her secret

Serena cut through the water, her body moving effortlessly as she shifted into her siren form.

Her long, powerful tail propelled her forward, swishing in smooth, horizontal movements—different from a mermaid's. The deep sea welcomed her like an old friend, the water wrapping around her like silk.

But she had no time to revel in it.

She needed to find Damian.

Her glowing eyes scanned the vast blue, and then—she saw him.

Damian was sinking.

His body was still, his face deathly pale, lips blue from the cold depths. He wasn't even struggling. It was as if he had given up.

A sharp pang of panic gripped her chest.

No.

She rushed toward him, her tail slicing through the water. As she reached him, she grabbed his face, shaking him gently, trying to wake him.

"Damian!" Her voice was muffled, bubbles slipping from her lips.

He stirred slightly, his heavy-lidded eyes fluttering open, but he looked dazed, unfocused.

Serena didn't think.

She pressed her lips to his.

A kiss of breath. A siren's way of saving a drowning soul.

Warmth surged between them, a spark of something powerful. As she breathed into him, Damian's eyes snapped open, widening in shock.

Their gazes locked.

For the first time, Damian saw her.

Not as his annoying wife. Not as a woman who tested his patience. But as something otherworldly.

Her hair glowed beneath the water, floating around her like a halo. The moonlight shimmered on her iridescent skin. Her tail, dark and elegant, moved with a hypnotic grace, its sheer power keeping them steady in the current.

A siren.

Serena.

She didn't say a word.

With a firm grip, she wrapped an arm around him, pulling him toward the surface.

The cruise was too far. It was best to bring him somewhere safe—an island nearby.

And so, with Damian still staring at her in shock, she carried him through the ocean, toward the shore

Damian gasped for air, his body jerking forward as he coughed up the saltwater lodged in his throat. His chest burned, his lungs screaming for oxygen, but finally—he could breathe.

He took a deep, shuddering breath and let out a sigh of relief.

And then—a sharp sting bloomed across his cheek.

Serena slapped him.

"What the hell were you thinking, you idiot?!" she snapped, her voice shaking with anger and something else—something deeper.

Damian's head snapped to the side from the force of the slap, his skin stinging. He blinked, stunned, before slowly turning back to look at her.

Her.

Not the woman he thought he knew. Not just Serena.

His gaze dropped, and his breath caught in his throat.

Her legs.

They were… legs again.

But he had seen it. He knew what he had seen.

That wasn't human.

His thoughts raced, the weight of realization crashing over him like a tidal wave.

Whatever he had suspected before—whatever ridiculous, fleeting thoughts had crossed his mind—this was beyond anything he could have imagined.

She wasn't just hiding secrets.

She was an entirely different species.

Damian gaped at her, his mind still struggling to process what he had just witnessed. His lips parted, words failing him as he stammered, "W-where is your tail?"

Smack!

Serena slapped him again.

Damian's head snapped to the side, his jaw tightening as his eyes darkened with irritation. He slowly turned back to glare at her. "What the hell was that for?!" he growled.

Serena crossed her arms, her wet hair sticking to her face as she huffed, "For turning into an idiot and drowning in the water!"

Damian's expression twisted in frustration. "Excuse me?! You think I did that on purpose?!"

Serena simply arched a brow. "Well, you looked like you gave up."

Damian clenched his fists, his pride stinging more than his cheek. He wanted to argue, to demand answers, to confront her about what he had seen—but the ocean breeze, the distant sound of the waves, and her piercing gaze kept him silent for a moment longer.

She saved him.

And in doing so, she had revealed the truth she had been hiding all along.

——