MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Crystal looked up at Nathan and said, "I love Nathan, not you!" Nathan growled and said, "Nathan is dead, and I don't need your love. It is your body that I want."

Crystal: "I gave him my body, and I would rather die than give it to you!"

Nathan: How about if I take your body. And kill you?"

"No..." Crystal cried. "Please. This isn't you... Don't you know that you're Nathan?!?!" As she struggled, her hand brushed past the glass of water on the nightstand. She focused on it, and by using what little strength she had left, she was able to splash it in his handsome face. Dripping wet, he was super sexy. Unfortunately, though, he was not acting very sexy.

Nathan tore the glass from her hands and smashed it against the table's edge, turning it into a deadly weapon. As he brandished it over her, though, one of the shards happened to fall into her open palm, and she wrapped her fingers around it. Then she lifted it in the air and pressed it against his jugular. "This needs to stop," she said. "If you don't leave me alone, I will kill you."

Nathan couldn't believe what was happening. He would never allow anyone to disobey his orders, let alone threaten him so arrogantly. He pressed his neck against the glass, and it broke his skin, causing a trickle of blood to drip down his neck. He smirked and said, "Do it; if you're going to kill me, this is your one opportunity. So, don't blow it." 

Crystal was taken aback. Never in a million years would she have thought that he'd call her bluff. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed the bowl of fish porridge from the nightstand and dumped it over her head and all over her naked body.

The porridge had a sickening smell, and it caused Nathan to gag when it hit him. Did this woman pour porridge on her head to stop me from touching her? - he wondered. It seemed like a ridiculous idea, but he could think of no better explanation for her actions. He gave her a stern look and said, "Tell me, who is this, Nathan?"

Crystal: "You don't deserve to know."

Nathan: "I will know."

Crystal: "Get me out of here, and I'll tell you!"

Nathan shook his head and walked out of the room without saying another word. Minutes later, three servants came in. They gave Crystal a dirty look, and then they carried her into the bathroom to get her cleaned up. Once they had her in the bathtub, they turned on the water and proceeded to scrub her body. They were very rough, though, so Crystal said, "You guys can leave. I can clean myself."

"We were told to do it," one of the servants said. "Gerald will be mad if we leave you alone." 

Crystal frowned. She still didn't understand why Nathan was telling people to call him Gerald. "I don't care about Gerald!" she said. "Gerald isn't even real!"

When the servants heard that, they pinched her arms, thighs, and chest. Then, when they twisted her nipples, she shouted at them: "Don't you dare do this to me!"

"Miss Christine said you are nothing but a plaything," one of the servants replied. "And she said that we could play with you, too."

Crystal fell silent, and the servants thought that they'd finally put her in her place. They were wrong, though, and once they'd let their guard down, she tied their hair together.

"You, stupid bitch!" one of them yelled. "Let us go! If you don't, I'll go to Miss Christine and reveal your wickedness!"

Crystal ignored them, and after doing a quick body scan, she realized that the bath had rejuvenated her. Even her burst organs no longer hurt, and she was able to stand easily. She smirked at the servants as she rose. Then she tied them up with towels and stuffed wash clothes in their mouths. Once they were secured, she got dressed and returned to her bedroom. When she got there, though, she saw that it was empty.

I need to get out of here - Crystal realized, and she began to rummage around for anything that could help her escape. Unfortunately, her phone was gone. The money had been removed. I need Nathan - she thought - the old Nathan; the man I love; the man who loves and cherishes me. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found, and all that was left of him was this Gerald character…

Crystal heard a noise at the door, and when she turned, she frowned. "Vic," she said. "What's going on?"

"Everything is going to be okay," he replied. "I've come to fetch you."

Crystal: "How can I trust you? You said that I was nothing but a plaything!"

Vic sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Please believe me. Christine forced me to say that..."

Crystal: "I will believe you if you tell me what's going on."

Vic: "I don't understand."

Crystal: "You do understand! What happened to Nathan?"

Vic: "I honestly don't understand. Nathan is Nathan. He is my master, and he will always be my master."

When Crystal heard that, he slapped Vic hard across the face.

Vic bowed his head and took the slap willingly.

"Do you know why I slapped you?" Crystal asked. "I slapped you for Nathan!" Then, she slapped him again and said, "That one was for me!"

Vic's cheeks were burning, but he kept his head down. "Miss Smith," he said, "the master is waiting for you!"

"I knew I couldn't trust you," Crystal hissed.

Vic: "You can come willingly, or I can drag you out. Your choice."

Crystal held her head high like a proud peacock. She said, "I'll come."

***

Helen was sitting beside the man that she was now calling Gerald. They were in the living room, and she felt like she'd finally been given the life she deserved. She watched as Vic led Crystal in, and she smirked at the other girl as if to say, "I win!"

"Is this the woman that made me fall off my horse?" asked Nathan.

Crystal's jaw nearly hit the floor when she heard that. "What is this charade?" she asked. Then, as she looked at Nathan, a thought began to form in her mind - What if this really isn't Nathan? Is it possible that Nathan has an evil twin, and his name is Gerald? But if that's the case, where is the real Nathan?

"Yes," Helen replied.. "This is the woman that made you fall off your horse."