Saving Grace

Luna Bloom excitedly grabbed my arm.

“Really? Petra, did you really say yes?”

She shook me back and forth forcefully. I could taste blood in my mouth.

I forced myself to swallow the blood.

My mother was shocked as she said in awe, “How strange, our little firecracker is not throwing a tantrum this time.”

My mother hugged Luna and touched the beauty mark underneath her eye.

She sized Luna up and nodded in satisfaction.

Then, she peered at me.

“At least you’re still self-aware.

“Asher graduated from a top university. He’s an excellent, charming young man. He is a match-made in heaven with Luna.

“Tell me, do you really think you deserve to be with Asher?”

Luna tugged on my mother’s sleeve as she blushed.

“Mom, don’t talk about Petra like that…”

My mother finally stopped being mean.

She then wrapped herself around my shoulder with a smile. She touched the tip of my nose.

“Alright, I’m just joking.

“You’re always carefree. I bet you won’t get angry over such trivial matters, right?”

I leaned in my mother’s embrace and tried to greedily enjoy the little bit of warmth left.

All my intimate moments with my mother were very short-lived.

Actually, my mother was right. I would not be angry.

No matter what she said to me, be it comforting words or angry yells, I would treat it like a trophy to be won.

Even if she was taking a jab at me, I would be happy.

Since I was young, I knew that if I did not fight for myself, I would not get anything.

Once, my mother was trying to get Luna to drink some cough syrup.

Luna had frowned and refused to drink. My mother was gently coaxing her.

Suddenly, I really wanted to try the cough syrup.

I only wanted to try it because I wanted to know how it felt to be coaxed and fed by my mother.

Hence, I charged forward and took the cup over and downed the liquid.

However, when I tasted it, I realized that it was merely fruit juice.

I licked my lips and looked up in shock.

Before I could even speak, my mother had slapped me.

I stumbled as my cheek burned.

My mother trembled in rage as she pointed at me with a shaking finger.

“Petra, why are you this naughty?!

“Have I not been feeding you? Why would you snatch this from Luna? How shameless could you be?

“Get out! I don’t want you as a daughter. I won’t depend on you when I’m older!”

My mother prodded my temple and woke me up from my memory.

“Why are you in a daze?”

She frowned and then sounded impatient as she usually did with me.

“Did you not hear anything I just said? In the future, you must maintain a distance from Asher.

“If the cat is out of the bag, I won’t forgive you.”

My throat tensed up when I heard Asher’s name.

I looked down and did not dare to look at Luna, who was walking toward Asher.

Would he recognize me?

He had been my lover for four years. Would he recognize that the young woman standing before him was not me?

Luna took a deep breath and smoothed her dress before she walked toward Asher. She looked up at him.

“Asher…”