When the Luna Falls Asleep Chapter 03

When the Luna Falls Asleep Chapter 03

My father finally snapped.

“That’s enough!”

He slammed his glass onto the table with a loud crash.

“The moment you woke up, everyone in this house had to walk on eggshells around you. We have to watch your mood, watch what we say—even dinner has become uncomfortable. Why can’t you be as considerate as Chloe?”

“I’m allergic to fish.”

I spoke calmly.

Instantly, the entire table fell silent.

My mother froze, “You… you should have said something sooner.”

I closed my eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to spill.

I had been allergic to seafood my entire life.

Because of it, seafood had never appeared on our family table.

But I had only been asleep for eight months. And somehow, everyone had forgotten.

The rest of the meal ended quickly in strained silence.

My arrival had shattered their laughter and happiness.

It felt as though I was the outsider.

Yet this was the home I had lived in for twenty-five years.

When I pushed open the door to my bedroom, I froze.

Every trace of me was gone.

The photo of Jonathan and me that used to sit on the nightstand had disappeared.

In its place was a family portrait of Jonathan, Chloe, and Austin.

The awards I had earned growing up.

The stuffed animals I had collected.

My clothes.

Everything had vanished.

It was as if I had never lived here at all.

My mother followed me inside and spoke carefully.

“Allison… Chloe needed somewhere to stay when she spent the night, so I let them use your room.”

There were guest rooms in the house.

Plenty of them.

But somehow, I couldn’t force those words out.

That night, I quietly settled into one of the guest rooms.

Just as I was about to close the door, Jonathan stepped inside.

He looked hesitant.

“Allison.” He paused, “I’ll stay with you tonight.”

Only then did I remember.

After I became ill, I had been terrified of falling asleep.

I was always afraid that if I closed my eyes, I would never wake up again.

I drank cup after cup of coffee until my eyes were constantly bloodshot.

Jonathan had always felt sorry for me. He promised he would sleep beside me every night so I would never be alone.

He used to kiss the top of my head. Hum softly while holding me.

Curled against his warm chest, I had stopped fearing tomorrow.

But now…he was Chloe’s husband.

How could anything still be the same?

“It’s okay,” I said quietly, “I can sleep alone.”

Jonathan didn’t leave.

Instead, his frown deepened.

“Allison, stop being unreasonable.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“Today, you made your parents uncomfortable.”

“They were only trying to be kind. Don’t blame them.”

“And aren’t you and Chloe best friends? She’s your sister now. You should try to get along with her.”

“Are you finished?”

I interrupted, then I looked directly into his eyes, “Brother-in-law.”

His expression darkened instantly.

Before he could say anything else, I slammed the door shut.

The moment it closed, tears streamed down my face.

That night, I couldn’t sleep.

Near midnight, I got up to get a glass of water.

As I passed my parents’ bedroom, I heard my mother’s voice through the door.

“I know we’ve wronged her.”

Her voice trembled, “But what were we supposed to do if she never woke up?”

“Those months she was unconscious…”

“If Chloe hadn’t come over so often to keep us company, I don’t think I could have survived it.”

My father sighed heavily.

“Now that Allison is awake… What are we supposed to do about Chloe?”

I covered my mouth to stop myself from making a sound.

At last, I understood.

During those eight months, everyone had accepted that I was never coming back.

Jonathan. My parents.

All of them.

They had built a new life around my absence.

And now I had returned.

My awakening had disrupted the peace they had found.

I no longer had a place in it.

I no longer had a home.

But where could I go?

The next morning, the atmosphere in the house remained unbearably awkward.

My mother chatted comfortably with Chloe.

The moment she noticed me, the conversation stopped.

Jonathan handed a freshly made coffee to Chloe, lifting it toward her lips.

When he saw me, his hand froze midway.

My father cradled Austin naturally in his arms, soothing him with practiced ease.

Then he spotted me and coughed awkwardly.

Their lives had already settled into a routine.

My presence seemed to make everything uncomfortable.

I stood abruptly.

I needed to get out.

I needed air.

But before I could leave, the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room suddenly exploded inward.