The Proposal

My world instantly freezes as my eyes shift to the face of the man I have collided with. My senses dull as I struggle to process what is happening. My eyes lock on Luca’s, empty and void of emotions but also swirling with shock and confusion at the same time.

I try to desperately match the dots that connect the man before me with the stranger from the steamy night before.

The same piercing gaze that had seen right through my soul. The same chiseled features. The same mouth that had claimed mine, igniting a fire that still burns in me.

“How..”, I whisper, my voice barely audible.

My mind is a maelstrom of confusion and shock. How could this be? The CEO of Démon and Co., the kingpin of the fashion world, is the same man who had stirred desires I thought were long dead? He’s going to be my boss? My face flames with embarrassment.

My skin prickles with memories of his touch, every caress now tainted by the harsh light of reality.

And his lips. My lips still tingle from his soft kisses, kisses that had promised passion but now reek of manipulation.

I feel exposed, vulnerable, and trapped like a butterfly caught in a spider's web.

"Luca...?”, I say, my breath catching in my throat.

Even the sound of his name on my lips is like a betrayal. And as my eyes search his face, seeking answers, I just know that there’s none to look for. What does he want from me now? What happens at the nightclub stays at the nightclub. Why do I feel like he wants more?

Luca's expression remains stoic, his eyes glinting with an amusement that only fuels my unease. He smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. It looks convincing, but I knows otherwise.

"Surprised, Stella?",!he asks, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

“I—excuse me”, I stutter as my eyes dart around the room, searching for an escape.

I regain my composure and walk over to the door, desperate to escape. But before I can grasp the door handle, Luca beats me to it. His sudden appearance before me makes me gasp. My eyes widen, and I stumble back in terror. I begin to wonder how it’s humanly possible for him to make it to me that fast.

“Leaving the party early when the fun has just begun?”, he laughs, the sound piercing through my startled heart.

The room around me blurs, the colors blending together in a haze. My mind is now a jumbled mess as I try to think of a way out. But there is none. I am trapped in Luca's web. I am at his mercy.

And that smirk playing on his lips, showed no signs of mercy.Suddenly, the room starts to spin and my feet begin to wobble.

Short breaths escape my lips as I reach out to grab something to balance myself. However, everything starts dissolving right before my eyes. There’s no trace of Luca, but I could feel his presence looming behind me.

I quickly spin around, swinging a fist in the open air, enraged. Luca laughs at my futile attempts, his laugh ringing in my ears menacingly.

Finally, as exhaustion takes over, my wobbly legs give out under me. However, the hard impact of the fall that I anticipate never comes. I fall right into Luca’s arms.

“I want more..”, he whispers, his breath hot on my ears.

His words awaken a new strength in me, and I instantly snap back to reality. Although my arms feel heavy, I muster as much energy as I can and push the man away.

Luca is stunned. Nobody has ever broken out of his entranced spell before. It’s a first. It’s also the first time someone is fighting so hard against him physically. However, he doesn’t let me see his shock. He regains his composure quickly.

“If only you knew what I’m capable of”, he laughs.

I shake my head to bring myself to reality, still feeling a bit dizzy. I struggle to maintain my balance, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. I gulp down the bike trapped in my throat as nausea hits me suddenly.

“What do you want? Who the heck are you?”, I say in a weak voice.

“What do I want?”, Luca chuckles.

“I already got what I want. Maybe I should jumble your memory up a bit”, Luca reaches out, and I, too weak to fight him off let him close the distance between us.

His warm slender finger touches my burning forehead. My eyes snap shut and my head jerks backwards. A white light blinds my mind, as I physically blank out. My mind is then flooded with images. Images I couldn’t recognize at first.

However, I realize quickly that I’ve been sent into another world. What’s wrong is that everyone seems to be oblivious to my presence.I can see things happening around me, but it’s like I don’t exist.

I’m on a busy street. Everyone just seems to be minding their own business, strutting up and down the pedestrian walkway. I turn around, only for a man to walk right through me.

Scared and confused, I try to scream for help but nothing comes out. I try and try and try, but my efforts fail to yield results. I crumble onto the cold pavement, as a sob breaks through my chest.

However, a few seconds later, I notice a dark alleyway from my peripheral vision. From the darkness, I could make out two figures huddled closely together. Curious, I pull myself up from the ground and begin to walk towards the scene. I am aware that I can’t be seen. So my safety is guaranteed.

Upon closer view, I slap a hand on my mouth, cupping it in shock. I recognize the figure, that red dress—the holes and the black heels. She’s drunk and wasted, leaning on the other figure for support. I am face to face with myself from that fateful night before.

“I can’t keep doing this anymore!..I—I’m tired.. I’m tired of the lies.. I have t—tried so hard..”, drunk me cries out, pushing herself into the other figure for comfort.

Watching from the sidelines, I look up at the other figure. It’s Luca. He seems lost and confused about what to do.

“I can’t let her die. She’s my sister..I have to keep trying..P—please..please h—help me..I’ll do anything”, drunk me’s emotions are all over the place as she begs the stranger.

The scene playing before me brings tears to my eyes. I’m reminded of my sister who is in the hospital, needing an urgent heart transplant. She has had the same disease for so long, nobody ever thought it would damage her heart so severely. Our uncle, George had been so reckless with her treatment that it relatively got worse. Sandy’s been in and out of the hospital for many reasons. However, during the last one, she went to stay.

Even though I’m not visible, I break down into tears. The salty streams trickle down my cheeks non-stop. However, Luca’s next words bring me back to the scene.

“I have a deal for you..but in exchange, you’re going to be my mistress.”

Those words, those exact words and that glint of hope in drunk me’s eyes. They would become the reason for my problems.

“You’re lucky. A deal with the devil is what you need right now.”

What? Devil?