"Stop!"
Lunara’s voice cut through the air, breaking the silence that was too heavy in the car.
The driver slamd the brakes, the car lurching forward. A loud crack followed as the car behind bumped into their rear.
But Lunara didn’t even flinch. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to Eryx, her eyes blazing.
"You sent them," she said, voice low, trembling with fury. "The n who wrecked my mother’s shop. That wasn’t because of Gideon. That was you."
Eryx’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
"Two years ago," she hissed. "You let believe it was about the debt. You let believe I had no choice but to marry you. And all this ti, you just... watched live with that."
Eryx shifted slightly, guilt flickering across his face but Lunara wasn’t done.
"You played god with my life," she said, her voice rising. "You used fear. You used my mother. And then you walked away like it was nothing."
The silence in the car was deafening.
"Say sothing," she spat. "Say anything, Eryx. Or do you still think you had the right to do it?" She shoved at his chest, her hands trembling.
Eryx caught her wrist, not to stop her, but to hold it, gently.
"Are you hurt?" he asked quietly, glancing behind her as if to check for injuries from the sudden stop. Then his hands moved to her face, cupping her cheeks, anchoring her even as she tried to pull away.
"Lunara," he whispered, voice cracking, "If I tell you the truth... will you please stay? You can be angry. You can scream. You can hate for it. But please... don’t leave ."
His eyes searched hers, desperate and raw. "I don’t care what you do to , but please... just don’t walk away. I can’t lose you."
Her breath hitched, the weight of everything pressing down at once.
Then, cold and steady, she said, "So all this ti... I was being fooled. Lied to. You didn’t protect , you cornered . You tore apart my life just to make yours."
She pulled her face from his hands, voice trembling but firm. "And now you want to stay? After building everything between us on a lie?"
"No, honey. Listen to ," Eryx pleaded, his voice low, urgent. "I regret what I did. I hate that version of . But ever since I found you again—there’s been no lies. Nothing about how I feel for you is fake. Nothing."
Before Lunara could respond, a sharp knock rattled the window beside her. A man stood outside, scowling, gesturing furiously, probably the owner of the car that had bumped into them.
Eryx closed his eyes briefly, jaw tight. Then he turned his head, voice hoarse but controlled. "Uncle... please handle it for ."
The driver gave a quick nod and stepped out of the car, leaving a tense silence behind.
Lunara reached for the door imdiately.
"I don’t need to listen anymore, Eryx. It is so clear that I don’t need any more reason to hear your lies."
"No," he said, grabbing her wrist before she could pull it open. "Don’t do this."
"I can’t even look at you right now," she said, her voice tight with pain.
"Then don’t," Eryx replied, his voice cracking. "Just stay. Scream at . Hit if you want. But don’t walk away."
Her eyes shimred, brimming with unshed tears. "You know what? For the past four months—wait, was it four? Or five already?" She let out a bitter chuckle, one that didn’t touch her eyes. "You had all that ti to tell the truth, Eryx. All that ti."
Eryx reached for her, pulling her closer like she might vanish if he let go. "I—I don’t know," he said quietly. "I didn’t want to lose what we were rebuilding."
She yanked her hand free, her voice rising. "Or was it because you thought I wasn’t worth the truth? That I was just so fool who wouldn’t question it? That I’d fall in love with you and forget everything you ever did to ?"
"Lunara...please..."
"No." Her voice wavered. "You don’t get to say my na like that. No."
Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them. She stayed still, shaking, staring down at him like she didn’t recognize him anymore.
"You broke once, Eryx. And I let you in again because I thought... I thought maybe this ti, it was different."
He leaned closer, trying to pull her into his embrace but she stretched her arms, keeping the distance.
"I am different. What I feel now... it’s not like before. I swear to you."
"But the lie was," she shot back, eyes finally eting him. "That never changed."
Her breath was shaky, but her voice ca out steady, sharp enough to cut. "Actually, I know. You didn’t even rember what you’ve done to , right? Until Valerie spelled it out just now. That’s when it finally clicked for you. You thought, ah, it was just a small thing. Just a nudge in the right direction. Sothing she wouldn’t be mad about."
Eryx opened his mouth, but she didn’t let him speak.
"You told yourself it didn’t matter anymore, right? That’s because I smiled at you again, let you in again... I must’ve forgiven you for everything. Even the things I never knew." Her voice cracked now, thick with disbelief. "You decided what I should be hurt by. You decided what I could handle. And that’s what hurts the most."
She turned her face away, blinking back the sting in her eyes. "Just because your whole life was a plan, Eryx. Do you think you should plan mine too? And now you think I can just accept it willingly and trust you?"
"Lunara—"
Eryx’s voice ca out sharp as he felt slightly hurt by her words.
"What? Am I wrong?" she snapped, then let out a shaky breath. Her voice dropped to a whisper, trembling with hurt. "I open my heart. I trusted what we had. But now I don’t even know what was real... and that’s what hurts the most."
Lunara’s words hung heavy and at that mont, Eryx unconsciously loosened his hold on her arm.
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