The Moon of Those Days Never Came Back

Floyd Stuart abandoned me at Mount Gravenwood for an entire month.

When he finally came to pick me up, he was still fuming.

“You should count yourself lucky that Trace’s leg is fine. If it wasn’t, you couldn’t pay it back even if you were dead!”

“The wedding is postponed by a year. When we get back, you can explain that to my parents yourself.”

He fully expected me to break down—crying, throwing a fit and adamantly refusing to agree to the delay.

Instead, I lowered my head submissively. “Alright, whatever you say.”

Floyd stared at me in stunned silence for a long time. “If you think a year is too long, we could…”

“No need.” I smiled as I cut him off.

What Floyd didn’t know was that I had struck a deal with the Spirit of Gravenwood.

In five days, I would replace her and marry another man.

By the time the searchandrescue team found me, Lumina was utterly emaciated. Her eyes were sunken, cheekbones jutted sharply and her complexion was deathly pale.

The team leader compared her face with a photo for a long time before radioing Floyd, “Sir, we’ve found Ms. Shields.”

It wasn’t long before Floyd and Trace arrived.

When Floyd saw Lumina’s ghostly pale face and frail frame, he froze for a moment, clearly startled. But then his anger flared even hotter.

“Why couldn’t you just stay put? Do you have any idea the rescue team hasn’t slept for days because of you? Can you, for once, stop causing trouble for everyone?”

Mount Gravenwood was perpetually shrouded in a veil of mist, with beasts lurking in every shadow.

At first, Lumina didn’t dare take a single step into the forest. She stayed rooted to her spot, eating the food in her backpack, clinging to the hope that Floyd would come quickly to rescue her and end her misery.

One morning, she woke to a terrifying sight: two wolflike creatures just a short distance away, licking the last remnants of her backpack. Their eyes glowed green, as if they were seconds away from tearing her apart and devouring her whole.

Lumina was so scared she barely dared to breathe, her nails digging into her palms so deeply they nearly drew blood.

Fortunately, the wolves left after they had their fill.

With no food left, she had no choice but to venture deeper into the forest.

Moments later, when Floyd confronted her in anger, Lumina just bowed her head without a word.

He’d always accused her of talking too much, of pushing her arguments too far. Over time, it had become clear that no matter what she said, his first reaction was always to doubt her.

If that was the case, what was the point of defending herself? Lumina thought idly.

One of the younger members of the search party seemed unable to hold back and muttered in her defense:

“Mount Gravenwood is famously dangerous, with wild beasts everywhere. How could a girl like her possibly stay in the same spot for an entire month?”

“You knew Lumina before?” came the response.

Tracie Ryan’s sudden remark left the young man utterly baffled.

“I don’t know her,” he said, confused.

Tracie covered her mouth with a light laugh. “Hearing you speak up for Lumina like that, I thought you two must have known each other for ages.”

As she spoke, she cast a knowing glance at Lumina, her laughter ringing even brighter. “Lumina is still as charming as ever. Even complete strangers can’t help but jump to her defense.”

The moment she finished speaking, Floyd’s face darkened—not at the young man, but at Lumina. “Oh? So it didn’t take you long to have men standing up for you now?” he sneered. “You really are something else.”

The search team leader hurriedly motioned for the group to step back, worried someone else might cluelessly jump in and escalate the situation further.

For a moment, an eerie silence hung over the forest.

It was Tracie who broke the tension.

Crouching down, Tracie asked gently, “Lumina, are you alright?”

Then she looked up at Floyd and added, “What happened that day wasn’t intentional on Lumina’s part. She was just spoiled growing up and maybe she has some bias against me—that’s why she lashed out.”

“Floydie, don’t be too hard on her, okay?” she continued, her voice softening further. “Look, I only hurt my leg a little and it’s been painful enough all this time. Imagine how scared Lumina must’ve been, alone in Mount Gravenwood. Let’s just take her home, alright?”

At the mention of that day, Floyd’s voice turned icy, colder than frost. “You should be glad Trace’s leg is fine. Otherwise, you couldn’t pay for it—even with your life.”

He didn’t stop there, his tone cutting even deeper.

“I’ve already made arrangements. The wedding is postponed by a year. Once we’re back, you can explain yourself to Grandma.”

The Ryan and Stuart families had been close for generations and Alice, Floyd's grandma, had always adored Lumina.

When Lumina’s parents tragically passed away five years ago, Grandma Alice had taken her in, welcoming her into the Stuart Family and publicly announcing her engagement to Floyd.

Lumina hadn’t objected—quite the opposite. She’d blushed as she stole glances at the tall, handsome young man beside her.

Since then, she had embraced the role of Floyd’s fiancée with full enthusiasm, fiercely guarding her claim. No other girl was allowed near him. If she caught wind of Floyd getting close to anyone, she would throw dramatic tantrums and cause an uproar.

Her antics earned her a nickname within their social circle: “The Tiger Wife in Training.”

Lumina remained utterly indifferent, continuing to do things her own way.

But no matter what she did, it was impossible to compete with the overwhelming pull of Floyd’s unforgetable love—Tracie Ryan.

It was because of Tracie that her wedding with Floyd had already been postponed once.

Back then, the entire capital of Bellford knew how furious she was. She had nearly torn the place apart, forcing even Grandma Alice to pull her aside and warn her not to go too far.

So, when Floyd announced another postponement, everyone held their breath, bracing for another explosion.

But this time, Lumina simply lowered her gaze and nodded obediently. “Alright. Whatever you say.”

Floyd was stunned.

He had fully expected her to cry and throw a tantrum. He had even prepared measures to subdue her outbursts.

Yet, seeing her so calm and agreeable left him unexpectedly uneasy and irritated. It felt as though he had lost control of the situation. Almost reflexively, he offered a concession, “If you think a year is too long, we can…”

“No need.” Lumina’s smile was serene as she cut him off.

Whether the wedding was postponed for a year, ten years, or canceled altogether, it no longer mattered to her.

What Floyd didn’t know was that Lumina had made a deal with the Spirit of Gravenwood while in the mountains.

In seven days, she would take the Spirit’s place and marry another man.

When the time came, Floyd could postpone the wedding all he wanted or even change the bride—it would have nothing to do with her anymore.

As they prepared to leave, a rescue team member tried to help Lumina up, only to be shocked when she couldn’t stand at all.

After losing all the food in her backpack, Lumina had gone several days without eating.

Driven by the desperation of hunger and dizziness, she had taken the risky decision to climb a tree over ten meters tall in search of food.

Luck was on her side at first—she managed to pluck and eat some fruit. But then came the misfortune: the fruit was poisonous.

The instant Lumina swallowed the fruit, a sharp, excruciating pain tore through her stomach, leaving her disoriented. Her grip faltered and she plummeted from the towering tree.

When she finally regained consciousness, the reality hit her like a blow—both of her legs were broken.

The rescue team’s medic, overwhelmed by the severity of her injuries, quickly determined they were beyond field treatment. Urgently, they contacted the nearest hospital to prepare for her immediate arrival.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were this badly hurt?” Floyd demanded, his voice tight.

For a moment, Lumina found the question almost funny.

If she’d had any way of contacting the outside world, would she have been trapped in this godforsaken place for an entire month?

Floyd seemed to realize the flaw in his words from her silence. For once, he lowered his head to her, a rare gesture of remorse.

"I'm sorry. Leaving you here alone was thoughtless of me," Floyd said, his voice filled with regret.

"But don't worry, I’ll make sure your legs are treated!"

He was about to reach out to hold her, but just then, Tracie let out a sharp gasp from behind him.

"Oh no!" Before anyone could react, Tracie wobbled and began to fall.

Instinctively, Floyd pushed Lumina aside and rushed to catch Tracie, his eyes filled with guilt and concern.

“Trace, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just my leg still hurts a little.”

“I told you not to come with us until your leg was healed.”

“But I was worried about Lumina...” Tracie’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. “After all, with Lumina in this condition, I feel responsible too.”

Lumina had been shoved into the thick grass and her elbow had been scraped, a deep cut tearing open and sending sharp pain through her body.

Yet, Floyd didn’t even spare her a glance. He simply scooped Tracie up and hurried off toward the edge of the forest.

Fortunately, one of the young members of the rescue team carried Lumina to the nearest hospital.

It seemed Floyd had been too confident, too soon.

After a full evaluation of Lumina’s injuries, the doctor gently suggested that her legs might never heal properly.

Even worse, her organs were showing signs of failure. Her digestive system, deprived of nourishment for so long, had severely atrophied and she faced the risk of having threequarters of her stomach removed.

Hearing this, Floyd nearly overturned the doctor’s desk in frustration.

“What do you mean ‘it can’t be treated’? How is that even possible? Her legs are just a bit fractured! How can you say she’ll never walk again?”

Tracie quickly stepped in to calm him down. “It’s okay. If the hospital here can’t help, we’ll take her to the city. If that doesn’t work, we can send her abroad. There’s always a solution.”

“Don’t you remember? My brother is a renowned surgeon,” she added.

Floyd’s brow remained furrowed, but his expression softened slightly. Whether he was truly listening to Tracie or just trying to reassure himself, he muttered, “Right. There’s always a way. There has to be a way.”

Lumina was rushed to the best hospital in the city overnight.

Tracie’s brother, Sean, personally took over her case and delivered a diagnosis that completely contradicted the previous one.

“Lumina’s legs aren’t a big deal; just a couple of days of rest and she’ll be fine.

“As for organ failure, that’s nonsense. The textbooks clearly state that someone who doesn’t eat can survive at least five weeks.

“I think Lumina’s just been acting a little too fragile, which led the previous doctor to misdiagnose her.”

The way they spoke, it was clear they were portraying Lumina as a complete liar.

Perhaps because the diagnoses were so drastically different, Floyd’s expression grew more complicated. He hesitated before asking, “Really?”

“Of course, really!”

Tracie smoothly looped her arm through his, her voice soft yet tinged with playful reproach. “Don’t you trust my brother?”

“That’s right!” Sean added, his tone serious. “Meanwhile, look at my sister Trace—her leg’s still giving her trouble after a whole month.

“If I’d known being around you would put her in danger, I never would’ve let her go with you!”

At that, Floyd finally believed, his gaze toward Lumina filled with nothing but disappointment and anger.

However, Tracie gently tugged at her brother’s sleeve and spoke up, “Lumina may have pushed me, but I’m sure it wasn’t intentional.

“She just loves Floydie so much that she made a rash decision. I don’t blame her at all.”

No wonder they were siblings—both Tracie and Sean were masters at twisting the truth.

Their words might seem like they were defending someone, but in reality, they were just dumping all the blame onto the other person.

It was just like a month ago, at Mount Gravenwood, when Tracie had whispered in Lumina’s ear, “Your parents must’ve done something terrible to end up dying in this mountain, don’t you think?

“I heard their bodies were devoured by wild animals. It must’ve been a gruesome death. Who knows what wicked things they did?”

Before Lumina could even react, Tracie had already fallen. Her right leg was a mangled, bloody mess.

In that moment, Floyd slapped Lumina across the face with fury and left her behind in Mount Gravenwood. “You crazy woman! If anything happens to Trace, you’ll stay here for the rest of your life!”

Lumina cried out, begging him not to leave her like this.

The truth was, her parents had died on a wilderness expedition. Ever since then, she had been terrified of the outdoors, of animals and especially of dark, eerie forests like this one. Had it not been for the desire to always be near Floyd, she would have never come on this trip.

Now, Floyd was about to leave her here to fend for herself.

Lumina sobbed, her body trembling, her thumb pressing desperately against the side of her middle finger. Her voice cracked as she pleaded, “Please don’t do this to me! I swear, I won’t do it again, I’ll never dare again!

“I won’t follow you anymore, I’ll stay far away from you, just please don’t leave me here!”

It was unclear which of her words triggered him, but Floyd’s anger only intensified. “Alright, Lumina! You really are something!”

The rescue team abandoned Lumina. They left her with nothing but a small package of food.

As her thoughts gathered, Lumina realized she had bitten her lips so hard they were bleeding and the sharp pain spread throughout her body, like needles piercing her skin.

Floyd suddenly grabbed her hand. “Apologize to Trace now!”

His grip was so tight that it tore open the wound on her elbow again. Blood dripped down her arm, staining the white sheets like the open maw of a beast.

Memories of Mount Gravenwood rushed back and Lumina instinctively flinched, but Floyd pinned her down.

Following the trail of blood, he was shocked to discover a deep, tencentimeter gash on her elbow, the flesh torn and spilling blood.

“You said you already checked her thoroughly,” Floyd snapped, his eyes glaring at Sean as if he were ready to tear him apart. “How on earth that huge wound appear on Lumina's hand?”

“I… I…” Sean stammered, unable to say a word.

In reality, he hadn’t done any kind of checkup on Lumina. Throughout the entire ordeal, he had simply locked her in the examination room and occasionally shot her a look of disgust.

“I had planned to give you a full body checkup,” he said, his words dripping with a slimy emphasis that made Lumina feel nauseous. “But looking at you now, not quite human, not quite a ghost, I couldn’t be bothered to touch you.”

Seeing the situation turning against her, Tracie quickly shifted the blame back to Lumina.

“Lumina, how did that wound suddenly appear on your hand? Did you do this on purpose to avoid the wedding delay?”

As Tracie spoke, she shot a subtle, knowing glance at Sean, who quickly understood.

“Yeah, during the checkup, there was no wound. You must’ve secretly grabbed my scalpel when I wasn’t looking and cut yourself!”

“Always lying! You’re beyond help!” Floyd's voice shook with rage.

"Lumina, I’m telling you, whether you want to postpone the wedding or not, it’s going to be postponed!"

Throughout the whole exchange, Lumina only made one brief attempt to defend herself at the beginning. "I didn’t."

But after being interrupted by Floyd’s reprimand, she fell silent and simply watched, as if she no longer cared. When she heard the final words, she even lowered her head and softly replied, "Okay."

After leaving the hospital room, Floyd was still fuming with anger. Tracie tried to calm him down while suggesting, "I think Lumina's temper is not something that will change overnight. If she’s willing to harm herself today, who knows what kind of tantrum she’ll throw tomorrow!"

Floyd clearly took the point to heart, his eyes turning as dark as a storm cloud.

Seeing this, Tracie upped the ante. "I think she wouldn’t even be afraid to use the wedding delay as leverage. So, why not just cancel the engagement with her?"

"Absolutely not!" Without a second thought, Floyd rejected the suggestion.

"But Why? With Lumina’s temperament, if she finds out I’m canceling the engagement—"

As if recalling Lumina's potential reaction, a faint, almost affectionate smile tugged at the corner of Floyd’s lips.

Without thinking, he twisted the engagement ring on his finger. "Wouldn’t she throw a fit?"

"She's definitely reckless and unruly, but our engagement was arranged a long time ago. There's no way it can be called off. Didn't you say yourself? The only way to fix her rebellious nature is by being tough on her."

"I want to teach her a lesson." The image of Lumina’s gaunt, pale face, her legs in a pitiful state and the bonedeep wounds on her arms made a wave of sympathy stir in Floyd’s heart. "But she’s already learned enough lessons."

"But..."

"Enough," Floyd interrupted Tracie sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I know what I’m doing."

As he spoke, the look in his eyes shifted, making Tracie quickly change her approach. "Floydie is right, I’ve been overthinking. Ouch—"

Before she could finish, a pained expression spread across her face.

"Is it your leg again?"

Floyd immediately put aside everything else, his concern growing as he carefully lifted her in his arms. "Where’s the doctor? Get the doctor here, quickly!"

Lumina had spent two days recovering in the hospital.

The nurse would apply medicine to her leg on time, but it was always some antiseptic powder.

The wound hadn’t even formed a scab yet and she was being smeared with these substances, often causing her pain so intense it felt like she was dying. As a result, the steady flow of medications and supplements fed into Lumina’s mouth, the nutrient solution dripping into her day and night, yet she only became thinner.

She was so fragile, she seemed like she might shatter if you pinched her.

When Floyd entered, he saw her drenched in sweat, her teeth clenched tightly on her lower lip, barely holding back a scream.

Clearly, however, the Lumina from before had been so delicate, even the slightest prick of a needle would make her cry out in distress, needing him to soothe her for a long time before she’d calm down.

How had she changed so much in just a month?

His heart tightened painfully.

“Do you even know how to apply medicine properly?”

Floyd snatched the medicine from the nurse’s hand, his tone chilling enough to send a shiver down her spine.

The nurse apologized profusely. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Stuart, I didn’t mean to…”

The medicine box fell to the ground with a loud clatter, startling Lumina. Seizing the opportunity, the nurse quickly fled the room.

Floyd held up the medicine bottle, his eyes swirling with complicated emotions, before finally letting out a sigh. “Don’t you know how to cry out when it hurts?”

"Wasn't it you who…”

Wasn't it you who loved to complain about everything in front of me?

The latter half of the sentence hung unspoken as he waited for Lumina to lower her head and show submission.

He had already extended an olive branch, offering her a way out. Even her deliberate act of harming Tracie was something he was willing to overlook. Surely, no matter how stubborn Lumina was, this was the moment for her to admit her mistake.

If she would just lower her head, apologize to him, act a little coquettish and plead with him, he might consider shortening the delay for their wedding. Perhaps a yearlong delay could be reduced to six months, or even three months. Maybe even less…

“All you need to do is recognize your mistake, sincerely apologize to Tracie and I can forgive you,” he said, fully confident as he awaited Lumina’s response.

As he had expected, Lumina did apologize.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I apologize for the mistakes I’ve made in the past. As for the delay in the wedding, I will personally explain it to Grandma. If you wish, I can even take the initiative to propose breaking off the engagement.”

From beginning to end, her tone was calm and sincere.

However, Floyd’s reaction was as if his very voice trembled with anger. “What did you just say? Do you even realize what you’re saying?

“You’re saying this to provoke me just because I left you at Mount Gravenwood? Do you seriously think I’m so desperate that I have to marry you?”

The barrage of questions came at her like bullets, making Lumina’s head throb.

All of a sudden, Lumina felt a haze of amnesia wash over her. What had she ever seen in this arrogant, selfabsorbed man?

The conversation ended with a resounding slam as Floyd stormed out, the door rattling in his wake.

News of Lumina’s hospitalization eventually reached Grandma Alice.

On the fourth day after she was rescued from Mount Gravenwood, the elderly woman arrived at the hospital in person.

The moment Lumina saw her grandmother, she rushed into her embrace with joy, but then, inexplicably, tears of grievance began streaming down her face.

During the first few days on Mount Gravenwood, Lumina’s thoughts were consumed by wondering when Floyd would come to save her. She told herself she’d be obedient when he arrived, promising she’d never cling to him so stubbornly again.

As time dragged on, hope faded into despair.

In the mistshrouded forests of the mountain, the faces she saw most often weren’t Floyd’s—they were those of her longdeceased parents and this kindhearted Grandma Alice.

She vividly remembered when her parents passed away. It was Grandma Alice who had cradled her in her arms, soothing her over and over again.

When her terrorinduced fevers burned through sleepless nights, it was Grandma Alice who stayed by her bedside, feeding her medicine while calling her name, “Moony, my little Moony…”

The moment the elderly woman saw Lumina’s pained expression, a storm of anger rose within her.

“My Moony is already so sick and you’re still giving her this kind of medicine?

“You incompetent fools! Are you trying to kill my Moony on purpose?”

“Discharge her—right now! Immediately! I’m taking her to see the best doctors!”

Sean’s face turned pale and his knees nearly buckled. He gripped the doorframe tightly, struggling to keep a calm demeanor while motioning for someone to call Tracie.

“Madam, with all due respect, I’m the top surgeon in the city. My diagnosis is absolutely reliable,” he said, his voice shaking. “Lumina’s just overly dramatic. Let’s be honest—she’s putting on a show for your sympathy. There’s nothing seriously wrong with her, so why make such a fuss?”

Though Grandma Alice had never involved herself in the family’s corporate empire, her decades at the helm of the Stuart household had honed an air of unshakable authority that few could challenge.

She slammed her intricately carved cane down onto Sean with such force that he yelped in pain, retreating while clutching his head like a scolded child.

Without hesitation, Grandma Alice called in her staff, determined to have Lumina carried out of the hospital immediately.

Before they could leave, Tracie barged into the room.

“What’s got you so upset, Madam? Did Lumina say something to you?”

Though she kept her head bowed respectfully, the icy glare she shot at Lumina was venomous, filled with a dangerous intensity.

"Lumina has always had a bias against me and now she resents my brother too. Madam, you—"

Smack!

A sharp, resounding slap struck Tracie’s face, the sound reverberating through the room.

“Floyd might be too blind to see what kind of person you are. Do you really take me for a fool?” Grandma Alice’s voice was cold and cutting, each word hitting like a hammer.

“You know exactly how much of the Stuart Family’s fortune was funneled behind the scenes to secure your brother’s position as head of surgery!”

“Floyd might be foolish enough to treat you like a prized gem and that’s his mistake. But don’t think for a second that I won’t deal with you myself.”

With Grandma Alice taking matters into her own hands, the room was gripped by stunned silence. No one dared to intervene. Sean cowered in the corner, too terrified to even exhale loudly.

The sharp crack of each slap echoed as Grandma Alice’s fury rained down, leaving Tracie’s face swollen, red and marked with the imprints of her rage.

Still unsatisfied, Grandma Alice kicked her squarely in the chest, sending her reeling backward—straight into Floyd’s arms as he entered the room just in time to catch her.

Tears streamed down Tracie’s face as she clutched her cheeks, now covered in angry red handprints. Her voice trembled as she wailed.

“Floydie, I don’t know what Lumina might have told Grandma Alice about me. If she truly can’t stand having me around, I’ll step away—I promise I won’t interfere in your lives again.”

“But… could you ask her to show some mercy? To stop coming after me?”

In the midst of the chaos, with the room left in shambles and Grandma Alice’s hand still poised in midair, Floyd’s expression darkened like thunderclouds gathering before a storm.

Wrapping Tracie protectively in his arms, he growled through clenched teeth, “And who does she think she is? What gives her the right to say she can’t tolerate you?”

“Stay by my side. You’re not going anywhere!”

With those words, he fixed his cold, furious gaze on Lumina in the bed, his eyes burning with contempt. “You really love causing trouble, don’t you? Is this what you wanted all along, to break off the engagement?”

With a swift motion, he yanked the ring from his left hand and threw it out the window with all his force. “Fine, let’s end it. The engagement is over!”

Grandma Alice, overcome by the shock and anger, collapsed on the spot. The room descended into chaos. Lumina, frantic, tried to help her grandmother but lost her balance and fell from the bed.

The IV was ripped from her arm, spilling the medicine all over the floor. Blood began to seep through the bandages on her legs.

“Grandma! Grandma…”

Using the last of her strength, Lumina crawled toward her, each movement a painful struggle. Just as her hand reached out to touch her grandmother, Floyd stopped her cold.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“I just… I just want to see if Grandma is alright,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Lumina collapsed in front of him, desperation etched on her face, clutching his pants leg in a silent plea for mercy, just wanting to check on Alice.

But Floyd, with a harsh shove, kicked her hand away. “Stop acting innocent! This is all your fault! If it weren’t for you, your grandmother wouldn’t have fainted!”

“You’re only using her to get back at me, aren’t you? Don’t you care about her age, her health? How could you be so selfish and reckless?”

“Lumina, how could you be so heartless?”

With that, he scooped Tracie into his arms and stormed out without a second glance.

As they neared the door, Tracie, nestled against him, shot a smug look at Lumina, who was struggling to get back up. With a cruel smirk, she mouthed two words:

"Serves you right."

Grandma Alice remained unconscious for a full two days.

Drew and Erika, Floyd’s parents, arrived in a fury, having rushed overnight. Without hesitation, Drew slapped Floyd across the face, his anger seething.

“This is how you take care of your grandmother? If the media gets hold of this, what will the Stuart Family’s reputation look like?” Drew’s rage was clear and the slap left a bright red mark on Floyd’s cheek.

Erika, concerned for her son, quickly intervened, trying to calm her husband while casting a sharp look at Floyd. "What happened? How could Grandma have collapsed so suddenly?"

Tracie was the first to break the tense silence. “Lumina caused some trouble a while ago, so Floydie decided to give her a little lesson. But who would’ve thought she’d go straight to Grandma Alice and complain? I don’t even know what she said, but whatever it was, she managed to make Grandma so angry that she fainted.”

With her carefully chosen words, Tracie easily shifted all the blame onto Lumina.

Erika frowned as she listened. “This Lumina really doesn’t know her place. When her parents were alive, I could understand, but now? What’s left of the Shields Family? It’s all been divided up by her uncles and aunts. If it weren’t for the Stuart Family, she’d be an orphan by now. And yet, she still dares to behave like this!”

Though Floyd was still seething with anger, hearing his family trash Lumina made him speak up in her defense, momentarily forgetting his earlier stance.

“Mom, Lumina’s father did help us a lot in the past. Without the funding from the Shields Family, we might’ve…”

“Enough! Let’s not dwell on the past.” Drew interrupted sharply, throwing a pointed look at Tracie.

He then turned to Floyd, his tone serious. “I hear you’re thinking of breaking off the engagement?”

Floyd remained silent, but Erika muttered under her breath, “Breaking it off would be for the best.”

“Besides her looks, what does she bring to the table? She’s been spoiled by Grandma Alice, acting entitled and arrogant. If she actually married into this family, who knows what kind of trouble she’d cause?”

Floyd instinctively wanted to refuse.

Although he had thrown away the engagement ring and said some harsh words, deep down, he never truly intended to break up with Lumina.

Tracie quickly placed a hand on his and whispered softly, “Your parents are already furious, Floyd. Don’t make them even angrier.”

With a smile at Erika, she added, “The engagement can wait. The real issue is that Grandma’s health can’t handle any more stress.”

“Why don’t we send Lumina abroad for now? Once Grandma is better, we can reassess the situation.”

“Alright, let’s do that,” Drew agreed.

After Drew and Erika left, Floyd let out a long sigh and took Tracie’s hand in his. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you…"

Earlier, Drew had been so angry that he might have forced Floyd to break up with Lumina. If that had happened, Floyd would have been caught in an impossible situation.

Tracie smiled knowingly. “There’s no need to thank me.”

“With everything Lumina has done to you, you still help her…” he said, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

“She’s just acting like a child. Do I really need to hold a grudge against her?”

After calming Floyd, Tracie finally had the chance to visit her brother, who had narrowly escaped a broken rib.

Sean was applying ointment to his wounds, wincing in pain while still grumbling, "What the hell were you thinking, causing this whole mess and bringing that damn old woman here?"

Tracie shot him an exasperated look, almost scolding him and sighed, "Do you really think you can keep Lumina's injuries hidden for much longer?"

"What if she dies because of you? Do you really think Floyd will let you off the hook? Forget about losing your position as head of surgery—your life won’t be safe either!"

"This..." Sean immediately panicked. "You’re the one who told me to cover up Lumina’s condition! You can’t just leave me to deal with this!"

"Exactly," Tracie responded coldly, "That’s why I’ve been setting this plan in motion—to send Lumina abroad. Once she has an ‘accident’ over there, no one will be able to trace it back to us."

"And only then will Floyd be free to marry someone else without a second thought."

The plan was set for two days later. In the meantime, Lumina was kept isolated in her hospital room.

Every day, nurses and bodyguards were stationed inside and outside Lumina's hospital room, as if they feared she might run off and cause trouble again.

The truth was, she couldn’t even stand on her own two feet.

Floyd had his doubts, but Sean quickly covered for her. "Lumina's legs have already healed, but she refuses to get up. There's nothing I can do about it."

"Once we send her abroad, she won’t be able to play the victim in front of you anymore. Maybe then she’ll finally stand up."

Floyd's face darkened again. "It seems like that month at Mount Gravenwood didn’t teach her anything."

He didn’t understand why Lumina was always so willful, why she had to use her own health as a bargaining chip to manipulate him.

Yet, deep down, a secret sense of happiness stirred within him at the thought that Lumina cared so much for him.

At that, Lumina didn’t respond the way he expected—panicked or pleading. Instead, she asked quietly, "How is Grandma?"

"How dare you ask about Grandma?" Floyd's frustration flared. "If you hadn’t gone behind her back and complained, dragging her all the way here, she never would’ve fainted!"

"It wasn’t me." Lumina softly defended herself.

"What?" Floyd heard her, but he was unwilling to believe it.

Floyd would never believe her, Lumina thought as she closed her eyes again.

Two days later, it was the day she would leave forever. It seemed as if they planned to send her away for good, keeping her out of their lives once and for all.

All of Lumina’s belongings were packed up and sent to the Stuart Family estate—her clothes, her jewelry, but mostly the paintings she had created for Floyd.

When she first arrived at the manor, she was often downcast and lost in thought.

Although Grandma Alice tried to offer comfort, her strength was limited by age and there were times when she simply couldn’t do enough. That’s when Grandma Alice asked Floyd to stay by Lumina’s side.

Floyd would hold her hand as they took walks around the estate. He would take her to watch fireworks light up the sky and whenever she missed her parents, he would gently wipe away her tears, whispering,

"Don’t worry, I’ll always be here with you."

It was during these moments that Lumina began to secretly draw Floyd.

She captured him from every angle—the front view, his side profile, his smiling face. Every subtle gesture became etched in her heart and transferred to paper.

On the day of their engagement, Lumina felt truly alive for the first time. It was as though she had finally found someone in the world who would never leave her.

That was why she spent an entire month working on a painting of herself kissing Floyd. But before she could give him the finished piece, Tracie arrived, stepping off the plane.

It was the first time Floyd had ever let go of her hand. "Moony, be good. I'm just going to pick someone up. I'll be back soon."

He never returned that night.

From that moment on, he never called her "Moony" again. Instead, he addressed her not by nickname"Lumina."

Her painting would never be delivered. But no matter how hard she tried, her heart couldn’t seem to let go.

It wasn’t until she ate the red fruit in the forest that everything truly changed.

A single bite of the poisonous fruit twisted her insides and she knew—she was dying. In her final moments, her past obsessions replayed over and over, until they faded into nothingness.

It was then that she finally gave up.

If she couldn’t have her heart back, then she didn’t want it—just like Floyd, she didn’t need him anymore.

As she hovered on the edge of death, a voice suddenly whispered in her ear. "Do you want to live? I can make you an offer."

Dazed, she heard herself ask, "What kind of offer?"

The Spirit of the Forest, with no physical form but a voice full of sorrow, replied, "I can use the last of my power to save you. But once you leave this place, your soul will have to enter my body and fulfill the wish I couldn’t complete in life."

"What is your wish?"

"To marry Grant Saunders, to be with him forever," Lumina answered without hesitation.

"Then why don’t you go back?"

The Spirit of Gravenwood let out a soft, hollow laugh, the sound tinged with more sorrow than humor. "I’ve been drifting here for three years. Even if I leave, my soul will be lost. You are my only hope."

"Alright. I agree to your deal."

Suddenly, the sunlight streaming through the window burned into Lumina’s eyes.

On the other end of the phone, the airport attendant asked, "Ms. Shields, the list for your checked luggage has been sent. Could you please confirm if everything is in order?"

"No need," Lumina replied flatly. "Just throw it all away. I don’t want it anymore."

"Throw it away?" Floyd entered the room just as she hung up, his expression uncertain.

Lumina looked up at him, then softly shook her head. "Just some old clothes."

Seeing her detached response, Floyd felt a sharp pang in his chest. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to soften his stance. His voice turned cold.

"I’m sending you abroad so you can reflect on your actions and stop causing trouble."

Lumina nodded. "I’m sorry. I won’t do it again."

Tracie walked in from the hallway, casually linking her arm with Floyd's, her smile as natural as if they were the perfect couple.

If this had been any other day, Lumina would have stormed over, furious and tried to separate them.

But today, she only watched quietly, a faint, almost resigned smile tugging at her lips.

Floyd’s heart skipped a beat.

“You two go ahead. I’ll be down in a bit,” Lumina said, turning her back to them without another word.

"Looks like Lumina’s throwing another tantrum," Tracie said, covering her mouth with a soft laugh. Her eyes remained fixed on Floyd, studying his every reaction. When she saw him finally relax with a sigh, she led him out of the room.

"Even though it's overseas, it's just a few thousand miles. If you ever want to see Lumina, you can fly out there anytime, or even bring her back."

Tracie's smile softened. "If her attitude doesn’t improve, maybe it’s best she never comes back."

Floyd couldn’t shake his frustration over Lumina’s cold behavior. Normally, she would have begged him by now, wouldn’t she?

If only she had pouted, promised to change—he wouldn’t have insisted on sending her so far away.

She was still young, spoiled and sheltered. Living alone abroad, she must be terrified, right?

"Ah—"

A sudden, panicked cry snapped Floyd from his thoughts.

He turned just in time to see Lumina sitting on the thirdfloor windowsill. Her legs swayed weakly, like autumn leaves on the verge of being swept away by the wind.

"Moony!"

In that instant, Floyd’s heart stopped. He tore his arm from the person beside him and sprinted toward Lumina in desperation.

"Moony, what are you doing? Don’t be reckless! We can talk, just don’t..." But before he could finish, Lumina leapt from the windowsill.

Her white figure fell, like a bird with broken wings, drifting helplessly toward the ground.