Chapter 39 39

Chapter 39 39
Episode 39 : Your job now is to love me as much as you possibly can.

...

After spending some time at Luna's family cemetery, Matthias finally returned to the car... Even from a distance, he had noticed Luna staring at him the entire time, her gaze fixed on him without wavering.

"Hah, finally done."

"Let's head back to the office. There are still a few things I need to take care of." Matthias settled into the seat beside Luna.

Meanwhile, Luna pressed her lips together and clenched her hands tightly in her lap. There were so many things she wanted to ask him. Too many questions circling around inside her head but she chose to wait. She wanted Matthias to settle down first.

She didn't want to blurt something out in a rush and end up asking something foolish.

"Hmm?" Matthias turned toward her. "What's wrong?"

"Have you missed me already? I was only out of your sight for a few minutes." He looked absurdly confident as he smiled at his wife.

Luna was trying her best to stare at him seriously, but in Matthias's eyes, those large round eyes of hers only made her look too adorable and he liked that more than he should.

"What were you doing over there, babe?"

"Did you tell them that we're getting divorced after I give you a child?"

"If they hear that, they'll be sad wherever they are now."

"No matter what, I was precious to them and being married only to be used and to have a child... that sounds cruel."

"I'm sure you're going to have nightmares tonight because of that." The moment the words left her mouth, Luna's eyes began to sting.

Instead of sounding accusing, her voice sounded hurt... Because she truly was hurt. The thought that Matthias might have gone there simply to tell her family that he was married now—and that he would divorce her someday—made her chest ache.

If that was really what he had done... Then it hurt far more than she wanted to admit. No matter what happened, Luna had never forgotten her place. Even though Matthias had become gentler recently. Even though he paid attention to her. Even though he treated her differently from before... Luna still knew what she was to him... Someone being used... Someone who would eventually be discarded and She had already accepted that strange fate long ago.

Yet she couldn't deny it anymore, her heart was beginning to hurt. Perhaps it was because after leaving prison, the only person who had truly accepted her was Matthias... The only one. And somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, she had begun growing attached to him.

How could she not?

Matthias was handsome, powerful and reliable. The kind of man who could make people fall in love without even trying and he was always teasing her, always getting closer and always making her heart race — so much so that Luna constantly had to remind herself that this marriage was only temporary.

Slowly, she turned her gaze away. For some reason, her chest felt unbearably tight.

'What's wrong with me?'

'Why does my heart hurt so much just talking about divorce?'

'Is it because I've become happy staying by his side?'

'Is it because I've started enjoying being his wife?'

'It hurts so much knowing that this life will eventually come to an end once he gets tired of me.'

'I'll be abandoned again, and I won't have a home anymore. Even though I've already grown attached to the house we live in now.'

'I like calling it home. The place I return to. The place that finally feels like it belongs to me...'

"Haaaa..." Suddenly, tears slipped from her eyes, she couldn't stop them. The mention of divorce felt like a cruel reminder that Matthias had only ever intended to use her. Yet before she realized it, she had already become attached to all of this.

Attached to the house, attached to the warmth, attached to the life she'd never thought she could have, and worst of all... Attached to Matthias himself.

Even though it had only been a short time, being with Matthias made Luna feel as though she could do anything she wanted.

Yes, she was still afraid sometimes... But somehow, among all the people in her life, Luna knew that the man who had become her husband would never hurt her the way the others had. Not the way those people had hurt her. Not the way the people who had framed her had.

Luna's shoulders trembled as she cried harder. Her sobs echoed softly inside the car.

At that moment, Matthias froze... His eyes widened and for the first time, he truly realized something... Somewhere along the way, his feelings had changed.

He had accepted Luna into his life and yet... He had never actually told her.

The realization made his cheeks grow warm. Just a short while ago, he had finally admitted to himself that he really liked her. But even after realizing it, he had never once said it out loud.

"Sorry..." Luna wiped at her tears. "I know I shouldn't get carried away."
"But honestly... You keep teasing a lonely, damaged woman like me."

"And because of that, I started forgetting myself a little. I started forgetting everything." A bitter smile appeared on her face. "Maybe I'm crying because I know all of this is temporary."

"Knowing that hurts."

"But I promise I won't forget again." She lowered her gaze. "So you don't need to worry."

"I won't forget my place. I'll remember that I'm supposed to be the woman who's here to seduce you... And..." Instead of calming down, she started crying even harder. Because she had forgotten that too... Forgotten that this marriage was supposed to be nothing more than an arrangement.

Thump. Thump.

Matthias's heart pounded heavily inside his chest. Watching Luna cry felt completely different this time — It hurt him. Yet at the same time, there was a strange warmth spreading through his chest, because Luna's words proved something.

Everything between them hadn't been an act. Luna hadn't forced herself to feel comfortable around him. She hadn't been pretending. She had genuinely begun to feel safe by his side — So safe that she'd forgotten their relationship was built on a contract that could end at any moment.

Without thinking, Matthias reached for her hand, his fingers wrapped tightly around hers.

Luna instantly fell silent. She turned toward him, her large eyes still shimmering with tears.

"I..." Matthias swallowed. "Umm..." For the first time in his life, he felt ridiculously nervous... Back when he had dated Valery, she had been the one who confessed first.

The truth was that Matthias had absolutely no experience confessing to someone he liked. Not a single bit.

"Hmm?" Luna blinked. "Are you planning to punish me for getting carried away?"

"I was only being honest."

"But if you want to punish me, then fine. Do whatever you want." She puffed out her cheeks slightly. Her lips formed an adorable pout. Completely unaware that every little expression she made only caused Matthias's heart to beat even faster.

"I've changed too." The words finally left his mouth. "My feelings have changed too." His voice was quieter than usual.

"I've never felt anything like this before."

"My heart keeps beating so fast and I can't stop thinking about you."

"Not even for a second." He tightened his grip on her hand. "At first, I thought I was only a little interested in you."

"But I was wrong."

"I..." His voice trembled slightly. Matthias wasn't sure how to explain what he was feeling.

Because the truth was... Just like Luna, he had completely forgotten about the contract he'd created himself. And somewhere along the way, he'd already made a decision. Maybe this relationship needed to start over from the beginning... Properly this time.

"I think I've fallen for you too." The confession finally came out. "I don't know exactly when it started."

"But maybe..." A faint smile appeared on his face. "Maybe I've liked you since the first time I saw you standing on that stage."

"That day, I knew I had to take you home with me."

"I just thought that feeling was nothing more than an annoyance." His ears were red now. His face wasn't much better, and the moment those words left his mouth — Luna stopped crying entirely.

Meanwhile, the personal driver sitting in the front nearly died from shock. He had just become the unwilling witness to his young master's confession.

"Huh?" Luna stared blankly at him. "What?"

"Are you joking?" Of course she didn't believe him.

How could she?

How could someone like Matthias possibly fall for someone like her?

Someone troublesome. Someone who constantly annoyed him. Someone with a past like hers.

Matthias frowned immediately. "Do I look like I'm joking right now?" He raised his left hand. "Look." His gaze dropped to the wedding ring on his finger. "I wear this everywhere."

"If I didn't like you, I wouldn't bother wearing it." Luna's eyes followed the ring. She had seen it countless times but never thought much about it. "And now that I've confessed..." Matthias leaned closer. A familiar domineering look returned to his face.

"Your job has changed."

Luna blinked. "My job?"

"That's right." His lips curled upward. "Your job now is to love me as much as you possibly can."

"As for the contract and all that nonsense... They don't mean anything anymore."

"They're no longer valid. And you're not allowed to refuse." The declaration left Luna completely speechless. Her mouth slowly fell open.

She was shocked and utterly unable to process what had just happened. She had no idea what was going to happen next.

...

Elsewhere...

"Bring that woman to me immediately." Matthias's father's patience had finally run out. "She needs to leave my son." His expression darkened.

This time, he intended to meet the woman his son had married face-to-face and he would personally tell her to leave.

If she refused... Then he would stop being lenient. Because in his eyes, she was nothing more than a former convict who had somehow dared to seduce his son.

...

To be continued...