CHAPTER 15
1314 Words
Mama Rose hugged them goodbye at 6pm sharp. “Try not to miss me too much” she teased, wooden spoon still in hand.
The door closed. The house exhaled.
Too quiet. The kind of quiet that made Luna hear her brain too loud.
She made herself a promise at 8pm: I’m staying up. I’ll be awake when he comes home. We’ll talk. Like we did last night. Like normal people.
Laptop open. Headphones in. Designing web layouts until her eyes burned. She made coffee at 9pm. Cold coffee at 10pm. By 11pm her brain was cotton.
She told herself “just 5 more minutes” on the bed. Just until she heard the gate.
She fell asleep. Cheek on the keyboard, screen still glowing.
By 8am sunlight was sneaking through the curtains, painting stripes across her blanket. Luna woke up with a crick in her neck and keyboard marks on her face. She shot upright, heart pounding.
She stumbled downstairs, hair a bird’s nest, wearing her Mickey Mouse pyjamas from last night. Hoping.
Nico was gone. Again. Mug in the sink, coffee half-drunk, chair pushed in like he’d been there hours ago.
Her chest dropped. I waited. I failed.
Summer was already in the kitchen, hopping on one foot while shoving the other into a sneaker. “Luna! Luna! You’ll never guess!”
Luna blinked, still foggy. “Guess what?”
“Nico sent a car for me!” Summer shrieked and dropped the shoe. “A black Benz! Tinted windows! A freaking Benz Luna!!!”
Luna stopped mid-step. “Wait. He sent a car? For you?”
“Yes!” Summer grabbed Luna’s arm and pulled her to the window overlooking the outside view.”See? That one right over there" Summer giggled
Luna’s brows pulled together. “I didn’t know he ordered a ride for you. He didn’t say anything about it to me.”
“Me neither. The driver just came in this morning. I casually mentioned the distance to my school on a call with a friend yesterday morning and he didn’t even act like he heard anything ” Summer poked Luna’s hand teasingly "Your husband is so thoughtful. Look at him spoiling his sister-in-law while acting all cold and unbothered"
Luna threw a grape at her and missed. “Shut up. Go to school before you’re late.”
“Fine, fine!” Summer kissed her cheek and grabbed her bag. “Save me some lasagna. And don’t overthink him. He ordered me a car. He’d build you a castle if you asked.” Then she was gone, door slamming behind her.
Silence again.
Luna drifted to the fridge Mama Rose had stocked like she was feeding an army. Lasagna. Still warm. She took a plate and ate at the counter, but she wasn’t tasting it. She was waiting.
Her phone sat face-up beside her. Every 30 seconds: glance. No text. No “morning”. No “did you sleep”.
I stayed up for him and still missed him. Is he avoiding me? Was I too talkative that night? Did I scare him off?
She pushed the plate away and wandered to the hallway wall. Summer’s forced family photos.
First photo: Summer and Luna laughing their a*s off at a dumb joke Summer had told. Nico trying to hide his smile and failing at it. He's eyes not scowling this time but actually smiling... because of them.
Second photo: “Romantic eyes, now!” Luna and Nico caught off guard, staring at each other.
Luna’s breath hitched. In the photo, Nico wasn’t looking at the camera. He was looking at her. Amber eyes, intense, steady. Like the world had narrowed to just her face.
Now that she really looked at it, Nico’s gaze seemed... different. Like she was the only thing he wanted in focus.
She shook her head hard. Don’t get your hopes up. He’s a CEO. He’s good at acting. Good at making people believe in him.
DING DONG.
Luna jumped. Fork clattered to the plate. 'Nico' her brain whispered 'Must be him'.
She hurriedly opened the door and her heart dropped in disappointment and dismay.
Marcus.
Expensive suit. Colored contacts. That same smirk from last week when he had promised to come by "unannounced".
“Luna,” he said, stepping in without permission. “Nico’s not home?” It was more of a statement than a question. Seemed like he chose to visit at that hour just to trap her alone without Nico there to support her.
Her stomach dropped, but she shut the door and forced her voice steady. “He’s at work. Can I get you water?”
He ignored it. Walked straight to the photo wall. Stared at the one of Nico staring at her. Too long.
“How did you two meet, exactly?” Marcus asked, eyes still on the photo. “Because I’ll be blunt — I don’t understand it. Nico Moretti doesn’t date. He doesn’t marry. He doesn’t do ‘whims’. So how did a girl with no family name, no background, no connections end up as his wife in such a short period at that?”
Luna’s palms went damp. He didn’t know about the contract. He just thought she was a nobody who’d somehow trapped Nico.
She lifted her chin and walked to the couch. She didn’t offer him a seat. “You think I trapped him?”
“I think it’s suspicious,” Marcus said flatly. “Nico has his pick of women. Models. Heiresses. High profile women. Why you?
Luna swallowed hard. She had to be confident. She mustn't let any sign of weakness slip through her facade.
She held his gaze. Didn’t flinch. Didn’t smile. Just watched him.
“You’re waiting for me to defend myself,” she said quietly. “I won’t.”
Marcus frowned. “You don’t think you owe me an explanation?”
“I think,” Luna said, voice even, “that if Nico wanted your approval, he would’ve asked for it. He didn’t.” She paused. “That tells me everything I need to know.”
He studied her. “You’re confident for someone with nothing to show.”
Luna tilted her head slightly. “And you’re loud for someone with nothing new to say.” Still calm. Still even. “Uncle Marcus, I’m not a puzzle you need to solve. I’m not here to prove I belong. Nico decided I do. That’s enough for me.”
Marcus crossed his arms. “Nico doesn’t keep people who don’t serve a purpose.”
“Correct,” Luna agreed. No defensiveness. Just fact. “So ask him why I’m still here.” She gestured to the door, polite but final. “If you have concerns about his judgment, you should take them up with him. Not me.”
For a moment, Marcus had nothing. She wasn’t rude. She wasn’t emotional. She was just... immovable.
He opened his mouth—
The front door crashed open.
Nico.
Tie loose, sleeves rolled up, chest rising fast. Eyes locked on Marcus first, cold, then softened the second they landed on Luna.
Luna’s shoulders dropped. Barely. Only she noticed. A swarm of relief engulfed her at the sight of him.
Nico crossed the room in 3 strides. Stopped in front of her, blocking Marcus from view.
He leaned down. Pressed a warm, firm kiss to her cheek. Possessive. Casual. Like routine.
“Morning, wife,” he murmured. Then sat on the couch, pulling her down beside him, arm heavy around her shoulders.
Luna blinked. Wife.
Marcus went still.
Both Luna and Marcus were starstruck.
Luna because Nico just claimed her in front of his Uncle.
Marcus because his little “test” had just imploded.
Nico finally glanced at Marcus, one eyebrow raised, Luna still tucked under his arm. “You were saying?”
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