Chapter 69 Chapter Sixty-nine

Chapter 69 Chapter Sixty-nine
CHAPTER 69

The return flight from Zurich was an agonizing exercise in absolute silence.

Selene sat completely motionless, staring blankly out the reinforced window at the endless expanse of clouds below, her expression entirely unreadable.

She had not spoken more than a handful of words since the night at the hotel when Damian had coldly rejected her outside his hotel suite.

By the time the wheels of the aircraft finally touched down on the tarmac, she had successfully convinced herself of one dangerous thing.

If she could not win Damian's love through patience and affection, she would simply have to force him to face her.

That evening, Selene walked into her father’s private study, without knocking.

Mr. Voss slowly looked up from the evening newspaper he was holding.

"You've been home for less than a single hour," he noted, his voice flat.

"I need to talk to you immediately," she replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.

He folded the newspaper neatly, setting it down on the mahogany desk with deliberate slowness.

"Go on."

Selene remained standing, refusing to take the comfortable leather chair opposite him.

"He'll never come back to me willingly."

Mr. Voss raised an analytical eyebrow.

"I could have told you that months ago, Selene."

"I am entirely serious, Father."

"So am I."

She clenched her fists tightly at her sides, the fabric of her designer jacket wrinkling under the pressure.

"I tried talking to him in Zurich. I poured my heart out."

"I assumed you would try something like that."

"He wouldn't even let me step foot into his hotel room," she spat, the humiliation burning fresh in her throat.

Mr. Voss sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair.

"I warned you explicitly to focus strictly on our business dealings."

"I did focus on the business," she lied defensively.

"No, you did not."

He looked directly into her eyes, stripping away her delusions with a single glance.

"You spent the entire trip secretly hoping he would suddenly forget he has a dedicated wife waiting for him at home."

The brutal accuracy of the statement irritated her deeply, sparking a sudden wave of anger.

"You simply don't understand the history between us."

"I understand the reality perfectly well."

He stood up smoothly and walked toward the grand floor-to-ceiling window, looking out over the manicured estate grounds.

"The Damian Cross you once knew no longer exists. He has moved on completely."

Selene lowered her eyes, staring at the intricate patterns of the Persian rug.

"I know."

For a brief, heavy moment, neither of them spoke a single word. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner filled the tense void between father and daughter.

Then she whispered quietly,

"I've finally decided what I'm going to do about it."

Mr. Voss turned back around, his attention fully caught.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

She hesitated for a split second, feeling the gravity of the cliff she was about to jump off.

Then she met his piercing gaze directly.

"I'm going to tell him that I am pregnant."

The suffocating silence that followed the pronouncement was incredibly heavy.

Mr. Voss simply stared at his daughter, his features freezing completely.

As though he wasn't entirely sure he had heard her words correctly.

"...What did you just say?"

"He won't be able to ignore me if he genuinely thinks I am carrying his child."

His neutral expression hardened into a mask of pure fury immediately.

"You are completely out of your mind."

"Not if I want Damian back."

"You have already lost Damian forever."

His words were incredibly blunt.

Painfully, devastatingly blunt.

"The sooner you accept that harsh reality, the better off you will be."

Hot tears gathered in Selene's eyes, blurring her vision.

"I can't just let him go."

The following morning, Selene invited a handful of prominent media reporters to what appeared to be an ordinary, routine charity event hosted by the prestigious Voss Foundation.

It was not unusual for her to host such gatherings.

The media personnel came without a single shred of suspicion, eager for easy coverage.

Everything went perfectly normally.

Until one clever reporter asked the inevitable, highly anticipated question.

"Miss Voss, there have been persistent rumors circulating about your romantic relationship with Mr. Damian Cross. Would you care to comment on them today?"

Selene lowered her gaze delicately, playing the part perfectly.

She deliberately allowed several long seconds of absolute silence to pass over the room.

Just enough time to build maximum dramatic tension.

When she finally spoke into the microphone, her voice was remarkably quiet and trembling slightly.

"I hadn't originally planned to discuss my personal life in public."

The reporters all leaned forward eagerly, sensing a massive scoop.

"But recent unforeseen events have made that privacy completely impossible."

Camera shutters began clicking rapidly, flashing bright lights across her face.

"I have been under a tremendous great deal of personal stress lately."

Another agonizing pause.

"I recently discovered that I am expecting a baby."

The crowded room instantly erupted into absolute chaos.

Loud questions came shouting from every single direction.

"Is the father Mr. Damian Cross?"

"When exactly did you find out?"

"Are you two planning on getting married soon?"

Selene gently pressed a manicured hand lightly against her completely flat abdomen.

"I... do not wish to discuss any further details at this time."

Her calculated refusal only fueled more intense media speculation.

"I simply ask the public for privacy during this sensitive time."

With that final statement, she stepped gracefully away from the podium.

Within less than an hour, every major entertainment news website was carrying the shocking story.

Damian was in the middle of a meeting, when Ethan's personal phone began vibrating repeatedly against the table.

At first, Ethan ignored the distraction.

Then another urgent call came in.

Finally, sensing the unusual urgency, he quietly excused himself from the room.

A minute later, he returned, looking pale and visibly shaken.

"Sir..."

Damian glanced up calmly from his notes.

"What is it, Ethan?"

"I think you seriously need to see this."

He handed over the sleek digital tablet.

Damian read the bold, sensational headline once.

Finally, Damian placed the tablet face down with absolute control.

"Continue the meeting, please."

Nobody moved an inch.

The very moment the meeting ended, he walked straight into his private corner office.

Kieran was already waiting anxiously inside.

"You've obviously seen the news."

"Yes."

"What exactly do you want us to do about it?"

Damian slowly loosened his silk tie.

"Nothing."

Kieran blinked in utter surprise.

"Absolutely nothing?"

"Not yet."

Back at the grand Voss estate, Mr. Voss watched the news coverage in absolute silence.

It was happening exactly as she had planned.

He picked up the remote control and turned off the television.

Moments later, Selene entered the study, looking triumphant.

"You've seen it all."

"I have indeed."

She waited for his reaction.

"Aren't you going to say anything to me?"

Mr. Voss studied his daughter for several long, agonizing seconds.

Finally, he spoke with chilling clarity.

"I truly hope you are fully prepared for what happens next."