Detective Grey ran on ten toes into the old Rivera estate. He had been looking for ways to get in, but the security wouldn't let him. At six feet tall, he had managed to scale the fence with perfect timing. He had observed that the power in the house was always turned off for ten minutes daily from 2:10 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. For reasons he wasn't sure about. Even though the Riveras no longer lived there, he needed answers to some pressing questions. Questions about a mysterious woman who had once worked with the Riveras and her sudden disappearance.
A guard had just noticed him, but didn't follow. Instead, the guard began trailing another man who was entering the house as if he worked there. They all wore the same chestnut-colored clothing.
Still following soundlessly, Grey slipped away into a study that looked old, with a lot of things stuffed into boxes. He opened one box it was filled with old business books. The next one held interior design materials. He kept unboxing.
Then he opened a certain box and saw books and an A4-sized envelope. Tearing it open, he found letters from a particular French-sounding name that looked male, addressed to Eloise Rivera.
He smiled faintly. "Eloise… do you ever stop?" he asked rhetorically.
It was already 2:17 p.m. when he checked the time. He had to get back before the power was restored. He wouldn't carry anything today at least, not yet.
Everyone was flawed.
Luna woke up late after a long day like the previous one. It was about 4 p.m.
"Life!" she sighed. "How would I get out of this mess?"
"Hi, Luna..," said Daisy shyly.
She nodded in acknowledgement. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Leon said I shouldn't wake you up, so I did just that."
"What would you like to eat?"
"I would like that pasta again; it was tasty," she said, smiling. "But I don't think that would be possible."
"Why?"
"Because it was not cooked by any of the house chefs, so I would have to wait for Leon to make another for me," she said tiredly.
"Yes..."
"Okay, get me flasks, a liter of milk, and fruit skewers."
"Is that all?"
"Have you seen Zayn?"
"Okay, that will be all for now."
While she strode into the bathroom...
Washing her face, remembering her boxes were with Zayn's staff the previous day, she came out of the bathroom. The thought of entering the walk-in closet came before asking for assistance. She saw some of her clothes, but she also saw other clothes that were the same size as hers, her taste in fashion. They did not seem like they were bought the previous day.
How long has Zayn been harboring this plan? was the new question playing in her mind.
She went to the walk-in closet to get her skincare items. On her way back to the bathroom to bathe, Daisy came in with a platter containing everything she had requested.
"Okay, thank you. That will be all. I will call you if I need something."
Daisy nodded and left.
After having her bath and doing her skincare routine, she came out of the bathroom and sat in front of the dressing mirror. She gently applied her face cream like her skin was made of gold. Then she rubbed her body cream.
She stood up and went back to the walk-in closet to get something to wear. She kept thinking about what to wear. Finally, she chose mint green joggers, a spaghetti strap tank top, and black slides.
She sat down to eat. After eating, she left the room and traced where she came from. Luckily, she got there without anyone showing her the way.
She left the house for her evening walk, just like she used to do before the DNA scandal started.
Taking the right side of the house, she started walking down the street since the security didn't ask any questions. She checked her GPS for the nearest park so she could at least be at peace with nature. When she located the nearest one, she followed the route.
On getting there, she looked for a seat close to the lake, recalling the good old days.
Her father, Wyatt Rivera, had loved her dearly, taking her to high school, driving her to business school, and even taking her to his office and major meetings when he wasn't busy. And even when he was, he would still make time for her. That continued until the cold hands of death took him on a Friday night a day she would never forget.
Her adoptive mother, Eloise, had always been the wife of her father, as far as she could remember, but no one ever told her anything about her biological mother. It was like a "shh" hush-hush topic.
Eloise used to love her, but she was always telling her to beg her father to let Aria come live with them. Aria was the daughter of both Eloise and Wyatt, a child that had been hidden. But in her father's words, "Don't give them a chance, because the odds may turn against you and you wouldn't know."
She never understood, and she still didn't understand. It still hurts her.
Thinking of her old house that held a lot of memories, she remembered how she had once dreamt that even if she got married, she would beg her husband to live close to the Rivera estate because of how much she loved it and all the childhood memories it held.Now, it seemed like no one loved her.
Not even Zayn cold as ever. The only person who loved her, even just a little, was Kai, and now she couldn't even talk to him about the contract.
She had always tried to carry Aria along when they were both basking in the luxury of the Rivera name.
She remembered how it felt in her room, where her dad would let her do whatever she wanted.
Then came the night of the DNA scandal. She had cried herself to sleep after Eloise embarrassed her in front of most of the dignitaries in the city calling her fake. The test had also revealed that Aria was the true daughter of the Rivera family.
That event had been mentioned in her father's will. It was supposed to be the moment after which she would inherit a major stake in his business.
Now, she would not inherit anything. Of course, she could do without the inheritance her father had always taught her to be a hard worker.
But losing her job and getting married to a man who would only accommodate her in his house, not in his life, at least, was the breaking point.
Now, shedding silent tears, she would pick herself up like she always did.
This situation would not take the best of her.
Feeling someone sit next to her, she realized it was Leon.
"Hi," she said, wiping her tears, trying to act like she was fine.
"Hey," he said, opening his arms to give her a hug which she needed.
She hugged him, crying her heart out until there were no more tears left to cry.
The buzzing sound of Leon's phone brought her back to reality.
"Hello," he said tentatively.
She could hear Zayn's angry voice on the other end.
"Where is she?"
"Here with me."
"Alone?"
"Of course, alone."
"Okay. Come home."
"We have to go now"
They came out of the park and entered Leon's car. He started driving back to Zayn's house.
Luna was still quiet during the drive.
"I want you to know something," Leon said.
"What's that?"
"Zayn hasn't always been like this."
"Okay... Is that why he keeps hurting me?"
"No, not really," he said, taking a ragged breath. "I just want you to be a bit patient with him."
"And what about me?"
"I'll be with you through all of this."
"But will that stop Zayn from raising his voice at me?"
"Please, just be patient. I promise, he's someone you need in your life. But losing his mother really messed him up."
Just as he said that, she noticed they were already at Zayn's house. They arrived at exactly 9:00 p.m.
The place still looked beautiful, except for the angry Zayn standing in front of the house.
Luna didn't wait for Leon to park properly before getting out of the car, planning to walk past Zayn and go to her room.
"Where are you coming from?"
"The zoo," she replied sarcastically.
"Oh really? The zoo?"
"Now if you'll excuse me, I want to go to my new room."
"It's the fact that you think you can just go anywhere and come back without explanation that amazes me. From now on, you don't leave this house after 6 p.m. unless you have my permission or you're with one of my trusted guards."
"You won't tell me what to do."
"I won't just tell you what to doI'll tell you who to talk to, where to go, and you won't have any choice but to follow. Am I clear?"
"I hate you," Luna said, running past him into the house and up to her room.
She tried to lock the door, but Zayn pushed it open and walked in, swinging it wide.
"Who were you with before Leon got there? Because from my system, I saw a man following you closely."
What man? she thought anxiously
Regaining her voice, she said, "It was my boyfriend. So?"
"Your boyfriend? You want to destroy everything we planned because of one stupid thing you call a boyfriend?"
"Oh, you should've seen the beautiful things we did together in that park."
He started walking toward her slowly.
"Beautiful things?"
Wanting to see his next reaction, she stood there, unyielding.
"I knew you were everything else but inane," Zayn said, voice cold. "But still in relationships with your boyfriend when you know we're about to get married, even if it's just on paper is disrespectful."
"See who's talking about respect," she said mockingly.
"What's his name?"
"Why should I tell you?,So you can get to him and do what?" she asked as he stepped closer, already in front of her.
"What's his name?" he asked again, this time in a low voice full of Ire
She flinched. "I wasn't with anyone."
"You've crossed the line. You should know your boundaries." And then he pressed his lips to hers possessive, claiming, like she belonged to him. His arm wrapped around her protectively as his hand slid down, gently squeezing her butt, forcing her mouth open with his tongue. His tongue moved over hers, tasting her, dominating her, before he finally gave her space to breathe.
"So, the only thing you know how to do is business?" he sighed, eyes burning into hers. "Let this remind you... the next time you look at another man ,I'm the only one who can make your hormones go crazy."
He turned away, leaving her again, like he always did. Leaving her breathless, confused, never able to stand firm.
"And you just took my first kiss," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "You keep taking from me... when will you stop?"
As if he could hear the thought inside her mind.
Storming into his room, dragging his tie from his neck.
"What does she mean? Her first kiss? She's twenty-six, but her reluctance and softness said it all. Wyatt had pampered her and kept her away from the world."
Kissing her wasn't the plan. He just wanted to show her who power belonged to. She is attractive, but he did not find her attractive.
"Hmm. I really do hope you know what you're doing," said Leon, giving him a sly look. "Because you're losing control. But before that, Detective Grey is asking to see you."
"See me?"
"Why?"
"I dunno, but I'm going to arrange a meeting between both of you in twenty minutes."
Bring him to my study,shutting the door after Leon. The silence in his room was overwhelming after that conversation.
He pulled off his clothes and headed straight to the bathroom, turning on the shower without thinking. He stood under the water for five full minutes, not caring about the world for a while.
When he finally stepped out,with grace. He moved into his walk-in closet and stood there for a moment before reaching for a pair of grey pants, a white T-shirt, a black blazer, and a black loafers.Even at home, he dressed like he was heading into his Office.
Leon always said, "Loosen up."He never listened.
He sighed as he caught his reflection in the mirror.He had almost lost control because of Luna.But it wouldn't happen again.
She would stay in her place. Where she had always belonged.
He left the room, walked down the hallway.Passed her door.
He didn't even know if she realized his room was just three doors down from hers.Finally, he reached the study.
The only space in the house without his mother's portrait.It caused him so much pain that he had taken out so that he did all his plans with a straight head,This was where the real plans happened.
He settled into his enormous chair taking in his surroundings.
There was a quiet knock on his door.
"Come in," Zayn said.
Leon stepped in, followed by Detective Grey, whose eyes danced around the study like he expected criminals to be hiding behind the shelves.
"Detective Grey?" Zayn turned to look at him.
"Can I sit?"
"You can. Leon, excuse us. Grey seems to have something interesting to talk about."
Leon gave a short nod and left.
"I see that Luna now lives with you," Grey said, settling into the chair across from Zayn.
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Not exactly. But what's the reason?" Grey asked, staring straight into Zayn's eyes like he was throwing daggers.
"We've been in a secret relationship for a while. I couldn't let her stay alone," Zayn said, deceptively calm.
"Really?" Grey raised a brow. "My source tells me you're in a contract marriage with her."
Zayn tilted his head, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. "Your source? You've been trailing me."
"That's my job. It's not called stalking... It's called observation."
"Quite fine then. But your source isn't competent," Zayn replied, voice smooth.
"Because if he was, he would have noticed I'm always in the same hotels as Luna during destination meetings."
Zayn watched the shock register on Detective Grey's face like he was finally piecing something together.
"So you see everything clearly," Zayn added.
Grey shifted, the tension in the room turning. "Alright. I'll support you. If you ever see anything strange around you, just give me a call."
"Zayn, I'm sorry for misjudging your decisions. I should have known better." He gave a tight smile,the kind that never reached the eyes.
Zayn gave a slow nod. "I see what you're doing, Grey."
"You don't," Grey replied flatly. "Because I come straight."
There was a pause.
"We both know dating Luna is a waste of time. How about an arranged marriage with Aria? I can talk to her mother, you know."
Zayn stood up, cutting him off. "Detective Grey, it's 11:45 p.m. My girl is waiting for me in bed. I guess you know what that means."
Grey stood too, studying him intently.As he turned to leave, he said one last thing.
"Zayn, don't let the odds turn against you."
"Good night, Detective."
Luna was pacing back and forth in her room before finally curling up on her bed.Zayn had just taken her first kiss.
She had always dreamt her first kiss would at least be with someone who looked into her eyes and told her how much he valued her even if it wasn't love, at least it would be respect.
But here she was, confused, and worse she didn't even care that he had done it.
But that wasn't the plan.