SELENA

Lucien was gone Just like that. The car with my new husband and fake protector drove away, leaving me on the cold, dark street. The air was cold, but the shame burning in my chest was hotter than any fire. I was a failure. I was a fool. His words echoed in my ears. I just stood there for a long time, watching the tiny red lights of his car. The street was quiet and empty. I felt a very deep fear, a kind of fear that felt like I was falling into a black hole.

Then, a new car pulled up. It was a black SUV. The windows were dark, and I could not see who was inside. The driver, a very big man with a serious face, got out and opened the door for me. He said nothing. He just looked at me. His eyes were cold and without any feeling, just like Lucien’s. I felt even more scared. He did not ask if I was okay. He did not say he sorry. He just looked at me like a thing, a job to do.

I got into the back seat. The car was very big inside, but it felt like a cage. The two men who were Lucien’s guards were sitting in the front. They were silent and still. I sat in the back, my dress still stained with the red wine. The stain felt like a wound on my chest. I wanted to cry, but I could not. I was so angry, so hurt, so scared. The car ride home was very, very long. It was full of silence and the loud sound of my own thoughts. I kept seeing Lucien's cold, angry face. I kept hearing his cruel words. “You are a fool, Selena.” He was right. I was a fool. I had lost everything because I was a fool.

The car finally arrived at the mansion. It was very late. The house was dark and silent.The driver opened the door for me, but he did not speak. He just pointed to the door of the mansion. I walked inside. The house felt empty. No one was there to say hello,No one was there to help me or even ask about my feelings.I went to my room,took off the ruined dress and threw it on the floor. I did not want to see it again. I fell into bed and cried for a long time until I was too tired to cry anymore.

I did not sleep well. I kept having bad dreams about Lucien's face and his cold eyes.

I woke up very early the next morning the house was still quiet. I was very worried. Where was Lucien? Did he not come home? Was he okay? He was a man who had enemies. Was he in danger? I did not know what to do. I felt so alone. I went downstairs and ate a small breakfast, I felt like I was just a ghost in this big house.

Just as I finished, a maid came to find me. Her face was kind, but she looked like she was afraid of something. "Mrs. Thorn, Madam Vivienne would like to see you," she said. Her voice was a small whisper.

My heart jumped. I was scared. Was Vivienne angry too? Was she going to be like Lucien?

I followed the maid to Vivienne's office. When I got there, Vivienne was sitting at her desk. She was wearing a beautiful gray suit, and she looked very strong. "Selena," she said. Her voice was not angry. It was calm and quiet. "Get ready. We are going out for a short walk in the park."

I did not say anything. I just went back to my room and put on some nice, simple clothes. I looked in the mirror. I still looked like the same sad girl. But I tried to look strong. I went back downstairs. Vivienne was waiting for me. We walked to a black car. The ride to the park was silent. I looked out the window. Vivienne looked at the window too. We were both in our own thoughts.

We finally got to a beautiful park. The trees were green, and there were many flowers. It was a very nice place. We started to walk on a path. The sun was warm, and the air was fresh. It felt good to be outside, away from the big, silent house.

We walked for a long time. Then Vivienne spoke. "How was your first night out as Mrs. Thorn?" she asked. Her voice was calm and soft.

The words made me feel sad. I stopped walking. The whole story came out of me. I told her everything. I told her about the whispers in the bathroom, about the insults from the men, about Celine throwing the wine on me. I told her about Lucien's cold eyes. I told her about his cruel words in the car. I told her about him leaving me alone on the street.

I waited for her to be angry. I waited for her to tell me that I was a fool. But she did not. She just listened. When I finished, she looked at me with her cold, wise eyes.

"Why?" she asked. Her voice was not angry. It was just a question. "Why did you not use the lessons Eleanor taught you? She taught you how to act. Why did you let yourself be a victim? Why did you let them step on you like a dirty rug?"

I looked down at my feet. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I was scared. I didn't know what to do."

Vivienne said, "There is no need for that. Do not cry over spilled milk. There is no need for an apology. A queen does not apologize. She learns from her mistakes. You are not a fool, Selena. You are a woman with a purpose. Your purpose is to save your family. And you can't do that if you feel sorry for yourself. You must stop feeling like you are less than them. You must stop apologizing for everything. You have nothing to apologize for. You are a good person. They are the bad ones."

Her words were like a cold slap, but in a good way. It was a very hard lesson, but I knew she was right. I felt a new fire inside me. A fire of anger, a fire of strength.

Vivienne saw the look in my eyes. "Good," she said, with a small smile. "I will talk to Lucien so yu have nothing to worry about."

As we walked back to the car. I felt better. I felt stronger like I was not alone. Vivienne was on my side. We got into the car, and the ride back was very different from the ride to the park. I felt safe. I felt comfortable. I was talking to Vivienne about my family, and she was listening.

Suddenly, a loud noise filled the air. BANG! BANG! BANG! Gunshots. The car shook. Glass broke. The driver yelled as he tried to make the car stable. Then, the air was filled with a thick, white smoke. My eyes started to burn. I could not breathe. I could not see anything. It was tear gas. just then I felt something hit my head. The world started to spin. I heard a loud cry from Vivienne, a sound of pain. I heard another gunshot. My eyes closed. The world went dark.

I fell into unconsciousness, not knowing what was happening, not knowing if I was alive or dead. Not knowing if I was safe.