Chasing His Kickass Luna Back Chapter 290

Abby

“I support you. I support you all the way, Abby.”

Leah’s unexpected support leaves me feeling both shocked and relieved. Her willingness to stand by my side and accept this unconventional arrangement fills me with gratitude, especially after the tension that hung heavily in the room moments ago.

Tears begin to well up in my eyes, causing the forms in front of me to blur slightly. But I don’t bother blinking them away.

Chloe, however, remains silent despite Leah’s vocal support. Her face is a deep shade of red, and she’s staring down at her lap, clearly struggling to grapple with the information we’ve just shared with her.

“Well?” Leah asks, turning to Chloe. “What do you think, Chlo?”

But Chloe doesn’t answer right away. She’s still silently fuming, her eyes darting back and forth. I can practically hear the gears turning in her head from where I’m currently standing.

“Leah,” I murmur, “what made you want to support us? I know it’s crazy, and I hope you know you’re not obligated to agree with this scheme.”

Leah’s eyes meet mine, and her response is unwavering. “Abby, you’re my friend," she says gently and earnestly. “I trust your judgment, and if you believe this is the right path, then who am I to judge? As your friend, it’s important for me to be there for you, not at odds with you, you know?”

A warmth spreads through me at her words, and I can’t help but close the distance between us, enveloping Leah in a tight hug. “Thank you, Leah,” I whisper gratefully. “Your support means the world to me.”

Leah smiles, rubbing my back, and pulls away after a few moments. “What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t trust you?” she asks, glancing over at Chloe. It’s a warning glance, as if she’s silently telling Chloe to put her reservations aside and stand with her friends. “That’s what friends are for, after all.”

Now, only Chloe remains, and her silence is a stark contrast to Leah’s willing acceptance. Her anger is palpable, and I can sense the storm brewing inside of her.

Part of me wonders if I’ll potentially lose a friend today, after months of tension between the two of us. Hell, I almost lost her barely more than a month ago, when she stormed out of the restaurant. I had thought we had all made up, that we were on the same page, but it feels as though Chloe is as distrusting as ever.

I can’t blame her entirely, but it’s also difficult to see her reasoning right now. And if she really does refuse to be supportive, then I’m not sure how much more of this I could possibly handle.

Of course it would hurt to lose her, but so would losing my restaurant, losing my livelihood, or being infertile forever. If I have to make a choice, then I’ll need to really consider everything here.

I just hope that the choice won’t need to be made.

Finally, she breaks her silence, her voice seething with frustration.

“Karl, you’ve only ever broken Abby's heart,” she begins, her tone low and accusing. “How can you expect us to believe that this won’t end in disaster? And how in the hell does this fake relationship benefit both of you?”

I open my mouth to respond, but Karl doesn’t waver in the slightest in the face of Chloe’s anger. Instead, he meets her gaze squarely, ready to address her concerns head-on. It’s surprising, honestly; back when we were married, Karl would be having a shouting match with Chloe by now.

But instead, his tone is measured and calm, even understanding.

“Chloe,” he starts, “I understand your hesitation, but let me explain.”

Chloe throws her hands up in exasperation before leaning back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest. “Explain away.”

Karl takes a deep breath, his gaze flickering to me for the briefest of moments, before he begins. “I have an election coming up, and having a family will significantly boost my approval ratings,” he explains. “On the other hand, as you know, Abby is currently facing allegations regarding her restaurant and the Alpha party food poisoning incident.”

“And how the hell will a fake relationship help her?” Chloe interjects, shooting me a concerned look.

“By presenting ourselves as a united front, not only will she be physically safer,” Karl explains unwaveringly, “but I can also stand by her side and help her through it. The court might be more likely to believe her story if she has a powerful Alpha supporting her.”

“Chloe, there are layers to what happened at the Alpha party that the police are still trying to uncover,” I add. “It’s a dangerous situation. It seems very likely that I was framed by someone who wishes to bring harm to a Luna’s children. If whoever orchestrated this finds out I’ve been talking to the police, I could be in danger.”

Chloe’s brows furrow as she tries to process everything we’ve just told her. It’s clear that she softened a bit at the mention of my safety, but her skepticism still lingers, and she crosses her arms defensively.

“I guess that’s all well and good,” she says, “but it still feels fishy. Abby is only doing this for her restaurant, isn't she? Is there some other catch to sweeten the deal?”

I exchange a quick glance with Karl. He left out a crucial part of our arrangement to protect our privacy, and I appreciate that, but I know it’s time to come clean—about one thing, at least. I don’t need to mention our more… personal arrangement, but if I actually do wind up having a baby someday, they’ll obviously find out.

And I can’t hide something so significant from my best friends. I want them to be there every step of the way through the treatments, the ups and the downs, the potential outcomes.

I want them to be there if the treatments work and I finally get to have the baby I’ve always wanted, and I also want them to be there if the treatments don’t work.

With a deep breath, I finally speak up, having made up my mind. “Chloe, you’re right,” I admit. “There is something more to it.”

Chloe’s eyes flash. “I knew it,” she mutters. “You two are totally sleeping together. After everything he did, Abby, you’re going to hook up with him?”

I swallow, exchanging another brief glance with Karl. His eyes are wide, and it’s clear that he wasn’t expecting me to bring any of this up. But it’s too late now.

“It’s not that,” I say. “Karl is helping me find treatment to address my… infertility.”

Chloe and Leah’s eyes widen in shock. They exchange incredulous glances, and Leah steps forward, giving me a cautious look. “Really, Abby?” she says gently. “Is that true?”

I nod. Even though my heart is practically pounding out of my chest, I’ve made my decision. I want these treatments to work, I want to have a baby, and I want my friends to be on board with it. They deserve to know. And I’d like to think I deserve the support.

“I know it sounds crazy,” I say, “but you guys know I’ve always wanted this. So yes, there is something extra to sweeten the deal. And I made my own decision, as an adult, to take it.”

“But Abby,” Chloe says, standing now and pointing incredulously at Karl, who’s still seated behind his desk, “how the hell is he supposed to help you heal your infertility?”