Fated Bonds: The Rise Of The Lost Luna

KAYLA Laughter had echoed through the grand ballroom, bouncing off crystal chandeliers and polished marble like mockery. It was too loud, too bright. Too…perfect. Every person there looked like they belonged—wrapped in silk, dripping in diamonds, sipping champagne that glittered like liquid stars. Everyone… except me. Honestly, I still wasn’t sure why my parents invited me.Pity? These events were always Camilla’s stage anyway. I stood near the farthest wall, back straight, arms wrapped protectively around Elena. She clung to me sleepily, unaware of the storm brewing in my chest. My dress—plain, borrowed, black—hugged my body like shame. It didn’t shimmer. It didn’t flatter. It screamed, Wrong party,wrong girl. And they all knew it. This was my family’s celebration. But no one celebrated me. I scanned the room like I wasn’t actively trying to disappear. Camilla stood in the center, glowing like she was photoshopped into reality. Rose-gold gown. Every curl of her hair intentional, every smile a well-placed lie. She was the sun, and we were all meant to orbit her. My mother and father hovered beside her, their smiles so wide it made my stomach twist. The way they looked at her—with pride, with awe—was how I used to dream they’d look at me. But dreams died quickly in the Donovan household. Right after self-esteem. And me? What was I? A waitress in a diner that constantly smelled like burnt oil and broken promises. A single mom with no degree, no man, and no glossy future to speak of. Just scars no one dared mention and a child everyone pretended wasn’t there. I looked down at Elena. Her tiny fingers were wrapped around mine. She was my only light. My only truth. The only soul who looked at me and saw me. “Mommy, why is everyone looking at Aunt Camilla?” she asked in a whisper. Because she was born to be worshiped, baby girl. Before I could answer, a sudden burst of laughter broke through the music. I looked up—and my heart slammed against my ribs. Ivan. Dancing with Camilla. No. No, no, no. He spun her gently, his hand resting at her waist… the same way it used to rest on mine. His smile was effortless. His eyes were lit with something I couldn’t recognize anymore. Betrayal burned behind my ribs. He left me. Without warning. Without a word. Without looking back. And now he was here, holding her—my sister—like she was the prize he had waited for all along. My breath stuttered in my chest. I was his once. Now I was nothing. A forgotten mistake in a borrowed dress. I swallowed the scream building in my throat and turned away. But the room pressed in. The air grew thicker, heavier. The chandeliers blurred above me like I was underwater. And then I heard it. The whispers. “The baby mama…” “Only God knows who the father is.” “That bastard child…” “She’s the stain on their name.” “Poor Mr. and Mrs. Donovan… they’ve been so gracious, raising her still.” I squeezed my eyes shut. Breathe, Kayla. Don’t throat-punch anyone. Yet. Elena’s warm fingers curled tighter around mine. “Mommy?” “I’m okay, sweetheart,” I whispered, but my voice shook. A sharp clang drew attention. My father raised his glass, silver fork, tapping crystal. “I have a very important announcement,” he boomed, chest puffed like a peacock. “A decision that will benefit our legacy.” Oh great. Here comes another PR stunt wrapped in arrogance. I felt the shift in the room. Everyone stilled. The room hushed. “I’ve decided,” he declared, “to give my daughter’s hand in marriage… to Kaiden Blackwood.” Silence. Then— Gasps. Murmurs. A few audible what the f— My ears rang. Did I just glitch? All eyes turned to me. Wait… me? Surely he meant Camilla, right? The family’s golden goose? I blinked. “You’re joking,” I said, flatly. Hopefully. My father’s smile could curdle milk. “He’s made a generous offer.” My mother nodded, as if this was a beauty pageant, and I’d just won Best Bargain Bride. “You should be grateful.” Oh, there it was. The classic “You’re lucky we haven’t disowned you” tone. I almost laughed—sharp and cracked. “Grateful? You didn’t even ask me!” “You never do,” I snapped, my voice rising. “You only see me when you need a scapegoat in heels!” “Kayla, lower your voice,” my mother hissed. “No!” I stepped forward, trembling. “Why is it always me? Why am I the one you throw to the devils?” Camilla smiled slightly. Ivan sipped his drink like he wasn’t already the devil in designer cologne. “Because Camilla deserves better,” my mother said, like it was obvious. “And someone has to clean up your mess.” Ah yes. My mess. “You mean Elena?” I asked quietly, voice breaking. No answer. Of course not. My father looked at me like I was a moldy stain on their precious legacy. “You’ve been a burden since the day you were born.” And that was it. The last nail. The final shove. Something inside me snapped. “I’m done,” I said, trembling. “You don’t own me. You don’t get to sell me like I’m part of a garage sale.” I turned. Cameras flashed anyway. But then— “Running already, Mrs. Blackwood?” The voice was like velvet dipped in venom. I froze. He was taller than I remembered. Broader. The boy I once knew had disappeared, replaced by a man with cold gray eyes and a jaw carved from vengeance. He looked at me like I was a battlefield he’d already won. “You don’t get to call me that,” I said, backing away. “I already did,” he said, taking a slow step forward. “You’re mine now.” “I’ll rot in hell before I ever bear the Blackwood name,” I snarled. “Then you’ll burn in it,” Kaiden whispered, his eyes gleaming. “Because you’ll be mine, Kayla—chained to me, forever.” I didn’t breathe. I didn’t blink. Then I ran. Through the stunned silence. Through the polished halls, past guards too shocked to stop me. Elena clung to me. My pulse was a war drum. My heels echoed across marble. I didn’t stop until I hit the cold air outside. It smacked me like a slap. Freezing. Clearing. I sucked in a breath and kept running. They didn’t love me. They never had. Not when Ivan left. Not when I came home with his child. Not when I begged them to see me. I reached the gates—and for a moment, everything sharpened. The iron glowed with frost, shimmering like it was alive. My vision narrowed. The night air thrummed like electricity in my blood. What… was that? I blinked. It was gone. Just exhaustion. Or something more?