MasukDiane"Dom? You won't even open the car door for me?"Dom let out a slow, heavy breath. He unbuckled his seatbelt, stepped out of the car, walked around to my side, and pulled the door open.His face was completely stone-cold. He wasn't smiling at all.I stepped out of the car, smoothing down my skirt. Before I could even turn around to thank him, Dom slammed the car door shut with a loud BANG."I'm not carrying your bags upstairs today," Dom said coldly, turning his back on me. "Get one of the palace maids to carry your stuff."He turned on his heel and walked off toward the guard house without looking back once.I stood there on the driveway, watching him leave. I let out a tired sigh and turned to walk up the grand front steps of the palace.Two young palace maids rushed out through the double doors, immediately taking my heavy handbag and coat from my arms."Welcome back, Luna.""Thank you," I murmured.As I reached the foot of the grand staircase, I froze.Julian was standing ne
DianeThe long, tiring workday was finally coming to an end.I sat alone behind my office desk, staring down at the brown envelope sitting on the smooth wood.The test results from Medivial Clinic had arrived just an hour ago.I had sent the samples for a quick test downtown, at Medivial.My hands trembled slightly as I pulled out the white paper and read the final line of the official report:Sample indicates a very high trait of The Decay in the bloodstream and DNA.I set the paper down on the desk, leaning back in my leather chair. My heart felt heavy and hollow.He hadn't lied to me. The proof was right here in my hand. Julian really was suffering from The Decay.I took a slow breath, picked up my handbag, and packed the papers inside. It was time to go home.I walked down the quiet hallway and stepped out of the elevator to the private garage, Dom standing beside the driver's door of my black car.He hadn't been in the office all morning because I had sent him to interrogate the
Julian I stomped down the wide hallway of the eastern wing, my heavy leather shoes slamming hard against the polished floor. My breathing was fast and shallow. My blood roared in my ears, making my chest throb with a dull, burning ache. I yanked the door of my private room open, stepped inside, and slammed it shut behind me. I leaned my back against the heavy wooden door, staring blindly at the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. For the first time in my entire life, I felt like the truth had actually set me free. A massive, suffocating weight had just been lifted off my chest. It wasn't because I had confessed about the secret vasectomy. It was because, for once, I had spoken the absolute truth to Diane. The truth is peace. And fire. Unfortunately, I chose to avoid the fire most of the time. I knew that whatever ugly doubts were lingering in her mind would have to shift now. There was no way around it. I really had The Decay. I hadn't made that up to win an argument.
Diane.I froze completely solid. My breath stopped in my throat.What… is he… Decay? I knew what that was. I knew.."Do you think I wasn't going to be happy to have my own children running around this palace?!" Julian yelled, tears falling freely down his face now. "Do you think I wouldn't be happy to see mini-mes everywhere I go, carrying them around?! Do you think I wouldn't be happy to have a son who would inherit this empire in my absence?! Yes! Now you made me say it! I have The Decay! And that's the reason why these fucking bills exist!"He pointed frantically at the papers scattered on the carpet."It's for me!" he whispered, his voice breaking into a ragged sob. "I paid those medical bills for my own dying health! How was I supposed to tell you that three months after we got married, I had to get a vasectomy to save my life?! What would you have done if not throw me out onto the street?! How do I break that kind of news to a woman who was already losing her mind from her fathe
Diane.What? How did he—I swallowed. My voice going low, feigning ignorance."What is this?" I asked again, looking up at him."Oh, don't pretend you don't know what it is!" Julian laughed, a harsh, sad sound bursting from his chest. "You wanted to know about it! You wanted to know more because you believe I'm a thief!"Oh yes you are."You believe I'm stealing from you!" He continued. "You believe I am here to leach off your wealth! So here, take it! It will make your investigation easier! I am making your work easier for you!"I crushed the papers in my fist and threw them straight into his face. "Fuck off! Get out of here! Don't make me speak!""What?" Julian yelled, the papers scattering across the carpet around his shoes. "What do you want to say?! The rumors are everywhere! 'The Luna doesn't cooperate with her husband! She treats him like trash!' Everyone sees it! What else do you want to say that people don't know?!""It is your fault, Julian! If anything is going wrong, if th
Diane I reached my hand across the soft bed sheets to grab my mobile phone off the nightstand.I clicked the screen on. The bright glare hurt my tired eyes for a second.Sitting right on my screen was a new text message from Celine.I tapped the notification and read the short lines carefully. She asked if we could meet in my office tomorrow right after work, adding that she had something very important to tell me.A small, uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. Celine sounded very serious. She hadn't called my phone like she usually did. Just sent a text instead, giving me no hints about what was happening either.My fingers moved across the glass keyboard.Me: Okay, no problem.I typed back, hitting the send button.Before I could set the phone back down, a sudden knock came at my door.I paused, sitting up on the edge of the mattress. In my mind, I thought it was Dom coming up to bring me my tea. I stood up, walked across the carpet, and pulled the heavy door open.My breath caught







