“Yes, your mother is fine.”"Phew… that's good to know." Luna sighed with relief. "To what do I owe you this call?”“The hospital needs you to deposit to commence the treatment; failure to do so might endanger your mother's life.” Came the sharp reply from the caller.“How much am I to deposit?”"You'll have to deposit at least $20,000 before we commence further treatments on her.”“Alright then, I'll make a transfer as soon as possible. Thank you.""You're welcome.” The caller said and then hung up.After the call, she went down to meet Luke. “I'm ready, shall we?" “Of course." “Alright then. Bye, Ariel, see you soon." “See you soon, ma'am," Ariel said as she did a slight wave.Luke opened the door of the car, and Luna sat at the back. He quickly walked to the driver seat, sat down, and turned on the ignition."Do you have any boutique you'd love to go to, ma'am?”"No, Luke, I don't. You can take me to one of the best in the city; I think that's where I will get what I'm looking f
Lizzy suddenly burst into loud laughter. “Hahaha. Come on, Luna, we both know you don't have such an amount of money. I'm sure you've never had such an amount of money in your entire life. You can stop trying to prove what you're not and leave now before you get embarrassed.” Lizzy scorned. She enjoyed bullying people, and Luna was not an exception."With all due respect, young lady, I wouldn't want to waste much time doing nothing, so I'd suggest you leave right now so I can attend to valued customers.” The sales representative said, raising an eyebrow.“What makes you think I can't afford the dress?” Luna asked calmly.“Well, I've dealt with people like you; you all come here boosting that you have money, but in the real sense, you don't have money at all. You've wasted my time already, but it's Ok, I won't escalate it. But do me a favor; just leave now; else I'll call security." The sales representative said angrily, She had spoken for too long on this issue, and she was getting an
Luke was pleased with the way Luna handled the whole situation, she was very professional, and although Lizzy had mentioned that Luna was a maid, he found it very difficult to accept. For all he knows, this lady is calm, calculative, and professional, there was no way a maid would have pulled what just happened off. “Luke." "Yes, ma'am," Luke responded sharply. Luna had just called him out of his deep thoughts.“Please take me to Rochester General Hospital.”"The hospital, are you alright, ma'am? I could call my boss if you wish.”"No. No. No. Don't call him, in fact, don't ever tell him you took me to the hospital. Please, I beg of you. I'm fine, I just need to see someone.” Luna replied."Alright, ma'am, if you say so," Luke replied. “Probably she doesn't want him to know of her visit to the hospital, I just hope all is well, and I also hope Mr. Jasper won't find out." Luke thought.“Please wait here I'll be right back. I won't take long." Luna told Luke as she turned and walked b
Luna has always believed she wasn't good with guesses, but this time, deep down in her heart, he prayed Ariel should have gotten a helper for her mother.“Please tell me you've seen someone, please," she pleaded, her voice cracking a bit as she clasped her hands in front of her face.“Yes, that's right," Ariel replied, smiling warmly."Really?” Luna sat up straighter."Yes, Mrs. Luna.”"But… I mean, I only told you this morning; how did you pull it off so fast,” she asked, smiling and blinking in surprise."Well, if you must know, I made a few calls, pulled a few strings, and voilà!”“Wow, Ariel, you’re incredible! I can’t believe you got someone so fast. “Well, this morning, you looked so sad and worried; I couldn't help it plus, your mom deserves the best care. I wasn’t going to waste any time, ma'am.”“Phew… You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you, Ariel. I owe you one.” Luna said, feeling relieved. “Oh, stop. You’ll make me blush. Anyway, her name is Margaret. She
The dinner hall was packed with wealthy people. The atmosphere in the hall was lively as the guests clinked their glasses. The guests conversed with each other as they awaited Jasper's arrival.With a soft swing, the double doors of the entryway opened, drawing everyone's attention. Standing tall and composed, Jasper radiated authority and control in his tailored fitted black suit. Luna stood beside him, the silky fabric of her red dress clinging to her shape in all the right places, like a trail of fire. Her beauty was breathtaking, and the guests couldn't help but murmur amongst themselves.As the two went down the few stairs into the main hall, silence fell over the group. A great balance was achieved between Luna's warm, carefree grace and Jasper's cool, calculating demeanor. They were a sight to behold—an unquestionable power couple who seemed to captivate the audience with their complementary qualities.“Is that really Jasper's wife? I didn't believe the rumors.” Michael, one o
Luna, although looking surprised, barely had time to react. She made a slight nod to Gregor and quietly followed Jasper's lead. She wasn't sure if she was to be offended by his possessive behavior or if she should be grateful for coming to her rescue. Gregor had made her feel uncomfortable with his questions. The guests who had seen Jasper's reaction felt he had done so because of his love for his wife, and they murmured quietly amongst themselves.“What do you think, love?" Mr. Sheriff asked his wife as they stood watching the two leave the hall.“He really loves her. They look so inseparable." She replied with a slight grin on her face.The ride home was quiet one. Jasper didn't say a word, which made Luna feel uncomfortable. If only he could say something, she would know exactly what to do, but he kept mute. Luna stole a quick glance at his face; all she saw was an angry look. His jaw was tight, and he stared ahead, his eyes looking fierce as though they would cut through the winds
"Of course I am; get off me.” Luna shouted at him.“Too late." He replied as he pinned her hands to the bed and continued. He couldn't control the burning sensation that he felt, and backing out was not an option. Luna felt unbearable pains all over her body as his actions were rough, and due to the struggle, he inflicted bruises all over Luna's body. Luna felt betrayed; her heart raced, and tears kept falling down her eyes.When everything was over, Jasper and Luna lay on the bed in silence, each of them lost in their thoughts. Jasper sat up slowly, still breathing heavily. Luna slowly turned away, her whole body ached from Jasper's actions; her whole body boiled in anger. Jasper just ripped her virginity off of her in an abusive manner.“Don't test me again, Luna." He said as he stood up, dressed up, and left the room.Luna was left alone in the dim light; her emotions were filled with hurt. That night was the worst night in her life. “Marriage is not supposed to be like this,” she
Luna woke to the sunlight shining down through her long, open window. She smiled at the sun as she stretched on the bed. The birds sang their songs in different rhythms, and the leaves on trees flapped in the mild wind. It was a beautiful morning.After stretching, Luna got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She took a quick shower with some ocean breeze-scented body wash. It gave her the feeling of being by the sea, and she loved it. “I think I need to visit the beach," she chuckled.After taking her bath, she quickly put on her rose dress and went down for breakfast. She couldn't tell what it was, but she knew she felt differently that day; unlike her frequent moody nature, she felt lighthearted with smiles all over her face.“Hello, Ariel. It's a beautiful day, don't you think?" Luna asked as she pulled the chair at the dining room and sat down.“It seems someone woke up from the right side of the bed this morning. You look happy this morning, tell me, what are we celebratin
Back at the mansion, Luna was seated in the sunroom with a book in her hand. Aareil entered with a tray of tea; she had a warm smile on her face. “Hello ma’am, you’ve been quiet today. Mind to share what you’ve been thinking about?” Ariel asked as she gently placed the tray on the stool beside Luna.“Well, I’m just reflecting, I guess,” Luna replied with a faint smile as she closed the book and set it aside.“Reflecting? Hmm.. On what exactly?”“On how strange life can be. I never imagined myself here, in this house, with... him.”“I admit that Mr. Jasper is difficult, yes, but I think you’ve broken a bit of the code. You’ve managed to get through to him in ways no one else has.”“I have?” Luna asked, chuckling softly.“Of course you have. Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at you recently? Well, if you haven’t, I have noticed his unusual movements. He even listens to you in ways he doesn't listen to anyone.” Ariel replied as she poured the tea into the teacup and handed it over to
The Maksoft Technology conference room had activities going on. Evans and Harriet prepared for their presentation session with Jasper. The room had a slight scent of freshly brewed coffee; the humming sound from the projector filled the room as Harriet and Evans tested the presentation slides. A few minutes later, Jasper walked into the room, his black suit hung perfectly on his body as he walked to the head of the conference room table, pulled out a seat, and sat down.“Right on time, boss.” Evans hailed as he adjusted his suit and straightened himself.“Good. Spare me the formalities—I want updates and results. Let's get to it. What do you have for me?” Jasper said as he opened the documents that were laid on the table before him.“Oh, you’re going to love this, boss,” Evans replied as he leaned back in his chair.“We’ve been working hard on rolling out the loyalty program to the top ten suppliers. Here’s where we stand as of today.” Harriet smoothed her blazer as she stood up to pr
Jasper ignored their reactions. “We need to lock in our key suppliers and clients with multi-year agreements before Gregor gets to them. Contracts that offer performance-based bonuses, fast delivery guarantees, early payment discounts, and possibly special benefits for our top-tier partners.“Hmm.. it’s not a bad strategy at all. This suggestion shifts the conversation from price wars to value-added benefits.” Harriet said thoughtfully.“And it puts the pressure back on Gregor. I don’t think he can compete on speed or reliability without cutting his margins.” Evans chipped in as he scribbled something in his notebook.“Plus, it plays to the tone of Maksoft Technology's strengths. We might not be the top tech company, but we’ve been known for our efficiency.”“And our charm, of course.” Evans grinned at his joke.“Try to contain your charm, Evans,” Jasper replied, dressing forward on his seat.Harriet laughed slightly, while Evans pretended to be angry as both of them stared at each ot
After finishing breakfast, Luna decided to walk around in the garden. Since she was grounded, the garden has been one of the few places in the mansion where she found solace. She usually went there to calm her nerves, but today she went there to let in the peace she had always longed for. The neatly trimmed flowers and the calm sound of water falling from the central fountain made the environment serene with suited her mode. She strolled along the stone path as her thoughts replayed her encounter with Jasper at breakfast. “Was that all a show or has there sincerely been a shift?” she mumbled beneath her breath.Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heels clicking against the stones on the path. Luna’s heart sank as she turned and stood face-to-face with Sophia. She might have dealt with Jasper’s cold nature a bit, but Sophia’s torment was not what she needed at the moment. Sophia wore a spotless ivory suit, and her face carried an unreadable look, although there was
The next morning, the sunlight shone through the tall windows, casting a warm glow into the dining room. Ariel moved briskly between the dining room and the kitchen, arranging breakfast. She had woken late that day, and it was quite unusual. Luna entered quietly; she wore a lavender dress that flowed behind her as she moved.“Good morning, ma'am.” Ariel greeted Luna with a warm smile.“Good morning, Ariel. Has Jasper gone to work?” “No, ma’am, he hasn’t come down for breakfast yet,” Ariel replied as she wiped her hands on her apron, her face holding her usual cheerful expression.“Jasper? He’s usually gone to work by now.” Luna replied, looking a bit surprised. “That’s… unusual.” Luna tilted her head.Ariel shrugged slightly, then continued setting the table. The last thing she wanted to experience was Sophia's early morning wrath. Luna took her seat and reached for the jug of orange juice when the sound of approaching footsteps made her pause. Her heart skipped, then raced afterward
Luna was shocked to hear Jasper's voice; she never expected he'd come to his study that night. She quickly closed the journal, clutched it to her chest, then turned to face him.“Are you dumb or what? I just asked you a question.” Jasper asked with a wild look; his veins visibly bulged out as he boiled in anger.“I-I I'm sorry, Jasper; I didn't mean to intrude but—” Luna paused, her hands trembling; she didn't know what to say so as not to piss him off."But what, Luna? What exactly are you doing here?“I… I needed to understand, Jasper. I was confused; so many thoughts came to my head; I felt lost at some point, and I needed answers. I didn't know what came over me, but I felt I could get answers here.” Luna let it all out; the words poured from her heart.“You needed answers? Answers to what exactly? Jasper asked coldly.“I'm sorry, Jasper, but I found this in your drawer." Luna moved sideways and dropped the journal on the desk. The expression on Jasper's face darkened, he clenched
“What did you just say, ma’am?” Ariel asked curiously.“Yes, Ariel. I want to leave. Can’t you see what I’m going through? I know I need the money for my mother’s treatment, but all these insults are uncalled for.” Luna cried out, tears rushing out of her eyes as the pains she felt speculated around her body.“I know exactly how you feel, ma’am, I—”"No, you don’t, Ariel. Stop saying you know how I feel because you don’t. Every day I try hard to make Jasper see my worth and love me for who I am, but what do I get in return, rejection? I get rejected over and over again. Do you know how that feels? And now, his mother dislikes me totally. How in the world am I to cope? How Ariel?” She bent her head over the table and cried out her heart. Ariel went close to her and parted her back while she lamented in pain. “It burns in my chest, Ariel; I just want it to stop. Please make it stop, please... She spoke in between sobs.“Please, don’t let it break you, ma’am. You’re stronger than this.
The dining room glowed with the light from the chandelier. Beautiful chinaware and golden ware were set on the table. Ariel added the finishing touches by placing fresh lilies in the center of the table and surrounding it with lighted candles. Luna stood at the corner of the room and watched Ariel do what she knew how to do best. Jasper walked in with a plain expression on his face, his hands fixed in his pockets as he strolled to one of the seats at the dining table and sat comfortably. Luna followed suit, but she sat opposite Jasper. Sophia walked into the room like royalty, her eyes scanning the details of the setup of the dining. She curved her small lips and smirked, nodding her head simultaneously in approval.“At least someone in this house understands the importance of presentation. You've done well, Ariel," Sophia mentioned as she sank into the chair at the head of the table.“Thank you, Mrs. Mason. I wanted everything to look perfect for your first dinner here after a very
Luna sat quietly as she sipped her tea, her thoughts traveled to all her efforts so far, how she has tried to find little cracks on the walls he has surrounded himself with so she could break through, but so far, all her efforts meant nothing. Jasper walked back inside after his call, sat back on his seat and started eating silently as he scrolled through his tablet.After a few minutes, he dropped the tablet on the table, then he stared at Luna.“My mother will visit and stay for a couple of weeks. She'll arrive tomorrow morning." He said calmly. This was the first time Jasper has ever sounded calm. Luna blinked at his statement, she was caught off guard. She had not expected in her wildest dreams that Sophia would be visiting any time soon.“Oh… I see. Will she be staying here at the Mansion?” Luna said, trying to be careful with her words.“Of course. Where else would she stay?” Jasper replied impatiently.“Alright, I'll make the necessary arrangements for her.”“Make sure you do.