Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I stared at him in shock. "Why?"

Dylan looked tormented. He buried his head in his hands and squatted down. "I’ve been dreaming about Nian Nian (Luna) lately. I’m sorry—I can’t have a child with you," he said.

Right. How could I forget? I was just a substitute for Luna. I wasn’t Luna Parker.

"Let me think about it," I said, lowering my head and walking back to the bedroom.

I cried all night—tears I hadn’t shed for my mother, tears for the unborn child.

Maybe everything had been a mistake from the moment I’d met that boy on a bicycle, amidst the fallen leaves.

The next morning, loud voices came from the living room. Ethan had burst in. "Why didn’t you tell me about her mom’s death?" he shouted.

I opened the bedroom door to see Ethan yanking Dylan’s sleeve, his eyes blazing with anger. Dylan looked calm. "Why should I tell you?" he asked.

"She’s family! You tell me why!" Ethan retorted.

"She’s my mother-in-law, not yours!" Dylan said.

"You still remember she’s your mother-in-law? Did you ever visit her when she was sick? Did you ever go to the hospital to see her? Now that she’s dead, you’re pretending to be a filial son-in-law—aren’t you afraid of karma?" Ethan yelled.

Some of his words must have hit a nerve. Dylan pushed Ethan away. "Mind your own business!"

"I’m telling you! She’s Sophia Bennett, not Luna Parker!" Ethan shouted.

"Ethan, take me to the hospital," I said, cutting off the impending fight.

Ethan looked at me in confusion. "What’s wrong? Are you sick?"

Dylan stepped forward. "I’ll take you," he said.

I shook my head. "No, you should go to the office."

As I walked out, I saw him open his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. But I didn’t want to listen anymore. I closed the door, cutting off our already broken connection.