Luna’s POV

My eyes widened, and my heart raced. But he just stood there normally.

"Adrian..." I quickly looked away, afraid he might read too much in my eyes.

"I'm not rushing you, Luna." he said softly.

"You know how much you mean to me. I thought my feelings for you would fade, but when I saw you again… they came back stronger. The person I told you about, the one I couldn’t forget, it was you. It’s always been you. And I’m still waiting." His voice was warm, steady, almost too gentle for the storm he was stirring inside me.

I swallowed hard. "Adrian, you know my situation. I just got out of a marriage that ruined me. I… I still need to heal from it." I sighed, my words heavier than I expected. I didn’t want to hurt him again, but I also didn’t know how to keep him from getting hurt.

"I understand." he said without hesitation.

"I’m not asking you to decide right now. I just want you to know that no matter how long it takes, I’ll wait. I’ll stay by your side while you recover. I’m not leaving you, Luna. Whatever happens, I’ll keep pursuing you."

Before I could respond, he smiled just enough to make my chest ache, then turned, jogged to his car, and drove away.

I stood frozen, the echo of his words wrapping around me like a promise I didn’t know if I was ready to accept… but couldn’t quite reject either.

"Miss Parker."

My secretary’s voice pulled me out of the whirlwind in my head. She was standing in front of my desk, and by the look on her face, I must have been staring into space for minutes without noticing her presence.

I blinked and straightened up. "S–Sorry, is there anything you need from me?"

This time, her expression shifted to mild confusion.

"They’re already waiting for you at the conference hall." she said pointedly.

I gasped and shot up from my chair. "Oh my! Right. I must have forgotten. Let’s go." I grabbed my folder and hurried out of the office.

But no matter how quickly I moved, my thoughts were still stuck on last night, on what Adrian had said, on the way his words had lingered long after he was gone. It rattled me so deeply I could barely focus.

When I entered the hall, I immediately offered an apology before diving into the agenda. This was my first official day as CEO, the day I began steering our family’s legacy forward. I couldn’t afford to let my emotions interfere, not now. And yet, in the back of my mind, one vow was clear: Vincent and his family’s company would crumble, and I would make sure of it.

After the meeting ended, I called my secretary over. My voice was calm, but the steel in it was unmistakable. I need to get back on my plan.

"Send the rejection notice to Vincent’s company immediately." I instructed.

She nodded without question, walking away with purposeful steps.

Vincent never knew I’d been secretly helping him before. And now, that lifeline was gone. From this day forward, I would not only withdraw my hand, but I would start pulling the ground out from under him. He did this to himself.

The rest of the morning went by in a blur of phone calls, document signings, and polite smiles I didn’t really feel. But no matter how I kept myself busy, I still couldn't forget about last night. I don't have feelings for Adrian, but I don't know how it was still affecting me.

Suddenly, my secretary knocked.

"Come in." I spoke.

She entered hesitantly.

"Miss Parker, the rejection notice has been sent to Vincent's company." she said.

"Good." I replied coldly, without looking up from the contract I was signing.

She lingered for a moment, as if unsure whether to say more, but then bowed slightly and left. I thought nothing of it, until the sharp, commanding sound of my office door slamming open interrupted my thoughts.

"Luna, what the hell is this?" Vincent stormed in.

His face had a bruise, and it was because of last night. He barked, tossing the printed rejection letter onto my desk.

I looked at it briefly, then leaned back in my chair, deliberately calm. "That’s business. Your company failed to meet the terms of our partnership renewal. So I cut it off."

His jaw tightened. "Failed the terms, or failed you? Be honest, Luna. This isn’t about business, this is about us."

I stood, my voice icy. "There is no us, Vincent. And I owe you nothing, professionally or personally."

He stepped closer, the air between us taut with old bitterness. "You think you can just erase me like this? That everything we had… everything I did for you… means nothing?"

"Everything you did?" I scoffed.

"You mean the lies? The betrayal? The marriage I wasted years of my life on? If you came here expecting me to feel guilty—"

The sound of a deep, steady voice behind him cut me off.

"She doesn’t owe you an explanation, Vincent."

Both of us turned. There, leaning casually against the doorway, was Adrian. His hands were in his pockets, but the intensity in his eyes was unmistakable.

Vincent’s glare sharpened. "You again." he scoffed.

Adrian nodded normally, like he was making Vincent madder.

"And who the hell are you in her life to insert yourself into this conversation? This is about us, Cole." he sneered.

Somehow, I got scared. I didn't want them to argue again.

Adrian’s lips curved into a cool, confident smile. "Who am I?" he grinned, looking at me.

Someone who’s pursuing her." he winked at me.

My breath caught, my heart skipping for reasons I wasn’t ready to face. Did he really say that? To Vincent?

Vincent’s expression shifted. Anger, disbelief, and something else I couldn’t quite name.

“P–Pursuing her?” he repeated, almost laughing.

“Over my dead body. You can only do that if you beat me… or if I’m gone.” he grinned.

My eyes widened, and even Adrian looked shocked.

“What the hell are you saying?!” I demanded.

Vincent stepped closer and grabbed my arm, but I shoved him away.

“Because starting now, I’m going to win you back, Luna, no matter what happens.”

And just like that, my world turned upside down.