After dropping Nelson at a taxi stand, Raymond found himself driving aimlessly through New Harbor's quieter streets.
Without planning it, he ended up at a small coffee shop near the beach. It was the kind of place that stayed open late and attracted people who needed to think.
He ordered a black coffee and chose a corner table facing the water. The caffeine helped focus his thoughts on the challenges ahead of construction timelines, celebrity negotiations, and the growing pressure to prove himself worthy of the Sterling name.
Lost in his plans and worries, Raymond barely noticed the world around him. Then, someone lightly smacked him on the back of his head.
"Still getting lost in your own thoughts, I see."
Raymond spun around. He was instantly alert and slightly annoyed at the interruption.
A young woman in a black coat stood behind him. Her features were hidden by a baseball cap and black mask.
"You're still stupid, Ray," the woman continued in a mocking tone. It was both familiar and affectionate.
"Sitting here all alone, completely oblivious. What if someone wanted to rob you while you're daydreaming?"
Recognition hit him like lightning. "Luna?"
She pulled down her mask, revealing a smile. It was warmer than anything he'd seen from her in years. "You're still as stylish as always, Luna," he said, echoing her teasing tone.
"May I?" She gestured to the chair across from him.
"Please." Raymond signaled the waitress. "Espresso for the lady."
Luna removed her cap. She shook out her long dark hair. "You still remember my coffee preference."
"Always," he said simply, studying her face. Without the professional makeup and severe styling, she looked younger. She looked more like the girl he'd known in college.
"I'm glad you're here," Raymond said honestly. "I didn't expect you'd come out without security or staff around."
Luna's expression grew serious. "Sometimes a person needs to move freely. Besides, I wanted to talk to you privately."
"About what?"
Raymond took a deep breath. "About Julian. About what really happened to him, and why I became the person I did afterward."
Luna stared at her empty espresso cup. She was processing the information. Her hands trembled slightly as she set the cup down.
"All these years," she whispered, "I thought..."
"You thought I was responsible for Julian's death. I don't blame you. Morrison's plan was perfect. He used my reputation against me and made sure you'd never trust me again."
They sat in silence, watching the ocean waves crash against the shore. The sound was rhythmic, almost meditative. Luna processed five years of misconceptions.
Finally, she looked up. "What do we do now?"
Raymond's expression hardened. His voice became cold and determined. "We destroy Morrison. His company, his reputation, his life. We make him pay for what he did to Julian and for the five years he stole from us."
Luna's face transformed. A smile bloomed like a flower opening to sunlight. "That's the Ray I remember. Direct, ruthless when necessary, but always fighting for the right reasons."
"You agree?"
"Completely. Morrison needs to face justice for Julian's death. But we need to be smart about it. We have to plan carefully, gather evidence, and make sure he can't escape or retaliate."
They spent the next hour exchanging phone numbers and discussing preliminary strategies. As Luna prepared to leave, she stood and placed a gentle hand on Raymond's shoulder.
"Ray, we need to keep this friendship hidden for now. If Morrison or anyone else realizes we're working together instead of against each other, it could ruin everything."
"Understood. Our public rivalry continues."
"And Ray?" Luna's voice grew softer, more personal. "Take care of yourself. I've already lost Julian to Morrison's schemes. I won't lose you too."
After Luna left, Raymond sat alone with his thoughts and the sound of crashing waves. The revelation that Luna hadn't abandoned him out of cruelty, but because of false information, changed everything. She'd been protecting herself from someone she believed had hurt their mutual friend.
Now they were united against their real enemy. Morrison had no idea what was coming for him.
As Raymond drove home along the coastal road, he felt something he hadn't experienced in five years—hope.
It wasn't just for business success or family approval, but for the possibility that he and Luna might rebuild what Morrison had destroyed.
Tomorrow would bring construction deadlines, celebrity negotiations, and the continued charade of corporate rivalry. But tonight he's done. He remembered the warmth in Luna's eyes when she'd smiled at him across that coffee shop table and felt a tug at his heart and fell asleep.