Chapter 43

"Ray, I think there's something wrong," Mariah started.

Ray fixed his tie, "I don't have the time to sort out another one of your Luna-problems right now."

Mariah opened her mouth to reply but both their phones started ringing.

Ray gave an apologetic but relieved look and picked up the call, "Hello, Tyson?"

Tyson's voice was loud and clear, "Rayyyy! Me and Hil are going to get married soonest possible."

"Wait, what!? When?"

Tyson grinned, "I don't know. You pick a date. Our parents are really happy with our engagement and everything is going smoothly so why wait anymore? When can all of us meet and discuss?"

Ray smiled, "Congratulations, brother! I'm so happy for you. Where's Hil? Let me congratulate her also."

"She's busy talking to your wife. Lots of hysteria at the moment. But tell me when do we meet?"

"Now! Mariah and me are coming straight to….where do we come?"

Tyson replied, "Kai's not picking up his phone but he won't mind if we barge in. I will inform Max and Mariam too."

"Okay…Byeee!"

"Let's race to his house," Tyson said.

Ray calculated in his mind. His house was closer to Kai than Tyson's hotel. Oh yes! "Sure, Ty!"

"Bye!"

Mariah had already cut her call. She was not looking as happy as Ray felt. She looked worried.

"Let's go!" Ray gestured.

"Ray, will you listen to your wife?" she screamed. Ray flinched.

Luna came running. "Is everything alright? I heard shouting."

Mariah's eyes flashed at her, "Out of the room and don't you dare eavesdrop!"

Luna sniffed sadly, "Fine." She gave Ray a morose look and exited the room slowly.

"Was that necessary?" Ray asked coldly.

"I think something has gone terribly wrong with their date," she referred to Kai and Diana.

Ray looked shocked. "Why? What happened? Did Diana say something?"

"No, Diana has not picked any of my calls and Hilary told me Kai hasn't picked up Tyson's either."

"So? Maybe they overslept." Ray offered.

"We're talking about two semi-insomniacs. What if Kai messed up?"

Ray looked up, "Maybe Diana messed up." He was sure his friend could do no wrong.

Mariah looked caught between angry and frustrated. "Fine. Let's go to Kai's place and ask what he has done."

Luna accompanied them of course.

Tyson and Hilary arrived at the same time this trio reached Kai's place.

Kai didn't open the door until they threatened to break it down. When he did open, he looked horrible. His hair was tousled, his eyes bloodshot and he looked as if he hadn't slept or eaten since days.

"What happened?" Ray asked sharply.

"I don't need your pity," Kai growled. He started closing the door.

Tyson pushed him back. "What are you saying? And what's happened to you?"

"I'm fine."

"God! Your voices could be heard down to the basement. Why don't we all move inside the house and behave a bit like normal people?"

Everyone turned to see Max and Mariah standing near the lift looking really surprised at the scene before them.

Kai went inside with a scowl.

Luna whispered to Ray, "I think I should leave. You all must not be wanting to discuss such personal issues in front of me. I won't plague you people. If you will excuse me…"

Ray pulled her inside, "Don't worry, Luna. You are not an outsider. You won't be in the way."

Luna was not at all pleased. She knew that this discussion would go in only one direction for her and that was straight at the receiving end of Kai's murderous rage. She didn't want to be in this house full of people that would hate her if they came to know the truth. She tried to think what had convinced her to meddle in Kai's and Diana's lives. She tried to think of a plan to escape but for once it seemed as if the whole universe was against her. There was no way to escape.

Luna pulled out her phone from her purse, thinking that she could call the Countess for help, not noticing a piece of paper flutter to Kai's feet. Kai picked it up and glanced at it disinterestedly. He frowned and then his eyes widened. Luna saw his eyes flicker to her and something in his look made her squirm.

"….why do you keep harping about us pitying you? I hate it when you behave as if we are not worth anything to you. Kai, I feel, you hate seeing people happy. I was so happy until I saw you. Hilary and I are going to be married but no here I am feeling like a total weeping jerk…" Tyson continued to rant but Kai wasn't even listening anymore. He tried to replay all that had happened yesterday.

Diana said she got a message from him saying he would meet her at the Ball. Luna messaged him from Diana's mobile.

Luna said Diana had gone with Johnny.

Luna said his friends didn't care about him.

Luna said Diana didn't like him.

Diana has said he had thrown her Pride and Prejudice in the dustbin. And now, in his hand, was the bill that said Luna had recently bought a Pride and Prejudice book.

His phone started ringing. It was Johnny. Dazed, he answered, "Hello?"

Johnny replied, "Hello, Kai. Its me, Johnny. This is about Diana."

Kai frowned, "What?"

"See, I realize that everyone plays a trick now and then but asking her to come to the Ball and not turning up was really bad." Johnny went on to explain what had happened last night.

Kai's voice slightly shook when he answered, "Johnny, I will call you back, okay? I need to do something about this."

"Sure, Kai. Bye."

"Thanks, Johnny. Bye."

He slapped his forehead and groaned. What had he done? He remembered his violent behavior and hurtful words. There was no way Diana was going to forgive him.

"Why? Why did you do it, Luna?" Each and every word of Kai's dripped with hatred.

All the noise ceased. Kai's friends looked at him strangely.

Ray asked, "Kai…are you okay? Will you tell us what happened?"

Before Kai could answer, Mariah jumped at Luna and fastened her hands around Luna's neck.

Ray and Max tried to disentangle her. Mariam made her sit down. Luna got up and ran to the door with incredible speed but Hilary caught her by the hair.

"And where do you think you are going, Luna?" Hilary brought her back.

Ray was thunderous, "Can I ask you three why you are after my cousin?" He looked at Kai, Mariah and Hilary.

"I don't know about Kai but my manager, who was hunting down this Haley Pritchard critic, just messaged me that Haley Pritchard is none other than Luna Argentum. What does your Luna has to say to this?"

"MARIAH! Stop putting such allegations. You know this can't be true-"

Kai intervened, his voice strangely calm, "Ray, I am sure Mariah is right. And think about it, who would you believe out of Mariah and Luna? I would believe Mariah."

Mariah burst into tears and sat down. Mariam hugged her consolingly, "Me too."

Max nodded. Hilary nodded. Tyson shouted, "Mariah!"

Ray looked at Mariah apologetically but he couldn't believe that poor Luna was actually the source of Mariah's fashion troubles.

"And thanks to Luna, Diana and I are no longer…anything," Kai's voice cracked.

"WHAT!?"

Kai recounted what had happened last night as quick as possible.

Ray looked at Luna with regret and shock.

Luna tried one last trick, "Ray, they are all lying…"

"Luna, don't encourage me to do something you will regret. Just tell me why you did all of this?"

Luna started crying.

"I'm not moved," Kai stated simply.

Luna told them of her tricks, her lies and her plans. How she had invented her whole sad past, how she was not poor, how she had tried to break Mariah and Ray's marriage, how the Countess had joined hands with her, how she had planned to foil Kai and Diana's date, how she had messaged from Kai's mobile and deleted the message afterwards, how she had made up everything she had told Kai and how she had turned Diana away last night.

When Ray heard the last bit of information, he cried, "I can't believe how hateful you are, Luna."

Mariah smiled, quite recovered by now, "Nobody believes what I say. Let this be a lesson to everybody that I am always right."

Everybody else was pretty stunned.

Mariam finally asked, "What have you done to Diana?"

Okay, I have a feeling everybody is going to be really happy that Luna has been caught. FINALLY! Hahahahaha any suggestions of what should be done to her?

Now, the late update...SORRY, fellas. I had to prepare for a test on Odyssey (first 12 books), read sophocles, do language homework, writing competition translation project, read depressing In Custody, etc etc. College is a big work-giver, even now I have three projects to submit this week and God knows how many more. So please forgive me! Next update sooner!

How is everybody?

Thanks a lot to my lovely reviewers: susan sewell, Rangerapprentice, SMRA (I love your reviews! Thanks so much. YOu are so nice :) Yup, Luna finally reached her doom...I hope you like this one too RR!), Omegaxis1, beyblade002 (Hey! Thanks, I'm glad you like it! Thanks Collge as you can see is still pretty much busy but thanks :) RR), angel223 (Thanks for the lovely review. Do continue reading...RR)!

Aaaand thanks a million to all those people reading this, alerting and favouriting. You all make my day.

Everybody PLEASE REVIEW! I want to know what you feel about this chapter :)

See ya!