"Even if I tell you, you won't believe me. Why bother?"

The corner of Gideon’s lip twitched, his voice cutting like a blade: "Luna, do you believe I could strangle you to death right now?"

"I do." Luna’s lips curled slightly. "I believe it as firmly as you have always disbelieved me."

She wasn't surprised that Serena would turn the tables on her, but she didn't know the extent of Gideon’s hatred for her in this life.

So she had to gamble on Serena. Even if Gideon didn't believe her, it would at least plant a seed of doubt. She would then find other ways to look for evidence. It was impossible to just run up to him and say, "I’m the person you're looking for, I’m not dead, Serena framed me."

That would have zero credibility.

Gideon sneered and let her go. "You really should die after all."

"I didn't die. Doesn't that suggest there's a grievance that hasn't been settled yet?"

"Why do you think you survived?" Gideon turned his back to her and adjusted his cuffs. "Get out. Don't let me see you again."

Luna frowned, but under the circumstances, it wasn't wise to say more. Before leaving, she said, "I’ll wait for you at home."

Once out of the office, the tension Luna had been holding finally snapped. She felt as though all her strength had left her, her expression weary to the extreme.

"Are you okay?" Luke walked over to support her, but his outstretched hand paused in mid-air and he pulled it back. Gideon was extremely possessive; if he saw this, who knows what would happen.

Luna shook her head, rubbed her neck, and coughed twice before saying, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

"I'm a grown man, this is nothing. But you—your relationship with Gideon was already bad. Now that this has happened, how will you..."

"It’s fine. It’s always been like this between us. It can't get much worse."

But there was a saying: when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up.

She wouldn't give up.

Chapter 45: That Would Be Enough

Luke sighed. "I really never thought Serena would be this kind of person. I must have been blinded... What do you plan to do now?"

"Wait." Based on her understanding of Serena, she wouldn't let it go at that. At most, she would try to drive her to her death...

Thinking of this, something flashed through Luna's mind, but she couldn't grasp it.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, let's go."

Shortly after they left, Xavier knocked on the President's office door. After reporting his work, he said, "Sir, a call just came from DUR. They said the President’s wife of the Cook Group called personally, saying she has something to discuss with their President, Mr. Ethan."

Gideon frowned. "Who has Luna seen since she woke up?"

"Our people have been following the Madam. From the time she left the hospital until now, she has only seen Young Master Luke, Miss Serena, and a woman named Annie, who is an old friend. No one else."

Gideon remained silent. After a moment, he said flatly, "Keep following her. Tell me immediately if she does anything."

"Yes." Just as Xavier was about to leave, he was called back. "Have someone watch Serena."

Gideon withdrew his gaze, his dark eyes cold and deep, his emotions unreadable.

...

Although she said she would wait for him at home, Luna didn't want to go back just yet.

She knew Gideon wouldn't completely change his mind because of a few words, nor would he go home just because she said she'd wait.

Luna wandered the streets until after ten at night before heading home.

All the way, she was thinking about what evidence could make Gideon believe she wasn't lying.

But he had already formed a prejudice, deciding she was a vicious and scheming woman. No matter what she said or did, he would only see it as clever manipulation.

Sigh.

Luna started tugging at her hair in frustration.

She had to take it slow. She had waited this long; a few more days didn't matter.

For several days, Luna didn't see Gideon. She visited the orphanage, but the news was that the director had passed away six months ago. The old records were locked in an archive, and opening them required many procedures.

Luna didn't bother them. She already knew the news that Serena was actually "Little Sue," so there was no need for that.

Standing at a crosswalk, she exhaled and started counting down the seconds for the red light.

Perhaps because the sunlight was too piercing, she squinted slightly. It felt as if Gideon was standing on the other side again, watching her with a slight smile, his eyes and brows full of affection.

Luna suddenly felt that if she did everything she could and Gideon still didn't believe her, death might be a relief worth considering.

At least she knew the person he loved and the person he hated were both her.

That would be enough.

What she didn't notice was a black Jetta driving toward her like crazy. Just as it was about to hit her, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist!

Before Luna could react, she fell into a cold, hard embrace. She frowned, and something suddenly exploded in her mind—that car!

She abruptly pushed away the person whose hand was still on her waist and turned around. Seeing that the attempt had failed, the car didn't pause for a second, speeding into the traffic and disappearing from sight within seconds.

Chapter 46: Think Whatever You Want

She gritted her teeth and was about to chase after it when she was stopped. A cold male voice said, "It’s already gone."

Luna looked up. She saw no trace of worry or any other emotion in his eyes, only an indifferent coldness. For a moment, she found it both infuriating and laughable.

"Gideon, do you have no heart? I know you hate me, but why do you sentence me to death based only on someone else's word? You can ignore my explanation or disbelieve it entirely. After three years of marriage, even a stone should have been warmed, right? But..."

At this point, she gave a self-deprecating smile. "I guess my life or death means nothing to you. You never cared anyway. But that car—I will find it! Whether you think I deserve it or that it’s karma, think whatever you want."

With that, regardless of his expression, Luna hailed a taxi and left.

But the moment she got into the car, the tears she had been trying to hold back began to well up in her eyes.

She didn't care what he said about her, but that car... that car almost took her life, yet he remained so indifferent.

Luna closed her eyes. If she remembered correctly, when she died in her previous life, the car that hit her was also a black Jetta.

The two couldn't just be a simple coincidence!

But finding a specific car in the city was easier said than done.

She made a call to Luke and then huddled in her seat, unwilling to move.

Half an hour later.

Luna didn't get Luke; instead, she got news that he had been in a car accident and was hospitalized.

By the time she rushed to the hospital, Luke was being wheeled out of the operating room by nurses.

He had several scratches on his face, and his right hand and left leg were in casts. He looked quite disheveled. Meeting Luna’s stunned gaze, he huffed, his fair face turning red: "This was an accident! I don't know which brat slashed my tire. If I catch him, I’ll beat him to death!"

"..."

In any case, Luna felt some self-reproach. If it weren't for her, Luke wouldn't have gone out at that time. Everything has a cause and effect.

So she rolled up her sleeves and took it upon herself to look after him, brooking no refusal.

Luke finally got his wish to be treated like a king.

While eating an orange, he asked, "Why were you looking for me in such a hurry today?"

Luna looked at the cast on his leg and peeled an apple for him. "It’s nothing. Just focus on recovering."

"You can't rush things with Gideon. We have to take it slow. Serena wove such a massive lie to frame you; it will take time to unravel it. And in Gideon’s eyes, you are a vicious, scheming wom—"

Luna stuffed the apple into his mouth and rolled her eyes. "Just eat."

...

In a room with warm tones, the light was quiet and soft.

But the surrounding atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme. A cold chill seeped into the breath of everyone present.

Gideon casually played with the black handgun in his hand and spoke with some impatience: "I’ll ask one last time. Who told you to do it?"

The two men kneeling on the floor were already breaking out in a cold sweat. After a long silence, one of them said in a trembling voice, "No... no one told us... Sir, it really was just an accident. We didn't mean it."