09
The water was so soothing that I fell asleep without realizing it.
I didn’t know how much time had passed when my familiar ringtone jolted me awake. A
phone was placed by my ear, and my brother’s frantic voice came through the line:
“Luna! Where the hell are you?!”
Still half–asleep, I mumbled, “I’m working…”
The words barely left my mouth when I froze, my eyes snapping open.
Working? Slowly, I turned my head.
Who the hell was this?
The man standing in front of me looked similar to Holden–three or four features in common–but he definitely wasn’t Holden.
And then it hit me.
I glanced down at myself, realizing my current state. My eyes widened in horror.
I shrank back, pressing myself tightly against the wall, wrapping my arms around my
body. My fish tail glittered in the water, exposed for him to see.
The man, clearly startled by my reaction, immediately raised his hands and took two steps back.
“Don’t worry,” he said quickly. “I’m not here to hurt you. I won’t tell anyone. Your clothes
<
are ready–I’ll leave now.”
He turned and walked out, closing the door behind him.
Left alone, I stared at my tail in dismay, frustration bubbling up inside me.
How could I have slipped up like this? How could I have let someone see my true form at a place like this?
What if he told someone?
A million thoughts swirled in my head, but in the end, I knew I had no choice. I had to leave the room eventually.
When I stepped out, the man was sitting on the couch.
To be honest, I had no idea who he was.
As I hesitated in the doorway, he stood up immediately.
“Hi,” he said, his tone polite. “I’m Hunter Reid, Holden’s brother. I heard you’re working as his housekeeper?”
My eyes widened in shock. What were the odds?
I stared at him warily.
“My… situation…”
“I haven’t told anyone,” he interrupted, holding up his hands again. “You’re Luna, right? Could I get your contact information?”
Even after I got into the car, I still couldn’t make sense of what had just happened.
Hunter–Holden’s brother? What exactly was he up to?
I had a strange feeling about this, so I told my brother everything.
The moment I finished, he nearly jumped out of his skin, pacing in circles like a madman.
11:24 Sun, 15 Jun
<
“Luna! What are we going to do?!”
I hesitated, then said, “I don’t think he’s going to tell anyone.”
