chapter 30

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting golden streaks over the mansion’s grand halls. Amaira stepped into the dining area, expecting the usual quiet, but what she found instead sent a wave of unease through her.Selena was already there, seated comfortably in Scar Boss’s chair, sipping coffee as if she owned the place. Her lips curled into a smirk when she saw Amaira.“Oh, look who’s here,” Selena drawled, setting down her cup. “The temporary wife.”Amaira stiffened but kept her expression neutral. She had learned not to react to provocation so easily. Instead, she moved toward the kitchen to get herself some water.Selena, however, wasn’t done.“I had the maids prepare my room exactly how he likes it,” she continued. “After all, Scar Boss always preferred elegance over… simplicity.” Her gaze flickered over Amaira’s casual attire with disdain.Amaira ignored her and turned away, but before she could take another step, Selena’s voice turned sharper.“Don’t pretend like you don’t know, Amaira. Your time here is over. Soon, Scar Boss will throw you out, and you’ll be nothing but a mistake from his past.”Amaira clenched her fists, but before she could respond, Selena stood and sauntered over to her, deliberately stepping into her path.“You should do yourself a favor and leave before he gets rid of you,” Selena whispered, her voice laced with cruelty.Amaira looked her straight in the eye. “And what makes you so sure he’ll choose you?”Selena’s smirk widened as she leaned in. “Because unlike you, I don’t just warm his house—I can warm his bed.”Amaira’s breath caught in her throat, but before she could react, Selena grabbed a nearby glass of juice and, without warning, tipped it over, letting the cold liquid spill all over Amaira’s clothes.“Oh my! How clumsy of me,” Selena gasped dramatically, watching as the orange liquid stained Amaira’s dress. “You really should be more careful.”Amaira sucked in a breath, her anger bubbling to the surface. But before she could retaliate, a sharp voice cut through the tension.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”Both women turned to see Scar Boss standing at the entrance, his eyes burning with barely restrained fury.Selena stepped back instantly, feigning innocence. “I was just—”“Enough.” His voice was cold and final. He walked past her, straight to Amaira, his gaze scanning the mess. Without a word, he pulled off his own suit jacket and placed it over her shoulders, shielding her.Selena’s expression twisted. “Scar, you’re being ridiculous—”“I don’t repeat myself.” His sharp glare turned to Selena, his tone dropping to something even more dangerous. “If you try this again, I won’t be as patient.”Selena’s face paled for a fraction of a second before she masked it with a scoff. “Fine. Suit yourself. But don’t come crying to me when she stabs you in the back.”With that, she turned and stormed off, leaving only silence in her wake.Amaira swallowed, still processing everything that had just happened. She could feel the weight of Scar Boss’s jacket on her shoulders, the warmth from where he had draped it over her.“You didn’t have to do that,” she muttered, glancing at him.His jaw tightened. “You’re my responsibility.”It wasn’t an affectionate answer, but somehow, it still sent her heart racing. She lowered her gaze, gripping the edges of his jacket.Even after everything, he still saved her.And that realization scared her more than anything.The next morning, Amaira woke up to an uneasy feeling in her chest. The mansion was eerily silent, as if the walls themselves knew something was coming. She shook off the sensation and stepped out of her room, only to freeze at the sight before her.Selena was standing in the hallway, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips.“Good morning, darling,” she purred.Amaira clenched her jaw. “What do you want?”Selena sighed dramatically, tilting her head. “Such hostility so early in the day. I was just hoping we could have a little chat.”Amaira didn’t move. “I have nothing to say to you.”Selena’s smirk widened. “Oh, but I have plenty to say to you.”Without waiting for permission, she stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You see, I don’t like when people take what’s mine.”Amaira’s stomach twisted, but she refused to let Selena see her unease. “Scar Boss isn’t yours.”Selena chuckled. “Isn’t he?” She leaned in. “I’ve known him far longer than you. And I don’t care about your little contract or whatever twisted arrangement you two have. At the end of the day, I am the one who belongs by his side.”Amaira’s fists clenched. “If you’re so confident about that, then why are you here trying to intimidate me?”Selena’s expression darkened, but then, as if remembering something, her smirk returned.“Oh, sweetheart,” she said sweetly, “you’re so innocent. Do you even realize what kind of man you’re married to? Do you know how many lives he’s ruined? How much blood he has on his hands?”Amaira’s breath caught in her throat, but she forced herself to stand her ground. “I know enough.”Selena’s eyes gleamed. “But do you know what he’s hiding from you?”Amaira stilled.Selena smiled knowingly. “I thought so.”She took a step back, her eyes dancing with amusement. “Scar Boss isn’t the kind of man who lets himself get attached. Whatever you think is happening between you two—it’s not real.”Amaira swallowed, forcing herself not to react.Selena gave her one last satisfied look before turning away. But as she reached the stairs, she glanced back over her shoulder.“Oh, and one last thing,” she added. “Stay out of my way. Otherwise, you might not like what happens next.”Then, she disappeared down the staircase, leaving Amaira standing there, her heart pounding.For the first time since she stepped into this mansion, a terrifying thought entered her mind.What if Selena was right?***Amaira had spent the entire day trying to avoid Selena, but it seemed the woman had made it her mission to provoke her at every opportunity. Dinner had been tense, and Scar Boss had barely spoken a word. Amaira wasn’t sure if it was because of Selena’s presence or something else entirely.Later that night, as she was walking toward her room, she found Scar Boss standing near the study, his gaze distant.She hesitated before stepping closer. “Why are you letting her stay here?” she asked, her voice steady but questioning.Scar Boss’s cold eyes flickered toward her, unreadable. “Because I want to.”Amaira clenched her fists. “She’s calling herself your lover. She’s treating me like an outsider in my own house. And you’re just letting her do whatever she wants.”Scar Boss exhaled, his expression unchanging. “I don’t have to explain anything to you.”Amaira’s frustration grew. “Then why? Why let me walk around freely if I mean nothing to you? Why keep me here?”Scar Boss stepped closer, his towering presence making her breath hitch. His gaze was sharp, intense, but his voice was laced with mockery.“Because it’s entertaining,” he said, his lips curling into a smirk. “Watching you try so hard when you don’t even know what you’re fighting for.”Amaira’s heart pounded in her chest. She had been expecting cruelty, indifference—but not this. Not words that made her question everything.Scar Boss’s smirk deepened as he leaned slightly closer. “You wanted an answer. Now you have it.”Amaira stared at him, a mixture of anger and something else—something more dangerous—building inside her.Was this amusement to him? A game? Or was there something more beneath his cold words?As he turned and walked away, she found herself gripping her chest, confusion and a strange warmth spreading through her.