Chapter 3

Kya POV

I knew it must be Lina messaging him.

She resented me because Owen still chose me, even now. Was that resentment born from her love for Owen, or was it just the cheap rivalry that sometimes arises between women?

I didn’t know. I didn’t want to dig deeper.

For three months, my anger and hatred had slowly cooled and fermented into numbness.

This is what people mean when they say the heart has died.

In the middle of messaging, now Owen received a phone call. It was Beta Ash.

After a few short exchanges, Owen turned to me and said, "Ash said he caught some rogues. They’re locked in the dungeon now, and I need to go check it out. I’ll have the driver take you home first."

"It seems like there’ve been more rogues recently," I said

"Yes. Ash and I are investigating. We’re not sure why," Owen quickly explained, adding, "But you don’t need to worry about these things. I’ll protect you."

"Go ahead. Be careful!"

Seeing that I wasn’t questioning him, Owen cheerfully had the driver stop the car by the roadside.

Before getting out, he didn’t forget to say, "Wait for me tonight—I’ll join you for dinner."

Once Owen got into another car, I turned to the driver and said, "Don’t head home yet. Follow him."

The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror, then nodded. He had been a silent witness to this affair—neither siding with me nor Owen.

Owen did indeed go to the dungeon, but he stood at the entrance without going inside. He was waiting for someone.

I had the driver park the car in a wooded area near the dungeon.

Soon, a black car pulled up at the dungeon entrance. To my surprise, Ash and Lina got out.

She was dressed in a tight black dress and red stockings. The dress was so short that it barely covered her hips. She immediately threw herself into Owen’s arms, clinging to my mate like a limp rag doll.

Owen scooped her up and hurriedly carried her into the dungeon.

I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms.

He certainly knew what spot to pick–who would suspect him of meeting someone in the dungeon?

I let out a cold laugh and used my mind-link to contact a dungeon guard. I asked him to monitor Owen’s actions in the dungeon for me.

I had known this guard before becoming Owen’s mate.

Soon, the guard sent me a video.

When I opened it, I saw a luxuriously decorated room that clashed starkly with the dungeon’s usual gloom.

The center of the room contained a transparent glass shower, a large bathtub, and a massive round pink bed surrounded by whips, ropes, candles, ice cubes, and other things I couldn’t even identify.

Moments later, Owen carried Lina into the room, tossed her onto the bed, and used his teeth to tear off her red stockings.

My hands trembled, and even my teeth chattered. When I heard Lina moan, I quickly closed the video.

"Luna Kya, shall I take you home?" the driver coughed lightly, breaking his usual silence to ask me.

Through blurry eyes, I glanced at the rearview mirror. The driver seemed to want to say more but couldn’t find the words.

"Let’s go," I said.

Shouldn’t I have expected this? Why am I upset?

I rolled down the car window, letting the wind dry my tears. I took a deep breath and gasped for air like a fish about to drown.

So this was the type of woman Owen liked and

I thought Owen was a very traditional man.

***

Three years ago, during the Moon Goddess Festival, when Owen discovered that I was his mate, he didn’t mark me right away or make love.

Instead, he took me for diving to see the stars beneath the sea.

"You’re lying. There are no stars in the sea," I had said, thinking it was just one of his tricks to charm women.

But I still followed him.

When we swam to the bottom of the sea, he took my hand, pointed upwards, and gestured for me to look.

A swarm of glowing jellyfish swam above us, twinkling like a sky full of stars.

I had turned to look at him, and through the visor of my diving mask, I could see the starlight in his eyes.

My tears had blended with the seawater.

A month later, he held a grand wedding for me on a tropical island.

That night, we made love for the first time on a bed covered with flowers.

He marked me and whispered in my ear over and over,

"Kya, you are mine. I love you. I will always love you."

That night, I believed that eternal love was real—just like stars could exist in the sea.

I thought Owen was different from my father.

But after seeing the video, I didn’t know if it was because I didn’t understand men—or because I didn’t understand him.

***

"Stop here."

As we neared home, I asked the driver to pull over.

"Luna Kya..." the driver began.

"Just go back, I have something to take care of," I interrupted.

I got out of the car, feeling disoriented and nearly losing my balance. Then, I hailed a taxi.

"Take me to the used car market," I said.