Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 125

Eve

I smoothed my dress, not because I cared what Hades thought, but because the guards stationed outside his estate watched my every move with hawk-like intensity.

When the car door swung open, I half-expected one of them to escort me inside.

Instead, he was waiting.

Hades sat in the back seat, one arm resting lazily along the headrest, his silver eyes already on me. His presence filled the space, coiled and ready to snap and for a second, I hesitated.

I hid it quickly, stepping forward. "I thought you’d back out and ask for a rematch."

His jaw flexed at the words. "I’m a man of my word." His voice was clipped, and if the tension in his shoulders said anything, it was that he deeply regretted that fact.

I slid into the seat beside him, letting the door click shut. "Relax, your majesty. You almost look constipated."

His head turned toward me with slow, deliberate. I guess he was trying to be as intimidating as he much as he could no longer manage the feat.

The glare he fixed on me could have stopped a charging wolf in their tracks.

"If I were you," he said in a voice low enough to be dangerous, "I’d choose the onesie carefully. Because the second this week is over—"

I leaned closer, cutting him off with a grin. "I know. War."

His eyes didn’t leave mine as I entered and took a seat, far, far from him. It was a big car after all.

The tension in the car thickened, stretching out between us like a live wire. _{freёwebnovel.com}

Hades didn’t say anything else, but his gaze lingered—too heavy, too sharp. I could feel the weight of his scrutiny, like he was peeling back layers I hadn’t realized I was wearing.

I shifted slightly, leaning into the corner of the seat to put more space between us. His eyes followed the movement, but he didn’t comment.

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable exactly, but it buzzed—something unspoken simmering beneath the surface, coiling tighter with every second that passed.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "You’re awfully quiet for someone about to be draped in glitter and rainbows."

His hand twitched against his knee. "I’m mentally preparing."

"For what? The emotional damage?" I teased.

A muscle in his jaw jumped. "For surviving the next seven nights with my pride intact."

I smirked. "I hate to break it to you, but pride’s the first thing you’re losing."

His silver gaze flicked to me, and even in the dim light of the car, I could see the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Keep talking, Red. You’ll be the next one in a onesie."

I raised a brow. "I look great in pastels. You, on the other hand…" I let the words trail off, biting back a grin.

He didn’t rise to the bait this time, but the smirk he gave me in return was pure arrogance. "I am sure you do," his eyes gazed my body and I squirmed. And by the way his smirk widened, that was exactly what he had wanted.

The rest of the ride passed in tense silence, interrupted only by the hum of the tires against the road. Every time I shifted, his gaze flicked in my direction. Subtle. Calculated. Did he think I was going to run or something?

By the time the car slowed to a stop, I was practically itching to get out.

The door opened, and I stepped onto the sidewalk, blinking at the boutique in front of me.

It was empty.

Not just quiet—completely deserted. The large glass windows reflected only the soft glow of the street lamps, and the inside lights bathed the empty space in warm tones.

I crossed my arms. "Let me guess. You booked the whole place out."

Hades stepped up beside me, hands sliding into his pockets as he surveyed the building with a bored expression. "Naturally."

I shook my head, lips twitching. "Of course you did."

"Do what you want." He snarled.

I only smiled..I wandered deeper into the boutique, letting my fingers drift lightly over the fabrics as I walked. The quiet hum of the space, coupled with the soft glow of overhead lights, made the place feel distant—like I’d stepped out of time.

Hades trailed a few paces behind, his presence unmistakable even when he wasn’t speaking. I could feel the weight of his gaze on my back, but for once, he didn’t push or prod. Maybe he sensed something in the way my shoulders tensed. Or maybe he was just brooding silently the way he always did.

The boutique smelled faintly of lavender and something floral—something familiar.

It hit me like a freight train.

The last time I’d stood in a place like this, Ellen had been twirling in front of a mirror, her long hair cascading down her back as our mother laughed. I’d been standing off to the side, wearing a ridiculous tiara she insisted I try on, scowling at how the rhinestones pinched my scalp.

The memory made my throat close up.

I forced a breath through my nose, blinking rapidly as I brushed past a row of delicate dresses. They swayed gently as I passed, the movement almost enough to make me believe I wasn’t completely alone.

"See anything else that would ruin my reputation?" Hades’ voice, low and rough, cut through the fog in my head.

I smirked, thankful for the distraction. "Not yet. But don’t worry, I’m thorough."

I kept searching, running my hand along the clothing racks as I pretended I wasn’t unraveling at the seams.

It wasn’t until I turned the corner, reaching the farthest wall of the boutique, that I stopped cold.

Hanging innocently on the rack was the onesie.

If the first one was ridiculous, this was on an entirely different level.

It was as if a unicorn had violently exploded over the fabric. Bright, swirling colors—pink, blue, purple—blended together in a chaotic mess of glittery stars and rainbows. The mane along the hood was fluffier, almost obnoxiously so, and the horn spiraled higher than the last.

But that wasn’t why I stopped.