my luna

Behind the silences

Maya's phone suddenly rang.

The cheerful expression on her face disappeared the moment she looked at the screen.

Luna frowned.

"What is it?"

Maya didn't answer immediately. She picked up the call and stepped away.

A few moments later, she returned.

Her expression had completely changed.

Luna's stomach tightened.

"Maya?"

Maya looked at her for a long moment before speaking.

"They're looking for you."

Luna froze.

The room suddenly felt colder.

Before she could ask another question, Maya grabbed her bag.

"I have to go now."

"What?" Luna stood up. "What do you mean you have to go?"

"I'm sorry." Maya's voice was filled with guilt. "I'll call you later."

Then, without another explanation, she hurried out of the room.

The door closed behind her.

Silence returned.

Luna stood alone in the middle of the room.

****

For the first time since arriving at Ethan's estate, she was completely by herself.

And with nothing to distract her, her thoughts began to wander.

Back at the main residence, the atmosphere was anything but calm.

Ethan's mother sat elegantly in the living room, a cup of untouched tea resting on the table before her.

Across from her sat Ethan's father, his expression unreadable as he reviewed a stack of documents.

Neither of them had forgotten the girl they had seen in the hospital.

Luna.

The same girl who had caused their son to abandon everything and rush out without explanation.

Ethan's sister paced the room impatiently.

"I still don't understand," she said. "Who is she?"

Neither parent answered.

Because they wanted the same answer.

Just then, footsteps echoed through the hallway.

A security officer stopped at the entrance.

"Sir."

Ethan's father looked up.

The man hesitated briefly before speaking.

"We finished the background investigation."

The room instantly became quiet.

Ethan's sister stopped pacing.

His mother's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Well?" Ethan's father asked.

The security officer swallowed.

"The information is incomplete."

That answer immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Incomplete?" Ethan's mother repeated.

"Yes, ma'am. Every time we get close to uncovering something, the records seem to disappear."

For the first time, Ethan's father's expression changed.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Because ordinary people didn't have disappearing records.

And neither did ordinary families.

The security officer lowered his voice.

"There is definitely something being hidden about Luna Hayes and her family."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Then Ethan's father slowly leaned back.

"Continue digging."

The security officer nodded.

"Yes, sir."

As he left, Ethan's sister exchanged a glance with her mother.

The mystery surrounding Luna had only deepened.

When Ethan returned home that morning , he wasn't surprised to find his parents and sister waiting for him in the living room. News traveled quickly in the family, especially when it involved him. Usually, he would have ignored their curiosity and gone straight upstairs, but this time he remained. He took a seat across from them, knowing exactly what was on their minds.

His mother was the first to speak. "The girl from the hospital... Luna."

Ethan looked up but said nothing.

His father exchanged a glance with his wife before speaking. "We've never seen you react the way you did today. The moment you heard she was hurt, you left everything behind and rushed to her side."

His sister nodded in agreement. "You didn't even explain yourself. You just disappeared. I thought the world was ending."

A faint smile appeared on Ethan's face, but he remained silent.

The room fell quiet for a moment before his mother spoke again. Her voice was softer this time. "We may not know who Luna is, but one thing is obvious. She must be very important to you."

Ethan lowered his gaze briefly. Memories from a year ago flashed through his mind, memories he rarely allowed himself to revisit. If Luna had not been there that day, things might have ended very differently. Some debts could never truly be repaid.

His father noticed the change in his expression and leaned back in his chair. "You don't have to explain anything if you don't want to. We aren't asking for details. We only wanted to understand why seeing her hurt affected you so much."

For the first time, Ethan answered. "She helped me when nobody else could."

That simple sentence was enough.

His mother smiled gently. His father nodded. Even his sister stopped asking questions.

They didn't need the full story.

The look in Ethan's eyes had already told them everything.

Whoever Luna Hayes was, she wasn't just another person in his life. She was someone connected to a part of him he rarely showed anyone. Someone important enough to make him abandon everything and race across the city the moment he learned she was in danger.

His mother reached for her teacup and smiled. "Then that's all we need to know. Any girl capable of bringing back that smile of yours is welcome in this family."

His sister laughed immediately. "I knew it. The great Ethan finally cares about someone."

For the first time that evening, Ethan didn't deny it.

And that silence alone was enough to make his family understand that Luna Hayes was far more important than they had imagined.

****

Luna's family's House

Mrs. Hayes sat impatiently in her study, waiting for an update.

Her phone finally rang.

She answered immediately.

"Well?"

The investigator on the other end sounded uneasy.

"We haven't found her."

Mrs. Hayes' expression darkened.

"What do you mean you haven't found her?"

"We checked the hospital records. There is no trace of Luna Hayes being admitted."

Mrs. Hayes sat upright.

"What?"

"We spoke to staff members. We reviewed patient logs. We even checked security records. Nothing. It's as if she was never there."

The line went silent.

For the first time, Mrs. Hayes felt a flicker of unease.

"Keep looking."

"Ma'am, we already expanded the search. We checked transportation records, nearby hotels, and known contacts. There is nothing."

Her grip tightened around the phone.

"Nothing?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's like she vanished into thin air."

The call ended.

Mrs. Hayes stared at the phone in disbelief.

A few hours later, another investigator called.

The result was the same.

No records.

No witnesses.

No leads.

Nothing.

Every trail ended before it even began.

It was as if someone had erased Luna's existence the moment she left that hospital.

When Mr. Hayes entered the study later that evening, he immediately noticed the frustration on his wife's face.

"No news?" he asked.

Mrs. Hayes laughed bitterly.

"Oh, there's news."

She tossed the phone onto the desk.

"Apparently our daughter has disappeared from the face of the earth."

Mr. Hayes frowned.

"That's impossible."

"Exactly."

A heavy silence settled between them.

Because they both knew one thing.

Ordinary people did not simply vanish.

Someone was protecting Luna.

And whoever that person was...

They were powerful enough to make an entire trail disappear.

****

Luna's sat by the widow side, deep in her own thoughts.

A week.

That what she keeps telling herself.

A week she has been in this house not stepping out if this room,a week her friend left without coming back. The days blended together in a way she couldn't explain, like her memories are slightly out of place.

A soft knock came at the door.

Luna's turned around quickly.

The door opened and mrs Hale's walked in.

She carried herself calmly, but her eyes were sharp—watching, measuring everything in the room like she was checking for something out of place.

“You’re still sitting here?” Mrs. Hale asked gently.

Luna looked up at her. “What else am I supposed to do?”

Mrs. Hale sighed and closed the door behind her.

“It’s been a week, Luna.”

Luna blinked slowly. “I know.”

But her voice didn’t sound convinced.

Mrs. Hale moved closer, glancing at the untouched food on the table. “You haven’t been eating properly.”

“I’m not hungry,” Luna replied.

A pause.

Mrs. Hale studied her carefully, then spoke in a lower voice. “You’ve been saying that since you got here.”

Luna frowned slightly. “Since I got here…”

She repeated the words, like she was trying to place them.

Mrs. Hale noticed the confusion in her eyes but didn't say anything.

After what it felt like eternity, Mrs Hale's finally spoke – The garden is a sight to behold you can step out for fresh airs and then she left.

*****

In county X

Adrian sat alone in his dorm room. The night outside was calm, but his mind wasn’t. His desk was scattered with books and notes for his final exam, though he wasn’t really focused on them. His phone was already pressed to his ear. It rang twice before someone picked up.

“Hello?” a familiar voice came from home.

“It’s me,” Adrian said, leaning back slightly.

Mrs. Hale’s voice softened immediately. “Adrian. You finally called.”

“I’ve been busy with exams.”

“We understand. How is everything going over there?

“Almost done. One week left,” Adrian replied. After a short pause, he added, “After that, I’m coming back home.”

“That’s good,” Mrs. Hale said calmly. “We’ve been expecting you.”

Adrian hesitated for a moment before asking, “How is Luna?”

There was a brief silence, then Mrs. Hale answered normally. “She’s fine, Adrian. She’s been doing well, staying mostly at home and resting. Nothing to worry about.”

Adrian’s eyes lowered slightly. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she replied without delay. “Completely fine.”

He stood up and walked toward the window, looking out at the quiet lights of Country X. “She hasn’t called or anything?”

“No,” Mrs. Hale said, still calm. “But she’s okay. You know Luna, she’s never been the type to talk much when she’s overwhelmed. She’ll be happy when you come back.”

A small silence followed. Adrian exhaled slowly.

“One week,” he said.

“We’ll be waiting,” Mrs. Hale replied.

The call ended.

Adrian lowered his phone and stared out the window.

“Everything had sounded normal. Too normal… and that was exactly what made him pick up his phone again.”