Lune’s parents sat at the old wooden table, the weight of Arlo Donovan’s offer hanging heavily in the air between them. The dim light of the kitchen flickered softly, but it did little to brighten the suffocating atmosphere. Her father, Gerald, stared blankly at the sheet of paper in front of him—the contract that Arlo had sent earlier that day. It was an offer that would wipe away all of their debts, lift them from the crushing weight of financial ruin, and secure their future in ways they hadn’t dared dream about for years. Yet, as appealing as the solution was on the surface, there was an undeniable darkness underneath.
Evelyn, Lune’s mother, sat across from him, her fingers nervously tracing the rim of her coffee cup. She hadn’t said a word since they’d opened the letter, but the tears welling in her eyes spoke volumes. She had known this day would come; she had sensed something lurking for years—something wrong about the way Arlo seemed to circle their lives, always from a distance but never too far away. “This is wrong, Gerald,” Evelyn whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. “I can’t... we can’t do this to her.” Gerald sighed, his tired eyes shifting from the paper to his wife’s anguished face. “What choice do we have? Do you think I want this? Do you think I want to hand our daughter over to him like she’s some... commodity?” “But she doesn’t even know him!” Evelyn’s voice broke, her words spilling out in a rush of desperation. “We’ve kept her away from men like him all her life, and now, because we’re drowning in debt, we’re supposed to give her to him? A man who’s—” She stopped herself, the rest of her sentence stuck in her throat, but they both knew what she was going to say. A man who’s dangerous. Gerald ran a hand through his thinning hair, his face lined with exhaustion and regret. “Arlo made it clear, Evelyn. If we don’t accept this offer...” “I don’t care about the money,” she snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. “I care about Lune. He’s not doing this to save us, Gerald. He’s doing this to take her, to trap her in his world. You’ve seen how ruthless he is. Do you really think she’ll be happy with a man like that?” “No,” Gerald admitted, his voice quiet and heavy. “But what if we don’t agree? Do you really think Arlo will walk away? He’s been circling us for years. He’s been watching her for years. He’s not going to give up on this, and if we refuse, who knows what he’ll do?” Evelyn’s breath caught, and her tears spilled over. She had sensed it too—the way Arlo had always seemed to have a hand in their lives without ever being too direct. The business deals that went sour after Lune’s boyfriends entered the picture, the sudden, subtle changes in their fortunes whenever Lune was involved. Arlo had always been there, lurking, waiting. He wasn’t a man who accepted no for an answer. “But Lune will never forgive us,” Evelyn said softly, her voice thick with grief. “How can we look her in the eye and tell her we’ve promised her to a man like him? She’ll hate us, Gerald. She’ll hate us forever.” Gerald’s hands clenched into fists on the table, the weight of his failure as a father settling deep in his chest. “I know,” he said bitterly, his voice shaking. “But what am I supposed to do? We’re out of options. Arlo’s offer comes with conditions—conditions we can’t refuse. He won’t let us fall, but only if we give him what he wants. And we both know what he wants.” Evelyn wiped her eyes with trembling hands, her mind racing with thoughts of Lune—her sweet, innocent Lune, who had no idea what lay ahead of her. She had always wanted more for her daughter than the life they had given her. She had dreamed of Lune finding love on her own terms, of her being free to choose her own path, not to be bound by the ruthless desires of a man like Arlo Donovan. “We can’t stop this, can we?” Evelyn asked in a voice so small it almost disappeared into the silence of the room. Gerald shook his head. “No. We can’t.” They sat there in heartbroken silence, the reality of the decision they had made settling in. They both knew that this wasn’t just about money or survival. It was about Arlo’s obsession—an obsession that had started the moment Lune was born. Arlo had been waiting for this moment for years, watching her from the shadows, and now, he had finally made his move. “I never wanted this for her,” Evelyn whispered, her voice thick with sorrow. “She deserves better than a man who thinks he can buy her.” “She does,” Gerald agreed, his heart heavy with guilt. “But I don’t think we have the power to stop him. Not anymore.” In the end, they both knew they were helpless. Arlo Donovan was a man who always got what he wanted, and this time, what he wanted was their daughter.Lune woke to the pale morning light streaming into her room, the familiar warmth of her bed doing little to ease the growing tension in her chest. Her dreams had been restless, full of fragments from the day before—her parents' anxious faces, the hollow words of agreement between them and Arlo's family, and the lingering shadow of that one chance encounter she'd had with him.She had only met Arlo once, purely by coincidence She never thought that moment would tie them together in something as permanent as marriage. And now, because of her family's financial strain, it was as if the decision had already been made for her.Lune sat up, staring at the door to her room, knowing her parents were already awake and moving about the house. She could hear their hushed voices from the kitchen, probably speaking in the same strained tones they had used when they told her about Arlo. They had framed it as an opportunity, a way to secure their future and keep the roof over their heads. But to Lun
Evelyn paced around the small living room, her hands wringing the corner of her apron. Gerald sat at the table, his fingers drumming impatiently on the wood, but the tension in his face betrayed his unease. The house felt unusually quiet despite the looming presence of the decision they'd made. Arlo would arrive soon, and with him, the final steps of their daughter's future would be cemented. "I just don't know if we made the right choice," Evelyn murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She stopped by the window, peering out as if expecting Arlo’s shadowy figure to appear any moment. Gerald sighed, leaning back in his chair. "We had no choice, Evelyn. Our debts... Lune will be secure, and that's all that matters now." "But we barely know him! And Lune..." She trailed off, her heart aching at the memory of her daughter’s sullen silence, the distance she’d created between them ever since they had accepted Arlo’s offer. "I know," Gerald replied, his voice quieter now. "But Arlo i
Lune dragged herself through the front door, her limbs heavy from the long day of work. She had been trying to keep her mind busy, to distract herself from the impending doom of her future, but no amount of work could stop the dread that clung to her every thought. She dropped her bag by the door and headed toward the kitchen, expecting the usual quiet, but she immediately felt the tension in the air. Her parents were sitting at the table, waiting for her. Evelyn’s eyes were red-rimmed, and Gerald looked more serious than usual. Lune froze, her heart sinking. Something was wrong—she could feel it. “Lune, honey,” her mother started softly, glancing nervously at her husband before turning her gaze back to her daughter. “We need to talk.” Lune’s body tensed, her exhaustion quickly replaced by a wave of anxiety. She moved toward the table slowly, her mind already racing with possibilities. She didn’t have to wait long. “Arlo came by earlier,” Gerald said, his voice gruff but not unkin
Owe news spread through the town like wildfire—Arlo, the mysterious billionaire who kept mostly to himself, was getting onesried. It seemed that no one could talk about anything else. Whispers filled the streets, shops, and cafés, and every corner of the town buzzed with speculation."Can you believe it? Arlo’s finally tying the knot!" one woman exclaimed in the bakery, her eyes wide with disbelief as she spoke to her friend."I wonder who the lucky bride is," another woman chimed in, leaning over the counter. "No one’s even seen her, but she must be stunning to catch his eye."The truth was, no one in town had any idea who the bride-to-be was. Arlo had been careful to keep Lune’s identity a secret, and despite the growing curiosty, the town had been left guessing. This only fueled the excitement, turning Arlo's upcoming wedding into the most talked-about event in recent memory.The girls in town, especially, couldn’t stop speculating. Arlo had always been a subject of fascination—his
Arlo stood in front of the massive windows of his penthouse, gazing out at the sprawling city below. Everything was falling into place perfectly, just as he had planned. Lune was to be his in two weeks, and the preparations were already in full swing. Her parents had done their part, and now, she was being swept into the whirlwind of planning a wedding she had no control over. A small, satisfied smile crept across his face. Soon, she would be his—bound to him forever. It was all he had ever wanted, to claim what was rightfully his. He had waited long enough, watching Lune from the shadows, preparing for the moment when he could finally have her. And now, nothing would stand in his way. But his peace was shattered when the door to his penthouse swung open. A sharp voice cut through the silence. "So it’s true," a woman’s voice hissed. "You’re actually going through with it." Arlo didn’t turn immediately. He knew who it was without needing to look. Valeria, his long-time lover and co
The days blurred together for Lune, each one creeping closer to the wedding with an overwhelming sense of inevitability. It felt as though time moved too quickly, yet each hour dragged on in agonizing silence. The preparations for the wedding had transformed her home into a whirlwind of activity, with servants rushing about, fabrics strewn across every surface, and flowers blooming in every corner. But amidst the bustle, Lune remained still, caught in the eye of the storm.Valerie had returned from her trip, her presence a brief comfort, but even her cheerful attempts to lift Lune’s spirits could not shake the heavy feeling lodged in her chest. Lune smiled when she was supposed to, nodded when spoken to, but inside, her thoughts tumbled and twisted.Now, with the wedding just a day away, Lune lay awake in her room, staring at the ceiling. The weight of her future pressed down on her. Tomorrow, she would no longer be herself—Lune, the girl who once had dreams and ambitions of her own.
The long-awaited wedding day had finally arrived. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a soft, golden glow over the grand estate where the ceremony would take place. Everything looked perfect—the flowers, the decorations, and the guests—but Lune felt anything but calm.In her room, she stared at herself in the mirror, her heart pounding. The wedding dress, a delicate blend of lace and satin, hugged her form, but instead of excitement, a heavy sense of dread filled her chest. It felt suffocating, the weight of her parents' decision pressing down on her shoulders. Her mind raced, thoughts swirling like a storm. Is this really what I want? She wondered, her fingers trembling as she adjusted the veil. The reality of becoming Arlo’s wife, a man she barely knew yet felt trapped by, gnawed at her.Downstairs, Arlo was placed in a private room, his heart beating with eager anticipation. His patience had run thin over the years, and now the day had come—Lune would finally be his. The months o
Ver marriage ceremony had concluded with an air of finality. As the guests dispersed, Lune felt the overwhelming weight of what was to come pressing down on her. The vows had been spoken, the ritual complete, and now, the next step was unavoidable. She was to move in with Arlo, her new husband, and her life was about to change forever.Outside, Marcus, Arlo’s Beta and most trusted right-hand man, waited beside a sleek, black car. It was polished and imposing, a stark reminder that everything had been carefully planned and prepared. Marcus, ever watchful, leaned against the car with a calm yet authoritative presence. He was here to ensure the transition was smooth, but his eyes lingered on Lune, knowing the weight of this moment for her.Lune turned to her parents, her heart aching. Her father smiled, trying to reassure her, but the tension in his expression betrayed his unease. Her mother, holding back tears, wrapped her in a long, tight embrace."Stay strong, Lune," her mother whispe