Chapter 38 Chapter 38: Love Begins with Pity
What had caused Selena to change? Was it because he dragged her to the bar to scare her, or because he hadn’t defended her in front of his ex-girlfriend?
Thinking back, maybe he had gone too far. But in the end, he still chose her.
Seeing Balthazar’s displeased expression, Selena, unsure of why he seemed upset, changed the subject:
"You came home early, so I haven’t cooked yet. Just wait a moment, I’ll go make something."
With that, she stood up and went to the kitchen. Not long after, several dishes were laid out on the table.
Throughout the meal, neither of them said a word. Balthazar closely watched Selena’s face. Though she tried to appear fine, he could tell she was deeply troubled.
It made sense. After everything she had gone through, how could she be cheerful?
"Is your streaming work... causing any issues?"
He had said enough. Now she should share her troubles so he could help resolve them.
But Selena just shook her head again.
"Everything’s fine."
Balthazar felt a surge of frustration. Was he so untrustworthy that she couldn’t rely on him in difficult times? How did she plan to handle this storm on her own?
"Really nothing?" Balthazar asked cautiously once more.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Selena replied:
"There’s a small issue, but it’ll be resolved soon. I won’t trouble you with it."
Balthazar: ...
Was this woman trying to drive him mad? What trouble? He had never once complained about her being troublesome. She was always assuming the worst about him.
Clang!
Balthazar slammed his chopsticks down, stood up, and without a word, went upstairs. Selena kept her head down, quietly eating. As he reached the staircase, he saw her discreetly wiping away tears, and for some reason, his heart clenched in pain.
Click.
The door to the room closed.
Selena lifted her head, tears still clinging to her cheeks, but her expression didn’t reflect sorrow at all.
The next day.
Balthazar went to work with a cold expression. As soon as he arrived at his office, he opened the web to check the ongoing situation. People were still relentlessly insulting Selena, their words growing more and more vicious.
"These idiots, what do they know? Which of their eyes sees me as a bald, pot-bellied old man?"
By the end of the workday, his assistant entered, nodded at him, and reported:
"Boss, I’ve finished the investigation you asked for. Based on the security footage from Kola’s parking lot, after you left, a group of people showed up. I’ve found out that two individuals possess the video footage: one is the streamer Karen, and the other is her assistant."
The assistant glanced at Balthazar, whose face remained neutral, revealing neither joy nor anger, so he continued:
"This female streamer took the video to Kola’s rival company, BrightVerse Entertainment, to negotiate terms. Afterward, the video was leaked online, and most of the major websites and KOLs that spread the slander were paid off by BrightVerse Entertainment."
At the mention of BrightVerse Entertainment, Balthazar’s expression darkened. He had heard that the company was established by William for Amelia. Was Selena’s misfortune connected to her?
No, the current head of BrightVerse Entertainment was one of William’s relatives, while Amelia was merely a deputy director. It probably wasn’t her doing. Even if he retaliated against BrightVerse Entertainment, it wouldn’t affect her directly.
Balthazar asked:
"How is Kola handling this?"
The assistant hesitated for a moment, then said:
"Since Selena’s last stream, they... locked her streaming room."
Bang!
Balthazar slammed his hand down on the desk, then immediately stood and stormed out of the office.
He sped down the road, his heart burning with anxiety. He couldn’t stop thinking about Selena. How was she doing? She was probably devastated.
When he got home, Balthazar rushed to Selena’s room. As expected, he found her sitting in front of her computer, crying. He quickly moved toward her and wrapped her in his arms, comforting her:
"It’s okay, I’ll take care of this. Don’t cry."
He held her tightly, as if she were a precious treasure. At first, he had pitied her unfortunate situation, but over time, that pity had turned into real affection. He had truly fallen for her.
In both body and character, she perfectly matched his ideal partner. How could he resist falling for a woman who gave him the warmth of a real family?
"Don’t be afraid. I’ll take care of everything for you."
Balthazar repeated his promises, trying to soothe Selena, but she gently pushed him away, then curved her lips into a smile and said:
"I’m fine. It’s just that I won’t be able to sing anymore, which makes me a little sad. But it’s not... mmm..."
Before she could finish, his lips covered hers. The kiss wasn’t sensual or provocative, but full of love and longing.
After a moment, Balthazar pulled back and looked her straight in the eyes, saying:
"You need to trust me. You’re mine now, and it’s my duty to protect you."
Selena wanted to smile, but her eyes brimmed with tears. She shook her head and said:
"There’s no need. I don’t want to put you in a difficult position between me and your ex-girlfriend. It’s okay if I can’t sing anymore. Just don’t break the contract. If you leave me, I won’t know what to do. I don’t want to be passed around from man to man."
Balthazar held Selena close, finally understanding why she had been so obedient since that night at the bar. She was afraid he would terminate their contract.
Even though jealousy had driven her to say spiteful things, and despite knowing that BrightVerse Entertainment had been involved in her downfall, she didn’t dare to resist. All because she feared he would leave her.
Balthazar’s chest tightened with pain. He silently vowed that he would fight for justice for her this time. He couldn’t let his woman continue to suffer.
But as Selena lay in Balthazar’s arms, she felt no joy despite having achieved her goal. Her hands clenched his shirt tightly, silently begging him to forgive her. She hadn’t meant to deceive his feelings; all she had wanted was revenge.