Chapter 252: Ch 251: Control - Part 1
’It’s a beautiful explosion. Sohow, my heart feels lighter seeing this building burning down in flas. I wish I could see more of it.’
Selene felt her heart give a familiar relieved thump as she watched the research facility burn.
The fire burned low on the horizon, casting a dying glow over the night sky.
Black smoke curled upward like a final breath, saring the stars out of sight.
Selene stood still, watching the facility crumble under its own weight. It should’ve felt like victory. But it didn’t.
She wrapped her arms around herself. Her thoughts scattered like ash—Aldric’s obsession, the voice in her head, Ethan’s sudden confession...
Too much.
Ethan stepped closer, silent for a while, then slipped an arm over her shoulders.
Selene stiffened instinctively.
It felt wrong at first—too intimate, too sudden—but then sothing in her gave way. She let herself lean into him, just enough to share her weight.
Ethan didn’t say anything. He just stood there with her, watching the place that had tried to break them both go up in flas.
The return ho was a blur. As soon as they stepped inside, Selene was nearly tackled by two human-shaped missiles.
"Selene!"
Ethan cried, crashing into her from the left.
"You’re alive!"
Orion shouted from the right.
They clung to her like lost kids, checking her for wounds and talking over each other.
"I thought sothing happened—"
"We heard about the alarm—"
"Why didn’t you call—"
"I couldn’t. My phone was not with ...I’m okay."
Selene said, smiling despite herself.
She glanced over their shoulders. Nora stood quietly, arms crossed, but even her usually cold expression looked strained. Worried.
Selene reached out.
"I’m fine, Nora. And Dr. Aldric won’t be a problem anymore."
That got a reaction. Noah and Nora both paused.
"Wait—what do you an?"
Nora asked.
"You an he’s...?"
Noah trailed off, eyes wide.
"Gone. He’s not coming back....hopefully. For his sake, I hope he doesn’t co back."
Selene said simply.
The twins looked at each other, visibly relieved—but the worry didn’t vanish completely.
"Did anyone give you a hard ti? Anything... strange happen?"
Zara asked, voice unusually soft.
Selene hesitated. For a mont, she considered telling them. About the voice. The change. Everything.
But she looked at their faces—tired, relieved, scared—and couldn’t do it. Having Ethan know about it was enough.
She shook her head.
"No. Nothing I couldn’t handle."
Zara, who’d been standing silently near the kitchen doorway, finally stepped forward and clapped her hands.
"All right, kids. Help
set the table. It’s dinner ti."
The twins groaned but obeyed, disappearing into the kitchen with Orion trailing behind them.
Once they were gone, Zara turned back to Selene and Ethan, her expression shifting into sothing more serious.
"There was a ssage while you were gone. From the Governnt. So secretive stuff. They’re requesting your help."
She said.
Selene raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of help?"
"They didn’t say. I didn’t respond yet. Figured it was better to wait for you two."
"You did the right thing. I’ll reach out to them after I’ve had ti to breathe."
Selene said, rubbing her temple.
Zara frowned, clearly unconvinced.
"Are you sure you’re okay?"
Selene didn’t answer. But Ethan t Zara’s gaze and gave a subtle nod, as if to say I’ve got this.
Zara sighed.
"All right. I’ll trust you."
Dinner was quieter than usual.
The twins chattered on and off, but Selene barely touched her food.
She couldn’t taste it.
Her mind was drifting again—Aldric’s words, the look in Ethan’s eyes, the near loss in the collapsing facility. And that file she never got to open—Project X-09344.
Later that night, she excused herself early and headed toward her room. She didn’t get far before Ethan followed.
"Selene! Wait."
He said behind her.
She turned at the door.
Ethan looked nervous.
"You okay being alone right now?"
"I’ll be fine."
"I don’t think it’s a good idea."
She blinked at him.
"I’m not going to snap, Ethan. You don’t have to hover."
He looked away for a second, then t her eyes again.
"It’s not just that. I... I’m just worried."
Selene softened a little.
"Thanks for worrying. But I need space. I need to think."
She paused, then added.
"About everything. Including what you said earlier."
Ethan’s face went red instantly.
"I—I didn’t—That wasn’t ! That was the... other ."
Selene raised an eyebrow.
"Still your body."
"That’s not fair,"
He muttered, cheeks burning.
But it worked. The panic in his eyes faded as embarrassnt took over. And for once, Selene smiled faintly at his expense.
She stepped inside and gently closed the door before he could say anything else.
From behind the wood, she heard him sigh. Then silence.
Once alone in her room, Selene let herself fall backward onto the bed.
Her muscles ached. Her mind raced. She closed her eyes but couldn’t rest.
Ethan’s words echoed in her head.
"I’ve always loved you."
He hadn’t said it. Not really. Not the version of him she knew best. But it was Ethan. The part of him she never got to et in her past life.
’Do I feel the sa? I think I do. But which one do I love?’
Selene covered her face with her hands. Her chest tightened.
Everything was moving too fast. Between Aldric, the voice in her head, and the governnt ssage, there was no space left in her mind to process sothing as human and fragile as love.
But...
The warmth of his hand on her shoulder. The softness in his voice when he called her na. The bittersweet look in his eyes when he said sorry.
She wanted to hate him for how he left her behind in that past life. But she couldn’t.
The voice in her head stirred again, low and purring.
[You care for him. Dangerous.]
Selene ignored it. Just this once, she let her heart ache freely.
Tomorrow, she’d fight again.
But tonight, she’d think about the boy who said he loved her—and the part of her that didn’t want him to run away again.
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