CEO's Dilemma

CHAPTER SIXTY- EIGHT

ASHER'S POV

"Breakfast is ready" Alora announces as I walk into the diner.

"Good morning Princess"

"Good morning"

"Where is Luna?"

"In the kitchen" I go over to the kitchen where I meet Luna washing dishes in the sink and when she turns and sees me, she acts like she hasn't and concentrates on her plate.

"Good morning Luna" I greet calmly as I approach her.

"Good morning" she greets back not even sparing me a glance.

"Alora must have told you what happened yesterday"

"Yes, she did"

"Luna, all of this was sudden, I don't even know how it got to this level, Sophie and I..."

"I don't care about what happened between you and Sophia and I certainly don't mind that she's here"

"Why then are you mad at me?"

"Because... because... Just let it go, it's stupid"

"No Luna, I wanna know, tell me. Please" I plead and she looks at me with watery eyes.

"I just thought that after I ended things with Ace, you would have made a move on me, but it's been months now and there has been no sign of you trying to make me yours like you always claimed" she explains sadly as tears start streaming down her cheeks. "Everything has changed Asher, you no longer look at me like you did before, you no longer love me, you seem to have moved on"

"Luna, no! That's not true. I still love you"

"Then why have you been avoiding me?"

"I was only trying to give you some space, so you could..."

"I didn't need space Asher, I was hurting and I needed you, but you pushed me away"

"Luna that's not what it is"

"Tell me what it is then" she says with a furious look and I heave out a heavy sigh as I roughly thread my fingers through my hair.

"I won't only tell you, but I will show you this afternoon. Get yourself ready, we are going out at noon" I announce and she shoots me a surprise look "yeah, I want to prove to you that I have never stopped loving you and all I want is for you to be happy. Let's get everything settled today"

"Asher you're scaring me"

"Don't be scared sweetheart, I promise you it's something you're going to like" I assure her and she smiles. "Can I get a hug?" I ask stretching out my arms and she rushes into them.

"I miss you ash"

"I miss you more Luna, you have no idea how much I miss you" I inhale her soft pleasant perfume and it's all too familiar. Today I'm going to give her the happiness she has always wanted.

LUNA'S POV

Alora just finished dressing me up for my outing with Asher. I have no idea where he's taking me or what we are going to do but I trust Ash. What he has in store for me is something I'm going to like.

We still have a few minutes before we leave and I decided to have a few words with Sophia. She has refused to leave the room and even though I don't want to be worried about her, I am.

I know the kind of torment the first trimester put me through, she might be going through something similar.

I walk over to her room door and knock and when she signals me to get in, I gently walk into the bathroom. She is seated on the bed, staring blankly at the wall straight in front of her and I can see that she has on Asher's clothes.

A wave of jealousy washes all over me but I push the feeling aside.

Wait... What if Asher is about to ask me to marry him? That will put me in the same situation as Sophia a few months ago.

My fiancé will have a baby Mama just like her fiancé had a baby Mama.

What exactly is destiny playing at here?

"What are you doing here?"

"I... I just wanted to come check on you"

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah"

"Well, as you can see I'm miserable and sad, happy now?"

"No!"

"Whatever" she looks away.

"How is pregnancy treating you?"

"I don't want to talk to you Luna, please leave"

"Sophia I ..."

"Now!" she screams and I turn around and leave.

We are never going to get along.

ACE'S POV

I step into the beautiful garden that has a variety of flowers blooming in it and well cut lawns. This is one of the most famous recreation sites in the city and the beauty of this place has attracted a lot of tourists. Most weddings, engagement parties and other formal occasions are held in this very spacious garden and right now I can't help but wonder why Asher wanted us to meet here.

I head South as he had instructed and soon arrive at an area that has been beautifully decorated.

What catches my attention is the figure of a lady that's seated on one of the chairs on the table for two, but facing backwards. I can't see her face and Asher is nowhere to be found.

I take calculated steps towards her, wondering who she could be.

"Asher is that..." the lady asks and she turns to look at me. When our eyes meet and I recognize her, I stagger backwards in shock.

"Luna." I whisper in shock.

"Ace?" she calls looking as confused as I am.

"What are you doing here?"

" Asher asked me to meet him here, what about you?"

"Asher actually brought me here and he is nowhere to be found"

"Why do I feel like... this was all his plan?" I ask with a furrowed brow.

"It is" Luna confirms "He said he was going to prove to me that all he truly wants was for me to be happy"

"And I think I now understand what he was trying to say during the last conversation we had in my office a few days ago. He wants us to be together" I conclude as I smile at her "Luna, this is what Asher wants for us and I'm sure this is what we want for ourselves. The truth has finally been revealed and this is our chance to be together. Luna, do you want to be with me?"

"Yes, I want to be with you Ace, you have no idea how much I've wished for this day to come" she says as she rushes over to me and hugs me. I hug her back with all my might. I can't believe this is actually happening.

I am finally free to be with Luna.

"This time around, they would have to take away my life before taking you away from me. You are mine, forever!" I say as I kiss her passionately.

The only thing that can come between us again is death.

7 months later

The moment the doctor steps into the outpatient world we all rush over to him.

"Doctor, how is Sophia?" Asher asks in panic.

"She's still in a very critical condition, we are about to commence with the surgery"

"Then what are you doing here?" Asha asks

"She wants to speak with Luna Ramora" he announces and I feel my heart starts to beat abnormally.

Why does Sophia want to talk with me?

For the past several months she has done nothing but avoid me like a plague. "Is Luna Ramora here?"

"Here I am"

"Please come with me" he announces and I look at the others nervously they all nod at me and I follow him.

I put on the blue gown and cap before getting into her ward, she is lying on the stretcher ready to be taken into the theater. She looks... horrible, extremely weak and I feel very sorry for what she's going through.

She's going through so much pain. I walk over to her and take her hand in mine. I really don't want anything bad to happen to her.

"Sophia" I call softly and she opens her eyes.

"You came," she says with a weak smile.

"Yes, I'm here"

"Luna" she calls weakly "My existence has brought nothing but pain and heartache to you and I'm sorry for that"

"Sophia all that's not important right now"

"It is, it is important that I make things right with you before I..." she exhales heavily "before I die"

"Sophia no!" I deny firmly as tears start spilling down my cheeks.

"Luna, I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you, especially all those times you were pregnant. Now I know what you were going through and I hate to think that I made you go through worse. Please forgive me"

"Sophia, I forgive you, we are cool now. Just be strong, OK? You have to fight!" She smiles weakly.

"There is something you need to know"

"What's that?"

"All this while, I didn't just ignore you because I hated you, I stayed away from you because every time I looked at you, guilt stabbed my soul because of something I'm hiding"

"What are you hiding Sophia?"

"Luna... That accident that made you have a miscarriage wasn't ordinary, it was planned" she confesses and he sounds in my ears like a huge church bell. I actually feel my soul leave my body.

"Sophia what do you mean by, it was not ordinary?"

"That accident was orchestrated by Mrs. Cole, she paid some guys to follow you around and they caused that accident"

"No!" I cry as I let go for her hand and stagger backwards. This cannot be happening.

"I'm sorry I'm only saying this now, I was so scared of what she might do to me if I did, but now that I'm about to die..."

"Sophia if you mention that word one more time you will be sorry" I warn.

"Luna, I want you to take this child as yours. I'm the main reason why you lost yours and I know this child can never replace yours, but I'm begging you to take this child and raise her as your own. Please Luna, that is my dying wish."

"Sophia..."

"We have to commence with the surgery right away" a doctor announces.

"Sophia, you have to be strong"

"Goodbye Luna" the nurses push the stretcher out of the ward and I follow them. We meet Asher by the corridor and he asks them to stop.

"Mr. Asher, we..."

"One minute, please" Asher pleads and they both stop. He holds Sophia's hands and kisses them.

"You have to be strong, Sophia"

"Asher, thank you very much for showering me with so much love and care this past months, you made me understand that I can find happiness in another person and I found it in you. You gave me a reason to leave usher you are my hero and in my next life, I hope I meet you first"

"Sophia, stop talking like this"

"Take good care of her daughter, don't raise her to be anything like me. I know that you and Luna will do a good job raising her"

"Sophia... "

"We have to go" the nurses push her away and I crash into Asher's arms.

"Let's go meet the others" he suggests and we both go to the outpatient ward and you won't believe who I see.

Mrs. Cole.

Sophia's words replay in my mind, I feel anger boil in my heart and without warning I march over to her and hit her hard in the face.

"Luna!" my mother shouts as she comes to hold me. Everyone else in the room is astonished. Ace looks like he has seen a ghost.

"How dare you!"

"Sophia told me everything" I turn to Ace. "She's the one who caused the accident Ace, Sophia said she orchestrated everything, she killed our baby! "

"What?" Ace asks in astonishment as he rises from his seat.

"Son, don't listen to her, she is lying!" she tries to defend. Ace walks over to me and cubes my cheeks in his palms.

"Babe, Are you sure about this?"

"I swear, that's what Sophia told me"

"Mum, seriously mum?" he asks as tears fall down his cheeks. "You killed your very own grandchild?"

"Son, I swear I don't know what she's talking about"

"You really don't know?" Asher asks as he approaches us and Mrs. Cole goes silent. "I'm going to investigate this crime and if you're found guilty, you will be punished accordingly, so you had better be as innocent as you claim to be" Asher warns and she swallows dryly.

"Mom, if this turns out to be true, I will never forgive you. You might as well consider yourself childless. Come on baby"

He takes me to one of the couches where we both sit down and I cry harder in his arms. Right now it's not just the pain of losing my child that's killing me. It's the possibility that his very own grandmother is the one who ended his life.

How shocking.

How aching.

If all this happens to be true, I will make sure Asher gives her the punishment she deserves and she will spend the rest of her life regretting her actions.