Chapter 17 Its Fear
Genevieve forced a smile. "Lulu, are you still upset?"
Leo glanced at her and went to the kitchen.
Luna picked up an orange slice from the platter. She quietly slipped out of Genevieve's hold. "Upset about what?"
Genevieve's smile went stiff for a second. She recovered fast. "Yesterday at lunch, Hayes embarrassed you in front of everyone. He felt bad. He got you a gift."
Luna bit into the orange. She tilted her head at Hayes.
"What gift?"
Hayes picked up the gift box from the table and held it out. His voice was low. "That necklace you've been wanting."
Luna took it. Opened the box. A pave diamond necklace. Sparkled like crazy. The website listed it in the low six figures.
"Thanks." She smiled. "Didn't expect you to know I wanted this one."
Hayes saw her smile and relaxed a little.
So the cupcake for Jax today was about yesterday. Hayes had sided with Rory at the banquet. This was her way of getting his attention.
Genevieve and Hayes stayed a few more minutes, then left.
The door closed. Luna's smile vanished.
She looked down. Flicked the necklace, bored. Then asked Stella, "Mom, you want it?"
Stella stopped mid-bite on her orange. "Still upset?"
In the past, Luna treasured every gift from Hayes. Displayed each one in her bedroom.
"No." Luna said. "I just don't like him anymore."
Stella put the half-eaten orange back. Grabbed a napkin. Wiped her fingers. Then pressed her palm to Luna's forehead.
Her palm was warm and dry. Luna didn't move. Barely breathed.
Stella pulled her hand back. "How do you just stop liking someone?"
Luna looked at the half-eaten orange in the platter. She almost laughed.
That orange said it all. Stella was floored.
She'd been so stupid in her last life. Thinking Stella didn't love her.
"He doesn't even like me. Why should I throw myself at someone who doesn't care?" Luna felt like she'd been under a spell in her past life. Worse than Leo. Total simp.
Stella picked the half-eaten orange back up and kept eating. "Good that you get it. The engagement with Hayes was their idea. They came to us."
The four founding families of New York were the Harringtons, the Hans, the Songs, and the Porters. They practically ran the country's economy. The Sterlings were new money. Only started climbing in recent years.
"You can throw all the tantrums you want. Hayes has to take it."
Luna went still.
She dropped the necklace. Threw her arms around Stella's. Eyes shining. "Mom, you're the best."
Her arms were slim and soft. A warmth Stella hadn't felt in a long time.
Her hard heart cracked. Just a sliver. Like warm breath against ice.
Stella swallowed. She patted Luna's arm. "You're my kid."
After that, she slipped out of Luna's hold and went upstairs.
Luna stared after her.
She'd always thought Stella didn't want her. Kept her distance. But now...
It wasn't rejection. It was fear.
When Luna got close, Stella got scared.
"Why are you sitting here alone?"
Charles's voice came from behind her. Luna turned.
Charles had been fishing again. Casual clothes. Red bucket in hand. Stubble on his chin. Unkempt.
"Just thinking."
Charles set the bucket down. "Fight with Hayes?"
"No." Luna pinched her thigh hard. Pain brought tears. Two of them. They clung to her lashes and rolled down.
"Oh, no."
Charles sat down next to her fast. His hands were dirty from fishing. He fidgeted, not sure where to put them. "Why are you crying?"
Luna sniffed. Said nothing.
Charles grabbed a tissue and held it out.
Luna took the tissue but didn't use it. Please. Those two tears were her limit. Wipe them and they were gone.
Charles thought hard. The only person who could upset his daughter like this was that Sterling kid.
He went into dad mode. "Half the Sterling family's business comes through us. He's the one who needs to win you over. Not the other way around."
"It's really not about him. I'm sad about Mom." Luna sniffled.
Charles froze.
Luna asked the question she'd been holding inside forever. Her voice was small. "Why doesn't Mom ever talk to me?"
Charles didn't speak for a long time. The living room was silent except for the clock. Tick. Tick. Tick.
A hand landed on Luna's shoulder. A gentle pat.
Charles let out a quiet sigh. "Your mom has things she can't let go of. It's not that she's ignoring you. She can't even face herself."
Things she can't let go of?
Luna looked up. The chandelier threw bright light on her pale face. Her lashes, dark as raven wings, fanned shadows across her eyelids.
"What things?"
Charles looked at her. His hand trembled at his side. He forced a smile. "Ancient history."
He changed the subject fast. "You finish your homework?"
"...No."
The word "homework" sank her mood to rock bottom. She wasn't getting anything else out of him. She sighed and got up.
Luna went to her room. Dropped into her desk chair. Unzipped her backpack.
One night's homework. English: an argumentative essay. Spanish: two fill-in-the-blank exercises and a reading section. Math and Physics: a full test each.
Shouldn't have been that much. But Luna had gone out this afternoon. It was already seven.
She knocked out the essay in forty minutes. Pulled the math test over. Took one look. Sighed.
She cracked the textbook. Started from question one. By the time she'd struggled to question four, her phone buzzed.
Luna lit up. Saved. She grabbed the phone.
A weather alert. Tomorrow's temperature drop. The kind every carrier auto-sent.
"Seriously..."
Luna tossed the phone. Went back to math. Barely alive.
She was great at English and Spanish. But Math, Physics, Chemistry? Her brain turned to mush. She'd read the question and still have no idea.
"Buzz..."
The phone buzzed again. Luna waited two seconds before picking it up.
This time, it was an actual person.
BuffTheQueen: [oi kid, you done with your math test?]