LOGINHours later, the mood in the Caldwell estate takes a terrifying shift.Ethan sits lazily on the center sofa. The fragile vulnerability he showed Luna is gone, replaced by a ruthless, predatory aura.Across the coffee table, Stella is forcefully held to her knees on the cold marble floor by two bodyguards.She is wearing nothing but a thin, silk nightgown."I am telling you, I didn't drug you!" Stella cries out, her teeth chattering uncontrollably as she bites her lower lip.Just an hour ago, she had stepped out of her own shower, only to be struck hard on the back of the head. She woke up shivering in Ethan's living room, immediately forced to her knees before she could even process her surroundings.His first words to her had been lethal. "Did I not warn you about trying this again? How dare you drug me a second time.""Your friend called me!" Stella pleads. "He said you were drunk and told me to pick you up. By the time I arrived at the private club, you were already compromised!""
"I—Ethan, it's not—" Grace stammers, her voice suddenly laced with raw, unfiltered panic.But before she can formulate a lie, a harsh dial tone echoes through the foyer.Ethan has hung up on her.Luna calmly slides her phone back into her pocket."Mrs. Caldwell," she begins, her tone perfectly polite yet utterly devoid of respect. "If I were in your shoes, I would leave immediately. Staying here will only bring you further humiliation."In the past, Luna would have tolerated the older woman out of sheer love for Ethan. Tonight, she simply watches as Grace's carefully maintained facade entirely crumbles."He is my son!" Grace hisses through gritted teeth, her face twisting into an ugly, furious snarl. "And you? You are nothing but a shameless mistress trying to usurp a home that isn't yours."Luna doesn't even blink. A faint, elegant smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she remains silent."Don't look so triumphant," the matriarch sneers, clutching her purse with trembling hands. "
Luna doesn't wait around for Nathan to formulate a counterattack. She simply walks out into the biting night wind. There is no way she is spending the night under the same roof as that dangerously obsessed man.But instead of returning to the safety of her own apartment, she directs her cab to a different, highly exclusive neighborhood."Miss Quinn!" The elderly butler's eyes light up with pure relief the moment he opens the heavy doors of the Caldwell estate. "Thank goodness you are here. Mr. Caldwell is running a terrible fever. He strictly forbade me from calling a doctor and refuses to take a single pill. Please, you have to talk some sense into him."When Ethan Caldwell gets stubborn, his orders are absolute. The only person in the world who can bypass his walls is Luna."He has a fever?" A flash of panic tightens Luna's chest as she hurriedly kicks off her heels.Her mind violently races back to the experimental drug. She had been so distracted agonizing over whether or not to a
"Should I just call a car and head home?" Luna tests the waters.Truthfully, she had zero desire to spend the night at Marcus's villa to begin with.Now, with Nathan's imposing arrival, the oppressive atmosphere practically screams danger."Ignore him," Marcus grunts, wrapping a protective arm around her waist and guiding her straight through the front doors.The suffocating tension follows them inside.Standing in the center of the spacious living room, Nathan leans casually against the back of a plush leather sofa.Naturally, Marcus simply assumes his brother is here on a misguided crusade to forcefully dismantle their relationship as payback for the Stella incident."What is wrong with you?" Nathan demands as his gaze locks onto Luna.Luna suppresses the urge to roll her eyes.To Marcus, the question sounds like a hostile interrogation, a sarcastic jab meant to defend Stella.But Luna knows better. Beneath that icy exterior, Nathan is actually trying to figure out if she is genuine
One by one, the remaining guests make their way out. Stella leaves among them, silent and withdrawn. By the time she steps into the cool evening air, the confidence she usually wears so effortlessly is nowhere to be seen.Inside the now-empty foyer of the estate, Mrs. Ford waits until the catering staff is completely out of earshot before gently pulling her daughter aside."Jade, I have never once interfered with your social circle," Mrs. Ford begins, her tone carrying a rare, serious weight. "But when it comes to Stella, I strongly suggest you start keeping your distance."The sudden warning catches Jade completely off guard. "Mom, Stella and I have been close friends for years, and she hasn't actively done anything wrong to me today. Why should I push her away? You used to adore her, but this afternoon you treated her like an absolute stranger."While her mother had technically maintained a polite facade during the party, Jade easily saw straight through the icy detachment hiding ju
The afternoon sun casts a warm, golden hue over the sprawling Ford estate.Stepping out of her car, Luna hands over a beautifully wrapped gift bag, pulling Jade into a genuine, warm embrace. "Happy birthday.""Can I open it right now?" Jade asks eagerly, her eyes already gleaming with curiosity as she hooks her arm comfortably through Luna's."Go ahead. If you don't love it, I can always take it back and find you something else," Luna replies with an effortless, indulgent smile.Jade carefully flips open the heavy velvet box, and her breath instantly catches in her throat. Nestled against the dark, luxurious fabric is a breathtaking pink diamond necklace, catching the afternoon sunlight and scattering a soft, rosy halo across her skin.Instant recognition flashes in Jade's eyes. "Luna...is this the Pink Heart?""It is.""This is way too expensive," Jade breathes, genuine hesitation crossing her sharp features as she looks up. "Besides, didn't Ethan give this to you?""If I keep it, it
The following morning, the shadows of the Caldwell estate are entirely replaced by the blinding, chaotic lights of the MV set.The lighting is deliberately warm and cinematic. The script calls for a complex, unspoken tension: a husband gently blow-drying his wife's hair on a quiet morning. His move
The sharp, unmistakable thud of a heavy designer handbag hitting the hardwood floor violently shatters the tension in the room.Ethan's reaction is entirely instinctual. In a split second, his large hand cups the back of Luna's head, firmly and protectively burying her face deep into the lapel of h
Luna lets out a sharp, breathless gasp as she is practically lifted off her feet, dragged seamlessly from the chilly night into a waiting luxury SUV.Nathan settles comfortably into the seat beside her."Are you completely out of your mind, Nathan?" Luna demands, her voice vibrating with rage."I s
The loud rush of the adjacent toilet flushing abruptly yanks Luna back to the present.How long has she been standing in this cramped stall, lost in the suffocating shadows of the past? She honestly has no idea.A cold, bitter smile touches her lips.Stella has no clue. She has spent the last nine







