The Ex-wife they Claimed: Their Heat, Her Fire

'I wonder what it feels like to watch someone ruin themselves with your help,'

Those were the exact thoughts running through Selene's mind as she stood outside Adrian Laurent's office with divorce papers clutched tightly in her hands.

The sound of Chloe Hart's moans reached her long before she touched the door. Her wolf hearing made it impossible not to hear every little thing happening behind those walls.

The rustle of clothing.

The low groan in Adrian's throat.

The faint creak of his desk.

And Chloe's voice dripping with satisfaction as she whispered in pleasure, "Adrian...oh, Adrian...!"

Selene's fingers tightened painfully around the folder.

Five years.

Five years and this still hurt.

She was so pathetic.

She should have walked away.

Any sane woman would have.

But she had loved Adrian long before he ever became her husband.

Back when they were still students at college. Back when Chloe hung on his arm like she already owned him. Back when Selene was just the quiet, shy girl who watched him from a distance and foolishly mistook admiration for fate.

Then right after graduation, her uncle arranged the marriage, and Adrian never forgave her for it.

Even though it had never been her choice either.

Another sound came from inside the office. Adrian's low groan of heightened pleasure accompanied by Chloe's cry made Selene's ears crawl.

"Fuck, that was amazing," Adrian said in a low, amused voice.

"You say that all the time," Chloe chuckled softly.

"And yet you never stop."

Selene's stomach twisted violently, and she closed her eyes briefly.

Maybe she should just turn around and keep whatever dignity she had left.

Then she heard Chloe say softly, "Does your wife know I'm here? She wasn't at her table when I arrived."

"You don't have to worry about that. She stopped asking questions a long time ago," He replied with a small laugh.

"Worried? About that little wolf? Come on!"

Something inside Selene went quiet after that.

'Little wolf' had always been their nickname for her whenever she wasn't listening. If only they knew that she was actually a wolf, and not so 'little' anymore.

Selene pushed the office door open, and the scent of the room hit her senses with full force.

Sex. Perfume. Him. Her.

Adrian sat behind his desk with Chloe straddling his lap, her red dress bunched around her thighs while his hand rested possessively against her waist.

His tie hung loose around his neck, with her lipstick smeared across his mouth.

And neither of them looked even remotely ashamed.

Chloe noticed Selene first, and her eyes gleamed with the familiar, mocking interest. "Oh," she breathed with fake surprise. "Selene."

Adrian barely glanced up. One hand still lazily stroked Chloe's thigh while the other scrolled through something on his laptop.

"What is it?" he asked flatly, like Selene was interrupting a meeting instead of walking in on her husband with another woman.

Again.

Her wolf snarled violently beneath her skin. Humiliation had slowly become her closest companion whenever she was anywhere close to them, but Selene forced her expression to remain calm.

Because reacting only ever made her look crazier to them.

And they enjoyed that.

Especially Chloe.

She suddenly shifted comfortably against Adrian before offering Selene a soft smile. "You should've knocked," She said sweetly as her waist began to grind against him once again.

Adrian smirked faintly, his eyes slowly becoming hazy again. "She practically lives in this office anyway."

Another jab.

'Secretary.'

That was the title everyone believed Selene held at Laurent Enterprises.

Not his wife, and not his partner.

And certainly not the silent investor who had unknowingly kept this company alive for years through anonymous Lunaris-backed support.

Just Adrian's painfully devoted secretary.

Selene stepped further into the room anyway and said, "I need your signature."

Adrian sighed softly, as if even speaking to her exhausted him. "Now?"

Chloe pressed a kiss lazily against his jaw as her movements became a little faster than before. "Maybe she misses you," she whispered.

His fingers paused typing, and his grip on her waist tightened.

Selene could hear every sound between them, and she stood there enduring it.

He laughed at what Chloe said, then proceeded to kiss her on the lips.

Selene knew they were going to start making out any time from now, and she had to do what she came there for before they made her soul shatter any further than it already had.

"There's an important meeting tomorrow," She said calmly, placing the folder on the desk. "These documents need approval before then."

That caught his attention briefly, "The Lunaris meeting?"

"Yes."

At the mention of Lunaris Biotech, Chloe straightened slightly and glanced over at the folder.

Even she knew the name.

Everyone did.

Lunaris Biotech had exploded into the business world five years ago and had since become almost untouchable. It was known for its mysterious ownership, advanced biotech research, and insane global influence.

Every major corporation wanted a partnership with them now.

Including Adrian.

He leaned back slightly with Chloe still seated on his lap, "If next week goes well, Laurent Enterprises won't need anybody's help anymore," He said smugly.

If only he knew.

Selene's fingers curled slowly beside her.

Chloe smiled proudly at him like he'd already conquered the world, "You'll secure the partnership. You always get what you want," She said confidently.

Adrian then reached for the documents impatiently and asked, "Where do I sign?"

"You should read them first," Selene said.

His eyes flickered toward her lazily, and he frowned, "Why? You already handled it."

Of course she had. Just as she had always handled everything that concerned this company.

It would look as if he trusted her that much, but it wasn't real. Adrian trusted Selene with paperwork because he never believed she was capable of anything dangerous.

To him, she was harmless and quite predictable.

Chloe took the pen from the desk and placed it between Adrian's fingers playfully, "Sign them so your poor wife can stop glaring at me."

Selene almost glared at her at that moment, but she held back. She just needed to survive this moment.

Because it would be the last.

Adrian didn't even look down before signing the final page, and Selene almost burst into tears at that second.

One careless signature... and that was all it took to end five years of marriage.

They were over.

He slid the papers back toward her dismissively before his attention returned immediately to Chloe, and they resumed what they were doing.

Like Selene no longer existed.

Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck slowly, still grinding against him, probably to show Selene who he actually belonged to.

Not that Selene had never known that before.

"You know," Chloe said softly, running her lips along his ear, "I really admire you, Selene."

Selene stayed silent.

"I could never love someone who treated me this coldly. You're stronger than me."

The sweetness in Chloe's voice made her jaw work, and Adrian chuckled under his breath, "She likes playing martyr," He breathed, then captured Chloe's lips with his.

That one landed deep, because maybe he was right.

Maybe Selene had spent five years sacrificing pieces of herself, hoping one day Adrian would finally look at her the way he looked at Chloe.

What a stupid thing to want.

"You just signed your freedom, Adrian," She murmured as she picked up the folder and turned around to leave.

"Hm?" He barely heard her.

Selene didn't answer and headed for the door.

They were getting more aggressive with each other now, and Chloe was beginning to moan his name loudly.

They didn't give a fuck about her.

Never.

And Selene had thought ending this would destroy her. Instead, she felt tired.

So unbelievably tired.

She could smell Chloe's satisfaction in the air, thanks to her wolf. Chloe was happy to know Selene was walking away, happy that she was suffering like this, because she knew very well that Selene loved Adrian with everything she had.

But Adrian had never loved her for even a second.

Chloe was victorious.

It must feel good to never doubt that Adrian would always pick her.

And maybe that was the cruellest part.

She was right.

Behind Selene, Adrian suddenly spoke again, "Oh, Selene?"

She paused with her hand turning the doorknob.

"Make sure to clear my schedule tomorrow," he said absentmindedly. "I'll probably be busy."

Busy with Chloe.

Like always.

Selene smiled faintly to herself and muttered again, "You already are."

Then she twisted the door open and walked out of the office without looking back.

Neither of them stopped her.