"M-Mr. Blackwell, I-I really..." The woman could see her situation clearly. Even if this man killed her right here and right now in front of everyone, no one would even shed a tear for her sake out of fear of him.

In desperation, she lunged forward and grabbed his leg.

Everyone was shocked. His subordinates were even more speechless.

People who knew who Damian was were aware of his mysophobia.

They silently thought: If this woman had any chance to survive before, now she has lost it too.

Yet the woman didn't know it.

"Step away." A cold voice resonated on the second floor. People's hearts jolted into their throats. Some of them wanted to secretly escape, yet none dared to move. As if they were terrified of attracting any sort of attention toward them.

The woman was terrified to the point where her sanity was ruined. She didn't listen.

"I said step away." His voice grew colder than the coldest winter. His hands tightened slightly.

The woman still didn't listen.

It happened so quickly that none of his subordinates could interfere.

Suddenly, Damian raised his hand. It appeared as if he were going to hit the woman. She shrank back on the floor. However, before his hand could strike down, another slender and delicate hand grabbed his wrist and blocked his attack.

Damian's nonchalant expression faltered for a second. A look of surprise flashed across his face. But in the next moment, the surprise faded. His gaze followed that slender hand up to its owner's face. Once his eyes landed on those fierce, rosy cheeks and dazed eyes, his calm pupils shrank slightly.

Her sharp eyes were like a pair of mystical jade that could capture one's soul. Her jawline was sharp and well-defined. Her thin, plump lips were painted red. Despite wearing minimal makeup, she was undeniably the most beautiful woman in the club that night.

"I think that's enough." Luna's voice was resolute. It resonated in the pin-drop silence. It was funny how not a single person made a sound. It was as if there were only Luna and Damian in that place. The rest didn't matter.

"Y-You insolent-" His subordinate rushed forward. But with a slight wave of his other hand-the one not held by Luna-Damian shut him up. The subordinate knew not to interfere. Stepping back, he stood silently, cautious in case his boss wanted him to teach that girl a lesson.

Damian tilted his head slightly. A corner of his lips curled up. His eyes were still cold, yet there was a hint of amusement in them. "What reason could you possibly have to suddenly come forward and hold my hand like this, little girl?"

Luna blinked. Only then did she realise she was still holding his hand. She quickly let go and stepped back.

Little girl?

He didn't look older than 25. Calling her little, was he devaluing her?

So what if she was younger? She knew what self-respect and a woman's honour meant!

Everyone was stunned by this development.

Until now, no one had ever stepped forward to intercede. People had assumed no one would either. Any sane person who knew what kind of man Damian was would stay fifty steps away from him. Even someone unaware of his identity would be kept away by his dangerous aura.

People thought: Either the girl is insane, or she's deliberately doing this to attract his attention.

"You do not have the right to abuse anyone just because you have power," Luna said firmly. Her fierce gaze held his without wavering.

That was new. No one had ever maintained eye contact with him for more than twenty seconds. Yet this girl not only didn't shy away from his cold eyes-her gaze was fierce.

With his slight smile becoming more pronounced, Damian slowly rose from his spot.

People knew that since this man-who had been calmly seated from the beginning-finally stood up, something big was about to happen.

Just after a few steps, he stopped in front of Luna.

"Little girl, this matter has nothing to do with you. If you insist on stepping into it rashly, I'm afraid you won't be stepping out of it so easily." His voice and words could freeze someone's blood. There was a clearly hidden threat in his tone.

Although she felt a heavy gloom loom over her as he approached, Luna stood her ground firmly. She didn't step back or cower.

"You assume your threat would scare me?" Luna still had alcohol in her system, numbing her caution. She spoke whatever came to mind. "Guess what? I don't want to step out of this matter either."

He could have expected the girl to tremble in fear at his warning. He could have expected her to retreat while apologising. But he couldn't have expected her stance to become even more unwavering.

"I wonder," Damian leaned closer, "do you actually feel bad for that woman..."

"What do you mean-"

"Or are you this bold because you're interested in warming my bed in her place?"

Luna was shocked speechless. She couldn't believe he would say something like this, especially in front of a hall full of people. A wave of whispers spread instantly. Damian kept his calm gaze fixed on her face, silently observing her.

"You!" Luna's hands trembled with anger. In a spur of the moment, she raised her hand-making the gravest mistake of her life.

She slapped the man in front of her. Slapped the man who had never been spoken to in a raised voice before. Slapped the man known for making those who offended him suffer in the worst ways. Slapped the man whose very name could make the hearts of seven continents shake.

That was the sort of man her drunk self offended one year ago.

What followed that slap was silence.

Pin drop, soul-grappling silence.

It was as if everyone in the club had disappeared. The silence was so intense that only Damian and Luna seemed to remain in that place; the rest didn't exist, the rest didn't matter.

People silently prepared themselves to witness bloodshed in the club.

Damian's face had turned to the side from the impact of the slap. 

He was stunned. His eyes were wide.

Luna had done something he could never have expected.

Cole Ramsey, his subordinate, snapped out of his stupor.

"How dare you?! Do you know who he is?" His voice roared through the silence, shaking everyone with fear. Looking at his Boss's terrifying expression, he was not only horrified, but he was also enraged.

How could he let this unspeakable thing happen? If only he hadn't been standing a few steps back, he would never have allowed anything to touch his Boss.

He charged at the insolent girl, his hand reaching into his belt to draw his gun.

Blood was going to be spilt that night.

Yet before he could even touch her, Damian slowly shifted his eyes and shot him a glance.

Cole froze immediately. He knew by heart what every gesture of his Boss meant. Throwing a reluctant glance at Luna, he slowly retreated. The flames of anger in his eyes died out, replaced with something akin to pity.

This girl has no idea what she has done. If Boss doesn't want me to interfere, he's planning something on his own. And if he's planning something... it will be horrible.

Damian looked back into Luna's wild eyes. His expression twisted into a cold smirk. His face remained calm, yet this time, a bloodthirsty, murderous aura surrounded him. He quietly lifted his thumb and wiped the blood from the corner of his split lip.

Seeing his Boss's eerie silence, Cole was certain.

She truly doesn't know what she's done-or the hell waiting for her.

It was only the calm before the storm. A long, catastrophic storm that would shatter that girl's world into pieces.

If Damian had any doubts before, they were gone now; the woman who stood so boldly before him clearly had no idea who he was.

"This is the moment you're going to regret for the rest of your life." Damian's voice was dangerously low. He said those words while staring straight into Luna's eyes, as if making a vow. His expression could freeze a heart and scar a soul for eternity.

For a moment, Luna froze. Her heart thumped violently. For the first time, she felt a stream of fear.

But...

Nothing happened.

Without doing anything, the man left the club-without sparing her another glance.

Luna blinked, confused. Snapping out of it, she quickly knelt to help the woman on the floor. "Are you alright, ma'am?"

"Just get away from me." The woman shot a venomous glare at Luna.

Luna: "..."

"Fine with me." Luna shrugged and rose. Looking around, she noticed the strange atmosphere surrounding her.

The whole club was eerily silent. People threw strange glances in her direction-shock mixed with pity-but none approached her.

Slowly, the club began to empty. Most people left as quickly as possible.

"What is this all about? Is it that serious?" Luna wasn't anxious. That was how people behaved when a big figure was offended. She understood that people were naturally scared of trouble. After all, Luna had experience in this matter, with a history of offending powerful people.

"But isn't this club owned by a powerful tycoon? People shouldn't panic over some regular rich guy. A lot of wealthy businessmen visit this place. Oh well. That man did look... slightly above average."

Shortly after, Sierra arrived. Furious when she didn't find Luna at her spot. Before she could even yell, they were both thrown out of the club. Sierra only managed to hear that Luna had slapped someone. The doors slammed in their faces, and they were blacklisted.

Sierra was so angry that she nearly died that night.

"What the hell, Ya'er?! Why are you impossible! I left you for five minutes-five fucking minutes! And you already managed to slap someone? And not just anyone-someone in VVIP!" Sierra was losing control.

Never had she been so humiliated in her life.

Thrown out of the club. The most famous club in the city!

She didn't know how long the rumours would circulate.

"Important person? Huh..." Luna scoffed. Alcohol always messed with her. As for being thrown out, unlike Sierra, Luna was wild and had a long record of being thrown out of places. "So what? If he's important, does that give him the right to hit a woman?"

Sierra grimaced while driving.

"You don't know the whole story. What if that woman was at fault? Did you even look at her? The way she was dressed-she was probably a prostitute. Maybe she did something unforgivable? Why are you always trying to be a hero?"

"Prostitutes are human too!"

"..."

Sierra: "You just wanted an excuse to get into trouble, didn't you?"

"Even if she was at fault," Luna yawned, leaning back. She was used to Sierra's nagging and didn't take her seriously. "He still had no right to raise a hand on her. You didn't see how cruel they were. I c-couldn't just sit and watch."

And Luna fell asleep.

"And who's going to apologise for humiliating me? What did I do? Who's giving me justice?" Sierra cried, but no one listened.

She grumbled, "The things you do for friendship..."

Still, she couldn't shake the ominous feeling. She didn't know that man's real identity, but the one sitting in VVIP had an aura so suffocating it felt like he could choke someone just by looking at them. Something about him was deeply unsettling.

Only a handful of people in that club knew the truth. Others assumed the VVIP guest must be someone extremely powerful based on the influential people surrounding him.

If those men were flattering him, he must be above them by several levels.

"Nothing will happen. Luna isn't from an ordinary family. Her family has influence-no one can just bully someone with the Hart name," Sierra reassured herself. "Even if that man comes back for her, I won't let anyone hurt her." She softened her gaze at the snoring Luna.

But Sierra had no idea that the man Luna had offended was someone far from ordinary-someone whose prestige and power were unmatched. Someone who was rumoured to see humans as nothing more than insects.

Someone who must be feared and respected, no matter how powerful your family is.

The next day.

Fresh sunlight infiltrated the room through the parted curtains. Gradually, the whole place filled with brightness to the brim.

The room felt alive and refreshing, but for Luna, it felt like a nightmare.

"God!" Luna grasped her head in her hands and cursed under her breath. "Just what in the world did I do last night?"

She glanced to the side and saw a pill and a glass of water placed neatly on the table. "It must be Sierra." She smiled to herself and quickly took the pill. After the effect set in, she felt much better.

Sitting down, she tried to recall what sort of devilry she had committed last night. But her memories were all mangled. She remembered blackmailing Sierra to come with her to the club, but other than that, everything was hazy.

When Luna picked up her phone, she was startled. Twenty-seven messages from Sierra. After clicking on them, she burst out laughing.

She laughed so hard she almost cried.

If Sierra had witnessed how Luna laughed after learning she had vomited in Sierra's brother's car last night, Sierra would have died from anger.

Luna quickly suppressed her laughter and typed a simple Sorry to Sierra.

Later that day, someone unexpected came to visit Luna. Aunt Maggie sent the butler to inform her. Luna did not want to see that person. So she sent the butler back to politely tell him to "fuck off."

However, Ethan insisted.

Luna didn't want drama. Especially not in front of her family. So she decided to go downstairs herself.

Once she stepped into the drawing room, Ethan stood up instantly. His eyes were dull as he stared at her.

"Lulu..." he whispered; his voice so low that if not for his lips moving, she wouldn't have known he said anything at all.

"Leave." Luna quietly ordered all the maids and servants.

Once the two of them were alone, she glanced at his appearance with cold eyes.

Ethan was someone who took immaculate care of himself. His clothes were always branded and up to trends. His accessories could shut anyone up. In school, girls had called him "Prince Charming." From afar, he looked like someone who would treat a girl like a princess.

But right now?

The same polished man had dark circles, an unshaven face, messy hair, and creased clothes that looked unchanged for days. Even his watch was missing.

Has he appeared like this on purpose so I'll pity him and forgive him? Luna wondered bitterly. After he betrayed her absolute trust, she couldn't help being sceptical.

When he didn't speak for a long time, Luna took the initiative.

"Speak."

"Lulu, I have been waiting-"

"Mr Monroe, you've lost the right to call me that." Her tone was indifferent.

Ethan froze.

Her words made her intentions clear. They were over.

When he couldn't come up with anything for a long time, Luna said, "If that's all, I'll leave."

She turned to go when his voice reached her.

"Luna, please." He stepped forward. But before he could touch her, Luna stepped back. Her eyes remained cold.

Ethan didn't know what to do. He had expected her to scream and hit him. That was how Luna behaved in the past whenever he crossed the line. But this Luna was calm, cold, unfamiliar.

"What do you want now?" Luna's voice was crisp.

She had expected she would scream too, but when he stood before her, she felt nothing-no anger, no sadness.

Just nothing.

It was like he was a stranger.

The hangover only made her more impatient.

"Ethan, you've done what you had to do. What are you here for now?"

Ethan clenched his fists. "Luna, I know I messed up." His voice cracked. He wasn't making excuses; he wasn't blaming anyone else. Through clenched teeth, he whispered, "But... is there no chance for forgiveness?"

Luna let out a soft laugh.

"Forgive you? You don't need forgiveness from me. Honestly, I'm not even angry at you. I'm angry at myself. How stupid of me to put absolute trust in someone I thought I knew."

Ethan flinched.

"For your sake, I even went against my family's wishes..." Luna's eyes softened faintly.

"Luna-"

"Let's forget it, Ethan. Think of it this way-what if it were me? What if I had betrayed your trust? What if you'd caught me fucking another man? Would you have forgiven me this easily?" Her voice was neutral, calm.

"Don't say that." Ethan's voice rose as his possessiveness revealed itself. 

"So it's okay when it's you, but unforgivable when it's me?" Luna shook her head. She felt a twinge of sadness. Something inside her had shattered. She would never fully trust anyone again.

"There are final boundaries in everything. And you broke them." She looked at him.

"Goodbye, Ethan."

But Ethan grabbed her arm.

"Lulu, you're angry? Then beat me. Hit me. Take it out on me. But don't do this. You know what you mean to me. You know how important you are. I can't live without you. I just can't! Luna, I-I love-"

"Don't give me that shit!" Luna snapped. Her cold eyes sharpened instantly.

His words awakened something inside her-something she'd rather keep buried.

Fear.

Fear that she might forgive him.

Because she had loved him wholeheartedly for years. Feelings do not die overnight.

A big part of her still wanted his warmth, wanted to collapse in his arms and cry everything out.

No. I won't bow to him. If I do, he'll keep crossing lines.

"Just leave me alone, Ethan. We're over." Her voice was clean, final.

"Lulu..." he whispered again, growing bolder. "Do I not have the slightest chance?"

Luna fell silent.

Can I live without him? Can I forget him? I dreamed of a future with Ethan. If that future isn't real... what do I do?

Her silence made Ethan's expression soften with hope.

"Lulu, I was accepted into a university in Germany. Today's my flight. I'm leaving. But no matter what happens, the place you hold in my heart can't be taken. You're the only one for me."

Luna looked at him, speechless.

"I will come back for you." He whispered and left.

In the following days, while Luna was busy trying to settle her feelings...

something far more terrifying awaited her