LOGINThe 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
The door of the villa has barely clicked shut behind Marcus when Alex shoves his hands deep into pockets. "So, what did you want to say to me in private?"The playful amusement instantly vanishes from Luna's face. "Whatever game you think you are playing, you are only going to end up humiliating your sister.""My pursuit of you has nothing to do with Avery," he argues, his jaw tightening defensively. "Do you honestly think I'm only chasing you for her sake?""Yes."Luna does not bother sugarcoating it, directly tearing down his facade. "Do you actually want Marcus to marry your sister? He doesn't love her. He despises the idea of her."She takes a step forward. "The moment she found out Marcus had a girlfriend, she already approached your parents to cancel the engagement. Think about it, Alex Pierce. If she forces her way into that marriage, what kind of miserable life will she lead? She will just become a second Stella.""He wouldn't dare!"The cocky smirk completely disappears from
"Mr. and Mrs. Shen," Luna greets, sliding the folder across the boardroom table. "The final contract.""If Iris has already verified it, there are no issues," Mr. Shen dismisses. Without a single glance at the multi-million-dollar terms, the notoriously paranoid CEO simply uncaps his pen and scrawls his signature across the dotted line.Luna suppresses a knowing smirk.Stepping out of the towering glass building, the crisp afternoon air hits her—along with a deeply irritating sight."Afternoon, beautiful."Alex is casually leaning against the hood of her parked Bentley, flashing a shameless grin as he waves at her.Luna's previously triumphant mood instantly sours.This boy is truly like a lingering ghost."I am not currently accepting applications for a chauffeur," Luna snaps, aggressively shoving him away from her expensive paint job. "Crawl back to wherever you came from.""I brought you flowers," Alex counters smoothly, pulling a massive, perfectly arranged bouquet of roses from b
The comforting warmth of Ethan's solemn vow from the night before is the last thing that flickers through Luna's alcohol-fogged mind before she finally succumbs to the sleep.When she slowly regains consciousness hours later, her head is throbbing with a vicious ache.Where is she?Blinking her heavy eyelids open, Luna slowly scans the massive bedroom, her breath suddenly catching in her throat. Recognizing the minimalist decor and the faint, lingering scent of cedar and mint trapped in the sheets, the realization hits her like a physical blow.She is in Ethan's bed.Panic briefly spikes through her chest. She had been drinking heavily with Iris last night, and after only a few glasses of pure liquor, her memory had completely blacked out. She vaguely recalls Iris trying to drag her into a car, so how on earth did she end up waking up in Ethan's private bedroom?Did she sleepwalk here?Before her mind can spiral into any further scenarios, the bedroom door clicks open. Ethan walks in,
By the time lunch ends, the multi-million dollar contract is secured.As they pack up their files, Iris suddenly looks up. "Would you like to go somewhere else for a drink?"Catching the lingering melancholy in Iris's eyes, Luna doesn't hesitate. "Lead the way."An hour later, inside a dimly lit, authentic Japanese izakaya hidden down a quiet alley, Iris orders a sweet plum wine for Luna."Just this?" Luna laughs softly, eyeing the weak drink. "You are severely underestimating me."While she isn't exactly a heavyweight, years of socializing and attending endless galas abroad have built up a respectable tolerance. She is vastly different from the fragile, sheltered girl Ethan used to strictly monitor."I heard you aren't much of a drinker," Iris explains carefully. Honestly, she is entirely terrified to let the woman Ethan Caldwell is obsessively protecting get completely wasted on her watch."That was a lifetime ago.""Alright," Iris relents with a slight smirk. "Then you can match me
Days later, the entrance of Harlow's most exclusive dining club is suddenly shattered by a sharp voice."Luna Quinn! Can you stop shamelessly clinging to my brother? He is getting married!"Luna pauses mid-step, turning around to face a young woman she recognizes instantly.Julian's younger sister, Scarlett Hayes."Married?" Luna blinks, genuinely surprised.Over the past few days, she has been completely buried in finalizing the massive contract for Helena Smith. If Scarlett hadn't randomly ambushed her in public today, Luna would have entirely forgotten that Julian had flown back to Reston City over two weeks ago.She is actually at the dinning club today for business. An assistant to one of Ethan's friends had contacted her yesterday, offering a highly lucrative investment project.Luna is acutely aware that Ethan is secretly the one pulling the strings and feeding her these elite resources. However, since he is freely offering the power, she certainly isn't going to be hypocritica
Across town, however, the reality is entirely different.The Quinn house is lit from the inside, warm and golden against the cold October night, and Luna feels something loosen in her chest the moment she turns onto the familiar street.She has spent four years actively telling herself that she did
The private room on the second floor of Harlow's most exclusive members' bar is exactly as Luna remembers it—dark oak paneling, low amber lighting, the kind of acoustics that swallow secrets whole. The city's old-money crowd keeps this place for exactly that reason.Luna sits casually at a premium
When the Cullinan finally comes to a halt in front of a safer hotel, Luna steps out into the biting night air without a backward glance. She leaves his vows sitting in the passenger seat exactly where they belong—in the past.She sleeps for two hours that night.By the time Julian calls the followi
Half an hour later, Luna is sitting on the cold concrete steps of the precinct, the adrenaline finally crashing.She is wrapped in a heavy, expensive wool coat that isn't hers—someone had draped it over her shoulders during the bureaucratic chaos, and she had pulled it tight without thinking.Ethan







