Chapter 76
“Thank you, Luna,” she breathed. “But I don’t understand. Why are you doing all this? You’ve never…” Her voice trailed off, but she didn’t need to finish. I understood perfectly. I felt my chest constrict, a lump forming in my throat. It was true; she’d never seen this side of me before.
Offering a thin smile, I patted her hand and stood. “Take the rest of the week off,” I said gently. “You need time to recover. And don’t worry; you’ll still receive your regular wages.”
Ana looked even more stunned. She opened her mouth, closed it, then finally said, swallowing hard, “Luna Hannah… thank you. You’re very kind. I don’t know how to repay you—”
“There’s no need,” I interjected, stepping back. “You’ve earned some rest. Please, don’t think about it.”
Ana nodded and stood. At the door, she paused, hand on the doorknob. Her next words chilled me.
“One more thing, Luna,” she said, turning. Her gaze flickered towards the bathroom. “Those supplements you have hidden… are you planning to take them again?”
My mouth went dry. I instinctively followed her gaze to the bathroom, to the little bottle of diet pills tucked away in the medicine cabinet. Part of me wanted to lie, but I knew she’d seen them. And I no longer wanted to lie.
“I’m trying not to,” I admitted, shame creeping into my voice. “But it’s difficult.”
A heavy silence fell. Ana looked at me, her expression unreadable. When she spoke, her voice was low and insistent. “Flush them,” she urged, her eyes widening slightly. “Flush them and never take them again.”
“I know I’ve gotten too thin—” I began, but she shook her head.
“It’s not about your weight.” Her eyes flickered to my belly, making me feel strangely exposed. When she looked up, my stomach dropped. “They’re not what you think they are.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Just be careful.”
Before I could respond, she was gone. I rushed to the bathroom. With shaky hands, I pulled out the bottle and examined the pills. They looked normal: small, blue, with a little “W” for WhiteRabbit.
They’re not what you think they are, she had said. I furrowed my brow, thinking so deeply I almost missed the bedroom door opening again.