“I never asked for your goddamn love, all I needed was your fucking signature on that piece of paper. We both know you're here for the money, so just stop acting like you care. You can suck up your filthy love down your throat” Jasper shouted as he flung and smashed the plate of food Luna just served him against the wall, turned, and left the room.His bloodshot eyes held a cold detachment, they narrowed into slits, boring her with a look that could cut metal.Luna should have gotten used to this attitude by now but his words always cut deeper than any sword could. Luna swallowed hard, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to keep her emotions in check. Of course, she was here for the money, but she had hoped that love would set in just like in movies and fairy tale stories.Sitting helplessly at the far end of the room below the window frame, Luna clenched her fists at her sides, fighting back tears that formed in her eyes, with regret she recalled how it all started.Flashback:
Back to presentLuna felt a bit cold as she sat on the floor, she quickly stood up and sat on the couch in the room. Lost in thought she stared at the sky that was filled with twinkling little stars and the cold that rushed in through the window made her wrap her arms around herself. Her gaze immediately turned to the door when she heard the sound of the room door opening.Jasper who had earlier left the house angrily stepped in and slammed the door behind him. Luna's heart skipped a bit as she stared at a six-foot-tall man who had a powerful and intimidating build standing with his unreadable expression. He walked straight to the couch and sat right in front of her, the stench of alcohol lingered in the air, and his drunken dark ice-cold eyes pierced at her. His presence was scary which made her move backward but it didn't stop him from brushing her hair gently. Luna quivered from his touch as his hands slowly went down her neck, then to her shoulder. She felt vulnerable as she tried
“Hmmmm…. a contract marriage, should I talk to Mrs. Jane? Will she accept my proposal? I don't know if she'll but I just have to try, I just have to” Luna concluded in her thoughts but just as she was about to approach Mrs. Jane, a sharp thought made her pause.“Luna, are you sure this is the right decision? Common girl, you don't even know the man in question, and besides you've always believed in true love.“But it's a contract marriage and it's just for a year.”“What if something else is involved in this contract?” Luna's thoughts bombarded each other, so many questions crossed her mind"Argggghhhh… I need the money" She let out a silent cry as she lifted her soft palm to her face, hitting her forehead with it in frustration.Standing right in front of Mrs. Jane, Luna's thoughts still clashed.“I'm done with today's chores Mrs. Jane. I'll take my leave now" Luna managed to say, closing out the voices that tumbled in her head.“Go ahead Luna and don't be late tomorrow” Jane caution
“How could you Jane? Is that how you think of me?" Her voice shook with barely restrained fury, each word spat out as though it burned her tongue.“Gosh..!" Luna's heart skipped a bit."Why is she so pissed? I hope she doesn't reject me” Luna prayed silently.“Hey Sophia, calm down, it hasn't gotten to that. That is why I wanted us to talk things through when you come over”."There's nothing to talk about Jane, replace her immediately, that's final Jane" she flared and hung up the phone not letting Jane say a word."Did she just hang up on me? Sophia? I can't believe I was even trying to help you, asshole. Mtchewwww” she hissed and tossed the phone on the couch. Immediately her attention was drawn to Luna who had been standing quietly at the corner of the sitting room all this while listening to her conversation with Sophia. She saw the depressed expression on her face and for once felt pity for the young lady.“There's nothing I can do Luna, just forget about the deal. It's off" She
“Mrs. Jane, did you say I… I...” Luna who didn’t expect the call so soon, stammered in confusion.“Are you deaf or what? Come here right now.” Jane screamed at the top of her lungs and hung up the phone.“Yes… yes… it worked.” overjoyed Luna jumped around the hospital room, it was a dream come true.“Ms. Luna, please keep your voice down, you’re disturbing other patients.” a nurse who passed by beckoned on Luna.“Ohh, I’m so, so sorry, I forgot it’s a hospital.” Luna placed her palm over her mouth as she apologized for her behavior. She immediately turned to her unconscious, “Mum it worked, it worked,” she whispered and raised her hands in excitement. “I’ll go now mum, I have to get to Mrs. Jane before she changes her mind. See you soon.” She pecked her mum's forehead and dashed out of the hospital, she waved down a taxi, take me to Wall Street.”The journey from the hospital to Mrs. Jane's house was like forever, it was Halloween which caused a lot of traffic. What was meant to be a
"But… I've been here for over 30 minutes now” "Sadly, I didn't see you when I walked in a few minutes ago. I thought you were just a latecomer, are you a liar too?” "Excuse me?” "You heard me right young lady. And I don't have time for this.” He stood up, adjusted his suit, and left the room. "No. No. No. Please don't go, Sir, I need this deal more than you think and I'll do whatever you want me to do but please don't cut off the deal, I beg you" Luna’s makeup was ruined by the tears that ran out of her eyes without her permission. “Do you now admit you were late?" “Yes… yes Sir, I was late and I'm sorry I told a lie." Luna apologized sincerely, not wanting to anger Jasper for the second time. “Then it's settled, but next time, I won't take this from you. Have I made myself clear?" Luna responded with a nod. “I didn't get you," Jasper said. “Yes, I understand Mr. Jasper,” Luna spoke calmly as wiped the tears from her face. “He just made me admit to a lie, what kind
"I'm sorry I couldn't hold her back, she insisted on going to wherever she was going alone” "Did she mention where she was headed?” "No, Mr. Jasper, she didn't say a word of it. She just left her things in the car and left" “Hmmm, alright Josh. You can take her things to the house, I'll be there in 5” Jasper said as he hung up in anger. He tightly pursed his lips, his face had a stony expression, and his eyes had a distant gaze. He was pissed, he couldn't recall when the last someone disobeyed his orders, but his newly married wife did. No one disobeys the CEO of Maksoft technology, absolutely, no one. Seated in the taxi, Luna's mind raced, her heart was heavy with a mix of relief and fear, and the car, even though it was moving fast, seemed to be moving slowly toward her. Each red light, each slow car in front, seemed to extend the agonizing wait. Luna walked briskly to the room where her mother lay, her face pale and drawn, but her eyes were open. Luna rushed to her mother's s
“Oh my… oh my… shit” she almost screamed. "I totally forgot. Damn!” A wave of panic swept over her as she stared at her wristwatch. "I'm finally doomed. It's 7 am, how did I forget I now have a husband,” she muttered and scratched her hair. “I have to go now, else I might lose this contract. But what in the heavens am I going to tell him now?" She thought. Luna turned and stared at her mum, she was still sleeping. "I have to go now mum, I'll see you soon,” she said as she rushed out of the room. “Nurse, please keep an eye on my mum I'll be back soon" She pleaded with the nurse on duty. “That's alright Ms. Luna, but please don't be late" the nurse replied. "I won't…” she replied, almost on top of her voice as she rushed out of the hospital building. She quickly searched through her phone and found the address Luke sent the previous day, she waved down a taxi, showed him the address, hopped in and the car zoomed off. The journey to the Mason's house seemed like forever, the curiosit
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