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Chapter 8

Author: Rudy_Love
In the prison hospital, Luna lay on the delivery bed, writhing in waves of pain that felt like steel spikes being driven from her head to her toes. Every contraction felt like her bones were shattering, and it was no exaggeration.

The pain was so intense, it broke through layers of buried memories, forcing them to resurface one by one.

Worried about the baby’s health and afraid of calcium deficiency, she had eaten everything she could, even chewing and swallowing crushed bones. This baby was so difficult to deliver, she felt like it might take her life.

The agony was unbearable, and she wished for death.

Luna’s breathing grew weaker.

A doctor shouted, "Do something! She’s about to pass out! If she loses consciousness, it could be fatal!"

The sharp smell of disinfectant and the distant voices of the doctors reached Luna’s ears. "It’s twins. A boy and a girl."

"The boy is too weak, but the girl is a bit stronger."

"Take the girl. Leave the boy with her. He won’t make it anyway. Make sure to hypnotize her, tell her she only had one child."

It was Stella’s voice!

Luna’s eyes snapped open.

The doctors were stunned. "This patient has incredible willpower. Just a moment ago, it looked like she wouldn’t make it, but she’s hanging on."

"A mother will always fight through hell for her child."

*

The day Luna was released from prison, it poured rain.

She didn’t let Bailey pick her up, worried that Felix might trace things back to him.

At Riverview Villa, Luna stood outside the iron gates. She knew Felix had probably moved Stella in by now.

In the garden, a five-year-old girl chased butterflies. Luna’s eyes reddened as she watched.

Stella hadn’t spared Orion, taking his life. How could Stella’s daughter, Lily, be allowed a happy ending?

"Lily," Luna called softly.

Lily saw her and cautiously ran over. "Aunt Luna."

Hearing Lily’s soft voice, Luna’s tears flowed. Lily still remembered her.

"Aunt Luna, why are you crying?"

"I got some dust in my eyes. Can you blow it out for me, Lily?"

"Sure!"

"It’s hard to do through the gate. Can you come out and help me?"

"Okay, Aunt Luna, wait for me."

Lily opened the gate and stepped outside. Luna scooped her up, kissing her repeatedly. "Lily, you’re such a good girl. How about we go get some treats?"

"Okay, thank you, Aunt Luna."

When Felix returned to Riverview Villa and realized Lily was missing, his anger flared like wildfire. He was ready to tear the place apart.

"There are so many of you, and not one of you can keep an eye on a child? You’re all useless! You might as well be dead!" Felix stormed into the surveillance room.

He saw on the screen that Lily had been talking to someone just outside the gate, in a blind spot, before opening the gate and walking out.

It was obvious that whoever took Lily was someone she knew, and they knew the surveillance system well enough to avoid the cameras.

Felix’s mind was in turmoil. He called the police, desperate for them to check the road cameras.

Lily was such a sweet little girl. The thought of her being kidnapped and sold made Felix’s blood run cold. His mind filled with horrific images of what could happen to her.

His stomach churned with anxiety, as if it were bleeding from the stress.

But even after the police reviewed the footage, no suspicious cars or people had been spotted near Riverview Villa.

"There’s a possibility," an officer said, "that the person knew the area well and avoided all the cameras. They probably came down the mountain road."

Felix suddenly relaxed, as if everything had clicked into place. He spoke calmly, "Luna’s out of prison."

All his tension faded. "I’ll wait for her to come and make her demands."

He figured she would ask for money, maybe even a divorce. He was sure Luna would contact him to negotiate.

But 12 hours passed, and there was no call from Luna. Instead, the police called, asking him to come in for a DNA test.

"A fire broke out in an old cabin on the outskirts of town. Inside, we found the remains of a woman and a five-year-old girl. They were burned to ashes. We’ll need DNA testing to confirm their identities. There was also a letter in a metal box, written by Luna."
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    Felix stood in the middle of the bustling airport terminal, watching as people hurried by with their luggage, each one with someplace to be. The whole world felt like it was spinning, endlessly, leaving him disoriented. A chill ran down his spine, even though he felt like he was burning up inside. He wanted to move, to chase after them, but his feet felt rooted to the spot, lost.Then, just at the edge of his vision, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure holding a little girl’s hand, slipping through the security checkpoint.“Luna! Lily!” he shouted, sprinting towards them.A security guard in uniform stepped in front of him, saying politely, “Sir, I’m going to need to see your boarding pass and ID.”“Move!” Felix snarled, swatting the man’s arm aside as he tried to push his way through.Two more guards quickly blocked his path, their expressions firm. “I’m sorry, sir, but by regulation, we need to see your boarding pass,” one of them said, resolute.Felix pointed toward the

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 49

    Felix watched, dazed, as Luna and Lily’s figures grew smaller in the distance. He heard footsteps behind him and turned, holding out his hands with a cold, steely expression. “Let’s go.”The guard hesitated as he brought out the handcuffs. Just as he was about to lock them around Felix’s wrists, he asked casually, “Mr. Lincoln, that woman who came to visit you, she’s the new CEO of Lincoln Corporation, right? I heard she’s planning to leave the country with her kids. Was this visit just to hand over the reins? Will you be resuming your role as CEO once you’re out?”What? Luna’s leaving with the kids?Felix’s head snapped up, his jaw tightening, and a vein throbbed on his forehead. Grabbing the guard by the collar, he demanded, “Where did you hear that?”The guard trembled, visibly shaken. He had expected this kind of reaction. Felix’s icy stare and whole demeanor practically screamed stay away. All he wanted was to turn around and make a run for it.But he couldn’t. Fate had pic

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 48

    Seeing the sincerity in Felix’s eyes made Luna’s heart tighten. She pressed her lips together and nodded firmly.A weight seemed to lift from Felix’s chest. He reached out, covering Lily’s eyes with his hand as he leaned in, his lips brushing against Luna’s. That familiar blend of tobacco and cologne filled her senses, and her eyes stung with tears.She pressed a hand to her nose, her voice soft. “Felix, come back soon. Let’s leave the past behind us. After this, it’ll be you, me, and the kids together, as a family. Okay?”Felix’s expression faltered.Lily wrapped her little arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, “Daddy, I don’t care if it’s tough. I just want to be with you.”In the stroller, James stretched out his tiny hands, laughing. Felix reached for him, but his hands slipped through the air. James began to fuss, his cries growing louder, and Felix jolted awake, realizing it had only been a dream.Now here was Luna, offering a future together: “Let’s put everything

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 47

    Lily leaned against the car window. Her face was full of excitement as she watched the scenery zip by. But as the landscape grew more and more desolate, she grew bored. Grabbing her doll, she hugged it close and turned to Luna. “Mom, where are we going?”Luna glanced over, noticing Lily's rosy cheeks and big, inquisitive eyes that reminded her so much of Felix. “We’re going to see your dad,” she replied with a smile, though her fingers tightened around the strap of her purse.Lily stopped fiddling with her doll, her brow furrowing as she thought for a moment. “But, Mom, didn’t you say Dad was far away? And that James and I had to grow up first?”Luna’s mind drifted back to when they’d first left for another country. Lily had asked, “When will I see Dad again?” Luna had stroked Lily’s hair, finally saying, “Dad’s far away. When you and James grow up, you’ll see him.”“Mom!” Lily tugged on Luna’s shoulder, jolting her back to the present. Luna smiled softly, reassuring her, “Aren’t

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 46

    In the brightly lit private dining room 1608 at the Century Glimmer Hotel, Luna took a deep breath, then raised her glass with a smile as she addressed the man at the head of the table. “Commissioner Griffin, a toast to you!”She downed her glass in one go. Deputy Commissioner of Corrections Mark Griffin raised his own, chuckling. “Miss Emily, we’re not strangers. If you’ve got something on your mind, just say it. I’ll help if I can.”The implication was clear. If he couldn’t do it, she shouldn’t bother asking. Silently cursing him as an “old fox,” Luna kept her smile as she continued, “It’s really not a big deal. Just a small favor, something that should be easy enough for someone like you.”Seeing his expectant look, she went on, “Here’s the thing. I have a friend in prison, but it wasn’t really his fault. If I wanted to get him out, what would I need to do?”She slid an envelope across the table. Commissioner Griffin’s eyes flickered as he glanced at it, swirling his glass with

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 45

    “Is Boss crying?” Mr. Zimmer thought to himself.He was stunned. To him, Luna had always been the symbol of strength, resilient and unbreakable. Yet, here she was, tears streaming down her face. “Boss, I didn’t mean it. Maybe it’s not true. Yeah, it could all just be a trick!” he stammered. Seeing Luna’s tear-streaked face, Mr. Zimmer was completely at a loss as sweat beaded along his forehead. What was Felix up to? How could someone as tough as her end up breaking down over just one comment from Mr. Zimmer?Wiping the sweat from his brows, he thought, “If the others find out I made Boss cry, they’ll tear me apart.”“It’s not fake. I know why he did it…” Luna’s voice faded as she broke down. Her uncontrollable sobs were tangled with a mix of regret, anger, and frustration.Mr. Zimmer stood there, helpless, pacing back and forth until her sobs finally started to subside. Luna wiped her nose, her voice raw and broken. “He never believed I was dead. He knew I wouldn’t just dis

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 44

    Knock, knock—At the sound of the door, Luna pressed her fingers to her temples, her pen still moving over the documents in front of her. Mr. Zimmer quickly stepped forward, placing an express package on her desk. “Boss, you’ve got an urgent delivery.”As soon as Luna opened it, her eyes fell on three bold words at the top: *Equity Transfer Agreement.* She quickly pulled out the document, her gaze fixing on the signature at the bottom.Felix Lincoln.That familiar signature, once so strong and powerful, now felt heavy and confining to her. It was almost as if it was pinning her down, immobilizing her like nails in a chair.She glanced down, and the date stopped her cold. It was from a year ago.The document clearly stated that Felix had voluntarily transferred 90% of his shares in the company to her.Mr. Zimmer noticed his boss’s face go pale and hesitantly asked, “Boss, what is it?”Taking a deep breath, Luna replied in a strained voice, “It’s the equity transfer agreement f

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 43

    Deep inside, a voice kept screaming, “Luna, it's over. Just leave. End it all here and now.” But somehow, her legs felt as if they were weighed down with lead, refusing to move even a single step.“Luna, you know what I’m talking about.”Felix looked at her, his expression softening as a thought crossed his mind. His eyes took on a pleading tone. “Can you please promise me one thing?”Luna glanced at him, almost amused. The powerful Felix, begging?He reached out as if to touch her, then pulled back, letting his hand drop to his side. His voice was low and steady. “Luna, I know I put you through hell, made you serve time. I owe you for that, and I’m paying for it. But when I’m in there, don’t marry anyone else. Don’t let our kids call another man ‘Dad.’ Just wait for me until I come back.”A sharp pang hit her, like acid rising from her stomach to her throat, bringing tears dangerously close. She felt both anger and bitter amusement.They weren’t even together anymore. How coul

  • Till the End of a Loveless Vow   Chapter 42

    In the courtroom, the judge struck the gavel solemnly. “This is session number 101 at Carson City Intermediate Court, Room 3. Both sides may begin their arguments.”The moment Felix entered the courtroom, he realized just how much he had missed her. His gaze locked onto Luna, as though he wanted to etch every detail of her face into his memory.Sensing his stare, Luna’s brow furrowed slightly before she cast her eyes down, listening quietly to her lawyer’s impassioned statement.Bang—The gavel fell once again.“Defendant, answer the prosecutor’s question!”Felix hadn’t listened to anything being said. It was irrelevant. His eyes stayed on Luna as he spoke, his tone calm. “I plead guilty. I admit to betraying the company and to all charges brought against me. I deserve this.”A wave of shock swept through the room. Faces registered the same emotions: surprise, disbelief, and confusion.This was what he had promised, wasn’t it?But as Felix confessed, Luna felt as if she had be

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