Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 423

Chapter 423

“Samuel, you came home smelling like perfume and guilt. Of course I knew. I just chose not to make a federal case out of it because you were going through that midlife crisis phase.”

“I was fifty-three. That’s not midlife unless I’m planning to live to one hundred and six.”

“Focus,” I commanded. “You were confessing something. Presumably something more significant than decade-old infidelity that I’ve already forgiven you for.”

“Right.” He took a shaky breath. “Your favorite jewelry. The sapphire necklace that went missing eight years ago. The one you loved and thought you’d lost.”

I went very still. “What about it?”

“I broke it,” he admitted in a rush. “I was cleaning the bedroom and knocked it off the dresser and it shattered. And instead of telling you, I panicked and hid the pieces. And then when you asked about it, I suggested maybe Xenois or Xena had borrowed it without asking.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. That necklace had been a gift from my mother, one of the only things I had from her after she’d passed. I’d mourned its loss for months.

And Samuel had broken it. And lied about it. And let me blame our children.

“You let me accuse Xena of taking it,” I said quietly. “Our daughter. Who died thinking I believed she’d stolen from me.”

“I know,” Samuel whispered. “I’m so sorry, Silvia. I’ve been carrying that guilt for eight years. And if we’re going to die here, I couldn’t let that be the last secret between us.”

I wanted to be angry. Wanted to rage at him for lying, for letting me hurt our children with false accusations, for keeping this secret while I mourned something he’d destroyed.

But we were lying on a stone floor, unable to move, about to be killed by enemies seeking revenge for our own past atrocities.

And somehow, the necklace didn’t seem that important anymore.

“You’re an idiot,” I said finally.

“I know.”

“And you’re going to make this up to me in the afterlife.”

Absolutely.”

“But Samuel?”

“Yes?”

“I forgive you.”

He turned his head-the only part of his body he could apparently still move-and looked at me with eyes bright with tears. “Really?”

“Really,” I confirmed. “Though if we somehow survive this, you’re buying me a replacement necklace. Something even mor expensive. With actual sapphires, not those fake ones you tried to pass off as real.”

“Those were real sapphires-”

My son had come for us after all.

And from the sounds of absolute mayhem erupting throughout the nest, he’d brought friends.

“Well,” I said to Samuel, who was sprawled on the ground a few feet away looking equally battered and relieved, “this is embarrassing.”

“Completely humiliating,’ he agreed.

“Our reputation is ruined.”

“Absolutely destroyed.”

“We’re never going to live this down.”

“Never,” Samuel confirmed.

But we were smiling despite the pain and the shame and the absolute certainty that we’d be hearing about this for the rest of our lives.

Because our son had come for us.

d sometimes, family was worth a little humiliation.