The Billionaire's Bet

Chapter 2 : Breaking bond

Who would have guessed?

Evanly

The air around me felt like it was thick with tension, a storm brewing in the deepest corners of my mind. I was caught in a whirlwind of confusion, my heart beating faster with each passing moment. How did they know each other? Was there something Lunna had kept from me all these years? The questions swirled around me like a cacophony, drowning out everything else.

I had been so lost in my thoughts, so consumed by the sheer weight of the situation, that I didn't even notice how the two of them—Lunna and Justin—had started talking, their voices low but familiar. I turned my head, just enough to steal a glance at my father. The shift in his expression was instantaneous-annoyance, irritation, disgust-all playing out on his face like a movie I knew all too well. Of course, he was annoyed. Of course, this had to happen. Now, both of his daughters were tangled up with Justin, and I could see the anger beginning to boil beneath the surface of his calm demeanor.

My father had never liked Justin. From the very beginning of our relationship, he made it clear that Justin wasn't "good enough" for me. He didn't trust him. He told me, over and over, that Justin was just a man who was only going to break my heart. And honestly, after years of his incessant disapproval, I'd grown so tired of hearing it that I snapped back at him once. I gave him a piece of my mind. I told him to back off. And for a while, he did. But now? I could feel it again, that simmering anger in the pit of his stomach. I could sense that he was about to start saying all those awful things about Justin again. And maybe he was right but I was not ready to admit that, I wasn't ready to show him I was suffering all for the sake of love.

I turned my gaze back to Lunna and Justin. They were chatting away like old friends, exchanging words that seemed too natural, too intimate. It made my blood run cold.

"How do you two know each other?" I couldn't hold it in anymore. My voice came out sharper than I intended, demanding an answer.

Lunna cleared her throat, the sound almost too practiced, as if she was about to tell a lie she'd rehearsed.

"Well, um... we used to be really close friends before you two met."

I couldn't wrap my head around it. How was that possible? Lunna never once mentioned this friend, this relationship. How could she have kept this from me? We shared everything, everything. I knew everything about her life, every secret, every detail. So why hadn't she told me about Justin?

"Why don't I know about your little friendship?" I asked, my voice tight with frustration. I was beyond annoyed now. My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of confusion and betrayal.

Lunna exchanged a glance with Justin before she turned back to me, a look of evasiveness in her eyes. "Maybe I just forgot about it."

I couldn't believe it. Forgot? We'd shared everything! How could she just forget a friendship, especially one so close? I stood there for a moment, too tired to argue any longer. I could already feel my patience slipping away, and I didn't want to get into it. Instead, I turned away from them, seeking solace somewhere else.

"I guess I'll leave you two to it. I have to go talk to mom.", I cleared my throat and turned to leave but I felt a strong grasp on my arm. I quickly turned to be met with Justin's warm lips. I was shocked to say the least, because he had never done that but his kiss felt so distant and unfamiliar.

I pulled back and walked away feeling a bit of hope for us again. These were the small gestures he did to keep me close enough not to run away and I fell for them every time. I walked toward the living room, my feet heavy on the floor as I made my way to my mother. She sat on the couch, a glass of red wine in her hand. She took a slow sip, her eyes following me as I sat beside her. I forced a smile, hoping for some kind of connection, a simple moment of comfort.