The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation - Chapter 28: Chapter 28

I stare back at Lorraine, holding back the tears, refusing to accept defeat in front of her. Her laughter reverberates across the empty room.
“I feel so sorry for you,” she says. “You have given up everything—and I mean, EVERYTHING—for that man, and yet… you’re just never enough for him.” She leans forward, whispering this time. “Just like you were never enough for Father. For… Sebastian.”
I ball my hands into fists. I am not sure what hurts me more: Tyler’s indifference, my Father’s disownment, or Sebastian’s departure."
The sting of Lorraine’s words burns in my chest, but I raise my chin at her, refusing to let her see how deeply they hurt.
“I guess things really don’t change,” I say. “You’re still the same girl who’s happiness depends on my misery. I hope you know just how pathetic you really look.”
Lorraine’s face contorts, revealing the raw fury that’s simmering underneath her carefully-built facade. She stalks forward in a predatory movement.
“You’re calling me pathetic?” she hisses. “Why don’t you look at yourself, Analise? The dutiful wife waiting by the door while the husband drives away. The woman who gave up her birthright, her inheritance, in exchange for designing cheap knockoffs for a man who doesn’t even appreciate her talents, and her contributions in building his company.”
She circles me now, her green eyes glittering with malice. "At least I took what was mine. At least I had the courage to stay and fight for my place. You ran away like a coward, and now you're living in this... this bargain mansion with your bargain husband, pretending to be someone you're not."
I stand in my place, not flinching even as she inches closer.
“Does he even know who you really are?” She leans forward, her eyes dancing in suppressed laughter. “It’s so ironic, isn’t it? Did you see how they look at me? Like they have stars in their eyes? Because they see me as Peter McGregor’s daughter. When all these years, they’ve been living under the same roof as Peter’s biological daughter?” She laughs. “If I’m not so busy laughing, I might actually feel sorry for you.”
I don't back away as Lorraine invades my space. Something shifts inside me—a steel core I'd forgotten I possessed. Now, that fire seems to come back to me.
“You think you know me?” I ask, taking a step towards her, instead of backing away. “I didn’t run away from my birthright, Lorraine. I chose freedom over wealth. Love over obligation. Can you do the same?” I pause. When I continue, I stare back at her with a mocking expression on my face. “Of course, you can’t. Because you can’t walk away from the things don’t really belong to you. You cling to them. Because you’re always afraid that once you loosen your grip, everything will slip away.”
Her eyes narrow, but I see the uncertainty flicker in their depths.
I already said what I came to say, I should walk away. Nothing good can come from this conversation. But something holds me in place—perhaps the same morbid curiosity that makes people stare at car crashes.
"What exactly are you doing here, Lorraine?" I ask, my voice low. "What game are you playing?"
"Game?" She echoes. “Maybe I'm just a pregnant woman who needs family support. Isn't that what you wanted to believe yesterday? That I've changed?"
"I never believed that," I say honestly. "Not for a second. But I know that you’re desperate.”
“Desperate?” She blinks back at me.
“Unlike Sebastian, your father left you with nothing. When we were growing up, Sebastian and I, we were the lucky ones, weren’t we? And that was killing you. Knowing you had nothing to your name when you came to our house. That is why you did everything to suck up to my Dad. You and your mother worked so hard so my father would adopt you. And when he finally did, you always had to be on your toes. Because you need to measure up to Dad’s expectations.”
Lorraine stares back at me. The expression on her face is nothing short of livid.
“Do you want to know why I ran away from home? Why I walked away from Dad?”
I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Because I… CAN.” I smirk at her. “You are absolutely right to come here. Because the moment Father finds out you are pregnant with a good-for-nothing guy? He will disinherit you the way he disinherited me. But the difference between us is that—it’s my choice whether I stay a McGregor or not. I can always come back. But you?” I shake my head for added drama. “You don’t stand a chance. I have McGregor blood running inside my veins. You… DO. NOT.”
Each word strikes with precision, hitting all of Lorraine’s vulnerabilities, her insecurities. One thing that she taught me over the years is that I won’t win with her if I play fair. And the years I spent away from the McGregor mansion has taught me to play tough.
Lorraine’s mouth opens, then closes, her perfect composure cracking. I watch with satisfaction as the color drains from her face. For once in our long, bitter history, I have rendered her speechless.
I turn and walk towards the stairs, leaving her open-mouthed and fuming.
I have taken the first step at the stairs when I hear it—a gasp, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the floor. I turn and see Lorraine is on the floor, her body contorted at an awkward angle. One hand clutches her stomach, and she looks like she’s writhing in pain.
"Lorraine?" I say, suspicion immediately rising. I haven't touched her. I wasn't even near her. Whatever this is, I know that it’s staged.
"Help," she whispers, her voice small and frightened—so different from the venomous tone she used seconds ago. "Something's wrong."
"Lorraine, I didn't touch you," I say, staying where I am. "Whatever game you're playing—"
"Please," she cries, louder now, tears streaming down her face. "The baby. I think I'm losing the baby."
I step closer. Just then I notice the dark stain spreading slowly across the light fabric of her pants, between her legs.
‘Blood.’
Bright, red blood.
Before I can respond, I hear footsteps on the stairs, then Vivian squeals as she rushes towards Lorraine.
“What have you done, Analise?” she demands.
I shake my head, unable to respond due to shock.
“You liar! You pushed her, didn’t you?”
“No, no, no!” I protest. “I wasn’t anywhere near her.”
"She pushed me," Lorraine sobs, her voice breaking perfectly. "I told her I was feeling faint, and she said... she said she didn't care. That I should stop pretending. And when I tried to leave, she pushed me."
“That's a lie! I never touched you!” I try to defend myself.
“Look at her!” Vivian shouts, gesturing between her legs. “Call an ambulance! Now!”
I reach for my phone and dial 911 with trembling hands.
“You’ll pay for this!” Vivian hisses at me. “Wait ‘til Tyler hears about what you did.”
I shake my head violently, not knowing how I can make Vivian believe me.
My eyes meet Lorraine’s, and there, through tears and wails, I see it. Lorraine’s smirk. A flash of triumph and malice.