Valentin schooled his expression into a serious one. "It's time we talked."
"Don't you hear anything I'm saying?" Selena wanted to scream non-stop at him. "If you don't leave, I'll have my man come over here and kick you out."
That made Valentin rise to his feet. He took long strides toward her, and Selena stood her ground as she looked up at his face when he was a few meters apart.
"You and I know that that relationship cannot last," He said, his grey eyes searching hers.
"Oh? I'll have you know not all men are the scum of the earth like you are," Selena said. "Go back to Patricia. Both of you deserve each other."
"I might be with Patricia, but she isn't you," Valentin's fingers caught a wisp of her hair, and he tucked it back behind her ear. Selena tried to create more space, but he placed a hand on the small of her back to stop her.
"I might be with a hundred other women in this world, but none will compare to you, Lena," Valentin bent to the side of her face, his five o'clock shadow brushing against her cheek, his breath hot on her face. "And you know it's the same for you. You just have to…"
A pained groan escaped him and he backed away from her in a second. He held the side of his face, looking at Selena with wide eyes.
"Did you just bite my face?" He asked her.
"There's only one way to deal with animals," Selena smirked. "You act like one. You know how to see yourself out, I'm done here."
Selena made her way out of the living room. Sure enough, the second she opened the door, she saw her mother and her Aunt blinking at her with large eyes they had hoped would look innocent, but Selena knew they had heard every word of it.
"I can't believe you two," she said and walked away.
"Selena!" Her Aunt, Isabel, called after her. "Selena, wait!"
But Selena didn't slow down in her steps, and Isabel's heels rushed after her. She moved two steps at a time up to her room, and when she opened her door, Isabel was right behind her.
"What exactly is wrong with you?" Isabel asked.
"What is wrong with me?" Selena tried to hold back her yell. "What's wrong with you and Mum? How could you let him in here after all that he's done?!"
"And he wants to repair things!" Isabel said like it was the most logical explanation. "God, Selena, you love this man."
"Loved." Selena corrected her, yanking off her duvet and settling herself on the bed. "I loved him. Now he's nothing to me."
Isabel gasped dramatically. "That's not possible."
"It very much is," Selena laid her back on her pillow, but she was far from comfortable. "Does Dad even know about this? Do you think he'd like this?"
"Your father's traveled this morning," Isabel said, coming over to Selena's side and sitting next to her. "He had urgent business to take care of."
Selena frowned. "Urgent business? What happened? Is everything…"
"Everything's fine," Isabel waved off and put a hand around Selena's shoulder. "Something about signatures and all. Said it was some deal he had to clear off."
Selena tried to figure out if they had any new partnerships or contracts her father had to sign. She was usually left to handle them, so why would he personally go on his own? With each passing day, she was getting more and more sure he was hiding things from her.
"Valentin and you," Isabel drew her back to the unfortunate reality she was in. "You two were made for each other."
"Aunt Isabel, please. That man can never change! He's currently dating Patricia now and coming after me. He can't stand that I'm moving on from him." Selena said.
Isabel looked at her niece. "Moving on? What do you mean?"
"Aunt Isabel, Valentin…"
"No, moving on to who?" Aunt Isabel looked excited. "Is there a new man in your life?"
"It doesn't matter," Selena avoided her Aunt's eyes.
"Of course it does! Valentin was the only guy you've dated! Spill the tea!" Her Aunt's excitement was pouring out from her every pore now. "Who is he? Do we know him? Is he good-looking? Is he…"
"Aunt Isabel!" Selena pushed away her Aunt's hold and scrambled off the bed. Her room door opened, and a pissed Fiona stepped in.
"Valentin's left," She said calmly and quickly pulled up at the skin of her forehead to avoid the frowns from settling. "I know you bit him."
"Bit him?" Isabel gasped, a bejeweled hand covering her mouth. "What are you? A rabid dog?"
Selena didn't say anything as she walked into her walk-in closet. Fiona and Isabel were right after her. Selena sometimes wished in moments like these she lived alone.
"You'll apologize to him, or else," Fiona warned.
"Or else what Mum?" Selena asked. "Or else what? I can't believe you. You're supposed to be the one dealing with him mercilessly because of what he did to your daughter yet you're here threatening me for doing just that."
Selena grabbed a clean-washed towel and made her way out the door, but Fiona stood in her path.
"I know what I'm doing, and you've crossed the line," Fiona said. "You'll rectify it, not just for your sake, but for the name Tequila."
Selena didn't say anything as she tried to pass again, but her mother wouldn't budge.
"You have to," Fiona said. "We can't afford enemies right now, my darling. We just can't."
Her mother looked more distressed than angry, and before Selena could ask what she meant, she hurried out of the closet. Isabel mouthed a "we'll talk later" to Selena before following after her sister. Whatever it was that bothered her mother, Selena knew more than anything that if she had to do something for the Tequila name, she was left with no choice but to do it.
Even if it meant going to apologize to the person she never wanted to see again.