Hidden Desires - Family Secrets

Chapter 174 Honey, just give me one more chance, just this once, okay? Part 2

I arrived at Luna's villa, stepping into a scene I had hoped to avoid.

There, on the living room sofa, sat Michael, quiet and still, with Luna occupying the opposite couch, her face breaking into a smile as she stood to greet me.

Michael's face twisted into an expression of sheer terror and absurdity upon seeing me, quickly burying his head into his lap, while Luna greeted me with a smile.

Standing at the doorway, I was taken aback.

I had assumed Michael might be confined in a room somewhere, and my plan was to meet Luna first, check on Michael through surveillance, and then decide whether to see him face-to-face.

Yet, here they were together.

"Everyone leave, and don't come back without my order..." Luna commanded the servants as she approached me.

The room fell silent, doors shut tightly, leaving only the sound of Michael's heavy breathing—a reminder of his labored breaths during his intimate moments with Betty, though now marked by tension rather than passion.

"I didn't expect you to arrive so soon; I was just advising him on a few things..." Luna remarked, sensing my reluctance to face Michael, her face tinged with guilt.

"Find me a room..." I said, my gaze fixed on Michael, who sneaked a glance at me but quickly averted his eyes when he noticed my stare.

"Alright..." Luna responded and led the way, with Michael foolishly remaining seated on the sofa.

"Come along..." I called out to Michael, following Luna with a cold detachment.

It took a while before I heard his dragging footsteps behind me.

Once we reached Luna's study, I took a seat on the sofa, assuming the role of the master with Luna standing by my side like a servant.

Michael arrived late, peeking timidly into the room.

When he saw us both watching the door, he quickly withdrew, his cowardly demeanor a stark contrast to his dominant presence in bed with Betty.

"Get in here..." Luna's voice cut through the silence, icy and commanding.

Michael stiffened at her command, his body trembling slightly, yet he walked in with hesitant steps, clearly terrified of Luna.

This ordeal had instilled a deep fear of Luna in him, a fear that might haunt him for life.

I wasn't surprised by this animosity; I had seen it countless times in surveillance footage whenever Betty mentioned my name.

To him, I was the rival, the biggest obstacle to his relationship with Betty.

"Do you know why I'm named Michael?" He asked, taking a deep breath and settling into an unusually calm demeanor, his eyes showing a maturity that belied his age.

This question about his name had always been a sensitive topic for me, one I preferred to avoid because I knew the significance behind the name Laura had chosen.

I didn't answer but instead sighed deeply, reflecting on my relationship with Laura—a regret that could never be mended.

"Michael, when my mother named me, I didn't understand the significance of the name.

Night after night, I saw her holding a photo of a man, crying secretly in her bedroom, always making sure my father didn't see.

One day when she was out, I sneaked into her drawer and found that photo.

It was you, Justin, tucked inside a notebook filled with entries about her time with you," Michael said, his head bobbing oddly as he spoke, a sign of psychological distress.

"My father, despite his flaws, wasn't one to pry into others' privacy or read much, so that notebook remained undiscovered in their bedroom.

I was always curious about it, and one day, I read the entire notebook over two days, learning many stories and about you, Mr. Justin," he finished, his eyes glaring at me, no longer hiding his resentment.

"I did have a relationship with your mother, but I never wronged her.

Our love was free and mutual.

The only reason we couldn't be together was my ordinary background, which her parents opposed," I started calmly but softened as I listened to Michael's account.

I believed him and knew Laura's feelings for me.

After marrying Betty, I spent many nights missing Laura, reminiscing about our moments together, but I had to avoid dwelling on the past to focus on the present and future.

"You didn't wrong her, huh..." Michael sneered, his face twisting into disdain as he looked at me.

This confrontation brought out the complex layers of our intertwined lives, revealing the deep-seated emotions and secrets that had shaped our relationships.

Michael's revelation wasn't just a recount of past events; it was a challenge to the narratives I had told myself, forcing me to confront the reality of our shared history and its impact on our present.