Chapter 4 In the midst of wolves

Selena woke up to the sound of birds chirping on the large tree that stood right outside her room window, and the sounds of water gushing from the water fountain, which stood at the heart of the mansion, downstairs.

With all that bugged her mind last night, she didn't think she was going to fall asleep without tossing and turning.

There was a gentle knock on her door. She shifted slowly to the edge of the bed, yawned, and stretched before fully getting down to get the door.

"Good morning, Miss Selena."

It was Alexandra. Something about the way she smiled was sincere and innocent. Selena already felt she could at least make an acquaintance before the loneliness in that mansion would kill her.

"Morning, Alexandra." She looked down and noticed Alexandra holding two boxes.

"What are those?"

"Your new clothes. Mr Joseph asked that I bring them to you."

"New clothes. I don't remember asking for new clothes. I have a luggage full of clothes."

"You won't be needing them," Alexandra responded softly.

"You're now a McCarthy and you're expected to dress with class."

Selena scoffed.

"Let me guess, my appearance doesn't fit Joseph's taste? He should at least have the balls to say it to my face and not throw his choices at me like I'm a puppy."

Selena spoke angrily.

"I mean no offense, Miss Selena. It's just that I follow orders and I answer to him."

Selena took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead out of frustration.

"It's not your fault, Alexandra. I'm sorry I snapped."

"I understand. You should know you're beautiful though and whatever you put on won't change that."

That was the first time Selena had received kind words since she moved into the mansion. And for the first time in a while, her face lit up.

"Thank you, Alexandra. You have such kind words."

"Of course. You can call me Alex, though."

"Great. Alex"

Alex turned to leave but remembered she needed to inform Selena about breakfast."

"Breakfast will be served in ten minutes and you're expected to be at the table with the rest of the family."

Selena was not used to being catered to, so this was strange to her.

"Sure. I'll be down soon."

God knows that being at a table with these people was the last thing she wanted to do.

Selena didn't know what to expect at breakfast with the McCarthys. But she definitely was mad at Joseph for thinking he could just throw a couple of outfits at her and determine her mode of dressing.

She deliberately put on something that would annoy him.

When she arrived at the dining table, Joseph, Sarah, and Brian were already sitting.

It was a large, luxury table made of glass with state of the art 15 seater chairs to go with it.

Joseph and his family occupied three seats but far apart from one another.

"Good mor-" Selena was cut off by Sarah before the words could leave her mouth.

"It is not normal to keep others waiting at the breakfast table in this family. What are you....Queen of Sussex?" Sarah eyed her coldly, then caught her breath.

"What on God's green Earth are you wearing?" Sarah looked at Selena from head to toe in utter disgust.

"Sit down, Selena".

Joseph finally spoke, gesturing to Selena to take her seat beside him while trying so hard to contain his rage.

"Well...Well! Here comes the Queen".

Brian finally spoke, forming a quote gesture with his first two fingers on both hands as he mockingly emphasized the word "Queen".

"Did the bugs bite?" Brian asked Selena mockingly with a smirk on his face while raising his cup to sip his coffee noisily, just to annoy Joseph.

"Enough!" Joseph barked. He hit his fists on the dining table.

"The circus is over. Selena is my wife now and I demand that you both respect her!"

"Oh please! Don't make me throw up." Sarah said, putting her hands on her throat as if to emphasize throwing up.

Joseph turned towards Selena in a hushed voice.

"I sent you some dresses. Why the hell are you in pajamas?"

"Telling me how to dress was not in the contract. I can dress however the hell is comfortable for me, stop trying to control me. I'm not your puppy!"

Joseph bit his lips in a fit of rage.

He took a deep breath, then spoke through clenched teeth.

"Selena, the last thing you want is for us to be at loggerheads."

"What difference does it make? We're not friends."

"We'll continue this conversation later."

Joseph finished.

The breakfast continued in silence. Selena felt Sarah and Brian's eyes watching her like a hawk.

Brian broke the silence.

"This one's cold, Selena. I wonder what he said to you to make you marry him. He doesn't care for any woman."

Sarah laughed sarcastically.

"Isn't it obvious what she's here for?? He probably waved some cash in her gold-digging face, then she wagged her tail and followed him like a little puppy."

Joseph dropped his fork angrily on his plate and shot a deadly look at Sarah.

"Don't you ever speak about my wife like that again! You won't like what I'd do."

Selena felt naked, belittled, and insulted.

She didn't know when the tears dropped from her eyes but what she knew was that she wasn't going to sit there and let these people rip her of her remaining dignity.

She stood up and ran to her room.

Selena sat on the floor of her room with her mom's picture in her hand. Crying.

She wondered if she was ever going to have any joy in her life.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door.

She reluctantly went to get the door.

She didn't expect who was standing before her.

Brian.