time Luna lo

waist still curved like it used to. Back when she would catch Darius looking at her with a hunger in his eyes that made her feel like she was th

exactly. It wasn't the number that h

l starvation, and silent cries no one heard. While Darius slipped away into the arms of another woman, Luna fed her ch

d reached

rately, she pulled the cloth away. For a moment, she couldn't breathe. The woman staring back at her didn't look like

deeper-there was

a

. No. This rage was quieter. Older. It had ferm

st time, Luna d

in the mirror and w

oom, her thoughts still reeling from the morning's confrontation with Eleanor. She o

ind of woman Darius's family always adored-thin, polished, poised. She didn't wait to

shut the door and followed

on the edge of the couch as if the cushions were t

arms. "You sho

ld me you've been making things di

twisted. The au

echoed, her voic

I know you've been struggling. It's not easy being a mother. I get i

wanted to change into someone invisible? I didn't become like t

at almost resembled pity. "Sometimes... people fall out of love

e to gloat or to pretend to offer kindness. She was here to make Luna surre

wasn't le

like

the trut

't take him from me. He ran to you because he couldn't face the wreckage he ca

ghtened, but sh

"But don't get too comfortable. I'm

y, leaving Selene standing in

Darius didn'

d, he brought the stench of guilt and another woman's perfume on his

he pl

k in front of her. Inside it were names. Dates. Bank accounts. Company transfers. She had kept quiet for too long, but Luna was not stu

had taugh

ever forgot what her family had built-or how to protect herse

. The woman who once walked

ere-buried, mayb

ng, Luna met w

ed simply but neatly. Black trousers, white blouse, n

divorce," she said as s

blinked. "Y

y. Full custody. And I want

e, then a slow smi

can make t

ed home, Darius

place, like nothing had changed. But

ng had

ifferent,"

n gently. "No, Darius.

crossed. "Wha

aight in the eye.

as if he couldn't quite believe she had

be ridi

t this marriage long before I did. I

ou can't survi

, and it wa

tch