I am the Heir

The Game of Trust

 

I kept the throttle low as I rode through the quiet streets. Luna sat behind me, her hands gripping the edge of my jacket so hard I could feel her knuckles through the denim. I could feel her ragged, uneven breaths against my back. I wasn't about to take her to my cramped, suffocating studio apartment. It wasn't a fit place for a woman in her state, and I didn't need the neighbors gossiping or calling the cops on a "domestic disturbance."

I pulled up in front of a boutique hotel called The Obsidian Inn in a quiet part of town—discreet, but with high-end security. I hopped off and helped her down. Her legs still looked like jelly when they hit the asphalt.

"Wait here for a second," I said firmly.

I walked into the lobby. The receptionist gave my greasy jacket a doubtful look, but the moment I slid the Priority Debit Card Mr. Sterling had given me across the counter, his attitude pulled a complete 180. I paid upfront in cash for the best suite they had for the next three nights.

"Here’s your key. Fourth floor, Room 402," I said, handing the magnetic keycard to Luna. "The security here is top-notch. No one gets to your floor without one of these."

Luna stared at the card, then up at me. "Why are you doing this? You don't even know me."

"Let’s just talk inside," I replied.

I led her in, through the lobby and up the elevator. Inside the spacious, sandalwood-scented suite, Luna immediately sank onto the edge of a massive king-sized bed draped in white linen. The room had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city lights. She looked tiny and fragile surrounded by all that luxury.

I went to the small bar, poured a glass of mineral water, and handed it to her. "Drink. You’re dehydrated from all that crying."

Luna downed it in one go and set the glass down with trembling hands. "I don't even know your name yet."

"Dominic. Just call me Dominic," I answered shortly. I pulled a desk chair over and sat across from her. "I’m doing this because we’re in the same boat. The difference is, I just lost a gold-digging fiancée, while you lost your family’s entire legacy to a greedy prick. We’re both fools who believed in love so much we forgot to lock the safe."

Luna looked at me sharply. A spark of anger began to replace the hollow sadness in her eyes. "I’m not a fool. I just never thought he could be that monstrous. His name is Julian. Tomorrow night, he’s celebrating the fact that he stole my company by throwing a massive engagement party at the Grand Sterling Ballroom."

I leaned back. "And? You want to go there and beg him to come back? That’s the most pathetic move you could make."

"No. I’m not going there to beg," Luna’s voice suddenly went cold and clinical. She wiped the stray tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I have an idea. Julian is obsessed with social status. He wants to be seen as part of the city’s new elite. He thinks he’s won because he has power now and a fiancée who’s the daughter of a major bank owner."

I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

"Dominic, you said you have unfinished business with your past, too, right? I can return the favor later," Luna stood up, her stride much more stable now. "Take me to that party tomorrow night."

"Just take you there?" I asked skeptically.

"No. Be my partner. We aren't going in there as a threat—yet. I need someone Julian can’t buy. I need you to stand by me while I show him that the Cakrawala family isn't dead yet."

I frowned. "You’re asking me—a guy you just met on a bridge—to crash an elite gala? You don't even know if I own a suit that fits."

Luna stood by the window, staring at her reflection in the glass. Suddenly, she turned to me with a completely different expression. The fragile girl was gone; her gaze was authoritative.

"I’m sorry for putting you through all this, Dominic," Luna said, her voice clear and commanding. "And that story about being completely bankrupt... that was a cover. I was afraid you were a criminal or one of Julian’s goons sent to follow me. I had to make sure you were a good man before I spoke the truth."

I knit my brows. My pity evaporated instantly. "What? So the 'crying on the bridge' act was just a test?"

"No, the pain and the betrayal are real. Julian did seize most of my assets, but the Cakrawala family doesn't go broke overnight. I still have enough tucked away to buy ten hotels like this one." Luna opened her small clutch, which she had been gripping tightly. She pulled out a Black Metal Centurion card. "I’ll reimburse you for this room. Just give me the number."

I let out a harsh scof. This woman was bizarre. She’d played with my emotions on that bridge and was now suddenly flaunting her power.

"Keep your card," I said firmly. "I don't need your money. The room isn't an issue for me. I helped you because I thought you needed a lifeline, not to be a test subject for your trust issues."

Luna looked surprised by my rejection. She stepped forward, blocking my path to the door. "Don't be offended. In my world, nothing is free. I’m just trying to be fair. Tomorrow at 4:00 PM, be back here. We need to finalize the plan for Julian’s party."

"I can't. I’m busy," I replied shortly. "Tomorrow is my first day at a new job. I have a massive responsibility that I can't just ditch to be an accessory at your ex-boyfriend’s party."

"I don't care what your job is, Dominic. You’re already involved," Luna said, her eyes challenging mine. "I’ll be waiting in the lobby tomorrow at four. If you don't show up, I might do something reckless. I’m in a 'fragile mental state,' remember?"

I stared at her in disbelief. "You’re threatening me with your own life? That is the lowest tactic I’ve ever heard."

"Call it a survival tactic," Luna offered a thin, cold smile. "I know you’re a good man. You won't let the woman you just saved die for nothing just because you missed one night of work, will you?"

I didn't answer. I pulled open the door and walked out without saying goodbye. I headed for the elevator, fuming. Luna Cakrawala was the definition of "trouble" wrapped in a silk dress.

...

I got back to my old apartment around 11:00 PM.

I should have felt at peace. Tomorrow, I was going to claim my destiny as the head of a global empire. But my mind was stuck on Luna’s face at the hotel. My logic told me she was bluffing about the suicide threat. But there was something wild in her eyes that told me I couldn't afford to ignore it.

I tried to close my eyes, but it was no use. Every time I drifted off, the image of Luna standing on the edge of the Highland Bridge flashed back. What if she really was that desperate? What if she felt humiliated all over again by my refusal?

"Damn it," I muttered, sitting back up in the dark.