The Disdained Luna Who Rose Alone-Chapter 116 Stargazers for Show

Evelyn’s POV

"I’ll have those reports on your desk by Monday, Gary," I said, ending my phone call before tucking my phone into my purse.

Recently, my "Wolf Instinct Suppression Reversal" project had made some progress. Since Alex had been born wolfless like me, sickly and weak from childhood, I’d been desperately searching for a cure. I’d discovered in ancient werewolf texts that a rare herb called Stellaris Moonbane Root could restore dormant wolf spirits. I’d already sent people to search for this legendary plant. It would likely take some time.

But for now, I had more immediate concerns to deal with.

The school courtyard buzzed with activity as parents waited for the final bell. I found myself scanning the crowd, subconsciously looking for Calvin’s towering figure. He’d been showing up at school pickups with surprising regularity these past days.

Unlike his previous aggressive pursuit after our separation, Calvin had become strangely... reasonable lately. He maintained a respectful distance, didn’t push boundaries, and even seemed to genuinely listen when I spoke. The change was both welcome and unsettling.

But I still remained aloof.

My twin boys had noticed the shift too.

Just yesterday, after Calvin had dropped them off at my place, Rowan had approached me with seriousness in his eyes.

"Mom, do you not like Dad anymore?" he’d asked, his small face crumpled with concern.

Rhys had stood beside him, unusually quiet, his bright eyes studying my face for answers. These two were too perceptive for their own good sometimes.

I’d crouched down to their level, keeping my voice gentle.

"Rowan, Rhys. The relationship between your father and me can’t be simplified into just ’like’ or ’dislike.’"

Rowan had pressed his lips together, clearly unsatisfied. "Mom, are you going to say we’ll understand when we’re older? Like those ladies on TV shows?" He’d lowered his gaze, mumbling, "We may be kids, but we understand things."

Looking at their stubborn little faces had made me sigh internally. They were so young to be caught in the middle of adult complications.

As I’d walked them home, holding their small hands in mine, I’d tried my best to explain. "I know you’re smart and mature for your age. But what’s happening between your father and me is complicated."

Since the hotel video incident, I hadn’t shared a meal with Calvin or allowed him into our home. I knew children their age were especially sensitive to changes, and I felt guilty for potentially creating confusion. By allowing Calvin some leeway for the twins’ sake, I might have accidentally given them false hope about us reconciling.

It was time to set things straight, albeit gently.

While Alexis had been upstairs with her nanny, I’d attempted to explain the cooling relationship with Calvin in terms the boys could understand.

That’s when Rhys had surprised me with, "Mom, are you dating Uncle Leon?"

I’d been caught off guard. "Mom and Uncle Leon are just friends."

Rowan had joined in, curiosity evident in his expression. "Will you date other men in the future?"

I’d smiled softly while stroking their hair, avoiding a direct answer. "No one knows what the future holds."

That had seemed to satisfy them for the moment, but after they’d gone to bed, I’d retreated to my study. The moment the door closed behind me, my smile had vanished. I immediately sent messages to Jackson and Eryx to investigate who had been putting these ideas into my children’s heads.

The next night, I received word that a man named Matthew Ford, a notorious local troublemaker whose son had been filling my boys’ heads with nasty divorce rumors, had been found severely beaten in an alley behind a nightclub. Both his hands had been crushed.

"Did you hear? Matthew Ford was attacked last night!"

"Serves him right! He’s used his family connections to harass innocent women for years."

"His son is just like him. He told my child that divorced mothers are all cheaters and worse! I was so angry I wanted to smack him myself."

"My child started picking up bad habits from hanging around that boy..."

I listened to the whispered gossip around me at the school gates with a blank expression. Without my children present, I maintained my cool demeanor.

The school bell was about to ring when I spotted Calvin approaching. He was late, likely due to meetings, and carried an enormous bouquet of Ecuadorian stargazer lilies that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light.

When he extended the flowers toward me, I froze momentarily.

"What are you doing? I don’t want these," I said, frowning at the extravagant gesture.

Calvin’s neck tensed, a vein visibly throbbing as he fixed his intense gaze on me. "Leon Robinson can give you flowers, but I can’t?"

Giving flowers was already an attention-grabbing act, especially coming from someone as normally reserved and dignified as Calvin.

"Rowan and Rhys asked me this morning if you hate me," he said quietly.

I was surprised the boys had questioned him too. "What does that have to do with you giving me flowers?" I asked, my brow furrowed.

Calvin’s eyes were stormy despite his calm expression. "They think you don’t like me because you accept flowers from Leon Robinson but not from me."

"I don’t like you," I responded without hesitation.

Calvin fell silent, his jaw clenching visibly. "The twins are at a sensitive age. They overthink things."

"I’m doing this for our children," he continued. "Take the flowers. Let’s pretend for a moment in front of them, or they’ll worry."

I felt it wasn’t necessary, but Calvin’s next words stopped me cold. "Rhys called me crying last night."

The thought of my normally cheerful son crying made my heart clench. I reluctantly accepted the flowers just as the school bell rang.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

Rowan and Rhys burst through the school doors, one running toward me and the other toward Calvin. When they noticed the flowers in my arms, they exchanged excited glances.

"Mom, did Dad give you those flowers?" Rhys asked hopefully.

"...Yes," I answered stiffly, resisting the urge to throw the bouquet away.

But seeing how Rowan’s eyes lit up, bouncing between Calvin and me with renewed hope, and noting how much happier both boys seemed compared to recent days, I forced myself to endure the charade.

These flowers were for my children’s emotional wellbeing, nothing more.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Calvin’s subtle smirk. What was he so pleased about? I casually shifted my position, maintaining a perfect poker face as I deliberately stomped my stiletto heel onto his polished leather shoe.

Calvin’s composed expression flickered only momentarily, his eyes darting down to my heel before his jaw tightened further.

When we arrived home, our housekeeper informed me that Leon was waiting in the living room, playing with Alexis.

Leon greeted Calvin politely when we entered, then turned to me. "Do you have a moment to talk?"

Considering the twins’ recent behavior, I decided against taking Leon to my private study. Instead, I led him to the small garden visible from the house windows.

"I have good news," Leon said once we were seated. "The Stellaris Moonbane Root herb you’ve been searching for? Someone reportedly spotted it growing in the mountains near Thunder Creek Village."