2
The key slipped from my fingers and hit the floor with a sharp clang.
Ethan turned. His brows knit for half a second—then his whole face smoothed over, cool and controlled. He buckled his belt, zipped up, and when he finally looked at me, the panic was already gone.
“Luna… why are you home?” he asked with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
I dug my nails into my arm. Hard. Anything to steady the shaking in my chest.
“So I’m not allowed to come home now?” My voice scraped out thin and shaky.
“That’s not what I meant.” Ethan chuckled lightly.”Didn’t you go to the temple to get me a Blessing Charm? Why’d you come back so fast?”
He reached to ruffle my hair.
I jerked back.
His smile froze.”Don’t tell me you’re mad… just because Chloe wore one of your dresses.”
“One… dress?”
The words barely made it out. My gaze locked on him, my throat closing up.
It wasn’t a dress.
It was my wedding gown—the one thing I treasured most. I’d sewn every pearl on it by hand.
The first time I wore it, Ethan’s voice had trembled with awe.”Luna, you’re breathtaking. This gown was made only for you. You’ll wear it for me every year, remember?”
And now?
He’d let another woman put it on.
Worse—he’d had sex with her in it.
I searched his eyes for guilt. For shame. For anything.
All I found was cold indifference.
My heart twisted, sharp and merciless. My knees almost gave out.
Was he that confident? That certain I loved him so much I’d swallow anything he did?
Ethan stepped closer, took my trembling hand. His tone softened—condescending, almost soothing.
“Don’t be upset. I’ll wire you a hundred million. Buy whatever you want.”
Chloe’s eyes flashed with jealousy before she dropped to her knees, tears shimmering instantly.
“Mrs. Carter, I’m so sorry… I just loved your gown so much. That’s why Mr. Carter let me try it on.”
Every word was a jab.
Every tear said the same thing—See? He dotes on me.
She shot me a triumphant look, then sobbed harder.
“Mrs. Carter, please don’t be mad… I’ll take it off right now and return it—”
My gaze lowered to the stains on the hem.
“It’s dirty,” I said coolly.”Keep it.”
Ethan frowned.”Luna, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t just give away your wedding dress.”
I almost laughed. I opened my mouth—
But his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, then at Chloe.
Chloe gave a soft, understanding smile.”Go ahead, Mr. Carter. Don’t worry about me.”
Ethan shook his head with a gentle look reserved only for her.”You always get headaches when I talk business. I’ll take this outside. Luna, get up. Stop kneeling.”
And he walked out.
A slow, dull ache crawled through my chest.
He never took business calls outside. But for Chloe, he bent even that rule.
Now it was just us.
Chloe stood, smoothing the gown. Her sweet, fragile act vanished. A mocking smile took its place.
“Bet you didn’t know?” she whispered.”Ethan’s ‘mystery illness’? All fake. That ‘healing ritual’ was just his excuse to bring me here openly.”
“We’ve been hooking up for over a year. We’ve done everything—everywhere. When I mentioned I’d never ‘played’ at his place? Boom. He got ‘sick’ immediately.”
She leaned in, eyes shining with triumph.
“Luna, his body and soul are mine. What do you even have left? The title?”
I looked her dead in the eye.
“The title? Take it.”
Chloe’s face twisted with fury.”Who said I’ll let you have him?! He’s always been mine! That spot you’re hogging—it’s mine!”
I didn’t react.
Her face went ghost white with rage.
Then Ethan’s footsteps echoed down the hall.
Chloe’s eyes gleamed with something vicious.
Before I could move, she grabbed the steaming teapot and smashed it onto her own chest.
“AHHH!”
Her scream ripped through the air. She collapsed, tea burning her skin bright red.
Then she crawled to my feet, sobbing.
“Mrs. Carter, I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have worn your dress! Please… please don’t hurt me again!”
Ethan burst in.
His face darkened the second he saw her.
“I already compensated you—and you still dared to touch her?!” he roared at me.”Apologize!”
“I didn’t do it. And I won’t apologize.”
“Oh? Still denying it?” Ethan’s eyes sharpened.”Fine. I’ll make you admit it.”
He motioned to the guards.
They dragged me to the Sauna Room.
The moment the door locked, the heat slammed into me like needles stabbing my skin.
50°C.
60°C.
70°C.
My face burned. My breath turned ragged.
Outside, Ethan toyed with his wedding ring.
“Still not admitting it?” he asked casually.
I pounded on the door. My palms burned, leaving bloody prints that dried instantly.
“It wasn’t me! Check the cameras!”
“No need. Chloe wouldn’t lie,” he said.”You’ve become disobedient.”
The heat shredded my lungs. My vision blurred.
“I… I admit it…”
My throat felt like sandpaper. The lie scraped out of me:
“I was wrong.”
Ethan smiled, satisfied.
He lifted a hand. The guards opened the door.
I stumbled out, soaked, my body temperature spiking dangerously.
Ethan touched my cracked lips gently.
“All this suffering… you could’ve avoided it. No need to apologize to Pure anymore. But—”
His voice dipped, dark and cold.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
My vision went black. My knees buckled.
My skin burned, but the ache in my heart was worse.
I have a congenital heart condition. Making it to adulthood was already a miracle.
Ethan used to be so careful, so gentle. He wouldn’t even let the maids speak too loudly, afraid it would scare me.
He used to hold me tight and whisper,”You’re my whole life. I’ll never let harm touch you.”
But here I was—
locked in scorching heat, left to die.
Turns out, promises only last the moment they’re spoken.
