What the Moon Saw

What the Moon Saw
“WHAT THE—” she gasped, flinching as the cold water soaked her through. William slammed into the wall beside her, one hand instinctively braced against the tile and another circled around her waist to keep them both steady.
The world seemed to freeze.
There she stood—drenched, breath hitching, eyes wide. He hovered just inches away, water dripping down both their faces. Her chest rose and fell in soft panic. Something in the air shifted.
Her gaze met his—locked, unmoving.
Slowly, her drunken haze began to lift. “William…” she whispered, suddenly aware of every inch between them. “What’s happening?”
“You tripped a cold shower,” he said quietly, though his voice was suddenly hoarse.
She glanced down at her wet, clinging clothes, mortified. “Oh God… I look like a mess.”
“You look like trouble,” he said, smiling softly. Then, stepping back, he gently turned the faucet off.
She tried to cover herself with her arms, shivering slightly. William didn’t say anything, just pulled a towel from the rack and wrapped it carefully around her shoulders.
“Go change. I’ll get you something warm.”
Skylar gave a small nod and slipped past him, quiet for the first time that night.
Ten minutes later, William stepped out of the bathroom, towel around his neck, his damp hair tousled from the shower. He paused mid-step, his gaze catching on the figure by the window.
Skylar stood there in a silky blue pajama set, her back to him, the moonlight tracing her outline as she gently dabbed at her damp hair with a towel. Her skin glowed faintly under the soft lighting, and something stirred in William’s chest—a quiet ache that curled low and deep.
Without a word, he walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pressing his chest gently against her back. His chin rested lightly on her shoulder, and he felt the immediate jolt in her body before she relaxed into his embrace.
“You’ve caused enough mayhem for one night, madam,” he murmured, his breath tickling her skin.
She went still for a beat… then groaned quietly, squeezing her eyes shut. Her cheeks burned with heat as vivid flashes of her tipsy antics returned—whining for more champagne, trying to “borrow” his car, nearly flooding the bathroom...
“I have no clue what you're talking about,” she said quickly, voice pitched just a little too high to be convincing.
William chuckled low in his throat. “Oh really? Shall I jog your memory, Miss Jellyfish-in-a-driver's-seat?”
“Okay, okay—maybe just a little. But I usually black out after two drinks,” she mumbled, clearly bluffing.
He tightened his arms slightly, amused. “You do know your ears go red when you lie, right?” he whispered, brushing his lips against the shell of her ear.
She flinched, a small gasp slipping out as goosebumps raced across her arms.
“You remember everything, Skylar. You just pretend you don’t—because when you’re drunk, you finally let go. No filters. No weight of the world. You laugh, cry, demand ice cream from the ceiling—whatever’s in your heart. And honestly,” he paused, pressing a soft kiss behind her ear, “I wish you’d let yourself be that free more often.”
Skylar’s fingers clutched the towel tighter, her breath hitching as she leaned slightly into him. The air grew thick between them, silence humming like electricity.
William turned her gently in his arms, his thumb brushing a stray strand from her cheek. Their faces inched closer, the moment swelling—
But his phone rang.
William cursed under his breath. “Who the hell is calling at this hour?”
“Maybe it’s urgent…” Skylar said softly, reluctantly stepping back. “No one calls this late unless it is.”
His jaw tightened. He pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen.
Dad.
Unease crawled into his chest.
He answered. “Dad?”
His father’s voice roared through the line.
“William! It’s Eva—she tried to take her life. She’s in the ICU. Get to the hospital. Now!”
The colour drained from William’s face. The towel slipped from his hand, landing silently on the floor.
The hospital’s white corridors buzzed with urgency as William and Skylar rushed in. The weight of the call still rang in William’s ears.
William didn’t stop to breathe. He sprinted ahead, weaving past nurses and orderlies, until he spotted his parents outside the emergency operation room. Olivia was clutching her husband’s arm, her face pale and drawn, while Mathew paced like a storm barely held back.
“Dad!” William called out, breathless. “What the hell happened?”
Mathew turned, chest heaving. “It’s Eva,” he said, voice cracking under the weight of disbelief. “She saw the damn news—Zack and that Nelson girl. I guess... she couldn’t handle the truth. She locked herself in her room, slit her wrists. We found her just in time—” he choked, fists trembling. “She didn’t even cry. Just... silence.”
William staggered back a step, his heart in his throat.
Skylar arrived a second later, panting slightly, concern etched across her face. “What happened to Eva—”
SMACK.
The sudden slap cut through the sterile air like a whip.
Skylar reeled back, her cheek burning, her eyes wide with shock.
“Mom!” William barked, catching Skylar before she stumbled. “What the hell are you doing?!”
Olivia’s face twisted with fury and grief. “This is your doing!” she screamed. “You showed that vile video at a public event! Eva saw it online—everyone saw it. You made her heartbreak a spectacle!”
“Mom, stop—” William tried, but Mathew stepped in, voice like thunder.
“She drove our daughter to this! You think your petty revenge was worth it, Skylar? You think you’re some crusader for justice? You humiliated our family!”
William stood between them, jaw clenched. “Oh, come on! Eva was engaged to a two-faced bastard. Isn’t it better she saw the truth herself and escaped that mess?”
“In private!” Olivia snapped. “This should’ve been dealt with as a family matter. But you—you turned it into entertainment!”
“What to talk in private? The man cheated, lied, and played with her life!” William thundered. “And Skylar didn’t spread gossip—she showed proof! Proof we all needed.”
“Proof or poison?” Mathew shot back.
The shouting grew louder, echoing down the hospital corridor like rolling thunder, drawing stares from nurses and bystanders alike.
Then, Skylar stepped forward, placing a firm hand on William’s arm. “William. Enough,” she said calmly. “This isn’t the place.”
He turned to her, chest heaving.
She looked toward his parents, her voice cool but composed. “Mr. and Mrs. Scott, I can understand your grief. And for that, I won’t hold a grudge. But let’s get one thing straight—I didn’t act out of malice. I was publicly accused and cornered. I retaliated with the truth. If I wanted to cause damage, I would’ve released that video weeks ago. I didn’t—because it wasn’t meant to hurt Eva. So don’t paint me the villain when I exposed the real one.”
Her tone dropped cold. “Now, if you care about your daughter’s recovery, I suggest you calm down and keep this corridor from turning into a circus.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked away, the hospital lights flickering above her like a slow applause.
William stared at his parents for a beat, disappointment written across his face.
“You guys are impossible,” he muttered, then followed Skylar down the hall.
He found her sitting in the quiet waiting area, arms folded, legs crossed, staring blankly ahead. He took the seat beside her, letting out a long sigh.
“Hey,” he said softly. “You okay?”
She gave a nod, silent.
“I just want you to know,” he continued, “you did the right thing. Evelyn needed that reality check. She’s been skating on thin ice for too long.”
Skylar turned to him. “What do you mean?”
William pulled out his phone, opened a video, and handed it to her. “Remember I told you something was stolen at our engagement banquet? That’s why I disappeared that night.”
Her breath caught.
“This is what was taken,” he said.
The screen showed hotel CCTV footage—someone sneaking into Skylar’s vanity area, slipping something from a drawer, and vanishing.
She leaned forward, knuckles white around her dress. “That was dad's pocket watch.”
William nodded grimly. “The thief was a hotel staffer. But he wasn’t acting alone.”
He swiped to another video—Evelyn, in full disguise, slipping an envelope to the staffer, whispering something, and accepting the watch.
Skylar went rigid. Her heart pounded in her ears.
“I know how much that watch means to you. I swear, Skylar—I’ll get it back. I’ll make her pay for what she’s done.”
She looked down, guilt swirling in her eyes. “Actually, William… there’s something you should know—”
But before she could say it, his phone buzzed again.
William glanced down, then stood. “It’s Dad. Eva’s awake.”
They rushed down the corridor and into the room where Eva lay, pale and fragile, IVs snaking from her hands. The room was still, tense.
She scanned the room slowly, eyes landing on Skylar standing near the doorway, hesitant and distant.
Eva blinked, then slowly tried to sit up. Olivia rushed forward, so did William.
But Eva gently pushed their hands away.
Her eyes remained fixed on Skylar.
Then, with weak arms trembling, she reached out, voice hoarse but steady.
“Sister-in-law…”