Chapter 6 Mrs. Graham

Logan caught every second of the exchange. He understood immediately what was happening.

He placed a reassuring hand on Luna's shoulder, then turned to Marcus and Chloe with an easy smile. "Well, if Mr. Graham and Ms. Morris are kind enough to invite us, it would be rude to refuse."

Logan knew that if he declined, Marcus would only make things harder for Luna. Better to accept—and stay close enough to look out for her.

They hadn't seen each other in years, but the bond between them hadn't faded in the slightest.

Luna glanced at Logan, gratitude flickering in her eyes.

She didn't argue. She simply went quiet. There was no avoiding this dinner now. But with Logan there, at least she didn't feel completely alone.

Chloe's smile brightened. She looped her arm through Marcus's and led the way toward the door. "Perfect! Let's go then—I've already made a reservation."

Marcus followed her, but not before glancing back at Luna one last time. His expression was unreadable—complicated in a way that defied easy explanation.

Luna took a deep breath, swallowing her discomfort, and followed Logan out.

The lightness that had filled the studio just moments ago was gone—shattered by this unwelcome intrusion.

The car pulled up in front of an upscale restaurant. One by one, they stepped out.

"Good evening. How many in your party?"

"We have a reservation. Name's Graham."

"Ah, Mr. Graham. Right this way, please."

The server led them inside. The moment Luna stepped through the door of the private dining room, she froze.

Her eyes widened in shock—then something darker. Disbelief.

The room was filled with red roses. Dozens of them. They lined the entryway, cascaded across the tables, filled every corner with their heavy, intoxicating fragrance.

White candles flickered at the center of the table, their warm glow casting soft, romantic shadows across the walls. The whole room had been transformed into an intimate, carefully orchestrated birthday surprise.

Luna's gaze instinctively shifted to Marcus. A sharp ache twisted in her chest.

He'd never done anything like this for her birthday. Not once. He'd never even asked what she wanted.

This kind of thoughtfulness—this level of effort—had been unthinkable back then.

And now here it was. Right in front of her.

Same man. Different woman.

Luna exhaled quietly, her heart sinking. So this was how much Chloe meant to him. Enough to plan something this elaborate. Enough to make a public declaration of their relationship—even though his divorce wasn't finalized yet.

Meanwhile, Luna—his legal wife—felt like an intruder.

She stood awkwardly to the side, watching the scene unfold like a bystander at someone else's love story.

She forced herself to stay calm, her expression carefully neutral, and quietly took a seat in the corner.

She acted as if the roses, the candles, the romance—none of it had anything to do with her.

What she didn't know was that Marcus had frozen too.

He frowned slightly, surprise flickering in his eyes. He'd only asked his assistant to book a nice restaurant. He hadn't requested any of this.

The setup had clearly been the restaurant's doing—a well-meaning but wildly mistaken assumption about his relationship with Chloe.

His gaze drifted toward Luna. Despite himself, he felt a flicker of expectation. He wanted some kind of reaction from her. Anger. Jealousy. Anything but this quiet indifference.

But all he saw was Luna sitting there, eyes downcast, expression blank. As if the entire romantic display didn't even register.

That flicker of hope died instantly, replaced by a growing sense of irritation.

He hadn't planned this. But seeing her so unbothered made him inexplicably frustrated. And suddenly, he didn't want to explain himself.

If she didn't care, what was the point?

"Oh my God!" Chloe, on the other hand, was delighted. Her smile widened as she clung tighter to Marcus's arm, leaning affectionately against his shoulder. "Marcus, this is amazing! You really went all out. I love it."

She shot a pointed look at Luna—but Luna didn't react. That lack of response only made Chloe feel like she was punching air.

Marcus didn't reply. He just nodded absently, his eyes still fixed on Luna.

Logan noticed everything. He gave Luna a subtle, reassuring glance.

Luna shook her head lightly. I'm fine.

Dinner began. Chloe spent the entire meal hovering over Marcus—serving him food, dabbing at the corner of his mouth with a napkin, her voice dripping with syrupy sweetness. Every gesture was deliberate, designed to broadcast intimacy.

Marcus didn't reciprocate. But he didn't stop her either. He simply let it happen.

At one point, a server came in with another dish. Seeing the two of them together, he smiled warmly and said, "Mr. Graham, Mrs. Graham—your order is complete. Please enjoy."

Mrs. Graham.

The words hit Luna like a knife to the chest.

Her grip tightened around her water glass. Her expression remained steady, but her face had gone pale.

Mrs. Graham. The title she'd longed to hear—truly hear—used with warmth and recognition. And now it was being given to someone else.

Chloe's smile widened. She glanced triumphantly at Luna, then leaned closer to Marcus and purred, "Thank you."

Marcus frowned. He opened his mouth as if to correct the server—but then he caught sight of Luna's still, composed face. He swallowed the words.

His irritation deepened. He couldn't tell if it was because of the server's mistake—or because Luna didn't seem to care at all.

Luna couldn't take it anymore. She set down her glass and stood. Her voice was calm, detached. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom."

Before anyone could respond, she turned and walked out of the room, her steps quick and purposeful—as if the air inside had become too thick to breathe.

Chloe watched her go. A calculating glint flickered in her eyes. She rose smoothly, her voice soft and sweet. "Marcus, I'll just freshen up too."

Without waiting for a reply, she hurried after Luna.

Clearly, she had no intention of letting her off easy.

Marcus belonged to her. No matter what the paperwork said. No matter what title Luna still held.