Chapter 4
591 Words
Luna could not focus.
She sat on the edge of her bed, a book open in her hands, but her eyes had not moved.
Her thoughts refused to stay still.
Stay away from him.
Be careful.
The words would not stop.
“This is exhausting,” she muttered.
Everything in this house felt like a puzzle she had not agreed to solve.
She stood and walked out.
The hallway was quiet.
Of course it was.
It was always quiet.
Too quiet.
She walked without thinking, turning corners, passing doors she had not opened.
Then,
Voices.
She froze.
Low.
Serious.
Hamilton.
She should leave.
She knew she should.
But she stayed.
“…you said that before,” Hamilton said.
“I expect you to trust me,” Richard replied.
Trust me.
Something about that felt wrong.
“That is the problem,” Hamilton said. “I don’t.”
Silence.
“You’re overreacting,” Richard said.
“I’m not.”
His voice was sharper now.
“You think I haven’t seen this before?”
Luna’s breath caught.
Before?
“You bring them here,” Hamilton continued
“Every time. Different woman. Same story.”
Luna’s chest tightened.
“And this time,” he added, “she has a
daughter.”
Her heart started racing.
“You are crossing a line,” Richard said.
“That line was crossed a long time ago.”
Silence.
“You will not interfere.”
A command.
“No.”
Hamilton’s voice was firm.
“Not this time.”
Luna stepped back quickly.
She had heard enough.
Too much.
Different woman.
Same story.
Her chest tightened.
This was not new.
This had happened before.
She turned and walked away quickly.
“This is not normal,” she whispered.
No.
It wasn’t.
She turned a corner,
And stopped.
Hamilton was there.
Waiting.
“You were listening.”
Not a question.
“I didn’t mean to.”
A lie.
“What did you hear?”
“I heard enough.”
Silence.
“Then you already understand.”
“No,” she said quickly. “I don’t.”
“What did you mean? About before?”
He hesitated.
Then,
“This is not his first marriage.”
“I know.”
“It’s not just that.”
Her stomach dropped.
“He always marries women like your mother.”
Luna frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Women who need something.”
That stung.
“My mom isn’t like that.”
“I didn’t say she was.”
Silence.
“And the daughters?”
His jaw tightened.
“They’re not always there.”
A pause.
“But when they are…”
He didn’t finish.
He didn’t need to.
“What happens?” she asked softly.
“Nothing good.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
Frustration rose.
“You expect me to accept that?”
“I expect you to be smart.”
His voice was serious now.
“You’re not like the others.”
“The others?”
But he shut down again.
“You need to stay away from him.”
Again.
But now it meant something.
Something real.
“Why has no one stopped him?” she asked.
“You think people don’t know?”
She went still.
“They just don’t say anything.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
Luna felt her heart racing.
This wasn’t just a feeling anymore.
It was a pattern.
A history.
And now…
She wasn’t just living in this house.
She was part of it.
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