A game of heart

“I have been fooled once. He will get his payback,” I whispered to myself, fists clenched and heart burning with buried pain. My name is Luna, and this… is my story. To the world, Sam is a charismatic and influential business magnate. To me, he’s a ruthless womanizer who believes he can have anyone he wants — and get away with anything. Sam owns the publishing company I work for, though until recently, he never noticed me. And I was just fine with that. I’m focused, disciplined, and determined to rebuild the life I lost when Lawrence died. --- “Luna! Wait up so we can tag along!” Lovin', my colleague, called out. “Okay, I’m waiting,” I responded, eyes still glued to my phone. Lovin’ and I had been close for two years. She was a vibrant, proactive woman — the kind of person who thrived on gossip and laughter. Sometimes annoying, mostly amusing. “Hi Luna, you look really sweet today,” a male voice interrupted. I glanced up to see my senior officer standing awkwardly, fishing for attention. I ignored him, pretending to be occupied with my phone. He sighed and left. Lovin' finally caught up, breathless. “Sorry, sorry! I saw Sam — and girl — I swear he was looking at you like a snack!” I rolled my eyes. “Forget that giant. There’s nothing to talk about.” She pouted. “Ugh. You’re no fun.” We walked together to get a cab when Lovin’s eyes lit up. “Luna… look,” she whispered, nudging me. A tall, dark, handsome man stood beside a sleek black car, about to enter. His presence was commanding, but I barely gave him a glance. “He’s staring at you!” Lovin’ gasped. “Please. Let’s go,” I muttered. --- We both got off at our bus stop. I rang the doorbell, and my mom opened the door, wearing her apron. “How was work today?” she asked. “As usual,” I sighed. A delicious aroma filled the air. “What’s that smell?” “Your favorite. Go and freshen up. I’ll set the table.” I rushed to the kitchen. Porridge. My stomach did a happy flip. My dad died when I was ten. Since then, it’s been me and Mom against the world. We were each other’s anchor. After a quick shower, I joined her. We set the table and sat to eat. As we ate, she looked at me thoughtfully. “Still no lucky man, Luna? It’s been four years since…” “I still miss him, Mom.” She sighed. “You have to move on, baby.” “I’ll try. I promise.” Later that night, as I lay in bed, memories of Lawrence flooded back — my first love, my everything. The nights we spent together. The warmth of his hands. The way he made me feel. Then came the night of the accident. One call changed everything. He was gone. Just like that. My world ended, and I’ve struggled to rebuild ever since. I need a distraction. Maybe even a new beginning.