The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation - Chapter 54: Chapter 54

I smile to myself, savoring the feeling of seeing Tyler’s shock. I let it wash over me like an expensive bottle of wine.
The moment is perfectly punctuated by the sound of shattering of crystal, mirroring the collapse of the pathetic image of me in his mind.
I didn’t realize, until now, that I have been waiting for this for years. I’ve been waiting for Tyler to recognize me as his equal, or maybe even some dream he would kill to attain.
I find the reality sweeter than any fantasy I could have imagined now that I'm in front of him as real myself—Analise Emerald Lander McGregor, CEO of the business that controls his entire company.
"McGregor?" Tyler repeats. “Isn’t your surname Lander?”
I offer him a smile—the kind I perfected at his side during countless business dinners where I was treated as merely decorative. "That was my mother’s surname. My father’s surname is McGregor.”
"But... how?" His gaze shifts to Julian. "How is she suddenly CEO of SB Capitals? She’s my ex-wife and the designer for TL Glam.”
Julian's smile is cold, professional. "I heard she resigned. Did you really think we invested in your little company because of you, Mr. Lewis?"
The bluntness of the question hangs in the air. Several nearby guests turn to listen, sensing the tension crackling between us.
"We've always known who was the real talent behind TL Glam," Julian continues. "The designs that made your company stand out—the concepts that attracted our investment in the first place—they were all Ms. McGregor's work, weren't they?"
Tyler swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing painfully in his throat. "We were a team," he says weakly.
"A team?" I laugh, the sound sharper than I intended. "Is that what you call it when one person does all the work and the other takes all the credit?"
"Mr. Hayes," Vivian interrupts, her voice tight with forced cordiality, "surely there's been some misunderstanding. My son built TL Glam from nothing. Analise was merely—"
"Mrs. Lewis," Julian cuts in, "let me be perfectly clear. SB Capitals has been tracking Ms. McGregor's work since before she married your son. We invested in TL Glam to give her a platform for her talents. Your son was just lucky she married him."
All around us, the murmurs become more intense. I sense that everyone in the ballroom is watching us, and the rumors are spreading like wildfire. The jewelry industry’s rockstar, Tyler Lewis, is actually revealed to be a scammer?"
"How long have you been preparing this?" In an effort to get some control back, Tyler asks in a low voice. "How long have you been working behind my back with them?"
"Oh no. I haven’t been doing this behind your back. In fact, if we didn’t divorce, I wouldn’t even imagine accepting a position at SB Capitals," is my honest response.
“That’s hard to believe,” Tyler says.
“Believe me, I only learned about SB Capitals' interest in me two weeks ago. Right after I caught you in bed with Lorraine."
His face flushes at the mention of his affair. From the corner of my eye, I see Tanya shift uncomfortably. She knew, of course. They all knew.
"Luckily for us," Julian says, "you made the colossal mistake of ruining your marriage. It freed Ms. McGregor to step into the role she was always meant to have."
"What do you mean?" Tyler demands, desperation creeping into his voice.
Julian smiles thinly. "Since Ms. McGregor will be taking my place as I step down as CEO of SB Capitals to focus on our other companies, Ms. McGregor will be your new boss now, Mr. Lewis.”
The implication lands like a slap. Tyler's eyes widen as he processes what this means.
"You'll be reporting to me now," I say quietly, savoring each word. "That is, if the board decides to keep you on at all."
Vivian makes a choking sound. Tanya's mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air.
"You can't do this," Tyler says, but there's no conviction in his voice. He knows I can. He knows I will.
"With Ms. McGregor at the helm," Julian continues, speaking loudly enough for the gathering audience to hear, "we're confident that SB Capitals and TL Glam will grow beyond anything you could have achieved in the past, Mr. Lewis."
The humiliation on Tyler's face is complete. Six years of my life I gave to him, to his company, to his family. Six years of being belittled, overlooked, and betrayed. And now, in the space of five minutes, the tables have turned completely.
The crowd around us has grown. I recognize fashion journalists, investors, competitors—all witnesses to Tyler's public unraveling. Tomorrow, this will be in every industry blog and gossip column. By next week, the entire fashion world will know the truth.
From across the room, I catch Sebastian watching us. His face is impassive, but I see the satisfaction in his eyes, the slight curl at the corner of his mouth. This is what he promised me—revenge served on a silver platter, in front of everyone who matters.
Tyler sees me looking and follows my gaze. I watch as his eyes narrow, something like recognition flickering across his face as he studies Sebastian. Does he know? Can he somehow sense the connection between us?
"We should discuss this privately," Tyler says, turning back to me, lowering his voice. "There's clearly been a misunderstanding."
"There's nothing to discuss," I reply coldly. "The contracts are signed. The board has approved my appointment. This isn't a negotiation, Tyler. It's a notification."
"Analise, please," he says, reaching for my arm. "Just give me five minutes—"
Julian steps smoothly between us. "Ms. McGregor's schedule is quite full tonight, Mr. Lewis. Many people are eager to meet SB Capitals' new CEO."
"Indeed," comes a voice from behind us. I turn to see Thomas Westfield, the director I met earlier. "The board is particularly looking forward to hearing Ms. McGregor's vision for the future of luxury retail." He smiles at me warmly, pointedly ignoring Tyler. "When you're ready, of course."
The dismissal is unmistakable. Tyler's position in the room's hierarchy has plummeted in real time, while mine has skyrocketed. I can see him processing this, calculating how to salvage his reputation, his career, his pride.
Vivian attempts to recover first, her social instincts kicking in despite the shock. "Well," she says with a brittle smile, "this is certainly... surprising news. We'll have to catch up properly, Analise. Perhaps you could join us for dinner next week? We have so much to discuss. You know, for old times’ sake.”
The audacity nearly makes me laugh. After years of treating me like dirt, she thinks she can pivot to treating me like an ally? I stare at her coldly, not bothering to reply.
The string quartet begins a new piece, something elegant and slow. Couples drift toward the dance floor, eager to escape the tension of our little drama.
Tyler looks around, sees his window of opportunity closing. In one desperate, final attempt to regain control, he extends his hand to me.
He forces a smile as he says, "Dance with me."
This actually surprises me.
"For the sake of the past. Allow me to properly congratulate my ex-wife on her new role.
I feel the weight of all the eyes in the room as I look at his extended hand. This is his final attempt at self-respect—a public act that would imply that we parted ways amicably, that he is gracious in defeat, and that he still has some claim on me.
Julian tenses up next to me, preparing to step in. Sebastian straightens across the room, his eyes darkening as he observes Tyler's action.
The whole ballroom seems to hold its breath, anticipating my answer.
Will I accept his offer of a truce—or twist the knife while every eye in the ballroom watches?