Luna sat by the lake, her knees drawn to her chest, staring into the calm water as her thoughts spiraled. The party had long ended, and yet no one seemed to notice her absence. She had slipped out hours ago, unable to stand the oppressive weight of the celebration, unable to fake another smile.
She sighed deeply, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. 'Miserable'. That was the only word to describe how she felt. It wasn't just tonight it was everything. Her entire life had been one long string of expectations, responsibilities, and disappointments. And here she was again, sitting alone, even though there were hundreds of people at her party, none of them really saw her. Not the real her.
Kiad's words echoed in her head. His cold, detached voice still lingered, making her chest tighten in frustration. She couldn't believe what he had proposed, a marriage without love, without care. Just another transaction in their world of wealth and power. He didn't even pretend to offer anything more. He had stripped it down to its most basic form: an arrangement.
'Is this what her life had come to?'
She tilted her head back against the tree trunk, staring up at the dark sky. She had always craved love real love, the kind that filled your heart with warmth, the kind that her parents had never given her. But now, as the stars blinked above her, she realized that love wasn't in the cards for her. Maybe it never had been.
Luna wiped her puffy eyes, exhausted from crying but unable to stop the flood of emotions that had overwhelmed her. She reached into her purse, thinking to call Mia, but then remembered Mia was out of town. 'Of course.' Mia wouldn't be there when she needed her either. No one ever was.
She exhaled slowly. It was almost dawn now, and she should go back to her room. She needed sleep, needed to clear her head before the next day's obligations crushed her once again. But something about the peacefulness of this hidden spot kept her from moving. She had found this small, secluded area earlier when she was touring the land for the Dreamland project. It was tucked away behind a patch of trees and bushes, a place that seemed forgotten by time. At first, it had felt unsafe, but tonight, it felt like a best hideout.
As Luna pushed herself up from the ground, she winced. Pain shot through her hand, and she , in reflex, jerked it back, hissing in discomfort. In the dim light, she saw her palm was bleeding. Something sharp had pricked her, but what? She crouched back down, using her uninjured hand to feel around the dirt. Her fingers brushed against something cold and metallic, something buried just beneath the surface.
She squinted in the faint light as she dug into the ground with a broken tree branch, trying to unearth whatever had caused her injury. After a moment, her fingers closed around the object, and she pulled it free from the earth.
A hairpin.
Luna frowned, holding the object up to the faint moonlight. It was small but intricate, shaped like a dragon. Two tiny, dull diamonds were embedded where the dragon's eyes should have been, though the metal itself was worn and rusty, caked in mud and blood from where it had pricked her.
'A hairpin? Here?' It didn't make sense. This area was abandoned, untouched. Who would leave such a thing behind in a place like this?
Her curiosity piqued, Luna wiped the pin against her dress, trying to clean off some of the dirt. It shimmered faintly, despite its age. There was something about it, something strange and almost otherworldly, that made her hesitate. Why was it here, hidden beneath the soil? It didn't belong in a place like this. And yet, she couldn't help but feel drawn to it.
She lifted the pin closer, examining the delicate craftsmanship. It was beautiful, in its own way, despite the dirt and rust. The dragon's design was intricate, almost lifelike, with the tiny diamonds as eyes of the diamond. And then she noticed something else an inscription along the base, barely visible under the Thick layer of dirt.
Luna's heart began to race. She loved history, had always been fascinated by ancient artifacts and the stories they carried. Could this be something more than just a lost trinket? Perhaps it was part of the land's forgotten past, something buried here long ago, waiting to be found.
She rubbed at the inscription with her thumb, trying to make out the faint markings. They looked old, the kind of script you might find in a museum, or on something much older than this land itself.
It was just a pin, nothing more. Still, she couldn't bring herself to leave it behind. She slipped it into her pocket, deciding to look into it later.
Pushing herself up again, Luna stood under the soft light of the rising dawn, brushing dirt from her dress. Her hand still throbbed where it had been pricked, but she ignored the pain. She needed to get back before anyone noticed her absence.
As she began the walk back toward the house, her thoughts drifted again to Kiad and the ridiculous proposal he had made. A marriage without love. He had made it sound so simple, so transactional, as if their lives could be bound by a contract with no emotional weight.
But Luna wanted more. She had always wanted more. Love, connection things she had never truly had. Was that too much to ask for?
She sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she walked. Maybe it was. Maybe she was doomed to a life where love and happiness were always just out of reach, where every relationship came with conditions and strings attached.
As she reached the edge of the clearing, Luna glanced back one last time at the spot by the lake. The place where she had found the pin. There was something about it, something she couldn't quite put into words. A strange pull that she couldn't ignore.
But for now, it would remain a mystery. Just like everything else in her life.
With one last glance at the lake, Luna turned and headed back toward the house, the weight of the pin heavy in her pocket.
After a While.....
Luna stood in front of the mirror, her eyes still a little red and puffy from the night before, but on the outside, she looked as calm and put together as ever. Over the years, she'd gotten good at hiding her feelings, keeping everything tucked away behind a composed and polished face. Showing weakness, especially in her world, meant losing control and she couldn't afford that.
Her dress today was simple but elegant, a deep green that made her eyes stand out. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back into place.
There was too much to do, too much riding on her shoulders. Her work was the one thing she could control, and she was about to get back to it.
The door creaked open, and Grace walked in, looking just as efficient with her tablet in hand.
"We're ready to leave whenever you are," Grace said, barely glancing up from her screen. "Mr. Northan's expecting us before we head out."
Luna gave a slight nod, doing one last check in the mirror before grabbing her bag. "Any updates?"
Grace scrolled quickly through the reports on her tablet. "The investors seemed pleased with last night's event. The feedback has been good so far. And the initial environmental assessments on the land are positive. No major issues."
Luna allowed herself a small smile. At least that part was going smoothly. "That's a relief. What about the fundraising efforts?"
"We've already had a few more inquiries after last night," Grace said, still focused on her tablet. "We're in a strong position. I'll get the finance team to send over the updated figures by this afternoon."
Luna nodded, mentally preparing herself for the day ahead. Work was her safe space. Thinking about the project and the future was much easier than thinking about... well, anything else.
Grace hesitated for a second, then added, "Oh, and Kiad left early this morning. His jet took off a few hours ago."
Luna wasn't surprised. After his cold proposal last night, she hadn't expected him to stick around. Kiad was always practical,and detached. He'd likely considered the matter settled the moment she didn't outright refuse. Pushing down the bitterness rising in her chest, Luna forced herself to focus on the present.
"Okay," she said softly, keeping her tone neutral. "Let's finish up with Northan and head back."
Grace simply nodded as they made their way to the car waiting outside. Luna glanced at the estate as they passed through it. she glanced down on the her bag thinking about the hair pin she found last night.
When they arrived, Mr. Northan greeted them warmly, his face lighting up as soon as he saw them. "Miss Luna, Grace," he said with his usual cheer. "I trust everything was to your liking? The event last night was quite the success, I must say."
Luna offered him a polite smile. "Thank you, Mr. Northan. It was important for everyone to see why this land is special." She paused before adding, "I believe we have some final paperwork to sign before we leave."
"Ah, yes, yes!" Northan nodded eagerly. "Everything is ready. It's been an honor working with you, Miss Luna. I'm glad the land is going to someone who appreciates it as much as my family has."
As Northan began explaining more about the land's history and his family's ties to it, Luna tried to stay focused, but her mind kept drifting. She was genuinely interested in the land's story it was one of the reasons she'd chosen it for Dreamland but after everything that had happened, it was hard to concentrate.
Grace handled most of the paperwork while Luna offered polite responses when needed. Finally, after what felt like hours, the last document was signed, and Mr. Northan beamed at them both.
"Well, that's it," he said proudly. "The land is yours now, Miss Luna. I wish you all the success in the world with your project."
Luna stood, shaking his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Northan. I appreciate your trust. We'll make sure this land is put to good use."
As they walked back to the car, the sun high in the sky, Grace fell into step beside Luna. "I've got the cars ready. We'll be back at the office by this afternoon," she said, scrolling through her screen again.
"Good," Luna said, feeling burden starting to settle on her shoulders. "We have a lot to catch up on." But as much as she wanted to throw herself back into work, Luna couldn't stop her thoughts.
Her phone buzzed quietly in her lap. She glanced down, half expecting an update from the investors, but instead, it was a call from her family.
Luna stared at the screen for a moment before flipping the phone face down. She couldn't deal with them right now. Not after everything. There was too much happening, too much to process.