Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO

All her life, all that Selene wanted was to be the girl that Aiden cherished in his heart.

She wanted to be her —the one he loved.

And for that, she did everything that was required.

She was the spoiled young lady of the Martin family, born into privilege and pride, yet she willingly shed her arrogance, presenting herself as kind and humble in front of Aiden.

When no one dared to ignore her, she took Aiden's indifference with a smile —clinging to the belief that patience would one day win her the place in his heart.

She changed her taste, her preferences —all to match the girl she had never seen or met.

She hated the smell of Alfredo sauce, but she forced herself to love it … just in the hopes that Aiden would one day cook it for her. But he never did —not even when she stood pale and weak after giving a blood transfusion to his mother.

She forced herself to believe that he was just stubborn and would eventually come around.

Her own name was elegant, enviable. Belle. Belle Martin. But for him, she abandoned it —becoming Selene instead. Just so he could see her and subconsciously be reminded of the girl he once called his Moon.

Yet none of this moved him.

He treated her better than he treated the most. And she had foolishly thought that was enough. That, sooner or later, she would win him completely. But only after seeing him around Arwen did she realize just how wrong she had been.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head.

"I don't need to pretend anymore," she said aloud, her voice resolute as her eyes turned to Olivia.

"I just need to believe," she continued, "and make Arwen believe that I am the one. As long as that happens, it's done."

After all, she had long moulded herself in Arwen's image —her tastes, her preferences, even her name, match hers. She doesn't think it would be hard to make her believe.

Not when Arwen's memories were fractured and buried.

"But … what if you get exposed?" Olivia voiced out the possibility carefully, concern flickering in her eyes. "This is all built on lies. And every lie sees the light of the truth eventually."

Selene only laughed.

"I don't think it would be so easy," she said confidently, easing her grip around the bed sheet as she leaned back into the mattress with a composed smile. "If it were so simple, Arwen would have remembered everything by now. Since she hasn't … it only proves she won't. Never."

Olivia opened her mouth again, her voice lower, more hesitant.

"But don't you think this is wrong, Ms. Martin?" she asked, not hiding the discomfort in her tone. "Even after all these years … even after losing her memories … if she and Mr. Winslow still found each other, doesn't that mean something? Maybe they aren't together because they simply want to be, but because they are fated to be."

Selene's expression hardened once again, her fingers twitching with restrained fury —but before she could speak, Carla snapped from the other side.

"What fate?" she scoffed, her voice sharp and dismissive. "That woman is clearly a temptress who has cast some sort of spell on that young lad. Otherwise, how could someone like her compare to our young miss?"

Carla's words were like flint sparking flame. She continued, "Heh! She is a witch from a young age, seducing a man like that so early on. But in our village, there is an old saying —no spell lasts forever. Just wait and watch. She will fall. She can't compare to Ms. Selene's beauty and charm.

Selene was satisfied. Although he didn't believe in spells and all, she did believe that she would defeat Arwen.

Olivia, however, shook her head and said nothing more. Her disapproval remained etched on her face, though she kept her silence.

She hadn't met Arwen yet, not personally. But she had seen her —just now, gracefully stepping out of the manor.

And that one glimpse was enough.

Even now, she could recall the poise in her steps, the quiet elegance in the way she smiled at the butler and carried herself. Arwen hadn't worn layers of makeup or tried to impress. She didn't need to. Her presence alone commanded the attention of everyone.

Selene might be beautiful —the kind of beauty shaped in salons, sculpted by stylists, polished to perfection like a model. But Arwen was ethereal. Natural. Unforced. And even the little resemblance she shared with Selene only highlighted the difference.

Olivia could bet her entire career on it; if Selene and Arwen stood side by side, no eyes would turn to Selene. Arwen's aura would draw them all in —softly, subtly, completely.

And no amount of imitation could replicate that.

But saying all that right now would serve no purpose. It would only infuriate Selene, and give Carla a chance to boast about the pretty daughter she brought up. So, she didn't care.

Anyway, she doesn't think fooling someone like that would be easy. And it was no other they were talking about, but President Winslow. If fooling him was so easy, Winslow Globals would be where it is currently.

"What are you thinking?"

Selene's sudden voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she blinked at her.

"Sorry?"

Selene looked at her with a frown. "I asked, what are you thinking?"

"Oh, I was simply thinking about your schedule," Olivia was quick to recover from her trance. "I have arranged your work here, and we need to report soon. The brand wants the work to be done as soon as possible."

"But I don't want it to be done that soon," Selene said, making the assistant furrow her brow. "Ask them to cater as per my timings. And you make the schedule where I get enough time to delay it for at least three weeks or so. The more the better."

She enunciated it clearly, but little did she know, things in Cralens wouldn't go as per her plans.

Because Aiden has already started to make the move.