Chapter 99

Jess POV

Fury burns through me like wild fire.

I slam the plates down on the kitchen counter, the sound of them crashing against the surface barely registering through the storm of rage in my mind.

I scream loudly, feeling the pressure build up in my chest like it's about to explode.

The servants must have heard, but they know better than to come near me when I'm like this. They won’t dare ask me what’s wrong, not when they know I’m ready to skin them alive.

I can’t stand it anymore. It’s like I’m losing my grip on everything. Why isn’t anything going my way?

How is Selene still alive? I thought for sure this time would work. I paid a small fortune for that job to be done right.

She’s not some kind of magician, not some supernatural being. She’s just a woman.

So how the hell is she dodging death every time? The idiot I hired to finish the job is locked up now, and I’m sure he’ll stay there for a while.

If he ever gets out, I’ll make sure the next job he does gets done properly.

If I had been the one to poison Selene myself, there’s no way she would’ve survived it.

I would’ve followed her to the hospital, poisoned her IV drip, made sure she didn’t stand a chance. But the idiot waiter I hired? He poisoned her drink and just left. That’s not how things are done.

At least no one will ever point a finger at me. That’s the only thing I can cling to right now. I wasn’t at the scene, and I sure as hell didn’t serve Selene her drink.

Someone else has taken the fall, and I couldn’t care less who he is. All I need is to protect myself—play the innocent victim, like I always do.

I need to get Maximus' attention off me. But Mason? He’s going to be a problem. I can already tell. He’s the type to point his finger at me the moment things go wrong.

I just have to make sure he doesn’t connect the dots.

But that’s not my biggest concern. I’m restless. Selene is. She’s out there, and I can feel it in my bones. One of these days, she’s going to come for me, take Maximus away from me.

I don’t care about her, not really. I need his money, more than ever. I need to move fast.

I overheard him talking to his lawyer the other day, and the words hit me like a freight train. Divorce.

He’s still hell bent on me signing those papers! Maximus wants to leave me. And with the Hemsworth family behind him, I know I’m not walking away with a single dime.

They’ll find some way to make sure I get nothing, just like they did with Selene.

They kicked her out of the marriage without a second thought, leaving her with nothing.

But I’m not Selene. She was a fool, lost in love with Maximus. I’m smarter than that. I’ll show him I’m not someone to mess with. I’m not leaving this marriage empty-handed.

Not a chance.

I am so caught up in my thoughts that I don't hear my mom walk in.

“Jess?” I jump in surprise when she touches my arm. Mom looks around the kitchen, frowning when she sees the mess I’ve created, but her eyes soften, knowing that I’m in a tough predicament.

“Are you fine, Jess?” She asks with concern. This is why I can always count on my mother more than my father. She always understands me.

She’s just as worried as I am. I still wonder why we haven't defeated Selene yet, why we haven't completely gotten rid of her from our lives. Mom wants her gone just as much as I do, and there is no other option than to kill her.

Selene will keep coming back, even if we chase her out of New York City. She’ll return stronger to destroy us.

“Tell me what is the problem, Jess? Are you going to destroy all my kitchen utensils?” Her eyes trail around the scattered utensils on the floor before she glances back at me, her face scrunching up in annoyance. “Just look at the mess you’ve created. Don’t tell me this is about your step-sister again. You keep letting her get under your skin. I’ve told you to have patience. We’re going to succeed one day and finally get rid of Selene, that little worm,” she admonishes.

I sigh deeply, running my fingers through my hair. I’m very frustrated. Mom isn’t understanding my situation.

Selene is like a thorn in my side, a constant competition I can't seem to shake off. She's like a virus, slowly spreading, and if I don’t find a way to stop it, she’ll consume me—tear me apart from the inside out. That’s who Selene Norman is.

“I can’t wait any longer. I have to kill her!” I snap, the fury bubbling over. “How the hell did she survive the poisoning? You promised me she’d be gone, but there she is, still breathing. And now the waiter’s been arrested. What the hell is going on?”

“Calm down, sh-”

“Calm down? Seriously, mum??!”

She frowns. “All you have to do is-“

Mom freezes mid-sentence when we hear a noise from outside the kitchen.

She pauses for a bit and then exchanges a look with my father who hasn’t said anything since he walked in. And without saying a word, she’s moving, stepping into the hallway. I follow closely behind her and Dad, confusion creeping up my spine.

When I step into the room, my breath catches in my throat. Mason. His eyes lock onto me, and before I can react, he shoves my father, out of the way.

And then he lunges towards me before I can blink. His hand shoots forward and tightens around my neck, slamming me against the wall. I gasp for air, caught between shock and something darker I can’t quite place.

My mother’s scream cuts through the air, but it’s no use. Mason doesn’t let up. His grip tightens, his eyes burning with fury as he squeezes the life out of me. My hands scramble, trying to push him off, but he's too strong.

"I warned you, didn’t I?" he growls, his voice low and dangerous. "I told you to stay away from Selene. Instead, you went ahead and tried to poison her. Did you really think I wouldn’t know? This has Jess written all over it."

My mother rushes forward, desperate to pry Mason off me, but with one swift shove, he sends her flying backward.

My father is quick to catch her, but the impact is enough to rattle me.

Mason’s smirk is cold, almost sinister. "I wonder what my brother would say if he found out his wife tried to poison Selene. He’s already looking to divorce you. I think he’d push for it even harder after this." He chuckles darkly, his grip still not loosening.

"Or maybe I don't tell him, and you end up dead right here. You’ve overstepped, Jess. I thought we had a deal, but you couldn’t even honor your side of it."

My heart races, panic flooding through me as I realize just how deep I’ve dug myself into this hole.

I gasp for air, my vision spinning as I try to steady myself, still reeling from the tight grip Mason has on my throat. The sick smirk that twists his lips only makes my stomach churn. I finally manage to breathe, but that twisted smile haunts me, its dark glint burned into my mind.

Mason finally lets me go, and I collapse to the floor, coughing violently as I try to get air into my lungs. My parents rush to my side, helping me back onto my feet, but I can barely focus on them. My mind is reeling, still processing what just happened.

Mason—Maximus’ own brother—has just tried to kill me, and there isn't a shred of hesitation in him. His eyes are cold, filled with something far more sinister than fear.

"If you don’t leave right now, Mason, I’m calling the police," my father roars, his voice booming with fury as his hand steadies me. "I don’t care who you are. You’ve crossed the line. Breaking into my house and trying to kill my daughter. Are you out of your mind?!"

Mason scoffs, the sound laced with contempt as he takes a step closer to us. His eyes are locked on me, cold and calculating. "You think I’m afraid of a few cops?" he sneers. "You don’t get it, do you? There’s nothing you can do to stop me."

I see it in his eyes—he’s not just threatening me. He means every word.

I take a step back, fear crawling up my spine. His words hit me like a punch to the gut. The chill in his tone freezes me in place, and I feel the weight of his threats wrapping around me, squeezing the air from my lungs.

"You really have some nerve supporting that criminal. Your daughter almost murdered Selene," he spits out, his anger a burning fuse.

Mason then shifts his focus onto me, his finger jabbing toward me like a weapon. “Don’t test me. Stay away from Selene. I’m warning you, Jess. You and I both know what I’m capable of.”

His words hang in the air like a dark cloud. I try to steady my breath, but my body trembles uncontrollably. The menace in his eyes, the way his voice drips with danger, leaves me no doubt that he means every word. If I push him, I don't know what he'll do.

When Mason finally leaves, my father turns to me, his eyes narrowing like he’s just discovered something he can’t quite put together.

“What did you do this time, Jess?”