Chapter 2

2.

A full day passed, and the aftershocks slowly died down.

I put on my gear and headed to the hardest-hit area. I joined my teammates, racing against time to save those buried under the rubble.

As volunteers for the rescue team, we did everything fueled by passion and conviction.

Many people didn't understand us. They wondered why we did this dangerous work for no pay, even spending our own money on supplies.

Some people even left nasty comments on our official page, calling us a bunch of amateurs.

Whenever I saw those comments, it hurt for a long time.

But Luna used to always stand by me. She would encourage me and validate my work.

"Finn, don't listen to them. Don't look at the noise. What you're doing is incredibly meaningful. As long as I understand you, that's all that matters."

Hearing those words of comfort always made me feel better.

After all, I was the one who rescued Luna years ago. That was why she respected my mission so much.

With her support, I was always at the front lines whenever disaster struck.

I would always end up looking like a mess, covered in bruises and scars.

Luna used to cry over my injuries, her heart breaking for me.

But now, how did we end up like this?

In truth, I had known about her affair with Jace for a long time.

At first, I didn't want to believe that the woman who loved me so much could hurt me.

So, I didn't confront her. Instead, I tried even harder to be a good husband.

I wanted to use my love to save my marriage.

But Luna accepted all my kindness while refusing to cut ties with Jace.

I was lost, hurting, and desperate. So, I hired someone to look into Jace Sterling.

That was when I found out they weren't just childhood friends. They were each other's first loves.

Their romance had been legendary, but they broke up because Jace got distracted by someone else.

Now that he was back, he was full of regret and wanted her back.

Luna told him she was married, but she agreed to keep things "casual" and "intimate" with him.

When I heard that from the investigator, I felt a wave of helplessness.

I finally understood the meaning of a dead heart.

I didn't know how Luna found out I was investigating her.

But she realized I knew about the affair.

Before I could take any action, she confessed. She apologized and promised to cut Jace off and be a good wife.

Looking back, Luna's words were nothing but hot air.

It didn't matter anymore. I had decided to let go.

"Finn, you've been working for almost twenty-four hours straight. Go take a break."

My teammate, Wyatt Marshall, called out to me for the third time.

Seeing that I had no intention of stopping, Wyatt got fed up. He grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the medical tent.

"Finn Fletcher, are you trying to kill yourself? Look at your gloves! They're shredded! Your fingers are a bloody mess!"

Wyatt forced me into a chair.

He pulled off my gloves and started disinfecting my wounds with alcohol.

I remained dazed until a sharp sting on my finger brought me back to reality. I hissed through my teeth.

Wyatt glanced at me and snorted. "Oh, so you can feel pain now? You were acting like a ghost out there!"

"Look at these injuries. If Luna saw this, she'd be in tears. Do you really want to put her through that?"

I looked at my fingers and smiled bitterly. "She won't care about me anymore."

Wyatt didn't hear me clearly. "What did you say?"

I shook my head and dropped the subject.

I looked out at the ruins of what used to be people's homes. Then, I put on a fresh pair of gloves and headed back to the rescue line.