The Slaved Luna

Chapter 1

MIKARLOS DEVIEL AUXTRIVA POV

"Marry my daughter."

I took a sip of wine, keeping a stern expression. "I don't do marriage, old man."

I knew he wasn't really after the marriage. I just wanted him to get straight to the point. I hate people who beat around the bush-I always get straight to business as directly as possible.

"You can have my company," he added, making me frown. "You can even have all my properties if you just take good care of my daughter."

"Let's say we merge companies, but I won't interfere with how you run them," he continued. "It's all yours, young man. But only if you marry my daughter and take really good care of her."

Well, that's new. Marry his daughter and, in return, gain control over their business and properties?

What's in it for him? Isn't this too good to be true?

I don't really care who I marry, and I'm not the type to marry for love. But if it's for business, who am I to refuse?

Thinking about it now, his offer is entirely in my favor. But I can't be too hasty-I know for a fact that he's a businessman and a competitor. There's no way this comes without strings attached.

"Just marrying and taking care of your daughter is all it takes for me to have all your properties?" I repeated, making sure I heard him right.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I'll draft a contract to ensure that all conditions are met. If not, the offer will be terminated, and my daughter will inherit everything I originally intended to give you."

If that's the case, why doesn't he just take care of his own daughter himself? Or hire someone else? Why does it have to be me?

Do I look like a fucking caregiver? I don't even give a sht.

His offer seems risk-free, which makes it even more suspicious.

I glanced at my wristwatch-7:51 PM. I stood up, ready to head upstairs to my penthouse.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Ferrer," I said. "But I'm not interested in whatever it is you're proposing."

He stood up as well. We shook hands, and he handed me his business card, which I accepted just to be polite. I just wanted this conversation to end-I had a long day and needed rest.

"Feel free to contact me if you ever change your mind, Mr. Auxtriva," he said. "I look forward to setting an appointment with you and finalizing everything."

"Alright," I replied, though I had no intention of doing so.

Still, something about his offer made me want to figure out the real catch.

"Klarion," I called my personal assistant through the intercom. "Escort Mr. Ferrer."

Aside from investigating his business, I also hired private investigators to gather information about his daughter-Leurheine Angela Ferrer.

"Is that my future sister-in-law?"

I quickly hid the pictures scattered across my office table and straightened up.

"Shut up, Klarion!"

Klarion isn't just an employee-he's my younger brother. He's here so I can personally teach him the ins and outs of running a business.

"Mom should've named you after a door so you'd at least know how to knock instead of sneaking around like a f*cking creep."

He just chuckled. "She's gorgeous. Let me see again."

I swiftly shoved the photos inside my desk drawer before he could grab them. I don't know why, but I absolutely hate it when people touch my things.

"Pfft, just leave her to me then," he teased. "You don't seem interested anyway."

"That's not why you're here," I reminded him. He was getting sidetracked. "How did it go?"

"Changing the topic, huh?" he smirked. "Nice."

"Speak, Miklarion Ethan," I demanded, turning my swivel chair to face the city skyline outside my window.

He knew I was serious whenever I called him by his full name.

"Well," he cleared his throat. "Contrary to your suspicion, Mr. Ferrer's business is far from bankruptcy. So that's definitely not the reason for his proposal."

"Hmm," so it's not bankruptcy after all. "Then what else could it be?"

"Maybe he just wants his business to expand even more."

"I highly doubt that," I disagreed. "If it were purely for business, he wouldn't be putting his only daughter on the line."

"Mergers don't require marriage. Marriage is only for allies. And we're each other's biggest competitors," I explained further.

"Good point," he admitted.

"But why are you so caught up in this?" he asked curiously. "You could just forget about it. What's with all the investigators?"

I fell silent.