Chapter 23 Serpent in Silk
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Selene sat at the edge of her temporary vanity table, the soft glow of the mirror lights reflecting off her flawless skin. The Valmere mansion was quiet now, the kind of silence that came only after a storm. Dinner had been a battlefield wrapped in fine silverware and expensive wine, and though she had smiled through every cutting remark, every glare from Deborah, inside she was seething.
Her perfectly manicured nails tapped against the edge of the table. She could still hear Deborah’s voice echoing in her head, the way she had spoken with such authority, such quiet defiance, as if she owned every room she entered. Selene clenched her jaw, her reflection narrowing its eyes back at her.
“Acting like she’s untouchable,” she whispered to herself, voice low and sharp. “We’ll see about that.”
Her phone buzzed on the table beside her. She glanced at the screen, the name lighting up immediately easing her scowl. It was a number she had memorized, one she used carefully, quietly. She picked it up and answered, her tone instantly softer, dripping with charm.
“Good evening,” she said, leaning back in her chair, her voice carrying a melody of control.
“Selene,” a man’s voice answered. Calm, deep, professional. “You said it was urgent.”
“It is,” she replied, twirling a strand of her hair as she spoke. “You still have access on Valmere Enterprises’ internal finance department, don’t you?”
A pause followed, short but telling. “You know I do. But I told you before, this is risky. If they find out—”
“They won’t,” she interrupted smoothly. “You’ve been careful so far. I just need information. A few things about the upcoming budget allocations, the private investments, anything that could link Deborah to company spending she shouldn’t have access to.”
“She wouldn’t be stupid enough to—”
“She doesn’t have to be stupid,” Selene cut him off again, her smile widening. “She just has to look guilty. Leave the rest to me.”
The man on the other end sighed. “You’re playing a dangerous game.”
Selene let out a soft laugh, cold and calculated. “Darling, I always win dangerous games.”
She ended the call and placed her phone down gently, staring at her reflection again. She adjusted the strap of her silk nightdress, tilting her head slightly as she studied herself. Every feature was perfect, every angle sharp. Yet behind that beauty was a simmering fury that no makeup could hide.
She had worked too hard to stand beside Aston Valmere, to wear his ring, to walk into this mansion and finally belong among the powerful. But no matter what she did, Deborah overshadowed her. The brothers respected Deborah, loved her, protected her like a crown jewel. And the more Selene watched, the more she realized that in this house, Deborah wasn’t just their sister, she was their pride.
Selene hated it.
She hated the way Caelum’s voice softened slightly when addressing Deborah. The way Lysander’s jokes always turned protective when someone teased her. The way Aston’s mood shifted every time Deborah entered the room. It was as if everything revolved around her, as if Selene was just a shadow trying to step into someone else’s light.
She rose from her chair and walked to the window, the city lights glittering below like a thousand eyes watching her.
“Perfect little Deborah Valmere,” she murmured. “Always so composed, so adored. But every empire falls eventually.”
The door creaked open behind her. She turned quickly, her mask slipping back into place, her expression calm and sweet. Aston stood there, half-dressed, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his hair slightly tousled. He looked tired, the kind of tired that came from too many responsibilities and too many unspoken arguments.
“You’re still awake?” he asked softly, walking in.
Selene smiled faintly and turned back toward the window. “Couldn’t sleep.”
He came closer, his reflection appearing behind her in the glass. “You shouldn’t let her get to you, you know.”
Selene tilted her head slightly. “Who?”
Aston sighed, as if he already knew she was pretending. “Deborah. I saw how you looked at her earlier.”
Her lips curved into a soft, amused smile. “You saw wrong then. I don’t care about her.”
“Selene,” he said, his tone carrying quiet warning. She turned to face him, her voice velvet and fragile. “You think I’m jealous of your sister?”
“I think you’re trying too hard to prove you’re not,” Aston replied calmly. For a moment, her smile faltered, her eyes darkening. “She doesn’t like me, Aston. She never did. No matter what I do, I’ll always be the outsider here.”
He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “She’s protective. You know how Deborah is. She doesn’t trust easily.”
Selene stepped closer, resting a hand on his chest, her eyes lifting to meet his. “And do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Trust me,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aston hesitated. That single pause told her everything. Selene withdrew her hand slowly, stepping back with a soft laugh. “That’s what I thought.”
“Selene, don’t twist my words,” Aston started, but she was already walking past him, heading toward the vanity again.
“I’m not twisting anything,” she said lightly, sitting down again. “I’m just reminding myself where I stand.”
Aston frowned. “You’re my fiancée.”
Her reflection smiled at that, but her voice remained cool. “For now.”
He stared at her for a long moment, frustration flickering across his face, but he didn’t argue further. Instead, he turned toward the door. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Try to sleep.”
When the door closed, Selene’s smile faded completely. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, staring into her reflection again.
“Trust,” she whispered bitterly. “As if any of you really know what that means.”
Her phone buzzed again, a message flashing on the screen. It was from the same number as before.
“I have what you asked for. Documents on Deborah’s overseas investments. Should I send them tonight?”
Selene’s lips curved slowly into a smile.
“Yes,” she typed back. “Send everything. And make sure no one traces it back to you.”
The phone dinged again. The files arrived one by one, the glow of the screen illuminating her face as she opened the documents. Each file contained enough information to twist truth into scandal, financial reports, overseas transactions, partnerships under Deborah’s signature. Perfectly legitimate on their own, but dangerous in the right narrative.
Selene leaned back in her chair, satisfaction curling around her like perfume.
She would not attack Deborah. No, that would make her look desperate. Instead, she would let rumors grow, let questions spread. All she had to do was plant the seed, and the Valmere brothers would do the rest, protective, paranoid, suspicious.
“Let’s see how perfect she looks when her brothers start doubting her,” Selene whispered to herself.
She closed her laptop, rose from her seat, and glanced once more at her reflection. The woman who stared back wasn’t the sweet fiancée the Valmeres thought they knew. She was the serpent in silk, patient and poised.
As she turned off the light, the last thing she said to her reflection was a whisper so soft it barely existed.
“They’ll never see me coming.”