My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 45: The Rumor

Chapter 45: The Rumor

The photographer gently lifted Lunara’s chin, angling her face toward the light. "There, hold that," he instructed, stepping back to frame the shot. "Tilt a little... yes, just like that."

From across the room, Eryx watched, his gaze dark and unreadable. His arms were crossed, his stance relaxed, but the way his jaw tightened told another story. His eyes followed every movement and the way the photographer adjusted Lunara’s posture, how his fingers briefly brushed against her skin.

A sharp click of the camera echoed, but Eryx barely registered it. He had no reason to feel anything about this. And yet, the longer he watched, the more he felt something unpleasant coil in his chest.

The photographer clicked his tongue, stepping back to assess the shot. "The color isn’t picking up well on camera," he muttered. Turning to the makeup artist, he held out a hand. "Pass me lipstick."

The makeup artist quickly handed him a tube, and without hesitation, the photographer uncapped it. "Hold still," he instructed Lunara, leaning in to apply the color himself.

From where he stood, Eryx’s eyes darkened. His fingers twitched, and before he realized it, his legs moved forward, an instinctive reaction he didn’t fully understand. He wasn’t sure what he was about to do, maybe stop the photographer’s hand or pull Lunara away but the thought of someone else’s fingers tracing her lips made something in him snap.

Just as he was about to step into the shoot set, a firm hand gripped his arm.

"Sir, not a good idea," Callum murmured, his voice low and knowing. He had moved faster, cutting Eryx off before he could act on whatever impulse had taken hold of him.

Eryx’s jaw tensed, his gaze locked onto the scene before him. The photographer tilted Lunara’s chin slightly, angling her face just right as he carefully applied the lipstick. His touch was professional, but that didn’t matter.

Eryx’s fingers curled into a fist.

"Sir," Callum repeated, his grip unwavering. "You’re in public."

Eryx exhaled sharply through his nose, forcing himself to step back. He knew Callum was right. Acting on impulse now would only cause unnecessary chaos. But that didn’t change the fact that the sight in front of him was grating more than it should be.

Eryx turned slightly toward Callum. "Then should I just announce it to the whole world?"

Callum’s eyes widened slightly in confusion. "Sorry, sir?"

"Ah, never mind," Eryx sighed. For now, it was better to keep their wedding hidden because he had no idea what dangers might come if their marriage became public.

Callum studied him for a moment, clearly trying to decipher the meaning behind his words. But before he could ask, Eryx had already shifted his attention back to Lunara.

His grip on his emotions tightened. There was no point in dwelling on it now. Their marriage had been nothing more than a calculated move, something he had forced upon her without interest or attachment. But even then, he knew what staying by her side would mean. She would have been caught in the chaos of his family, dragged into a battle she had no stake in. Leaving had been the easiest way to cut ties and keep her from becoming another casualty.

And yet, watching her now, he found himself wondering, had it really been the right choice?

Eryx exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face before striding out of the room. Staying any longer was a mistake. He had spent two years convincing himself that ignoring her was the right decision, he wasn’t about to let that slip now just because of a fleeting impulse.

As he stepped into the hallway, low murmurs caught his attention.

"I’m just saying, it’s weird, right? She comes out of nowhere and suddenly gets such an important job? I bet she—"

The staff member’s voice cut off the moment Eryx stopped beside them. He didn’t speak right away, just stood there, hands in his pockets, gaze cold and unreadable. The silence stretched, thick with tension.

"Please," he finally said, his voice dangerously calm. "Go on. I’d love to hear how you finish that sentence. I don’t keep up with gossip these days, it would be good to hear one or two, right?"

The staff who had been gossiping froze, their faces draining of color. One of them swallowed hard, forcing a nervous chuckle. "I-It was nothing, Mr. Grantham. Just harmless talk."

Eryx took a slow step forward, his gaze cold and unwavering. "Harmless? Interesting choice of words." He tilted his head slightly. "Then surely, you wouldn’t mind repeating it."

No one spoke. The tension thickened, and the staff members exchanged uneasy glances.

Eryx let out a quiet scoff, his expression unreadable. "That’s what I thought." He adjusted his cufflinks, his movements calculated. "Next time, if you have something to say, make sure you’re brave enough to stand by it."

With that, he walked past them, leaving the group in stunned silence. But even as he distanced himself, his jaw remained clenched. He had expected rumors when his mother offered the contract to her, but hearing them firsthand, hearing her name dragged into them, was an entirely different thing.

"Make sure the rumors about her getting the contract by connection vanish," Eryx said, slipping into the car.

Callum nodded immediately. "Understood, sir."

But then Eryx sighed, loud enough that both Callum and the driver exchanged hesitant glances, unsure whether to drive away.

"Callum..." Eryx suddenly broke the silence.

"Yes, sir?"

"Which is better? Announcing that she and I are married or keeping it a secret until these rumors die down?" His voice was clear, but there was a hint of anxiety in it.

"Err..." Callum paused briefly, swallowing hard. "I believe I’m not the right person to answer that, sir."

Eryx looked straight at the rare mirror, "Then who do you think is the right person to give me the answer?"

Callum hesitated before speaking. "Perhaps you should ask Madam Grantham—"

"Drive," Eryx cut him off sharply, his voice turning ice-cold.

The driver flinched at the sudden command, immediately starting the engine. Callum wisely said nothing more, but the tension in the car was thick enough to suffocate.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.