My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 118: By Each Other’s Side

Chapter 118: By Each Other’s Side

Lunara turned without a word and headed for the front hall. Her pace was quick, her shoulders tense, like she couldn’t get out fast enough.

"Lunara," Eryx called behind her.

She didn’t slow down.

"I just need to go outside," she muttered, brushing past the the long hallway. "Just five minutes."

"No."

He crossed the distance in seconds.

Before she could reach the front doors, his arm wrapped around her waist. She gasped as her feet left the floor.

"What are you doing?!" she shouted, squirming in his grip. "Put me down!"

"I’m not letting you go." His voice was low, rough. "Not like this."

"Eryx!"

She hit his back with both fists, legs kicking. "This is insane! I’m not running away! I just want air! Let me breathe!"

"I’ll let you breathe," he gritted out, "but we’re breathing together... by each other’s side. I’m scared, Lunara. I almost lost my mind when I couldn’t find you for hours earlier."

She froze.

He didn’t wait for an answer. He carried her upstairs, straight into the bedroom, and kicked the door shut behind them.

He gently set her down on the edge of the bed, but Lunara immediately twisted away, glaring at him like she might throw something next.

Eryx didn’t move closer. Instead, he crouched down beside the bed, hands braced on his knees, trying to meet her gaze even when hers could’ve cut straight through him.

"About your mother..." he said, voice low. "I’m really sorry. I should’ve told you. I knew it, and I still didn’t. And I know nothing I say can fix this. You can be angry, hit me, ignore me for as long as you want... I’ll take it. Just don’t leave me."

Lunara didn’t answer. Her eyes burned into him, cold and sharp and wordless.

He swallowed hard, continued anyway, "I’ve arranged everything for your mother’s funeral, and I hope... I hope you can calm yourself—"

"Calm myself?" she snapped, standing abruptly.

A dry laugh escaped her, bitter and cracked. "You tell me... how exactly am I supposed to calm down?"

She pointed to her chest, voice rising. "My mom just died, freaking died! And right after that, I found out my entire life, from these last two years, was built on lies. I fought every day to survive on my own, thinking it was my fate, the life that I was born into! But it wasn’t, was it? Everyone decided for me. And now you want me to calm down?"

Her hands trembled, then her lips. Even her breath came in shallow, uneven gasps like her chest couldn’t hold everything inside anymore.

"I can’t—" she whispered, eyes darting like she couldn’t focus. "You can’t even let me breathe—"

Eryx moved without thinking. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him in a tight embrace.

Lunara immediately struggled. "Let go of me... Are you damn stupid or what, I said, let go!" she twisted in his arms, pushing against his chest, trying to wriggle free.

But he didn’t budge.

"I know," he murmured, voice strained against the weight of her anger. "I know you don’t want this right now. I know you hate me. But just... stay like this. Just for a second."

Her fists thudded weakly against his chest. Once. Twice. Then again, slower this time.

Eryx held on, letting her fight it out, letting her be angry but just not alone.

"You’re allowed to be mad," he whispered into her hair. "Just don’t keep it all in. Don’t hurt alone. Just know that from now on, I will always stay by your side."

Her body stopped thrashing. Her breathing was still jagged, but the tension in her limbs began to ease. Slowly, almost reluctantly, her fists unfurled, resting flat against him.

A choked sound escaped her throat. Her shoulders began to tremble again.

"I really thought a miracle could happen..." Her voice cracked as the words slipped out. "I wanted to see her open her eyes just once. Just once..."

Her fingers gripped the back of Eryx’s shirt, the fight leaving her all at once like a dam breaking.

"I held on for so long," she sobbed, her voice muffled against him. "I told myself she’d wake up. That if I just kept going, if I stayed strong enough... she’d come back."

Her knees gave out, and Eryx adjusted his hold, lowering them both onto the edge of the bed. He didn’t say anything. Just held her tighter.

"I kept dreaming she’d wake up and call my name again," Lunara whispered brokenly. "Now I’ll never hear it again."

Eryx buried his face in her hair. "I know. I know."

She cried harder. Years of fear, loneliness, guilt, and unanswered hope poured out in every shaky breath.

"I wanted to tell her I missed her. I wanted her to be proud of me," Lunara gasped through the tears. "I tried so hard. I kept trying..."

"I know you did," Eryx said quietly, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She cried until her sobs turned to broken sniffles, until her breaths began to slow against his shoulder. Eryx didn’t move. He didn’t dare. He just held her, rubbing gentle circles on her back, grounding her, anchoring her with quiet warmth.

And then, her weight shifted.

He glanced down and saw her eyes shut, lashes still damp from the tears. Her breathing was steady now, her grip on his shirt loosened.

She had fallen asleep.

Eryx stayed there for a long while, simply watching her. A lump formed in his throat as he adjusted the blanket around her, tucking her in with a care he couldn’t express in words. He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, his fingers lingering longer than they should have.

"I’m right here," he whispered, even though she couldn’t hear him. "I’m sorry for everything I’ve done." He leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I promise... from now on, I’ll fill your days with happiness."