Second Chance For My Billionaire Ex-Husband

Fisted hands above her naked chest, Luna Curry stared gloomily at the ceiling. Soreness inside her femininity stiffened her body. It was a cold night, but hatred was firing up. Sweats even grew on her forehead while she gritted her teeth.

Luna was chasing her breath while she picked up the robe on the ground and wrapped herself to have a shower. As the water splashed throughout her fair skin, a ringtone sounded outside. Though the conversation was inaudible, she heard the man answer it. For some reason, she had an idea of what the call was about.

A minute later, she heard him walking out and slamming the door. Luna anticipated it since, within three years of marriage with Grayson, his phone would ring every midnight hour. And after the call, he would dress up to go out and see his true love.

A sarcastic smile formed on her lips. It was as if Luna had been used to him that she didn’t care about his betrayal anymore. Numb of his actions, she pondered to herself, ‘At least, unlike other men, Grayson still comes home after meeting his mistress.’

The warm water washed the foam on her body before the bathroom door suddenly opened. Luna’s heart almost jumped in startle as she instinctively covered her body and squatted down. When she saw Grayson in the doorway, she calmed down.

“What are you doing?” she asked nonchalantly.

Some part of her delicate skin was still visible to Grayson’s eyes. Her ocean blue eyes, rosy lips, and wet face made her enchanting to him. Stunned, he blinked slightly. After he swallowed hard, he said coldly, “Stella is not feeling well. Check her up.”

Usually, Luna would sleep after taking a shower and found Grayson went out to see Stella James. This was the first time he had invited her with him. However, it was for one reason. She was a famous cardiologist who had been a surgeon for Stella.

A week ago, Stella had a heart transplant, and it was her, who performed the operation. “Go out. I’ll get dressed,” Luna whispered before Grayson left.

Just as she wore her trousers, her abdomen cramped. Blood was stained on her cloth, and she found she was on her period. Grumping, she picked another pant. ‘Argh! Stella stressed me out and made my period arrive earlier,’ she snarled in her thought.

“Fuck, Luna! Will you hurry up? A person is in critical condition, for Pete’s sake!” Grayson’s impatient voice sounded.

The next thing Luna knew, she was in an operating room, in front of unconscious Stella. Blood contaminated her gloves while she was trying her best to save her. However, Stella’s pulses were still getting slower and slower before a flatline straightened on the ECG.

"Beep," the sound of the machine echoed in the operation room.

An indepth sigh came out of Luna. She gazed at the wall clock and declared, “Time of death. 3:50 AM.”

The operation failed.

Luna turned around and saw the patient’s family outside, waiting for the result. She removed her bloodstained gloves first before facing them. Hope and fear were in battle in the family’s mind. Silence befell for a minute as Luna tried to find the right words to say. She took off her mask, and muttered, “I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. James. Stella didn’t survive the operation. We tried our best, but….”

Sorrow darkened and made the atmosphere heavier in the corridor. Their cries echoed in despair. Behind the family was a tall, familiar man. Luna saw Grayson, whose face was pale and depressed.

“Are you sure you tried your best?” Resentment sounded in his tone as he glared at Luna.

Dry throat dehydrated Luna even more. She persisted to the point she would almost collapse in fatigue and did everything she could as a cardiologist, but doubt was all she received from Grayson.

With blackened eyes, Luna locked her eyes with him and responded, “Her body suddenly resisted the medicine.” She paused for a second and added, “My condolences.”

Since the operation started, her abdomen had been in pain. However, she didn’t want to make an excuse in front of him. Showing weakness to Grayson was one of the things she hated.

Jaw clenched when Grayson suddenly grabbed her arm. His fingers solidified as they dug into her skin. It was as if he wanted to crush her bones. “I told you to rescue Stella, but now, you’re saying she’s dead?!”

Bafflement and fear drew on Luna’s expression. His glare was threatening her to give a reasonable explanation. She could feel her arms sore, together with her abdomen. “I did try my best,” she weakly said while she couldn’t stand the unbearable pain.

Her words sounded apathetic to him. Grayson sharply gazed at her with bloodshot eyes, “Then your best is not enough!”

Luna wanted to explain, but no matter what she said, the blame would fall on her.

The nurses suddenly pushed Stella’s lifeless body on the bed out of the operating room. She was covered with a white cloth while her family followed her, weeping in the corridor. Luna hadn’t had a proper sleep since she became her patient. Hearing her family’s grief now would certainly hunt her every night.

Slightly tilting her head, Luna averted her gaze back to Grayson. “You better say goodbye to her as there is not much time left. We can talk later if you want to know the details.” Her voice softened.

At this point, Grayson’s hold weakened as his eyes locked on Stella. He then followed after the family.

Left standing alone, the pain troubled Luna’s mind again. She only endured it while she took off her surgical suits, washed her hands, and returned to her office. Last night was too long, but she found it was already the hour to begin her shift. Meanwhile, she called her friend and asked her to come over.

For some reason, Luna’s sight blurred while she breathed heavily until she fainted. She woke up lying in the hospital bed, and her friend, Daisy Brown, was beside her.

She was an obstetrician and gynecologist in the hospital. Brows furrowed; Luna touched her abdomen softly. “I’m dying of hunger, Daisy. Do you have anything I can eat?”

Daisy inserted her hands in the pockets of her white coat while she looked at her with a chuckle. “Maybe you’re hungry, but it’s not the reason why you collapse.”

Heartbeat raced; a question mark flashed on Luna’s expression. “What do you mean?”

“You have a baby in your tummy and it's already six weeks!” Daisy replied excitedly.

A woman would typically cheer when she found she was pregnant, but not Luna. Instead of joy, fear and shock made her face pale. As she immediately sat up, her head spun in dizziness. Daisy told her to lean her back, and she gently followed. She looked down at her belly and spoke in her mind voice, ‘I thought I was just in my period.’

“Luna, you’re a doctor. You should’ve known that you’re pregnant. And how did you manage to stand beside the operating table for so long? Fortunately, your baby is safe,” Daisy somewhat lectured her with concern.

“Does anyone else know?” Luna interrupted before slowly looking up at her as if hoping nobody was aware of this.

There was silence for a moment while Daisy pursed her lips as if it was difficult to speak. Her expression revealed the answer to Luna. She chuckled sadly and thought, ‘Oh, I forgot. No one cares, especially now that Stella is dead. I won’t even cross Grayson’s mind.’

Melancholy sounded in her tone when she said, “Don’t tell anyone else.”

“Why? How about Grayson?” Daisy stared at her, worried.

“He doesn’t care.” The coldness of her voice froze the entire room as her eyes welled up. Luna couldn’t tell further why. Yet, Daisy could read her eyes. She knew more about Luna’s marriage than anyone else.

Indeed, Stella had just died. Even if the people heard that Luna was pregnant, not everybody would celebrate. The worst thing was it might be Daisy alone. “I understand,” she softly uttered and caressed Luna’s hair.

“However, when Stella’s funeral is over, you have to tell him. You are his wife, and you’ve done everything possible to save Stella. He shouldn’t blame you,” Daisy added. “Since Stella died, you can have a normal family with Grayson and your baby.”

Though it wasn’t pure to think like that, Daisy was grateful.

On the other hand, Luna was gazing at the darkness in the vast sky, feeling her marriage was about to end. She couldn’t just agree with her friend since Grayson’s true love wasn’t her. Now, it was even harder to fight against a ghost.

After some treatment and supplements for the baby, Luna was discharged from the hospital and went home late at night. There was not a single soul inside the house, but a parttime worker, who they hired to clean and cook meals for them.

When she went to the kitchen, she found the dishes on the table were already cold. ‘Grayson must haven’t returned yet,’ she thought. ‘Maybe he’s in Stella’s house, busy grieving and preparing for Stella’s funeral.’

No appetite to eat, Luna sat on the sofa and heaved a sigh. ‘What the hell should I do? If Grayson doesn’t accept me as his wife, what more is the child in my womb? Besides, he can’t just forget his true love in an instant,’ she pondered. Anxiousness caused her headache, so she took a quick shower.

The moment she was done, Grayson came back. Idle arms threw his tie and suit on the sofa while tiredness was evident in the circles around his eyes. It was as if Stella’s death had taken his life away.

Luna took a deep breath and walked over. Her slender fingers pinched the button on his collar as she untied it. When she was about to unbutton his shirt, Grayson suddenly clasped her wrist. He coldly stared at her and sneered, “Stella just died. Do you still want to do that now?”

Though it was vague, Luna understood what he meant. She gently answered, “I only think you need to breathe, Grayson, that’s all.”

Confusion clouded Grayson's mind. Judging from Luna's tone, he knew she was serious. His gaze followed Luna as she departed while thinking, 'Luna seems happy even if Stella has just died.' His eyes narrowed while a wave of rage arose in his system. 'Does she think she'll have a chance in my heart now that Stella's gone? Bitch.'

After Luna placed his clothes in the laundry, she lay on the bed. A moment later, a car's headlight reflected in her window as she heard the engine. It was the Ferrari Grayson often drove.

Hours of waiting had passed, there was no Grayson who returned, and Luna couldn't sleep. Her head on the pillow, she rubbed her abdomen gently. 'I'm sorry, baby, if Mommy can't promise you a whole family in the future.' Anguish troubled her all night.

The following day, Luna suddenly received a phone call from Grayson's parents, inviting her to their house for a meal. They reminded her to come with their son. Though she was supposed to be on duty, she was too embarrassed to refuse his parents. So, she only found a substitute to cover for her.

After countless times Luna called Grayson, there was still no answer. She could only think of one place where he would be. As a result, she drove towards her husband's company. When she asked the front desk, the lady answered, "Sir Grayson didn't come to work today."

"What? Where is he?" Luna immediately reacted. The lady only shrugged while she realized something. Stella's mother and her sister Chloe were the only ones left in their family. This might be the reason why Grayson had to take care of everything for Stella's funeral.

A faint smile appeared on Luna's lips as she noticed the lady's judgmental look. So, she stated, "I mean, he told me he has something to deal with. I was just too busy that I forgot about it."

Until she departed from the building, Luna forced a smile to plaster on her lips. Taking a deep breath, she hopped inside the car with restrained anger. She held the steering wheel tightly before stepping on the gas.

Before ringing the doorbell, Luna exhaled a huge amount of breath and thought of an excuse. The smile hadn't faded on her face since a helper welcomed her. She guided Luna to the dining area where Grayson's mother was waiting.

"Good evening," Luna greeted politely.

"Good evening, Luna. Where's Grayson?" Her motherinlaw, Maeve, asked.

Clearing her throat, Luna stared at her. "Ahm, Grayson has an important meeting to attend, and he can't excuse himself. He says it was urgent," she reasoned.

During the meal, utensils sounded in the dining. Maeve would ask questions, and all she would respond was yes or no. While slicing a lump of meat on her plate, Luna was absentminded.

"Luna. Don't you think it's time for you to have a baby?" Maeve stared at her, but she lowered her head and whispered to the side, "If only your son loves me."

'With Grayson's stone heart, no matter how sincere I express my affection for him, if he loves Stella more, I can never change his mind.' The thought congested her heart.

Luna's whisper was inaudible for Maeve though it was quiet. Since she didn't hear her answer, she added, "You see, Stella is gone. If you get pregnant now, you can catch his attention. I swear he won't reject but love you more than ever."

The corners of Luna's lips showed a hint of ridicule before she quickly engulfed. The food Maeve cooked was flavorless. She usually liked food like this, but now she couldn't help but retch.

Surprised, Maeve asked, "What's the matter?" Though Luna hadn't answered yet, her eyes shone and glanced at Luna's belly. "Wait. Are you already pregnant?"

The turn of events happened in a blink of an eye. Luna was stupefied. 'Shit. She knows,' she thought, biting her lower lip.

"Are you okay?" The stun on her face worried Maeve, so she calmed her voice down and held Luna's hands. She flashed a broad smile, trying to comfort her. "Don't be afraid, Luna. This baby…"

Luna snapped back into reality and immediately broke Maeve's excitement. "No. My stomach just hurts," she lied.

A reluctant smile formed on Luna’s lips.

“Are you sure?” Maeve immediately questioned in doubt.

Pursing her lips, Luna nodded. To prove that she was not bearing a child, she bore extreme disgust and ate the meat in front of Maeve. The bowl emptied.

The abrupt excitement on Maeve’s eyes was replaced by annoyance. She grumbled unhappily, “Grayson didn’t care about his wife but deeply cares about a dead woman.” Her tone was pointing the blame at Luna. She glared at her with a raging aura before adding, “You are useless for a wife, Luna.”

Her words arose guilt in Luna, yet Maeve wasn’t finished. “How can you be a fool? I’ve taught you everything to seduce your husband, but you never made it!”

Maeve massaged the bridge of her nose as she heavily breathed, protesting in thought, ‘If I only knew Luna is useless, I should’ve asked Grayson to marry another woman.’ Fueling her anger was her son’s absence. Ever since he married, Grayson didn’t listen to her anymore.

Maeve believed there were no indifferent men, only women who refused to give time to men. Luna was an ideal woman, but she didn’t know how to flirt. She had no chance compared to Stella. Besides, the Tatum family only accepted her since she was famous, and her family had a decent background.

Amidst the silence, Luna suddenly apologized to Maeve, “I’m sorry.” If she hadn’t said something a little longer, Maeve would throw sharpedged words.

Afterward, a tall man came fiercely to her. Grayson grabbed her arm and rudely lifted her from the chair. “Stand up!” His snarl echoed in the dining area, and Luna’s chair flipped to the ground.

Pupils enlarged; Maeve also stood up. “Grayson!” she shouted, but he ignored her.

Grayson was looking at Luna like a bloodthirsty wolf, ready to eat someone to death. His firm grip on her arm almost crushed her bones. As she looked at him, nothing but sadness and fear reigned in her heart. “Are you crazy?” She did her best to remain calm because of her condition.

“Did you intentionally kill Stella during the operation?” Ferocity grumbled Grayson’s voice.

Within three years of marriage, this was the first time Luna saw the murderous side of her husband. This man was as if a complete stranger!

Luna shook her head slightly in disagreement and frowned. “I told you, her body rejected the treatment, and we did our best to save her,” she reasoned, though she might have not tried her best to make him love her. But as for her career, as a respected doctor, she would definitely try all means to save her patients' lives no matter who they are.

Disbelief covered her eyes while staring at him for a moment. Tears somewhat blurred her sight. “How can you doubt me?”

A hiss escaped in between Grayson’s teeth. “Because you hate her! You must have been serious in this marriage that Stella’s existence with me annoys you.” The unshed tears revealed his fury and anguish.

Despite being hurled with hurtful words, Luna managed to look at Grayson straight in the eyes and calmly said, "Believe me or not, I know how much it hurts to lose the person you love the most. And yeah, you have every right to doubt me. However, if you truly believe I did not do my best and simply let her die, you may report me to the hospital. But gather evidence first."

After dropping those words, Luna shifted her gaze to Grayson's parents and met their glares. That gave her a hint that she needed to leave right away before a storm brewed.

Before leaving, she still respectfully excused herself to them. "Mom, Dad, thank you for dinner, but I'm leaving now."

Keeping her composure, she grabbed her bag and directly walked out of Tatum's residence.

However, as soon as Luna got into her car, her face and shoulders, which she had been holding up high, fell, and she burst into tears.

It never crossed her mind that Grayson would taint her reputation as a professional doctor.

Luna did her best to take care of Stella despite the latter being her husband's true love. She disregarded her feelings and chose to be professional instead, as she also wanted to avoid being accused of abusing her ability to play one's life in her hands.

But it seemed Grayson couldn't see that truth, as in his eyes, Luna was blinded by hatred and only desired revenge.

Luna tried not to cry as much as she could, but she was too aggrieved to hold back her tears. Tears continuously streamed from her eyes, blurring her vision. To avoid an accident, she pulled over her car to the side of the road and let her tears trickle down her face until her eyes dried up.

A few minutes later, she looked out her car window and realized she was on a commercial street. Many people were crossing the street, most of whom were probably heading to the nearby mall on the other side of the road.

The bright moon was shining down on the busy place and people, making the night spectacular.

Seeing it, Luna found herself pathetic for crying on such a sparkling night. So, instead of heading off straight to their house, she heaved a deep breath, dried her dumped cheeks, restarted her car, and drove to the mall on the other side of the road.

Right after she pulled up in the parking lot, she got out of her car and noticed two welldressed women getting off their vehicles as well.

Nightshopping was indeed splendid for women, so Luna thought her mood would lighten up by doing so until she overheard the conversation between the two women.

"Hey, have you heard that Grayson's wife killed Stella in the operating room on purpose? Everyone knew her now because of that," one of the two women, dressed in a baby pink dress, mumbled.

"Yeah, it was said that she vented her anger at Stella. She's really vicious. I've seen wives fighting with their husbands' mistresses, but she's the only one I've seen kill a helpless mistress," the other replied, detested.

"It's now vividly clear that she's not really willing to be a nominal wife from the start. But do you know that she could be sued for what she did?" the former asked.

"Really?" exclaimed the woman in the tangerine dress.

"Yes! Indeed, quiet people have their demons hidden," the woman in the baby pink dress concluded.

Even after hearing the two women's remarks, Luna just quietly walked behind them, not changing her path to avoid them.

Besides, she also wanted to know what others thought of her now.

Of course, Grayson fought for their relationship at first, but after realizing he didn't stand a chance against his parents, he and the latter came to an agreement. He would accept marrying someone, but he would not end his relationship with Stella.

At that time, Luna's parents were also pushing her to settle down in life. As such, Grayson and Luna's parents agreed their children be together.

Like what Grayson and his parents agreed, he married Luna but didn't break up with Stella. Although Grayson and Luna satisfied each other's bodily needs as any normal couple would, he never brought her to any gathering or party; it was always Stella he brought over with him at such events.

The only event Luna was with Grayson was supposedly his company's annual meeting, which Mr. and Mrs. Tatum invited her to attend to introduce her to their staff. However, Grayson brought Stella with him as his partner that night, leaving Luna embarrassed that she didn't want to dig up that memory of her again.

With that, anyone could tell how great the love Grayson had for Stella that she appeared more like his wife compared to Luna.

Since then, Luna had never attended any events with Grayson. And the rumor that Stella was Grayson's true love and Luna was his nominal wife spread like wildfire.

Upon entering the mall, the two women entered the elevator while Luna took the escalator. Not that she was affected by their words earlier; she just couldn’t stand listening to their groundless nonsense any longer.

Like ordinary days, she headed to the third, where her favorite dessert shop was. Whenever Luna was stressed out, she would always go there to unwind.

Meanwhile, Daisy was living in a magnificent mansion near the shopping mall, so she arrived quickly at the mall and easily found where Luna was in the shop.

But as soon as she sat in the chair across from Luna’s, she noticed the latter’s dejected expression, as if she was about to cry. Concerned, Daisy frowned and eagerly asked, “What’s wrong?”

But then she soon realized what could be the cause of her friend’s desolation, causing her worry to grow more. “Has something happened at the meal with the Tatum family earlier?”

However, Luna remained silent. She simply took a large sip of her drink and swallowed it along with her great grievance.

Since Luna didn’t respond and remained silent, Daisy could tell that the dinner didn’t go well. Otherwise, Luna wouldn’t have come here to relax and even called Daisy over for some company.

Suddenly, something crossed Daisy’s mind. She recalled hearing a rumor about Luna at her house these days. Remembering it, her eyelids fluttered in panic, and she stammered, “LLuna, if you heard some rumors about you, jjust ignored it, okay?”

Between the silence of Daisy and Luna, two women came into the shop and started chatting.

“How much can a doctor only make? Even if she worked extremely hard, her salary is insignificant compared to the cost of a piece of jewelry that a wealthy woman can afford. No matter what, being Grayson’s woman is still a lot easier for her to have a lot of money than being a famous doctor,” one of the newcomers scoffed.

Since the women were walking close to Luna and Daisy’s seats, Luna heard it and was momentarily stunned. Upon recovering, she turned her head to see who had said it, and to her surprise, she saw the two women she had seen earlier in the parking lot.

They were now carrying shopping bags in their hands, indicating that they had just finished shopping and had come to the shop to take a rest.

Seeing Daisy balled her fist, Luna already knew the latter would slam the table and confront the woman, so before her friend could do that, she immediately whispered, “Hey, calm down. They have the right to say whatever they want. Just let them be.”

Luna had been a submission wife to Grayson for three years, not complaining or competing with anyone even once. She was solely focused on her passion and her work. So it’s inapprehensible that Grayson saw her as a jealous woman.

In questioning Luna’s hard work, Grayson not only insulted her but also the noble and honorable profession of a doctor.

Daisy knew precisely what was running through Luna’s mind right now. Thus, in gritted teeth and knitted eyebrows, she replied, “That’s because he’s a heartless man.”

Almost every day, doctors witness their patients die, and most of the time, patients die in their hands despite their best efforts. Thus, doctors were under so much stress at work that they cursed and blamed themselves for losing their patients.

But what Luna couldn’t handle was Grayson’s indifference towards her. It had been two days since the rumor of Luna being a murderer had spread, but Grayson couldn’t bring himself to care for her. Instead, he was preoccupied with Stella, who was already dead.

Daisy's answer surprised Luna because she had not expected her friend to say such things about Grayson. But she soon chuckled and took another sip of her drink.

It hurt to say, but Grayson didn't have even the slightest feelings for Luna, and her eyes were wide open to that truth.

Luna leaned back in her chair and remarked, "We've been working in the hospital for years, and we've encountered many troubles during those years. Most of the deceased patient's family members, who couldn't accept the death of their loved ones, find some way to vent their rage, right?"

With a spoon in her mouth, Daisy paused for a moment. She then soon figured out what Luna was trying to say. "You mean it's James family's doing?"

The James family was not financially fortunate, and Stella's mother had previously worked as one of Tatum's nannies. The latter opposed Grayson and Stella's relationship and kept separating them. Only a few people knew about this history, and one of them was the Brown family, who used to live next door to Tatum, so Daisy was aware of it.

Daisy only met and befriended Luna after the latter was married to Grayson. But even now, Daisy had not yet told Luna about it. It was not that she didn't trust Luna at all; she was terrified of what the Tatum family's power could do if they discovered she had told Luna about the secret.

The Tatum family had kept that secret hidden for years now. Of course, it was a shame for them that Grayson fell in love with their nanny's daughter. Hence, they covered it up, leaving only Daisy aware of it aside from the family. So, if it was revealed to anyone else, it could easily be assumed that it was her.

Furthermore, since Grayson was in love with Stella, the James family had reaped numerous benefits from him. In fact, Grayson had been their backer in recent years, allowing the family to make significant progress. But it didn't end there even after Grayson married Luna, as he still continued to spoil Stella in the same way he had before.

However, now that Stella was gone, the James family no longer had a connection to the Tatum family, which also meant that their future might be at risk.

What was plausible was even though Luna didn't know the secret history of the James and Tatum families, she thought of that possibility.

Indeed, the James family spread the rumor to arouse Grayson's rage at Luna and pity for Stella, as well as to maintain Grayson's remaining love for Stella so that they could continue to milk him.

But even if Luna saw through the James family's trick and Grayson discovered it, nothing would change because Luna had no place in Grayson's heart. And now that the woman Grayson loved most had died, he would find a way to vent his sadness, and unfortunately, Luna was the one he chose to vent his emotions with.

Luna and Daisy decided to go home when the sky started darkening.

However, when Luna pulled into their parking space, she found the light in their living room still on, which was unusual these past two days.

Although she had an idea why, she quickly got out of her car, changed into slippers, and walked inside to confirm if she was correct. When her gaze drifted to the sofa, she found Grayson sitting. His eyes were closed, one of his arms rested on the sofa's armrest, and his legs were stretched forward, so Luna thought he had already fallen asleep.

After two sleepless days and nights, the man's face became haggard, his clothes were wrinkled, and the beard on his chin had grown messily. But even so, it did not lessen Grayson's handsome appearance. In fact, it even added to his sexual attractiveness, though he appeared to be a dangerous man who would kill someone the moment he opened his eyes.

Luna was aware that Grayson's rage had not yet subsided, so she did not dare to provoke him.

Silently, she decided to go upstairs. However, just when she was about to turn around, Grayson had already opened his eyes, making their gazes meet, and letting Luna notice Grayson's bloodshot eyes.

"The day after tomorrow is Stella's funeral. Kneel in front of her coffin and apologize. Only then will I stop bothering you," Grayson growled, frowning and glaring at Luna.

Luna scoffed in disbelief at what she had heard. It was as if she had heard a joke, but the man was too serious when he uttered those words for it to be a joke.

If she was only asked to attend the funeral as a guest, Luna would probably go as she and Stella had known each other for three years since their lives had been entangled from the day she married Grayson.

But kneeling down and apologizing to Stella's corpse were things Luna would never do, for she had nothing to apologize for, to begin with. Besides, doing so was like admitting that she had done what everyone was accusing her of. But since she had poured all of her efforts into saving Stella, unlike their accusations, there was no way she would do what Grayson asked her to.

Thus, in Luna's resentment, she firmly refused Grayson for the first time, retorting, "No, no way!"

Luna couldn't believe Grayson would torment her just to put his mind at ease. She thought the latter had gone insane due to his intense love for Stella.

Indeed, Luna had been a docile wife for three years, but that didn't mean she had to obey him and absorb all of his rages for the rest of her life. She also had a life and mind that could decide on her own. Clearly, Grayson was being unreasonable and had gone overboard this time!

On the other hand, Grayson was stupefied to witness Luna's firm disapproval. As far as he knew, Luna was always silent, listening to whatever he said, and appeared to be nonexistent. But now, for the first time, she got the courage to retort to him.

Grayson agreed to marry Luna because she was docile and she didn't mind that he was still with Stella and because she was a cardiologist, he expected to help treat his true love. However, his belief in Luna's ability turned out to be a huge mistake to him.

Upon realizing his miscalculation with Luna, Grayson's face grew grimaced, and his grip became tighter even more. He was now shooting a death glare at Luna as if he wanted to murder her right then and there.

"You were in charge of Stella's operation until she died. So, who else should we blame aside from you? Don't you even consider at least attending her funeral? Now, I repeat, kneel down and apologize to her, and I won't trouble you again," Grayson snarled as he clutched Luna's wrist, still glowering.

With his evertightening grip, Luna felt like her bones were about to be crushed.

"You were the one who asked me to perform Stella's surgery in the first place. I had many other patients then, but you asked me to be her chief surgeon. Why did you ask me to do it if you didn't trust me?" Luna peppered Grayson with questions, causing his pupils to dilate and his fingers to loosen for a brief moment.

Stella had been suffering from heart disease for years, and as the years passed, her condition worsened to the point that she had to undergo a heart transplant. As Grayson discussed the operation plan with other doctors, they all recommended Luna to be the surgeon for that operation.

"Luna is a responsible doctor. I believe she will prioritize patients and draw a clear line between work and personal matters." This was what Stella had said after hearing the doctors' recommendation from Grayson.

As Stella had said so, and Grayson hoped that the former could live a long life if they took the doctors' recommendation, they considered it and changed the medical team for the operation. But, in the end, the surgery turned into a tragedy—Stella died.

At the end of the day, Grayson failed to make Luna attend Stella’s funeral and apologized in front of the latter’s coffin. Left with no choice, he did what Luna had told him to do.

As soon as the sun rose, he went to the hospital where Luna worked and started processing the investigation, which kept him busy for days. It was also the day he decided never to step foot in their house again.

Shortly after Grayson filed a request for an investigation with the hospital, Luna received an order from her superiors to suspend her post until the investigation was finished.

In three years of their marriage, Grayson and Luna had faced many challenges, but Stella’s death was the one that would surely put an end to their marriage.

Upon learning the news about the investigation Grayson pursued against Luna, Adeline immediately called Luna back to their family’s villa.

Luna was already used to hearing her adopted mother’s derisiveness. As she always did, she was just looking down and remaining silent.

“You must have forgotten that we raised you, and you must spend your entire life repaying us,” Adeline added, looking at Luna from head to toe.

Since Luna was five years old, she had been listening to Adeline’s brainwashing words. But now that she was old enough, she found those words bullshit.

“Go find a way to get Grayson’s heart. If you can give him a child, then go so you can remain in the Tatum family. Do it if you don’t want a dead woman to be more valuable than you!” Adeline sneered, pushing Luna’s forehead with her index finger.

Just as Luna heard the word ‘baby,’ she glanced at her belly as her thoughts started to wander.

Adeline and Maeve had told her to have a baby to win Grayson’s heart, but Luna couldn’t take their reason.

Battling with herself, she wondered, ‘If I announced I’m pregnant would this be enough to quell Grayson’s rage?’ But she quickly shook the idea off, muttering inwardly, ‘Huh! I must be dreaming. He only married me so that he could maintain his relationship with Stella. So, even though I’m pregnant, it’s impossible for him to keep me by his side now that Stella is gone.’

But then her conscience nagged her, saying, ‘You were raised by this family, but what are you doing? You’re disappointing them after everything they’ve done to you!’

Then another voice whispered in her head. ‘Now that you have the baby, you want it to deliver, but for what purposes? You wanted to use him or her as a tool like Adeline did to you? You wanted to control his or her life to improve your own? So, what’s the difference between you, Adeline, and Maeve? You will only cause your child to suffer the same fate as you.’

Adeline was busy scolding her when Oscar returned home and saw Luna standing and looking down while Adeline was scolding her.

Seeing this, Oscar frowned and approached the two. “Mom, what’s the matter? Why are you scolding her again?”

Adeline’s expression softened upon seeing her son’s face. But instead of answering his question, she just instructed, “Go call your brotherinlaw and invite him to come here for a dinner.”

Adeline turned to Luna again. Her sharp gaze was directed toward her.

'How can this woman be so useless? Do I have to do everything for her?' Adeline thought as she mentally shook her head.

Meanwhile, Luna's eyes caught Oscar taking out his phone. She hurriedly walked toward him and held out her palm. "I'll talk to him. Give me your phone," she said.

Oscar sighed and followed her command. Luna took the phone and went to the backyard. She dialed Grayson's number and put the phone near her ear.

Luna's eyebrows furrowed when Grayson didn't answer his phone. She pressed the call button again and waited. On her seventh try, the man finally picked up the call.

"This better be good news, Luna. Have you changed your mind?" Grayson's cold voice asked.

Luna pursed her lips. "No."

"Then, what did you call me for? You're just wasting my time!" Grayson growled on the other line. Luna could picture his scowling face in her head perfectly.

"My mother kept on asking me about you. She said you haven't visited our home and eaten a meal here for a long time. She wants me to invite you. If you're busy with work, I'll just tell her," she replied timidly. She looked down and waited for his answer, slightly kicking the grass under her feet.

Grayson scoffed inwardly. Luna couldn't even hide the disinterest in her tone. She made it clear that she was obeying her mom's orders. "I'm not in the mood to eat. Stella had just died. What's the point of eating or whatever anyway," he answered with indifference.

'Can a dinner or something solve all of my problems?' he thought to himself.

Luna heaved a deep sigh and stared at the sky. To her, it felt like he was implying that since Stella is already dead, she shouldn't live her life anymore as well.

That shouldn't be the case. Stella was already gone, but life would always continue. The sun would still rise. People would move forward in their lives. Time would never stop. Nothing could change Stella's death, but that was not Luna's responsibility anymore.

Grayson was the first one to end the call. Luna clicked her tongue as she turned the phone off. Instead of returning to the house, she stayed in the backyard for a while. The gentle breeze and the sight of the bright sky were able to calm her down.

After a while, she went inside and found her mother sitting on the sofa, obviously waiting for her news.

"So?" Adeline raised her brow.

"Grayson said that he's swamped with work. He can't spare time to come here," Luna replied in a monotone.

Adeline's lips twitched. Her daughter's answer and obvious disinterest made her blood boil.

"What?" Luna asked upon seeing her mother's reaction. "He's really busy. He told me that he'll just come here next time."

"Call him again. Ask him where he is right now, then pick him up and bring him here."

Luna's mouth went agape. She stared at her mother in disbelief. She thought of not obeying her mother for a moment, but she also realized that her mother would probably do worse if she didn't follow her. She would probably go and find Grayson by herself, which would only make things worse than they are right now.

"Haven't you noticed anything wrong or strange in the past three years, Mom?" Luna asked.

"Stella's role is very important. Without her, I wouldn't be able to marry into the Tatum family."

This wasn't just as simple as it looked like. It was a matter of true love. A meal or even a grand feast wouldn't solve the problem at all.

Luna felt that, after all, she was still a woman. A human. She still had her dignity and selfconsciousness.

She shook her head and walked out of the house, leaving her enraged mother. She could hear her mother's angry litany, but she didn't look back.

"You ungrateful brat!" Adeline's voice echoed throughout the entire house.

Luna bit her lower lip and fisted her hands tightly. Right now, she was facing the huge framed photo of Stella. She didn't even expect that a single phone call from Grayson would change everything.

Grayson called Adeline and informed her about the negotiation he had with Luna. Adeline was so pleased that she immediately escorted Luna to Grayson's house in just a snap.

Luna stood stiffly until a painful pinch on her waist from her mother made her move forward. Luna glared at Adeline before facing ahead again. She wouldn't be surprised if a bruise formed on her waist tomorrow.

Eyes glazed with unshed tears, Luna raised her head and stared at Stella's picture. The woman's smile seemed gentle and sweet, as if she enjoyed looking at what was happening in front of her.

Luna swallowed hard. She didn't know why, but she could sense a trace of sarcasm in Stella's graceful smile.

'I feel bad for you, dear Luna. When I was still alive, you had to live under my shadow. Now that I'm dead, you're still trapped in my footsteps. What's worse is you have to bow to me and pay respect. The tables have turned, but you still can't escape. I will be a shadow in your life forever. You will never escape.' These words played inside Luna's head repeatedly. She shook her head and blinked her eyes, unable to erase Stella's smile and voice from her mind.

Grayson stood near Luna with a stoic expression. His eyes showed nothing but indifference as he looked at her.

Isla, Stella’s mother, and Chloe, Stella’s sister, were standing next to Grayson. Both women wept and mourned beside him. Their swollen eyes were a clear indication that they had been crying for so long. They only stopped crying when they saw Luna standing in front of Stella’s altar. All of a sudden, anticipation was written in their expressions as they watched Luna bow in front of their dead loved one.

Seeing Luna bow in front of Stella meant only one thing. She was admitting her mistake. Stella would finally be able to rest in peace. In addition, Grayson would continue to support and take care of the James family since it was Luna’s fault after all.

Besides Stella’s mother and sister, all of her present relatives thought the same way as they watched Luna give respect to Stella.

Meanwhile, Luna sniffled as she slowly moved toward Stella’s altar. She fisted her hands so tight that she could feel her nails digging into her flesh. Her body trembled despite her constant tries to calm herself down.

She looked at Stella’s picture again and, in an instant, tears brimmed in her eyes again.

Adeline moved her body closer behind Luna. Without any word, she tightly gripped her arm and forced her to lower her head even more. Luna groaned in pain and tried to remove herself from her mother.

Unless someone cut her head off, no one could make her lower her dignity and submit herself to them.

Luna gathered all her strength and broke free from her mother’s hold. She stepped forward but unfortunately, her foot tripped on the carpet. Panicking, Luna held the tablecloth so she wouldn’t fall to the ground.

However, the tablecloth moved, making the candles on the table fall. The wax oil spread on the table, and flames consumed the cloth.

The entire house was enveloped with smoke and fire in just a blink of an eye. Stella’s framed picture burned into ashes almost in an instant.

Luna stood frozen in her spot as she watched everything turn into mere ashes and smoke. Her mind went blank. Her body became numb as cold sweats formed on her back and forehead despite the heat of the fire. She could feel her throat hurt. She felt suffocated.

Luna repeatedly coughed, feeling the burning sensation in her throat. Screams and cries surrounded the place. She gasped in panic, causing her to inhale more smoke. She turned her head sideways and saw people running. Some people were slightly panicking as they tried to put the fire out. The others were busy running away from the scene.

The fire continued to grow rapidly. Luna, still frozen on her spot, watched the scene unfold before her eyes. Her mother was already gone.

Luna blinked her eyes when she saw something. In the midst of the thick smoke and scorching flames, a tall figure suddenly appeared. The figure rushed toward the altar table and grabbed Stella’s urn and all the other items laid there.

Luna stepped closer as she narrowed her eyes. Not long after, she finally recognized who it was.

Grayson.

Luna swallowed a huge lump in her throat as she stared at Grayson’s figure.

‘He’s willing to endure that fire just to save a mere urn? Stella’s that important to him, huh?’ she thought to herself.

Without any word, Luna turned around and ran away. She didn’t feel even an ounce of guilt about the fire. She didn’t care about what people could say to her—even Grayson.

Luna looked back and saw the house of the James family get consumed by the fire. The loud sirens of the fire trucks blared from a distance. People and passersby started to form a crowd near the burning house.

Luna turned around and continued to walk away. Suddenly, a pain shot through her stomach. She stopped in her tracks and covered her belly with her hand. She coughed and coughed. Her sight started to become hazy with each minute. Her breaths began to become heavier.

Her lips trembled as fear started to rose in her system. She looked to her right and saw Grayson’s shadowy figure. At that time, Grayson was actually busy searching for Luna.

A sad smile curved into Luna’s pale lips. She swallowed hard before starting to walk away again, not minding the agonizing pain in her stomach.

What happened at Stella’s funeral instantly became the talk of the town. Rumors began to spread. One of those was about Luna. It was said that Grayson’s wife completely unleashed her true colors, turning Stella’s family’s house into a sea of fire during her funeral. Some people even said that Luna not only killed Stella but also killed the moment for Stella’s loved ones to mourn for her.

Even to her death, Luna managed to destroy everything for Stella. They said that she really wanted to vent all her anger on her.

People talked about Luna with great enthusiasm in the streets, markets, malls, hospital corridors, and even inside houses. At this point, what happened at Stella’s funeral blew up so badly that people couldn’t stop talking about it. Worse, adding details to stories that were not even true.

Days after the fire, the James family held another funeral for Stella. But then, they kept everything private and buried Stella’s ashes with only their close family, friends, and relatives.

Meanwhile, Luna suffered greatly from the fire. She inhaled a lot of smoke which damaged her throat. She wasn’t able to speak for days because of it.

What was worse was the doctor informed her that the baby in her belly also wasn’t able to make it.

The baby was in an unstable state as soon as she arrived at the hospital. They weren’t able to save it. Luna thought that it must be Stella’s way of revenge against her. Or because of the fire she started at the house of Stella’s family.

Luna spent days resting in their home alone. The only person who knew about her miscarriage was Daisy.

The Curry family didn’t want to be the receiving end of Grayson’s anger about what happened. They didn’t even dare to speak with Luna at all. Even the name of Grayson’s family was dragged into the rumors. Maeve made it clear to Luna that she should deal with the matter by herself. On the other hand, Grayson didn’t talk to Luna after the fire yet. He would always picture the fire whenever he heard her name or pictured her face.

Daisy put the hot bowl of soup in front of Luna. The latter muttered her thanks before grabbing her spoon.

“Uhm… About Grayson,” Daisy started. Luna looked at her. “Did he talk to you yet? Didn’t he want to divorce you?” Daisy asked in a low voice.

Luna bit her lower lip.

Luna slowly mixed the hot soup using her spoon before looking at her friend. She shook her head at her.

“Will he report you to the authorities? Tell them about what you did?” Daisy asked in a low voice.

Luna managed to find her way out of the issue about Stella’s operation. But this time, she knew that what she did at the funeral wouldn’t let her get away that easily.

She shook her head again and ate the soup.

The truth was that Luna felt conflicted about what Grayson would do. She thought that he wouldn’t do such a thing to her, but at the same, she couldn’t be so sure.

Daisy tsked and sighed heavily. She crossed her arms on her chest while staring at her silent friend. She couldn’t believe Luna had just set Stella’s family’s house on fire. On the day of her funeral!

“Do you have a death wish, Luna?” she asked. “You literally burned that family’s house down! You kept on telling me before that you were good at enduring everything. What happened? What had gotten in your mind that you did that?”

Luna pursed her lips. She put the spoon down and grabbed her phone. Daisy remained looking at her as she typed something. Not long after, she showed her phone screen to Daisy.

“No matter what, I must end my marriage with Grayson. Even if he sends me to jail,” Daisy read. Luna nodded her head. Determination was etched on her expression.

All she ever wanted was to live like a normal person.

Rich or poor, there was no difference. A human was still a human at the end of the day. Everyone had respect and dignity for themselves, regardless of their status in life.

Perhaps it wasn’t Luna’s intention to set the house on fire just to get away from that place. Maybe she subconsciously wanted to do that and didn’t regret it at all. She didn’t know anymore.

One was for sure, though. If the Tatum family disowned or rejected Luna, Adeline would just find another wealthy family her daughter could marry into. It wouldn’t matter if that family were not as wealthy or influential as the Tatums. As long as they could support the Curry family, Adeline would be at ease.

The worse part was, that Luna didn’t even need to marry a rich man anymore. Even just being a mistress would be fine for Adeline.

Obviously, she treated her children like her assets. Especially her daughter.

Adeline had spent so much effort and money on her daughter as she grew up. She sent her to a prestigious university and applied her to different extracurricular clubs so that Luna could gain more skills. Not to mention that Luna was a diligent and gifted child.

Not only did she become a doctor at a young age, but she also excelled in the field of arts. Ballet? Painting? She was also very good at those. Her beauty, charm, and grace never ran out of men trying to woo her.

Luna and Grayson had only been married for three years. Her family was still not satisfied with the money they had acquired yet.

Luna scoffed. ‘Can they let me go? I don’t think so.’

She raised her gaze and looked at her friend. There were so many words in her heart that she couldn’t say, even to Daisy.

Even life had its way of suppressing her. The fore badly damaged her throat so that she couldn’t speak.

Silence enveloped her and Daisy.

It wasn’t as if she could utter a word.

A week had passed. Grayson finally decided to face Luna.

Luna’s eyes slowly scanned his body. He seemed like he had lost some weight. His expression looked colder and more ruthless. If stares could kill, Luna would probably be dead on the spot.

Luna still couldn’t speak. A medicinal plaster was placed on her throat to help her recover faster. She grabbed her phone and typed something.

After a few seconds, she stretched her arm and showed the screen to Grayson.

[Why are you here? If you’re planning to send me to jail, do it. I don’t care.]

Knowing that Luna wouldn’t be able to talk because of her condition, Grayson had no choice but to read whatever she wrote on her device. He scoffed after reading her words.

“Sending you to prison is not enough for me. You deserve to suffer more,” he coldly said, making Luna nervous.

She spent the past few days planning what she should do if Grayson turned her to the police. If the police came to investigate, she could tell them that she accidentally grabbed the tablecloth and couldn’t put the fire out since she was so shocked about what happened.

She didn’t even intend to set the house on fire, but her mother was too much that she couldn’t control herself and grabbed the cloth.

The police could conclude that she accidentally caused the fire and didn’t do it on purpose. Unless… Grayson is determined to send her to jail and use his family’s power to make that happen.

With such thought, Luna had already prepared herself for the worse.

Without a doubt, the Tatum family valued their image the most. They wouldn’t want a daughterinlaw who was sent to prison. Even if she became the exwife of Grayson later, they wouldn’t dare let someone like Luna tarnish their name.

But surprisingly, Grayson had no intention of sending her to jail.

Luna didn’t know if it was for the better or worse. Looking at his dark expression and menacing eyes, she felt more terrified.

Grayson saw the hint of fear on Luna’s face, making him smirk evilly. “What? Are you scared? You didn’t look like that when you set Stella’s house on fire and ruined her funeral. Why do you look scared, Luna?” he asked.

The woman only swallowed hard.

Grayson's smile widened as he stared at Luna's terrified eyes. Then, he took out a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. His long, slender fingers flicked the box twice until a cigarette came out. Grayson put it in between his lips and lit it with his silver lighter. He didn't even care that the smoke was bad for Luna's throat.

Staring straight into the woman's eyes, he slowly puffed the cigarette's smoke, mixing it with the air. The way he smoked made him look more manly and rough.

"I never knew that you were that confident and brave, Luna." Grayson took a step closer. His fingers slowly made their way to her chin and made her face him.

The two of them held each other's gaze. Luna could almost feel his breath touching her skin.

Grayson scanned her face carefully. It had been years since they first met, but he could still remember what he felt the moment he saw her for the first time.

He found her beautiful. When he met her, he instantly sensed her gentleness. It seemed like everyone could easily control her. She was obedient and always willing to do what people would ask her. And because of her pretty face and personality, she was quite popular in their circle. Luna was definitely someone that every rich man could ask for. Quiet. Beautiful. Submissive.

Not to mention that it was her mother's upbringing that made Luna act like that. Adeline was very keen on making her daughter the perfect wife to be.

But after the fire, Grayson's perception of Luna changed completely. She could look like an angel or a saint on the surface, but her character was the opposite.

'An angellooking demon,' he thought. His eyes became sharper as he looked at her.

Luna noticed it immediately. She held her breath when she felt him hold her chin tighter. Not long after, her face started to turn red.

She repeatedly coughed, feeling the burning pain in her throat. Grayson didn't even care. She glared at him and fisted her hands.

"You will never be like Stella. She was gentle and kind, unlike you. What happened to her is all your fault," Grayson uttered with menace.

Luna looked away. It was as if a bucket of cold water splashed on her face. She realized that Grayson would never be willing to listen to her side. He had already made up his mind that she was the villain.

She reached out her hand and tried to grab her phone, but Grayson let her go. He took out an envelope and showed it to her.

Inside were papers for divorce.

Luna breathed slowly. She was also about to tell him about the divorce. What surprised her was that Grayson took the initiative to end their marriage. She thought that he wouldn't do such a thing because their marriage would be an advantage for him for his revenge.

'At least I won't have a hard time dealing with this,' Luna pondered to herself, relieved that they were both in the same boat about the divorce.

Luna didn't grab her phone anymore. She thought Grayson might change his mind if he knew she also liked the idea of ending their marriage. Instead, she took the papers and read them.

Grayson, on the other hand, glanced at her phone. There were no traces of any emotion on his face.

Luna's eyes scanned the papers carefully. She flipped each page and read them with a calm look on her face. She couldn't help but think about what her future life would look like after this.

Three years ago, she agreed to marry Grayson Tatum on two conditions. First, she shouldn't interfere with Grayson and Stella's relationship no matter what. Secondly, she had to bear a child with Grayson. It was Grayson's parents who proposed such an idea.

But aside from that, there was another condition that Luna had to follow. After giving birth to her and Grayson's child, their marriage would end immediately. Luna also would not have the right to take custody of their child nor make opinions about the child's future stepmother.

However, since Luna just had a miscarriage and Stella passed away, her marriage with Grayson was already pointless. They needed to end it.

The document clearly stated that Luna would get nothing from Grayson after the divorce. No money. No property. Not even a car. She would also lose all the shares she had from the company of the Tatum family.

Luna couldn't care less. She would be fine if she was free from Grayson and his family.

She glanced at Grayson, who was also looking at her nonchalantly. She grabbed the pen and looked at the document again. Without any word, she started signing the paper.

She was almost done writing her name when she stopped. A thought popped into her mind.

She could feel Grayson's intense gaze on her, making her very uncomfortable. She felt something off about him. It was as if she was in his trap. Like something bad would happen to her if she signed the divorce papers.

Grayson exhaled again, letting the cigarette's smoke linger in the air. He raised his eyebrow when he noticed Luna stopped and looked at him.

"What's wrong? Have second thoughts? Did you realize that you didn't want to divorce me?"