Chapter 84: Your Choice
"Hello, fellow Mrs. Grantham," Valerie greeted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Lunara froze, her breath caught in her throat. The woman standing before her was the same one she’d seen in the headlines, the one Eryx was supposed to be engaged to.
Before Lunara could process the words, Eryx rushed to her side, his hand resting gently on her cheek. He turned to Valerie, his voice low and firm. "Cut the crap. This is not the time for stupid jokes."
Valerie smirked, but Eryx’s gaze was sharp, his tone giving no room for any more nonsense.
Nodding lightly, Valerie’s smile widened as she stepped forward. "I get it now... She’s pretty, and young. No way you’d want a twenty-eight-year-old woman like me as your wife, right?"
Eryx shot her another warning glare. "Valerie. Enough."
She sighed dramatically but lifted her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I’ll behave." Then she turned to Lunara, softening her tone just a little. "No hard feelings?" She extended her hand. "Valerie Sterling. I’m not here to start a fight."
Lunara hesitated, still caught off guard. "Oh—oh, Lunara. Lunara Hayes." She returned the handshake.
"Hayes?" Valerie raised her eyebrows, glancing at Eryx. "Seriously? You’re hiding her so well that even her name’s still Hayes?"