Chapter 74: Ch 74: The Governnt’s Desperation - Part 4
The conference room emptied slowly, the governnt officials sagging with visible relief.
The tension that had perated the air during the eting dissipated as Selene and Ethan left the building.
Selene plastered a smile on her face to try and put these officials at ease.
The lead official wiped his brow with a trembling hand, grateful that the confrontation had not escalated into outright violence.
His colleagues murmured among themselves, trading reassurances that the worst had passed.
But no one could be sure when it ca to awaken. Especially between ones as powerful as Ethan and Valeria...no, the Vale family.
"Thank god! We’d be dead if they fought in here."
Soone muttered.
The lead official nodded, still pale.
"We need to keep them both in check. Send word to maintain distance—no one gets involved with either of them without explicit orders."
Outside, Selene and Ethan walked down the stone path leading to the parking lot.
The air was crisp, the kind that stung with the promise of winter. Selene’s expression remained calm, but there was a spark of sothing sharp in her eyes.
Ethan trailed slightly behind her, his gaze sweeping their surroundings.
"That went better than expected. No bloodshed."
He remarked.
"Not yet...and why do you sound so disappointed?"
Selene replied, her tone casual.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a half-smile.
"Disappointed? I don’t know what you are talking about. I’m just relieved that nothing happened. Can’t you see the happiness on my face as I speak to you?"
Selene ca to a stop near the entrance of the building and turned to him.
"Actually, you look like you need to relieve yourself. You should head to the bathroom."
She said in a calm voice.
"What? I don’t need to go."
Ethan blinked, caught off guard. Even the smile had faded from his face.
Her expression remained unyielding, and she offered him a small, pointed look.
"You need to go. You really need to go. Just head to the bathroom right now."
Understanding dawned on his face, and he let out a sigh.
"Fine, fine! Try not to start anything while I’m gone."
He rubbed the back of his neck and cast one last glance at her before heading inside.
"No promises!"
She murmured as he disappeared into the building.
The mont Ethan was out of sight, Selene’s deanor shifted. Her stance beca more relaxed, her expression unreadable.
"You can stop hiding now!"
She called out, her voice carrying through the empty space. Anyone would have called her ntally ill had they seen her.
But Selene was not mistaken. She knew when she was being followed.
From behind a stone column, Valeria stepped out, slow claps echoing in the quiet.
"Impressive! Perhaps you do have so skill after all."
Valeria said, her tone a blend of mockery and amusent.
Selene did not respond. Instead, she moved, her feet gliding soundlessly over the pavent.
Before Valeria could react, Selene had her arm twisted behind her back, pressed into an uncomfortable angle. The sharp intake of breath from Valeria was the only indication of her pain.
"Careful. A test is only worthwhile if the tester knows what they’re doing and is above the level of the one they are testing. And from what I can tell, you don’t have either qualifications."
Selene whispered into her ear.
Valeria’s expression twisted with fury, and she struggled against the hold.
"You—"
She bit off her words as Selene increased the pressure, a small, cruel smile touching her lips.
"Stay still. Unless you want a dislocated shoulder."
Selene’s voice dropped to a dangerous murmur.
Valeria’s breaths ca in sharp bursts, and though her body remained rigid with defiance, she ceased struggling.
"You think this will scare ? The Vale family doesn’t fear anyone."
She spat, wanting to intimidate Selene with her own family na.
It worked sowhat, but she shook it off as well.
Selene chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth.
"That blind worship of yours will be your downfall."
With a final, punishing twist, she released Valeria’s arm and stepped back.
Valeria stumbled, her balance lost, and she fell forward. Her knees hit the ground, and her palms scraped against the rough pavent.
The sound of skin eting stone was sharp, and she hissed through clenched teeth.
Before she could push herself back up, heavy footsteps approached.
Ethan erged from the building, his expression a blend of curiosity and exasperation.
His eyes flicked from Valeria, crumpled on the ground, to Selene, who stood calmly with her hands folded behind her back.
"What happened?"
He asked, though there was a glimr of amusent in his eyes.
Selene shrugged.
"She tripped."
Valeria’s head snapped up, her hair hanging ssily over her face.
"You—"
But before she could finish, Ethan stepped over her, deliberately planting his boot on her hand.
He applied just enough pressure to make her wince, and then he continued forward as if she were nothing more than an obstacle in his path.
"It’s ti to head back."
He said, not sparing Valeria another glance.
Selene nodded and fell into step beside him.
"Agreed."
Behind them, Valeria pushed herself up, her face a mask of rage and humiliation.
She cradled her injured hand against her chest, her fingers already reddening. The weight of their disregard pressed down on her, turning her anger into sothing sharp and venomous.
"You’ll regret this! Both of you."
She muttered, her voice a promise.
Selene and Ethan did not look back. They walked with an easy confidence, the kind that ca from knowing they had already won this round.
Valeria remained behind, her mind churning with thoughts of revenge.
The sting of her wounded pride festered, and as she stood in the shadow of the towering governnt building, she swore to herself that this would not be the end.
She would teach them a lesson—one they would not forget.
But for now, she could only watch as their silhouettes vanished into the distance, the echo of their victory hanging heavy in the air.
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