The drive back was silent.
Too silent.
Luna sat by the window, watching the city lights blur past, but her mind wasn't there.
It was stuck on one sentence.
"You're not in that house by accident."
Ethan noticed.
Of course he did.
He noticed everything.
"You've been quiet," he said.
Luna didn't look at him. "I'm thinking."
"About Victoria?"
"No."
That got his attention.
"Then what?" he asked.
Now she turned.
Her eyes sharp. Direct.
"You."
A pause.
Then—
"Why me?"
Ethan's expression didn't change.
"I already answered that."
"No," Luna said calmly, "you avoided it."
Silence filled the car again.
Heavy.
Pressing.
"You had hundreds of options," she continued.
"Women from your world. Women who wouldn't question you."
She leaned slightly closer.
"So why pick someone like me?"
Ethan's jaw tightened just a little.
"You're overthinking."
"And you're hiding something."
The car stopped.
Perfect timing.
Or perfect escape.
They stepped out into the cold stillness of the mansion.
But this time—
It didn't feel just cold.
It felt tense.
Inside, Luna didn't walk toward her room.
She stopped.
Right there in the hallway.
"I'm not moving until you answer me."
Ethan paused.
Slowly turned.
"You don't get to make demands."
"And you don't get to lie by omission."
For the first time—
Their roles shifted.
Not CEO and contract wife.
Not control and compliance.
Just two people—
Standing in a truth neither wanted to face.
Hmm
Ethan stepped closer.
Dangerously close.
"You signed the contract," he said quietly.
"That means you follow the terms."
"And nowhere in those terms does it say I stay blind."
A flicker of something crossed his eyes.
Annoyance?
Or something deeper?
"You want the truth?" he asked.
Luna held her ground.
"Yes."
A long pause.
Then—
"You were easy to find."
That wasn't what she expected.
Her brows pulled together. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Ethan continued, voice calm but colder now,
"you had no strong connections, no one to interfere, no complications."
Each word landed heavier.
"You were… convenient."
Luna went still.
That word.
Convenient.
"So that's it?" she said softly.
"I'm just your easiest option?"
"Yes."
The answer came too fast.
Too clean.
And that's when she knew.
It wasn't true.
"Liar."
The word slipped out before she could stop it.
Ethan's eyes darkened instantly.
"Be careful."
"No," Luna stepped closer now, her voice stronger,
"you be careful."
That surprised him.
Good.
"You don't look at me like I'm 'convenient'," she said.
"You don't hold someone like that."
Silence.
Sharp. Dangerous silence.
For a moment—
Neither of them moved.
Then Ethan spoke.
Lower.
Colder.
"You're crossing a line."
"And you're hiding behind one."
That did it.
Ethan grabbed her wrist.
Not violently.
But firmly enough to stop her.
To ground her.
To remind her—
He was still in control.
"Don't confuse proximity with meaning," he said quietly.
"This is still a contract."
Luna's heart was beating faster now.
Not from fear.
From something else.
Something she didn't want to name.
"Then stop acting like it's more," she replied.
For a second—
Something cracked.
Just a little.
In his expression.
In the air.
In the distance between them.
Then—
He let go.
"Get some rest," he said coldly.
And walked away.
Luna stood there.
Her wrist still warm where he held it.
Her chest tight.
Her thoughts louder than ever.
He lied.
She knew it.
She felt it.
And that meant only one thing.
The truth was worse.
Upstairs, in the silence of his room—
Ethan stood by the window.
Still.
Unmoving.
Her words replayed in his head.
"You don't look at me like I'm convenient."
His jaw tightened.
Because she was right.
And that was the problem.
Down the hall—
Luna stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
Victoria's voice echoed again.
"You'll find out soon."
Her fingers clenched slightly.
"Then I will," she whispered.
Because whatever this was—
Whatever Ethan was hiding—
She was already too deep to walk away.