Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Lumina

零

“People like me?” I leaned forward, my voice getting so low as I added, feeling disgusted with her and her clearly unacceptable

behavior.

“Or people like you? Because that’s what this is about, isn’t it? You’re projecting, You’re the one who hurts him.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I? I’ve seen how he flinches, how he freezes up. That’s not fear of strangers – that’s learned behavior. That’s a child who has

always known to expect pain for any small mistakes.”

Sophia’s face was filled with rage, and before I could react, she was moving. Her hand came up fast, trying to slap me.

But I was faster.

My hand shot out, catching her wrist mid air. For a moment, we were frozen there, her hands inches from my face hovering in the air.

“Bad idea,” I said softly.

Then I released her wrist and backhanded her across the face at the same time.

The sound was loud enough as it echoed through the restaurant, and Sophia’s head snapped to the side, as she gasped, clearly not

expecting this turn of events.

When she turned back to face me, there was a red mark that was present across her cheek and pure hatred in her eyes.

“You bitch,” she hissed.

“You started it,” I replied calmly, then reached for her coffee cup. Before she could react, I turned it over, spilling the still-warm

liquid over her head.

Coffee ran down her face and hair, soaking into her white blouse and Jeans.

She shrieked, jumping up from her seat as the liquid dripped onto the floor around her feet.

“You psychotic-”

“Lumina!”

Xenois’s voice cut through the chaos startling me as I turned to see him standing at the edge of our booth, his phone still in his

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Chapter 26

hand, his face filled with shock and fury.

:

His eyes took In the scene – Sophia dripping with coffee, her face red from my slap as she looked like she had been attacked by a

lawn mower, Riley hiding in the corner of the booth looking even more terrified than before as he had no idea what was happening.

Then his eyes landed on me, and I saw something die in his expression.

“What the hell did you do?” he demanded, rushing to Sophia’s side.

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“She attacked me!” Sophia cried, the tears coming instantly now as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She was a great actress. I was

going to give her that. “I was just sitting here, and she went crazy! She hit me and threw coffee on me!”

“That’s not- I started, but Xenois cut me off.

“Not what? Not exactly what I’m seeing right now?” His voice was cold, colder than I’d ever heard it as I resisted the urge to back

away from him.

He was looking at me with pure disgust that my wolf felt defeated but I refused to let it show.

“Look at Riley. Look how terrified he is. Look at Sophia. What kind of person does this?”

I looked at Riley, and my heart sank seeing him

The boy was practically hyperventilating now, his small body shaking as he pressed himself against the back of the booth. Whatever

was wrong with him, this confrontation had made it infinitely worse.

“Xenois, she tried to hit me first. I was defending myself—”

“Get out.”

The words were quiet, but they carried the full weight of his alpha authority.

Several other diners were staring now, their conversations dying as they watched our family drama play out.

“What?”

“I said get out. Leave. Now.”

Sophia was clinging to his arm now, her mascara running in dark streams down her cheeks as she spoke, pointing at me

“She’s dangerous, Xenois. I was just trying to have a nice lunch with you and Riley, and she attacked me for no reason. What if she

does this to Ollie? What if-”

“That’s enough,” I said sharply, my own anger finally boiling over as I glared at her, wishing I could pull her by her hair but Xenois

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Chapter 26

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was acting as her shield. ‘Don’t you dare use my son’s name to fuel your manipulations.”

“Your son?” Sophia’s voice rose to a near-shriek.

“Your son is probably just as terrified of you as Riley is! Children can sense evil, Lumina. They know when someone is dangerous!”

“I said GET OUT! Xenois roared, his alpha scent flooding the area around us.

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The restaurant fell completely silent. Even the staff had stopped what they were doing to stare at us.

I felt the weight of his authority pressing down on me, demanding submission, demanding that I bow to his will. I turned my eyes at

him, shocked that he would use this on me, or he wouldn’t give me a chance to explain myself.

But I was done bowing to his will. I was done apologizing for things I hadn’t done. Done pretending that this marriage was anything

more than a convenient arrangement that was no longer healthy for the both of us.

I stood slowly, meeting his fury with calm indifference.

“Fine,” I said quietly. “I’m done here anyway.”

I turned to leave, but Sophia’s voice followed me loud and clear.

“This is who you really are, isn’t it?” she called out, her voice loud enough to be heard by everyone in every corner of the restaurant.

“This is the real Lumina. Violent, unstable, dangerous. Thank god Xenois sees it now. Thank god he knows what kind of person he’s

really married to.”

I paused at the restaurant’s entrance, my hand on the door. For a moment, I considered turning around, considered defending myself. Considered trying once more to make Xenois see the truth.

But what was the point? He’d already chosen his side. He’d already decided who to believe and it wasn’t me. It shouldn’t have hurt me

like it did but it still hurts.

My phone rang as I stepped outside, and I fumbled for it with my hands that were starting to shake from adrenaline.

“Mrs. Blackwood?” The voice on the other end was professional as she spoke.

“This is Nurse Patterson from Riverside Elementary. We need you to come to St. Mary’s Hospital immediately. Your son Ollie collapsed during recess and has been transported there by ambulance.”

“What? What happened? Is he-”

“He’s conscious now, but the doctors want to run some tests. Can you get here as soon as possible?*

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“I’m on my way.”

I hung up quickly and ran for my car, my heart pounding so hard I could barely breathe. I fumbled with the keys barely able to get in as I started the engine and reversed out of the parking lot. This was it. This was what I’d been dreading, what I’d been trying so desperately to prevent.

Ollie was sick. Just like in my previous life. And I was running out of time to save him.

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