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
Luna forced a smile as she tried to maintain composure. "You've been busy these days and I figured out you might have missed a couple of meals so I felt it's wise to bring you lunch,” Luna said she stared at him to see what his reaction would be, but his face was expressionless.“Lunch? You came all the way to my office just to bring lunch?" Jasper asked in a harsh tone."Yes. I just wanted to… help in any way I can. I know work has been stressful and you've been under pressure.” Luna replied, feeling a bit uneasy.Jasper stood up from his seat, turned his back to her, and walked to the window. He put his hands in his pocket as he stared at the next building through the office window glass. “I don't need your help, Luna. And who told you I'm under pressure?" “I just felt…" “You just felt what?” He barked, cutting her words short. "Look here young lady, this isn't some fairy tale where a packed lunch fulfills one's wish, so stop trying." Luna's smile suddenly turned sore, but she
Luna woke up to the sunlight shining through her window, but she didn't feel its warmth. She lay flat on the bed with her back as she stared at the ceiling. All that happened at the office the previous day replayed in her mind—how Jasper treated her without taking a single note of her feelings. Her kind gesture turned into a reason for his mockery.A gentle knock on the door broke the silence. Not getting any response, Ariel opened the door slightly, peeked head in, and saw Luna lying down. Then she walked in.“Good morning, Mrs. Jasper. I brought you tea; don't worry, I made it just the way you like it, no sugar, extra honey." She smiled warmly.Luna diverted her gaze from the ceiling to Ariel; her face was expressionless as she stared at Ariel. Without saying a word, she forced a smile and stared back at the ceiling.Ariel knew this feeling; it was now a routine for Luna. “I just hope she doesn't go into depression; she's so young for this." Ariel pondered. She placed the tray on th
Luna woke up to the sound of Jasper's voice. With sleepy eyes, she stretched gently before sitting up while robbing her eyes with the back of her palm. Jasper waited patiently for her to finish.“Is there something wrong with your room?" He finally broke the silence."Good morning, Jasper. I actually slept off on the couch while waiting for you. Hope all is well at work.” "Waiting for me? Interesting… You never cease to amaze me, Luna. When did you start waiting for me.” He smirked.“Ariel told me about the party, so I decided to help with the decor. I waited so I could hear your opinion." Luna explained calmly, feeling a bit nervous.“You did this?" Jasper asked with a stern look on his face.“I thought it's wise to help with the decoration.”Jasper walked around the room; he got to a table and ran his finger along the edge of the table. He then stopped and glanced at the bright red and golden table setting. He tightened his lips and turned to Luna.“This is too much. The colors are
"What am I doing? I-I don't understand." Luna stammered looking confused."Don't claim you don't know what I'm talking about," Jasper warned in a low tone.“What do you mean Jasper, I was only talking to Mr. Finn. He's calm and lovely and—“Lovely? Did you say lovely? You think that is what this is about? Flirting with one of my most important clients in front of everyone? Making me look stupid and weak? What exactly do you take me for Luna?" Jasper queried, a wild look in his eyes."Flirting? Jasper, I wasn't— “Don't play innocent Luna, I saw everything. I saw the way both of you looked at each other, that was beyond talking." Jasper's voice rose slightly, which by now attracted some curious glances from guests. Luna gasped and for a moment, she stood still and confused. She tried to process what she just heard but she couldn't. “Why's he accusing me? What did I do wrong this time?" She pondered.“All I did was to mingle with the guests. I thought I should get to know and talk to
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.
Victoria's voice gave Jasper pause. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand, with his back turned to her. “The meeting is over, Victoria. Any observation or suggestion should have been brought up during the meeting. We would have analyzed them with the help of all members of our joint team. Cohesion is our watchword. And for that to be achieved, all members should table their concerns during general meetings.” Jasper stated bluntly and a bit curtly.Victoria leaned back in her chair, the polished mahogany desk between her and Jasper. She sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “ The meeting addressed all my concerns. I don't have any suggestions or observations. I asked you to stay back because of another matter.” Victoria said with a sigh, she suddenly looked tired. Jasper turned and saw the look of worry on her face, he could tell that she had been battling some internal demons. He approached the desk and sat down opposite her .Victoria continued sol
Jasper woke up with a start. He heaved a sigh of relief as he pinched the bridge of his nose, while staring at the ceiling. He looked at Luna. She was sleeping peacefully, her face angelic and calm as her chest rose and dropped with each steady breath. Jasper sat up gently, left the bed and walked over to a chair situated in the corner of the room. He sat down with a huff and pressed his fingers to his temples. He had been dreaming. Dreaming about being chased in the forest by masked gunmen. “Luke was right. Trauma, if bottled up, would eventually fester and be problematic in the future.” Jasper whispered to himself. He looked at the wall clock mounted on the wall opposite him. He had to prepare for work. He had a team meeting with Victoria Stefan. With a heavy heart and mind, he stood up and walked out of the room. Before he closed the door, he looked at Luna once again. She stirred once, but was soon fast asleep. He closed the door quietly behind him and walked towards his own ro
Luna crawled slowly, sizing Jasper up as she went. She was like an entirely new being. She felt powerful, she felt invincible. She wanted to imprint her insignia on something, someone. She watched Jasper, enjoying the look of panic that was evident on his face. He tried his best to mask his emotions, but she could read through. Like a primal beast, she could smell it.He was unnerved. As she got closer to him, she could smell his musk, stimulating and erotic. She could see the tent in his pants. He looked uncomfortable and she knew the effect that she had on him at that moment. She felt powerful indeed. She climbed onto his laps and straddled him. His member poked at her butt. It was hard and ready. She gently and rhythmically moved her butt over it, stimulating herself and him. A throaty moan escaped Jasper's lips as he grabbed her butt, his fingers digging into the fabric of her shorts. He pulled her close, squeezing her butts aggressively.Jasper attempted to flip her over, but sh
"Who is Victoria?" The question was repeated. Luna’s voice was soft, but there was an edge to it.Jasper studied her closely, her arms were loosely crossed, eyes searching his face. She wasn’t angry. She was… concerned. That made it worse."Victoria is the CEO of Frontier Space, a tech firm that I recently signed a contract with. Her firm embodies the qualities that I need in order to propel my firm to greater heights." Jasper explained. "We have a team meeting tomorrow and she just wanted to check in."Luna nodded slowly. There was a look of hurt on her face, but she quickly straightened up. “Okay. That's all?” There was no accusation in her tone. But Jasper felt it like a weight on his chest. He walked toward her, reaching for her hand, but she didn’t take it immediately."It's strictly business.” He stated. “ And I wasn't entirely forthcoming with the truth. Remember the whole Mali situation? The attempted kidnapping? Well, she was also a victim. We managed to escape together. Her
“Jasper” Victoria said with a seductive tone. “I was beginning to think that you were avoiding me.” She stated.Jasper sighed. “Victoria, now's not a good time.” He said, rubbing his forehead.“Oh?” She hesitated. “You sound off. Is everything okay?”Jasper exhaled. He didn’t want to explain. Didn’t want to open that door. “It's personal. What do you need?”“Well,” she huffed, “your secretary hasn't contacted mine about the team meeting. I've been waiting, Jasper.”Jasper shut his eyes. He tried to steady his breath. His emotions were almost overwhelming. “I'll look into it.” He stated flatly.Victoria could feel the gloom in Jasper's voice. “Jasper, what's the problem?” She inquired softly. There was silence on Jasper's end of the call. Victoria could hear his attempt at stabilizing his breaths. After a moment of tense silence, Jasper replied. “My wife's mother just died. Today has been a rollercoaster of a day.” “My condolences to your wife.” Victoria stated, remorse evident in he
The hospital air was thick with antiseptic and grief, a suffocating combination that made Luna’s chest tighten as she and Jasper hurried down the long, sterile corridor. Each step felt heavier than the last. The beeping of machines, the hushed murmurs of nurses, the distant sound of someone sobbing—it all blurred together as she approached the ICU. Jasper was right beside her, his hand firmly holding hers, his grip strong yet gentle. But even his warmth couldn’t stop the dread curling in her stomach. As they reached the nurses' station, Elizabeth, her mother’s caregiver, stood waiting. The sorrow in her eyes was enough to send Luna into a panic. No. No. No. Elizabeth stepped forward, her hands trembling. “Luna…” she started, voice thick with emotion. Luna’s breath hitched. “Where is she?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Elizabeth’s lips quivered, “I’m so sorry. She’s gone.” The world around her tilted. “No,” Luna whispered, stepping back, shaking her head.
Luna was finally discharged from the hospital. Jasper was there to pick her up himself. He spent a few minutes listening to the doctor drone about the need for her to get enough bedrest. Jasper thanked the doctor and promised to calm him if any complications arose. Jasper helped Luna get into the car. After that, they drove off towards Jasper's mansion, home.The drive home was quiet and uneventful. Occasionally, Jasper had to glance over at Luna to make sure that she was okay. The silence in the car was unnerving. Jasper sighed. Knowing Luna, Jasper had an idea of what was eating her up. “Bunny. Is it Mali?” He asked gently and he reached for her hands with his free one. Luna turned to face him. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She nodded her head and the tears dripped down her face. She was shaking. “ You said you almost didn't make it out of Mali… I'm trying to come to terms with my life without you… I know ……I don't …I…I …” she broke down in tears. Jasper parked the car, jer
Jasper adjusted the cuffs of his tailored suit, taking a deep breath before stepping out of the car. He stood at the entrance of his building's door. It felt strange being back after so long. He chuckled silently to himself. “Damn. I can't believe that it's only been a week of absence but it felt like decades.” Jasper whispered to himself.He pushed the door and stepped in. The moment he walked through the glass doors, a wave of applause erupted."Welcome back, boss!" someone called."Good to have you here, sir," another added.Jasper was surprised. He wasn't expecting any form of rehearsed welcome. He had only been gone for a week. Nevertheless, he smiled and nodded in acknowledgment at his employees. The welcome was reassuring. The company had survived without him, but now, it was time to thrive. Jasper walked towards the elevator which was going to convey him to his office floor. Beverly, his secretary, stood up as he walked through the door.“Good morning sir. Welcome back. I hav
Luna blinked at him, struggling to gather strength. “I heard… Mali… terrorists…” Her voice was hoarse, her breathing shallow. “You could’ve died, Jasper.”Jasper squeezed her hand gently. “But I didn’t. I’m right here.”Tears welled in her eyes. “What if you don’t come back next time?”He brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “Luna, listen to me. I’m not going anywhere. Mali was an impulsive decision which left a sour taste in my mouth. But moving forward, I promise to be more open with you” His voice softened. “I won’t let anything take me away from you.”Luna swallowed hard, her grip tightening around his fingers. “Promise me, Jasper.”“I promise.” His voice was firm, unwavering. “Always.”A soft sigh escaped her lips as exhaustion pulled her back into sleep. Jasper watched her for a long moment before looking up at Luke.Luke exhaled. “You really scared her, man.”Jasper nodded, his expression solemn. “I know.”And as the beeping of the heart monitor filled the silence once m