Aunt Catie's sharp gasp echoed through the open doorway.
Selina froze.
Damon's hands were still on her waist, their bodies too close. And the look on Aunt Catie's face was filled with pure judgment.
More footsteps approached.
Selina's stomach tied up in knots as she heard voices getting closer.
Damon's aunt stood in the doorway, one hand over her mouth, as if she didn't know what to do at first.
Then—her expression shifted. Pure delight.
"Well, well," she said loudly, as if afraid the half-deaf old man at the edge of town wouldn't hear her, pressing a hand to her chest. "This is certainly unexpected."
More footsteps echoed outside of terrace doorway. She could hear the voices. The Confusion.
Before Selina and Damon could react, the room filled with family members.
Isobel Blackwell appeared first, eyes widening in shock. "Oh, my! Damon! What—what is this?!"
Then came the others.
Margaret. Damon's father. Her mother. Her father. More of the Blackwell brothers.
It all happened so fast.
In an instant, everything got out of hand.
Edgar Blackwell's voice was sharp, authoritative. Furious.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Damon released Selina immediately, stepping away from her.
"Nothing. It was just—" He ran a hand through his hair, combing it back in frustration. "This isn't what it looks like."
His voice lacked confidence.
It was clear he feared Edgar's rage.
"It was an accident."
Aunt Catie let out a shrill, dramatic scoff. "An accident? Oh, of course! It didn't look like an accident that's for sure... Tell us, Damon—what were you even doing here in the dark with your fiancée's little sister?"
Silence.
All eyes turned to Margaret.
She stood still, her expression was unreadable.
Rosalind looked pale, clearly scandalized by what was insinuated but said nothing.
Douglas's face darkened. "Selina?"
Selina kept her expression neutral.
How could she explain?
If she insisted it was just an accident—especially after Catherine's words—people would assume she was covering something up.
But Edgar Blackwell was far from amused. His gaze snapped back to Damon, filled with barely restrained fury.
His voice was like ice.
"Explain."
Damon exhaled sharply, shifting uncomfortably. "I just did. It was a misunderstanding."
He turned to Selina. "Tell them."
Selina met his gaze.
The wheels turned in her mind.
This was it.
Her opportunity.
Her chance.
Instead of speaking, she lowered her gaze.
She looked embarrassed. Guilty.
She let her shoulders tense, her fingers curling around the hem of her skirt as if trying to steady herself.
And when she finally spoke—her voice was soft, trembling just enough.
"I—I didn't mean for this to happen."
Margaret's head snapped toward her.
For the first time, her carefully controlled mask slipped from her face.
Her eyes widened.
Damon's jaw tightened.
"Selina." His voice was a warning now.
But Selina kept going.
"I should have known better, but—" she paused, letting her voice go quiet at the end just a little.
"I didn't expect…"
She trailed off, letting the silence say the rest.
Aunt Catie gasped again, absolutely delighted by the unfolding drama.
Selina felt Margaret's stare piercing into her.
Damon, on the other hand, looked completely lost.
He didn't understand.
Didn't realize what she was doing.
Damon gritted his teeth, frustration rising. He insisted with more urgency, "For God's sake, nothing happened!"
And then came Edgar's response.
The one Selina had been waiting for.
His voice was like a thunderclap.
"Enough."
His expression hardened. His tone left no room for argument.
"Then why does it look like you've compromised her?"
Damon felt his control slipping. "Because she threw herself at me while she was trying to hit me!"
Selina gasped dramatically. "I did no such thing!"
The room fell silent.
Isobel Blackwell looked at her son in disapproval.
Damon's brothers shifted uncomfortably.
Alistair looked like he wanted to weigh in and say something but didn't know how.
None of them could imagine Damon lying about something this serious.
He had always been honest to a fault.
And yet—the circumstances told a different story.
Margaret, on the other hand, was certain of her sister.
She was certain that Selina was lying.
If something had truly happened, Selina wouldn't look like this.
She wouldn't look vulnerable.
She wouldn't look guilty.
Selina never showed weakness to anyone except Margaret.
And when she did?
She was manipulating.
She usually lied to get out of trouble.
Now, she was twisting the truth to get something out of this situation.
Margaret didn't know what Selina was planning—but she decided to follow her lead.
Douglas's expression darkened even further.
He looked like he was holding himself back from hurting Damon.
Douglas didn't care about his own reputation.
Over the years, he had slowly lost all the land his father left him—except for their home.
Everyone in town knew he was a drunk.
Most importantly he knew that he was a terrible husband.
He had a volatile temper and he couldn't control himself when he drank.
But maybe because he didn't care about himself—his daughters' reputations meant everything to him.
He raised them so that no one could ever question their virtue.
They were smart, beautiful, and graceful.
In a world that had lost its virtues—they were pearls.
Edgar Blackwell turned to Damon.
If looks could kill, Damon would be in pieces.
"You will fix this."
Damon's entire body tensed.
"Dad—"
Margaret sighed softly. Her voice was calm but firm.
She felt sorry for Damon—but she had to support Selina in her scheme.
"Damon, don't make this worse."
Aunt Catie chuckled.
"Oh, I don't think he could even if he tried."
"No excuses."
Edgar's voice was final.
"You have humiliated this family enough tonight."
He turned to Douglas.
"We will handle this properly."
Douglas nodded, his expression tight.
He forced himself to calm down.
"I expect nothing less."
Damon's stomach dropped.
He knew where this conversation was going.
"Oh, hell no."
Edgar's glare sharpened.
"You will marry her."
Damon's world stopped.
He stared at his father, completely speechless.
He had no idea how everything had spiraled out of control this fast.
But on the other side of the room, Selina felt it.
The weight of victory settling in her chest.
She had won.
Damon was trapped.
And now—she had found her way out.