MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

At the Davis Mansion - the old Davis was sitting on a couch, studying his antique coffee machine. He put a cup of coffee under his nose and sniffed, and he felt refreshed. As he took a sip, the butler came in and said, "Christine is here, Sir."

Christine walked over, and she sat down in the chair across from the old man. She looked sharp in her sleeveless black shirt and white tights. She smiled at him and said, "Grandpa, how will I be rewarded this time?"

The old Davis: "What do you want?"

Christine took a stack of photos out of her bag, put them in an envelope, and said, "I'd like a brownie cake."

"Is that all," the old Davis asked, startled. When she didn't reply right away, he began to look at the photos. Each one was magnified. Everything could be seen clearly, and from a variety of angles. There was one of Nathan strangling Crystal, another of him pressing a gun against her forehead, and a few of him trying to drown her. He could tell just by looking at them that they weren't fake.

As he was looking at the photos, a servant appeared with a tray of brownie cake. Christine took one, had a bite, and moaned as she chewed it up and swallowed it. "So fucking good," she sighed. "Thank you." 

"I'm glad you like it," said the servant. He put the plate on the table and left them alone. 

The old Davis put the photo down. Then, without looking up, he said, "To prevent Crystal from escaping again, I've sent more than a dozen bodyguards to keep an eye on her. She will not be allowed to leave the grounds without my or Nathan's say so."

****

Crystal did not know who to expect at the Beverly villa when she learned that they were expecting a distinguished guest. All of the servants were helping in the kitchen, and the only one paying attention to her was a bodyguard. This gave her some hope that, maybe just maybe, there might be an opportunity for her to escape.

She thought about twisting her sheets into a rope and escaping through the window or knocking a servant out and pretending to be that servant. She didn't think either of these ideas would pan out, though, so she gave up on the idea of running away.

At dinnertime, Crystal was forced into the dining room by the bodyguard. By then, most of the seats were full. Everyone was laughing, and she quickly learned who their guest of honor was. It was the old Davis, and he gave her a dismissive look as he drank his wine.

When Nathan saw her, he said, "What are you doing? We're short-handed. Get the salad from the kitchen."

Crystal nodded, and when she returned with the salad, a figure stopped her and took it from her.

"I'll take that," Eric said.

Crystal gasped. She didn't expect Eric to be there.

Eric: "Hey, Pretty. Did you miss me?"

Crystal: "What are you doing here?"

Never mind that," Eric replied. He touched the red marks on her neck and asked if Nathan had been hurting her.

Crystal shook her head and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that," Eric whispered. "It's obvious that someone's been strangling you. Not only that, but you're no longer wearing my collar. Tell me everything."

Crystal nervously looked at Nathan. She sighed and said, "Nathan has a psychotic disorder and multiple personalities. He's supposed to be taking drugs, but he was denied his medication recently, and his second personality has taken over."

"Are you talking about Gerald?" Eric asked. Crystal was shocked to learn that Eric knew about the other Nathan. She nodded her head and asked, "How can I get my Nathan back?". 

Eric smiled and said, "Trust me, this will all work out, and you will have your Happily Ever After."

Crystal gave him a skeptical look and said, "How do you figure?"

Eric: "The Old Davis has been looking for a successor, and of all his students, Christine is his favorite. Unfortunately, she is a girl. He thinks that only a ruthless, cold-blooded man could be qualified to be his successor, though. He wants Nathan to marry Helen, and he is using her pregnancy to force his hand. The Old Davis doesn't care if Nathan loves her not. All that he cares about is having his own people around him."

Crystal sighed and said, "I don't understand..."

"You will in a minute," Eric said. "Here is the critical part: Nathan had a twin brother. The Old Davis gave each of them a gun and told them to try to kill each other. And because they were twins, no one knows for sure who lived and who died.

"This other Nathan is a man with no heart and no desire, which suits the old Davis, and that should make you happy. Nathan has been treating you badly, but you have no way of knowing if it was Nathan's psychotic dual personality or if it's Nathan's twin!"

Crystal was distraught. "I don't know why that should make me happy," she cried.

Eric: "If Nathan is dead, and this impersonator is willing to be with Helen, then the old Davis has no reason to keep you prisoner or do you harm!"

Crystal was in shock. She began to feel dizzy, and she would have fallen if Eric hadn't been there to catch her.

Eric sniffed her hair and said, "Do you want to get out of here?"

"I'd like to," she replied, "but the manor is a fortress. No one gets in or out without Nathan or the old Davis's say so...".

Eric: "You let me worry about that. When I tell the old Davis that I want you, no one will stop me."

Crystal: "Give me some time to think about it."

Eric: "I will return in seven days, and I will ask you for your hand in marriage."

Crystal was shocked. She looked up at him, but she couldn't tell if he was serious or joking from his expression. "Can you get something ready for me?" she asked.

Eric agreed immediately. If she went with him, he would do anything for her. He would even give her his life.

Suddenly, Eric grabbed Crystal's hand. She tried to resist, but he was too strong.

Eric: "Don't you want to know the true identity of the man who you know as Nathan but is calling himself Gerald?"

Crystal nodded and stopped resisting. Eric led her into the dining room, and as they approached, everyone stopped to look at them. The old Davis frowned, and Christine raised her eyebrows. Nathan caught sight of their interlocked fingers, and he glared at them fiercely.

Eric looked at the old Davis and said, "You must remember the girl I told you about."

"Is that her?" asked the Old Davis. He eyed Crystal and thought - It is no wonder Eric and Nathan both fell in love with the same woman at the same time. This woman is something special.. If Eric hadn't taken a fancy to her, I would consider taking her for myself.