The music was soft.
The lights were warm.
But the air around them had turned cold.
Victoria smiled.
Elegant. Calm. Dangerous.
"Of course it matters," she said, her eyes still on Luna.
"A marriage without love is just… performance."
Luna didn't look away.
"Then I guess we're good performers."
For a brief second—
Silence.
Then Victoria let out a soft laugh.
"Oh, I like her," she said, glancing at Ethan. "She's bold."
Ethan didn't respond.
But his grip on Luna's waist didn't loosen either.
"Tell me," Victoria continued, stepping closer, "how did you two meet?"
A simple question.
But not really.
Luna understood instantly.
This was a test.
A trap.
She didn't even hesitate.
"I spilled coffee on him."
Ethan turned slightly.
That wasn't the story they agreed on.
Luna continued smoothly—
"He looked like he was going to fire me from life itself," she added with a light smile, "so I offered to make it up to him."
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
"And that led to marriage?"
Luna shrugged softly. "Things escalated."
For a second—
Ethan almost smiled.
Almost.
Victoria's gaze shifted between them.
Observing.
Calculating.
Looking for cracks.
But Luna stood steady.
No hesitation. No fear.
"Impressive," Victoria said quietly.
Then she stepped even closer.
Too close.
"So tell me something else," she whispered, her voice just low enough,
"does he still hate being touched?"
Luna froze.
Just for a second.
But Victoria saw it.
And smiled.
Ethan's expression hardened instantly.
"Enough, Victoria."
But it was already done.
The seed had been planted.
Luna slowly looked at Ethan.
So that was it.
He didn't like being touched.
Yet—
He had been holding her this entire time.
Interesting.
"I think I need a drink," Luna said softly.
Ethan didn't stop her.
But his eyes followed her as she walked away.
Victoria stepped beside him.
"You didn't tell me you'd replace me so quickly."
"I didn't replace you."
"Hmm," she hummed softly. "That almost sounded honest."
Across the hall, Luna stood near the bar.
Her hands were steady.
But her mind wasn't.
That one sentence—
"Does he still hate being touched?"
It meant history.
Real history.
Not something casual.
"You're handling this better than I expected."
Luna turned.
Ethan.
Of course.
She let out a quiet breath. "Your ex is… intense."
"She's irrelevant."
"Doesn't seem like it."
Ethan stepped closer.
Again, that same controlled presence.
"You're doing your job well," he said.
Luna looked at him.
"That's all this is to you?"
"Yes."
Something about how quickly he answered…
Made it worse.
"Then you should've picked someone else," she said quietly.
"Someone who doesn't ask questions."
"I didn't pick you for silence."
"Then why me?"
There it was.
The question again.
The one he kept avoiding.
Ethan's eyes locked onto hers.
Dark. Careful.
"For the same reason you said yes," he replied.
"Because you had no better option."
Luna's expression fell slightly.
That… wasn't the answer.
It was an escape.
Before she could say anything—
Victoria's voice came again.
"Ethan, the board members are asking for you."
Perfect timing.
Or maybe planned.
Ethan looked at Luna one last time.
"Stay here."
Not a request.
A command.
Luna watched him walk away.
Then slowly—
She turned.
Victoria was already looking at her.
Smiling.
Waiting.
And this time—
She walked toward Luna.
"You're interesting," Victoria said softly.
Luna didn't respond.
"Most girls would've broken by now."
"I'm not most girls."
"I can see that."
Victoria tilted her head slightly.
"But you're still new."
A pause.
Then—
"He didn't tell you, did he?"
Luna's eyes narrowed. "Tell me what?"
Victoria smiled.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Like she had been waiting for this moment.
"He doesn't do contracts without a reason," she said.
"And trust me…"
Her voice dropped just a little—
"You're not in that house by accident."
Luna felt it.
That small shift in her chest.
Doubt.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Victoria stepped back.
Smile still there.
But colder now.
"You'll find out soon."
And then she walked away.
Just like that.
Leaving behind nothing—
Except questions.
Luna stood still.
Her thoughts louder than the music around her.
This wasn't random.
This wasn't just business.
This wasn't just a contract.
And for the first time—
She felt it clearly.
She wasn't just locked in a marriage.
She was locked in something deeper.
Something hidden.
Something dangerous.