The journey ahead was entirely orchestrated by Luna, and I found myself rely a puppet trailing beside her.
Throughout the trip, she visited nurous places, seemingly tireless, shedding her usual icy deanor for the playful exuberance of a young girl.
She hopped from one attraction to another, and I captured countless photos of her, though we never shared a fra together.
She had asked for a joint photo, but I declined, fearing any evidence might later surface to betray us to Betty.
A flicker of sadness crossed her eyes when I refused, but she quickly masked it with a bright smile, as if brushing off any hint of displeasure.
On the plane, I confessed to Luna about lying to Betty.
She understood and promised to keep it between us, which eased my mind considerably.
Regret gnawed at aboard that flight; I couldn't fathom why I had lied to Betty in the first place.
It would have been simpler to be honest from the start.
If Betty ever discovered the truth, I'd be at a loss for words, so I resolved to co clean once we returned.
Curiously, Luna led us to places I had visited before, spots she had secretly photographed from my past.
Once, atop a mountain, her gaze carried a blend of lancholy and solitude.
Seeing her like that tugged at my heartstrings.
I knew she harbored feelings for , but my heart belonged to Betty.
Grateful for her kindness, I silently vowed to make it up to her in another life, for in this one, we were not ant to be.
Luna had initially planned a twenty-day trip with , and I counted each day, cautious not to slip up.
Before leaving, I told Betty that my business trip was complex and that I had to turn off my phone, which ant no contact with her.
Perhaps it was fear of hearing Betty's voice that lessened my guilt.
On the nineteenth day, Luna suddenly decided to return ho, catching off guard.
It was only on the plane that I learned she wanted to spend her last day at her villa.
"What a pity this trip is..." Luna sighed as we sat in her luxurious private jet.
"Why do you say that? Haven't you enjoyed yourself?" I asked, puzzled by her sigh.
"How can I enjoy myself when soone else isn't happy?" Luna playfully winked at .
"I've actually had a good ti, too. It's been a while since I've felt this relaxed..." I stretched lazily, my words a mix of truth and pretense.
Disconnecting from everything had indeed been a rare peace.
At work, it was Luna who had arranged my leave.
With her influence, she could have easily secured a year off.
When my boss granted the leave, his look was peculiar, a mix of apprehension and deference, likely due to Luna's clout.
I never flaunted my connection with Luna, preferring not to leverage her influence unduly.
"You must be thinking about ho..." Luna said with a smile, though a trace of bitterness tinged her expression.
"Yes..." I couldn't deny it.
Concern for the only two people back ho was natural.
Having been bitten once, I was twice shy.
Being with Luna ant I hadn't checked the ho surveillance, carrying the laptop was perhaps a subconscious nod to my worries.
"Just one more day with , and you're free..." Luna's voice carried a hint of sourness as she spoke.
I didn't respond but closed my eyes to rest on the plane, eager for the journey to end.
Throughout the trip, I maintained a distance from Luna.
We stayed in separate rooms, and I never even held her hand, let alone took a photo with her.
Finally, the plane began its descent, and I glimpsed the city I hadn't seen in ages.
I checked the ti; it was 6:12 PM, and the sky was dimming.
My stomach growled a bit; though there were als on the plane, Luna hadn't arranged for any.
Perhaps she planned to eat with after we landed.
During this trip, Luna always made sure we ate together.
"Let's eat here tonight..." Luna said, leading into her villa and straight to her bedroom after we disembarked.
"Why here?" I felt a bit odd about it.
Why eat in the bedroom when there's a dining room?
Wouldn't the sll of food linger in the bedroom?
"Oh, nothing. I just like the unconventional feel of it..." Luna chuckled and then lifted her wine glass.
I didn't say much, just clinked glasses with her and took a small sip of the red wine.
Honestly, I'm not a fan of red wine; I'd rather have a beer or so spirits.
For the next while, I focused solely on the food—I was really hungry.
Luna kept offering bites of food from her plate.
I only raised my glass when she did, to keep up appearances.
Soon, my glass was empty, and I was full.
"Are you full?" Luna asked, reaching over with a napkin to wipe my mouth.
"I've got it..." I dodged quickly, taking the napkin from her hand and wiping my mouth myself.
"Ah... rember this bed behind you?" Luna's eyes dimd a bit when I pulled away, then she gestured towards the large bed behind .
"Yeah, what about it?" I glanced at the bed, mories flashing in my mind, but I kept my face neutral.
"You've slept in this bed for several days, and also..." Luna's voice trailed off, her cheeks flushing with a hint of shyness.
"It's been 32 minutes... about ti..." I didn't pick up where Luna left off, unsure of what to say about those sensitive topics.
But then Luna glanced at her watch and ntioned a ti that baffled .
"What..." I was more confused now.
Ever since Luna asked to accompany her, my confusion had only grown.
But just as I began to question her, a wave of dizziness hit , and my body felt weak, as if I were drunk.
Could it be the aftereffects of the wine?
No, that couldn't be right.
I'd only had a small glass, and that amount of alcohol was nothing to .
"You..." Even a fool would realize by now—soone had drugged .
And in Luna's villa, the only person who could have done it was Luna herself.
I tried to confront her, raising my hand, but it fell limp before I could complete the gesture.
I slumped over the table, conscious and able to see everything, but utterly powerless.
"Justin... I'm sorry, I hope you can forgive ..." I heard footsteps as Luna approached, her hand caressing my cheek as she murmured.
My cheek rested on the table, my eyes only catching sight of Luna's slender waist, unable to see her face.
But I felt cold droplets fall on my cheek.
I had experienced sothing like this before, but last ti it was an electric shock, this ti it was drugs.
Was this another sche by Luna and Betty, or was it just Luna?
What exactly was Luna planning?
I rembered the bed behind , where once a bright red blossom had unfolded, a symbol of Luna's lost innocence...
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