CHAPTER FOUR

Luna woke up with a start, her head throbbing from the previous night's escapades. As she sat up, a wave of nausea washed over her and she rushed to the bathroom where her body expelled its contents into the toilet.

The pain in her head intensified, and she felt like she was going to pass out. Finally emerging from the bathroom, she stopped in her tracks.

“What the…” Her brows furrowed in confusion as she was greeted by an unfamiliar room. Grogginess clouded her mind as she tried to recall how she ended up there and the events of the previous night. As she took in her surroundings, a glimpse of something caught her eye.

On the edge of the bed, closest to where she woke up, she saw a faint bloody stain and her heart sank. She looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing a short T-shirt that barely covered her thighs.

She felt a spike of panic as she tried to piece together the fragments of the previous night—obscure memories of the bar, tequila shots blurring her vision and the low, soothing voice of some stranger.

Her hands grazed her lips, recalling the sensation of his tongue exploring her mouth, a kiss that sparked a strange feeling inside her. Her heart palpitated faster when hazy moments after the kiss resurfaced.

Luna tried to recall the face of the man she'd slept with or even his name, but it was as if they'd been wiped off. The only things she could remember were his voice—low, husky and comforting—and his scent, a mix of lavender and tequila. It made her feel so safe and calm.

Pangs of regret and shame ached in her heart; she had lost her virginity to a man–no, a stranger–whose name she couldn't even recall. Yet, she still yearned for him. The inferno he'd ignited refused to be extinguished.

The memories of his touch, his kiss and his husky whispers still lingered in her mind.

As she struggled to gather her bearings, Luna's gaze shifted to the window, where the morning light poured in. She squinted, her head now a dull throb, and checked the clock on the nightstand. 9:25 AM.

“Shit”. Luna cursed under her breath, she had to get out of there. She spotted her clothes, scattered on the floor, and quickly gathered them. As she dressed, her eyes kept drifting to the blood stain on the bed, a harsh reminder of her recklessness.

Luna grabbed her purse and rushed to the door, eager to escape the hotel room and the secrets it held. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the day ahead and its uncertainties.

She stepped out of the hotel and hailed a taxi, the cool morning air hit her face like a splash of water that left her feeling refreshed.

Before she knew it, the taxi pulled up in front of her house. Luna paid the driver, took a deep breath in, and stepped out onto the sidewalk. But as she stepped into her home, reality awaited, like the biting chill of a cold shower on a winter night.

The pain of her husband's infidelity washed over her and she felt like she was reliving the hurt all over again. A fresh wave of pain crashed down upon her – the familiar but no less painful heartache. Yet, beneath her anger and hurt, she too had her secrets and lies whose weight settled heavily on her shoulders.

“Where have you been?” George growled, his voice low as he stood in the living room with anger blazing in his eyes.

She felt a surge of disgust at the sight of him, but she didn't bat an eyelash. “You're blocking my way,” she said flatly.

His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw, but he seemed to expect her indifference. He shrugged casually and stepped aside, holding out a handful of papers.

“Sign them.” It was a low, quiet command that was devoid of any emotion, but it expressed a finality that made her heart sink.

Luna felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She'd been expecting this moment, but somehow, she hoped that George would change his mind. She looked at him in bewilderment, tears already welling up in her eyes.

His face showed nothing but impatience as he stood holding the papers out. When she wouldn't take them from him, he yanked her hand out, placing the papers in them.

Her hands trembled as she skimmed through the documents and her heart pounded as every word registered in her mind, knowing fully well what they were: divorce papers. A tear escaped the corner of her left eye and fell onto the piece of paper before she even realised she was crying.

“G-George, I..I don't understand…you want a divorce?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. He didn't answer; instead, he took out a pen from his pocket and held it out for her.

“But why? George, please, if I've done anything wrong, I'll…I'll make it right. I'm sorry, please, just don't do this to me,” she cried tearfully.

Then, she heard the echoing clicks of heels. Their gaze followed the sound of the echoing heels, and her heart dropped as she saw a woman descending the stairs. The same woman she'd seen George with the other night.

The woman's eyes met Luna's, and a cunning smile spread across her face. A small smirk appeared on George's face as he stared at the woman with lust.

The woman's smile grew wider as she approached them. “George, why is she still here? Don't tell me you haven't told her yet,” she said mischievously.

Luna's eyes darted to George, searching for answers. The woman's presence overshadowed her, making her feel small and insignificant compared to her. She was breathtaking, with her piercing emerald green eyes and beautifully toned figure, it was no wonder George fell for her.

“Tell me what?” Luna demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

He sighed and turned to her with cold, uncaring eyes. “Luna, this is Vanessa.” He gestured towards her as she stood confidently beside him. “We’ve been together for quite a while and soon we'll be getting married…but we can't do that until you've signed those papers in your hands.”

Luna's heart wrenched at every word, it felt like a hole had been punched in her chest and someone was squeezing her heart. Vanessa's eyes had a glint of mischief in them as she wrapped her arm around his elbow.

“George…but why? I thought….I thought you loved me.” She whispered, pain evident in her voice.

His face twisted in disgust and he snorted. “Love you? I never loved you and I could never. It was a pity my father transferred most of his assets to you but it was something more tragic that I had to marry someone like you, an insignificant common housemaid.”

“Here's the truth Luna, I only got married to you to gain access to the inheritance my father left you. When I came to know about it, I could certainly change the will to be in my favour –but before that, my father made a secure video to declare his intentions. When I realised I couldn't alter the video, I started making advances towards you so you could choose me as the one you wanted to marry.” The words came out like knives, stabbing her repeatedly in her heart, each stab deeper than the last.

“And it worked. Your feeble heart was just too easy to manipulate. You were just a pawn in our game, a way to help us achieve our goal.” Vanessa sighed, adding salt to her wounds.

Luna's eyes widened, staring blankly at George, as the cruel truth seeped into her soul like slow poison. For a moment, she just stood there, frozen in shock as her mind struggled to process the revelation.

She felt…. nothing. No screams, no tears, just numbness. Yet beneath it all, a storm of emotions raged and her heart felt like it had shattered into a million pieces. Yet, she refused to give in. She refused to break down. Not in front of him. Not in front of them.

She whimpered a small, pitiful sound and quickly wiped her nose with the back of her hand. She took a shaky breath and reached out a trembling hand.

“Pen,” she squeaked, her voice barely audible.

George handed her the pen, his brows raised in surprise. Luna snatched it and began scribbling her signature on the papers. As she signed, a tear rolled down her cheeks, followed by another, and another. But she didn't sob, she didn't wail. She just cried, silently.

When she was done signing it, she handed it back to George who took it hesitantly. Vanessa snatched it from his hands and scanned the papers, making sure she signed them.

“Finally, George and I can be together.” She spat out venom in her words.

Luna turned and began to walk away from the room, moving at a slow pace.

“Luna, wait!” Vanessa called out.

She halted, her back still turned to the room. She didn't flinch, didn't react, she just stood there, frozen.

Vanessa's heels clicked against the floor as she approached Luna whose gaze was fixed on some point ahead, with her shoulders squared.

Vanessa’s breath whispered against Luna's ears, the words searing into her memory for life. “He never loved you, Luna, everything he did, everything he said, they were all lies.”

Luna's eyes clenched more tightly and tears seemed to gather and roll faster down her cheek. Vanessa stepped back from her and with a loud bang shut the door behind her.