Chapter 149
"Luna!" A deep male voice called from behind.
Luna White and the young man beside her turned simultaneously. Andrew Smith stood a short distance away, his intense gaze fixed on them. Seeing Luna laugh so freely with another man twisted something inside him—she never smiled like that when they were together.
Though logic told him Luna wasn't the type to flirt casually, and he knew she had an older brother in the military, Andrew couldn't help the bitter sting in his chest. Did she really think so little of him?
"An... Andrew?" Luna's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't mentioned this sudden fiancé to her brother yet.
Ethan White narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over Andrew. The two equally tall men locked eyes, tension crackling between them.
"Luna, who's this?"
"Andrew Smith. Luna's fiancé." Andrew spoke first, determined to secure the White family's approval.
"Fiancé?" Ethan whipped his head toward his sister, disbelief written across his face. He'd only been gone half a year—how had she suddenly gotten engaged?
Luna cringed inwardly. Andrew always introduced himself this way to her family.
"Ethan, it's... complicated," she murmured. "I'll explain everything tonight."
Ethan turned back to Andrew and extended a calloused hand. "Ethan White. Luna's brother."
Their hands clasped firmly. As an elite special forces soldier, Ethan had no intention of going easy. If this man couldn't handle a simple test, he didn't deserve to be with his sister.
Andrew felt the pressure and immediately understood the challenge. Without flinching, he matched Ethan's grip, the two men locked in silent combat.
Luna watched as veins bulged on Ethan's forehead while Andrew maintained a calm façade—though the tension in his neck betrayed him.
"I'll... go help Maya with lunch," she said, wisely retreating. This was a battle best left to them.
The courtyard hummed with unspoken rivalry.
Ethan finally released Andrew's hand and rolled his shoulders. "Not bad. Care for a spar?" Meeting a worthy opponent had piqued his interest.
Andrew nodded, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over the woodpile. His olive-green tank top revealed well-defined muscles.
"Special forces?" Ethan stripped off his own shirt.
"Classified unit." Andrew kept it vague, but Ethan instantly recognized the implication—this was one of those shadowy teams with undisclosed identities.
They took their stances, fists and feet cutting through the air.
Meanwhile, in the front yard, Maya White was hanging laundry.
"Luna, what's going on back there?" she asked curiously. "I saw Andrew heading your way earlier."
Luna suppressed a smile. "Who knows?"
Maya rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb. But Andrew really is something—five visits in ten days despite his training schedule? And he keeps bringing gifts." She gestured to a package on the table. "I told him not to bother."
Luna unwrapped it to find brand-new uniforms and boots. Warmth spread through her chest—these were clearly for Maya's three boys. Andrew's thoughtfulness touched her deeply.
"Maya, these are for Ethan, Aaron, and Samuel."
"We can't accept this!" Maya protested. "They ruin clothes so fast during training. He should keep them for himself."
Luna grinned mischievously. "Tell him that yourself. I'm not getting involved." With that, she ducked into the kitchen to prepare lunch. With Ethan home, they needed a proper feast.