The Miracle Luna He Wasted

Dahlia’s POV

3 years later

"Lia, wake up! You're going to be late for tonight's event! Your attire is on the way, hurry!" Karen's voice from the phone’s voicemail crackled with urgency, snapping me out of my drowsiness with a start.

Yawning, I stretched and cast a sleepy gaze out the window, catching the light seep through, mirroring the verdant expanse of the forest that greeted me with its tranquil beauty. Through the window, I could hear the swaying branches and chirping birds outside.

With a sigh, I rose from the bed and made my way to the balcony. In the recesses of my mind, I reached out to Eya, my wolf, but received only silence in return.

A sad smile appeared on my face. “It’s okay, Eya. I’m not going anywhere,” I said. “You can take your time. Come back anytime you want.”

Although I whispered it to the wind, deep inside me, I knew she was listening.

Before I could dwell further on the twinge inside my heart, the sound of an approaching car pulled my attention.

I rose to my feet, hearing Karen’s voice.

“I swear you have the most beautiful view here. No wonder you don’t want to live in the city,” she said, which made me smile.

“You can join me anytime,” I offered.

“As much as that offer sounds so good, I have a family to feed.”

Her voice continued to echo through the house. She looked up, staring at me from the bottom of the stairs. “Are you coming down or not?”

“I am. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

She nodded. “Okay. I’ll prepare us a quick breakfast. Hurry up, little lady!”

I laughed and shook my head then remembered we had a special event today that I couldn’t miss. With some sense of urgency, I moved to the bathroom and prepared for the day ahead. When I stepped out, the clothes I would wear were already on the bed.

“Thanks, Karen,” I shouted from the second floor.

“You owe me a fine dinner!” she shouted back from the kitchen.

I smiled and quickly dressed up. Minutes later, we were on the road, the quiet hum of the engine punctuating the silence as we made our way to the event venue.

Memories of the past three years flooded my mind and for a second, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of amazement and gratitude. I didn’t expect to reach where I was today. Despite the challenges I had faced, I had finally found the courage to pursue my dreams, fueled by the unwavering support of those who believed in me.

As we arrived at the venue, the setting sun casting its golden glow over the bustling city of California Bay, I felt a surge of anticipation coursing through my veins.

Dressed in a silver gown that shimmered with every step, I stepped into the venue, the air alive with the buzz of excitement and anticipation.

“I still think I should’ve worn my lab coat instead,” I said.

Karen gave me a look. “Come on, today’s a special day. A little glamor will not hurt. You should flaunt your beauty every now and then.”

I sighed and thanked her again for her help. Entering the event hall, I exchanged a few pleasantries with familiar faces I met along the way, most of them from the university I worked at, before we all gathered at the center floor. After some minutes, the announcer took the stage.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, we gather to celebrate the groundbreaking achievements of two extraordinary individuals in the field of geology. As everyone knows, today is the day we will announce the recipients of this year's Crystal Research Grant.”

My heart pounded in my chest. Everyone wanted that grant. As a geologist, the grant was like a ticket to better labs and equipment, bigger opportunities for the entire team and institution, and an honor for the country as representative in the field of science.

“May I present to you all, Lia Bloom and Ashley Thunderfield.”

My mouth opened in disbelief upon hearing my name. Everyone turned to me and started to congratulate me.

“Congratulations, Professor Bloom!”

“Amazing job, Professor!”

“Well deserved, Bloom. Congrats!”

“Thank you,” I said before going to the stage to receive the award. After a short speech, I made my way back down to the floor and met Karen's tear-filled gaze.

"We were already informed about this but it still tears me up. I'm so proud of you, Lia," Karen said, her voice choked with emotion.

"I couldn't do it without you and our team," I replied, my own voice trembling with emotion.

“Oh, don’t be modest, you’ve earned this!” Karen said, playfulling nudging my side. “I really can’t believe it. I’m just your assistant and now I’m finally seeing my boss receive these awards. All those countless sleepless nights are so worth it! I can’t wait to tell Sheryl and Zigi about this.”

I smiled at her remarks. Indeed, this was something I had worked hard for.

The other winner, Ashley Harris, a fellow geologist in the same institution, walked up to me.

"Congratulations. I did not expect the two of us to win. To think you even almost quit a year ago," Ashley said with a sweet sarcastic smile.

Karen faced her. “Don’t dare ruin this day, Ashley.”

Ashley snickered, “Why would I? I just want to make sure Bloom isn’t going to let this get into her head. Remember, you’re not the only winner.”

“Of course. It's an honor to share this recognition with you," I said simply to which she rolled her eyes.

She left and Karen whispered, “What’s wrong with that girl? Seriously. You’re not even doing anything and she always looks like she wants to attack you.”

“Don’t mind her. She’s probably just stressed,” I mumbled.

The announcer's voice filled the air once more, speaking of future opportunities and the promise of what was to come. I had been in this ceremony for as many times as I remembered so I didn’t care to listen anymore, but that was until he started mentioning names.

"As everyone knows, this won't be possible without our main sponsors. They may not be here right now, but we're excited to tell you that they will be joining our annual symposium next week!"

The announcement sent a wave of excitement rippling through the audience. Murmurs of speculation filled the air as people exchanged curious glances.

Meanwhile, I stood rooted to the spot, a soft smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

“Oho, look at that smile. You’re excited, aren’t you?” Karen said, her voice interrupting my reverie. “You'll finally see them again. How many months has it been? Five? Six?"

"Nine," I whispered softly, my thoughts drifting back to the four men who had saved me three years ago. They were the ones who had pulled me from the depths of despair and changed my life in ways I could never have imagined.

Karen's excited giggle broke through my thoughts, snapping me back to reality. "I can't wait to see them, too. Ah, the main house must be really busy right now. Once this event is over, let's stop by there. What do you say, Lia?"

I tried to mask my excitement as I nodded in agreement, “Sure,” I said, mentally taking a note to myself to stop by the gift shop before heading there.

Excusing myself, I made my way through the crowded room, but as I rounded a corner, I collided with another woman, sending us both stumbling backward.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking--" I began, but my words trailed off as I looked up and met the gaze of the woman before me.

Time seemed to stand still as I quickly recognized who it was.

At the same time, another person behind called the woman. "Ms. Roxie! Wait for me!"

My entire body felt as if it had turned to ice as Roxie Jones's disdainful gaze swept over me.

She stared at me from head to toe, a cold glimmer shining through her eyes. Then she exclaimed, “What are you doing? Move your damn feet and bring those bags inside!”

Her companion scurred over to her, almost tripping with the bags she carried. “Y-Yes, Ms. Roxie—”

“You're honestly being too slow for a newly hired assistant," Roxie muttered coldly. Then she flipped her hair and strode ahead, leaving me stunned a bit.

I gulped down and stared at her back, shocked that she didn’t recognize me. I continued forward until I spotted a familiar figure in the distance that made me freeze.

Even though he was engrossed in a phone call, I could still make out the features of the man before me: tall, lean, with broad shoulders and a cocky smile adorning his lips.

Theodore Green.

A chill ran down my spine and my breath caught up to my throat as he turned to my direction and our eyes locked.