"What is your wish?"
"To marry Grant Saunders, to be with him forever," Lumina answered without hesitation.
"Then why don’t you go back?"
The Spirit of Gravenwood let out a soft, hollow laugh, the sound tinged with more sorrow than humor. "I’ve been drifting here for three years. Even if I leave, my soul will be lost. You are my only hope."
"Alright. I agree to your deal."
Suddenly, the sunlight streaming through the window burned into Lumina’s eyes.
On the other end of the phone, the airport attendant asked, "Ms. Shields, the list for your checked luggage has been sent. Could you please confirm if everything is in order?"
"No need," Lumina replied flatly. "Just throw it all away. I don’t want it anymore."
"Throw it away?" Floyd entered the room just as she hung up, his expression uncertain.
Lumina looked up at him, then softly shook her head. "Just some old clothes."
Seeing her detached response, Floyd felt a sharp pang in his chest. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to soften his stance. His voice turned cold.
"I’m sending you abroad so you can reflect on your actions and stop causing trouble."
Lumina nodded. "I’m sorry. I won’t do it again."
Tracie walked in from the hallway, casually linking her arm with Floyd's, her smile as natural as if they were the perfect couple.
If this had been any other day, Lumina would have stormed over, furious and tried to separate them.
But today, she only watched quietly, a faint, almost resigned smile tugging at her lips.
Floyd’s heart skipped a beat.
“You two go ahead. I’ll be down in a bit,” Lumina said, turning her back to them without another word.
"Looks like Lumina’s throwing another tantrum," Tracie said, covering her mouth with a soft laugh. Her eyes remained fixed on Floyd, studying his every reaction. When she saw him finally relax with a sigh, she led him out of the room.
"Even though it's overseas, it's just a few thousand miles. If you ever want to see Lumina, you can fly out there anytime, or even bring her back."
Tracie's smile softened. "If her attitude doesn’t improve, maybe it’s best she never comes back."
Floyd couldn’t shake his frustration over Lumina’s cold behavior. Normally, she would have begged him by now, wouldn’t she?
If only she had pouted, promised to change—he wouldn’t have insisted on sending her so far away.
She was still young, spoiled and sheltered. Living alone abroad, she must be terrified, right?
"Ah—"
A sudden, panicked cry snapped Floyd from his thoughts.
He turned just in time to see Lumina sitting on the third-floor windowsill. Her legs swayed weakly, like autumn leaves on the verge of being swept away by the wind.
"Moony!"
In that instant, Floyd’s heart stopped. He tore his arm from the person beside him and sprinted toward Lumina in desperation.
"Moony, what are you doing? Don’t be reckless! We can talk, just don’t..." But before he could finish, Lumina leapt from the windowsill.
Her white figure fell, like a bird with broken wings, drifting helplessly toward the ground.
