My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 83: Valerie Sterling

Chapter 83: Valerie Sterling

Eryx had been staring out the window for about ten minutes.

From where he stood, he could see a crowd gathering below, near the entrance of the hotel. He didn’t think much of it. Maybe a tour group had just arrived. It was a popular place, people came and went all the time.

He rubbed the back of his neck and exhaled, still feeling the weight of Regina’s last words ringing in his head: "Because right now, it looks like you’re already too late."

She was wrong.

Maybe he had underestimated his grandmother, but he wasn’t going to sit back and let this spiral. Not now.

He turned away from the window and grabbed his phone. "Callum," he said once the call connected, "Valerie. Where is she?"

"Sir, that’s what I was trying to tell you earlier," Callum replied quickly. "Miss Sterling is already at the hotel."

Eryx froze. "What?!"

His voice came out louder than expected, sharp and confused. Right after, he heard a rustle behind him. The bed shifted slightly, and when he turned, he saw Lunara moving under the blanket. Her eyes fluttered open, just barely, and the moment she realized he was looking, she quickly pulled the blanket over her face, leaving only her eyes visible.

Eryx’s gaze softened for a second as he glanced at Lunara. "Wait a second," he mouthed, then turned back to the window.

"Did you contact her? What is she doing here?" he asked quietly, lowering his voice.

Callum hesitated. "Sir, when I called her earlier, she said she planned to talk to you about clearing things with the press."

Eryx nodded slightly. "So she’s already here, right?"

"Yes, sir. Arrived not long ago."

He paused for a moment, thinking. "Alright. I’ll call her."

Eryx put the phone down and turned back to the bed. Lunara was half-sitting now, the blanket pulled up just beneath her eyes, only her gaze visible. The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away.

He walked over, slower this time, crouching beside the bed. "Hey," he said gently, his voice softer than before. "Have a good sleep?"

She gave a small nod from behind the blanket, still only her eyes peeking out.

Eryx tilted his head slightly, watching her. "Hungry? Should I order something for you to eat?"

Her eyes blinked slowly, then she gave a tiny shrug.

He chuckled under his breath. "That’s not an answer."

She mumbled through the blanket, "Maybe... something light."

"Alright," he said, standing up again. "I’ll order something simple. Soup? Toast? Something sweet?"

She nodded once, and he smiled.

"I’ll handle it. Do you want to take a bath first?" he asked, his voice gentler now. "I’ll call the hotel service."

Lunara gave a small nod again, still mostly hidden under the blanket. He turned away to give her some privacy, grabbing the hotel phone and dialing for room service.

Covering her body with the blanket, she bunny-jumped straight toward the bathroom but halfway through, her body suddenly lifted off the ground.

"You might arrive at the bathroom tonight if you keep jumping like that," he said with a smile, effortlessly carrying her the rest of the way.

Lunara let out a small gasp and buried her face in the blanket, clearly flustered. He gently set her down at the bathroom door, still grinning.

"I’ll be right here. Take your time."

About five minutes later, the room bell rang.

Frowning, Eryx walked to the door and glanced through the peephole. His brows arched in surprise.

He opened the door halfway, his voice low. "Valerie?"

She stood there, dressed neatly, sunglasses in one hand and a calm expression on her face.

"I didn’t expect you’d come all the way up," he said, quickly glancing down the hallway to check for any prying eyes.

"I kept it low," Valerie replied, her voice steady. "Can we talk for a minute? Somewhere less exposed?"

Eryx hesitated. Letting her in didn’t feel right with Lunara just in the other room. But leaving her standing outside was a risk too.

He stepped aside slightly but didn’t open the door all the way. "One minute," he said. "You stay here, I’ll talk."

Valerie gave him a look, then sighed. "Fine. But I’m not here to cause trouble. I came to help clean up your family’s mess."

Eryx crossed his arms. "Then start talking."

Valerie furrowed her brows and crossed her arms. "And you expect me to stand here? Is this how you treat your future wife?" She arched her brow, then burst out laughing. "Joking."

Eryx’s expression remained serious, though a slight irritation flickered in his eyes. He was tired of this game. "Cut to the point, Valerie."

She stopped laughing and straightened up, her expression turning more businesslike. "Okay, fine. Here’s the deal. I’ll go along with whatever you want to tell the press. I’m willing to say I didn’t want this engagement either. We both know that. But if you don’t handle this properly, it’ll be a mess for both of us. I don’t want my name tied to this circus your grandmother started."

Eryx studied her carefully, his mind already running through options. "And you think this will solve it? You think backing out of the engagement will stop my grandmother from controlling this? How about your parents?"

Valerie shrugged, an almost uninterested gesture. "What’s the alternative? We both know she’s pulling the strings. At least this way, I can get some distance from her plans, and you can save the trouble in the process."

Eryx exhaled slowly, considering her words. "You really think you can just walk away from this without consequences?"

Valerie didn’t seem phased. "I’m not the one who’s stuck with all the baggage, Eryx. I’m just offering a solution before things get worse."

He narrowed his eyes, skeptical but intrigued. "And what do you want in return for your ’help’?"

Before Valerie could answer, the sound of hurried footsteps and voices grew louder outside the door. Eryx’s eyes flicked toward the noise, and in an instant, his instincts kicked in. Without thinking, he grabbed Valerie by the arm and yanked her inside, closing the door with a sharp click behind them.

"Stay quiet," he hissed under his breath.

Valerie’s eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded, understanding the urgency. However, just as the room settled into tense silence, the bathroom door creaked open, and Lunara stepped out, her hair still damp and wrapped in a robe. She froze when she saw a woman standing right next to Eryx, and she recognized her, Valerie Sterling, the woman who was supposed to be engaged to her husband.