Chapter 25
When Luke said they’d go out for dinner, he really just meant dinner. After the meal, Kayla suggested taking a walk around the pedestrian street. While holding a cup of hot latte, she strolled side by side with Luke through the holiday crowd.
“What a shame that it didn’t snow today. By the way, Luke, does it usually snow around this time of year?”
It had been years since Kayla spent Christmas in Astra. The last snowfall she remembered was from high school.
Luke paused for a second, then sheepishly shook his head. “I’m not sure.”
“You’re not sure? Weren’t you here?”
“No, I was in Jolsa.”
“Jolsa? Were you there for work?”
She was just making small talk, but Luke stopped walking altogether. He turned to her, looking down at her cheeks, flushed red from the cold. “I went there to see you,” he said.
“What?”
“Last Christmas, you spent the evening with him and the foreign students he mentored. The year before that, he wasn’t home, so you went downstairs and bought yourself an apple from the convenience store…”
If he hadn’t brought it up, Kayla might have forgotten those details herself. But how did he know?
“How do you know all that?”
“Because I cared. And when you care, you notice everything.”
That was when it hit her—she used to post a lot of those little moments on her personal Twitter, even the photos with Jonah. Back then, they were still married, and to the outside world, their marriage looked perfect.
If Luke had liked her since those days, then he had fallen for someone who already seemed entirely out of reach.
“Luke, when did we actually meet?”
Luke laughed softly, brushing off whatever emotion had flickered in his eyes. He turned to keep walking. “Figure it out yourself.”
“I really can’t! Just tell me!”
Kayla reached out to grab his arm, but before she could even touch him, a figure suddenly lunged from the side and slapped her across the face. “Everyone take a good look!! a woman shrieked. “This is Kayla–the famous interior designer who ditched her husband and went off to screw some other guy!”
Kayla was stunned by the slap and frozen in shock. By the time Luke turned around, she was already being shoved to the ground by several women. He didn’t even think just rushed in, pushed them off, and shielded her with his body.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Kayla let Luke help her up, and that was when she got a clear look at the attacker. It was Lily.
With her phone in hand, Lily shoved the camera into Kayla’s face.
“Get a good look, everyone! This tramp cheated on her husband! Her husband loved her so much–he quit his job, gave her a house and money–and this is how she repaid him! She found herself a new man! Now, her husband’s depressed and practically suicidal!”
It was Christmas Eve, and the streets were packed. Kayla was gorgeous, and her long hair only drew more attention. Thanks to Lily’s performance, the crowd quickly bought the story that Kayla was some gold–digging seductress.
The whispers turned to jeers, then outright insults. The scene was spiraling out of control.
Luke wrapped himself around Kayla and called the police immediately,
Thankfully, the police arrived just in time. Aside from the visible handprint across her face, Kayla wasn’t physically hurt. However, she was visibly shaken
At the police station, Kayla calmly explained the entire situation. Lily had hit her, slandered her, and spread sexual rumors about her.
Kayla had no intention of settling. She wanted to press full charges. But before the matter could be resolved, Jonah arrived, claiming to be Lily’s legal contact.
After hearing the whole story, he looked apologetic, but pulled out a psychiatric diagnosis form.
Just a month ago, after multiple suicide attempts, Lily had been diagnosed with a mental disorder. The hospital had noted that she refused treatment.
