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."
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