Where the Moon No Longer Shines

She found them. Not just anywhere, but in an erotic hotel, barely a kilometer away from her.

At that moment, Cassandra felt her heart break completely. The fragile thread of hope she had been clinging to snapped.

When she returned, drenched in the rain, everyone expected her to break down. To throw herself into Matthew's arms and sob, demanding answers. But she did none of that.

Instead, she hid her wounds deep inside and walked away, silent and alone.

Matthew, on the other hand, had already rehearsed his excuses. He had assumed that Cassandra would react as she always did: throwing a tantrum, questioning him and crying about why he had abandoned her. Perhaps she’d remind him of the time he left her alone at the hospital for "urgent business matters." But this time, she didn’t.

Expressionless, she brushed past him. Her voice was eerily calm.

"No harm done," she said. "I just felt like walking in the rain."

She didn’t even take the towel he offered. Instead, she lowered her gaze and slipped out of her wet, ill-fitting high heels.

For the first time, Matthew was taken aback. Cassandra’s quietness unsettled him. He reached out again, his voice soft, coaxing.

“If you want to get wet in the rain, then let me join you.”

She let out a bitter laugh and sidestepped his outstretched hand. Her words were cold, detached.

“No need.”

Then, she added, as if sealing their fates, “There’s no need… not anymore.”

Her indifference sent a jolt of panic through Matthew. He froze. He’d never seen her like this before. For the first time, he didn’t rush off to his pressing meeting or heed his assistant’s calls. Instead, he stayed by Cassandra’s side, desperate and uneasy. His voice trembled as he whispered:

“Cassey, did I… do something wrong?”

Cassandra’s gaze met his. The man who once treated her like his everything—the man who claimed he couldn’t live without her—now only looked repulsive to her. She clenched her fists, trying to steady her voice.

"Were you with Julia today?"

The question dropped like a heavy stone in a still lake, shattering the silence.

Matthew’s face darkened. His voice, low and defensive, broke the tension.

"Did Julia fill your head with nonsense again? Cassey, listen to me. I was heading to a meeting when she insisted on getting in my car. She said she was looking for her dog… What was I supposed to do? Kick her out?"

He sounded guilty, his words rushed and uneven.

“We’re all in the same circle of friends. You know how it is. It would’ve been rude to refuse.”

He hesitated, then softened his tone.

“Cassey, believe me. There’s nothing between us. It was just a ride.”

Cassandra understood perfectly now. They had gone to an *erotic hotel* to look for a dog. And even with an empty box of condoms lying around, they were somehow “innocent.”

Matthew’s voice turned tender as he leaned closer. His gaze, full of affection, sought hers.

“Cassey, don’t worry. Julia is nothing compared to you. She’s not worth it. In seven days, we’ll be engaged. Trust me, okay? You’re my Mrs. Lawrence… the only one I’ll ever love.”

Cassandra smiled faintly, but her eyes remained calm, distant. How could someone love her so wholeheartedly with one half of his heart while tearing her apart with the other? His assurances sounded convincing, but to Cassandra, they were just words—empty, meaningless.

She gave no answer.