Chapter 299
Chapter 299
【Luna's Perspective】
"We can't take him back to the mansion like this," I whispered, glancing nervously at my husband's flushed face. "The staff would talk. The family would ask questions."
Kevin nodded grimly. "You're right. A hotel then?"
"The Four Seasons is only ten minutes from here," Violet suggested, holding the exit door open for us.
We managed to get Max into the back seat of Kevin's car without attracting attention. I slid in beside him, cradling his head in my lap. His skin burned against my fingers as I brushed damp hair from his forehead.
"Violet, I need you to go with Kevin," I said, making a quick decision. "I'll stay with Max tonight."
Kevin met my eyes in the rearview mirror. "Mrs. Morrison, are you sure? I can stay—"
"No," I said firmly. "Max wouldn't want anyone else to see him like this. I'll handle it."
---
The hotel suite was mercifully quiet and cool as I helped the bellhop settle Max onto the king-sized bed. After tipping the young man generously for his discretion, I locked the door and turned my full attention to my husband.
His breathing was shallow, his face flushed with fever. I loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar, then dampened a washcloth in the bathroom and placed it on his forehead.
Think, Luna. What would help him?
I paced the room, weighing options. A cold shower might shock his system too much. More fluids, certainly. But the drug needed to work its way out of his system.
What if...
I stopped pacing, a flush creeping up my neck at the thought that had just occurred to me.
The drug is causing his system to be hyperactive. What if... what if he could release some of that energy? Wouldn't that help his body recover faster?
Decision made, I began unbuttoning Max's shirt, my fingers trembling slightly. His chest was burning hot to the touch, skin slick with sweat. I removed his belt next, then his shoes and socks.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, though he couldn't hear me. "But this will help you feel better."
I slipped out of my own clothes, folding them neatly on a chair, then climbed onto the bed beside him. My heart raced as I reached for the zipper of his pants.
Suddenly, Max's eyes snapped open, unfocused and wild. I froze, my hand hovering above him.
"Max, you're awake?" I asked, my voice high with surprise.
He blinked several times, confusion evident in his expression. "Luna?"
"I'm so sorry," I said quickly, pulling the sheet up to cover myself. "I almost let you get hurt. If I'd arrived sooner—"
Before I could finish, Max grabbed my wrist and flung me aside with surprising strength for someone in his condition. He stumbled to his feet, swaying slightly before lurching toward the bathroom.
"Get out," he growled, slamming the door behind him.
I sat on the bed, stunned and hurt. Had he thought I was taking advantage of him? Did he blame me for not protecting him from Lily?
"Max," I called through the door, "it's me, Luna. Luna Blake, your wife."
"FUCK OFF!" The raw fury in his voice made me flinch.
"I want you to GET OUT!" he shouted again.
Tears pricked at my eyes. What had I done wrong? Was he angry that I hadn't arrived in time to prevent whatever Lily had done? Had she already...? My mind raced with horrible possibilities.
"Go to hell!" Max's voice came through the door, thick with rage. "What the fuck did you put in my drink? How much of that shit did you give me that I'm hallucinating my wife's voice?"
I blinked, the tears suddenly stopping as understanding dawned. A small, incredulous laugh escaped my lips. He thought I was Lily. He thought I was an hallucination.
"Max," I called again, my voice steadier now. "I'm not Lily. I really am Luna."
"I don't care who you are," he threatened, his voice closer to the door now. "You have two minutes to get dressed and get out of here, or I'll make you regret it."
I couldn't help but smile despite the situation. Even drugged and confused, my husband was refusing another woman. His loyalty was oddly touching, even when misdirected.
"Alright," I conceded softly. "I'll go. I'll get a room next door. When you're feeling more yourself, come find me." I quickly dressed, gathering my things. "Your phone is on the nightstand. If you start feeling worse, call me and I'll take you to a hospital."
---
The front desk clerk barely raised an eyebrow when I requested another room, explaining that my husband snored. I settled into the new room, leaving the connecting door unlocked on my side.
About an hour later, my phone buzzed with a text message from Max:
"Luna, don't worry, I'm fine. Staying at a hotel tonight, don't wait up."
I laughed softly, shaking my head at his stubborn pride. He still didn't believe I was here.
"Okay," I texted back. "Drink plenty of water and get some rest. I'm in the room next to yours. See you tomorrow."
---
The next morning, I was awakened by a soft knock at my door. I pulled on a hotel robe and peered through the peephole to see Max standing in the hallway, looking considerably more composed than the night before, though the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion.
When I opened the door, he startled visibly.
"It really was you," he said, his voice a mixture of surprise and chagrin. His eyes traveled over me, absorbing every detail as if confirming my identity.
"Fully recovered now?" I asked, stepping aside to let him enter.
Max ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Could I have been hallucinating last night?"
"No," I smiled gently. "You definitely weren't hallucinating."
"I'm sorry," he said, closing the distance between us. "In that state, I'm programmed to be suspicious. The drugs can cause vivid hallucinations."
"Are you still feeling bad?" I asked, reaching up to touch his forehead. His temperature seemed normal now.
"Yes," he admitted, his eyes darkening as he looked down at me. "Very bad."
Before I could respond, Max pushed me back into the room, kicking the door closed behind us. His mouth found mine in a hungry kiss that left no doubt about what kind of "bad" he was feeling.
We barely made it to the bed, a tangle of limbs and discarded clothing. The drug's lingering effects were evident in Max's intensity, his usual control replaced by an almost desperate need. Hours later, I lay curled against his chest, pleasantly exhausted, as room service delivered a late breakfast that neither of us had the energy to leave the bed for.
---
【Max's Perspective】
By evening, I felt clear-headed enough to deal with the Lily situation. The drugs had mostly worked their way out of my system, though I still felt a lingering restlessness beneath my skin. Luna had certainly helped with that—the memory of our morning together brought an involuntary smile to my face as we pulled into the police station parking lot.
Nathan was waiting for us, leaning against his car with his arms crossed. The moment he saw me, his expression shifted from worry to relief.
"How is she?" I asked, keeping my voice neutral. I had no sympathy for Lily, but Nathan was still my friend, and this was his sister.
He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "A mess. They're keeping her in a private holding room rather than a cell, but she's... not handling it well."
Inside, a detective with tired eyes and a coffee-stained tie led us to an interview room. Lily sat at a metal table, hunched over and diminished, her designer outfit wrinkled, her makeup streaked with tears. She looked up when we entered, her red-rimmed eyes widening at the sight of Luna beside me.
"Mr. Morrison," the detective began, flipping open a worn notebook, "we need to know if you want to press charges. If you do, Ms. Carter will be formally arrested for assault and administering a controlled substance without consent. She'll have a record."
I felt Luna's hand squeeze mine gently, but I kept my expression impassive, waiting for Nathan to make the first move.
He stepped forward, his face contorted with pain as he addressed his sister. "Why, Lily? Why would you do something like this?" He paced the small room, running his hands through his hair in a gesture I'd seen countless times during our military missions when things went sideways. "Do you have any idea what you've done? To Max? To yourself? To our family's reputation?"
"I'm sorry," Lily whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm sorry, Nathan. I'm sorry, Max. I made a terrible mistake..."
Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "A mistake? This wasn't a mistake—this was calculated and deliberate. You're my sister and I love you, but this... this is beyond selfish."
"I know," she sobbed, mascara streaking down her cheeks. "I know I was wrong."
"Wrong doesn't begin to cover it," Nathan replied, his voice tight with emotion. "You need help, Lily. Professional help. This obsession with Max isn't normal or healthy."
"You have two options, Lily," I finally said, my voice flat. "Option one: I press charges, and you face the consequences through the legal system. Option two: you resign from Project Azure effective immediately and check yourself into a psychiatric facility for treatment."
Nathan nodded emphatically. "Please, Lily. You need help. You must be suffering from some kind of... I don't know, severe obsessive disorder or something. This isn't like you."
"I'm not crazy," Lily protested weakly.
"Then I'll press charges," I stated flatly, turning toward the door. I wasn't bluffing.
"Wait!" Lily called out. "I'll answer your conditions if you swear on your wife and son's lives to answer one question honestly."
I paused, my hand on the doorknob. "What's the question?"
Lily took a deep breath. "If Luna Blake didn't exist, would you have been with me?"
The room fell silent. Nathan shifted uncomfortably, while the detective studied his notepad with sudden interest. I could feel Luna's eyes on my back, and for a moment, I considered a diplomatic answer.
But diplomacy wasn't what Lily needed. She needed reality, harsh as it might be.
I turned back, meeting her gaze directly. "If Luna didn't exist, I still wouldn't be with you, Lily. To be perfectly clear: if you were the last woman on earth, I would rather be with your brother than with you."
Nathan's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in shock.
Lily stared at me for a long moment before collapsing into gut-wrenching sobs. Between gasps, she managed to choke out, "I'll take the treatment option."
---
Two hours later, we'd completed the paperwork for Lily's voluntary commitment to a private psychiatric facility outside Washington. Nathan and I stood in the parking lot as the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the manicured grounds.
"Well," he said with forced lightness, throwing an arm around my shoulders, "it's a good thing there are plenty of women in the world, or I might have to fend off your advances. Not sure I could resist your charm if you set your mind to it."
I shrugged off his arm with a grimace. "I was just making sure your sister got the message. Don't read too much into it."
Nathan laughed, pulling me into a brief hug. "Thank you for giving her another chance. I know she doesn't deserve it, but I'm grateful. I feel like I've failed you as a friend."
"Get in the car," I said gruffly, uncomfortable with the display of emotion. "I don't need your sentimental crap right now."
Once inside the vehicle, Nathan changed the subject. "So, Kevin mentioned you're taking some time off for a honeymoon? About time you made an honest woman of Luna."
I adjusted the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Luna sitting quietly in the back seat. "We're legally married already. The ceremony is just a formality, and it depends on Luna. She wants to wait until William is captured."
Nathan's expression darkened at the mention of William. "That bastard needs to be caught and torn to pieces after what he did to Daphne."
"And if we never catch him?" I asked quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"I need your help with something, Nathan. Make sure Noah Walker doesn't win his election."
Nathan's brow furrowed in confusion before sudden realization dawned. "Wait... you don't mean...?"
"Yes," I confirmed grimly. "It's him. Noah could very well be William."
"Holy shit," Nathan breathed. "That complicates things."