Abandoned Luna Now Untouchable (Cecilia) novel Chapter 175

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Nearly three decades had passed, but Esther Moore recognized him the second their eyes met.

Zane Locke.

Time had added some lines to his face and silver to his temples, but his posture was still regal, his presence unmistakable.

«He hadn’t lost the quiet gravity that once made people pause mid-sentence when he entered a room.

And yet-he was standing here, surrounded by boxes of jasmine rice and organic quinoa, looking at her like she was a ghost from a life he barely remembered but couldn’t ignore.

Zane Locke.

The eldest son of the Locke family-a name whispered with a certain reverence in political circles, and, less publicly, among those who managed the fragile relationship between werewolf clans and the human world.

VanDyck and Cecilia had no idea what to make of the tension crackling between them.

One glance between father and daughter was all it took to confirm that both had noticed something was… off.

Esther’s throat tightened.

Her mother, Helena, worked as a live-in housekeeper for the Lockes.

She had lived in the Locke household for many years before moving to Denver for college, though she’d never mentioned knowing Zane personally to her daughter.updaate by jo_b-n-i-b-.c-o-m The tension crackling between them was impossible to ignore. VanDyck and Cecilia exchanged glances, both silently acknowledging the strange undercurrent in the air. “You’re Helena’s daughter… E… Emma?” Zane asked, searching through layers of memory to place a name to a young face from his past.

The color drained from Esther’s face.

Her composure wavered for just a second, her heart pounding visibly in her throat.

“No,” she corrected him with a forced smile. “My name is Esther.”

“Oh, right, Esther. My mistake,” Zane apologized, looking genuinely embarrassed. “It’s been so many years. How is your mother doing these days?”

“She’s well,” Esther replied, her voice carefully controlled.

Zane’s gaze shifted to Cecilia, studying her features with an intensity that bordered on inappropriate.

“Miss Moore is your daughter?”

“Yes, she’s my daughter,” Esther answered, struggling to maintain her composure.

Cecilia observed her mother’s unusual behavior, remembering Mr.

Locke’s strange reaction at the restaurant weeks ago.

Her eyes darted to her father, but his expression revealed nothing.

“Your daughter is beautiful,” Zane commented, his eyes holding a sharp, assessing quality that seemed to look right through Cecilia.

“Thank you for the compliment,” Esther nodded with a thin smile.

VanDyck finally intervened, positioning himself slightly in front of his wife and daughter in a subtle protective gesture. “Mr. Locke, we need to finish our shopping. It was nice meeting you.”

Zane nodded politely. “Likewise.”

They exchanged brief goodbyes, and the Moore family quickly pushed their cart away.

Cecilia glanced back once to see Zane Locke still standing there, staring after them with an unreadable expression.

The remainder of their shopping trip was silent and awkward

VanDyck grabbed a bag of millet instead of the rice he’d intended to buy, while Esther, who’d said she wanted milk, returned with two boxes of frozen lasagna instead.

That brief encounter with Zane Locke had thrown the entire family off balance.

Back at home, the tension didn’t ease-it followed them like fog into the apartment.

Esther headed straight for the kitchen with the groceries.

VanDyck stepped out onto the balcony, tending to his plants with the kind of focus reserved for avoiding uncomfortable conversations.

Cecilia quietly put away the remaining items in the fridge, glancing occasionally toward the kitchen, where her mother stood frozen by the sink, staring at nothing.

Harper let out a dramatic groan that could’ve earned her a spot in off-Broadway theater.

“Oh, Aunt Esther, please. If I ever got that lucky, I’d be humble about it

-for at least five minutes.”

Esther tilted her head, still confused. “Then who is he?”

Harper gave a mischievous smile and dragged out the moment like she was revealing a plot twist.

“He’s Cecilia’s.”

She let the pause stretch until Esther’s face paled, her brain clearly racing through every scandalous possibility.

“new boss,” Harper finally said, sweetly.

Esther blinked, then gave a slow nod.”Right. Cecilia did mention she had a new boss.”

But the real question still hung in the air:

Why was Cecilia’s boss at their family dinner?

Just then, Cecilia stepped fully out of the kitchen, having turned down the stove before anything could burn.

She stopped short when she saw Sebastian in her living room, tall and composed and looking like he belonged in a luxury magazine spread.

“Mr. Black-what are you doing here?”

The title slipped out before she could stop herself.

“I invited him,” Harper jumped in quickly, raising a hand like she was offering protection.

“Since he helped resolve everything so smoothly, I thought it made sense to include him in the celebration.”