Betrayed By The Hero, Loved By The Lord
Chapter 90: Stuck on the past (1)

Chapter 90: Stuck on the past (1)

"I’m joking. No need to look so scared. I’m sure none of you were doing something bad to my wife. Are you enjoying yourself, Selene?" Xavier asked, placing his hands on her shoulder.

"I am," Selene nodded her head. She shifted in her seat so she could get a look at him. Why didn’t he tell her that he would be coming? They could have come together.

"Good. I will go see the men. Excuse me," Xavier said, kissing Selene’s forehead just before he left.

Xavier didn’t know if it was worth it to sit with the few men present since they weren’t his cup of tea but he would endure it for Selene.

Francesca watched as Xavier walked away. She never thought there would come a day when he would be in her home. "Oh my. He is in love. I can’t believe I got to witness that."

Francesca looked further down the table at the other women who had just been questioning Selene. That stopped now that they knew Xavier was present.

Francesca laughed since it was funny how they were quiet now. She didn’t know what to make of Selene after everything she was hearing but it might be fun to have Selene around.

"Does anyone still want to know about a chase?" Selene asked the curious group.

Juliana leaned back on her chair. What was she to say now? She looked to Vivienne for what to do next but Vivienne was distracted by something or maybe it was someone. They failed to ask Selene about her parents and now that Xavier was here, they couldn’t.

Vivienne no longer paid attention to the women before her since she was fixated on Xavier. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw him and this wasn’t how she wanted their reunion to be.

Why had Xavier come here? It wasn’t like him. He would never show up to something like this in the past.

Vivienne was tempted to get up but she thought of how it would look for her to go after him now. Should it get back to Darius that she chased Xavier then he would never let her hear the end of it.

Vivienne finally turned to Selene again. She imagined that Selene had to be jumping with joy inside over what he said. "Well, that certainly clears something. It seems he is in love with you."

Selene looked to her left at Vivienne. "I might be mistaken but it sounds as if you are surprised my husband has feelings for me. I am glad it cleared everyone’s doubts. Surely you were concerned about him and not asking all those questions to try to shame me."

"You are a bit more talkative now that he is here," Natalie pointed out.

"I believe I have been speaking since I arrived. I think some of you just didn’t like that I haven’t answered how you wanted. If you will keep throwing questions at me to get me to break down then I am sorry. I am all out of tears today so it is an awful day to try," Selene replied.

"Well," Francesca clapped her hands to bring attention to her. ’Now that the gifts are over with we should enjoy what I prepared and have a look around. About that art you spoke of, before you leave I would be happy to show you what to look for with good art."

"Thank you," Selene responded.

Selene wasn’t certain yet but it seemed she was on the path to making at least one friend. It would benefit her in the future to have at least one pureblood lady as her friend.

Vivienne had nothing more to ask Selene since the other women would be too afraid to pry into her life. It was unfortunate that Xavier showed up at that time but Vivienne looked forward to meeting with him soon. Being outside the palace, she didn’t have to worry about Darius’s spies telling him of her meeting Xavier.

"Since this is going so well, I want to invite all of you to the palace at some point to let me be the host and I hope I will see you attend the ball. You will all be my special guests. It would be good for all of you to show up," Vivienne said, glancing at Selene.

Someone needed to teach Selene how rude it was to turn down invitations from the palace. Did she think she could do it because Xavier did it? It didn’t matter what title Selene held now she would never be equal to Xavier.

"Excuse me," Vivienne got up. "I need to visit a powder room. Can you have one of your maids escort me, Lady Francesca?"

"Yes," Francesca got up to pick a maid. "She will carry you there and provide anything you need."

"Thank you," Vivienne replied.

Selene was curious if Vivienne truly had to go to a powder room or if she was hoping to run into Xavier. It was very unlikely she could be in the same room as the queen without conflict because Vivienne was in love with Xavier.

Selene couldn’t be upset since she wouldn’t be able to put up with the king. Selene spoke to him for a short time but that was enough for her to dislike him.

Her thoughts slowly drifted to Xavier and what he said about wanting her. Selene closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to get his words out of her head. She knew that he helped her but now his words were trapped in her head.

Francesca touched Selene’s hand. "Are you alright?"

"I am," Selene opened her eyes. "I thought I had a headache but it was nothing."

Away from where the women sat, Vivienne sent Francesca’s servant away since she didn’t need any help. She wandered near where the few men who showed up had gathered.

Vivienne smiled when she noticed Xavier was not amongst the men. He stood in a corner to be alone. This was the man she knew. She knew he was very aware of her presence even at this distance but he didn’t acknowledge her.

"Are you avoiding me?" Vivienne asked when she came to his side. "Are we not friends?"

"I am not friends with anyone who uses their friends to question my wife. Isn’t that kind of behaviour beneath you? You aren’t so young to be using those childish tricks," Xavier replied, his gaze still on the men outside.

"I don’t know what you speak of. I cannot control what they ask her and if you think it was too much for her then you have placed the wrong woman by your side. She is an interesting one. It is quite unlike you," said Vivienne.

"Unlike me? You speak as if you have been around me recently to know me well. I advise you not to hold onto the past. I would like to think you did not seek me out to speak in private. We have nothing to speak about," Xavier said, finally turning to his right to acknowledge Vivienne.

"You told Selene what we had was nothing special-"

"Vivienne,’ Xavier spoke over Vivienne. He could not put up with her antics now. "You know what it was. If you thought it was something more than it was then that was on you. I do not think of the past so I suggest you also do the same. While you do that, I suggest you leave my wife alone."

"I was being kind to invite her to these places yet you rewarded me with a warning. How unfortunate for you that she will not be left alone. I feel insulted," Vivienne said, turning to look at the men outside. "I question your choice."