As soon as Luna ended the call, she strode forward, her steps quick with urgency. In her haste, she collided with a firm chest—Xander's. The impact startled her, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Move out of the way," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she attempted to sidestep him.
Xander didn't move. His brow arched, his voice calm but edged with amusement. "Excuse me?"
Luna ignored the question, brushing past him with a flick of her hair. But Xander's reflexes were faster—his hand caught her arm, spinning her around to face him.
"You're crossing my path and entering the house like I don't exist," he said, his tone teasing yet clipped.
Luna met his gaze squarely, her expression icy. "I can go wherever I want. This is my home."
Xander's amusement faded, replaced with quiet authority. "I know. But you don't go unless I allow it."
Her eyes flared with disbelief. "What kind of nonsense is that? Who gave you that right?"
"You're younger than me, Luna," Xander replied, his voice cool and measured. "You should know how to behave."
Just as Luna's temper surged, a voice rang out from behind them.
"Xander!" Mother Mary greeted warmly, stepping forward with outstretched arms, her smile radiant. Albert, Luna's father, soon joined in with his own enthusiastic welcome.
Luna rolled her eyes, her head tilting toward the ceiling in visible exasperation. She couldn't understand the reverence her parents showed Xander, as though he were some royal guest gracing their humble home.
Mother Mary's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Did you two come together? Where did you meet?" Her gaze danced between them, hopeful for a sweet story.
Luna's tone was flat. "No, we didn't." Without sparing Xander another glance, she walked inside, leaving her parents standing awkwardly in the entryway.
Mother Mary's smile faltered, surprise flickering across her features. Still, she tried to keep things light. "Come in, Xander. You're always welcome."
Albert beamed, stepping forward to clap Xander on the back. "Dinner's ready, my boy."
Xander followed them in with smooth, gracious movements, his charming smile disguising the tension still lingering in the air. The dining table was laid with care, adorned with his favorite dishes.
Meanwhile, Luna had retreated to her room, shedding her dress for a simple change of clothes. She didn't utter a word to Xander, not even a cold greeting. The soft thud of her door closing was the only evidence of her exit.
Upstairs, Mother Mary gently knocked. "Luna? Come down for dinner. Xander is here."
"I'm not hungry," came Luna's tired reply. "I ate earlier."
"You should still come. Xander is waiting."
"I'm exhausted, Mother. I just want to sleep."
Mother Mary sighed, defeated. "Fine. Rest."
Downstairs, the meal was served, but the atmosphere was strained. Luna, tucked into her bed, scrolled through her phone, drowning herself in videos and trying to ignore the world outside.
A creak of the door interrupted her peace. Mother Mary stepped in, her eyes sharp with disappointment.
"Xander has left," she said coldly. "I'm disappointed in you."
Luna barely looked up. Her mother snatched the phone from her hands.
"Do I have to tell you again and again to show some respect for Xander?"
"I do respect him," Luna said, irritated. "I just wasn't hungry."
"Luna," Mother Mary snapped, "don't forget it was his family that saved us from ruin. We owe them everything."
"And I should pay for it with my life?" Luna stood up, her voice rising. "Just because their family helped us, I have to be sold like property? Grandfather gave his life for them—that's enough!"
"Luna—"
"Mom, why won't you and Dad understand?" Luna's voice broke, pain creeping into her words. "Why would a rich, powerful family want their CEO son to marry a driver's daughter? It's not love—it's control. I'm just a pawn."
Mother Mary's tone was stern. "Don't you dare defy your grandfather's final wish."
"I want to study more," Luna said desperately. "I don't want a marriage where I'm expected to smile and obey every word. That's not living."
"Being part of the BD Group is like touching the sky, Luna. Marrying Xander is a dream women would die for."
As her mother walked out, Luna sank onto her bed, the weight of her memories pressing down on her.
She had promised her grandfather on his deathbed that she'd marry Xander.
Xander Blackwood—the powerful CEO of the BD Group. He had a doctor brother, a poised sister, and came from a dynasty of wealth and tradition. Her grandfather, once a humble driver, had saved Xander's grandfather from an assassin's bullet, sacrificing his life in the process.
In return, the Blackwoods promised to care for Luna's family. When her parents were facing financial ruin, the arrangement of marriage to Xander seemed like a lifeline.
Xander had accepted the decision without resistance. He was a man of discipline and tradition, a man who followed his grandfather's word above all. Romantic at heart, he was not. Luna remembered how he once told her, during their first meeting, that he would treat her like a sister.