Chapter 8 (Luna, Are u okay?)

"As mine..."

The words slipped from Nick's lips in a low, calm tone, as if the decision were as simple as signing a business contract. But to Luna, those two words felt like a small bomb exploding right in front of her face.

Luna stared at Nick without blinking. Her gaze was intense—not out of admiration, but full of calculation. It was as if she was peeling the man apart with her eyes, looking for a loophole, looking for a reason, looking for something she could use as a shield to escape from this increasingly absurd situation.

Her hand moved before her mind did.

Luna reached for Nick's hand and deftly placed two fingers on his wrist, right at his pulse point. Her touch was light, professional—the reflex of a doctor accustomed to examining patients, not the touch of a nervous woman in the presence of a dangerous man.

For a moment, the air between them felt tense.

The pulse was clearly felt at the tip of her finger—strong, steady, too regular for someone who had just made such a crazy statement. Luna held her breath for a second, pretending to focus, though her mind was racing in all directions. She straightened her shoulders, maintaining an emotional distance, as if the invisible white coat was still clinging to her body, protecting her from the dominant aura of the man in front of her.

While Nick didn't pull Luna’s hand away. Instead, he let Luna check his pulse, his eyes lowered to observe her face from close range. There was a cold calmness there—the calmness of a man accustomed to waiting for big decisions to be born out of silence. The corners of his lips barely moved, not in a smile, but more like a confidence that didn't need to be expressed.

Luna swallowed hard. She turned Nick's wrist slightly, as if to ensure the right angle, then narrowed her eyes, playing her role as best she could. In her mind, she recited medical terms, building a wall of logic to keep herself from getting carried away. Focus. It's just a pulse. Just an examination. But reality told a different story—the closeness, the warmth of Nick's skin, and the way he stared at her without blinking made her concentration crack.

The room felt cramped. The ticking of the wall clock sounded louder. Luna pulled her finger back slightly, hesitant, then pressed it back down, prolonging the moment she hadn't planned. She lifted her chin, preparing her defense—anything that could regain control. On the other side, Nick remained silent, unhurried, as if certain that time was on his side, and every passing second was a small step toward an unspoken agreement.

"Wow..." Luna murmured, furrowing her brow, pretending to focus.

"Mr. Nick, your condition seems to be flaring up again."

Nick stared at her, clearly not understanding where this conversation was going.

"Your pulse is unstable," Luna continued casually, keeping her two fingers pressed against his wrist with a feigned serious expression.

"You probably won’t be able to do any heavy activities tonight."

"Huh? Like what?" Nick asked flatly.

Luna glanced at him.

"Like... going on a date with someone. I-I mean, It will disturb your mind, which will make you tired and might affect to your kidneys."

Instead of panicking or being affected, Nick calmly remove Luna's hand from his wrist, then—without warning—turned and grabbed Luna’s wrist. This time it wasn't a chokehold, but a rough grip that made Luna realize how easily he could control the distance between them.

Nick smirked. A thin smile that was not friendly at all.

"I’m not as foolish as you, Luna," he said softly but piercingly.

"Don’t say such foolish things," he continued.

Luna held her breath for a few seconds.

Damn.

This man wasn't the type to be fooled by cheap acting.

"How about..." Nick moved closer to her.

"We check it again tonight?" He whispered, his tone turning seductive.

"To make sure my doctor’s diagnosis is not wrong."

At that moment, Luna’s face tensed.

Heat crept up from the back of her neck, spreading to her cheeks. Not because she was interested—no, this was more due to the pressure and Nick’s boldness, which was too close to her personal space.

Luna’s mind went chaotic.

Too chaotic.

"Don't think strange about him, Luna," she warned herself

Luna pushed Nick’s body gently.

"D-Don't come close me without my permission, Mr. Nick!"

Nick smirked. He could see Luna’s face turning red and she was starting to stutter.

Quickly, Luna looked away. Her eyes fell on a crystal bowl filled with shiny red cherries on the marble table. Without hesitation, her hand took those cherries for one... then another.

No.

She took with two handfuls.

And began eating them one by one, not paying attention to Nick, who was standing and staring to her.

"Be his?" she thought in her mind as she chewed the cherries.

"No. I won’t do that."

"But he's clearly not stupid either. He wouldn't just let me go like that."

"Whatever. I don't need to worry about him."

Luna’s mouth was full. She chewed the cherries without elegance, like a child who was refusing to speak.

Nick watched her with raised eyebrows. Surprised. Truly surprised.

Throughout his life, he had never encountered a woman who behaved like this in front of him.

Ignoring him. Unimpressed. Unbelievable.

"Hey, stutterbug," Nick finally spoke up.

"Don't worry. I still have a cherry land if you want it. Take your time, no one will take it from you."

His gaze fell on Luna’s cheeks, which were beginning to swell.

She truly ignored Nick; perhaps the cherries were more interesting than him.

"You dumb. If you keep doing that, you might choke, Luna."

Luna glanced at him briefly.

Instead of listening to Nick and stopping chewing, Luna deliberately stuffed more cherries into her mouth, as if she wanted to prove something—or rather, she wanted to disgust Nick and cancel the whole deal.

"I don’t care," she said in a muffled voice.

"Leave me alone."

Nick sighed.

"Spit it out, or you’re gonna die, dumb! Stop playing with me."

Nick held out his palm directly in front of Luna’s mouth.

Luna shook her head vigorously, then gently pushed Nick's hand away.

"Spit it out, Luna," Nick repeated, this time more firmly.

"No," Luna replied in a muffled voice.

"You said that you are a CEO of Luton Group, Right? So, it’s mean you’re rich man. But look, you are so stingy that you won't even share this cherry with me, Mr. Nick."

The cherry filled her mouth, leaving almost no room to speak.

Nick's tone changed.

"That's dangerous, you fool! Open your mouth and spit them all out. I told you."

Luna pushed Nick’s hand away again, shaking her head repeatedly, harder and harder.

Nick's patience ran out.

With one swift movement, he grabbed Luna's head with both hands—not roughly, but firmly enough to stop her resistance. Their faces were now very close. Too close.

Their gazes locked.

Luna struggled, her shoulders moving left and right, trying to break free. But her strength was clearly no match. Nick wasn't pressing down, wasn't hurting her—just holding her.

"Spit it out," Nick repeated, his voice low but urgent.

And suddenly—

The cherry just came out of Luna's mouth. A small, completely inelegant spurt of red.

And, of course...

Nick.

A few fruits bounced off his expensive suit, even on his cold face.

Luna froze.

Her eyes widened.

However, Nick's reaction was far from what she had imagined.

He wasn't even angry.

He just stared at Luna for a few seconds, then said calmly,

"There’s one more. I can see it. Take it out.”

Luna still froze. She felt something

"Spit it out, Luna!"

Luna’s body finally stopped resisting. Her hands rose to her chest, pressing gently. Her face turned pale.

Nick immediately noticed the change.

"Stutterbug," he called out, this time without a mocking tone.

"Hey."

He lowered his voice.

"Don't mess around, girl" Nick said quietly. His eyebrows furrowed, not out of anger—but out of caution.

"Listen, Luna, this isn’t the time for jokes."

"Luna? Are you listening to me?"

Luna shook her head slowly, her eyes beginning to well up. Not dramatic tears, but a physical reflex as her body struggled. She tried to swallow, but failed. Her shoulders rose and fell faster.

Nick cursed under his breath.

"Damn. She’s insane."

Luna’s gaze grew unfocused. Her lips trembled.

Nick’s hands, which had been tense, now grew anxious.

"Luna!"

His hands still cupped the woman's face, but now much more gently.

For the first time that night, Nick Luton—the man who usually controlled everything—looked genuinely panicked.

"Luna!"

“Flirting with a woman might be foolish. But realizing that I care—that’s the most expensive mistake I’ve ever made."

~Nick L. Lancaster.