Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

He chalked it up to Selena acting up again. He couldn't stand things slipping out of his control. Sure, he could sweet-talk Selena, but he'd never let her have the upper hand. In this game, you had to know who was in charge.

No matter how much Selena stirred the pot, she couldn't break free from his hold. Everett lazily finished his cigarette, let out a smug chuckle, and hit the sack.

...

Selena took her time getting up and headed for the bathroom, sinking into the tub. With her eyes shut, she replayed the recent whirlwind of events in her mind. So it was all an illusion, as fragile as a dream.

Tears welled up again. She splashed water on her face, trying to wash away her turmoil. After her bath, she remembered Everett hadn't used protection. Digging through a pile of condoms, she finally found a box of birth control pills and downed two with a gulp of water before collapsing into bed.

The next morning, Everett woke up and instinctively reached over, only to find an empty space. Frowning, he sat up, the memory of yesterday flooding back and deepening the lines on his forehead.

He marched back to the master bedroom, and although Selena was nowhere in sight, the opened box of birth control pills on the nightstand caught his eye immediately.

Grabbing the box, anger bubbled up inside him again. "Ava!"

Ava, who had been mopping the floor, jumped at the sound of her name and rushed over, nervously asking, "Sir, what's the matter?"

Everett crushed the box in his hand and tossed it into the trash. With a cold, steely voice, he said, "Where's Selena?"

"She went out early. She didn't say where." Ava kept her gaze down, wishing she could disappear. She couldn't fathom how things had turned so sour overnight when the couple seemed so in love just yesterday. That damn woman. Instead of thinking things over, she ran off again.

Everett grabbed his phone and called Selena, but only got the cold, automated message: The number you have dialed is switched off...ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

In a fit of rage, he hurled the phone to the ground, shattering the screen.

Selena had retreated to her uncle's place. She knew running away wasn't a fix, but everyone needed a moment to be vulnerable-a space to heal.

...

This villa had been her family home.

Her parents had bought it when they were just the three of them. After they passed and the company tanked, the bank auctioned it off to cover debts.

She had seen the news on TV and cried secretly. Her uncle, whose business had just secured a big investment, noticed her distress and bought the villa back. Then they moved in together.

After marrying Everett, she'd find herself returning here whenever she felt upset, just to feel her parents' presence.

With Claire out of the picture, no one

could cast disapproving looks. Selena returned to her room, buried herself under the covers, and drifted off. Last night, she'd tossed and turned, but here she could finally rest.

She was jolted awake by a ruckus outside. Groggy, she sat up and asked, "What's going on?"

A flustered servant burst in. "Miss, something terrible's happened. You need to come see this!"