My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back-Chapter 14: Tiger’s Den

"Is she gone?" Lunara cracked the door open just a bit, peeking through the gap.

Naomi nodded quickly, smiling with relief. "Yeah, but I'll try to talk to her tomorrow. Judging by her tone just now, she didn't seem like she was in a good mood."

"Am I sounding like I'm in a bad mood?"

Naomi let out a startled shriek, spinning around to see her mother standing right behind her. "Mom..." she stammered, trembling slightly.

"So... this is what you're doing behind my back? Turning my house into a shelter?" Her mother raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp but curious.

She tilted her head, trying to get a better look at the girl still peeking from behind the door. Lunara, clearly panicking, froze, though only half of her face was visible, the anxiety was written all over it.

"Mom... I can explain this," Naomi quickly spoke up, moving slightly to stand in front of the door.

"Are you changing your career path? Becoming a spokesperson now?" Her mother frowned before stepping forward and gently pushing Naomi aside. "Haven't you learned any manners?"

Hearing that, Lunara instantly opened the door and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Madam." She swallowed hard before continuing without raising her head. "I am Lunara Hayes, Naomi's friend. I'm sorry for intruding. I promise I will leave now."

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

"No, no, no. Wait... Mom... please. Ara doesn't have a place to stay right now. I promise she won't disturb you, and she'll leave once she finds a place. Please... Mom..." Naomi held her mother's hand, her voice soft and pleading. "And usually, no one comes here..." She pouted, trying to act cute to win her mother's favor.

"And what am I, then?" Her mother raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

"It's not like that... You rarely come here! That's why I was so surprised to see you," Naomi added quickly.

"So... does that mean you've sneaked more people in before?" Her mother's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"No!" Naomi denied instantly. "Ara is the first one." She sighed, realizing too late that her own words had betrayed her.

"Lunara, right?" Her mother's gaze shifted to Lunara, who was still bowing her head. "Raise your head."

Slowly, Lunara lifted her head, and the moment their eyes met, her mother's brow furrowed in curiosity. She turned to Naomi. "She looks... different."

"Ah..." Naomi laughed nervously and quickly moved to Lunara's side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You saw her once, right? Back in her rebellious phase..." She giggled, clearly trying to lighten the mood. "Let me properly introduce my very beautiful best friend... Lunara Hayes." Naomi's eyes sparkled with pride as she spoke.

"Really..." her mother said slowly, her expression unreadable.

Naomi's smile faltered as this wasn't the reaction she had hoped for.

"Married?" her mother asked suddenly, catching both Lunara and Naomi off guard. They exchanged a quick, confused glance.

"Wait... are you trying to introduce her to my brother?" Naomi asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Well, too bad... she's already married."

Lunara's eyes widened in surprise, but she stayed quiet, letting Naomi take the lead.

"Then... What's she doing here?" her mother asked, her eyes flicking between the two of them.

Naomi tightened her hold on Lunara's shoulders, her mind racing for an explanation. "She... she had some issues at home. A little fight with her husband, you know how it is." She flashed an awkward smile. "So I offered her a place to stay until things settle down."

Her mother's eyes narrowed again, clearly not entirely convinced. "I don't want any trouble in this house, Naomi."

"No trouble at all!" Naomi promised, pushing a bright smile. "We'll stay quiet and you won't even know she's here."

After a long pause, her mother spoke again, "I don't want any drama like her husband came and reported us kidnapping her wife."

"Don't worry! That will not happen as her husband himself MIA—" but then Naomi realised she had slipped out the words that were not supposed to be slipped. She let out an awkward laughter as her eyes darted between Lunara and her mother.

Her mother's eyes narrowed instantly. "MIA? What do you mean by that?"

Lunara froze, her face paling. Naomi, still clinging to her forced smile, tried to backtrack. "Oh, you know... just one of those situations where the husband is... uh... busy? Traveling a lot? Workaholic?"

Her mother crossed her arms, clearly not buying it. "Naomi."

"Okay, okay!" Naomi raised her hands in surrender. "It's complicated, alright? But trust me... there will be no danger, no kidnapping, no drama. Just a friend helping a friend."

Lunara finally found her voice, stepping forward. "I'm really sorry for causing trouble, Madam. I promise I won't stay long."

Naomi's mother studied her carefully, then sighed. "Fine. But if I even get a hint of this turning into a scandal—"

"It won't!" Naomi interrupted quickly, nodding eagerly. "No scandals. No drama. I promise you!"

Her mother gave them one last suspicious glance before turning away. "I'll hold you to that." She then moved closer to Lunara with a wide smile, "Nice to meet you again, Lunara. I am Regina." She held out her hand making Naomi gulp.

"Mom..." Naomi's voice could be heard slightly shaking as a result of her nerves, "You are making me worried. You don't really think of making her brother's wife, right? She's married, I'm not lying."

Regina smiled as she by herself took Lunara's hand and shook it before finally turning to Naomi as her expression shifted to something unreadable. "Want to know something? Your brother kept a secret from you."

Naomi frowned, "Secret?"

Regina nodded slowly, her eyes gleaming with something that made Naomi even more uneasy. "Yes. A very big one."

"Mom, you're being really dramatic right now," Naomi said, her voice tight. "What secret?"

But Regina only smiled, and that smile was infuriatingly calm and knowing. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Mom... this is really not fun, you know. He won't surrender to your words if you keep using your power over him." Naomi's voice sounded a bit more stern this time.

Regina's smile didn't falter. "Really? This is starting to get fun." She turned and walked a few steps ahead before pausing and slightly turning her head. "Anyway, your brother is married." She then continued walking away, leaving them dumbfounded as she found the whole situation started to get interesting.