Chapter 25: Won’t You Say You Love Me?

Selene turned her head.

Dante had just walked in, a furious expression on his face.

Why is he back?

Wasn’t he supposed to have a meeting?

While she was taken aback by his sudden return, Meris smacked her hand off. She squickly crawled to her feet and rushed into Dante’s arms.

"Dante," she cried.

Dante caught her in his arms. He held her and shot looks of daggers towards Selene.

Selene stood to her feet. She folded her arms. "I thought you had a meeting."

"It was cancelled," he said. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Nothing."

She shrugged.

"She slapped me and I hit her right back. What was I supposed to do, stand and take it?"

Dante lowered his gaze to Meris. "Is this true? Did you...touch her?"

Meris quickly shook her head at him. "No. No, Dante, of course I didn’t. She’s violent, she’s crazy and whenever you’re not around, she does this to me. How could I hit her? What reason would I have to do that?"

He frowned. "Meris—"

"You can ask them, Dante." She pointed at the two maids. "Did I hit her? Did I slap her first?"

The maids glanced at Selene. Then towards Meris, but didn’t dare meet Dante’s eyes.

"Answer! Is it true?" Dante questioned.

The two maids frightfully fell to their knees, shaking their heads.

"Yes, alpha."

"It is true, alpha."

"Madama never touched Miss. Miss was upset concerning Ellenor, so she slapped Madam because Madam remained obstinate about it."

"Don’t you dare lie to me," Dante warned.

Meris looked at him. Was he seriously not believing the maids?

The maids cried out.

"We’d never lie, Alpha."

"We really won’t dare."

Dante locked his gaze on Selene. "How do you explain this?"

"And why should I explain myself?" Selene questioned back.

He closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, he stated, "Selene, while we may be in a contractual marriage, you shouldn’t forget that she is my mate. You can’t raise your hands on her and think I’ll do nothing about it."

Selene chuckled a little, amused.

"Do whatever you want, Dante. I already told you she hit first and I hit back. Like I always said, I’ll never be the first to fight, but if I am bullied, I will fight back." She pointed down to Ellenor. "This woman, you said she is mine. I asked for her. So tell me why your mate is fighting me over her."

"What?" Meris hurried pulled Dante’s hand. "Dante, did you really give Ellenor to her?"

Dante finally looked at Ellenor. He pinched between his brows. "Yes I did. What is the problem? She’s just a maid."

"But..."

Meris bit her bottom lip appearing panicked.

"Dante...this maid is no good. I-I want her fired."

"And why do you want her fired?" Selene asked, smiling. "Is there something you’re not telling us? Why are you so eager to have her gone, hm?"

Meris’s entire body shook.

She quickly lowered her head and began to sob. "Dante..." Tears bubbled in her eyes.

Selene furrowed her brows. My goodness! To think someone could fake cry so easily.

Impressive!

"Why are you crying?" Dante asked, quickly grabbing her arms gently.

Meris looked up at him. "Look at my face, Dante. Look what she did to me."

Her face was truly red with Selene’s palm print decorating it. Unlike her, Selene’s hit was strong and much more painful.

Dante cupped her cheek. He used his thumb to caress the bruise before throwing a pissed off look towards Selene. "Do you always have to act violent?"

Selene shrugged. "When necessary, yes. If you don’t do that, you become a pushover that anyone can step on."

"I didn’t do anything to her!" Meris stumped her feet on the floor. She shook her head at him. "Please believe me, Dante!"

"Enough of this!"

Dante snapped, shutting everyone into an immediate silence.

"I’ve given the woman over to Selene as her personal maid. You can’t fire her, Meris."

Meris rapidly blinked. "What?" She was in shock. "W-why would you do that, Dante?"

"Personal business. It’s nothing worth a discussion."

He waved the maids off.

"You’re dismissed. Leave."

The maids nodded and hurriedly turned around, leaving. Ellenor, grateful with a relieved smile on her face rushed to her feet. She looked at Selene, wanting to thank her. But Selene dismissed her.

This was not the time.

Ellenor nodded. She left the foyer.

"Dante."

Meris stared up at him with tears in her eyes.

"How could you do this? How can you choose her over me? I don’t understand."

"It isn’t like that. I didn’t choose her over you!" Dante ran his fingers through his hair. "Like I said, it’s a personal business not worth discussing. Drop this matter and don’t make a scene."

He turned to Selene.

"My mate is off limits and never you hurt her again."

Selene clicked her tongue several times. She lifted her index finger and shook it. "That won’t happen. We had a deal. If someone bullies me, I will fight back and you can’t do anything about it. If your mate bullies me, I will fight back. Now, if she does want to get hurt, she should keep her hands to herself." She shifted her attention to Meris, questioning, "Understood? Next time, I won’t just smack you in the face, I’ll make you bald. Don’t test me."

She turned around and stormed off to the storage room.

Dante watched her, up until her figure was out of sight.

He proceeded to walk off to the second floor, but Meris reached for his arm, grabbing him. "Dante..." she called him in a sweet voice.

Dante paused.

She didn’t hesitate and hugged him tightly from behind. "I’m sorry if I caused you troubles. I really didn’t hurt her at first. The maids confirmed it too. But I know I could have handled things better and not make trouble for you."

"I love you, Dante," she said.

When he didn’t respond, she asked.

"Won’t you say you love me...?"

Dante balled his hands into a fist. "I love... I love..." He couldn’t say it. "I love..." Why couldn’t he get it out? They were three simple words, yet as though they were stuck in his throat, he found it nigh impossible to say.

Slowly, he pulled himself off her. "I have things to do, Meris. I’ll see you later."

"Eh, Dante. Why..."

She couldn’t even complete her words. He’d walked away, leaving the foyer. She stood in there, all alone, having never expected things to end like this.

Now she finally understood what Mavros meant.

She really is trouble. This bitch!

She gritted her teeth and gnashed her teeth so hard, her gums nearly bled. She was angry, so so angry that unable to contain it, she walked towards the flower vase. She picked it up and threw it to the grown, screaming out her rage.

"Damn it!" She stumped her feet on the floor and angrily dragged her fingers through her hair.

Why does my pheromones have less effect on him now? It’s as if he is losing every feelings towards me, so much he hardly believes himself when he says I am his mate. I don’t understand!

She was frustrated.

Ever since she came, Dante has started acting strange! He doesn’t even seem to enjoy being with me anymore! It’s almost as if...

....he’s avoiding me now!

"I have to do something!" She began to pace back and forth. "I have to get rid of her before it’s too late."