The chapter opens with a heavy silence as the narrator and Abel drive through a foggy morning, their relationship strained and distant. Abel’s usual warmth has vanished, replaced by a cold composure that leaves the narrator feeling like she is sitting beside a stranger. Despite small gestures of care, such as turning on the heater, the emotional distance between them is palpable.
They arrive at an isolated, imposing house that feels abandoned and sterile. Abel leads the narrator inside without explanation, and she is shocked to find Jaxon lounging confidently on the couch. The presence of Jaxon, someone the narrator never wanted to see again, immediately heightens the tension and fear. Abel’s coldness deepens as he silently allows Jaxon to claim possession of the narrator, referring to their relationship as a “transaction” and indicating that Abel has relinquished his claim.
The narrator desperately pleads with Abel, trying to understand why he is leaving her with Jaxon. Abel reveals that Jaxon is willing to override a bond that ties the narrator to Abel, which would allow her to survive but at the cost of their connection. Abel insists that the war between them is over and that Jaxon has stepped down, implying a political or territorial victory, but the narrator feels the true cost is the loss of their relationship.
Despite her tears and desperate pleas for Abel to fight for their love, he remains distant and resigned. He tells her to go inside and take care of herself, then leaves, driving away and leaving the narrator alone and heartbroken. The chapter ends with the narrator collapsing on the cold ground, realizing that while the fight may be over for Abel, for her it is just beginning.
Chapter 388: The End
The car moved forward in a heavy silence. I sat quietly, my gaze fixed on the window as the early morning fog blurred the world outside into a dull, gray haze. Abel’s hands gripped the steering wheel with steady calm, but not once did his eyes flicker in my direction. Even when I subtly turned toward him, hoping for a glance, a sign—anything—I was met with nothing but stillness.
I had no idea where we were headed. Since he arrived to pick me up, not a single word had passed between us. The only certainty was that something fundamental had shifted in Abel. The warmth he once radiated, that comforting presence I had clung to, had vanished. Sitting beside him now felt like sharing space with a stranger, someone wearing the familiar face of the person I loved but no longer carrying his soul.
The cold seeped into me, both literally and figuratively. The windows fogged up as my breath formed small clouds in the chilly air. I rubbed my hands together, trying to coax some warmth into my frozen fingers, but it barely helped. A shiver ran through me, betraying my effort to stay composed.
Before I could even try to hide it, Abel reached forward and switched on the heater. Warm air quickly filled the cabin, wrapping around me like a hesitant, reluctant embrace. I wanted to thank him, to say something that might crack the ice between us, but the words caught in my throat. My voice was gone.
His care was evident in these small gestures—adjusting the temperature, easing the car over rough patches, stealing glances in the rearview mirror whenever I shifted. Yet, despite these signs, it felt as if the heart behind them was fading, retreating into a cold distance I couldn’t reach.
After what seemed like an eternity, the car finally slowed.
We stopped in front of an iron gate that groaned softly as it slid open on its own. Beyond it stood a two-story house, isolated and imposing. It reminded me of Abel’s cabin in the woods, but this one was larger, newer—almost sterile. The place looked abandoned, as if no one had set foot inside for years.
Abel was the first to step out, closing his door with that same quiet composure that made my chest ache. I didn’t want to move. I barely wanted to breathe. But then he circled around to my side and opened the door for me.
I hesitated, my heart pounding in my ears, before finally climbing out of the car. Together, we trudged up the long stone path toward the front door, our footsteps echoing in the still morning air.
When we reached the entrance, I couldn’t hold back any longer. “What are we doing here?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Abel paused, biting his lip as if weighing his words. Then, without a reply, he turned the handle and led me inside.
The moment we crossed the threshold, a scent hit me—familiar and unwelcome.
My breath caught sharply as I scanned the room. There, lounging on the couch as if he owned the place, was someone I never wanted to see again.
Jaxon.
He reclined with lazy confidence, a victorious smirk playing on his lips.
No. This couldn’t be real.
My body tensed, instincts screaming at me to flee. Without thinking, I reached out and gripped Abel’s hand tightly. He glanced down at our entwined fingers, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes. Then he slowly withdrew his hand.
“Abel?” My voice cracked, barely a whisper.
Jaxon rose smoothly from the couch, his smile widening as he stepped toward us. “Right on time,” he said with a smooth, mocking tone. “I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind.”
Before I could react, he wrapped an arm possessively around my shoulders. His touch sent chills down my spine, making my skin crawl. I froze, breath caught in my throat. Abel simply watched, silent and unmoving.
Jaxon’s smirk was unbearable. “Thanks for the transaction,” he sneered. “Enjoy the title, Abel. I’ll take good care of my little angel here.”
Transaction. The word echoed in my mind, shattering every hope I had left.
I searched Abel’s face desperately, looking for denial, for any hint that this was a nightmare, a cruel mistake. But all I found was cold distance. His eyes didn’t fully meet mine.
“Take care of her,” he said quietly. Then he turned away.
My heart stopped.
“Abel!” I cried out, trying to move, but Jaxon’s grip tightened on my shoulder. “Abel, please wait!”
Jaxon’s hand pressed lightly against me, pulling me closer. His breath brushed against my ear. “Looks like you’re with me now,” he whispered.
The sickening scent of him made my stomach churn, but summoning every ounce of strength, I pushed past him and stumbled toward the door. My heart pounded painfully in my chest.
“Abel!” I screamed again, the sound raw and desperate.
“Just go,” he cut me off coldly. “Go inside.”
“No!” I cried, clutching his arm. “You’re not going to keep fighting for me?”
Finally, he met my gaze, and the sight nearly shattered me. His eyes were wet but hollow, his expression a fragile mask of composure barely holding back a breaking point.
“The fight is over,” he said softly.
I stood frozen as he opened the car door. My hands trembled at my sides, aching to grab him, to stop him, to hold him one last time.
“Take care of yourself, Luna,” he said gently before shutting the door.
The car rolled away, disappearing down the long, tree-lined road. I ran after it until my legs gave out, collapsing onto the cold gravel. The stones bit into my skin, the chill burned my lungs, and still, the tears wouldn’t stop.
He said the fight was over—but for me, it was only just beginning.
The heavy silence between Luna and Abel mirrored the emotional distance that had grown between them, a painful reminder of how love can sometimes falter even amidst care and small gestures. The coldness that seeped into the car was more than physical—it was the chill of a bond fraying under the weight of unspoken truths and sacrifices. Luna’s desperate plea for connection, for Abel to deny the growing divide, underscored the heartache of a love caught between hope and despair.
As Abel chose to walk away, leaving Luna to face the consequences alone, the chapter closes on a poignant note of loss and unresolved longing. Though the war may have ended, the personal battle for Luna is just beginning, a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit even when love feels like it’s slipping through one’s fingers. The emotional landscape here is one of quiet devastation, yet beneath it lies the faintest glimmer of resilience and the painful acknowledgment that some endings are merely the start of new, uncertain journeys.
The next chapter promises to plunge deeper into the tangled emotions and fractured relationships left in the wake of Abel’s cold decision. Luna’s heartbreak and confusion will take center stage as she grapples with the shattering reality of Abel’s withdrawal and the looming presence of Jaxon. The fragile threads of trust and hope will be tested, leaving readers wondering whether Luna can find the strength to face the uncertain path ahead without the man she once believed would stand by her side.
Tension will rise as Luna confronts not only the external threat represented by Jaxon but also the internal battle within herself—between holding on to love and accepting painful change. The emotional stakes are higher than ever, and the quiet moments of despair will be punctuated by the simmering question: can a fractured bond be mended, or is this truly the end of their story together? Expect a chapter filled with raw vulnerability, difficult choices, and the haunting echoes of what might have been.

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