My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 37: Mr. Grantham

Chapter 37: Mr. Grantham

Eryx didn’t wait for another word. His grip tightened around Lunara’s wrist as he pulled her toward the door.

"Mr. Grantham, wait!" Lunara stumbled slightly, trying to keep up with his long strides. "You’re hurting me!"

He didn’t slow down, his jaw clenched and eyes stormy with unspoken frustration. The second they stepped out of Regina’s office, he slammed the door shut behind them, causing Lunara to flinch.

"Eryx! My name is Eryx!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the hallway.

Lunara stared at him, wide-eyed. "What...?" she stammered, completely thrown off by his sudden outburst.

"You always called me ’Mr. Grantham’," he said, his voice laced with frustration. "Like I’m just some business associate. Like we don’t—like I never—" He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. "You really don’t see a problem with that?"

Lunara straightened her posture, gripping the contract in her hands. "That’s what you are to me now, Mr. Grantham," she said, keeping her tone as steady as possible.

His jaw tightened. "You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to act like I was never—" He stopped himself, taking a step closer. His voice was lower now, quieter but no less intense. "You can push me away all you want, Lunara, but don’t pretend I never meant anything to you."

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to hold his gaze. "You... you never meant anything to me," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I am your husband!" His anger flared at her words, his frustration boiling over.

"Cor—" She stopped, remembering his warning from earlier. Instead, she took a deep breath and steadied herself. "You never acted like one before, so why now? After two years? And to be honest, we never had the kind of relationship where we could even pretend to be a married couple." Her voice wavered slightly, but she refused to look away.

Eryx let out a sharp breath, his grip tightening for a brief second before he let go of her wrist. He stepped back, running a hand through his hair. "You really believe that, don’t you?"

Lunara clenched her fists at her sides. "What else am I supposed to believe?" Her voice held a quiet bitterness. "Two years, Mr. Grantham. Two years, and not a single word from you. You expect me to just pretend none of that happened?"

His jaw ticked, but he didn’t respond right away.

She let out a hollow laugh, shaking her head. "You married me because it was convenient for you. And when you got what you wanted, you left. And now—now, suddenly, you care?" Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Eryx didn’t answer immediately. His lips parted as if to say something, but then he hesitated, his gaze flickering with something she couldn’t quite place.

That only made her more suspicious.

"You don’t even know, do you?" she said, her voice quieter now, but sharper. "You can’t even tell me why you’re acting like this all of a sudden."

Eryx clenched his fists. "It’s not that simple."

"It is," she countered. "It is that simple. You had two years to reach out, to act like my husband. But you didn’t." She let out a scoff. "Why does it matter to you now?"

All the facts that Lunara spurted out made Eryx’s lips sealed.

Lunara’s frustration boiled over as she exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her hip. "I just don’t get it," she said, shaking her head. "You married me two years ago for whatever reason you had—fine. But it wasn’t some contract marriage with rules or conditions. You never said I couldn’t act like a wife, you never told me to stay away, and you never asked for anything from me." Her voice wavered slightly, but she pushed through. "You just married me, threw money at me, and disappeared. Like I was nothing. And now, suddenly, you act like I matter to you?"

Eryx remained silent, his jaw locked tight.

Lunara let out a bitter laugh, taking a step back. "You don’t even have an answer, do you?"

She turned away, exhaling a loud sigh before facing him again. "You know what? I’m actually glad I got to say all of that out loud. Even if I didn’t get an answer, at least I finally put it out there." She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "But don’t expect me to just stand here and pretend everything is fine. I’m done trying to understand whatever game you’re playing, Mr. Grantham."

Eryx suddenly closed his eyes and bit his lip, not out of frustration, but because he couldn’t handle how unintentionally adorable Lunara was. The way she rambled when she was frustrated, the way her nose scrunched slightly when she was annoyed, it was almost unfair.

Lunara, completely unaware of the effect she had on him, scoffed. "Are you seriously ignoring me now?"

Eryx exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "You’re really something else, you know that?" His voice was softer now, almost amused.

She frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

He smirked, finally opening his eyes. "Nothing. Just... carry on."

"Carry on? You pulled me out of your mother’s room, demanded that I listen to you, the ’entitled husband,’ and now you’re suddenly unwilling to finish what you started?" Lunara crossed her arms, her patience wearing thin. "Do you even know what you want, Mr. Grantham?"

Eryx let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You really don’t hold back, do you?"

"I don’t see why I should," she shot back. "Not when you’re the one who disappeared for two years and suddenly decided to play the role of a husband."

His smirk faltered for a second, but he quickly recovered. "Maybe I realized I made a mistake."

Lunara blinked at him, stunned for a moment before scoffing. "A mistake? And what exactly was that? Marrying me, or leaving me?"

Eryx didn’t answer. He just stood there, staring at her with that same unreadable expression, his silence stretching between them like a challenge.

Lunara’s frustration boiled over. "Why aren’t you saying anything? If you dragged me out here just to stare at me, then—"

Before she could finish, he stepped forward and caught her lips in a sudden, firm kiss.

Lunara’s breath hitched, her mind going blank. She should push him away, should say something or anything but the warmth of his lips and the sheer audacity of it all left her frozen in place.