Chapter 3

Luna pov

...back everything inside me anymore as my voice broke completely, tears flowing harder than before.

"He said he has never loved me truly from the start. He said he loves another woman, and he wants to divorce me as soon as possible…"

As soon as those painful words left my mouth, silence immediately took over the line. The silence was heavy, suffocating, and for a moment, I thought the call was disconnected or he had already hung up. But then suddenly, a low chilling sound of laughter came from the other side — cold, dangerous, and filled with deep suppressed anger that made my heart skip a beat instantly.

"So… he finally said it out loud huh?" Arthur spoke slowly, his voice dropping incredibly low and deep, every word sounding sharp and terrifyingly cold, completely different from his usual calm and gentle tone I was familiar with. "That stupid, blind, ungrateful fool… he really thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he feels like it, doesn't he?"

"Uncle Arthur…" I called him softly, feeling slightly scared hearing the obvious fury and anger clearly bursting out from his voice. "Please… please don't be angry… this is between me and him only… you don't have to involve yourself in this matter…"

"Don't have to involve myself?" Arthur repeated my words, sounding even angrier and sharper than before, cutting me off immediately. "Luna, listen to me carefully. For three years, I have watched silently. I watched you give everything, endure everything, swallow your pride and tears just to be a good wife and perfect woman everyone expects you to be. I watched him treat you like you meant absolutely nothing, ignore you, disrespect you, and slowly destroy your happiness day by day. And now he dares to tell you he never loved you and just wants to throw you away like you are some kind of trash or old toy he is bored of playing with? How can I NOT get angry, Luna? How can I just stand quietly watching him hurt you like this?"

His words hit me deep inside my heart, making my tears fall even harder. I never knew he paid this much attention. I never realized he saw everything I went through silently every single day.

"But… but he is your nephew, Arthur… he is your own blood relative…" I whispered weakly, wiping my wet face helplessly. "You are family… you should be on his side…"

"Family?" Arthur scoffed loudly, his voice full of disdain and disgust. "Luna, to me, family is not just about blood relation or surname. Family means people who respect each other, value each other, and protect one another no matter what happens. Cedric is family by name only, but the way he treats you… it makes me ashamed to share the same blood and surname as him! He doesn't deserve you Luna, and he definitely doesn't deserve all the love and kindness you gave him freely for years."

He paused for a short moment, taking a deep breath before speaking again, his voice suddenly becoming much softer, warmer, and incredibly gentle like he was trying his best to calm himself down and comfort me instead.

"Luna, look at yourself clearly," Arthur said softly, his voice low and magnetic flowing directly through my heart soothing my pain slowly. "You are beautiful, kind, smart, and gentle. You are perfect in every single way, yet you lowered yourself just to please someone who never even bothered to look at you properly. You gave him your whole heart, your youth, your everything… and what did you get in return? Pain, tears, insults, and betrayal. Luna, why are you letting him treat you like this? Why do you stay there waiting for someone who clearly doesn't want you anymore? Why are you destroying yourself for someone who doesn't even know your real worth?"

"Because I love him!" I cried loudly again, my heart aching painfully hearing his words. "I loved him since I was a little girl Arthur! He was my whole world, my first love, my everything! I honestly thought I would spend my whole life with him… how can I just throw away everything I felt and all the memories we shared just like that? It hurts so much Arthur… it feels like my whole body is tearing apart slowly…"

"I know, Luna… I know exactly how much it hurts…" Arthur answered softly, his voice filled with deep emotion and sadness as well. "But listen to me carefully, okay? Loving someone should make you happy, safe, and feel blessed. But look at yourself now — you are crying almost every night, you are sad, hurt, lonely, and broken. If loving him brings you nothing but pain and suffering… is that really still love Luna? Or is it just you forcing yourself to hold onto the past and memories that don't exist anymore?"

His question struck me hard and deep inside my soul, leaving me stunned and speechless completely. I never thought of it that way before. I always thought as long as I loved him enough, everything would eventually be fine and go back to how it used to be. But was I wrong all this time? Was I just foolishly holding onto something that was already dead and gone long ago?

"Arthur… I don't know anymore…" I sobbed helplessly, sliding slowly down onto the cold floor and hugging my knees tightly close to my chest. "I honestly don't know what I should do or where I should go now… everything feels dark, scary, and hopeless… I feel like I have absolutely nothing left anymore…"

"No Luna… you are wrong," Arthur immediately corrected me firmly and strongly, his voice sounding determined and powerful, instantly giving me a tiny spark of strength and hope inside my broken heart. "You are not alone, and you definitely have not lost everything. As long as you are still breathing and standing on your own two feet, you still have everything. You have yourself Luna, and you definitely still have me."

Hearing his words, my heart skipped a beat, and I froze completely, my tears suddenly stopping for a moment out of shock and surprise.

"You… you Arthur?" I whispered softly, unsure and confused by what exactly he meant.

"Yes, me," Arthur replied clearly and confidently, every word sounding serious, sincere, and absolutely truthful. "Luna, do you know how long I have been watching you silently from far away? Do you know how many times I wanted to step forward and pull you away from all the pain and misery you are suffering, but held myself back because I respected your marriage and happiness? For years, I watched you smile happily for him, I watched you give everything for him, and I told myself that as long as you are happy, it is okay even if my own heart hurts seeing you belong to someone else. But now… seeing you crying, broken, and treated like trash by the person who supposed to cherish you the most… I can't take it anymore Luna! I refuse to just stand back and watch you destroy yourself anymore because of that ungrateful bastard!"

"Arthur… what are you saying…?" I asked tremblingly, completely stunned and overwhelmed hearing his confession pouring out openly through the phone line.

"I am saying exactly what you think I am saying Luna," Arthur answered me calmly yet firmly. "I am telling you that you deserve so much better than what Cedric ever gave you. I am telling you that you deserve someone who values you, respects you, and treats you like the treasure and precious gem that you truly are! Someone who will never make you cry, never hurt you, and definitely never betray your trust and love. And Luna…"

He paused briefly for exactly two seconds before continuing, his voice sounding deeper, warmer, and filled with undeniable emotion.

"...I am telling you that I am willing to be that person for you."

My breath caught sharply inside my throat and my mind went completely blank hearing his words clearly. I sat frozen on the floor staring blankly into the darkness, unable to believe or process everything he just said to me. Arthur… he was my husband's uncle! He was family, he was older than me, and he was someone I always respected and looked up to… how could he say such things to me? How could he…?

"Arthur… you know exactly what you are saying right?" I whispered nervously, fear and confusion rising inside my heart instantly. "You are Cedric’s uncle… you are family… and I am his wife… what you are saying and doing is completely wrong and forbidden… people will talk, they will judge us badly…"

"Let them talk! Let them judge and say whatever they want!" Arthur interrupted me loudly and firmly, his voice sounding fearless and absolutely determined. "Since when do I ever care what other people think or say Luna? Everyone fears me, everyone respects me, and no one dares to question or criticize anything I decide or do. And even if they do… so what? Do you honestly think I care about their opinion more than I care about you?"

"But Arthur… it is just wrong…" I tried my best to argue weakly, my heart beating wildly fast inside my chest. "What would people think of me? They will say I seduced you or I am an immoral woman…"

"Listen to me very carefully Luna Miller," Arthur said strictly and seriously, his voice commanding and authoritative yet incredibly gentle at the same time. "I know you well enough. I know exactly what kind of person you are. You are kind, loyal, faithful, and you always treat everyone around you nicely and properly. Everyone knows you are good wife and good woman. And yet… people still gossip about you, mock you secretly, and look down on you just because Cedric doesn't treat you well and openly loves another woman! They judge you anyway, Luna, even though you didn't do anything wrong at all. So why should you care about what they say anymore? Why should you destroy your own life and happiness just to please or satisfy people who don't even matter to you at all?"

His words hit me directly deep inside my heart and mind, making me speechless and unable to refute or answer him back. Everything he said was absolutely true. No matter how good, perfect, or obedient I was… people still whispered behind my back, pitied me, or even looked down at me secretly. Even though I never did anything wrong, everyone still treated me as the pitiful wife who couldn't keep her husband’s heart and attention.

"Arthur… I really don't know what to do anymore…" I admitted honestly, feeling completely lost and exhausted from everything happening around and inside me. "He wants to divorce me and throw me away like garbage… and I have absolutely no power or ability to fight against him…"

"You don't need to fight him alone Luna," Arthur said immediately, his voice soft and comforting like a warm blanket wrapping around my freezing heart. "And you definitely don't need to suffer silently and helplessly anymore. You want him to regret it right? You want him to realize exactly what precious treasure he has lost and thrown away foolishly, right?"

"Yes… more than anything else in this world Arthur!" I answered him instantly and honestly, bitterness and hatred filling my heart and soul completely. "I want him to regret every single cruel word he said to me tonight. I want him to realize exactly how stupid and blind he was for throwing me away and choosing someone else instead. I want him to suffer exactly the same way I suffered all these years!"

"Good…" Arthur answered slowly, a low dangerous smirk clearly heard through his voice even though we were just talking through the phone. "Exactly what I was hoping to hear from you Luna. Now listen carefully to my plan and what I want you to do."

"What… what plan Arthur?" I asked curiously and nervously, sensing something big and life-changing was coming my way.

"You said you want him to regret and realize his mistake right?" Arthur asked me slowly and clearly.

"Yes… definitely!"

"Then do exactly as I tell you," Arthur instructed me firmly and calmly. "From now onwards, stop begging him, stop crying in front of him, and stop acting like you are hurt or miserable because of him. From this moment forward, you are going to change completely Luna. You will stop being that gentle, obedient, boring wife he keeps complaining about and dislikes so much. You will become confident, proud, and happy woman he will never dare to disrespect or ignore ever again."

"But… how can I do that Arthur?" I asked helplessly. "He doesn't listen to me, he ignores everything I say or do…"

"That is exactly why I am here now Luna," Arthur answered me confidently and assuredly. "I am going to help you. I am going to teach you everything you need to know, I will give you all the power, status, and authority you need, and I will help you transform completely into the woman everyone admires, respects, and desires. But…"

He paused for a moment before speaking again, his voice turning deeper, softer, and full of hidden emotions.

"...in exchange, you have to agree to my one condition and one deal."

"What deal Arthur?" I whispered, my heart beating faster and louder inside my chest.

"Pretend to be with me," Arthur said clearly and slowly, every word hitting directly deep inside my mind and heart. "Pretend that you have fallen in love with me, pretend that I am the person you truly want and desire. Make everyone believe that you belong completely to me now, and make Cedric see clearly exactly what he lost and who he is comparing himself against. Make him jealous, Luna, make him burn with regret and jealousy until he goes completely crazy and realizes exactly what huge mistake he made by letting you go and hurting you!"

"But… but Arthur… you are his uncle!" I gasped loudly in shock and disbelief. "How can we pretend like that? Everyone knows who we are and our relationship…"

"Exactly Luna!" Arthur laughed lowly and confidently. "That is exactly why it will work perfectly! Cedric always admired, envied, and looked up to me his entire life. He always wanted to be like me, he always wanted to surpass me and be better than me in everything he does. He always wants everything I have and he always competes silently against me without even realizing it himself. So imagine Luna… imagine exactly how he will feel and react when he sees his own wife choosing me instead of him, preferring me over him, and loving me more than she ever loved him? Imagine exactly how much pain, jealousy, and regret it will bring him knowing that the woman he threw away is now desired, cherished, and loved by the man he respects, fears, and admires the most in this world!"

Hearing his words, my mind instantly flashed with images and scenarios. Everything he said was completely true and exactly right. Cedric always viewed Arthur as his biggest rival, his role model, and also the person he secretly envied and feared deeply his whole life. If I really do what Arthur just proposed… it will definitely hit Cedric exactly where it hurts the most! It will be the perfect revenge and punishment for everything he did and said to me tonight!

"But… Arthur… why are you doing this for me?" I finally asked softly, looking for the truth and answer behind his generous offer and help. "What exactly do you get or gain from doing all these things and helping me this much?"

Arthur remained silent for few seconds before answering me slowly and clearly, every single word sounding serious, sincere, and completely truthful.

"I told you already Luna," He whispered softly, his voice deep and full of hidden feelings he finally chose to reveal openly. "I have been waiting silently and watching you for years. I have loved you quietly for such a long time, hiding my feelings because I respected your marriage and happiness. But now everything has changed… and I am no longer willing to hide or suppress my feelings anymore. If I help you and play this role with you… I have only one thing to gain Luna… and that is YOU."

"Me…?" I whispered tremblingly, completely stunned and overwhelmed by his confession.

"Yes… you," Arthur repeated clearly and firmly. "I will play the role perfectly, I will act as your lover, your supporter, and your shield against everyone who hurts or disrespects you. I will help you make Cedric regret everything he did and said to you. But Luna… remember this clearly… once we start this agreement and deal… there is absolutely NO turning back anymore. And also…"

He paused briefly, his voice turning lower and huskier, sounding dangerous yet incredibly sweet and magnetic at the same time.

"...I warned you clearly Luna… we are pretending for everyone else’s eyes and ears… but I am not promising or guaranteeing that my feelings and affection will remain fake or acting forever. I am giving you chance to use me to get your revenge and happiness… but I am also taking this chance to finally make you mine completely, legally, and forever."

I remained silent, sitting on the cold floor surrounded by darkness, rain, thunder, and his deep magnetic voice flowing continuously through my phone line. His offer was dangerous, risky, complicated, and definitely wrong in everyone’s eyes and according to society rules and traditions… but looking back at everything Cedric said and did tonight… looking at how much pain, insult, and betrayal I received from the man I loved and devoted my entire life to… I realized clearly and painfully that I had absolutely nothing left to lose anyway.

I was already broken, hurt, and thrown away like trash… how much worse could things possibly get?

I wiped my tears one final time, lifted my head high, and took a deep determined breath filling my lungs with fresh cold air. I looked into the darkness in front of me and finally made my decision that was going to completely change my life and destiny forevermore.

"Okay Arthur…" I spoke clearly, firmly, and decisively, my voice no longer trembling or weak like before. "I accept your deal. I agree to do everything exactly according to your plan. I will pretend, I will act, and I will make everyone believe exactly what we want them to believe. I will make him regret, I will make him jealous, and I will make him realize exactly what he lost and threw away. BUT…"

I paused briefly before adding my own condition and warning clearly and strictly.

"You promised me Arthur… you promised you will help me, protect me, and give me everything I need and want during this agreement period. Don't you dare disappoint me or break your promise… because if you do… I will drag you down together with me into the deepest hell I can find."

Hearing my words and attitude completely changing instantly from weak crying wife into determined, sharp woman… Arthur burst into loud happy laughter from the other side of the phone, sounding incredibly satisfied, pleased, and delighted beyond imagination.

"Perfect!" He said loudly, happily, and triumphantly. "That is exactly what I wanted to hear from you Luna! This is exactly the side of you I knew existed deep inside all this time! Don't worry my dear… I promise you solemnly and seriously… I will never break my promise to you, and I definitely won't disappoint you. I will give you everything you want, everything you need, and everything you deserve… and slowly but surely… I will definitely make you fall completely and madly in love with me exactly the same way I have been deeply and madly in love with you all this time."

To be continued