Stepping into the Light

Chapter 3

Friday evening came quickly. The storm clouds had parted, revealing a crisp night lit by golden city lights. I sat at my dressing table, looking at my reflection for the first time in two years. I chose an exquisite emerald green silk gown—a piece from my own archived fashion line. The split hem revealed the long scar on my left knee, but for the first time, I felt no urge to hide it beneath heavy fabric.

The door opened, and Kael walked in wearing a dark charcoal suit. He stopped dead in his tracks, his breath catching as he stared at me in total amazement. His eyes took in the silk gown, my styled hair, and the quiet elegance he hadn’t seen in years. “Luna... you look breathtaking,” he breathed out, stepping forward.

“Thank you,” I said calmly, finishing my lipstick. “I am attending an event tonight. An old friend from my design academy invited me to an private exhibition.”

Kael’s face immediately tightened with anxiety. “An exhibition? A crowded room? Luna, your knee isn’t stable, and your anxiety in crowds—”

“I am going, Kael,” I interrupted smoothly, meeting his gaze. “Didn’t Seraphina insist that I must face real-world challenges and stop isolating myself?”

Kael hesitated, trapped by his own words. “Yes, but... I should go with you. Let me grab my coat.”

Before he could reach for his jacket, his phone rang loudly. Seraphina’s voice echoed through the room, frantic and breathless. “Kael! I’m so sorry to interrupt, but my car broke down on the expressway, and it’s completely dark out here. My panic disorder is acting up... can you please come get me?”

Kael looked at me, torn by guilt and obligation. “Luna, Seraphina is stranded on the expressway—”

“Go help her,” I said smoothly, picking up my luxury clutch bag. “Her safety comes first.”

“Luna, I am so sorry,” Kael said hurriedly, grabbing his keys. “I’ll get her car towed and meet you at the venue right after! Send me the address!”

I watched him sprint out of the mansion without looking back once. A calm, cold clarity settled in my chest. He was rushing to rescue his former love, utterly blind to the fact that he was leaving his wife behind yet again. I never sent him the address. He didn’t deserve to know.

Ten minutes later, a sleek sports car pulled up outside. Jax stepped out, looking dashing in a fitted velvet suit. When he saw me walking down the steps, a huge smile lit up his face. “Luna! Look at you! Absolutely iconic!” He didn't stare at my limp or avert his eyes from my scar. Instead, he offered his arm with effortless charm. “Ready to show the world who you are, queen?”

I smiled, slipping my arm through his. “Let’s go, Jax.”

The exhibition was held at an elite contemporary gallery downtown, filled with top fashion journalists, luxury house buyers, and renowned artists. When Jax escorted me inside, heads turned instantly. My former mentor, Professor Harrison, spotted me immediately and walked over with open arms.

“Luna! My absolute best student!” Professor Harrison embraced me warmly. “I got your message! Tell me it’s true—are you accepting the London appointment?”

“Yes, Professor,” I said with complete confidence. “I am finalizing my arrangements now.”

“Marvelous!” the Professor cheered. “Your structural vision is irreplaceable. The global fashion community has waited far too long for your return!”

All around me, people spoke of creation, design, and upcoming global seasons. For two long years, my world had been reduced to medical prescriptions, pain management, and Kael’s heavy pity. Tonight, surrounded by visionaries who valued my intellect rather than my injuries, I felt alive. My anxiety didn't surface even once.

Around ten in the evening, the gallery doors opened, and Kael strode in beside Seraphina. Seraphina was wearing an off-the-shoulder red silk dress, holding Kael’s arm tightly. Kael had spent two hours tracking down my location through mutual acquaintances. His dark eyes scanned the gallery until he saw me, laughing gracefully alongside Jax and Professor Harrison.

Kael’s jaw clenched as he noticed Jax’s hand resting gently on the back of my waist to guide me through the crowd. He immediately pulled away from Seraphina and marched toward us, his expression dark with suppressed anger.

“Luna,” Kael’s voice cut through the noise. “Who is this man, and why haven’t you answered any of my calls?”

I turned slowly, eyeing Kael and Seraphina calmly. “This is Jax, my brilliant friend and colleague,” I introduced smoothly. “And this is Professor Harrison. Jax was kind enough to escort me when you were occupied rescuing Seraphina.”

Jax stepped forward, offering his hand to Kael with a casual, cool expression. “You must be Kael. I’ve heard so much about how you keep Luna hidden at home. It’s an absolute crime to lock a masterpiece like her in a dark box, don’t you think?”

Kael stared coldly at Jax’s offered hand, ignoring it completely. “Luna is my wife. Her safety and well-being are my responsibility.”

Seraphina stepped up, placing a comforting hand on Kael’s shoulder right in front of the press and guests. “Kael, calm yourself. Luna is just trying to socialise. Although, Luna, as your therapist, I must caution you that overexerting yourself at high-profile parties so early in treatment can trigger severe emotional breakdowns.”

Professor Harrison raised an eyebrow, regarding Seraphina with cold disdain. “Therapist? My dear girl, Luna doesn’t require therapy to hide from life. She needs to design. Her mind is sharper than ever. Who are you to lecture an international creative lead?”

Seraphina’s face flushed brilliant red under the stares of the surrounding fashion elites. She tried to speak, but the murmuring of the crowd cut her off. Kael looked deeply humiliated, grabbing my wrist to pull me away.

“We are leaving right now, Luna,” Kael muttered under his breath.

I pulled my wrist free effortlessly, meeting his gaze with dead calm. “You can leave with Seraphina, Kael. I arrived with Jax, and I am staying.”

Kael stared at me, completely speechless. The timid, shattered wife he expected to protect was gone, replaced by a woman who no longer cared whether he stayed or left.

Twenty-five days left.

Standing in the center of the bustling art gallery, surrounded by vibrant colors, high-profile fashion critics, and soft jazz music, I felt a long-lost part of my soul wake up. For twenty-four months, my life had revolved entirely around medical prescriptions, physical rehabilitation exercises, and Kael's careful, protective presence. I had forgotten the thrilling surge of inspiration that comes from talking about concept art, fabric textures, and bold silhouettes with people who shared my passion.

Jax stood beside me, his presence warm, protective, and completely reassuring. Whenever a guest asked about my knee or noticed my faint limp, Jax effortlessly steered the conversation back to my legendary design archives and my upcoming projects. He didn't look at me with pity or cautious fear; he looked at me with genuine respect and admiration as an equal partner in the craft. For the first time in two years, I didn't feel like a broken victim who needed saving. I felt like Luna—the brilliant, independent creator I had always been.