My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 116: Regina’s Plan?

Chapter 116: Regina’s Plan?

The ride back to the city felt like a weight on Lunara’s chest. She stared out the window, watching the blur of the world pass by, but her mind was elsewhere, on the past, on Eryx, on everything she couldn’t fix. The anger still simmered beneath her skin, a constant throb she couldn’t shake. She clenched her fists in her lap, trying to steady her breath.

Eryx remained silent beside her, his usual calm demeanor offering no comfort now. His mind, however, was elsewhere. The man Lunara had mentioned earlier haunted him, the one who saved her that night. It bugged him, gnawed at him. Who was he? What had really happened back then? Eryx desperately wanted to know, wanted to understand everything right now, but he couldn’t press her. Not when she was this fragile.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" The words slipped out before Lunara could stop them, quiet but sharp.

Eryx’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, his eyes still fixed on the road ahead. "Tell you?"

Lunara glanced at him, her voice almost too calm, but the tension in her jaw was unmistakable. "About my mother. About her being in critical condition. The doctor called you, didn’t he?"

The air in the car seemed to grow heavier. Eryx didn’t respond right away, his mind trying to catch up to the question.

"I didn’t think it was something you needed to know," he said slowly, his voice even, but with a touch of hesitation. "I thought... I thought you were better off not knowing. You had enough on your plate already."

Lunara’s eyes narrowed, lips pressing together as she processed his words. "You made that decision for me?" Her gaze stayed on him for a moment before shifting back to the window, a faint frown on her face. "Why?"

Eryx’s jaw tightened. "I didn’t want to add to your burden. I wanted to protect you from it."

She stayed silent for a beat, then spoke again, quieter but still sharp. "I didn’t ask for protection." Her words hung in the air.

Eryx’s eyes flickered to her, then back to the road. The words stung, but he kept his gaze forward, the weight of her unspoken frustration pressing down on him.

"I’m sorry." His voice cut through the silence, breaking a moment that felt like it had lasted far too long. "I should’ve thought it through." He exhaled, the words coming out quieter. "I kept meaning to tell you, but I’ve been... too busy." He stopped, realizing how weak the excuse sounded in the face of her pain.

Lunara didn’t respond immediately, her eyes glaring at the side profile of Eryx like it might break through it. Her jaw tightened, the silence growing heavier with each second. She couldn’t quite process his words, couldn’t shake the anger that still churned within her.

The car hummed along the road, but the stillness between them was deafening. She clenched her fists in her lap, wishing she could just scream, demand more from him, but something kept her frozen. Something kept her from breaking the fragile barrier they had now.

The minutes stretched out in silence. Finally, Lunara spoke again, her voice low but sharp. "You should’ve told me. I should’ve been there."

Eryx didn’t respond. Guilt weighed heavily on him, and he couldn’t find the right words.

"I could’ve said goodbye... if you’d let me." Lunara’s voice was barely a whisper.

Eryx didn’t know how to fix it. The silence between them felt unbearable, but all he could do was keep his eyes on the road.

The car finally pulled into the driveway, the headlights illuminating the quiet house. Lunara didn’t move right away, her eyes fixed on the window, still lost in her thoughts. Eryx parked, but neither of them made a move to get out.

After a long pause, Eryx turned off the engine. "We’re here," he said quietly.

Lunara didn’t respond, but she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Her legs felt heavy as she walked toward the door, each step reminding her of the anger and the pain still lingered in her heart.

As soon as she opened the door, she froze. Regina was standing there, pacing back and forth, her face etched with concern. The moment she saw Lunara, Regina’s expression softened into relief, "Are you okay?" She rushed forward.

Lunara just nodded stiffly, not trusting herself to speak right away.

Regina’s eyes searched her face, looking for some sign of what Lunara was feeling. "You’ve been gone for hours. Eryx—" she glanced at him as he stepped inside, "We’ve been worried sick."

Lunara didn’t respond. She just stood there for a moment, her eyes glazed over, still lost in the emotions swirling inside her.

Regina’s voice softened, noticing Lunara’s distant expression. "Are you okay? You don’t look—"

"I’m fine," Lunara muttered, her voice flat, almost mechanical. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything more, not with the weight of everything still pressing on her chest.

Regina took a step closer, her concern deepening. "I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Eryx is already preparing for the funeral. If there’s anything you wanted to ask—"

"Who are you?"

The words slipped out from Lunara’s lips, sharper than she intended. But she didn’t take them back. Her eyes were focused now, her mind no longer fogged by the ride or the lingering pain.

Regina looked utterly confused. "What do you mean?"

Lunara suddenly closed her eyes for a second. She took a deep breath, as if she were holding onto every emotion crashing through her at once. "Did you know my mom?"

The question left Regina frozen, her lips slightly parted.

Taking another deep breath, Lunara stepped closer to her, "When Eryx and Naomi told me that everything you do has a reason, I didn’t believe it at first. But I guess... they were right." She paused, her gaze lingered on Regina, sharp now. "You’ve known me from the start, haven’t you? Did you lead me to him? Was that your plan all along?"