登入"It's over now. You are safe," Jade murmurs softly, gently rubbing the back of the trembling woman sobbing uncontrollably against her shoulder.Through harsh, breathless hiccups, Luna recounts the fragmented memories following that single cup of sobering tea. Her words are broken and chaotic, allowing the sheer panic in her tear-soaked voice to pierce straight through Jade's heart.Listening to the timeline, Jade finally pieces together the nightmare her friend just endured.She is completely horrified that Stella would actually sink to the level of drugging someone."Marcus...Marcus is never going to forgive me," Luna cries, her fingers burying into her messy hair. "We fought so hard to finally be together, and now it's all ruined."She gasps for air, lifting her tear-drenched face. "Why did she drug me, Jade? My relationship with Ethan ended four years ago! I have literally dated other men since then. I forced myself to forgive her for the terrible things she did to me back then, al
Meanwhile, up in the sprawling master suite, the air is thick with heat and sin."Marcus..."A low, breathy murmur spills from the woman's swollen red lips, causing the man above her to freeze instantly.Nathan's jaw clenches, his large hand coming up to firmly cover Luna's mouth. He refuses to hear his brother's name spoken in his bed.Luna turns her head, dodging his palm. The burning fog of the drug has actually faded quite a while ago, leaving her mind razor-sharp. Then, beneath the heavy sounds of their ragged breathing, her ears catch the faint beep of the penthouse's electronic front door lock.Reaching up, she winds her slender arms tightly around Nathan's neck, pulling him closer.Down in the foyer, Stella steps nervously onto the marble, her anxiety spiking as she follows Marcus inside.After pulling the street surveillance footage near the nightclub and discovering that their brother had inexplicably taken Luna away, they rushed straight here."Marcus, should we really be b
As the festive holiday atmosphere completely blankets the city, Luna casually invites Stella out to an exclusive downtown lounge to celebrate the holiday.Knowing that Ethan is currently out of the country on business, Stella initially considers declining, but recalling the recently softening attitude of Ethan's social circle toward her, she ultimately decides to attend, hoping to mend some broken bridges.However, when she pushes through the heavy curtains of the VIP booth, the dimly lit space is empty save for two people.Luna and Jade.Jade is comfortably leaning against Luna's shoulder, scanning the cocktail menu. "Stella, thank god you are here. What do you want to drink? Luna insists on ordering the highest-proof spirits on the menu, and I am entirely losing my mind trying to stop her.""Alright, let me take a look," Stella replies, forcing a polite smile as she takes a seat opposite them.As she watches the two women chat effortlessly, a bitter realization settles deep in her c
Luna turns. She walks straight toward Marcus, seamlessly slipping her arm through his.The jacket draped over her shoulders is a blazing red flag in Marcus's eyes."Am I interrupting something?" he asks, his gaze bypasses Luna to lock directly onto Nolan.Nolan freezes for a second. He only knew about Luna's messy, complicated history with Ethan Caldwell, and he had no idea she was currently involved with Marcus Vane.The sudden realization stirs a twisted, unidentifiable knot of jealousy deep in his chest."You were the one who insisted on waiting in the car," Luna murmurs, intentionally softening her tone to pacify him. "It isn't as if I forbade you from coming inside."Honestly, Marcus is becoming increasingly difficult to manage, and a part of her is genuinely tempted to just drop her gentle facade."Are you two close?" Marcus demands, finally looking at her."We have collaborated on a few projects before," Nolan answers with a faint smirk. "You didn't know?""I don't have the fre
A sudden vibration of a cell phone shatters the peace.Not wanting to wake the woman sleeping soundly beside him, Marcus carefully slips out from under the warm covers.He scoops up Luna's phone from the carpet, but the second his eyes land on the glowing screen, his brows snap together.Nathan.Glancing back over his shoulder to ensure Luna is still resting peacefully, Marcus accepts the call and presses the phone to his ear."Luna.""Nathan," Marcus interrupts. "What is your goal calling Luna in the middle of the night? Are you trying to bully her into breaking up with me?"Dead silence falls over the line.Nathan is caught off guard by Marcus's voice, and when he finally speaks, his tone is terrifyingly dark. "You are staying at her place?""You confiscated every single estate and luxury car under my name. Where else am I supposed to sleep?" Marcus lets out a low, mocking chuckle, his mood surprisingly light.Honestly, he should be thanking his brother. Their relationship would hav
The words hang in the heavy air, fragile and devastating."You want to throw us away over a minor setback like this?" Marcus clicks his tongue in sheer frustration, his large hands reaching out to grip her shoulders. He forces her to turn back and face him. "My mother's opinions belong entirely to her. My decisions will never change just because my family decides to throw a tantrum."He gently wipes the dampness from her cheek with his thumb, his touch surprisingly tender. "Stop crying. Even if they permanently freeze every single one of my projects, I am not helpless. I have more than enough personal savings to comfortably spoil you for the rest of our lives."Luna buries her face into his chest. "But you love photography so much. What will you do if you can never secure another project?"Marcus wraps his muscular arms tightly around her.He knows his parents' ruthless tactics well. If he refuses to break up with her, no one in the elite circles will dare to risk their own businesses
Before Luna can even reach out to reclaim her device, Marcus swipes the screen with a brutal flick of his thumb."Caldwell, it has been four long years since you two broke up, so why don't you stop harassing your ex?" Marcus sneers into the receiver, his voice dripping with venomous clarity.A sile
The doors slam shut behind the furious Pierce family, sealing the Vane estate in silence."What is your motive?"Nathan remains standing by the sofa, his eyes locked directly onto Luna.Seeing her fingers so gently clutching Marcus's arm feels like a physical thorn in his side."I don't have any ul
Ten minutes later, the residual chill of the black Cullinan still clinging to her bare shoulders, Luna finally slides into the plush passenger seat of the other Cullinan—Julian's actual ride."Next time, I'm keeping you in my pocket."Julian says it with a half-laugh, but Luna can hear the thread o
The kiss cam finds them first.Of course it does. Luna Quinn and Julian Hayes are standing near the pit of the amphitheater, bathed in the chaotic neon glow of the stage lights, and even in a surging crowd of twenty thousand, they possess the kind of magnetic, effortless beauty that a roaming camer







