy man—more powerful than Clark—was offering her an escape.
“I’m pregnant,” she said quickly, hoping it would serve as a shield.
Vincent nodded slowly. “That’s not a problem.”
The answer erased the last trace of doubt in Selena’s mind.
“I just want a peaceful life,” she said softly. “I’m tired of being cornered.”
Vincent smiled faintly. “I can arrange that.”
Selena exhaled deeply—then nodded.
“I agree,” she said.
The words fell softly, but their weight was heavy.
Vincent lifted his phone slightly above the table. “I’m glad you were honest.”
Selena didn’t notice the tiny light glowing at the corner of the device.
Elsewhere, Nyla sat in her small office, trying to focus. Yet her chest felt unsettled. Since morning, it was as if her instincts were being tugged by something unseen.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Vincent.
Vincent:
We need to talk. This afternoon.
Nyla bit her lip, uneasy. She had no idea that Vincent was doing something—for her.
At the café, Vincent ended the meeting calmly.
“I’ll contact you,” he said as he stood. “We’ll arrange everything.”
Selena smiled with satisfaction. “I’ll be waiting.”
Vincent walked away without looking back.
As soon as he left, Selena’s smile widened. She felt victorious—certain she had stepped on Nyla for the last time.
But a few hours later—
Selena’s world collapsed.
Her phone vibrated nonstop. Messages poured in. Calls from friends, acquaintances, unknown numbers.
“What did you do?!”
“Selena, is this true?”
“Are you insane?”
She opened social media.
A post from an anonymous account had gone viral—complete with undeniable evidence.
An audio recording.
Fragments of conversation.
An offer. An agreement.
Her own words. Her own voice.
“I agree.”
Selena’s face drained of color.
“That—that’s impossible,” she whispered.
Comments flooded in.
So the rumors were true.
She wasn’t framed. She offered herself.
A woman like this dared to accuse someone else?
Her hands shook violently.
Her phone rang.
Clark.
“Explain this to me,” Clark’s voice was cold, trembling with fury. “What did you actually do?”
Selena broke down, sobbing hysterically. “I was set up!”
“No,” Clark cut in harshly. “You set yourself up.”
The call ended.
Selena collapsed onto the floor, her phone slipping from her hand.
Elsewhere, Vincent stood before the window of his office. His expression remained calm, but his eyes were icy.
“This isn’t revenge,” he murmured. “It’s justice.”
His phone vibrated.
A message from Nyla.
Nyla:
What happened?
Vincent typed slowly.
Vincent:
There’s nothing you need to be afraid of anymore. The truth is doing its work.
Nyla stared at the screen for a long time.
In the distance, Selena screamed alone, realizing one thing far too late—
A trap may feel sweet at the beginning,
but it destroys you in the end.