Chapter 3

Countdown: twenty-five days.

In these five days, the man's usually clean social media feed was unusually lively.

During the day, they fed pigeons in the plaza. At night, they watched parade floats from the hotel observation deck at the amusement park.

I didn't miss a single step they took together.

As for what he promised me, he'd probably forgotten long ago.

I stood up to pack my luggage and had just spread a mess on the floor when I suddenly received a call from Connor, Hector's Beta warrior.

"Luna Nora, remember to come to the fireworks show at Moon Pool at eight o'clock."

"If anything goes wrong, Alpha Hector definitely won't let me off."

In the eight years I'd been married to Hector, only his Beta called me Luna Nora.

Because he was the only one who knew about my marriage relationship with Hector, and the only one who knew I was the Luna of Dubois pack.

Thinking about it now, maybe Hector proposed keeping our marriage secret because he was afraid Layla would hear the news and refuse to date him.

I didn't want to make things difficult for Connor, so I agreed.

But when I actually set out for Moon Pool, I was in a daze for a moment.

Five years ago, when Hector and I had just gotten married, he gave me a secret fireworks show. Connor had quietly told me about it then too.

Five years later, heading to the same place, my mood was completely different.

When I arrived near Moon Pool, countless tourists had already gathered there.

There were even many media outlets.

I was puzzled, afraid I'd gotten it wrong, so I called Hector.

The other end of the line was endless busy tones.

I called again.

I didn't know what I was expecting.

But no matter how many times I called, no one answered, and I never saw any trace of Hector.

Looking at the time, it was almost eight o'clock.

Someone in the crowd was already shouting: "The fireworks show is about to start!"

"This is the fireworks show Alpha Hector prepared for his wife. We're lucky to catch it."

I froze.

In public, Hector's image had always been unmarried.

The wife they spoke of couldn't possibly be me. It could only be someone else.

I knew the best viewing spot for the fireworks was on the northernmost side of Moon Pool.

Since I was already here, I might as well go look.

At least the fireworks were innocent.

But there were too many people.

I was pushed to the very front by the crowd.

I finally saw Hector.

He was in the best position, deeply embracing Layla.

The fireworks were already blooming gloriously in the night sky, one after another.

I listened to the explosions going off beside my ears.

I also heard Hector's deep confession to Layla against the background of boiling crowds mixed with fireworks.

A reporter held a microphone to Layla's face and asked her:

"Miss, what is your answer?"

Hector gently held Layla's shoulder, looking at her with anticipation all over his face.

Layla shyly took the microphone and had just opened her mouth when my eyes met Hector's.

Hector's whole body stiffened, and he involuntarily said: "Nora..."

At that moment, the entire Moon Pool fell silent.

Even the sound of fireworks became insignificant.

Everyone was focused on what he'd said and on me, whom he was looking at.

Layla narrowed those charming peach-blossom eyes, looked me up and down, raised an eyebrow, and asked Hector: "Darling, who is this?"

Hector's jawline tightened. He obviously hadn't expected to run into me on this occasion. He awkwardly licked his lips, pondering how to salvage the situation.

I smiled and, under everyone's probing gazes, answered: "My name is Nora. I'm Hector's..."

Hector tensed up, trying to stop me, but what I said was: "Distant cousin."

As soon as the words fell, my fingers clutching my palm also relaxed slightly.

"My mom asked me to help him check if his future partner is handsome. Did I scare you all?"

Hector's expression finally relaxed, and he nodded at me with satisfaction.

He never wanted me to reveal my identity in public, and his mother naturally felt the same way.

So every time I went out with his mother, she had me call her directly by name.

This name I'd been calling for five years was the best excuse prepared for just this moment.

The fireworks show had to continue, and no one paid attention to me anymore.

The weather didn't cooperate—it suddenly started pouring rain. Thunder and lightning flashed in the sky.

Hector hastily dispersed the crowd and carefully escorted Layla to the car.

Leaving me standing there alone.

The rain was bone-chilling, yet I felt numb.

Probably because these five years of marriage had long since made me accustomed to it.