The Rejected Luna (Avery and Kaden) novel Chapter 53

**Between Then and Now by Mark Twain**

**Chapter 6**

Blake stumbled through the desolate Pack House, his heart racing as he flung open one door after another, desperation clawing at his insides. Each room he entered felt like a ghost of the past, echoing with memories that seemed to taunt him.

The master bedroom was first—a place that once felt like a sanctuary now felt like a tomb. Lena’s scent still clung to the pillows, a bittersweet reminder of her presence, yet her side of the closet was achingly empty, a stark testament to her absence.

He moved on to the guest room, then the study, and finally the walk-in wardrobe, each space devoid of the warmth they once held.

But it was the nursery that drew him in like a moth to a flame.

As he crossed the threshold, his legs buckled beneath him, and he fell to his knees, the weight of reality crashing down.

Oh gods.

Oh gods, it’s real.

In an instant, the look in Lena’s eyes from the previous night came rushing back to him—an abyss of sorrow, a tempest of resentment.

And this morning… that frayed teddy bear cradled in her arms…

The realization struck him like a lightning bolt: it was their daughter’s cherished toy. Memories cascaded through his mind, each one more vivid than the last.

And what had he said to her in that moment of thoughtlessness?

“What trash are you carrying around? Toss it out before it stinks up the house.”

A choked sound escaped his lips, raw and agonizing. His lungs felt as if they were on fire, filled with the acrid smoke of regret.

Then, like a ghost from the past, a memory emerged—

The twins’ fifth birthday. Miles had practically dragged him to the amusement park, insisting he join the celebration.

Little Nancy had looked up at him, her wide, innocent eyes sparkling with joy:

“Daddy… you’re not working today? I’m so happy! Thank you for celebrating with us!”

And Kate, her small hand slipping into his, had whispered:

“Mommy was right. You are the best daddy in the world.”

Blake crumpled onto the nursery floor, his face pressed against the cool wood, gasping for air as if he were drowning in an ocean of despair.

They had been so sweet. So full of love.

Yet on that fateful day when he had shoved them into the van bound for The Obedience Den, he had snarled at them:

“Disrespectful brats! Is this how your mother teaches you to treat guests? No wonder you’re as worthless as she is!”

Hot, bitter tears splashed onto the hardwood floor, each drop a testament to his remorse.

Then, something glinted beneath the crib, catching his eye.

With trembling hands, he crawled forward, grasping a faded photograph.

There they were—Lena and the twins, radiant smiles illuminating their faces beneath a cherry blossom tree. And beside them, a crude stick figure labeled “DADDY” in wobbly crayon.

A sob erupted from deep within him, raw and unrestrained.

This was all she had left for him.

Nothing more.

She wants me to suffer.

Desperation clawed at him as he fumbled for his phone, dialing Lena’s number repeatedly, each attempt met with the same cold, automated voice:

“The subscriber you dialed is unavailable—”

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