Fisted hands above her naked chest, Luna Curry stared gloomily at the ceiling. Soreness inside her femininity stiffened her body. It was a cold night, but hatred was firing up. Sweats even grew on her forehead while she gritted her teeth.

Luna was chasing her breath while she picked up the robe on the ground and wrapped herself to have a shower. As the water splashed throughout her fair skin, a ringtone sounded outside. Though the conversation was inaudible, she heard the man answer it. For some reason, she had an idea of what the call was about.

A minute later, she heard him walking out and slamming the door. Luna anticipated it since, within three years of marriage with Grayson, his phone would ring every midnight hour. And after the call, he would dress up to go out and see his true love.

A sarcastic smile formed on her lips. It was as if Luna had been used to him that she didn’t care about his betrayal anymore. Numb of his actions, she pondered to herself, ‘At least, unlike other men, Grayson still comes home after meeting his mistress.’

The warm water washed the foam on her body before the bathroom door suddenly opened. Luna’s heart almost jumped in startle as she instinctively covered her body and squatted down. When she saw Grayson in the doorway, she calmed down.

“What are you doing?” she asked nonchalantly.

Some part of her delicate skin was still visible to Grayson’s eyes. Her ocean blue eyes, rosy lips, and wet face made her enchanting to him. Stunned, he blinked slightly. After he swallowed hard, he said coldly, “Stella is not feeling well. Check her up.”

Usually, Luna would sleep after taking a shower and found Grayson went out to see Stella James. This was the first time he had invited her with him. However, it was for one reason. She was a famous cardiologist who had been a surgeon for Stella.

A week ago, Stella had a heart transplant, and it was her, who performed the operation. “Go out. I’ll get dressed,” Luna whispered before Grayson left.

Just as she wore her trousers, her abdomen cramped. Blood was stained on her cloth, and she found she was on her period. Grumping, she picked another pant. ‘Argh! Stella stressed me out and made my period arrive earlier,’ she snarled in her thought.

“Fuck, Luna! Will you hurry up? A person is in critical condition, for Pete’s sake!” Grayson’s impatient voice sounded.

***

The next thing Luna knew, she was in an operating room, in front of unconscious Stella. Blood contaminated her gloves while she was trying her best to save her. However, Stella’s pulses were still getting slower and slower before a flatline straightened on the ECG.

"Beep-----------," the sound of the machine echoed in the operation room.

An in-depth sigh came out of Luna. She gazed at the wall clock and declared, “Time of death. 3:50 AM.”

The operation failed.

Luna turned around and saw the patient’s family outside, waiting for the result. She removed her blood-stained gloves first before facing them. Hope and fear were in battle in the family’s mind. Silence befell for a minute as Luna tried to find the right words to say. She took off her mask, and muttered, “I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. James. Stella didn’t survive the operation. We tried our best, but….”

Sorrow darkened and made the atmosphere heavier in the corridor. Their cries echoed in despair. Behind the family was a tall, familiar man. Luna saw Grayson, whose face was pale and depressed.

“Are you sure you tried your best?” Resentment sounded in his tone as he glared at Luna.

Dry throat dehydrated Luna even more. She persisted to the point she would almost collapse in fatigue and did everything she could as a cardiologist, but doubt was all she received from Grayson.

With blackened eyes, Luna locked her eyes with him and responded, “Her body suddenly resisted the medicine.” She paused for a second and added, “My condolences.”

Since the operation started, her abdomen had been in pain. However, she didn’t want to make an excuse in front of him. Showing weakness to Grayson was one of the things she hated.

Jaw clenched when Grayson suddenly grabbed her arm. His fingers solidified as they dug into her skin. It was as if he wanted to crush her bones. “I told you to rescue Stella, but now, you’re saying she’s dead?!”

Bafflement and fear drew on Luna’s expression. His glare was threatening her to give a reasonable explanation. She could feel her arms sore, together with her abdomen. “I did try my best,” she weakly said while she couldn’t stand the unbearable pain.

Her words sounded apathetic to him. Grayson sharply gazed at her with bloodshot eyes, “Then your best is not enough!”

Luna wanted to explain, but no matter what she said, the blame would fall on her.

The nurses suddenly pushed Stella’s lifeless body on the bed out of the operating room. She was covered with a white cloth while her family followed her, weeping in the corridor. Luna hadn’t had a proper sleep since she became her patient. Hearing her family’s grief now would certainly hunt her every night.

Slightly tilting her head, Luna averted her gaze back to Grayson. “You better say goodbye to her as there is not much time left. We can talk later if you want to know the details.” Her voice softened.

At this point, Grayson’s hold weakened as his eyes locked on Stella. He then followed after the family.

Left standing alone, the pain troubled Luna’s mind again. She only endured it while she took off her surgical suits, washed her hands, and returned to her office. Last night was too long, but she found it was already the hour to begin her shift. Meanwhile, she called her friend and asked her to come over.

For some reason, Luna’s sight blurred while she breathed heavily until she fainted. She woke up lying in the hospital bed, and her friend, Daisy Brown, was beside her.

She was an obstetrician and gynecologist in the hospital. Brows furrowed; Luna touched her abdomen softly. “I’m dying of hunger, Daisy. Do you have anything I can eat?”

Daisy inserted her hands in the pockets of her white coat while she looked at her with a chuckle. “Maybe you’re hungry, but it’s not the reason why you collapse.”

Heartbeat raced; a question mark flashed on Luna’s expression. “What do you mean?”

“You have a baby in your tummy and it's already six weeks!” Daisy replied excitedly.

A woman would typically cheer when she found she was pregnant, but not Luna. Instead of joy, fear and shock made her face pale. As she immediately sat up, her head spun in dizziness. Daisy told her to lean her back, and she gently followed. She looked down at her belly and spoke in her mind voice, ‘I thought I was just in my period.’

“Luna, you’re a doctor. You should’ve known that you’re pregnant. And how did you manage to stand beside the operating table for so long? Fortunately, your baby is safe,” Daisy somewhat lectured her with concern.

“Does anyone else know?” Luna interrupted before slowly looking up at her as if hoping nobody was aware of this.

There was silence for a moment while Daisy pursed her lips as if it was difficult to speak. Her expression revealed the answer to Luna. She chuckled sadly and thought, ‘Oh, I forgot. No one cares, especially now that Stella is dead. I won’t even cross Grayson’s mind.’

Melancholy sounded in her tone when she said, “Don’t tell anyone else.”

“Why? How about Grayson?” Daisy stared at her, worried.

“He doesn’t care.” The coldness of her voice froze the entire room as her eyes welled up. Luna couldn’t tell further why. Yet, Daisy could read her eyes. She knew more about Luna’s marriage than anyone else.

Indeed, Stella had just died. Even if the people heard that Luna was pregnant, not everybody would celebrate. The worst thing was it might be Daisy alone. “I understand,” she softly uttered and caressed Luna’s hair.

“However, when Stella’s funeral is over, you have to tell him. You are his wife, and you’ve done everything possible to save Stella. He shouldn’t blame you,” Daisy added. “Since Stella died, you can have a normal family with Grayson and your baby.”

Though it wasn’t pure to think like that, Daisy was grateful.

On the other hand, Luna was gazing at the darkness in the vast sky, feeling her marriage was about to end. She couldn’t just agree with her friend since Grayson’s true love wasn’t her. Now, it was even harder to fight against a ghost.

After some treatment and supplements for the baby, Luna was discharged from the hospital and went home late at night. There was not a single soul inside the house, but a part-time worker, who they hired to clean and cook meals for them.

When she went to the kitchen, she found the dishes on the table were already cold. ‘Grayson must haven’t returned yet,’ she thought. ‘Maybe he’s in Stella’s house, busy grieving and preparing for Stella’s funeral.’

No appetite to eat, Luna sat on the sofa and heaved a sigh. ‘What the hell should I do? If Grayson doesn’t accept me as his wife, what more is the child in my womb? Besides, he can’t just forget his true love in an instant,’ she pondered. Anxiousness caused her headache, so she took a quick shower.

The moment she was done, Grayson came back. Idle arms threw his tie and suit on the sofa while tiredness was evident in the circles around his eyes. It was as if Stella’s death had taken his life away.

Luna took a deep breath and walked over. Her slender fingers pinched the button on his collar as she untied it. When she was about to unbutton his shirt, Grayson suddenly clasped her wrist. He coldly stared at her and sneered, “Stella just died. Do you still want to do that now?”

Though it was vague, Luna understood what he meant. She gently answered, “I only think you need to breathe, Grayson, that’s all.”

Confusion clouded Grayson's mind. Judging from Luna's tone, he knew she was serious. His gaze followed Luna as she departed while thinking, 'Luna seems happy even if Stella has just died.' His eyes narrowed while a wave of rage arose in his system. 'Does she think she'll have a chance in my heart now that Stella's gone? Bitch.'

After Luna placed his clothes in the laundry, she lay on the bed. A moment later, a car's headlight reflected in her window as she heard the engine. It was the Ferrari Grayson often drove.

Hours of waiting had passed, there was no Grayson who returned, and Luna couldn't sleep. Her head on the pillow, she rubbed her abdomen gently. 'I'm sorry, baby, if Mommy can't promise you a whole family in the future.' Anguish troubled her all night.

The following day, Luna suddenly received a phone call from Grayson's parents, inviting her to their house for a meal. They reminded her to come with their son. Though she was supposed to be on duty, she was too embarrassed to refuse his parents. So, she only found a substitute to cover for her.

After countless times Luna called Grayson, there was still no answer. She could only think of one place where he would be. As a result, she drove towards her husband's company. When she asked the front desk, the lady answered, "Sir Grayson didn't come to work today."

"What? Where is he?" Luna immediately reacted. The lady only shrugged while she realized something. Stella's mother and her sister Chloe were the only ones left in their family. This might be the reason why Grayson had to take care of everything for Stella's funeral.

A faint smile appeared on Luna's lips as she noticed the lady's judgmental look. So, she stated, "I mean, he told me he has something to deal with. I was just too busy that I forgot about it."

Until she departed from the building, Luna forced a smile to plaster on her lips. Taking a deep breath, she hopped inside the car with restrained anger. She held the steering wheel tightly before stepping on the gas.

Before ringing the doorbell, Luna exhaled a huge amount of breath and thought of an excuse. The smile hadn't faded on her face since a helper welcomed her. She guided Luna to the dining area where Grayson's mother was waiting.

"Good evening," Luna greeted politely.

"Good evening, Luna. Where's Grayson?" Her mother-in-law, Maeve, asked.

Clearing her throat, Luna stared at her. "Ahm, Grayson has an important meeting to attend, and he can't excuse himself. He says it was urgent," she reasoned.

During the meal, utensils sounded in the dining. Maeve would ask questions, and all she would respond was yes or no. While slicing a lump of meat on her plate, Luna was absent-minded.

"Luna. Don't you think it's time for you to have a baby?" Maeve stared at her, but she lowered her head and whispered to the side, "If only your son loves me."

'With Grayson's stone heart, no matter how sincere I express my affection for him, if he loves Stella more, I can never change his mind.' The thought congested her heart.

Luna's whisper was inaudible for Maeve though it was quiet. Since she didn't hear her answer, she added, "You see, Stella is gone. If you get pregnant now, you can catch his attention. I swear he won't reject but love you more than ever."

The corners of Luna's lips showed a hint of ridicule before she quickly engulfed. The food Maeve cooked was flavorless. She usually liked food like this, but now she couldn't help but retch.

Surprised, Maeve asked, "What's the matter?" Though Luna hadn't answered yet, her eyes shone and glanced at Luna's belly. "Wait. Are you already pregnant?"

The turn of events happened in a blink of an eye. Luna was stupefied. 'Shit. She knows,' she thought, biting her lower lip.

"Are you okay?" The stun on her face worried Maeve, so she calmed her voice down and held Luna's hands. She flashed a broad smile, trying to comfort her. "Don't be afraid, Luna. This baby…"

Luna snapped back into reality and immediately broke Maeve's excitement. "No. My stomach just hurts," she lied.

A reluctant smile formed on Luna’s lips.

“Are you sure?” Maeve immediately questioned in doubt.

Pursing her lips, Luna nodded. To prove that she was not bearing a child, she bore extreme disgust and ate the meat in front of Maeve. The bowl emptied.

The abrupt excitement on Maeve’s eyes was replaced by annoyance. She grumbled unhappily, “Grayson didn’t care about his wife but deeply cares about a dead woman.” Her tone was pointing the blame at Luna. She glared at her with a raging aura before adding, “You are useless for a wife, Luna.”

Her words arose guilt in Luna, yet Maeve wasn’t finished. “How can you be a fool? I’ve taught you everything to seduce your husband, but you never made it!”

Maeve massaged the bridge of her nose as she heavily breathed, protesting in thought, ‘If I only knew Luna is useless, I should’ve asked Grayson to marry another woman.’ Fueling her anger was her son’s absence. Ever since he married, Grayson didn’t listen to her anymore.

Maeve believed there were no indifferent men, only women who refused to give time to men. Luna was an ideal woman, but she didn’t know how to flirt. She had no chance compared to Stella. Besides, the Tatum family only accepted her since she was famous, and her family had a decent background.

Amidst the silence, Luna suddenly apologized to Maeve, “I’m sorry.” If she hadn’t said something a little longer, Maeve would throw sharp-edged words.

Afterward, a tall man came fiercely to her. Grayson grabbed her arm and rudely lifted her from the chair. “Stand up!” His snarl echoed in the dining area, and Luna’s chair flipped to the ground.

Pupils enlarged; Maeve also stood up. “Grayson!” she shouted, but he ignored her.

Grayson was looking at Luna like a bloodthirsty wolf, ready to eat someone to death. His firm grip on her arm almost crushed her bones. As she looked at him, nothing but sadness and fear reigned in her heart. “Are you crazy?” She did her best to remain calm because of her condition.

“Did you intentionally kill Stella during the operation?” Ferocity grumbled Grayson’s voice.

Within three years of marriage, this was the first time Luna saw the murderous side of her husband. This man was as if a complete stranger!

Luna shook her head slightly in disagreement and frowned. “I told you, her body rejected the treatment, and we did our best to save her,” she reasoned, though she might have not tried her best to make him love her. But as for her career, as a respected doctor, she would definitely try all means to save her patients' lives no matter who they are.

Disbelief covered her eyes while staring at him for a moment. Tears somewhat blurred her sight. “How can you doubt me?”

A hiss escaped in between Grayson’s teeth. “Because you hate her! You must have been serious in this marriage that Stella’s existence with me annoys you.” The unshed tears revealed his fury and anguish.

Despite being hurled with hurtful words, Luna managed to look at Grayson straight in the eyes and calmly said, "Believe me or not, I know how much it hurts to lose the person you love the most. And yeah, you have every right to doubt me. However, if you truly believe I did not do my best and simply let her die, you may report me to the hospital. But gather evidence first."

After dropping those words, Luna shifted her gaze to Grayson's parents and met their glares. That gave her a hint that she needed to leave right away before a storm brewed.

Before leaving, she still respectfully excused herself to them. "Mom, Dad, thank you for dinner, but I'm leaving now."

Keeping her composure, she grabbed her bag and directly walked out of Tatum's residence.

However, as soon as Luna got into her car, her face and shoulders, which she had been holding up high, fell, and she burst into tears.

It never crossed her mind that Grayson would taint her reputation as a professional doctor.

Luna did her best to take care of Stella despite the latter being her husband's true love. She disregarded her feelings and chose to be professional instead, as she also wanted to avoid being accused of abusing her ability to play one's life in her hands.

But it seemed Grayson couldn't see that truth, as in his eyes, Luna was blinded by hatred and only desired revenge.

Luna tried not to cry as much as she could, but she was too aggrieved to hold back her tears. Tears continuously streamed from her eyes, blurring her vision. To avoid an accident, she pulled over her car to the side of the road and let her tears trickle down her face until her eyes dried up.

A few minutes later, she looked out her car window and realized she was on a commercial street. Many people were crossing the street, most of whom were probably heading to the nearby mall on the other side of the road.

The bright moon was shining down on the busy place and people, making the night spectacular.

Seeing it, Luna found herself pathetic for crying on such a sparkling night. So, instead of heading off straight to their house, she heaved a deep breath, dried her dumped cheeks, restarted her car, and drove to the mall on the other side of the road.

Right after she pulled up in the parking lot, she got out of her car and noticed two well-dressed women getting off their vehicles as well.

Night-shopping was indeed splendid for women, so Luna thought her mood would lighten up by doing so until she overheard the conversation between the two women.

"Hey, have you heard that Grayson's wife killed Stella in the operating room on purpose? Everyone knew her now because of that," one of the two women, dressed in a baby pink dress, mumbled.

"Yeah, it was said that she vented her anger at Stella. She's really vicious. I've seen wives fighting with their husbands' mistresses, but she's the only one I've seen kill a helpless mistress," the other replied, detested.

"It's now vividly clear that she's not really willing to be a nominal wife from the start. But do you know that she could be sued for what she did?" the former asked.

"Really?" exclaimed the woman in the tangerine dress.

"Yes! Indeed, quiet people have their demons hidden," the woman in the baby pink dress concluded.

Even after hearing the two women's remarks, Luna just quietly walked behind them, not changing her path to avoid them.

Besides, she also wanted to know what others thought of her now.

Of course, Grayson fought for their relationship at first, but after realizing he didn't stand a chance against his parents, he and the latter came to an agreement. He would accept marrying someone, but he would not end his relationship with Stella.

At that time, Luna's parents were also pushing her to settle down in life. As such, Grayson and Luna's parents agreed their children be together.

Like what Grayson and his parents agreed, he married Luna but didn't break up with Stella. Although Grayson and Luna satisfied each other's bodily needs as any normal couple would, he never brought her to any gathering or party; it was always Stella he brought over with him at such events.

The only event Luna was with Grayson was supposedly his company's annual meeting, which Mr. and Mrs. Tatum invited her to attend to introduce her to their staff. However, Grayson brought Stella with him as his partner that night, leaving Luna embarrassed that she didn't want to dig up that memory of her again.

With that, anyone could tell how great the love Grayson had for Stella that she appeared more like his wife compared to Luna.

Since then, Luna had never attended any events with Grayson. And the rumor that Stella was Grayson's true love and Luna was his nominal wife spread like wildfire.