The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation - Chapter 52: Chapter 52

"You could be my weakness."
I stop breathing for a moment. I repeat the words over and over inside my head.
His words are simple. But they make my heart skip a beat.
‘What the hell is he saying?’
How could I be Sebastian’s weakness? Is that why he keeps avoiding me? Is that why he left many years ago? Because he’s afraid that I am his weakness?
"I—" My voice falters. The wine tastes too strong now, bitter against my tongue.
‘Ours!’
The voice screams again in my head—louder this time, more insistent.
‘He is ours, Analise!’
‘Shut up!’
I try my best to block out the voice. It has haunted me for years. It appears once in a while. I treat it like a voice of reason sometimes. But most of the time, it has a mind of its own, like that voice reflects none of my true thoughts and emotions—like they’re someone else’s.
And tonight, it is even more persistent, stronger and louder, like it wants to break free. And I am not sure what’s wrong with me. I feel like I’m actually losing my mind. Because why else would there be another voice inside my head?
“Excuse me, but I need to go to the ladies’ room.” I stand up, not waiting for Sebastian to reply.
But he’s quick on his feet. He stands up and pulls my chair for me. “Across the hall. The door on the left,” he says.
The bathroom is thankfully empty. I grip the marble counter, forcing deep breaths.
What’s happening to me?
When I was growing up, I realize that I have always been drawn to Sebastian. Sure, I have always tried to deny it, never really admitted that I felt anything but annoyance towards him. But this—now? It feels different. More intense. Like something dormant inside me is waking up and reaching out for him.
I heave a sigh, looking at my reflection in the mirror.
And freeze.
My reflection stares back at me, but something is different. My eyes are wrong. A faint amber glow rings the edges of my irises.
I blink.
Once.
Twice.
Still there.
‘No, no. This cannot be real!’
I close my eyes, taking deep, short breaths.
“Get a grip, Analise! Now, you’re actually imagining things.”
I splash cold water on my face, careful not to ruin my makeup. When I glance up again, my eyes are normal. Just a trick of the light. Or my imagination.
“That’s more like it,” I tell myself.
Sebastian is and will always be my stepbrother. Nothing more.
‘But you’re not blood-related. You never even lived like siblings,’ the voice inside my head argues. ‘And do you remember that kiss years ago?’
Heat travels up my cheeks as the memory of our forbidden kiss resurfaces in my mind.
"Shut up," I say out loud. "You’re here to discuss business. Keep at it.”
When I return, Sebastian is casually studying the wine label, but the moment I sit, his gaze locks back onto mine.
"So, about the CEO position," I say, determined to push through the strange tension between us.
He smiles slightly. "We can discuss that later. The food will be served soon.”
And as if on cue, the waiter arrives with our orders—steak, medium well. The juices pool beneath the meat. The scent hits me hard, and my mouth waters.
I cut a piece and take a bite.
Instantly, the taste floods my senses. The texture is rich, the taste is highly satisfying. I feel like this is the first time I am eating a steak in my life.
When I open my eyes, I find Sebastian watching me.
"Hungry?" he asks.
I nod, a little embarrassed. "Yeah. I haven’t had a steak in years.”
“Yet, they’re your favorite, I know,” he says, which surprises me. I wonder how he found out about that. “Can your ex-husband be any more of a moron?”
I shrug, knowing that he’s right. Tyler has ignored me far too long. Problem was, I tolerated it. I let him get away with everything.
I glance up, and through the windows, in the sky, I notice the full moon once again. It’s huge.
"The moon," I whisper. "It looks bigger than usual. Do you notice that?”
Sebastian looks up at the moon, but does not answer.
Suddenly, something tightens in my chest. I want to run, feel the wind on my skin, break free of this room.
"I’ve always felt some sort of… affinity with the moon," I say, unsure why I’m admitting this. "Like it calls to me when it's full. I know it’s silly.”
I stop myself, realizing I’m rambling. "Sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you this."
Sebastian’s expression is unreadable. "You’re not the only one fascinated by the moon," he says quietly.
His eyes hold mine, and for a second, the air thickens with something that has nothing to do with food or business.
I drop my gaze to the plate. "So, what exactly would you expect from me as CEO of SB Capitals?"
"You already know what to do. You’ve been the brains behind TL Glam from the beginning. I want you to build something of your own," he says. "Something that reflects your vision—not just what you’ve been told to create."
"And Luxe Emerald? It’s still my mother’s company. I am not losing hope that someday, I’m going to inherit it.”
"I don’t expect you to tear it down. It’s her legacy. But if you make SB as powerful, you can run both. Expand into fashion, footwear—whatever you dream. The sky’s the limit."
I take another sip of wine. "And TL Glam?" I ask, the name bitter in my mouth.
Sebastian’s expression hardens. "It’s yours. Do what you want with it."
"What if I want to tear it apart?"
He leans back, lips curving into a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. "Then I’ll enjoy watching Tyler Lewis fall. He deserves it—for what he and his disgusting family did to you."
His coldness should rattle me—but instead, it makes me feel seen. Protected.
Avenged.
We finish our meal talking about timelines, responsibilities, and salary. But beneath it all, the tension simmers—something raw and electric between us that neither of us names.
As the dessert plates are cleared, Sebastian reaches into his jacket.
"I have something for you," he says.
My pulse jumps. "What is it?"
"Close your eyes."
I hesitate, then do as he asks.
I hear him stand. Feel him move behind me. His scent—pine and mint—wraps around me. Then, something cool brushes my collarbone as he fastens a chain around my neck.
"Open your eyes," he murmurs.
I look down—and gasp.
A delicate platinum chain. A crescent moon cradling a full one. Diamonds shimmer along the curve, but it’s the blue jade center that stops me cold.
It’s the exact shade of his eyes.
"Moonstruck," I whisper, fingers trembling as I touch the pendant. "How did you—"
"This is the only condition I asked Tyler when I first invested in his company. I know how brilliant you were. But I also know that if I didn’t take his offer and lock Moonstruck in, he would offer it to other people. I didn’t want to risk it. So I bought it out, in exchange for investing in his company, with you as the Head of its design.”
I raise a brow at him. “Hold on. Head of design?”
He nods. “Yes. Imagine my disgust when he hired another woman to be the company’s Vice President.”
‘Fuck! I cannot believe Tyler would do that to me.’
“All this time, SB Capitals was betting on you. Not TL Glam. Without you, Tyler doesn’t even deserve a cent of my investment.”
I can hear the anger underneath his calm tone. And I totally understand. Tyler never told me these things before.
"Moonstruck has been waiting for you," he says softly. "Just like I have."
The pendant rests warm against my skin. I bet it’s even more beautiful than it feels.
I stare up at Sebastian. “Thank you!” I tell him.
“So… what’s your decision? Are you ready to start your revenge with your ex-husband? Walking back into that company as its main investor’s CEO would be a brilliant start.”
I know what he’s saying. And right now, everything feels so damn tempting.
I touch the pendant again, feeling its cool surface against my fingers.
I give Sebastian a meaningful stare. “Are you going to hold my hand through this entire process?” I challenge him.
Without blinking, he replies, “I will hold your hand for the rest of our lives.”