The Coming Storm

Luna tried hard to push Aiden’s words—and his nonchalance about his father’s death—out of her mind. She needed to come up with a plan for moving forward.

Luckily, Cecile handed her a phone to help with the boredom. Luna logged onto the internet and typed in her ex-husband’s name: Sebastian Martins.

A flood of articles appeared, one showing him in front of Nova Therapeutics, giving a speech about becoming the new CEO and making Paul Orion proud.

There were also articles about Luna, but they were all full of curses—calling her and her mother snakes for killing Paul Orion and fleeing the country.

They called her mother, Aliyah Norman, a gold digger, accusing her of marrying Paul for his money. There were even a few photos of Sebastian’s younger sister, Sophia Martins, in front of Ashwood Preparatory Academy—a school she would never have gotten into if not for the Orion money.

Luna squeezed her eyes shut, the memory of Sophia—an eighteen-year-old she’d always seen as a sister—flashing in her mind: the slap Sophia gave her across her face, the way she had ordered the guards to have their fun with her, the way Sophia had dragged her mother’s lifeless body into the sitting room and laughed, “Brother, the old lady couldn’t withstand my torture. She’s dead.”

Luna clenched her fists. She would not spare any of them. If Aiden thought she would just embrace this new life and forget about revenge, then he was sicker than people said.

“Ah…mom…”

Luna dropped her phone at the sound of the girl next to her muttering. She hurried over and crouched next to Calla, whose eyes were half-open.

Calla smiled weakly. “You… you must be… the new me.”

Luna didn’t know Calla well, but seeing her struggle to speak—and even smile—while in this state made Luna’s heart ache. “I’ll call your mom, okay?”

“Don’t.” Calla’s fingers twitched, and Luna squeezed her hand tightly. “Please…take care…of my parents…they’re good people.”

A tear rolled down Luna’s cheek. “You’ll be fine. You’ll survive and take care of them yourself, okay?”

Calla blinked twice. She knew her fate. If one tube disconnected, she’d be gone forever. She was tired of this state—trapped for a year, only waking up once a month.

“They… they did this to me,” Calla whispered, her voice trembling. “They ruined me and I… want them to… pay.” A single tear rolled down her cheek, and Luna couldn’t stop her own tears. The world had been so cruel to both of them.

“Make them regret hurting me. Make sure they end up in the street.”

Calla’s voice cracked. Her chest heaved. The machine next to her began to beep erratically. “Please…don’t let my parents cry so much. And…you have my blessing.”

Luna wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “Stop talking, okay? I’ll get the doctors.”

“Promise me,” Calla pleaded, her eyes desperate. She wanted those who did this to her to pay for everything. Just because she was her grandma’s favorite—the one who inherited everything after her death—they’d shown her no mercy, so she would show none in return.

That’s why, when Aiden explained two months ago about putting her face on someone else and letting her take her identity, Calla had agreed at once and signed the documents. Since then, she hadn’t woken up again.

“Promise to make them pay.” Calla gripped Luna’s finger, waiting for her word.

Luna nodded, leaning in to kiss Calla’s hand. “I will make them suffer. They will regret what they did to you. You have my word, Calla.”

Calla smiled in relief. “Thanks.” Then her eyes fluttered closed, and Luna kept sobbing, clutching Calla’s lifeless hand.

How could a truck have climbed over her car? How could humanity be this cruel?

The door opened and Cecile walked in. She paused, staring at Luna crouched next to Calla. Her eyes moved to the monitor—a flat line, no heartbeat.

“My baby…” Cecile gripped the doorframe tightly for support. She had always known this day would come—a day when her daughter would breathe her last. But could a mother ever be prepared for such a day? how could she?

Luna glanced at Cecile, then stood and walked to her. “Did she say anything? Was she in pain when she breathed her last?” Cecile’s voice shook, tears streaming as she clutched her chest. Calla had been her light.

Luna simply pulled Cecile into a hug. “Mom,” she whispered, rubbing Cecile’s back. Cecile looked at her, as if she’d heard wrong. “You have me,” Luna assured her, and Cecile broke down in her arms.

“I will make them pay for everything they did to her,” Luna vowed, her gaze fixed on the little black dot on the wall. “They will wish they never hurt her.”

They would wish they had died with Calla, because Luna was going to make life hell for every one of them.

Everyone who hurt her—Luna Norman—and everyone who hurt Calla Rose. With one identity, she would make them bleed.

They’d better be prepared for the coming storm.