MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

The black and white pieces glowed mysteriously in the glass cabinet.

Could there really be such a strange medicine - Crystal wondered. It sounded more like magic than science to her, and she had never believed in the supernatural.

The Auction Master continued. He said, "There are plenty of couples who want Cupid's Arrow. Mostly, some have investigated this peculiar dr*g beforehand, and I admire the courage it takes to take your love to the next level!"

Nathan gave Crystal's hand a light squeeze as if to say," I love you." He leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Do you know why I brought you here?"

Crystal shook her head.

Nathan showed her his biggest grin and said, "After we eat Cupid's Arrow, we will never want anyone else, and if either of us betrays our relationship, then that person will surely die!"

Crystal nibbled on her lower lip. She did not know if this was what he wanted. It sounds so ridiculous - she thought - It sounds like a prison! Like Hell on Earth! So, why is my heart beating so fast?

Nathan circled her waist with his arm. "If you do this with me," he said, "I can give you a lifetime of love, which is a thousand times what Eric has to offer."

Crystal' mouth felt dry, and her head began to spin as an old Brittney Spears song played out in her head - You drive me crazy...

With the mask on her face, she felt like she could barely breathe.

While she was distracted, Nathan held her hand. He gave it a loving squeeze, and then he stealthily slipped her wedding band off her ring finger without her noticing. He looked at it for a second, and then he threw it on the ground where she was unlikely to see it. I should have done that a long time ago - he thought. But the time had never felt right. And now, with it gone, he felt his entire body relax.

Nathan stretched out his arm, wrapped it around Crystal, and embraced her. "You don't know how much I love you," he said. "I cherish you more than my life. Crystal Smith, I love you." 

His sudden honesty made Crystal's heart flutter, and her cheeks turned red. 

"This is not the first time that I have said these words to you," he continued. "I have to say it again, though, because I'm afraid that I did not declare it earnestly enough. I am also afraid that I don't have enough time to let you know how much I love you."

Crystal did not know what to say. She felt like the room was spinning, and when he kissed her, not only did she let him, but she kissed him back. Meanwhile, the bidding on the pieces of Cupid's Arrow had begun, but they were too involved in their kiss to notice what was going on around them. Nathan had not intended to get involved in the bidding war anyway. His plan was to wait until the very end, and then Vic would swoop in and outbid everyone else.

Their kiss continued, and even though Crystal knew that she was falling into his trap, she did not resist him. A tingling started in her midsection and spread through her body until she was immersed in a euphoric bath. She gripped his shirt and moaned.

She was infatuated with the feeling, and she wanted more, but there was an inner voice that demanded her attention. It sounded like her mother's voice. "Use your mind," her mother said. "Don't trust your body or your emotions. They will betray you." She remembered all the times he had betrayed her, and some of the passion faded.

Suddenly, a beam of light fell on them, forcing them to squint and cover their eyes with their hands. "It's ours!" Nathan exclaimed, and he lifted his fist triumphantly.

Vic had successfully bid on the pieces of Cupid's Arrow.

Crystal frowned. She had been secretly wishing that someone else would win.

In the dim auction hall, everyone turned to see who had won the pièce de resistance. Every eye glared enviously. There was only so much Cupid's Arrow in the world, and their likelihood of ever getting any for themselves had just reduced exponentially. Nobody was happy for them.

Nathan shrugged and went back to kissing Crystal. Let them hate - he thought - Haters gonna hate... It was not so easy for Crystal to ignore them, though. She could not handle everyone looking at her, and she pushed Nathan away. 

Nathan sighed. "Alright," he said. "Let's go." He took her hand, and they stood up together. Luckily, they had aisle seats, and they were able to leave without interrupting anyone. Much to their annoyance, though, the spotlight remained on them.

Crystal's curvy figure was wrapped in a white close-fitting dress. The fox mask covered the upper half of her face, and from her elegant temperament and manner, people could tell that she was a great beauty.

Nathan was wearing a hand-made exclusive suit, and his olive-black pupils never moved away from Crystal. It was obvious to everyone that he was in love.

They were going to exit the way they had come, but the Auction Master called them to the front, and with so many eyes on them, they felt like they had no choice but to do as he said.

Crystal felt like she was going to cry, and Nathan could sense her distress. He squeezed her hand gently and leaned over so that he could whisper into her ear. "We'll make this quick," he promised.

Crystal nodded silently and allowed herself to be led to the stage.

As they approached, the Auction Master carefully opened the glass box. He took out the wooden box with the carved pattern on it and passed it to Nathan. Instead of taking the box, though, he opened it, took out the black piece, and put it into his mouth.

The audience gasped in unison, and then they began to clap and cheer. With this gesture, he won them over. The journalists jumped to their feet and began taking pictures.

Nathan motioned for Crystal to take the white piece, but she was hesitant. "Don't worry," he said. "It tastes good!"

"How does it taste?" she asked nervously.

"It tastes like..." Nathan paused and thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled and said, "There isn't really a taste. When you chew it, it ignites a feeling. For me, it was the feeling of loving you."

The Auction Master was astonished. He had never seen anything like this. He turned to Crystal. "Do you know what this means?" he asked.

Crystal frowned and shook her head.

The Auction Master smiled. "It means that whether you take the other piece or not, he will be unconditionally devoted to you until the day that he dies!"

Crystal's mouth dropped open. She had known that she was being pulled into a carefully devised trap, but she had not realized how complex or devious it was. It was beyond her ken. "How far down this rabbit hole are you willing to go?" It was her mother's voice again, and only she could hear it.

Why did my mother leave me in his care? - she wondered - There must have been a reason!

Nathan raised his eyebrows. "Are you going to eat the other piece now, or do you want to save it for later?"

"What if I don't want to take it at all?" Crystal asked.

"Then I will respect your decision," Nathan casually lied.. Of course, if she refused to take it, then when they got home, he would force her to take it.