The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

I watch with satisfaction as the color drains from Vivian’s face.
“You, liar!” she repeats. Her knuckles turn white as she grips the marble countertop. “You’re lying in order to manipulate my son again! Like you always do!”
“I have no reason to lie, Vivian. I have a confirmed pregnancy test.”
She shakes her head, eyes wild. “You can’t… you’re barren! You can’t get pregnant! I’m sure of it!”
‘She’s sure of it?’
I raise a brow. Something in her words sets off an alarm. “How could you be so sure I’m infertile?”
She freezes, staring at me blankly. “I just… I just know! You can’t get pregnant!”
“Shouldn’t you be happy?” I ask, stepping forward. “You’re going to be a grandmother.”
Vivian walks away from the counter and walks around me like a predator.
“You think I don’t see what this is?” she says, voice low and dangerous. “This ‘pregnancy’ is a desperate move for you hold on to my son, now that he’s slipping away because he’s finally seeing you for what you really are.”
I turn to face her, refusing to be treated like prey. “And what exactly am I, Vivian? The woman who stood by your son through every challenge? The one who created the designs that made his company successful? The woman carrying his child?”
“You’re a nobody! No design or pregnancy is going to change that,” she spits, the venom in her voice making me flinch. “A nobody who somehow tricked my son. He could’ve had anyone—someone with connections, breeding, a proper background. Someone like Lorraine!”
“Like Lorraine?” I echo. “Just exactly what does that mean?”
“Just look at her! She has money. She has connections. She has a powerful father!”
‘Oh my god! I can’t believe I’m hearing this right now?’
“You do know that she’s adopted, right?”
“So what? She was adopted by Peter McGregor! Do you know what a big deal that is?” Vivian speaks as if the world revolves around my father. “Do you think he will even accept you or Tyler into his family? He would never do that!”
“Of course he will accept us. Especially Tyler. He is a CEO, after all.” Vivian says. “Anyway, what I mean is that, Tyler deserves someone better. But instead, he got you. And you are practically ‘nothing’!”
I laugh, sharp and bitter. “So that’s what this has always been about? My background?” I meet her gaze. “Didn’t you also come from humble beginnings? What was it you did before Tyler made his first million?”
Her eyes widen in disbelief, as if I’ve uttered something forbidden. She knows what I’m referring to—that when Tyler was in school, she worked as a stripper to support him and Tanya. It was one of the many reasons my father never approved of Tyler.
“How do you know that?” she hisses.
I smirk. “Does it matter? The point is, you’re no better than me. So I suggest you stop belittling me. You don’t know who I am. I’m carrying the next generation of your precious family line,” I say, feeling the weight of the truth behind my words. “This child will be half me. My blood. My DNA. Whether you like it or not.”
“You think a child will fix what’s broken between you and Tyler? A baby won’t change anything.”
“You are simply unbelievable, Vivian,” I say, shaking my head. “You mocked me before for not being able to give Tyler a child, and now that I’m pregnant, you’re angry about that too? Do you even care about his happiness?”
Vivian falls quiet for a moment. Her face reveals something fragile underneath—something that resembles shame.
“If you really want what’s best for Tyler,” I continue, pressing the advantage, “Shouldn’t you be happy? Tyler is going to be a father. You’re going to be a grandma. Shouldn’t you be celebrating, instead?”
“Don’t you dare question my love for my son,” she snaps, though the fire in her voice has dulled.
“I’m not questioning your love. I’m questioning your priorities. Is your hatred for me more important than welcoming your grandchild? Is keeping me as your enemy more valuable than being part of this child’s life?”
She doesn’t answer immediately. Her face shows a mix of emotions—anger, confusion and something like panic.
“Tyler should have been the first to know,” she says at last, grasping for control. “Not me. If this is real, why haven’t you told your husband?”
A fair point.
“I was going to,” I say, “but he was too busy fussing over my stepsister. I couldn’t find the right time.”
“Your stepsister?” Her brows shoot up in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
I freeze. Damn. “Sorry, I meant… having Lorraine here was a surprise. That’s all.”
Vivian narrows her eyes, studying me carefully. I can see her filing the slip away for later, another weapon in her arsenal.
“You need to tell Tyler. Today. After his meeting with the head of SB Capitals.”
“The… the head of SB Capitals?” I echo.
That’s not good. The CEO only met with Tyler once—when they signed the initial investment deal with TL Glam Studio. Since then, all interactions were handled by their managers and VPs.
Why now?
“Is something wrong?” Vivian asks. “Isn’t it normal for a CEO to meet with Tyler? He is the CEO of TL Glam Studio, after all.”
I shake my head. “All our transactions go through middle management. I don’t know why they’d call for a direct meeting now.”
Vivian frowns thoughtfully. “Maybe that’s why Tyler brought Lorraine to dinner too.”
My head snaps up. “He brought Lorraine to dinner? Wasn’t it enough she attended this morning’s meeting? Now he’s bringing her to this one too?”
“What’s wrong with that? It’s a meeting of three CEOs. I’m sure Lorraine has something to contribute.”
With that, she turns and walks out of the kitchen.
I pace the tiled floor, heart pounding, thoughts tumbling over each other.
What is Tyler planning?
Why is Lorraine suddenly so involved with TL Glam Studio?
I can’t resist anymore. I pull out my phone and dial his number.
One ring.
Two.
Five... six...
I’m about to hang up when the line clicks.
“Tyler?” I say quickly.
There’s a pause.
Then a woman’s voice answers.
“Hi. Tyler can’t answer his phone right now. Can I take a message?”
It’s Lorraine.