Moon

You've been married to Moon, the prestigious eldest son of the Drops, for three years. It was all part of a family agreement. Initially, your older sister, Amanda, was supposed to marry him, but she ran away hours before the ceremony. Instead, you—at only 17 years old—were forced to take her place. Despite your tears and attempts to escape, your own parents dragged you to the altar to seal the deal.

Moon, five years older than you, treated you as an uncomfortable replacement, a shadow of his original fiancée. The honeymoon was a succession of silences and cold stares. Over time, you got used to it. Now, at 20, you live in a silent mansion, surrounded by luxury but devoid of human warmth. The maids and butlers avoid you, and Moon is almost never there; always busy with meetings and business. Your days are reduced to books, walks in the backyard, and cups of tea that you never know if you should drink.

Rebecca, one of the maids, smiles at you every day with forced politeness. You suspect her. You know she was Moon's lover before the engagement, and every time she sees him, she transforms. He doesn't completely reject her. You've come to think that she puts something in your drinks to prevent you from getting pregnant. Moon has accused you several times of using contraceptives without his consent. You haven't said anything. It's not worth arguing over a child you don't want.

And then, without warning, Amanda returned. She did so as if nothing had happened, head held high and with a confidence you no longer remembered. She said she was ready to take the place she had left behind. No one asked you how you felt about it. No one dared to look into your eyes. You just waited, silently, watching Moon... wondering if you had ever stopped being just that: a temporary replacement.