Chapter 7
After that day, Selene rarely spoke.
She spent her time silently sketching ritual garments, or simply staring out the window into empty space. These final ten days felt endless, she merely counted down her remaining breaths, having lost any attachment to this world.
Thome had suspended all other duties at the Infirmary, devoting himself entirely to overseeing Selene’s health. He took her for constant examinations, tests, and treatments. Needles bruised her pale arms purple, and bitter medicines made her stomach churn, but she endured it all without a single complaint.
Her unbroken silence unnerved Thorne deeply.
One afternoon, as they passed Marina’s room, Cedric’s expression darkened. He stepped forward, confronting Selene with sharp suspicion. “What exactly are you playing at? All this fuss and endless testing for a simple fever–is it an act? Are you trying to make us pity you now?”
Selene didn’t answer.
Her face had grown frighteningly pale over these past days; her body thin, almost fragile, her gaze never meeting Cedric’s anymore.
JCedric’s anger flared. “Since childhood, you’ve always been manipulative, always scheming Behaving like this only makes us despise
you more. If you had any dignity, you’d leave immediately and disappear from our sight!”
In his rage, Cedric shaved Selene roughly. Already we scattering everywhere.
her slender body staggered and collapsed to the floor, the medical reports.
Cedric froze momentarily, startled, then quickly snapped, “Stop pretending! I barely touched you. Do you really plan to accuse even your own father?”
Selene bit her lip, swallowing down pain without a word, and quietly began gathering the scattered papers from the cold floor. They were the detailed medical results Thorne had ordered–tests confirming her readiness for the ritual.
Cedric picked up one of the papers, briefly glancing at it. His brows furrowed, “Why would you need such extensive heart
examinations?”
He was about to examine another report when Marina’s gentle voice interrupted from behind them. “Dad?”
Marina approached slowly, frail and pale in her wheelchair. She reached out, weakly tugging at Cedric’s sleeve. “Please, don’t be angry at Selene. She’s just looking for some attention. You’ve spent so much time caring for me–it’s natural she feels jealous. Please, go spend some time with her instead. I’ll be fine.”
As she spoke, Marina placed a trembling hand dramatically on her chest, gasping lightly as if in sudden distress
Seeing Marina’s condition, Cedric instantly abandoned Selene’s reports. He moved swiftly to Marina’s side, worry etched across his face. “You sweet child–look at you! Your sister should be supporting you, yet she’s here faking illness and begging for attention. Why defend her? Besides, if not for Selene, would you have suffered this weak heart from birth?”
Father and daughter—so devoted, so affectionate. A perfect image of familial care.
Selene’s heart had already numbed long ago.
Just then, Thorne stepped out of the healer’s room, taking in the tense scene before him. His expression darkened immediately. Without hesitation, he crossed swiftly toward Selene, hastily picking up the scattered reports before roughly pulling her back toward her room.
The moment they entered, Thorne pushed her harshly onto the bed. Tossing the medical papers at her, his voice trembled with suppressed fury. “Did you deliberately drop these reports in front of Marina, hoping she’d see them? Did you think you’d make her feel guilty, maybe even refuse the ritual?”
His tone turned ice–cold. “Selene, how could you be so malicious?”
His accusations were a brutal blow to her already broken heart. Selene clutched her side in pain; her waist had slammed harshly against the bedframe. Sweat beaded instantly upon her forehead, pain robbing her of speech.
Chapter 7
When she finally spoke, her voice was faint and bitter. “If that’s what you believe, Thorne, then fine.”
Explaining was useless. Whenever Marina was involved, Thorne immediately lost all reason. Her family, her mate, even her own child
-none would ever believe her over Marina. Any explanation was futile.
Slowly settling onto the bed, she asked quietly, “Is there anything else you need?”
Thome hesitated a moment, his eyes shifting away before resting on the bedside table. There lay the sketchbook–her precious designs -ruined by Tiara’s childish vandalism.
“There’s something else,” Thorne finally said, voice subdued but firm. “Marina has a final wish before the Soul–Binding Ritual. She wants to participate in the Moonlight Ceremony next year as a recognized designer. Since you’ve already received an invitation, I want you to give her your place.”
Selene remained motionless, staring blankly at Thorne. For a moment, she said nothing, feeling a last flicker of resentment fading slowly into absolute numbness.
At that moment, she fully understood there truly was nothing left for her in this world.
Chapter 7
