The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon (Celine and Bastian) novel Chapter 155

Chapter 155

I finish feeding Jasper and carefully lay him in his crib.

77

55 vouchers

The little one yawns, wraps his tiny hand around one of my fingers for a moment, and drifts back into a deep sleep.

Idunn spent most of the morning decorating the crib with Moon Crystal flowers. Their delicate petals catch the light streaming through the window, casting tiny bluish reflections across the bedroom walls. The air is filled with their fragrance, a delicate blend of night, dew, and sweetness that always brings a strange sense of

calm.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, but the scent awakens a memory I’d rather keep buried. The first time I met Darien, that same fragrance surrounded him, mingled with the unmistakable scent of blood and death, back when he was still a Strigoi. The combination had been as beautiful as it was terrifying… and for some reason, remembering it now only makes the uneasiness weighing on my chest even stronger.

When the maid assigned to care for Jasper enters the room, I straighten the blanket over my little boy one last time and make sure he’s sleeping soundly before turning toward her. The sunlight pouring through the tall windows illuminates the white wooden crib, adorned with the delicate Moon Crystal flowers Idunn placed so carefully. Their translucent petals scatter bluish glimmers across the walls, and the gentle swaying of the curtains makes the entire room seem to breathe peacefully. It’s hard to pull myself away from my son.

“If he wakes up, cries, or simply seems restless, send for me immediately.”

The young woman nods with a calm smile as she walks over to the crib to make sure Jasper is still asleep.

“I will, ma’am. Although, to be honest, taking care of your son is a true pleasure. He’s such a calm, well- behaved baby.”

I can’t help smiling.

“Thank you, but send for me anyway. I’ll be in the garden with the children.”

“Go without worrying. I’ll take good care of him.”

I cast one last glance toward the crib before leaving the room. The moment I step through the doorway, the pressure squeezing my chest intensifies so sharply that it forces me to stop. It’s as though an invisible hand is slowly closing around my heart. I take a deep breath, trying to catch my breath, and that’s when I see him.

Johan.

He’s walking down the long stone corridor with slow, measured steps. He’s wearing clean clothes, but they’re far too loose on a body that hasn’t yet regained the weight it lost. His black hair falls carelessly across his forehead, and the light filtering through the stained-glass windows paints patches of color across his dark clothing as he walks with his gaze fixed on the floor. For a fraction of a second, his face tightens in pain before he immediately hides it again, hardening his jaw and squaring his shoulders as though refusing to let anyone see the suffering he’s carrying.

Then I understand.

1/3

16:02 Tue, Aug 18

The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

The feeling I’ve been enduring since this morning has absolutely nothing to do with my mates.

It’s Johan.

“Good afternoon, ma’am.”

71

55 vouchers

He keeps walking without stopping, trying to pass by as though my presence doesn’t affect his path in the slightest.

“Stop.”

He obeys immediately. His footsteps freeze against the marble floor, but he doesn’t turn to look at me. He remains with his back to me, his hands relaxed at his sides and his head slightly lowered, waiting in silence.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I frown.

“You’re lying.”

This time, he isn’t the one who walks toward me.

I’m the one who closes the distance between us, driven by the unbearable pressure that keeps growing inside my chest.

“The bond is affecting you just as much as it’s affecting me. I ignored it… or rather, I deliberately stayed away from you because I don’t like you, Johan. I wanted to convince myself I could keep pretending nothing had happened, but I’m your creator. If we don’t do something now, this feeling will follow us forever.”

He still doesn’t raise his head. His eyes remain fixed on the floor, and the silence stretching between us is almost unbearable. There’s no anger in his expression. No resentment. Only discomfort as obvious as my own. Suddenly, I realize there’s no point in keeping this distance any longer.

I slowly let out a breath.

“I’m your creator… and you’re my son. From today on, whenever you need me, you can come to me.”

The words have barely left my lips before the pressure disappears completely. It’s so sudden that even my breathing feels light again. The bond stops pulling at us so desperately, as though it has finally found the place it had been searching for ever since we shared my blood.

Johan remains motionless for a few more seconds.

“Thank you… ma’am.”

I shake my head and take the final step between us. I take his hand in both of mine. His skin is no longer ice- cold as it was two days ago, and the deep wound that had pierced the back of his hand has disappeared completely, leaving behind only a thin pink scar. I run my thumb over it while he watches the gesture without understanding.

2/3

16:02 Tue, Aug 18

The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

“My name is Valeria Duval. You can call me Valeria.”

He nods slowly.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify