Chapter 26 It Really Is You
Selena's POV
The piercing wail of the ambulance shattered the silence of the Sterling estate.
I knelt on the ground, my mind blank, running on nothing but the cold, mechanical steps from my first aid training.
Compressions. Airway. Check pulse.
Margaret's face was white as paper, her breathing so faint I could barely feel it.
Chaos erupted around me.
The butler was on the phone. The family doctor was examining the old lady. And Royce just stood there, watching me, completely still.
I could feel his gaze like a spotlight, scanning me from head to toe.
I knew exactly what I looked like right now.
That ridiculous blonde wig had slipped to one side, exposing my dark roots.
Sweat and makeup had mixed together, carving white streaks down my face like a half-melted wax figure.
Damn it.
This was not part of my plan.
I just wanted to put on a show, humiliate that arrogant bastard, then walk away with my "breakup fee." I never expected someone to have a heart attack.
"The patient has a history of heart disease! She's been given nitroglycerin! Vitals are stable for now!"
I shouted at the paramedics rushing in, my voice hoarse from tension.
They took over quickly and lifted the old lady onto a stretcher.
I let out a breath and collapsed onto the carpet, finally realizing my back was soaked with cold sweat.
Royce walked over. He didn't help me up. He just looked down at me, his expression too complicated to read.
"You. Come with me." He dropped those words and ran out after the stretcher.
The hospital corridor reeked of disinfectant.
I sat on the cold bench, staring at my reflection on the polished floor.
A complete clown.
I yanked off that ridiculous wig and tossed it into the trash can beside me.
Then I pulled out some wet wipes from my bag and scrubbed at my face, trying to remove the mask-like layers of makeup.
What a disaster.
I don't know how long I sat there before the ER doors finally opened.
A doctor in a white coat walked out.
"The patient is out of danger. It was an acute myocardial infarction. Fortunately, the rescue was timely. Otherwise, the consequences would have been severe."
Royce and several middle-aged men and women who looked like his relatives immediately surrounded the doctor, thanking him repeatedly.
I exhaled in relief, stood up, and tried to slip away while no one was paying attention.
I didn't want to stay here a second longer.
I had just reached the end of the corridor when a hand grabbed my arm from behind, gripping like iron.
I turned around and met Royce's unfathomable eyes.
He said nothing. He just dragged me into an empty stairwell nearby.
The heavy fire door slammed shut behind me, blocking out all sound from outside.
"You..."
I started to speak, but he suddenly moved.
Without a word, one hand swung toward my face without warning.
Fast. Cutting through the air.
My brain hadn't caught up yet, but my body had already reacted.
It was instinct, carved into my bones.
I dodged sideways, grabbed his wrist, ducked low, locked my other hand around his elbow, and twisted hard.
A sharp click. The sound of a joint being locked in reverse.
The whole sequence flowed like water. Fast as lightning.
By the time I came to my senses, this six-foot-something man was already pinned against the wall, both arms twisted behind his back.
Dead silence filled the stairwell.
I could hear my own pounding heartbeat and his breathing.
Shit.
I fell for it.
He didn't struggle. He just turned his face toward me. Those eyes, unnaturally bright in the dim light, locked onto mine.
There was no anger in them. No surprise. Just a calm, knowing look that said "I knew it."
"It really is you."
His voice was low, like he was stating a fact.
He wasn't asking about Astraea. He wasn't asking how I knew first aid.
He was talking about the woman who had tackled a thug and retrieved his wallet on the way to a blind date.
My heart sank. I released him abruptly and stepped back, putting distance between us.
He slowly turned around, flexing the wrist I'd twisted red, but there was an amused smile on his face.
"Why the act?" He stepped closer, backing me into the corner. "That ridiculous dress. That clown face. What the hell are you trying to do?"
His presence was overwhelming. I could almost smell the faint cedar on him, mixed with something like gunpowder.
I couldn't panic.
Absolutely not.
I took a deep breath, forced myself to stay calm, lifted my chin, and met his gaze.
"What am I trying to do? Royce Sterling, you have the nerve to ask me that?"
My voice wasn't loud, but in the empty stairwell, every word rang clear.
"Let me refresh your memory. Our first meeting. You, the mighty heir of Sterling Group, stood me up. Then you sent your assistant to hand me a check like I was some hooker you were paying off, hoping I'd shut up and disappear."
I looked him dead in the eye and spoke slowly.
"You humiliated me that way. You humiliated my family. What made you think I'd dress up pretty and wait around like an idiot for you to inspect me?"
"So you decided to humiliate me the same way?" His voice betrayed no emotion.
"No," I smiled, and there was no warmth in it, "that wasn't humiliation. I was simply telling you that I, Selena Hart, am not a doll you can push around. You made my life difficult, so I made yours worse. Fair, isn't it?"
He stared at me, as if searching for any crack in my armor.
We stood there in a standoff. The air itself seemed to freeze.
I was done.
I was tired of this pointless game of cat and mouse.
"Forget it," I leaned back against the cold wall, suddenly feeling drained, "Royce, let's stop pretending. This marriage was a mistake from the start. You don't want to marry me, and I definitely don't want to marry an arrogant, rude man like you."
I looked into his eyes and said what I'd wanted to say all along, my voice perfectly calm.
"Let's call off the engagement. Right now. You can tell your family I wasn't good enough for you, or that we weren't compatible. Whatever excuse you want. It'll be a relief for both of us."
I was done.
I expected him to agree immediately. Maybe even sigh with relief at finally getting rid of this "problem."
He had every reason to say yes.
But he just looked at me. And slowly, very slowly, a smile spread across that handsome face. A smile I couldn't begin to understand.
"No."
He spoke, his voice low and clear.
"The engagement stays."
I froze.
I couldn't believe my ears.
Why?
Was this man insane?
He clearly hated me. Why wouldn't he let me go?
What the hell did he want?