Zayn stood backing his office, watching the city through the glass partition, his mind thinking about his next move and the only reason he wanted to get married to Luna. His mother used to work for the Riveras before her mysterious death.
He didn't have enough money or power to stand against them back then, but now he was preparing a better strategy to marry Luna, because he saw potential in her pain. But she was too innocent for all this drama. He was going to do everything in his power to protect her from her cruel family. They were going to be a combined force that couldn't be stopped until he caught himself thinking, Protect her for what?
He turned around to face his office, the walls painted midnight black, mixed with interiors of penn blue and some touches of grey, like the couch. His mother's portrait hung close to his chair. He got his blue eyes from her. He kept staring at her, almost like she was looking back at him, not just a painting.
"Hey, what are you looking at?"
That voice pulled him out of his trance.
It was his only bloodline who understood him Leon Barrett his complete opposite: calm, always smiling, taking life easy.
"Hi," he sighed, his cold mask back on.
"But you know, if I didn't know, I would find you scary."
"That was not the reason I called you," he said coldly.
"Of course not. Get to it," he said.
"I want you to look after Luna."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because I want true answers from her. She might need company, and you are sweet, so you are going to get answers to my questions."
"Alright then. Thanks for the compliments."
"That was not a compliment. By the way, she will be here in ten minutes.
"So you should live now."
"Okay. Please, after making your famous pasta, text me."
"Sure thing."
A few minutes later, there was a beep on his phone. He opened his phone to see Luna's text.
There was a bing from his doorbell, and Luna walked in with her usual grace, like she was flawless in her dark blue designer gown and her long natural hair that was curled neatly, her heels clicking as she walked towards him.
"I have made my decision."
"And what would that be?"
"I accept the contract marriage."
"Alright. I believe you have read the contract in detail?"
"Yes, I did that. I was wondering why you decided to get married to me by contract."
His frown deepened. "My mother died mysteriously while working for your family. I know it was not a natural death. I want revenge."
"Why me?" she asked. For the first time, their eyes met since she entered his office.
"Because there is beauty in broken things, and I want to explore that beauty," he smirked wickedly.
"Okay."
She stood up and was already walking out of his office.
"You would be living with me, Luna."
"What?"
"No one is supposed to know this marriage is a contract marriage
She wanted to say she would not be staying in the same room with him, but she remembered when he said he did not find her attractive.
and we will be having a press conference in two days."
Why are we going for any press conference?
Because I want this marriage to look more natural.
Luna was lost in thought, thinking of how she got here in the first place. She knew all odds were against her and had nothing to her name. Now that she knows the reason why he wants to get married to her, she can work with him. The marriage is just going to be in name, no strings attached.
She noticed the portrait of a woman that looked familiar. She thought it was because Zayn had a similar resemblance with her and met Zayn's curious gaze.
"Where is it going to hold?"
"The Mediterranean Hall."
"Okay, I will be there."
"You won't go there on your own. We are going there together." Luna could hear the sound of her heartbeat.
"No," she thought outwardly. "Why would we do that?"
"Everyone is going to see us together."
"That's the reason why we are doing this, for them to see us together. You are going to move in with me tonight. I will send somebody to come get you."
Luna got back to her lounge to call Kai the only person she could talk to, her only friend and brother that she could confide in. Their last conversation didn't go smoothly, and she wanted to apologize for her attitude. She really did hope he didn't take all the words she said to heart, and with that, she put a call through. After two rings, he picked up.
"Hi, my Teddy."
"I thought you were not going to pick."
"Why would I do that? At least, not with you, my Teddy."
"I'm a full-grown woman. You don't get to call me that, do you?"
"I would. No matter how old you grow, you are still little to me."he said playfully
"Alright, I won't be arguing with you today, Kai. I accepted the contract marriage. I've signed it and will hand it back to him tonight."
"Looks like you have made your decision."
"Not really. I'm sorry that I'm not consulting you on this one. I still trust you," she said in a whisper so low that he almost didn't hear her.
"Okay, I would still support you no matter what you go through, my sis."
"I know you would," she said, laughing lightly, wondering what she would have done without Kai in her life. Her eyes were a bit teary from emotions, and she gathered herself up to say bye to him, trying her best to ensure he didn't notice it.
She ended the call.
Luna woke up to the buzzing sound of her phone. She didn't know how long she had slept or when she fell asleep, but she picked up the phone and saw it was Zayn calling.
She still felt sleepy and was half asleep.
The sound of the doorbell woke her up properly, and she checked the door peephole to see the mighty Zayn Lancaster standing rigidly
Oh wow.
She ran to the mirror to take a look at herself.
Oh my God, she muttered as the doorbell rang.
She quickly packed her once-curled hair into a messy bun, trying to compose herself.
Finally, she opened the door and stood in the doorway, looking up at him to see his next reaction.
"Why were you not taking your calls?" he asked, his jaw clenched. "Thank God you're alive."
She started sweating furiously and didn't answer him.
The room had a quality air conditioner so why was she sweating and mute?
"Luna, I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. I understand," she said shakily.
"I will get my things ready in 10 minutes." She shut the door calmly, arranging the few things she had brought back into her backpack. When she opened the door again, he was still there, staring back at her calmly this time.
To her shock, he called two men to come carry her things for her, while he held out his hand and helped to carry her handbag.
They all entered the lift. Outside, feeling the night breeze on her open back, he reached to her again, gesturing for the chauffeur to bring his Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail so she wouldn't catch a cold.
When it came into view, he caught her saying, "Wow."
She entered, waiting for him to come inside too, but he was passing instructions to his staff to handle her luggage safely after getting some other things she couldn't hear clearly.
Sitting in the passenger seat, still waiting calmly, she noticed the car smelled different from other luxurious cars she had driven, something like vanilla, but not the regular one. It smelled masculine. The air in the car felt different.
He slipped inside the car, pressed the start button, and started driving.
The car was silent. The silence was so thick that it would be difficult to cut it with a knife.
She needed to say something, she thought.
"Thank you."
"For?"
"For helping me today with my things."
"Why were you not taking your calls at first?"
She shuddered. I thought he said he was sorry but no, he wasn't. He was back to his, wearing his cold mask.
"I fell asleep."
"Really?"
For the first time, she was going to raise her voice at him.
"Look, you need me as much as I need you! You keep insulting me, asking me questions like you were paid to watch me. I hate how you treat me. Please, if you are not comfortable with me, tell me so that I can back out!"
She did not know she was crying at this point until she felt hot tears flowing from her eyes.
He stopped the car in the middle of nowhere and turned towards her.
"What are you doing?" she said shakily.
He did not answer, just kept watching. After some minutes, he continued driving.
They arrived at a grand gate.
He said, "Open," and it did. It was then she knew it was a voice-activated automated gate.
He drove in, turning round the waterfall, and parked the car in the parking lot.
She came out before he could turn to help her open the door.
"You won't take my emotions for granted."
"One minute you are kind, and the next you are cold. I won't be part of that drama."
He didn't say anything, just started going inside in fast strides, leaving her to make her decision. She started running after him until they got in front of the house.
"This house is thrice bigger than Rivera country estate," she thought. The lights were radiant outside that she wasn't sure if inside she would be able to discern whether it was day or night.
Luna stood admiring the beauty of the house.
"Hey, would you come in and stop giving those annoying, adorable puppy eyes when you see my things? If I get in, you won't be able to come inside."
"But you have security outside."
"Of course I do."
"But they don't come inside my house uninvited."
"Alright then, let's go, Sire."
"Hmm, Sire?" he asked mockingly.
He put his thumb on the biometric door lock and it opened.
The outside was nothing compared to the inside from the oil paintings, to the high ceilings, the chandeliers.
Luna noticed the same portrait she had seen in his office. She wanted to ask him who she was, but he stopped, introducing her to the man she had just noticed.
"Okay, Luna, this is Leon Barratt, my half-brother. You can talk to him and tell him whatever you want because you will not be seeing me often."
"Of course I won't see you," but what she said fell on deaf ears because he had already left her with Leon.
"I understand how you feel, but I promise he is not always like this. Come, let me give you a tour around the house."
"Thank you, but can you show me where I will be sleeping tonight?" she asked pleadingly.
"Of course."
Turning to the left wing of the house, Leon was trying small talks with her, but she was not responding well, and he understood her before stopping in front of one door. But all the doors were so alike that she was wondering how she would even recognize the one she would be living in. He knocked on the door, and a young woman about her age opened the door, letting them in.
Her attention was caught by the California king-size bed that was what she would need. The room had her favorite smell, which was a mixture of lily of the valley and sea breeze, which was calming, and everything was either in blue-grey or azure, the way it was in the Rivera country estate.
"Luna, this is Daisy Powell. She would assist you in whatever errands you want her to run."
"Good. But Daisy, I won't be needing your service for the night, so you can leave," she said almost dismissively.
"Yes, Ma'am," said Daisy without making eye contact with her.
"My name is Luna. It would be good if you would get used to calling me that."
"Okay, Lu...na." Luna gave her a long side glance before giving her a dismissive wave with her hand.
"Was that you being bossy?" Leon asked, laughing.
"No. I don't like the way she called me Ma'am. It was as if she was being forced."
"I know right," giving her that knowing look.
"Good night."
"Good night," he said, leaving the room so she could settle in.
Luna climbed the bed slowly, taking a few minutes of rest. She took a walk around the room from the walk-in closet to the bathroom that had a big-sized Jacuzzi, which she was planning to soak in tonight. There was a faint knock on her door leaving the bathroom to open the room door.
She saw Leon standing there carrying a platter. She welcomed him inside.
The pasta looked so enticing that she could not reject it for any reason.
Leon was smiling at her as dropped it on the small table. "I thought I could share some with you."
"I don't know the number of times I would thank you tonight, but once again, thank you."
"My pleasure. I have to go now. I don't live here, so I would have to drive back to the city."
She smiled nervously walking him to the door "Good night,drive safe"
Of course I will do just that
ensure you sleep early
I would she said reshaping her messy bun like she going out, as she opened the door to let him out
And shut it gently, turning away walking inside the bathroom to soak in the Jacuzzi before eating the pasta.