Luna woke up slowly, the world around her coming into focus. She blinked a few times, her head still clouded from the events of the past night. The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room.
Astoria sat by the side of the bed, she was concerned about luna. Mia stood nearby, holding a small tray of tea and fruit, but her eyes were fixed on Luna with equal worry. Astoria, was the first to speak.
"Luna," she said softly, her voice tinged with both affection and guilt. "Are you alright, dear? I... I'm so sorry that you got dragged into all of this."
Astoria's eyes narrowed slightly in thought as she spoke again, "Who was that man who was with you this morning? He said he'd be back soon, but I didn't catch his name. He seemed... familiar to me somehow."
Her voice trailed off, and Luna's mind drifted back to the figure from the night before the man who had came into her room and do not know how.
Astoria's gentle hand shook Luna's arm lightly, pulling her back from her daze. "Luna, are you listening?"
Luna blinked again, trying to shake off the fog that still clung to her mind. "His name is Elis," she said quietly. "At least, that's what he told me. I don't know much more than that."
Astoria frowned, her brow furrowed as she tried to piece together her own thoughts. "Elis," she repeated softly, as if tasting the name. "There's something about him... but I can't place it."
Luna didn't respond. She was too caught up in her own thoughts. The events of the previous night were swirling in her mind the deadly attack, the deception, the wound that had miraculously healed, and now this man, Elis. She wasn't sure what to make of any of it.
After a few more minutes of silence, Astoria rose from the bed. "I'll leave you to rest now," she said, her voice tinged with sadness. "But please, make sure you eat something, Luna. You need your strength."
Luna nodded absently, not really hearing the words. Her mind was too distracted by the questions that had no answers. Astoria gave one last concerned glance before leaving the room with Mia. The soft click of the door shutting behind them left Luna alone with her thoughts once more.
Her phone buzzed softly on the bedside table, pulling her attention. She reached for it and glanced at the notifications. There were several messages from her office, all concerning the work that had piled up while she was away. Grace, who normally handled a lot of the day-to-day operations, was conspicuously absent, and everyone in the office knew why.
Taking a deep breath, Luna dialed the number for her office and waited as the call connected. After a few rings, a voice on the other end greeted her, and she asked to be connected to the person currently in charge in her absence.
The line clicked and a new voice came on, one of her senior assistants. "Miss Luna," the voice said, respectful but with an edge of urgency. "I thought you'd want to know there are rumors going around the office. Apparently, someone new is joining the company."
Luna's brows furrowed slightly. "Someone new?" she echoed. "Who?"
The assistant hesitated before answering. "Well, we're not sure yet, but there are rumors it's... your stepbrother. Word is he's being brought in to take on a more prominent role."
Luna's heart skipped a beat. Her stepbrother? The son of her father's second wife, Vivienne? She hadn't heard anything about this, and the news hit her like a wave of cold water. She stayed silent for a moment, weighing her response carefully.
"Keep me updated," she said finally, her voice steady despite the confusion swirling inside her. "I want to know everything as soon as you hear it."
"Of course," the assistant replied before hanging up.
Luna sat there, the phone still clutched in her hand, her mind spinning with the implications. Her stepbrother, someone she barely knew, was going to join the company? Why hadn't anyone told her? And more importantly, what was Vivienne planning?
Before she could dwell further on it, the door opened again, and in walked Vivienne, followed closely by Camille. Luna's stomach twisted at the sight of them. Ever since that day when she had been forced to kneel in humiliation before Vivienne, Luna had barely been able to stomach their presence. She had had enough of their games, their power plays, but now was not the time to confront them not yet.
Vivienne swept into the room, her face composed and unreadable, as always. Camille, on the other hand, wore a permanent sneer, her disdain for Luna practically radiating from her as she glanced around the room.
"Luna, darling," Vivienne said, her voice sweet but empty. "I came to check on you. I've been so worried."
Luna remained silent, pretending not to care about their presence. She could feel Camille's eyes on her, judging her, but she didn't rise to the bait. Instead, she stayed calm, recalling the words Grace had spoken to her before everything went to hell that someone from the Ross family wanted her dead. Luna hadn't forgotten, and while she had no proof yet, she knew that Vivienne was at the center of it.
"You look perfectly fine," Camille said suddenly, her voice sharp and cutting through the air like a knife. "Not a single scratch. It's almost as if you're pretending to be weak, isn't it?"
Luna glanced up, her eyes cold but controlled. "I'm not pretending anything."
Camille scoffed, her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Really? Because it seems like you're playing the victim here. You've been out of the office, but you're not even hurt. It's all for show, isn't it?"
Luna bit her tongue, refusing to rise to Camille's provocation. She had learned over the years that engaging with Camille only gave her more fuel to attack.
"It's not a show," Luna said calmly. "I've had a lot to deal with, both personally and professionally."
Camille's sneer deepened. "Oh, please. You're not even hurt, Luna. Stop acting like this. It's pathetic."
Vivienne, who had remained silent during this exchange, finally spoke up, her voice soft and measured. "That's enough, Camille." She turned to Luna, her eyes cold but with a veneer of politeness. "We're just glad you're alright, Luna. Truly. But perhaps it's time you get back to the office. There's a lot of work to be done, and... well, with everything going on, we can't afford any more delays."
Luna nodded, though her mind was miles away. She knew Vivienne didn't care about her wellbeing. She cared about control, about maintaining her grip on the Ross estate. And now, with the news of her stepbrother joining the company, Luna could feel the noose tightening around her.
But she wasn't going to let them win. Not yet.
As Vivienne and Camille turned to leave, Luna's mind began to race, formulating a plan. Something had to be done. She couldn't trust anyone, not even the people closest to her. But one thing was clear if Vivienne was scheming, Luna would need to be one step ahead.