Pursuing My Rejected Luna by Cara Anderson novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Skye

“Thank you, Granny,” I say softly, pulling back from her embrace. “For listening. For caring.”

“Of course, dear.” She cups my face in her hands, studying me with concern. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you get some rest? I’ll stay in the guest wing tonight and speak with Jaxon in the morning.”

I nod, even though I know her talk with Jaxon won’t change anything. He’ll apologize, probably. Make some promise about doing better, about giving me more consideration. He might even mean it in the moment.

But nothing fundamental will change.

Cassandra will still be living in this house. Liam will still be his heir. And I’ll still be the wife he never wanted, trapped in a bond he resents.

Unless I leave first.

And the baby is my time limit.

Diana is already up and around when I wake the next morning. I know because I wake to her soft knock on my bedroom door.

I drag myself out of bed, my body heavy with exhaustion despite a full night’s sleep. The pregnancy is making everything harder-I’m tired all the time now, nauseous in the mornings, struggling to keep up the facade of normalcy.

When I open the door, she’s standing there fully dressed, her overnight bag at her feet, but her eyes red-rimmed like she’s been crying.

“I’ll be leaving soon. But I was hoping we could talk first?” she asks quietly.

I glance back at the empty bed behind me. As has become his habit, Jaxon never came to our room last night. “Of course.”

We go to the sitting room-neutral territory, away from the guest wing where Cassandra might overhear. Diana paces for a moment before turning to face me.

“I came here for help,” she says bluntly. “For Dalton. I thought-I hoped you might convince Jaxon to use his connections in the capital.”

“I know.”

“And when you didn’t…” She trails off, shaking her head. “I thought it was because of me. Because of our history. Your mother. Your father. I thought you were punishing me by not trying hard enough.”

The accusation I expected. The one I would have deserved if it were true.

“But last night showed me the truth,” Diana continues, her voice hardening. “It’s not you. It’s him. He doesn’t care about you, Skye. He doesn’t care about your family or your requests. And after watching him chase after your sister while you sat there taking it—” Her voice cracks. “I’m ashamed I ever thought you were the problem.”

I don’t know what to say to that.

“You were right,” she says. “When you told me he wouldn’t help. I should have listened. I should have trusted you

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Chapter 27

+15 Banus

instead of…” She gestures helplessly. “Instead of thinking you were being petty.”

“You were worried about your son,” I say quietly. “I understand.”

“That doesn’t make it right.” She moves closer, taking my hands in hers. “Skye, I know things between us have been strained. I know you haven’t forgiven me for marrying your father. Maybe you never will. But I need you to know–I see what’s happening here. I see how he treats you, how your sister disrespects you in your own home. And it’s not acceptable.

“Cassandra is my niece too and I’ll always love her but there is no excuse for her behavior. She’s acting like a desperate slut trying to take what doesn’t belong to her. Jaxon is your mate, not hers! Fight for him, Skye! Don’t let him win!” 1

The irony in her words doesn’t escape me. I think about my mother. About how Diana was her sister, her best friend, the person she trusted most in the world. And then my mother died, and within six months, Diana hąd married my father and taken her place. Taken her home, her title, her mate.

But I don’t say it out loud. What would be the point?

Instead, I let the truth slip free. “I want a divorce, Aunt Diana.”

Diana stops cold. For a moment, she just stares at me like I’ve spoken a foreign language.

“What?”

“A divorce. I’m leaving him.”

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