CEO's Dilemma

CHAPTER SIXTY TWO

ACE'S POV

I can't feel anything, I can't hear anything, I can't see anything. Everything seems blurry, the voices around me sound like I'm in a distant world away from everyone else.

This all feels like thirty different kinds of wrong.

This is worse than a nightmare, it's a nemesis.

My unborn child is dead and his mother is there fighting for her life.

Like damn! I can't lose both of them. If the baby is gone, God should at least save Luna for me. I'd go crazy if anything should happen to her.

That girl has got my heart.

All of it and I love her from here to the moon and back.

Right now everyone is impatiently waiting for the doctor. The news of the accident spread like wildfire. Her mother has been wailing ever since she got here and Asher's mum is comforting her.

Her father has done nothing but stared daggers at me ever since he got here but we haven't exchanged a single word.

Asher, Kyle and I keep pacing about the corridor restlessly.

It's terrifying to think that the doctor might walk out of that theater room and tell us the last thing we all want to hear right now.

I can't lose Luna like this.

I just can't.

"Ace" Someone calls and when I turn to look, I see my parents walking towards me. My father has a worried look but mum's expression is totally blank.

I can easily tell that she doesn't want to be here, my father must have insisted that she tagged along.

Anyway, I don't care, her presence makes no difference. I'm only glad that my father is here to comfort me.

"Dad" I cry as I walk into his outstretched arms. "The baby couldn't make it dad, the doctors couldn't save him and right now ,Luna is there fighting for her life. Dad I am so close to losing my sanity right now"

"Luna will be fine son, she's a fighter and she will make it"

"I hope she does dad, I really hope she does" I cry harder I'm his arms. "Dad I still can't believe the baby is gone, I'm not going to be a father anymore dad"

"Ace, I'm really sorry to hear that, I'm really sorry for your loss, son." I disengage myself from his hug and wipe my tears away. "You'll be fine Ace, you are going to get through this because you are strong." He encourages and all I can do is nod my head.

I don't even know how I'm going to face Luna.

I don't know how to comfort her without crying.

How am I supposed to get through this?

A doctor steps out of the theater and walks towards us.

"Doctor, how is my daughter?" Mrs. Angelis asks at a breakdown point.

"The surgery was successful, the internal bleeding has been stopped and luckily, she didn't sustain any major injuries. She is stable" He explains and everyone's face lights up.

"Can we see her?"

"About that, she insisted on Seeing Mr. Ace Damon first"

I swallow dryly as I step forward.

"Please follow me"

I follow the doctor along the long corridor and into a private ward. The moment I see Luna sleeping on the bed, my heart sinks.

She looks pale!

"I'll excuse you two"

"Thank you" He nods and exits the ward.

I let out a heavy breath as I take calculated steps towards the bedpost. She looks really pale and it breaks my heart. She doesn't deserve to go through all this, we don't deserve this kind of loss.

I take a seat by her side and gently caress her hair. Her right hand is positioned in her stomach and there's no bump there.

She lost the baby indeed.

Luna is not pregnant anymore.

"Ace" She calls weakly as she opens her eyes. It shatters me completely to see her in such a state, to see that she's in so much pain. If I could swap positions with her, I would do so without hesitation.

I hate to see Luna in pain.

"Baby"

"Is it really true? Have I really lost the baby?" She asks with a shaky voice and immediately, tears start streaming down my cheeks. The reality of this situation stabs my very soul like a million daggers. I have never felt this kind of pain in my heart before. My heart is so heavy that I can feel it weighing me down. This is hard.

It's extremely hard.

"Yes baby" sniffles tears "We both lost the baby"

"No!" She cries weakly and I feel very bad "I was almost there. This is so unfair!"

"I know babe, I know, but I want to let you know that we are in this together, we both lost a child and I promise to help you move on from this"

"How are you even going to do that when Sophia is carrying your child"

"You know about that?" I ask surprised and she nods.

"Yeah"

"How come?"

"That's not important okay, all I know is that Sophia is now the one pregnant with your child and she needs your attention "

"What are you driving at, Luna?"

"Ace, this is the final sign to prove that we can never work. Yes we love each other and we want to be with each other but it's pretty obvious that that's not meant to happen. We are not meant to be"

"Luna please, don't say that"

"Ace, if you really love me, you will listen to me and you will do what is right. You need to marry Sophia so you both can..."

"Luna no, please don't make me do this Luna. She's pregnant with my child but I don't love her and I don't want to marry her. Please Luna give us a chance. We can sort this out"

"I don't want us to, ever since we met it has been from one unfortunate circumstance to the next. This "us" will never work, so let's end it now before we get more miserable than this"

"Luna..."

"Ace please, if you love me, if you ever loved our deceased child..."

"Of course Luna, I did love our child"

"Then do this for him. Marry Sophia and build a happy family with her. You lost a child, don't neglect the other or his mother, if you really love me Ace, you will do this for me. Please" She pleads in tears and I just stare at her blankly.

I hate to admit it but she has a point. Ever since we met, it has been from one crisis to the next, one misunderstanding to the other. Maybe we actually need to give each other space.

Maybe we need to stop relying on our efforts to make things work between us and let destiny play her game.

"Is this really what you want?"

"No" She denied shaking her head as tears uncontrollably spilled down her cheeks. "But this is the right thing to do Ace, I can feel it in my heart that this is the right thing to do"

"As you wish, but Luna this doesn't mean I'm giving up on you. I love you more than you can ever imagine and I will always look for that opportunity to make things right between us, but until then, I will honor your request."

"Thank you very much"

"Can I kiss you one last time? Please?" I ask huskily and she nods in tears.

"Yes you can '' I wipe my tears away and gently lean closer to her. I am going to miss these moments. I'm going to miss kissing her, cuddling her in my arms, I'm going to miss seeing her smile. I'm going to miss everything about Luna.

I gently connect our lips together and my hormones enrage when she kisses me back. The kiss is first slow and gentle, but as we get deeper, it gets fierce and rough. This might be the last time I'm kissing Luna, I have to do it properly.

SIX WEEKS LATER

ASHER'S POV

"Son, are you sure this is something you want to meddle in ?"

"Dad I just don't want to meddle, I want to get involved, like deeply involved. I strongly believe that there's more to that night club than what meets the eye"

"I don't want you to start something you won't finish"

"Dad, when did I ever start something and didn't finish?"

"Son this is not any ordinary issue..."

"Why do I have a feeling that you know what's going on?"

"Of course not! I'm just worried for you, Miguel Campbell is not someone you want to joke with"

"I don't have plans of joking with Miguel Campbell. I'm going to dig into his deepest secrets and reveal his nasty dealings to the entire nation and when I'm done with him, he'll be sorry. Excuse me father"

I angrily storm out of his office and take the elevator to the next floor where mine is located.

Once I'm in my office, I take off my tux jacket and tie and walk to the wine bar where I serve myself a shot of vodka and gulp it down on a go.

I know what I saw in that club last night. Those pole dancers were underage children who had been dressed like adults to do what it is they were doing.

I'm going to investigate that guy because I strongly believe that there are underground activities going on in that club that are not friendly at all.

"Attorney Asher" My secretary calls.

"Yes Tessa"

"You have a guest"

"I'm not expecting any one today, tell him or her to leave, I'm not in the mood to entertain any guest"

"Even if the guest is me?" Someone speaks from the door and I freeze when I look and see Luna's mother.

The Highly Esteemed Mrs. Diana Angelis.

I wonder what brings her here.

"Mum!" I call in shock and she smiles.

"Can I come in?"

"Of you can, please come in. Tessa you can leave us"

"Thank you Sir" Tessa exits my office and I motion Mrs. Angelis to make herself comfortable on any of the couches in the sitting area.

"Don't I get a hug?" She asks and I blush as I walk into her outstretched arms. She engulfs me in a motherly hug and kisses my forehead. Suddenly I feel all the anger and frustration in my heart boil down and I'm calm again.

This is exactly what I needed.

Mum indeed is magic.

"Thanks mum, I really needed that"

"Anything the matter son?" She asks, concerned.

"Nothing I can't handle"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely mum"

"I'll take your word for it"

"So, what can I offer you? Wine, whiskey..."

"None son, I don't drink"

"Oh, but what about some fruit juice or coffee?" I insist and she smiles.

"You've not changed one bit, you're still the very hospitable young man I have always known"

"I can't let good manners depart from me mum"

"Excellent, but you don't have to worry, I'm okay"

"If you say so"

"So, to what do I owe this very pleasant surprise?" I ask and I can see her smile fades away.

I wonder what's wrong. " Mum, is everything alright?"

"Yes everything is fine. Just that, not a day passed without me wishing I didn't stop your father's from getting you and Luna married. This would've been so different and a lot easier for everyone"

"Mum..." I start to talk but she cuts me off.

"Let me finish. I hate to see Luna go through so much pain. She's only twenty-one, but she has already been through a lot. I hate to see my baby suffer like that" She cries and my heart melts instantly.

I hate it when women cry.

"Mum, we all hate to see Luna experience all this. I personally wish I could do something to change the situation"

"Actually, you can"

"How?" I ask confused.

"By marrying Luna" She announces and I pause, mouth agape.

Shocked beyond measure.

"Asher" She calls as she gets up from the couch and walks closer to me. "Asher, I know that Luna has made some wrong decisions, you have watched her get involved with other men and I don't know what you think of her right now, but she needs you. Luna needs you now more than ever before."

"Mum you don't get it, if it were up to me, I wouldn't have put my ring in Luna's finger long ago, but you see, Luna is in love with someone else. She is in love with Ace and I respect that"

"But Ace is getting married soon. She can't keep loving him forever"

"Mum" I call as I smile and hold her hands. "You don't wish for Luna and I to be together like I do. That is what I pray for every day, but Luna needs time. I promise you mum, when she's ready, you will be impressed at what I will do. I love Luna, I love her very much, but I'm never going to force my love on her. When she's ready, I'll know exactly what to do"

"How are you going to know when she's ready?" She asks unsurely and my smile widens.

"Trust me mum, I will know"

"Alright then, I will take your word for it"

"Everything is going to be alright mum. Sooner or later, all this will be sorted out"

"Come here" She stretches her arms once more and I walk into them.

The hug of a mother is pure magic!