A Glimpse into the Life of Father Walter Davis - The Pink Cadillac

Walter Davis was born in the year 1935. His parents had moved from England to Arizona, an American state. He was his parents’ only child. They migrated to California after the outbreak of World War II. His father began working in the shipping industry there. When he was 12 years old, his father died of an illness. After his father left, he was raised by his mother. She worked in a factory and took him to church every Sunday. Walter’s interest in religion stemmed from this. After high school, he earned his bachelor’s degree. He studied theology and religion. He subsequently went to seminary for five years, was ordained by a bishop, and began living a religious life.

In December 1895, France invented the cinema. Following World War I, French filmmakers began producing pornographic films. After a while, America began to make naked movies as well. ‘Stag films’ were commercially available for private viewing by the 1920s. The majority of the people at the time despised these things. Walter Davis’s viewpoint was no different.

Playboy caused quite a stir after 1953. Adult theatres had proliferated in America by the end of the 1960s. There were two groups of people in the overall population. There were supporters and opponents of adult films. There was no one who was impartial. Walter thought it was anti-religious. At the time, he was in California. He also visited the state governor and urged that this should be prohibited. The governor admitted that pornography will morally corrupt future generations. He assured him that he would do whatever he could. But it appeared impossible to put a halt to this storm. By the early 1980s, pornography had reached a large portion of the American population through video cassettes.

Although Walter was a highly truthful and honest person, he had a dark secret that no one knew about. He married covertly and had three children. Priests are not allowed to get married, but because he was in love with a girl, he married her by lying about his job. He claimed to be a factory manager. He kept his family in San Diego and paid them two visits per month. In Burbank, no one knew he was married, and no one in San Diego knew he was a priest.

* * *

On Tuesday afternoon, two days after the church incident, Father Walter Davis boarded a Greyhound bus to Irvine. He was secretly going to meet his family after taking four days off. The trip from Burbank to San Diego took roughly five hours. He used to go from Burbank to Irvine, then take off his cassock and put on a shirt before boarding a bus to San Diego. No one would doubt him this way. He arrived at Irvine about three o’clock in the afternoon. There he first changed his clothes and then took light refreshment.

That day, he noticed there was a lot of chaos around the bus station. A group of 10 to 12 people had gathered at a shop. He went there as well. They were all engrossed in listening to the radio. There were reports that the president had been shot. This news was very shocking for him also. He had once met him when he was a state governor before he was elected president. He appeared to be a genuinely pleasant person who cared deeply about America. He prayed for the president’s life while he sat on the bus.

He arrived home at 5:30 p.m. His three children, two daughters and a son rushed up to him and hugged him. He lovingly caressed everyone’s head. Then his lovely wife also came to him. Walter hugged her too. She whispered softly in his ear, “Darling, I have some great news for you.”

* * *

Dakota was seated in front of the director, Tim.

“Did you find out anything about the newcomer who came to the shooting that day?”

Tim asked, “What’s wrong, Dakota? That incident happened more than a month ago. Why do you still consider it? What exactly was so special about it?”

Dakota continued rather than responding to her query, “You told me that day that the agency people said they would soon tell you the whereabouts of that man.”

“Dakota, please tell me the whole thing. Why are you looking for him so desperately?” Tim asked in surprise.

Dakota remained silent for a while. Then she told him, “Tim, I am pregnant. And I have no doubt that this was done by the same man.”

Tim sprang out of his chair. “What exactly are you saying, Dakota? How is this even possible? Didn’t you use protection that day?”

“I inserted a birth control pill into my vagina just before the shooting. I always follow the same method. But I’m unable to figure out why it didn’t work that day.”

“Dakota, this is quite unusual. It is also extremely harmful. Consider the damage that could be done to all of us if incidents like this become frequent. Sometimes I feel that condom use is the safest for sex. However, the public does not like it. We are compelled to do film scenes without condoms because of this. Well, all this happened just a short while ago. Still, the issue can be solved. I’ll give the doctor a call right now. From here, you go directly to him. Nothing to worry about, everything will be all right.”

“I have not come to you to arrange an abortion, Tim. That is my problem, and I can solve it on my own if I so desire. I’ve come to you to find the man who got me pregnant. My question is straightforward and I want an answer in simple words.” Dakota’s voice was vehement.

Tim had picked up on it. He sat on the chair and murmured quietly, “Listen, Dakota. That day, something strange happened.”

Dakota asked Tim, looking him straight in the eyes, “Tell me what strange thing happened. I want to know, Tim.”

Tim said, “The agency people told me that the name of the model they sent for the shooting that day was Xander.”

“What’s strange about it, Tim?” Dakota questioned.

“First, Dakota, listen to the whole thing. When this person Xander was driving to the shooting location in his car, he met with an accident and couldn’t reach us.”

A tremendous shock jolted Dakota. “Then who was that motherfucker who fucked me?” she screamed.

“No one knows anything about him, Dakota,” Tim remarked. “He simply appeared at the shoot that day and then vanished. Since then, no one has seen him.”

Dakota said, “You’re scaring me now, Tim. If something like this happens, you are entirely responsible. The safety of all of us was in your hands and I always trusted you.” Her voice was filled with rage. And only she knew whether the reason for her rage was the arrival of that anonymous man there or whether he had stayed anonymous till now.

“I know, Dakota,” Tim admitted. “And I agree that I made a significant error on my part. However, if you use your intellect to reflect on the events of that day, you will see how this error occurred. I kept assuming that he was the man sent by the agency. The agency was unaware that their man had been admitted to the hospital otherwise they would have informed me about the situation. As soon as I found out about it, I went to see Xander in the hospital. His car had hit the divider and turned over, fracturing his shoulder. He told me that he was approaching the set at a rapid pace when suddenly darkness appeared in front of his eyes and he lost his vision. The car slammed into the divider before he could comprehend anything.”

Dakota’s face lost its radiance. Her whole body began to shake. “Tim, I should leave now,” she remarked as she stood up. “I’m not sure what’s going on with me these days.”

“Look after yourself, Dakota. And kindly keep me updated on your situation.” Tim’s voice sounded worried.

* * *

At a private property in Pasadena County, a sex scene involving Danny and two female models was being filmed. The two girls were identical twin sisters. No one could believe that this was their debut film after watching their work. As soon as the shooting started, both of them lunged at Danny as a lion might at its prey. Danny’s screams were louder than the two of them inside the room. The director had a broad smile on his face. He had a feeling that this scene would be unforgettable and that these two girls would earn him a lot of money. It was 11 in the morning when Dakota’s car stopped outside the property. She got down of the car and went inside the house.

The entire crew was inside the room where the shooting was taking place, including the director and cameraman. Dakota did not think it was appropriate to enter the room since she knew it would cause distraction. Outside in the courtyard, there was a huge pear tree. She sat calmly on one of the two unoccupied chairs under the tree, waiting for the shooting to end. After roughly 20 minutes, the scene was completed and the director was the first to emerge. When he saw Dakota, he greeted hello to her, and she reciprocated the greeting with a smile. Then she revealed that she had come here to meet Danny. The director returned to the room and told Danny that Ms. Fawkes had arrived. Danny emerged from the room, cleaning his penis with a hand towel, while neither of the girls got out of bed and remained to play with each other’s bodies long after the scene was over. Because the sun was too bright outside, Danny wore goggles on his eyes but no clothes on his body. He approached Dakota fully naked and shook her hand.

Then he sat on another vacant chair in front of her. He had bite marks all over his body, including his neck and shoulders. It was evident that he was very uncomfortable after performing this scene. Simultaneously, looks of confusion could be seen on his face. Perhaps Dakota’s unexpected arrival here was the reason for this. “Dakota, are you all right?” he asked. “How did you come here unexpectedly?”

“First tell me what was going on inside,” Dakota joked. “You’ve never been in such a terrible situation before.”

“Problems strike without a warning, Dakota. After the scene started, I realized how violent both models are and how far they can go,” Danny explained. “I would have refused to work in this movie if I had known earlier.”

“Danny, you are a warrior. Are you afraid of those two young girls?”

“I simply don’t know what to say, Dakota. You would have been shocked if you had witnessed what they did to me.”

“So wasn’t that all in the script, Danny?” Dakota asked.

“No. In reality, there was no script. All of this happened because of Tim. Due to the huge success of his movies, other filmmakers did not place any restrictions on models. They are allowed to do whatever they want.”

A spot boy then brought two lemonade glasses on a serving tray for each of them. They both grasped the glasses in their hands.

“Now tell me, Dakota. You have never unexpectedly come by to see me before. Is everything all right?” Danny expressed concern.

Dakota said, “Nothing is fine, Danny. I’m not sure what’s going on with me.”

Danny asked, “Are you feeling well?”

Dakota replied, “I’m okay, Danny. I came to you because I needed to talk about some really important issue with you.”

“Speak up, Dakota.”

“Last week I found out that I’m pregnant.”

Like Tim, Danny also jumped out of the chair. “What are you talking about? How is this even possible?”

“It’s true, Danny,” Dakota said. “My life has taken a turn I never expected. I had never considered even getting married, and now this child?”

“Do you know who is the father of the child?”

“I know and at the same time, I don’t.”

Danny was quiet for a few moments. “So what have you thought next, Dakota?” he asked.

“For a couple of days, I wasn’t sure what to do. But then, after thinking it over all night, I made a significant decision. That’s why I’ve come to you this morning. If I start hesitating even slightly in making this decision tomorrow, if I get weak, don’t let me change my mind. Please don’t let me flee from this.”

“Do you want to keep this baby, Dakota?”

“Danny, that’s what I want. However, I also want to permanently quit this industry at the same time.”

“What is the need to do this, Dakota? You are getting an adequate income from the industry. This will enable you to care for your child properly. What will you gain by leaving this industry?” Danny asked, really confused by her decision.

While both of them were talking, sounds of sighs and moans were coming from the shooting room. Even after the camera was turned off, the bodies of both girls were still entangled with each other. Perhaps their thirst was not quenched even after squeezing Danny.

Dakota continued to say, “Many incidents have happened simultaneously in the last few days, Danny. Firstly, I got pregnant. Additionally, I have been exposed to my society. Now everyone is aware of my profession.”

“But you are one of those people who don’t give a shit about these things.”

“I was like that, Danny. But I’m not like that any longer. Ever since I came to know that I am carrying a child inside me, I have started worrying about it. Danny, the way those people are looking at me, my child will not be able to endure such gazes when he grows up. He would not be able to live such a discriminating life.” While speaking, her eyes welled up with tears.

“If you’ve already made up your mind, Dakota, that’s fine. Please let me know if you need any support.”

“Danny, I am going to leave this place forever and move to Miami as soon as possible. After I leave, you sell my house. I’ll utilize that money to purchase a house there. But until then, I will need a place to stay there.”

“Don’t be worried about it, Dakota. I have my own house in Miami. You are welcome to stay there as long as you desire.”

“All right, Danny. I am going to close my bank accounts and take all of my cash with me in a couple of days. If everything goes as planned, I’ll leave this place by next week.”

Danny was overcome with sadness on hearing this. Dakota noticed his sadness and cradled his face in her hands, saying, “It’s hard for me to leave you, Danny. You are like my brother. I will continue to see you. Danny, please take care of yourself.”

Then two completely naked girls emerged from the shooting room, holding each other’s hands and laughing wickedly and proceeded to the nearby shower room. Even inside the shower, they couldn’t stop giggling. Dakota, upon seeing them, exclaimed, “It’s amazing, Danny, these two look exactly alike.”

“Yes. Both are twins, Dakota, Lucy and Kitty.” Danny pointed toward the shower room and said, “The kind of non-serious and non-artistic people are increasing in this profession, I think the golden period of this industry will end soon. From that perspective, your decision to leave the industry seems right, because good people will have no value in the future.”

Dakota thought that Danny was worried about non-serious and non-artistic people joining the industry. But he was quite unaware that anonymous people had also entered the industry.

After two days, Danny introduced Dakota to a realtor he knew and Dakota showed him her house. The realtor asked Dakota to hand over the keys to him after vacating the house. As soon as a seller is found, he will sell the house to him and send the money to her address in Miami via demand draft. To avoid having to travel from Miami to sell the property, he made Dakota complete all the paperwork in advance.

Dakota said her final goodbyes to Burbank on the last day of that week. Even as she moved away, only one face lingered in her thoughts. Dakota’s heart and intellect had been deeply affected by that mysterious man. She was desperate to find him but was helpless. She was thinking that she was leaving for the sake of her child’s future, but she was also giving up the chance to meet that mysterious man again. If she hadn’t quit the adult industry and instead kept working in the movies, he would have appeared in front of her again. But, in order to avoid any negative consequences for her child, she did not waver and kept to her decision.

The following week, Lucy and Kitty were sitting in front of the same realtor Danny knew. They wanted to buy a house in the San Fernando Valley. They traveled from Northern California to become a porn star. In their hometown, both of them had made a significant amount of money by doing odd jobs. They didn’t face any problem in finding work after arriving here because of their unique talents. In the very first scene, the director was pleased with their performance and paid them far more than the set amount.

The two sisters visited Dakota’s house with the dealer the following day. They both liked the house very much and the deal was finalized. On the third day of getting the property in their name, both the sisters moved to Dakota’s house.

Mrs. Molly’s family sat at the dining table late at night. Charlie’s father brought him back to Utah a week ago. Jacob finished his meal and then walked to his room.

Mrs. Molly’s husband said, “I noticed that someone has moved into the house next door to us. Have you met them? Who are they, exactly?”

Molly started speaking in a single breath, “Yes, I met them today when they were moving their stuff inside the house. They are both students with a nice attitude. Both have a similar appearance. They will be merely two or three years older than Jacob. They have been admitted to the university. They appeared to be really bright students. They inquired as to who had previously lived in this house. I mentioned that some salesgirl used to live there. I didn’t tell them the truth. The poor girls have come to study. By knowing the truth their attention would go toward the wrong things. Did I do it right? It’s a good thing the witch has left. We may now say that this is a society of decent and honorable people.”

Dakota left Burbank permanently, but before we say farewell to that town, we want to share some of the events that occurred in that house after Dakota left. Lucy and Kitty moved into that house. Both of them began revealing their true colors after a few days. They appeared to be experiencing extreme discomfort while wearing the clothes. They only dressed up when they had to leave the house. They lived completely naked inside the house, with not a scrap of clothing covering them. They used to dress up before departing for the shoot and then return to their natural form as soon as they arrived on set. It would be fair to state that only the open sky had seen both of them in their clothes, not the house’s roof and walls. The situation was such that if someday both of them sat fully clothed, the house would not have recognized that the owner was sitting. The house felt as if a visitor had arrived.

When the newspaperman entered inside their house to collect the monthly bill one day, the wealth of the entire world appeared insignificant in compared to what he saw inside. Both of them left no stone unturned in providing hospitality to the visitor. From then on, the guy started ringing their doorbell every morning before respectfully placing the newspaper in their hands. The plumber experienced almost the same thing. He first came to fix a pipe, and then he kept coming back on a regular basis. He purposefully kept a connection slack so that his services would be required again in a few days. And whenever he went to mend something, his own repairs would also be done at the same time. Whether they both paid his wages or not, they never let him complain about his life.

When fortune was suddenly being so nice to so many people, how could Jacob stay unaffected? Whenever he left his house, they flashed their boobs through the window. That poor guy would have had a terrible time controlling his emotions. He had previously only been interested in video games, and upon viewing both of them, he lost control over himself. But he lacked the confidence to approach them.

It’s said that nature works to unite true lovers, but in this case, the situation was different. The issue here was not one of true love but of pure lust. Nature continued to play its game. Molly told her husband one night at the dinner table, “Darling, I was thinking of asking the neighborhood girls to give Jacob some tuition in spare time. They seem to be pretty intelligent in my opinion. If they agree, Jacob’s grades might increase. Throughout the day, he concentrates on video games. It’s possible that as a result of their companionship, he will begin showing an interest in his studies.” Her husband also liked Molly’s suggestion and agreed. Jacob kept his head down, listening to both of them. He became aware of an erection in his penis. The next day, Molly approached Lucy and Kitty as they were heading out of the house for work and started talking to them about her son. Jacob was watching the three of them from the window inside the house. He couldn’t hear their voices, but he knew they’d agreed to teach Jacob. Molly began walking back home after thanking them when one of them noticed Jacob in the window and pressed her left eye. Jacob got a significantly stronger erection than the night before.

That same evening, Molly sent Jacob to both of them. Molly was confident that her son would return having learned something new. And exactly the same thing happened but in a different field. Jacob gently scooped up his books and went outside to ring the neighboring house’s doorbell. After that, whatever occurred to him inside the house was something he could never have imagined even in his wildest dreams. His cousin Charlie had undoubtedly seen many adult movies, so he was likely aware of all the things that could occur between a man and a woman. Although Jacob was innocent, both of them did not let him stay innocent for long. Whenever he had the opportunity throughout the day and both of them were at home, he would enter their house without hesitation, and he often began visiting there in the night after his parents had gone to bed. This went on for several days, although the neighbors were unaware of the situation. Lucy and Kitty, like the rest of the neighbors, remained good and respectable in Molly’s eyes. Molly always thought they were both bright and promising students. Dakota, on the other hand, had done nothing wrong yet had become infamous despite this.

One night Jacob made a telephone call to Charlie’s house and gave him a detailed account of all the incidents happening to him. Charlie was thrilled when he heard his words. He insisted on his parents visiting Jacob. They did not, however, agree. They reasoned that Charlie had returned recently after staying with Jacob. They said that they would invite Jacob here on the next vacation. But Charlie insisted on going to Jacob’s house. His parents said that now they would not send him anywhere. He needed to focus on his studies.

Charlie was left heartbroken. Every week, Jacob updated him on his recent experiences over the phone, leaving Charlie with no choice but to bash his head against the wall. Molly found herself in a similar scenario, slamming her head against the wall, when she noticed Jacob’s grades had already dropped. She had no idea why this was happening. Jacob had changed significantly. His interest in video games had disappeared as well. However, his grades were not improving.

* * *

We now say goodbye to the town of Burbank and return to our main story. Dakota spent around two months at Danny’s house in Key Biscayne, Miami. The mansion was gorgeous. Dakota knew Danny came from a wealthy family and had plenty of money. He merely got into the industry as a hobby. He still had several connections in Miami from his school time. One of them provided Dakota with a lot of assistance. Her bank account was also opened. After receiving the demand draft for the sale price of the house in Burbank, Dakota began looking for a house for her. She purchased a small house in Little Havana downtown with the help of the same person in a matter of days. She was delighted. The place had a lively vibe. She intended to open a flower shop there, entirely burying her past. But this was her long-term strategy. She was only thinking about her unborn child at the time. People around her were also showing her a lot of love and respect. Time seemed to be flying by. Now, just by looking at her belly, anyone could tell that she was expecting.

One night, the couple next door told her that their car had broken down and that they both needed to attend a bonfire party on South Beach. If she was free tonight, could she lend them her car? Dakota agreed. Then he suggested to her that she might accompany them if she wanted to. Dakota liked his suggestion and agreed. She felt that on this pretext she too would have some outings. Dakota started the car and headed for South Beach as soon as they were both seated inside. They arrived at the location in about 30 minutes. As soon as Dakota and her two companions exited the car, a brand-new pink Cadillac Eldorado pulled up next to them, and two people, a 25-26-year-old six-foot tall man and a stunning young woman stepped out.

“How are you, Alonso?” Dakota’s neighbor asked upon seeing him. “Congratulations and best wishes for your marriage and new car.” The man thanked him and smiled before shaking hands. Dakota’s neighbor then introduced him, saying, “This is Alonso Barros. He was my junior in high school. He just got married last month.” Dakota shook hands with both of them as well. Then they all moved together toward the bonfire. There was a large bonfire pit, and many people were hanging around and drinking nearby. They were enthusiastically welcomed there. The music was blaring at full volume.

Dakota avoided drinking because she had a child growing inside her. The couple who had accompanied her was busy meeting other people, while she sat alone on a chair, staring at the bonfire pit. Nobody knew what was going through her mind. The newlywed couple that arrived in the pink car vanished without a trace. Maybe they came merely to show their faces. Dakota understood that newlyweds were more interested in each other than in anything else. They can’t stay long without loving one another. And perhaps this was the reason why they left the party early.

After the dinner, the party wrapped up about midnight, and the guests began to say goodbye to each other. Dakota, too, sat in her car with her neighbors and drove away. The beach was deserted, but the bonfire was still burning. They arrived in Little Havana in 20 minutes because there was little traffic on the roads. Her neighbors thanked her and returned to their house. Dakota also went inside her house after leaving her car parked on the road.

She emerged after ten minutes. She was holding two hefty bags in each hand. The doctor had prevented her from lifting heavy objects, but no one knew what was going on in her mind at the time and she didn’t think it was important to be cautious. She put both bags in the trunk of her car and drove back to South Beach. It was already 1:00 a.m. After 20 minutes, she returned to the same location where the bonfire was still burning. She stopped her car beside the pit. Then she emerged and fetched the bags from the trunk. She unzipped one of the bags. Inside, there were several video cassettes. She took out the video cassettes one by one and began to toss them into the flaming pit. The fire began to burn more quickly. The bonfire in the pit began to emit black smoke. Standing motionless, she threw the cassettes into the fire one by one, like a machine. The black smoke billowing from the burning pit did not rise to the sky, but instead spread all around and encircled Dakota.

Dakota’s eyes became inflamed as a result of the smoke, and some of the smoke entered her lungs. She coughed and moved away from the spot. In the second bag, there were still some cassettes left. She bravely stepped back into the swirl of smoke and ignited the remaining cassettes. When she began to throw the last cassette, her gaze was drawn to its title. Her hand abruptly came to a halt, and tears streamed from her eyes. She remained like a statue for a few moments and then put the cassette back in the bag, put the bags back in the trunk and then drove away.

That same year, on November’s full moon, she gave birth to a moon-like daughter. The beauty of that infant captivated everyone in the room. Dakota named her daughter ‘Luna’.

* * *

In the summer of 1994, a 50-year-old man in a black robe sat on the carpeted floor of a wooden cabin on a private ranch outside Houston, Texas. His face was obscured beneath the hood, but his Egyptian goatee beard and lips were apparent. A large number of candles were lit on a table to his left. The same candles provided lighting in the room. There was no light bulb inside the cabin. Some incense sticks were burning alongside the candles. The cabin was filled with an enticing aroma. Two girls in their early twenties sat on the ground in front of the hooded man. The man appeared to be giving a sermon, and they were both paying close attention to him. “There is nothing sacred about sex,” the man said. “It is the filthiest act. Sex can be considered sacred only when it occurs between two strangers. Strangers, who have never met before and don’t even know each other’s name, and even after that act, they say goodbye to each other without revealing their identities to each other. That is the only way to maintain the purity of sex.”

The entrance of the cabin suddenly opened, and a muscular man with a scar on his forehead above his left eye entered, bowed his head, greeted the hooded man and stood next to a wall. He was holding a large brown paper envelope. For a while, the man in the hood stopped speaking and beckoned the man with the scar to come closer. The man approached him, delivered the envelope to the hooded man and said, “Mission completed, Master.” He then returned to his initial spot and stood silently. When the hooded man opened the envelope, a magazine emerged from it. The sound of ‘hmm’ came out of his mouth as soon as he saw the cover of the magazine, and he turned to face the man with a scar and said, “Good job.”

“Thank you very much, Master,” the man with the scar responded.

The hooded man then fell silent for some time, as if he was sending or receiving a signal. After a few moments, he remarked, “This magazine’s idea was born in the mind of its founder at the same time this woman was born. These two were incomplete without each other. The purpose of both of their existences has now been fulfilled.”

The man in the hood continued speaking, “Man is not even allowed to pick up a pebble lying on the seashore and put it somewhere else. And he continues to try to eliminate the presence of some things from this world in which he will never be successful. In the process, he simply wastes his time and energy. And when nature backfires to maintain the balance, he blames his fate since he doesn’t grasp the procedure. Whatever occurs in this world serves a purpose. That thing will vanish on its own once its purpose has been completed.” The three persons in the room were silently listening to him.

Then he asked, “Are you looking after that family?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good. Keep an eye on them and safeguard them until the job is over. That mission, like this one, is critical.” The hooded man stated as he put the magazine back into the envelope. “You will need to monitor the situation closely at all times. You will need to take prompt action to correct any deviations in this story and keep it on track until it reaches its intended goal. We can prevent a major natural disaster from striking that small town in this way.”

“Indeed, Master.”

“Because of my ability to see into the future, I was able to detect the imbalance caused by that priest’s hurting a sacred heart and began working on it in due time.”

“Yes, Master,” the man with a scar gently nodded his head and left the cabin.

* * *

On 31 December 1999, a New Year’s Eve celebration was taking place on Miami’s South Beach. The gathering had a really hot vibe. The song ‘Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears was playing on the DJ, and many teenage boys and girls were dancing. A stunning young lady in a purple sleeveless outfit was also dancing with her friends. A man who appeared to be in his mid-40s with a French-cut beard and a bucket cap on his head was seated a short distance away and was closely observing that girl. He was holding a Bourbon Limoncello Cocktail in his hand which he was sipping very slowly. Even though there were other attractive girls dancing around, his attention was solely on that one. It didn’t appear like he was giving her a seductive glance. Rather, he was lost in contemplation as he looked at her. The DJ continued to play hit music one after the other. The girl kept dancing intoxicated, while the man sat like a statue and stared at her. This went on for approximately half an hour. The girl then stopped dancing and sat on an empty chair. Either her intoxication had worn off or she was tired and fatigued. Her other friends continued to dance. Perhaps none of them noticed she had split up with them and moved away.

The man with the French beard rose from his seat and started moving toward her. He picked up an espresso martini while strolling and approached the girl, saying hello. The girl looked at him, puzzled, and replied, “Hello.” He extended the glass to her. The girl thanked him while receiving the drink from him.

Once the girl received the drink from him, he gained confidence and sat down in the other chair close to her. With great casualness, the girl asked, “Excuse me, do I know you?”

He replied, “No. But maybe I know you.”

The girl’s look showed a hint of surprise. Then she said, “I didn’t understand anything. Who are you? Could you please clarify?”

The man sipped from the glass in his hand, took a long breath, and asked, “Can you tell me your name?”

“My name is Luna, sir,” the girl said. “But why do you ask?”

“If I’m not mistaken, you’re the daughter of Dakota Fawkes. Am I correct?”

With a smile, the girl asked, “Do you know my mother?”

With the girl’s question, everything became clear to the man. He took a frigid breath and glanced up into the sky before saying, “Yes, I know very well. But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen her.”

The young girl remained silent. The man continued, saying, “Did you know you look exactly like your mother? My last interaction with her was in 1981. Do you live with her?

“Yes,” the girl nodded.

The man inquired, “How is she now?”

“She is good.”

“Does she have a friendly relationship with you? I’m wondering whether she’s told you anything about her past life.”

That girl chuckled. Then she added, “My mother has never withheld anything from me. I’ve never kept anything from her, either.”

“I was aware of it. She is a fearless and powerful woman. I hold a high regard for her. By the way, my name is Tim Blue and I am a filmmaker. And I’ve come to Miami for some very essential business. I would like to speak to you about something important if you could spare me a little time.”

“Please carry on.”

Suddenly one of her friends shouted out her name, “Luna, Come here, baby.”

“It’s not the appropriate time to talk,” Tim said. “Keep my business card and call me tomorrow.”

“It was nice to meet you, Tim,” she added after accepting the card. She placed the espresso martini glass, from which she had barely taken two sips, on a nearby table. She then rose from her chair and went to dance with her friends. The DJ was playing Christina Aguilera’s ‘Genie in a Bottle’ at the moment. Tim sat there smiling as he looked at her.

This was the exact same location on South Beach where Dakota had attended a bonfire party just before Luna’s birth and subsequently returned to burn the video cassettes of her movies to ashes.

* * *

After an exhausting Friday night, Luna stayed in bed on the first day of the New Year. She slept the entire day, and not even Dakota felt it was appropriate to wake her. On Sunday morning, she got up early. She had breakfast with her mom. In the afternoon, she felt like going out. When she reached inside her bag for the car keys, she found Tim’s visiting card. She had almost forgotten about the meeting that evening. She opened her mouth to tell her mother about her meeting with Tim but then became silent after a moment of thought. She decided to meet Tim first and see what important matter he wanted to discuss with her. She will then inform her mother about it. She reached inside her bag for her Nokia 3210 handset and dialed Tim’s number. Tim was delighted to speak with her. He extended an invitation to Luna for dinner, which she gladly accepted.

That night, Luna went to the restaurant chosen by director Tim Blue for dinner. While they were eating, Tim asked Luna, “Have you reached the age of eighteen?”

Luna revealed that she had only turned 18 a month ago. When Tim inquired about Luna’s future intentions, she replied that she had completed high school and intended to pursue law in the future. However, it was extremely expensive, so her mother had urged her to reconsider.

Tim stated, “She is correct. Alternatively, you might also work a part-time job to help pay for your education.”

Luna said that she was also considering it.

They both continued to eat. After a pause of a few moments, Tim said, “Luna, now I will get to the point. I’ve invited you here to discuss a very important issue with you.”

“Please continue, sir.”

Tim said, “I’m in Miami looking for talent. I’m looking for a stunning model for my upcoming film. I met some girls, but none of them appealed to me. And when I saw you the night before yesterday, it appeared like I was looking for you. Dakota used to be my first choice in the past. She used to set the screen on fire with her performance. I see her reflection in you.”

Luna was stunned. She remained speechless as she stared into Tim’s face. The fork in her left hand came to a halt in the air before reaching her mouth. Tim said, “I’d like to make you this offer. If you don’t mind, I’d like to cast you in my next film. You will also receive a substantial sum of money.”

Luna placed the fork on the dish and sat silently for a bit. Tim’s statements elicited no response from her. There was no doubt that there was a lot of conflict going on inside her head.

“Do you get upset about what I said?” Tim asked. “If that’s the case, then I apologize.”

“No, it’s not like that,” Luna responded calmly. “Your offer seemed weird to me. But I can’t tell you my decision right away. I’ll need some time to think about it.” She appeared to have regained her stability. She resumed eating.

“Look, Luna, I’m not in a hurry,” Tim responded. “Think about it thoroughly and then let me know. You’ll undoubtedly speak with your mother as well. It must also be done. She has made many sacrifices for you. She left this profession at the height of her career just for you. The industry’s golden period ended with her departure. I don’t know why, but after seeing you, I have a strong feeling that you will carry out the task she left unfinished.”

Luna remained seated silently. Tim went on, saying, “Usually, when we’re looking for a new model, we visit strip clubs and meet the strippers and present our offer to them. The majority of strippers accept our offers. Making this offer to anyone other than them is extremely risky. This may aggravate the condition. That’s why I first confirmed if you were Dakota’s daughter. I understand that having sex in front of a camera is awkward for everyone. You, too, will have weird feelings at first. But, like everyone else, you will quickly feel at ease.”

Luna smiled and replied, “This will not be the first time I’ll perform sexual activity in front of the camera, sir.”

Tim was shocked by what she said. He asked, “I don’t understand anything, Luna. Have you previously shot sexual content?”

Luna said, “Sir, my boyfriend likes videography. He frequently films his sex sessions with me. He later watched those videos with great curiosity. So I will never have an issue with cameras.”

Tim laughed and said, “That’s good, Luna. I was concerned that you, like other girls, could feel a little awkward for the first time. Was your boyfriend with you at the beach party that night?”

Luna replied, “No, he’s in Mexico for a few days for family business. He will return in two weeks.”

Tim asked, “Will you need his permission also if you feel like working on my film?”

Luna replied, “I can’t say anything right now. First, I will discuss this with Mom. Now I should leave. I will call you in two to three days and let you know about my decision.”

Both had finished dinner. Tim smiled and said good night to her and then Luna left, leaving Tim sitting there.

The next day in the afternoon, Luna was seated at the dining table in her house, reading her boyfriend’s SMS on her mobile phone. After a while, Dakota, who was in her late forties, emerged from the kitchen. Her beauty had not at all faded, even at this stage of life. Her hair had obviously turned grey in some places. She was holding two platters of tuna salad. She approached Luna’s chair slowly and placed a dish on the table in front of her. Then she sat down on the other chair in front of her. Luna set her phone aside and the two of them began eating lunch. Dakota asked after a brief pause, “Have you discussed this with Matthew?”

“No, Mom,” Luna said. “I’ve only spoken to you. I didn’t feel comfortable calling him in Mexico and discussing this.”

Dakota asked, “But what if he had an objection?”

Luna said, “I don’t think he’ll mind. When he returns, I will have a thorough discussion with him about this. Right now, all I need is your permission.”

“I don’t want to influence any of your decisions, my child,” Dakota expressed concern. “You are my life. I sacrificed my career to provide you with a better life. You have the freedom to live your life in any way you wish. You do not need my permission. I shudder when I recall the events that occurred to me back then, and I worry about what would happen if you find yourself in the same situation in the future. I somehow dealt with the circumstances. However, you are really innocent, Luna.”

Luna said, “But, Mom, I have no plans to get married or have children.”

Dakota replied, “Nothing in this world happens because of our planning, my child. You’re fully aware that I had no plans for you either. Whatever is meant to occur will occur.”

Luna said, “Mom, times have changed significantly and people have become more modern. I doubt I will ever have to deal with the issues you did at that point in your life.”

Dakota sighed, “I too hope that this won’t happen.”

Luna added, “And your daughter isn’t so innocent that she can’t fight the wolves in the industry. I, too, am a strong lady like you.”

Dakota smiled, “Wolves aren’t in the industry, Luna. Wolves are part of outer society. You’ll find many good-hearted and honest people in the industry. Whenever I needed support, someone in the industry was there to help me. On the contrary, many in the outside world who label themselves as religious and civil attempted to exploit me. You will be able to detect the difference in a few years.”

Luna remained listening to her quietly.

Then Dakota asked, “Tell me the truth. Did you decide to choose this profession just because of your meeting with Tim Blue, or did you previously have a latent yearning within you, and you’re now talking to me after receiving an offer?”

Luna replied, “No, Mom, I had never even considered this. My main ambition is to study law. I merely want to pursue this career so that financial constraints won’t prevent me from continuing my education.”

Dakota’s face lit up with a smile. She explained, “Once you’ve entered this dazzling world, my child, you’ll forget you have to do any kind of study in the future.”

Luna stayed silent. It appeared that a dilemma had developed in her mind. Dakota had apparently read her mind. With the purpose of rescuing her from her predicament, she said, “If you have decided that you want to join the industry then I have no objection. It’s your life, live it anyway you want. My happiness depends on your happiness.”

Luna knew her mother well therefore she expected a similar response from her. She stood up, walked over to Dakota, and hugged her from behind. “Thank you, Mama,” she said. Dakota laughed and added, “This Tim is a devil. He found me again after all these years, in the guise of you.”

Luna wasted no time after receiving consent from her mother and quickly called Tim and said yes to his offer. Tim already knew she would not turn him down at any cost. Within two days, he called his crew to Miami, and production for Luna’s debut movie began. The shoot was scheduled to last two days. After that, two days would be set aside for editing and other tasks.

* * *

Luna appeared to be in a good mood on the day of the shooting. She was also quite enthusiastic about this project. She had never imagined herself as an adult model before this. Her passion was to study law. Her decision to accept this offer was solely influenced by the expensive legal education. Tim had assured her that she would be paid well for her work. Luna reasoned that if she made decent money, she would not have any trouble pursuing her academic goals. But now, as soon as she stepped into this movie set, she began to feel as if this was her ultimate destination. Everyone on the crew gave Luna a hearty welcome. When the makeup artist was applying makeup to her body just before the shoot, she told Luna, “Dear, by applying makeup to your body, I have reduced the beauty of your body a little. You look even more amazing without makeup.”

Within a few minutes, the shooting began. Tim had to shoot three parts in that movie. Each scene lasted 20 minutes. Luna’s solo scene was the first. She removes her clothes one by one before playing with her private parts and then inserted her fingers into her vagina. After that, she played with a dildo. Everyone present at the shoot had their eyes wide open after seeing Luna’s beauty. No one dared to blink for fear of missing something important.

After some time, the scene was completed. The second scene was a lesbian scene in which Luna would be joined by two more female models. The three girls began to caress each other’s bodies. They then began licking each other’s vagina and used their fingers to appease their partners. That dildo made another cameo in this scenario, but the girls’ fingers and tongues played a major part. Because of their enticing groans, the atmosphere on the set grew quite heated. Luna performed that scene with ease too. Anyone who has met Luna’s mother could tell that she inherited all of her skills from her mother. After that, the director called for everyone to pack up, and they all got to work. The other two models’ roles were completed, so the director gave them a paycheck and let them go. Then he instructed Luna to arrive at the set the next day at precisely 11:00 a.m.

Dakota noticed her daughter seemed quite cheerful today while eating dinner. She remembered when she came back from the first day of shooting, she was extremely thrilled, too.

The next day on set, Tim introduced Ricardo to Luna. This was the boy with whom Luna had to shoot her first boy-girl scene. He lived in Houston. He, too, was Luna’s age. He joined the industry a few months ago. He’d previously worked in a movie under Tim’s direction.

The makeup artist reluctantly applied Luna’s makeup just before the shooting. In the shooting room, a smoke machine was mounted. When Luna and Ricardo finally faced each other, they were both naked. Ricardo was nearly as tall as Luna. Luna kissed his nude shoulders before moving on to his lips. After that, she accomplished all of the other jobs with elegance. It was a soft-core scene, and Tim, like in his earlier projects, let the models go free. The crewmembers, who, the day before, had watched the shooting of Luna with lust in their eyes and drool running down their mouths, were filled with jealousy today. Everyone was mentally abusing Ricardo. Tim applauded when the scene was finished in 20 minutes. Both models left the room wearing their clothes.

When Tim handed Luna her paycheck, she jumped with joy. The amount written on the check was way bigger than she expected. Tim assured her that his film would be ready for distribution in only two days. Then he’ll come to her house and deliver her the film’s CD, as well as meet her mother.

Before saying goodbye to Luna, Ricardo requested her phone number, and she happily gave it to him. He said he would call her. He was obviously quite impressed with Luna.

* * *

Luna’s first film under Tim Blue’s direction turned out to be so spectacular that everyone who saw it was stunned. The reason was that Tim’s working approach had been enhanced by years of expertise, making him even more experienced. Also, Luna reminded of Dakota to everyone. Dakota herself seemed to have performed in that picture, appearing even younger than before. With their respective talents, the two of them made a striking impact in that one-hour film.

Tim delivered the film CD to Luna’s house. Dakota embraced him, and tears welled up in her eyes. They all ate dinner together.

After that, all three of them talked till late at night. Dakota said, “Tim, I have full confidence that you will take care of my sweet daughter.”

“Dakota, your daughter is equally strong as you. She is capable of looking after herself. And now let me tell you that I’m leaving the industry forever.”

Both were shocked to hear his words.

Dakota inquired, surprised, “What are you saying, Tim? What is the reason for leaving your favorite work?”

Tim was silent for a few moments. Then he said, “In the last few years, there have been many ups and downs in my life. I developed depression as a result of failed relationships. I couldn’t focus on my work at all. My last three films failed to do any special charisma. I used to visit a spiritual person for many years. He told me something strange when I informed him about my constant failures. I was deeply impacted by his words. He informed me that I had already completed all of the work required in this industry. After that, no matter how hard I work, I will never be satisfied. He advised me to give up my profession and move to the Himalayas in order to find mental peace.”

Both were speechless as they looked at his face. Tim continued, “But I didn’t want to leave this industry by getting labelled as a flop director. I thought I’d come into the adult industry with a bang and would retire with a bang. Then I decided to make a film with a fresh face. Then I set out to find that face. I met a lot of girls, but I wasn’t satisfied.”

Then he turned to face Luna and said, “That night, my eyes fell on you. When I saw you, I realized that the film I wanted to make would be impossible without you. That’s why I approached you, and you did me a huge favor by accepting my proposal. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for this.”

He took Luna’s hand in his. Then he said, “Now it’s up to you whether you want to continue or not after this. If you wish to continue working in movies, it would be fantastic. Your prospects in the industry are promising.”

Luna nodded and added, “I think I should pursue this as a career. Just need to get one more person’s permission.”

Tim smiled and stood up to leave. Dakota hugged him once more and added, “Tim, take care of yourself.” Tim said goodnight to both of them and moved out. Luna carefully placed the CD in her handbag after he left. Matthew, her lover, was supposed to return to Miami in a few days. Luna wanted to surprise him. Meanwhile, Ricardo began calling Luna every night, and the two of them would talk for hours. By the time Matthew returned, Luna and Ricardo had become close friends.

After a few days, Matthew returned. During his three weeks in Mexico, he only called Luna twice. He called Luna in the taxi on his way home from the airport and informed her about his arrival. He added that he would like to meet Luna tonight if possible. Luna was also eagerly waiting for his arrival. She wanted to give him a grand surprise. Matthew liked viewing porn a lot. He had an obsession with many female porn stars. Luna was aware of his passion. Prior to engaging in sexual activity with Luna, he would always turn on an adult film on TV. And he used to have sex with Luna in the same way that the models did in that film. He was also interested in videography. He usually carried a camcorder with him wherever he went. He had recorded CDs of his sex scenes with Luna, which he watched in his spare time. Luna also supported him in this. She never objected to Matthew filming their sex interactions. Perhaps the hidden porn star inside Luna, whom she was unaware of, found solace in having her sessions recorded.

Luna arrived at Matthew’s house around 8:00 p.m. She pressed the doorbell. Matthew opened the door and took Luna into his arms. They kissed each other on the lips and entered the house. Matthew pushed Luna onto the couch, and the two of them began exchanging intense kisses. They were finally meeting after three weeks of separation. Then the doorbell rang again. There was a pause in their romantic endeavors. Luna asked Matthew, with a gesture, “Who could be outside?” Matthew asked her to wait with a gesture and got up to open the door. The pizza delivery boy was standing outside. Matthew had ordered pizza for both of them some time ago. Matthew collected the pizza and Coke bottle from him and headed to the kitchen. Luna also got up from the couch and followed him, where she poured the Coke into two glasses. Then they both came out and sat down. While eating pizza, Matthew continued to tell Luna about his trip to Mexico, to which Luna listened attentively.

After they finished their meal, they realized it was time to continue the episode they had started before the pizza arrived. Matthew took Luna’s left boob with his right hand and began pressing it. Luna gently pushed his hand aside and urged him to wait a moment. Then she got up and proceeded to turn on the TV and the VCD player that was mounted above it. Matthew understood Luna’s desire to watch an explicit film while having sex. He likewise stood up and began walking toward his bedroom, where he stored his CD collection in a cupboard. But then he noticed Luna taking out a CD from her handbag. He was a little surprised. Luna had never brought a CD with her before. Then why did she bring it today? He returned to his seat without asking anything.

Luna inserted the disc into the player and then grabbed the remote placed on the top of the TV. She then took a seat close to Matthew. The menu of the film directed by Tim appeared on TV. Luna put her left hand between Matthew’s legs and started massaging his penis, and with her right hand selected the third scene from the menu displayed on the TV screen. When Matthew’s penis became absolutely stiff, Luna grabbed it in her fist over his trousers. Meanwhile, Ricardo’s sex scene with Luna started playing on TV. After watching that scene, Matthew’s face turned pale. He broke down as he stared at the television. Luna became aware of his plight as his penis shrunk in her grasp. Then Luna stared at him. Matthew’s face has lost its luster. He yelled, “Luna, what have you done?”

Luna was terrified when she saw his rage. In a shaky voice, she asked Matthew, “Darling, what’s wrong with it? I wanted to give you a surprise. I’ve chosen my career. I expected you to be delighted as you’re a huge fan of porn stars.”

“You bitch.” Matthew’s rage had reached a boiling point. He grabbed an empty Coke glass from the table in front of him and hurled it at the TV. The screen shattered. “I loved you with all my heart and in return, you have done this to me.”

Luna stood up right away. “Please calm down, Matthew,” she murmured tremblingly. “I made a mistake. I would not have accepted this offer if I had realized how horrible you would feel. Please accept my apologies.”

Matthew became absorbed in thought as he rested his left hand on his forehead. Luna sat at his feet, pleading for him to forgive her.

After a few moments, Matthew calmly said, “Luna, get out of my house right now and never try to meet me again.” Luna walked out in tears, sat in her car, and drove back to her house.

Dakota was surprised to see her daughter return home early. Luna usually returned from Matthew’s house after midnight or the next morning. She had a feeling something was awry. She entered Luna’s room and asked, “Is everything all right, Luna?” Luna raced to embrace her mother, crying, and told her the entire story. Dakota gently stroked her hair and whispered, “Look child, there will be many times in your life when you have to make a choice between two options. You have to choose what you require more. If you need Matthew’s love, you’ll have to give up your favorite profession. If you do not wish to leave this profession, you must leave your boyfriend. There are times in life where you must make sacrifices. You must make a decision. Matthew will certainly forgive you if you promise not to work in the adult industry again. But if you want to make a career in the industry, you should forget about him.”

Dakota then laid her down on the bed and said, “Now sleep comfortably. Think about it once you wake up in the morning.”

Luna lay peacefully on the bed. But her eyes were wide awake. In her mind, there was a lot of turmoil. She tossed and turned for quite long before finally falling asleep after midnight.

She awoke just after 10:00 a.m. She checked her phone while lying in bed. There were four missed calls from Ricardo. She recalled putting her phone on silent before heading to Matthew’s house, ensuring no one would disturb them. As a result, she couldn’t know Ricardo had been calling her repeatedly. Ricardo had called her three times during the night, the most recent only a few minutes ago.

Luna dialed Ricardo’s number. Ricardo picked up the phone and asked her, “Luna, are you okay?” Reluctantly, Luna told him everything that had happened the night before. When Ricardo heard all of this, he became extremely sad.

Then Luna said to him, “Ricardo, I’m not sure what to do. I never imagined that one of my decisions would lead me to face this incident. I am very confused. Please tell me what’s best for me.”

After a brief pause, Ricardo replied, “In my opinion, you should prioritize your career, Luna. No relationship is going to last forever. If your break-up with Matthew had not occurred today, it undoubtedly would have occurred at some point in the future. The person who wants to leave you will eventually come up with a justification. It is not appropriate to jeopardize a career over these kinds of relationships.”

Luna began to think that when her mother faced similar circumstances, she prioritized her relationship over her career. But she did it for the sake of her child. For a mother, the most essential thing is her child. She is willing to go to any length for the betterment of her child. Can a woman’s lover, however, be so vital to her that she must give up her career? There are several instances of this happening.

Her mind was still in a state of confusion. She felt incapable of making a choice. There was a long pause before Ricardo asked her again, “Luna, you still there?”

“Yes, Ricardo,” Luna said in a quiet voice.

Ricardo continued, saying, “Luna, pay close attention to what I’m saying. Making decisions in life should come from within, not from the perspective of anyone else. There should be no room for compromise. The person who genuinely loves you will accept you in your originality.”

Ricardo was only eighteen at the time. Even he was surprised at how such a profound idea came to his mind. His words, however, touched Luna’s heart. She found it easy to make her choice. Ricardo had provided the solution to the question she had been searching for since last night. She thanked him and disconnected the phone. She felt much more relaxed now because the weight in her mind had dissipated. After conversing with Ricardo, her ability to think coherently returned. She made the decision to stay in the industry. She also informed her mother about her decision in the afternoon. Dakota was happy to see that her daughter was strong from within.

* * *

Luna’s debut film, as expected, was a huge success and caused quite a stir in the adult industry. Luna received several new offers. That year, she received the adult industry’s most prestigious award for Best Newcomer. Although there were several porn production offices in Miami, she frequently had to go to other states for shooting. Her schedule got really hectic. She began to make a lot of money from movies. Dakota was overjoyed to see her achievement. Luna bought a large house on Star Island in three years. Dakota didn’t move with her there. She said she was happy in that little old house. Luna would spend the weekends with her mother. Luna was so content with her life that she had entirely forgotten about her ambition of becoming a lawyer.

She once expressed her desire to her mother to change her surname slightly. She said that she prefers the surname Fawx over Fawkes because the letter X is very significant in her life. Dakota liked her suggestion as well, and she agreed.

Her bond with Ricardo grew stronger over time. That bond had become as strong as it had ever been between her mother and Danny. In Dakota’s life, there was only Danny whom she trusted more than herself whereas in Luna’s life, there were two persons—her mother and Ricardo. Despite living 1,200 miles apart, they used to speak on the phone every day and continued hours-long video chats at night. Whenever Luna faced an uphill battle in her life, she would only consult Ricardo.

Ricardo was everything to Luna, a father, brother, mentor, screen partner, and friend but not a lover. That void in her heart that only a lover could fill stayed unfilled for a long time. Her eyes filled with tears every time she thought of Matthew. She wondered if Matthew had remembered her as well. He liked viewing adult movies. Luna had been in so many adult films throughout the years. It was impossible for Matthew to have never seen her in any film. It was also conceivable that he was now regretting his decision. But if that was the case, he would have sought to meet her or call her at some point over the years. She once suggested to her producer that he must shoot a sex scene where a boy and a girl engage in sexual activity while watching porn on TV. She simply wanted this because if Matthew saw it, he’d recall the wonderful time he spent with Luna. Despite this, Matthew never attempted to contact her. He appeared to have forgotten about her and was happy with someone else. Luna’s recollections gradually vanished from her heart as time passed. She no longer cried when she thought about him.

Ricardo, on the other hand, used to talk with someone else on the internet in addition to Luna. That boy was from San Diego and his name was Karl. Both Karl and Ricardo were passionate about the bikes. Additionally, they both met through Yahoo Messenger in a biker’s group. They grew close and frequently talked about their experiences together. Ricardo kept his status as a porn star a secret from Karl. Karl considered him to be a motorcyclist. When Ricardo inquired about Karl, he replied that he worked as a sales associate for a company. His family included his parents, two sisters, and a brother. He was the youngest of his siblings and his father’s most beloved. His siblings were no longer residing with them. His father was a factory manager who had now retired. His father’s health was also deteriorating. Karl was a quiet, reserved young man with very few friends. He was mostly content in his own company. He enjoyed reading books and was interested in various religions. He detested narcotics as well. He was more mature than his age. He believed in traditional values. He believed that as the world became more modern, it was also heading toward disaster. It was quite obvious that he inherited such beliefs from his father.

* * *

In the early days of 2003, a transgender woman established herself as a successful producer/director in the porn industry. Her name was Rita Montenegro. After working on the first film with Luna, she became a close friend of her. They were approximately the same age. In the previous year, she directed five mega-hits, three of which starred Luna.

They were both sitting in a coffee shop that evening. Rita took out her laptop and began to check the reviews of her most recent movie. Her film had received a lot of mixed reviews. However, the majority of people were complaining about how similar her films were. Noticing her friend’s facial expressions, Luna asked, “What happened, Rita?”

Rita asked, “Luna, can we try something different in our next film? Something no one has ever done before?”

In response to her question, Luna asked, “Do you want to work on some new genre, Rita?”

“Luna, I’m thinking something similar. However, I’m not sure what to do.”

“We can shoot outdoor sex,” Luna swiftly responded.

Rita was surprised by her suggestion and said, “This is a very good suggestion. Where did you get this idea so quickly, Luna? You are a genius.”

“I have inherited all of this from my mother, Rita,” Luna remarked with a smile. “She began working in adult movies when 70% of the American population had no idea that when two people have sex, the third can also have fun.” They both laughed. Then Luna asked, “Will you cast me in your next film?”

“Do you still doubt it, sweetheart? You know very well that my first and last option is only you,” replied Rita. “Just pick your on-screen partners.”

“You can do that better, Rita,” Luna remarked.

Rita selected four male models within fifteen minutes, with whom Luna had to shoot sex scenes in public places. Luna expressed her approval as well. Then, while they sat there together, they decided where they needed to shoot the scenes. A secluded road was chosen for the opening scene, which would feature roadside sex. The second scene was to be filmed on the small mountain range near Miami. The third scene was planned to take place on a moving bus. In addition to the models, director, and cameraman, only the driver would be present on that bus. That bus would continue to traverse the streets of Miami, and the film would continue to be shot inside it. The riskiest scene was the final one, which resulted from Luna’s wicked thinking. She suggested filming a scene in the stadium during a soccer match the next week. Rita was initially hesitant, claiming that it was extremely risky and that if the secret was disclosed, she may face a huge penalty. But Luna assured her that they would shoot very carefully and that no one would know about it until the film was released. Rita consented after some deliberation.

The soccer match was still seven days away. Luna asked Rita to reserve 15 seats in the back row. She then began working on the first three scenes. The first sex scene was scheduled to be filmed on an open road. For this, a less-traveled route was selected. Rita was behind the wheel of her own Lincoln Navigator. Luna occupied the seat across from her. The male model and the assistant sat in the back seats. At one point on the route, they came across a massive rock lying on the roadside. That was, everyone agreed, the ideal location for the shoot. They reasoned that if anyone happened to pass by, they would immediately hide behind that boulder for a while to avoid being discovered. They were completely prepared for filming. Rita retrieved her handycam from her bag and turned it on. Since this movie had to be shot outdoors, all of the shooting had to be done with a handycam. Everyone was wearing sunglasses over their eyes. The scene began with Luna sucking her screen partner’s penis. Then he stripped Luna, made her lie on the car’s bonnet, spread her legs, and began licking her vagina. Both models became absorbed in each other, but Rita and her assistant maintained a close eye on both sides of the road so that if a vehicle approached, they could hide behind the massive rock.

Luna then laid a sheet on the ground and made her partner lie on his back on it. Then she sat on him, took his penis in her hand, and pulled it into her vagina. Within a short period of time, they both switched three positions. Luna eventually stood up. She also lifted him up by holding his hand. Then she grabbed his hand in hers and proceeded toward the huge rock. Rita trailed after them, holding the camera. Luna approached the stone, placed both hands on it, and stood with her legs open. Her partner acknowledged her signal and approached her, holding his erect penis in his hand. Then he gently put his penis into Luna’s vagina from behind. Then he began fucking her rapidly. The hotness of the moment was at its peak at the time. Rita and her assistant were equally absorbed in the scene. At the moment, all of them were completely unaware of their surroundings. Luna’s partner was rapidly inserting and pulling out his penis from her vagina. Luna was sighing with delight. Luna’s partner took out his penis after two minutes and poured his cum on Luna’s buttocks.

Just then, everyone’s attention was drawn to the screeching sound of a vehicle applying its brakes. A black BMW car had pulled over to the side of the road. The windows had darkened glass. It was impossible to determine who was inside the car. All four of them became terrified. Rita tried hard to keep the camera from dropping out of her hands as a result of the abrupt shock. Luna covered her boobs with both hands, while her partner nearby covered his penis with his hands. Rita and her assistant stood in front of both models, covering them. They were so engaged in the scene that they failed to notice the approaching vehicle. That car remained there for 15 seconds. They were all as still as statues. The driver then pressed the accelerator, and the car sped away from there. They all just stood there staring at the car as it drove away. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when it vanished from view and then returned to Rita’s car.

Rita had to film the second scene for her movie on the third day of this incident. Except for one person, every passenger in Rita’s car was the same. Luna’s co-star on that day was a different model. A black model was selected to perform the sexual act with Luna. At about 11:30, they headed out for the shoot. They were supposed to arrive at the shooting location in two hours. Rita’s car was speeding through the roads of Miami. A black BMW was tailing the vehicle. Nobody had taken notice of this. The weather was not clear that day, and a strong wind was blowing.

They left the city after about an hour and began moving toward the mountain range. The BMW was also chasing them. At one point, instead of following Rita’s car, the BMW took an alternate route and headed toward another hill. After some time, Rita and her team arrived at their intended location. The time was 1:30 p.m. They got out of the car and looked around. The strong wind that had been blowing suddenly calmed down. Everything appeared to be in order to them, so they decided to get to work.

The two models stripped off their clothes and put them on the roof of Rita’s car. Then Luna put the black model’s penis into her mouth and began sucking it, which was around one and a half times longer than her partner’s on the first day. Following that, all of the remaining tasks were carried out in the correct order. That forty-minute scene was jam-packed with fun-filled pranks. Rita recorded the entire hotness of the scene, sitting and standing at moments. She appeared to be content. The scene was finished. Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a tremendous wind gust that blew Luna’s and her partner’s clothes off the roof of Rita’s car.

They all stood helpless as they witnessed this. They had no notion that this would happen to them as well. It seemed impossible to discover their clothes in this location. By then, it was nearly three o’clock. Rita noticed Luna’s worries and told her, “Luna dear, you don’t need to worry. We’ll all stay here until it gets dark, and then we’ll leave. Nobody will notice that you’re both naked in the car at night. Everyone must be hungry at this point. First, let’s have lunch.”

Rita and her assistant then took four foldable chairs and a table from the trunk of the car. Luna and her black partner sat naked on chairs. Rita extracted a bottle of wine and two boxes of food from the car. Then she set the package down on the table. The boxes contained spinach hummus wraps and a spicy pineapple slaw. After pouring the drink into glasses, they began to eat while conversing. They had nothing to do after finishing lunch. They had to sit idle for almost four hours, which they found quite tough. They all sat and spoke for a while.

Luna abruptly rose from her chair and said to her friends that she was going for a walk alone for a bit. Everyone thought her decision was weird. How can one stroll around in an unknown location without clothes? But they were well aware that there was no population in the area. Luna left them seated and turned to move in a direction. She spent a long period walking naked on those mountain routes. She experienced intense pleasure every time the breeze brushed her bare skin.

No one knows what occurred to her as she was walking, she took off her sandals, threw them away, and began walking barefoot. She had the sensation of being unusually inebriated. Maybe she’d never felt so close to nature before. She wandered aimlessly like this for an hour before returning to her group. Her companions were seated together and conversing. She, too, sat on her chair and became absorbed in their conversation. They were totally unaware that a black BMW car was parked on another hill nearby, and that someone standing alongside had been monitoring all four of them through binoculars for a long time.

As darkness fell, the four of them made their way back to the city. Rita’s assistant sat in the front seat, while Luna and her partner sat naked in the backseat. They were still a long way from the city, and the road was deserted. Rita turned on the dome light and stated to both of them, “If you guys agree, we can shoot a new scene in the moving car.”

Luna and her partner looked at each other as if they were seeking each other’s opinion on Rita’s idea. Rita added, pointing to Luna’s screen partner’s penis, “If this gentleman has no objection to doing double labor in a single day.”

The male model laughed and replied, “It won’t be a problem at all, ma’am. All of this is pure pleasure for this gentleman rather than hard work.”

Everyone burst out laughing. Everyone agreed on the concept. Rita handed the camera over to her assistant and continued driving. Luna and her partner continued to have sex in the back seat while the assistant recorded everything.

Rita booked a bus and started shooting her third scene a few days later. All four of the models who were picked for the project had to film a gangbang scene with Luna. In contrast to the previous two days of shooting, this day was problem-free. Luna was the only one who faced the problem. To deal with four powerful penises alone was no small task. She stood in the field like a brave person despite not losing courage. Then, one by one, she vanquished the quartet.

The day finally arrived for them to shoot the final and most dangerous scene of this film. They arrived with their crew before the game began. Luna was dressed in a skirt and a T-shirt. Rita was anxious, but Luna seemed entirely at ease. They had reserved 15 tickets in total. Luna and her partner sat in the middle, and Rita joined them. Members of their crew who had no business there sat on both sides of them. Those people were just brought in to provide cover for the two models. For the first forty-five minutes of the game, they all watched in silence. During the second half, when the match had become highly intriguing and the entire audience was engrossed in it, Luna signaled to Rita. Rita retrieved her camera from her bag and turned it on. Luna slowly unzipped her partner’s pants and extracted his penis. Rita continued to film everything. Luna continued to caress the penis diligently. After a while, its size grew. Luna then rose from her seat and took a seat at her partner’s feet. She put his penis in her mouth and began to suck. Subsequently, she got to her feet and removed her underwear from beneath her skirt. She then inserted her partner’s penis into her vagina while she was sitting over him. Rita lowered her camera hand and began to take a low-angle shot. The audience was intensely engrossed in the game. Luna was performing quietly without making a sound. Then she removed her T-shirt. Her partner grabbed her boobs and began licking her nipples.

After a while, Rita handed over the camera to her assistant, who was sitting on the other side, and he started capturing the scene from there. After ten minutes, Rita signaled Luna, who slid down from her partner’s lap and sat in her seat. She then slipped into her T-shirt and panties. The camera was switched off, and the assistant raised his thumb and said, “Well done.” Everyone except the crew was unaware of what had happened. However, the second half of this scene was yet to be shot.

The match was gradually approaching its conclusion. The audience’s interest was likewise at an all-time high. However, some of the spectators in that stadium were totally uninterested in the game. Their purpose for being here was different. Rita stood up, grabbed Luna’s hand, and hauled her up as well. Luna motioned her partner with her finger to get up and headed toward the ladies’ restroom. That model also started to follow them quietly. They locked the door of the restroom from inside.

Rita turned on the camera, and both of them removed all of their clothes in one fell swoop. They enjoyed fantastic sex without fear for the next 15 minutes. By the time they finished all of this work and emerged from the restroom, the match was over. The crowd was cheering as they exited the stadium. Rita, too, wanted to cheer, but for different reasons. She had no idea which team had won the match. She came back with the winning team of her own.

When this movie was released after the completion of editing work, it caused quite a stir. All the scenes of the film were superior to one another. Rita was elated this time after reading the audience’s reviews and tears of joy welled up in her eyes. The owners of the Soccer Stadium, on the other hand, had voiced their vehement opposition to this course of action.

A month after the release of her new film, Rita and Luna were sitting in the same coffee shop. Rita was staring at her laptop screen while Luna sipped her coffee. Luna realized she was witnessing something really interesting when she looked at her face. After a while, Rita moved the laptop toward Luna and asked, “Luna, would you please read this email?”

Luna moved the laptop closer to her and noticed that Rita’s mailbox contained an email from Madame X. She began to read the email whose content was like this:

Dear Rita,

Congratulations on a wonderful career. I admire your work greatly.

I am a highly wealthy and distinguished woman. In my life, I’ve made a lot of money and gained a lot of fame. My name appears on the list of America’s wealthiest people. My fans come from all across the world. At the age of 28, I have accomplished all of my goals. I just have one wish left in my heart that I want to fulfil. But that would be the end of my respect. And that is something that I would never want.

Meanwhile, I shortlisted several extremely talented individuals who can assist me in achieving my dream while maintaining its secrecy. Then I began to keep an eye on them. Finally, I decided to put my trust in you. A black BMW pulled up next to you during an outdoor shooting last month. I was sitting inside it.

Now, allow me to tell you about my wish. I’d like to appear in an adult movie directed by some highly talented person. I have a fantastic body. I want everyone to notice and admire my body. They should observe my lovemaking abilities as well. But I don’t want to reveal my face at the same time. I’ll wear a rubber mask to conceal my face. The rest of the body will be naked. Will you film a scene for me under my conditions?

If you can fulfil this wish of mine, please respond to this email. I will cover all of the costs associated with filming this entire scene along with your fee. Just don’t try to figure out who I am. I can be anyone—a political figure, a Hollywood celebrity, a business mogul, etc. My heart tells me that I can trust you.

Your friend

Madame X

After reading the email, Luna sat bewildered for a while. Then Rita broke the silence by asking, “What do you think, Luna? Should I accept or decline the offer?”

Luna said, “She trusted you, Rita, so you should help her.”

Rita was quiet for a while. Then she added, “Luna, I have a concern. According to a study, while watching porn, viewers focus more on the model’s face than on her private parts. And her face, according to this lady, might be covered beneath a mask. In that case, this scene will not spark the audience’s interest.”

Luna stated, “That should not be our concern, Rita. She is bearing the entire cost for this project. It won’t matter whether or not someone enjoys the scene.”

Rita agreed to Luna. “Should I respond to her email?” She asked.

Luna said, “Yes, respond right away. Also, ask her which male model she prefers for filming her scene.”

Rita drew the laptop close to her and typed the email quickly. “I accept your offer,” she wrote. “You can rely on me. I will never strive to figure out who you are. And if you have a preference for your screen partner, please mention his name.”

Rita sent the email. Five minutes later, her response arrived, with only one word scrawled—Ricardo.

Even though it was almost dark outside, those two friends were sitting in the same coffee shop. Luna thought for a long time before saying, “My mother used to tell me that many times people have a crush on a porn star. And when they don’t see any other way to get intimate with them, they enter the adult industry to satisfy their craving. This allows them to spend quality time with their crush. Someone by the name of Danny joined the industry just because of my mother. Eventually, their friendship became stronger over time. And during hard times, he provided my mother a lot of support. He and Mom are still in contact. He frequently talks to her over the phone. He has also made a few visits to see her. Rita, my heart whispers that this mysterious woman is likewise in love with Ricardo. She has created so much drama just because of him.”

Rita kept listening to her very attentively. Then she said, “This world is really weird. Isn’t it, Luna?” Then they both chuckle. Rita then said to Luna, “Please call Ricardo and ask him to confirm the date for my next project. I’ll contact that mysterious lady once I know the date.”

Luna took out her phone and dialed Ricardo’s number. According to the message from the other end, that number was out of network range. Then she remembered something and told Rita that Ricardo had gone on a long bike ride with a friend of his from San Diego. She was not sure when he would return.

Rita emailed Madame X once more, informing her that she would notify her via email as soon as the shooting date was finalized. She insisted her to arrive on the shooting spot on time.

Ricardo returned from his bike trip at the end of the same month. He called Luna as soon as he arrived. Luna informed him that Rita would be casting him in her upcoming film. Rita and Ricardo spoke over the phone, and a date for the shoot was scheduled. Madame X was also briefed by Rita. She advised Rita to have as few crewmembers as possible present throughout the entire shooting process. Rita assured her that there would only be one or two additional persons in addition to the three of them. The shooting day had arrived. Luna was also invited by Rita. When the assistants finished setting up the lighting, etc., they were ordered to depart. Ricardo had arrived earlier than expected. He gave Luna an embrace the moment he spotted her. It had been a while since he had seen her.

After a while, a black BMW pulled up outside the studio. A six-foot tall lady came out of the car as the door opened. She had covered her face with a latex hood full-face mask with a ponytail hole, as she had indicated. She was likewise dressed in black. Through the mask, only her eyes and lips were visible. Her golden hair hung down from the top of her head and touched her waist. Her figure was amazing. Rita greeted her as she entered. Rita sat in her office for 20 minutes and chatted with her. In another room, Luna and Ricardo were seated together. Rita eventually called Luna to her office. As soon as Luna emerged from the other room, she saw the lady wearing the mask. The moment their eyes met, Luna sensed jealousy in the lady’s eyes. She began to find her theory to be completely correct. That lady was undoubtedly in love with Ricardo, and in most cases, Luna was Ricardo’s screen partner. So that lady’s jealousy of Luna was completely justified. She, too, wished to be Luna in some manner, and today she got the chance.

Luna sat next to Rita on the chair, and the lady entered the room where Ricardo was sitting. Then she locked the door from inside. Luna had a puzzled expression on her face but said nothing. Rita read her expression and told her that she wanted to discuss something with her screen partner, which is why she called Luna out of the room. Luna only smiled.

After about half an hour, the shooting began. Luna chose to remain at Rita’s office. There were only three people in the shooting room. In the absence of her assistant, Rita was operating the camera herself. Luna continued hearing both models moaning. She waited for the shooting to conclude patiently while sitting there. This entire process took around ninety minutes. The door then opened, and Rita emerged. Luna asked, “How was your experience shooting with Madame X?” Rita described her as ‘a very passionate lady’. However, some retakes were required due to her lack of experience.

After five minutes, both of them came out of the shooting room. They had put on their clothes now. Madame X handed Rita a sealed envelope and said, “It contains the amount agreed between us for this work. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate your help.” She promptly exited the studio and drove away in her car.

Rita ordered some snacks after she left and the three of them sat in her office, chatting. They both noticed Ricardo appeared to be quite joyful.

Luna asked Ricardo, “When are you returning to Houston?”

Ricardo replied, “I have a flight tomorrow morning.”

“We’ve met after such a long time,” Luna protested. “You should have stayed with me for at least two days.”

“There is a lot of work in Houston,” replied Ricardo. “After returning from my bike trip, I flew straight to Miami.”

Luna quipped, “Did you have a good time with your lover?”

Ricardo said, “Hey, I was with my friend. Not with any of my lovers.”

Luna said, “I’m talking about that black cat you just fucked.”

Ricardo’s eyes widened, “I don’t even know who she is. How can you term her as my lover?”

Luna asked, “What did you both whisper when she shut the door from inside just before the shooting?”

Ricardo chuckled, “Luna, I never hide anything from you. She merely disclosed to me that she intended to use cocaine prior to the shooting in order to enhance her performance even more. She also gave me some.”

Luna and Rita both realized why Ricardo appeared overjoyed. Luna was well aware of Ricardo’s sporadic cocaine use.

“So she didn’t tell you anything about herself?” Luna asked.

Ricardo replied, “No, she didn’t tell me anything.”

In the meantime, Rita connected her camera to her computer and transferred the video files. The three of them then continued to watch it play. After seeing Madame X’s performance, Luna was likewise impressed. She was perplexed as to how someone could provide such a flawless performance in her very first shoot. It is unquestionably due to the effects of cocaine.

She turned to Ricardo and asked, “What do you think, Ricardo? Should I also try that drug?”

Ricardo said, “As you wish, Luna. If you need, just let me know and I’ll make the arrangements.”

Rita turned to Luna and said, “I have captured more than eighty minutes of their intimate moments on camera. After editing, the film will run longer than seventy minutes. In this video, they had given the maximum amount of time for foreplay. Luna, according to you what should be the movie’s title?”

Luna thought for a while and said, “The Dark Side of Madame X.”

* * *

2006 was an important year in her career. She received the Best Female Performer award this year. This was her career’s second award. She won the best newcomer award in her initial year. After receiving the award, when she emerged from the auditorium at the conclusion of the event, the throng of admirers waiting outside greeted her warmly. She had witnessed a nearly identical scene when she received this honor for the first time. That day, as she walked out of the auditorium following the award ceremony, only a few individuals were taking photographs with cameras, while the rest of the audience applauded. But she soon discovered that today there was less applause and more photographs being taken because everyone had a camera phone in their hands. Friends and industry colleagues suggested throwing a party that night, which she gladly accepted. The celebration lasted the whole night, and she arrived at her hotel room at 7:00 a.m. Her flight from Los Angeles to Miami was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. She decided it would be best to sleep for a while. She awoke about 1:00 p.m. She had a bath and then caught a taxi to the airport after lunch. She arrived in Miami about 8:30 p.m. Her car was parked in the airport parking.

She then drove to downtown and rang the doorbell of her old house. Dakota opened the door and was delighted to see her. Dakota felt proud when Luna told her that she had won the award for Best Female Performer tonight. Tears of joy began to fall from her eyes. They sat in the living room for a long time, holding each other’s hands. Dakota reflected on the past, and said, “No such awards existed in our times. Such honors raise the artist’s spirit and inspire them to perform better. Additionally, the degree of joy parents experience when witnessing their child’s accomplishment.”

Luna’s expression turned sorrowful as she said, “You are both a mother and father to me. I’ve never met my father. I have no idea what he looks like. And I’m not even sure whether he’s aware of my existence.”

Dakota remained silent. Luna asked again, “Do you really have no photo of Papa?”

Dakota cupped Luna’s face in her hands and murmured, “My child, I’ve already told you that I’ve only met your father once. The man never showed me his face again after that.”

“So you never tried to find him again after that?”

“I tried for a while. But then things changed quickly, and I had to leave that town. After that, the chance of ever seeing him again was lost. The main reason I never witnessed him again was due to the fact that I left the industry forever. Perhaps he worked in many more films that I am unaware of.” Then she snapped out of her emotional trance and remarked, “Leave it here, Luna, don’t get busy discussing old things. Today is a day to celebrate.”

Luna reached inside her bag for a bottle of champagne, which she opened, and the two of them began to chat while drinking it. Dakota said, “My child, I pray that you continue to progress like this day and night. However, never compromise your ideals. The performers of our time had a personality that is not evident in today’s celebrities. Yes, they have more squeaky clean and gleaming bodies than we have. You are a part of this dazzling world, but you should never become lost in it. If you stay on the proper track, you will be able to obtain a lot of essential experience.”

Luna asked, slightly surprised, “What kind of experience are you talking about, Mother?”

Dakota explained, “When you’re having sex with your partner in front of the camera, there comes a moment where you reach the heights of intimacy and completely forget that everything is being recorded. That moment is so delightful that it is beyond description. You become one with existence at that point. I want my daughter to have that experience as well as enormous fortune and fame.”

Luna felt confused by what her mother had said. She might not have been mature enough to comprehend such a profound notion yet, but she chose not to ask Dakota to elaborate.

Dakota went on, “I have lived my entire life sticking to my principles. I have never compromised on my principles. Maintaining success in life requires a great deal of discipline. Throughout my ten-year career, I performed sex in front of the camera only. Apart from filming, I have never had intercourse with anyone. I never found a partner and never felt the need for anyone.”

It was the first time Luna had ever heard this from Dakota’s mouth. This surprised her immensely. Then all of a sudden, a thought went across her head. “Mom, if this is true, then there must have been a camera recording that moment of your meeting with Papa,” she said to Dakota. “As a result, Papa’s face would almost certainly have been captured on video.”

From the expressions on her face, Dakota appeared to be trapped by her own words. She had no choice but to accept the truth. She then confessed to her daughter the reality that she had kept secret up until that moment.

That day was packed with surprises for Luna. She said, “I am certain, Mom, that you must have that videotape.”

Dakota didn’t respond and remained silent for a while. She then got up from her chair and proceeded to her bedroom. After five minutes, she returned with a video cassette in her hand. It was the same cassette that she had not tossed into the fire years ago. She placed the cassette in Luna’s palm quietly. There was excitement in Luna’s face. She couldn’t wait any longer and turned on the TV and VCR that were lying nearby. She then inserted the cassette into the VCR and returned to sit next to her mother.

The movie began to play on the TV screen. As soon as the first scene started, Luna commented, “This appears to be Tim Blue’s direction.”

Dakota smiled and added, “Your keen sight must be appreciated. This is, of course, Tim’s work.” The movie continued, and they both continued to watch it silently. That film included three sequences in total. The first two scenes were shot with other models. Dakota’s gangbang scene came at the very end. Tim’s fantastic direction and the models’ outstanding performance kept them both from realizing an hour had passed. The gangbang scene, which was shot in two parts, then started. The first part took place in the pool, while the second took place in the bedroom. Dakota stepped into the pool naked at the start of the action. Luna was completely engrossed in the scene. Perhaps the reason she began watching that movie had faded from her memory.

The fourth anonymous model played a minor role in the pool action therefore the camera did not focus on him much. In that scene, there was not even a close-up of anyone’s face. Luna continued to watch that part of the scene silently. When the second part began and the fourth man’s face was revealed, Luna’s jaw remained open. Her eyes widened. Even if she tried, no sound came out of her mouth. Dakota noticed her face’s lost radiance and shook her, asking, “Is everything okay, my child?”

Luna asked, pointing at the television screen, “Is this the man, Mama?”

Dakota said, “You got it exactly right. That man is your father. But why are you so nervous?”

“But how is this possible, Mama?” Luna spoke in a shaky tone. “I’ve seen this dude so many times on film locations. And he still looks the same today.”

Dakota felt dumbfounded by what she had just heard. “How can this happen, Luna?” she said. “You must have some kind of misunderstanding. Many people have faces that are identical to one another.”

“Mom, I am not a child who can be mistaken in recognizing someone,” Luna said. “I’m quite sure this is him. And he’s still quite young.” For a while, she became silent. After some deliberation, she said, “According to my birth date, this video should be from the early months of 1981. How is it possible for a man’s appearance to remain unchanged for so long? Even now, it appears precisely the same. I only remember him because his face is so distinct and appealing. I’m not sure why he comes to the set, but he definitely does and is never inside while shooting.”

Dakota still couldn’t believe what Luna was saying. Luna’s nervousness was obvious to her. She put her hand on her thigh and said, “My child, as you look exactly like me, the guy you saw could be your father’s son, that is, your brother from another mother.”

“I agree that it is possible that the father and son’s appearances are identical in many cases. But is it possible that they both have a scar on their forehead?”

Dakota was at a loss for words.

“From now on, whenever I see that man, I’ll secretly click his picture with my phone and show it to you. Only then you would trust whatever I have said.”

Dakota said nothing. She continued to believe that her daughter had some misunderstanding. Her mind was not prepared to comprehend that the unknown man she had worked so hard to find but was unable to locate would pay a visit to the set of her daughter’s films. It was weird that after receiving the news, which should have made Dakota overjoyed, there was no wave in her mind and she stayed sitting in her seat in the same calm manner. Nobody knows what the cause of this was. Perhaps she had lost her zeal after reaching a certain point in her life and all the hope was lost. That is why despite her daughter being so confident, she refused to believe her. Luna’s entire existence, on the other hand, experienced panic and fear. Her focus had been completely diverted from her accomplishment of the day, and an unfamiliar worry had taken place in her head. She couldn’t figure out why that person appeared on the set. Was he aware of Luna’s connection with himself? She had made up her mind that from now onwards, whenever he appeared in front of her, she would quickly take his picture. But, following that episode, he was never seen by Luna again.

One night at the end of that year, Luna received a phone call from her mother informing her that her longtime friend Danny had moved in with her. Danny had also bid adieu to the adult industry a few years ago. He had an unbreakable bond with Dakota. Luna was really relieved to hear this news. She had expressed her worry about her mother living alone on several occasions. However, she knew deep down that someone would eventually come to fill the void created by her separation from her mother one day.

* * *

After receiving the prestigious award for Best Female Performer, Luna began to be recognized among the prominent celebs. Her fan base has also grown significantly. She began receiving modelling offers from a variety of agencies. But she accepted such proposals only after much consideration. This was also due to her being excessively busy. She once received an invitation from a nonprofit organization asking her to throw a fundraising event for their animal shelters. Luna thought this was a noble thing and immediately agreed.

That event had been arranged in a club on Ocean Drive. The program was divided into two sections. The first activity was called ‘interaction with a star,’ and it required participants to strike up a discussion informally with Luna Fawx. The second activity was a fundraiser supper. It was eight in the evening. However, hall’s donor count was quite low. This caught even the event organizers off guard, in addition to Luna. Neither Luna nor her mother had ever donated anything to charity. She believed that the belief in charity was limited to the elite.

There were just about 20–25 individuals in the hall. The three men seated in the first row did not appear wealthy from any perspective. One of them, who sat in the middle and had a moustache, was staring at Luna. The way he looked bothered her. A short man was seated on his right side, while the man on his left side had no hair on his head.

The interaction began.

A forty-year-old woman posed the first question. She asked Luna, “Could you please tell us whether girls are physically exploited in the adult industry? Do you have to sleep with the producer in order to get a role?”

Luna replied calmly, “Madam, no such incident has occurred in my six years of career. They select you on the basis of your talent. Such corruption does not exist in the industry at all. Yes, if the film’s producer is also doing a role in the film, we need to have sex with him.”

After hearing Luna’s response, the audience burst out laughing. People continued to ask Luna a variety of questions for the following 20 minutes, which she answered confidently. Most of those people were older, and they were asking questions about the adult industry as if they were quite interested in it. Despite this, it did not appear that they knew her mother based on their statements because no one told her that there was an adult actress in their times who looked exactly like her.

A man in the second row, perhaps 50 years old, asked Luna, “Ma’am, I often wonder why watching porn is solely a male pastime. Why aren’t the females interested in this?”

Luna replied with a smile, “I can’t say anything about this, sir. Only a psychologist can provide an answer to your question.”

Another man sitting nearby took the microphone from him and said, “I know the answer to this. Women are solely interested in attractive apparel, which are regrettably not seen in pornographic films.”

The entire hall resounded with laughter. Luna couldn’t stop laughing as well.

A young girl in the last row took the mic and questioned Luna, “Ma’am, tell us why, despite being so beautiful, you chose this profession when you could be a supermodel or a Hollywood actress?”

Luna smiled as she heard the question. Then she said, “Sometimes you don’t choose a profession, it chooses you. The same thing happened to me. I was dancing at a beach party when a director approached me and offered me the opportunity to work on his film, which I couldn’t reject. And, interestingly, he didn’t inform me at the time that it was his last film. After that, he planned to leave the industry forever. After his film was completed, he divulged this secret to me and said that I could pursue this field as a career if I wanted to. Because of the fantastic experience I had working in that film, I chose to continue in the future.”

“Would you like to tell us about your experience?” The girl probed further.

“Sure,” Luna responded. “It was an extremely satisfying experience for me. A person searches for enjoyment in simple things throughout his life. But, many times, even after living his entire life, he is unable to find contentment. When I was 18, I shot my first adult film, and it brought me such joy and calm that I couldn’t put it into words. I felt like I was born to do this sort of work.”

Subsequently, the man with a moustache seated in the front row raised his hand, and the controllers transferred the mic to him. The man asked, “Madam, please tell me what kind of work you did before entering this profession?”

Luna responded, “No, sir, I’ve never done any other work. After finishing high school, I entered into the adult industry.”

“Then how can you say that after working in your first film, you knew you were made for this? That can only be said if the person has previously tried multiple professions and been dissatisfied with them. But you’ve never tried anything else, according to you.”

“Sir, I didn’t comprehend anything,” Luna said, perplexed.

“Allow me to explain. Do you agree that it is possible that tomorrow you might do something else that will bring you more happiness than your current profession?”

Luna said nothing. He went on, “Happiness and peace of mind are just tricks to fool the people. The point is that the industry satisfies your needs. Spreading your legs brings in money. No hard work is required. You get to have sex with new men every day. Other people work hard, earn money, and then have fun. But you guys make money along with having fun. Many ladies find that they are not satisfied with only one partner. They require several partners. Did this line of work provide you that kind of fulfilment?”

Luna’s face turned red with rage. She replied fiercely, “I’m talking about the fulfilment of creative instinct. Please, sir, don’t put words in my mouth.”

“I’m not going to put words in your mouth.” Looking at his companions on either side of him, he laughed and remarked, “We’ve got better things to put in there.”

“Sir, Will you please shut up?” Luna’s rage had reached a boiling point. She lost control and said to the man, “It is not your fault, sir. It is your upbringing that is to blame. A man learns how to treat women from his father. You most likely learned these things from your mother’s clients.”

That man became enraged as well. He stood up from his seat, and his two companions followed him. He appeared to be preparing to attack Luna. Two security guards hurried toward them, sensing the danger. The man motioned with his hand to the guards to stop and declared, “I’m leaving.” Both of the guards came to a halt. He turned to go, and then turned to Luna and asked, “Which animal shelter are you fundraising for when the biggest animal shelter is between your legs?”

Furious, Luna remained seated in her spot while he and his companions stormed out of the hall.

About a half-hour later, the same three men were drinking beer and conversing in an Irish pub on Ocean Drive. “Whatever happened, Charlie, you were not nice to that sweet girl?” remarked the short man to the man with the moustache.

“Indeed,” Charlie remarked, “It was nothing. I had intended to reveal the true faces of the event organizers.”

“Why do you hold a grudge against them?” The third person inquired.

“Hey, these shameless people have destroyed all decorum,” Charlie muttered as he took a sip from his glass of beer. “They’ve invited a prostitute to a charity event. Since charity is a holy endeavor, who is promoting it for them?”

“You feel bad about something very quickly, Charlie. That poor girl also considers herself an artist,” the short person remarked. His remarks included sarcasm.

“Artist, my foot.” Charlie responded angrily, “What kind of art is required in making porn? All that is needed is one camera and a shameless bitch. A porn star is someone who wants to be in show business but lacks talent.”

“No, Charlie, there’s an awful lot of talent.” The third person added, “You remain restless after watching them perform until you do something.”

The trio laughed. They had no idea that a hooded man with a scar on his forehead was seated at a nearby table. He was secretly listening to their conversation.

Charlie went on, “I say that whoever comes across these bitches should immediately show them a mirror. That is exactly what I do. These people are the scum of civilization. They are not entitled to a dignified life. We in Utah believe so.”

The small individual inquired, “Have you ever met anyone else who is involved in the same business, Charlie?”

Charlie admitted, “Yes, I met someone else when I was quite young. She resembled her as well. By sucking the penises of several guys throughout their lives, they all get identical looks.”

Everybody fell silent for a while. Suddenly Charlie remembered something and his cheeks flushed red with rage. “That bitch has abused my mother,” he began to say. “She won’t be spared by me.”

The short man asked, “Charlie, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to rape that bitch tonight.”

“Charlie, this won’t end well. When she abused you, you responded appropriately. And, as a result of that episode, everyone present there noticed all three of us. There’s no use in pursuing this any further.”

Charlie grew angrier. “I don’t care whether you guys support me or not,” he said. “Tonight, I’m going to teach that bitch a lesson.”

“Don’t say that, Charlie. We’ll be there for you. Tell us what to do?”

“The event will conclude at 11:00 p.m. There are 15 minutes remaining. We’ll follow her as soon as she exits the hall. Once she gets home, we will teach her a lesson.”

“Okay, Charlie. As you say. Shall we now leave?”

“Yes, everyone, get up.” Charlie stood up, and the other two followed. The man with the scar who was listening to them stood up fast and followed them. The trio emerged from the pub’s rear entrance and arrived at a tiny street. The club where the fundraising event was being hosted was nearby.

At 11:30 p.m., a dancer from a strip club located a short distance away from that Irish pub was giving the club owner a blowjob in his office. The dancer suddenly felt lightheaded, and a few seconds later, she puked on the carpet. When the owner asked, she said she wasn’t feeling well. The owner advised her to go home and take some rest. She hastily adjusted her clothes, grabbed her bag, and left through the staff-only back entrance. As she noticed something in the street, she screamed. Three dead bodies were sprawled on the ground in front of her. She puked for the second time right away. She then dashed back into the club and told the owner everything. After discovering the dead bodies, the club owner called the local police station from the club’s landline telephone. After ten minutes, the police arrived. They were all slain by slicing their throats with a sharp object. There was no cell phone or ID in their pockets through which the police could find out anything about them. The dead bodies were removed from the scene after a preliminary examination.

The next day the authorities appealed to the public through newspapers and television that if there were any eyewitnesses to the murders on Ocean Drive the night before they should come forward to help the police. On the same evening, a 30-year-old guy arrived at the police station and stated a wish to meet with the officer investigating the murders. After a few moments, he was sitting in the cabin of the investigating officer. In addition to those two, an FBI agent was present in the cabin. When the officer questioned the man why he arrived, he explained that the three killings had occurred right in front of his eyes.

The officer inquired about his name and other information, which he provided. The officer then requested him to show his identification, which he did. After validating everything, the officer asked him, “Now tell me the entire story from beginning to end. Where were you when the murders happened?”

The man started speaking, “Officer, I was having sex with my girlfriend in my car, 200 feet away from that location. It’s a deserted street with few people passing through. When I saw three men approaching, I got the feeling that they were likely to harm us if they spotted us like this. My girlfriend and I crouched. After a while, I raised my head and noticed a hooded figure approaching fast behind them. The man approaching them did not even speak to them before pulling a knife from his pocket and quickly slit the throats of all three of them.”

Both the police officer and the FBI agent were staring at him with wide eyes as if they were unwilling to believe a word he was saying.

Subsequently, the man continued, “When all three of them died, the hooded man snatched everything from their pockets and took it with him.”

They still couldn’t believe what he said. The FBI agent questioned him, saying, “So you’re trying to say that a single man murdered three people and they couldn’t defend themselves against him? Could you perhaps explain how this is possible? Who was he, a fucking superhero?”

“I’m not sure who he was, officer. However, the three guys who perished while fighting him were punching in the air as if they had lost their vision. Perhaps this is why he was able to murder three people so effortlessly on his own.”

“How could they have lost their sight in such a way? Did he spray something in their eyes?” the officer asked.

“I don’t think he would have done anything like that, Officer. I didn’t notice him doing it.”

“When did you get out of the car, then?”

“We were both terrified, officer. We hid in the car for quite a long time. We came out after you removed the dead bodies.”

“However, there was no reason to be scared once the police arrived at the scene. It was the perfect time for you to come out and tell the whole story.”

“Officer, there was a greater reason to be scared.”

“I do not get it. What exactly do you want to say?”

“The owner of the club, outside whose backdoor the murders occurred, was present there the entire time.”

“So?”

“Actually, the woman in the car with me was his wife.”

* * *

In the month of April in 2010, Karl, Ricardo’s biker friend, who was in his late twenties, was quite depressed. Many unsavory events had occurred in his family. Both of his elder sisters’ marriages had failed, which was a matter of greatest concern to him. His father was likewise suffering from a number of terrible ailments as he grew older. He couldn’t get out of bed. In addition, he had a lot of difficulties speaking. Nobody else in the house could comprehend what he was saying. Only Karl understood what he was saying. Karl was a philosophical type of person by nature. He’d studied a lot of books on philosophy and religion. He studied these books for the answers to his life’s questions, but he did not succeed. Many religious and philosophical thinkers believe that suffering is a part of life. He agreed wholeheartedly with this. However, he hasn’t been able to figure out the reason behind it. He knew his father had worked hard throughout his life and wondered what had caused his current state of illness in his old age. Both of his sisters were completely loyal to their spouses, so why did their marriages end? These things bothered him a lot. He pondered where he would obtain the answers.

He was sitting in a library one evening, reading a book when he noticed two young couples conversing over at the table next to him. Two days prior, one couple had returned from Houston. One was telling the other that Ulisses, a charismatic cult leader, was the person they had spent a month with. That leader made a big impression on both of them. Karl put down his book and focused on paying close attention to what they were saying. They both told their friends about the unexpected transformation in their lives after meeting that cult leader. It appeared as though their life of sorrow had ended and extremely fortunate things had begun to occur. Their remarks struck a chord with the other couple, who began to tell them that they too wanted to meet that man. The librarian approached them at that very moment and requested them to stop talking loudly. After apologizing to him, the four began whispering to each other about the rest of the story. Karl didn’t hear anything else from them after that. He had memorized the terms from all the talks he had overheard with those people—Houston—Cult Leader—Ulisses.

That same night, Karl searched for a Houston-based cult on Google, but no results came up. He then tried ‘Ulisses,’ yet nothing appeared. He grew dissatisfied. He began to realize his mistake. He believed he should have approached those people and informed them of his desire to meet with the leader. He was confident at the time that he would be able to discover that leader using whatever information he obtained from what those folks mentioned. However, the situation had changed drastically.

He was worried the entire night. The next day, it dawned on him that he might seek assistance from his friend Ricardo, who resides in Houston, in this matter. He texted Ricardo and urged him to call him whenever he was free. Ricardo called later that evening. Karl requested his help in locating the Cult Leader Ulisses. Ricardo informed him that he had heard of it but didn’t know much about it. He would contact Karl as soon as he found something.

Then, a week later, Ricardo called again and said he had discovered everything. ‘The Cult of the Lost’ is a well-known cult in Houston. Famous people, including film stars, politicians and top businessmen, visit its leader. He doesn’t meet with anyone directly. A reference from a cult member is required to meet with him.

Karl asked, “So, where will we get this reference from now?”

“A few years ago, someone I knew belonged to their cult,” Ricardo revealed. “But he’s now moved from this place. I’ll make an attempt to contact him. If I find him, your job is done.”

Karl went on, saying, “Hopefully, you’ll be able to contact that cult member soon.”

Ricardo disconnected the call and then dialed director Tim Blue’s number. However, Tim’s phone was switched off. Tim was a member of the cult years ago when he worked in the adult industry. Three or four times a year, he would travel from Los Angeles to Houston and spend a few days with that cult leader. Tim quit the industry on the same leader’s recommendation, and it was uncertain where he was at the moment. Then Ricardo got an idea. He emailed Tim, saying that one of his friends wanted to meet the cult leader and that they needed his support. Tim’s reply arrived about a month later, in which he sent a code to Ricardo and indicated that after providing this code, they would be able to see the leader.

Soon after, Ricardo called Karl and shared the wonderful news. Karl had given any hope of getting this done by this point. He was ecstatic to get this news from Ricardo after waiting so many days. In addition, Ricardo texted Karl with all the information about that cult. The cult’s leader’s name was Eulisses. Karl did not add an E in front of Ulisses when searching for that name on Google, which is why no results were displayed.

Karl took a four-day leave from work on Tuesday, the next week and flew directly to Houston. Later that evening, he arrived at a ranch just outside the city with Ricardo, where the leader of the Cult of the Lost resided. They were asked for the code at the entry, and once they provided it, they were allowed to enter. After roughly fifteen minutes, they were seated on the ground in front of Eulisses, their leader. Eulisses was dressed in his normal black robe, with a hood covering the upper half of his face. Ricardo was bothered by the atmosphere in the room, but Karl appeared fully normal and confident. Eulisses examined each of them attentively before turning to Karl and saying, “You seem to have come a long way. Please explain why you wanted to meet with me.”

Karl inhaled deeply and began to speak, “I’ve heard that you’ve changed the lives of some people. I also have a lot of issues and concerns in my life. I have no idea why they exist. I also can’t come up with a solution. I tried to find the solution by reading books but it didn’t work. That is why I have come to you, hoping that you will help me in some way.”

“Worries and troubles are part of human life. However, relatively few individuals make an effort to fix it,” Eulisses said. “You possess such bravery. Most people find that turning away and closing their eyes works better in these situations. They use drugs to aid in this work.”

“However, I hate drugs excessively,” Karl said.

“I can definitely see that,” Eulisses said. “Tell me now what issue or query prompted you to travel so far to see me.”

Karl began saying solemnly, “My question to you is why a person’s old age is so painful.”

Eulisses remarked, “Old age is not at all painful. Growing old is a rewarding time. It is the outcome of an individual’s lifetime labor. It becomes painful in that situation if someone has lived a falsehood his entire life. An honest person who has worked hard throughout his life would never be troubled by old age. Throughout his life, he remains as simple as a child.”

Karl was dissatisfied with his remarks. He couldn’t believe his father would ever lie to anybody. He opened his mouth to raise an objection, but Eulisses gestured with his hand and requested him to remain silent, adding, “Humans make mistakes all the time. They have no idea how to live an ethical life. Suffering is sometimes caused by our lifestyle rather than our acts. Our hearts always guide us toward what is right and wrong. It also explains the cause or reason behind the pain. Therefore, when someone gets into problems at any age, he instinctively understands why this is happening to him. It is up to him whether he shares this with anyone or not. Now tell me what you would like to say.”

Karl’s confusion was exacerbated by his statements. Then he gathered the confidence to say, “The cause of my problem is my father’s health. Can he find a remedy to his suffering?”

Eulisses remarked with a smile, “I can see that you love your father a lot. And you’re quite concerned about him. He has lived a very prolonged life. Additionally, he is currently facing a lot of suffering. He can get relief from his suffering. However, it is only possible if you get married.”

Karl was shocked, “I didn’t get this. What does his health have to do with my upcoming marriage?”

Eulisses responded calmly, “Everything in this life is connected to each other in some way or another. Therefore, a human being can slow down any process by performing a specific action. You asked if there was any way for your father to find relief from his pain, so I have told you that your marriage will be the catalyst for his suffering to come to an end.”

After listening to him, Karl fell into deep thought. Eulisses continued to examine his face, attempting to decipher his thoughts by his expressions. Then he said to Karl, “I’m not the type of person who instructs people what to do and I never give them advice. I solely inform them that if they do this, this will happen. If they don’t want it to happen just don’t do it.”

After some time, Karl said, “Whatever I have witnessed in the last few days has completely destroyed my faith in marriage. The marriages of both of my sisters have failed. That is why I doubt I will have the courage to get married.”

Eulisses said, “Anything lacking a solid foundation will not last long. Most marriages are based on money or sex.”

Karl inquired, “Then which marriage will last until the end? What kind of foundation is required to make it last longer.”

“That’s what I am going to tell you,” Eulisses said. “A person can fall in love with anyone. Nobody can prevent him from doing so. Furthermore, a person is free to have sex with anyone he desires. If it happens between two strangers then it is much appreciated by nature. However, marriage is an entirely different matter. It is ridiculous to associate these things with marriage. It is important that you select the ideal mate for marriage, who has been created specifically for you. You will not succeed in marriage unless you are with that person. This assurance will not be available with anyone else. I can say with certainty that even while a lot of marriages end in success, the fulfilment that comes from being with the perfect partner is not always achieved. And I must tell you that not everyone is made for marriage, only a select few are, and if they are wise enough, they will find the appropriate companion.”

Karl asked, “So how can anyone find that perfect mate? It looks like an unachievable task.”

Eulisses looked him in the eyes and said, “Listen carefully. If you follow the path shown by me, whatever you have seen happening around you that has upset your mind will never happen to you. Your life will be full of delight. Perhaps you heard about this from someone before coming to me.”

Karl bowed and replied, “You are absolutely correct, sir. Tell me what you’d like to say.”

Eulisses took a deep breath and said, “So listen, kid, two people who are made for each other are born on this planet on the same day and at the same time. So, if you’re considering getting married, try to find a girl whose birthday and birth time are exactly the same as yours. She might be anywhere in the world. You can’t quite comprehend what marriage entails unless you wed that girl.”

Karl remained stunned as he stared at him. He’d never read or heard something so profound and perilous before. His subconscious was attesting to the fact that it was accurate.

He appeared to be utterly mesmerized. He was staring at Eulisses without saying anything.

Eulisses continued, “The enigmas of nature are limitless. It contains numerous deep secrets. Some people divulge these secrets through their amazing intelligence. Nature rewards them for their work. However, it forbids them from disclosing the secret to anybody else. Considering your circumstances, I have exposed a grave secret to you. Keep in mind the outcome that is going to occur. You have to understand that nature will do everything it can to prevent you from making the right decision. You may have to face a situation that shocks your mind, and you may not be able to dare to continue on this right path. Keeping everything in mind, continuing forward on that path will require a great deal of courage. Therefore, I urge that you begin this task only if you have the strength to finish it. Nothing will be accomplished if you abandon it halfway through. Let me also assure you that whoever nature created for you has the most pure intellect. She possesses celestial attributes and is a marvel of nature.”

Karl was lost in thought. He sat still for a long period of time, like a statue. Ricardo sensed that the cult leader had finished speaking and that it was time for them to stand up and leave. He tapped the hand of Karl sitting next to him and Karl glanced at him. Ricardo indicated that they should both leave now. Karl gave a nod in approval and turned to Eulisses, saying, “If we want to meet you again, can we come here?”

Eulisses smiled and said, “Visitors are not permitted to see me twice. You will have to join the cult in order to do so. If the visitor sees me for the second time, he does not recognize me.”

Karl’s thinking became muddled once more after hearing his remarks. He lacked the fortitude to take any more shocks at this point.

Then they both stood up. After greeting the cult leader, they both left the cabin.

They were discussing late at night after dinner at Ricardo’s house. “Buddy, the man’s remarks have shaken my entire existence,” Karl said to Ricardo. “I’ve never seen a more dangerous man.”

Ricardo laughed and asked, “Did you find the answer to the questions for which you have traveled so far?”

Karl remarked, “I got it to a large extent, bro. However, there is also a task. I’ve just begun to sense that I ought to find a life partner. I should find the right partner and watch how my life unfolds.”

“I believe the leader’s words have profoundly influenced your heart and mind,” Ricardo remarked.

Karl said, “You’re right, buddy. Tell me now will you help me with this other task as well? These days, aren’t you incredibly busy?”

Ricardo stated, “Don’t be concerned about me. I am free throughout the entire week. How many days of leave have you taken?”

“It’s Tuesday today. After four days off, the weekend comes. I have the entire week as well.”

Ricardo asked, “So, tell me, what do you want to do, buddy?”

Karl said, “Bro, in order to locate the girl whose birthday and birth time match with mine, we must first gather the birth data of the United States.”

Ricardo considered for a while. Then he asked, “But that girl could have been born in any country in the world,” he then questioned. “The data of the entire world cannot be arranged by us.”

Karl nodded and said, “I agree, it’s not an easy task. However, we can begin from the United States. If we can’t locate that girl here, we’ll think about the next move later. Is there someone in your network who can organize and furnish us with that information?”

Ricardo paused for a moment and then responded, “I don’t know anyone in the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Indeed, I do know a detective. He can certainly use some sort of method to extract this info. I’ll speak to him early tomorrow morning.”

The next morning, Ricardo called his detective friend and urged him to use his influence to collect the birth statistics of every state of the United States for a particular day from ‘Vital Statistics.’ The man readily agreed to complete his task. The Bureau only had statistics for the state of Texas. They downloaded the remaining states’ data from the intranet and copied it onto the detective’s thumb drive and that thumb drive arrived at Ricardo’s place before dark. Ricardo saved the information on his computer. A list of all the state-by-state children born on that day across the nation was stored on that thumb drive. In the United States, 9986 babies were born on the day Karl was born. Following each child’s name, the list included information on the baby’s gender, parents’ names, address, and birth time. Ricardo first accessed the state of California’s statistics. He used a filter on the birth time column and then sorted it in ascending order. It was easy for him to find Karl’s name. Following that, Ricardo continued to access the files of other states one by one, inputting the time according to the time zone of that state. However, the computer continued displaying ‘No Results Found.’ Both of them so far have seen data from around twenty states. Next, the Florida State file number appeared. Ricardo added three hours in Karl’s birth time, typed the input into the search bar, and hit enter.

“One Result Found,” flashed on the monitor. Their curiosity grew stronger. The moment he hit the enter key and saw the name appear on the monitor, Ricardo experienced a 440-volt electric jolt. He leapt from his seat and stood up. That name was—Luna Fawkes—Miami.

Karl had no idea about what had happened to Ricardo all of a sudden. “What’s the matter, bro?” he asked. “Why did you become so upset after reading this girl’s name? Do you know who is she?”

Ricardo attempted to respond to his question, but his throat went dry and his voice was unable to come out. He simply nodded yes.

Karl exclaimed joyfully, “This is a good thing, bro. We will no longer have any difficulty getting in touch with her.”

Ricardo trembled as he whispered, “Bro, I don’t think you’re likely to marry her.”

Karl inquired, “Why do you think so? Is she married already?”

“No dude. That isn’t like that.”

“So, what is the problem, dear? Tell me clearly.”

Ricardo mustered the guts to say, “Actually, this girl is a porn star.”

“What are you saying, Ricardo?” It seemed as if Karl had likewise received a powerful electric jolt. “How are you so sure of yourself? You may be surprised to learn that these porn stars never divulge their real names. They all enter the adult industry under pseudonyms. The actual name of Luna, whose films you may have seen, must be something different.”

Ricardo took a deep breath and placed both hands on Karl’s shoulders, saying, “Just try to understand what I’m saying, bro. Not only I’ve watched this girl’s films, but I have worked with her in several films. I never told you I am also a porn star.”

Karl was shocked even more this time. He smacked his right hand on his forehead and exclaimed, “Oh God, what else is yet to be heard?”

Ricardo took Karl’s hand in his and pressed it, saying, “I’m sorry, brother, I kept my truth from you. But I had no idea fate would bring us to this juncture. If you have any negative thoughts about me, please eliminate them. We shall continue to be friends as before. I will attempt to collect as much birth data from different nations as possible. Then we’ll find you the ideal match.”

It was as if Karl hadn’t heard him. He asked Ricardo, “Do you have any photographs of this girl?”

Ricardo’s face revealed an astonished reaction. Then he said, “Yes, friend. On my computer, I have images of her. Would you like to see it?”

Ricardo showed Karl a picture of Luna after he nodded yes. Karl’s eyes were charmed by Luna’s exquisite beauty in that photograph. He asked, “Why did she need to choose this profession? She could have become a movie star or a supermodel if she wanted to.”

“That’s exactly what everyone says about her, buddy,” Ricardo responded.

“So you’re claiming she’s your co-star? You’ve collaborated on a number of films together.”

“That is correct, dude. I was also cast in her debut film alongside her. You met this cult leader just because of the director who cast us together.”

“Dude, this is all really puzzling. I’m feeling dizzy now. Tell me, when the first sex scene was shot between you, was she a virgin at that time?”

“No, dude. She had a lover at the time, but I can’t recall his name. He broke up with her immediately when he learned that she had worked in a pornographic film. She became extremely upset as a result. She used to cry while having a phone conversation with me. But with time, she forgot about him as she got engrossed with her career. However, it took her a long time to recover from that shock. She never let another man into her life after that.”

Karl remained attentive to what he said. After that, he remarked, “Do you remember what that cult leader had said that nature will make every effort to keep me from making the right decision? I might have to face a situation that will completely shake my confidence, and I might not be able to continue on this path. Is this not the circumstance he forewarned us about?”

Ricardo was surprised by what he said. He’d never considered it before. He paused briefly before saying softly, “If you have no objections to her profession, then I can guarantee you one thing, dude. You won’t find a more sincere girl than her anywhere in the world.”

Karl was lost in thought. He sat motionless for ten minutes. Then he informed Ricardo, “I’ve made up my mind, bro. I shall continue on this path. I can’t go back now. Let’s see what impact this marriage will have on my life. Even if I do not receive anything else, I will gain experience.”

Ricardo patted him on the back as if admiring him on his courageous decision.

Then Karl said, “But I’m not sure if that girl will accept my proposal or not.”

Ricardo laughed and said, “Don’t worry about it, friend. I have already laid the foundations for this task over ten years ago. You consider your work accomplished. We shall go to bed now. We’ll make further plans in the morning.”

* * *

On Thursday morning, Karl approached Ricardo with the request to watch some videos of Luna. Ricardo brought six DVDs of Luna from a video parlor on the corner of the street. Karl maintained a close eye on her performance. His expression showed that he was awestruck by Luna’s beauty and talent.

Ricardo explained his plan to Karl over lunch in the afternoon. This went something like this, Karl would first return to San Diego and resign from his job. After that, he would enroll in a one-month course on photography and videography. Ricardo would then utilize his connections to find Karl a job as a cameraman in a Miami-based production company. For this purpose, they chose the company that used to cast Luna in the majority of her films. When they had gotten to know each other well, Karl would propose to Luna for marriage. Ricardo informed Karl that they were not going to disclose to Luna that they both knew each other. When Karl proposed to her, Luna would consult with only two people. One was her mother, and the other was Ricardo. They couldn’t tell her mother’s opinion but Ricardo would definitely ask her to accept the marriage proposal. And there’s a better chance she would agree. Finally, Ricardo advised Karl that when proposing to Luna, he needed to say exactly what Ricardo would tell him.

Karl then went to San Diego the next day, on Friday, to work on the plan. He went to the office on Monday morning and tendered his resignation, and the next day, he enrolled in a photography course. For a month, he worked hard to learn the job. In the meantime, he kept calling Ricardo. A month after completing the training, Ricardo informed him that his new job had been confirmed. In three days, he should reach Miami with all his stuff. Ricardo will be waiting for him there. Karl informed his elder brother that his parents would need to move in with him since he would have to move to Miami for a new job. Karl’s brother agreed and two days later, he sent his parents to his brother’s place and boarded a flight to Miami the next day.

When he got out of the airport at midday, he called Ricardo instantly. Ricardo’s cell phone was busy. After a while, he gave it another go, but it was once again busy. Five minutes later, he received an SMS from Ricardo in which he provided an address and stated that he was now engaged in some extremely important business and would meet him in the evening. Additionally, he instructed Karl to hail a cab as soon as possible, get to the location he had given, and give them Ricardo’s reference. Those people are expecting him. Karl sat in the taxi and arrived at the address provided by Ricardo. It was an apartment, and there were film-shooting preparations underway. There were about 9–10 crewmembers present. No one paid attention to him because everyone was too busy arranging things quickly. Karl approached the overweight man seated in the director’s chair and introduced himself along with Ricardo’s reference.

With a smile, the man greeted him and informed him that the shooting would begin in thirty minutes. They anticipated greater work from him. Karl promised not to disappoint them. A boy then offered him a mug of coffee. Karl sat on an empty chair, wondering whether Luna would show up for today’s shooting. He had noted that the entire crew consisted of guys. There was no woman present. It would have been quite uncomfortable for a female model to perform in front of so many males on such an occasion. It should be extremely difficult for her to manage. While he was sipping his coffee engrossed in this confusion, two boys, in their early twenties walked into the room. The director greeted them warmly. Karl knew they were both performers the moment he laid eyes on them. He began to wonder if today these two were going to have sex with Luna or some other model. His mind was racing with questions, but he sat perfectly still. When the set was ready after ten minutes, the director asked Karl to take his position behind the camera.

Till now no girl had arrived on the set. Both male models were sitting on the bed in their underwear. Karl was excited with anticipation to see which girl would walk into the room. He switched on the camera and as soon as the director called ‘Action’ and was shocked to witness what happened there. Both of those models began kissing one another. Karl’s jaw dropped open. Both models put their hands into each other’s underwear. Karl realized that gay porn was being filmed there. In his thoughts, he began abusing Ricardo. When he took his phone from his pocket to call him, he heard the director say, “Cut.” The director then turned to him and stated, “You have to shoot this scene with a camera, you motherfucker, not with your phone.” Karl was humiliated and apologized to the director. He subsequently put the phone in his pocket. The scene resumed, and Karl continued to record it all. He sighed with relief as the scene was finished in half an hour. The director then asked him to return to the same location at 11:00 a.m. the next day so that the remaining shooting could be completed. Karl said goodbye and left. In a rage, he clenched his fists. Upon encountering Ricardo, the first thing he was going to do was punch him hard in the face.

He spent the entire day wandering here and there. He thoroughly liked that city. He’d arrived here for the first time in his life. Everyone appeared to be in a good mood. The atmosphere was upbeat and enjoyable. Perhaps this was why, after wandering around for a few hours, his rage at Ricardo had subsided a little. He thought that when he met Ricardo, he would not punch him but would definitely abuse him. However, Ricardo was not answering the phone. Around 5:30, he received a call on his cell phone from Ricardo. When Karl answered the phone, Ricardo explained that he had been shooting all day and was only now free. He texted Karl the location of a coffee shop and asked him to come there right now. As soon as Karl got there, Ricardo was already waiting for him at a table. As soon as Karl sat on the chair in front of him, he poured out all the foul language he could muster on Ricardo. Ricardo kept on smiling.

Then Karl asked, “Motherfucker, where have you sent me? Do you have any idea what those people were up to? And you were absent for the whole day.”

Ricardo burst out laughing and exclaimed, “Buddy, I told you I was shooting all day. That is why I was unable to answer your phone.”

“You were having fun, and you were aware of what was going on with me,” Karl was yelling in rage.

“Calm down, bro,” said Ricardo. “Allow me to explain everything. Do you recall that it was part of our plan not to let Luna know that we knew each other?”

“So?” Karl asked.

“So, if I had gotten you a job immediately in that production house, Luna would have learned about our friendship because she has a deep friendship with the producer-director of that house. She would undoubtedly inform her that the new cameraman was hired on the recommendation of Ricardo. And our secret would have been revealed.”

Karl agreed with what he explained. Ricardo continued, “That’s why I got you a job in another production house. Those people only make gay movies. You collaborate with them for a few weeks. After that, you should independently run into the producer, and she will hire you.”

“What makes you so certain of this?” Karl inquired.

“She has discussed it with me. At present, a cameraman in their team wishes to leave his job, and they have somehow persuaded him to stay on until they find a replacement. She has asked me to find her an experienced cameraman. But I’ll not do it for her. You will go to her on your own.”

Karl’s rage had subsided totally. He had grasped Ricardo’s strategy. “Let’s spend the night in my hotel room,” Ricardo offered. “Tomorrow, we’ll locate an accommodation for you. After that, I’ll head back to Houston. I need to go to bed early today. I’m exhausted. Your future wife has squeezed me badly today.”

Karl’s rage flared up once more. He shouted, “You were having a good time with Luna, motherfucker. I was waiting for her on the set of those fags, and she was having fun with you.”

Ricardo burst into laughter. Then he said, “Now get used to it, brother. There will be several occasions when you will shoot my videos with your wife.”

The next day, Ricardo found an apartment for Karl to rent and returned to Houston. As he was leaving, he promised Karl that he would contact him to let him know when it would be appropriate to apply for a job at the new production company.

* * *

The next five weeks were the most challenging of Karl’s life. The man, who had never seen boy-girl porn before, was compelled to shoot gay porn. That production house’s crew also acted suspiciously. He had a strong impression that the crew was glancing at his hips the entire time. As a result, he frequently became irritated. He had to shoot that content three or four days a week. Many models approached him and asked for his phone number, but he always declined. He was aware of their intentions. It became too much one day. The producer asked him to sit close to him and said, “Look, young man, your work is wonderful. You do your job with complete dedication. However, a cameraman is paid less than others. You can earn four times more if you want to. You have a nice appearance. It is beneficial for you to pursue a career in modelling. Our videos are in high demand in a large community. If you opt for it, you can achieve fame.”

Karl wanted to punch that producer in the face. But he kept his cool and responded quietly, “Okay, sir, I’ll think about it.”

The producer patted his shoulder and said, “Please inform me of your decision as soon as possible.” Karl stood up and walked away. It was now difficult for him to devote even a single day to this job. Then, on the same night, he received a phone call from Ricardo, for which he had been waiting for two weeks.

Ricardo instructed him to see Rita Montenegro at the ‘Heat n Lust’ studio in South Miami tomorrow morning to discuss his job. That is his final destination. Karl breathed a sigh of relief at hearing this. He appeared to be writhing in some prison for the last six weeks. However, he knew deep inside that nature would do everything it could to keep him from achieving his destination. He realized it was nature’s conspiracy to have him spend six months performing such work in order to destroy his morale and cause him to flee, leaving the work unfinished. His perspective on life changed significantly after meeting that cult leader. He was no longer readily distracted.

Rita was also intrigued by his calm demeanor. He was sitting in front of her in her office around 11:00 a.m. Karl noticed posters of Luna Fawx’s movies on the walls of Rita’s office. Rita interviewed him for a few minutes. Karl honestly answered most of her questions. He only lied in response to one question. When Rita questioned why he quit his previous job, Karl explained that the pay was inadequate. Then Rita explained, “Today we are not shooting any scenes. Tomorrow, you must arrive at the studio at this hour. The next three days will be spent shooting continuously.”

Karl shook her hand and walked out. He called his producer in the evening and informed him he was unable to continue with them. When the producer inquired about the reason, he replied, “I had accepted the advice you had given me. I want to be a model, but I have signed a contract with another studio.” Karl then hung up before hearing his response.

He arrived at Rita’s studio on schedule the next day. In the studio, there was a black model. As soon as Karl saw her, he knew that Luna would not be coming today. A bondage scene involving a white male was to be shot with that model for roughly 80 minutes. Karl performed an excellent job. Rita was quite pleased with his work.

Karl’s second day was likewise filled with disappointment. On this day, a sex scene featuring an Asian female and an African man was scheduled, and it was also a bondage scene along the lines of the first day.

Following the completion of the scene, Karl recorded an interview of both models at Rita’s request. The final scene of that film was to be shot on the third day. Karl was hoping that he would get to see Luna today. He was cleaning his camera lens on the set. Then a 25-year-old guy entered. Karl was surprised. He was a gay model, and Karl had recently shot three scenes of him. Karl was unable to figure out why he had come there. The guy said hello to everyone and shook hands with Karl. Then he questioned Karl, “Do you work here now?”

Karl informed him that he had recently joined this production company. The guy then turned to Rita and pointed toward Karl, saying, “We’ve both worked together before.” Rita smiled. The guy then said, “Has Miss Fawx arrived?”

Rita said, “Not yet. She’ll be here in ten minutes.” After hearing these words, Karl’s happiness knew no bounds. It seemed as though he was intoxicated. After ten minutes, the intoxication was amplified when Luna appeared on the set with a gleaming figure in a black dress and a radiant smile on her face. Everyone greeted her warmly. Karl continued to stare at her with wide eyes. But Luna had missed the fact that there was a new face present that day. That basic question which was even more surprising had slipped Karl’s mind from the moment he heard her name until she arrived. The question was what was a gay model doing there that day? But, as time passed, Karl figured out the answer on his own. The final scene of that movie, which was supposed to be filmed on Luna and that model, Luna had to fuck that gay model wearing a strap-on dildo.

Karl continued to take very precise shots once the scene started. Luna wore a leather outfit that covered most of her upper body. The bottom half was uncovered. Her hands were gloved with latex. That gay model laid out naked on a wooden table. Luna had used a rope to tie up his hands and feet. She then sat on his face. The model writhed restlessly or pretended to writhe. After a while, Luna moved away from his face and began to suck his genitals. In addition, she spat on his genitals. Karl was quite thrilled with her performance. She truly was an extremely bold lady.

When she put that strap-on dildo and slid it inside the model’s ass, Karl began to think seriously. He assumed that this was his first encounter with Luna and that if he witnessed something like this it just meant that nature wanted to convey him a message that after marriage, Luna was going to fuck him like this for the rest of his life. He reasoned in his mind that even if something worse happened, he wouldn’t change his decision. The scene was finished after an hour of tormenting that model. After removing the outfit, Luna changed into her regular clothes and hurriedly said goodbye to everyone before leaving. Perhaps she needed to go to another place. Karl was shocked to find that Luna had ignored him. Karl became nervous. He had hoped to meet and get to know that lovely woman further today, but he was never given the chance to do so. Luna didn’t even give him a glance. He was well aware that Luna was a very popular adult star with a busy schedule. She’d have to do more than one shoot in a single day. And how will he find the time in her hectic schedule to express his feelings to her? He consoled himself by reminding him that there would be plenty more opportunities in the future. Ricardo also told him that he had nothing to be concerned about as he had a flawless plan in place to complete the task. If everything had gone according to plan till now, it would undoubtedly continue to do so in the future.

* * *

Rita had planned a small evening party at her place on the same weekend. She had invited her friends, as well as some special guests from the adult industry and members of her crew. Karl was also among the guests, and Luna was also present there. She looked stunning in a purple backless dress. She was sitting on the couch with Rita, the party’s hostess. When Rita noticed Karl, she called him to sit alongside her. As soon as he approached her, Rita introduced Karl to Luna and informed her that he had recently joined them. Luna shook Karl’s hand and said, “Nice to meet you.” As soon as their gazes locked, it was as if time stood still. Luna also felt that Karl’s personality had a certain allure that she couldn’t resist. The party went on till midnight. Both of them kept drinking and meeting new people while discreetly staring at each other.

The next morning, Karl called Ricardo and told him that Rita had introduced him to Luna the night before. Ricardo expressed his happiness and informed her that he needed to propose to her as soon as possible. And at that point, note down what you need to say to her. Karl took up a pen and paper and jotted down what Ricardo said.

Rita left for a ten-day trip to Europe the next week. Karl flew to San Diego to see his family as he was free these days as well. Rita had returned by the time he got back. Rita used to produce and direct movies under her own banner, but back then, the owners of an adult website sent her a proposal. They wanted Rita to direct a black gangbang scene for their website. In the scene, Luna was signed against three black models. Rita accepted their proposal.

The shooting was scheduled four days later. The founders of that website were extremely wealthy and had multiple properties throughout America. The shooting was to take place in one of their South Miami villas. Rita had brought only Karl along with her. As soon as they arrived, they noticed Luna was already there. When Karl’s gaze met Luna’s, her eyes sparkled and a naughty smile appeared on her face. Karl knew that the girl had started liking him.

The three black models had arrived on site as well. As soon as everyone exited the makeup room, Rita sat in the director’s chair and Karl set up his camera. Following that, the game of love began. Luna appeared to be brimming with vitality. She was expertly having sex with all three of them. Karl began to assume that, despite the fact that he has watched only this woman’s porn videos he can confidently state that no one else in the entire world will have such incredible skills. In that 70-minute action, Luna never let those black dicks feel the slightest sense of loneliness for a single second. Those three dicks stayed in her mouth, in her hands, in her pussy, or in her asshole the entire time.

Luna eventually got down on her knees and all three of them poured cum on her face. Luna then licked each of the three dicks one by one. She rose up from her seat as soon as the director said, “Cut,” and began seeking the towel by twisting her head here and there. But everyone in the room at the moment was engrossed and immersed in the spectacle, and no one thought of handing the towel to Luna.

When Luna moved toward the makeup room, Karl quickly shifted the camera to the side and practically sprinted after her. As soon as he stepped inside, he asked the makeup artist to move out for a while. Since the makeup artist didn’t recognize him, she asked, “Who are you?” Karl replied that he would tell everything later. Then he grabbed her arm and pushed her out of the room, closing the door from the inside. The makeup artist stared at the closed door, stunned.

Luna stood there entirely naked, watching everything. Her face was in a weird state. Her hair and face were splattered with cum. One of her eyelash extensions was dangling halfway down. In a surprised tone, she asked Karl, “What’s the matter? Is there anything else to shoot?”

Karl ignored her question and knelt on his knee. Then he took Luna’s left hand in both of his and murmured, “I fell in love with you at first sight. Will you marry me?”

Luna’s mouth opened wide when she heard his remarks. She yanked his hand away and asked, “Do you even know what you’re saying? Why do you want to marry me when I had just fucked three males in front of you?”

Karl stood up and held Luna’s hand once more. Looking her in the eyes, he continued, “No one knows what his partner is up to behind his back. At the very least, I am aware of what you do. Your body can be shared with anyone, but your heart will always belong to me. My love is sincere, and I want you in your originality. I accept you exactly as you are. You are perfect the way you are.”

His words appeared to cast a spell on Luna. She instantly said yes to Karl. She also hugged him at the same time. Karl felt as if he had entered a different universe after receiving her embrace. Then he fled the makeup room and returned to sit next to Rita. Rita gestured towards the semen stains on his T-shirt. Karl responded with a smile and a wink.

Karl called Ricardo late at night and said, “Dude, your words did magic. She agreed.”

Ricardo couldn’t believe what he had heard. The girl who sought Ricardo’s advice on every minor issue made such an important decision on her own. He said, “Dude, you must have had some sort of misunderstanding.”

“No, it’s not the case, bro. I asked her straight, and she immediately said yes,” Karl replied.

Ricardo was overwhelmed with happiness as well as jealousy for his friend. He congratulated Karl and promised to meet him shortly.

Ricardo didn’t sleep through the night. He continued to walk here and there. He had a feeling that even though Luna had not consulted him beforehand, she would call him and tell him about this. But the night passed without receiving any call from her. He called Rita in the morning and inquired about her well-being. Rita informed him that Luna was getting married.

Ricardo became even more bewildered. What could have happened if Luna had spoken to Rita about her decision but not him? He was agitated throughout the day. In the evening, he called Luna. Luna was at home at that time. Hearing Ricardo’s voice, she said, “I have some good news for you.”

Ricardo said, “Luna, the news that I should have received from you first, I have got it from other people. You’ve changed drastically.”

Luna said, “It’s not like that, Ricardo, everything happened really fast. I was high on cocaine at the time. I need drugs to perform better when I shoot stuff with multiple dudes. The same thing happened yesterday. Karl proposed to me just after the shoot when I was flooded with emotions. I couldn’t say no to him. I realize I should have asked for some time to consult with you. This, however, skipped from my mind. I sincerely apologize. I should have informed you. He’s a really wonderful guy. You reach here as soon as possible. I would like to introduce you to him. Also, we’re getting married soon.”

After listening to her, Ricardo’s rage eased slightly. He stated, “I’ll be in Miami tomorrow, Luna.”

He then disconnected the phone.

When Luna told Dakota about her decision, she burst into tears. She embraced her daughter. Luna did not inform anyone in the industry about this except her closest friends. They made the decision to keep the wedding ceremony small.

* * *

The same year, on 29 September 2010, Wednesday was selected for Luna and Karl’s wedding. Because there was very little time left for the wedding, everyone began preparing for it with full enthusiasm. Luna, along with her mother and Rita, compiled the guest list. There was a thorough discussion about the budget. Karl called his brother to inform him that he was getting married and asked him to come to Miami to attend the wedding, but his brother expressed his inability to come due to his tight schedule. As a result, the only person Karl knew who was going to attend his wedding was Ricardo. In the view of others, he, too, was a stranger to him. When Karl asked about where they should go for their honeymoon, Luna recommended that they should go to Spain.

Then the day arrived for them to tie the knot at Miami’s Trinity Church. Luna looked like an angel in her white satin wedding gown. Everyone who saw them believed that they were made for each other. A week after their wedding, they went to Spain for three weeks on honeymoon.

For the first time, Luna had ventured out on a journey with someone. She had always traveled alone until now. And Karl has only done bike tours till the moment.

On the fourth day of their honeymoon, at the entrance to Carrero de les Bruixes, commonly known as the Alley of Witches, in Cervera, 60 miles from Barcelona, a photographer approached them and asked if he may click their picture. Luna refused, claiming she had her own digital camera. The printed photo is of no use to them. However, Karl said that he would mail that photograph to his house because he does not have a computer at home. His family will be pleased to see their photograph. The photographer clicked their picture, handed them his business card and added that they may pick up their photograph from his studio after three hours.

Both of them got the photograph from the studio in the evening. The photograph was stunning. Behind them, the entrance board of that place was clearly apparent. Before leaving the place the next morning, Karl posted that photograph to his home address.

Luna and Karl made the most of their three-week honeymoon. They traveled throughout Spain. They traveled via Barcelona to view the colorful shores of Costa Galicia and the white sand beaches of Ibiza. Luna’s outspoken personality left a lasting impression on Karl. All of the people he met in the adult industry after joining Rita’s company as a cameraman appeared very alive and honest to him. The world he came from was full of malice and deception. He was confident about Luna that she would never have lied in her entire life and would never be unfaithful to him. But there was still a doubt growing in his mind. That night, he mustered the courage to ask Luna if she was addicted to anal sex. Luna replied with a smile that there was no such thing. She indulges in anal sex only during the shooting. Since Matthew ended their relationship, she had only had on-screen relationships. Karl trusted her words wholeheartedly. Ricardo had given him the same information about her.

They were both wandering the streets of Madrid on the final days of their honeymoon. It was 6:30 in the evening. Luna, unlike other ladies, was not fascinated with indiscriminate shopping. Throughout the trip, she did virtually little shopping. This attribute of hers impressed Karl deeply. While they were walking, Luna’s gaze was drawn to a Cartomancy Shop, where cards were used to tell people’s fortune. Luna insisted that she wanted to go inside the shop. Karl agreed, and the two of them entered the shop. At the same time, 6,000 miles away, the doorbell rang at Karl’s brother Luke’s house. It was 9:30 in the morning. Luke was getting ready to leave for work. As he opened the door, the postman handed Luke a white envelope.

The illumination in that spiritual shop was exceedingly weak. A pleasant aroma was also present across the shop. Because there was carpet on the floor, they had both removed their shoes outside the shop. They noticed an elderly woman dressed in traditional attire sitting on the ground. In front of her was a six-inch-high wooden table on which tarot cards were placed. The woman smiled at them both, and they smiled in return. The woman then gestured for them both to take a seat in front of her.

They sat down silently. The woman took up the cards in front of her and asked Luna to choose three of them. Luna silently picked three cards from the deck and handed them to the woman. The woman placed the three cards on the table with face down.

Luke entered the house after receiving the envelope from the postman and opened it while sitting on the couch. An 8×10-inch color photo of his brother and his newlywed bride emerged from within. His face lit up with a smile the moment he saw that picture. He called his mother. When his mother arrived, he informed her that Karl had sent a photo of himself with his wife. Her mother saw the photo and remarked, “She’s so gorgeous! Let us show this to your father.”

The Cartomancer took the first among the three cards kept face down in front of her and while looking at it said to Luna, “You are the owner of a very balanced existence. There is absolutely no straying in your life. You are on the right path. Seldom does this happen to humans. Nature also aids you in your task. Your married life is full of joy.”

Then she picked up the second card and informed Luna, “You will encounter a spirit in your life.” Luna became tense after hearing her remarks. The woman noticed her horrified expression and remarked, “You don’t have to be afraid. She’ll come to you looking for a solution to her wanderings. She will have no intention of hurting you in any way.”

Luna breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this.

After picking up the third card and studying it, she continued, “You have the most pure intellect. You are a natural wonder. You are an earthly angel. You will receive whatever you desire in your life. Some divine power is guarding you. There is no force that can damage you. The sheer thought of causing you damage will destroy your enemy. You were born on this planet for a specific purpose, which is now almost completed. Your arrival on this planet has saved many innocent lives.” They both began to glance at each other in amazement after hearing that.

The woman then put her left palm in front of Luna’s face and murmured, “Always be happy.”

Luke and his mother cautiously opened his father’s bedroom door. On the bed in front of them, supported by a pillow, sat Father Walter Davis. They both approached him and showed him the photo. Luke’s mother pointed to Luna’s photo and said to Walter Davis, “This is Karl’s wife.” Walter Davis suffered from a variety of health issues. He also had trouble speaking. Nobody could understand much of what he said. But his vision was intact. He grasped the photo with shaky hands and examined it closely. His eyes widened as he gazed at Luna’s face. Then his focus was drawn to the board behind the picture, where ‘Carrero de les Bruixes’ was written. When he saw that board, he felt another great jolt and his entire body began to tremble with fear. That photograph slipped from his grasp.

His wife and son were terrified when they saw his condition. His wife shook his shoulder and asked, “What happened to you? Are you all right?”

But it appeared that Walter Davis did not pay attention to her. He began murmuring, “This woman is a witch. I encountered her a long time ago. Even today, she looks exactly the same. She has remained youthful throughout all these years.”

It was completely beyond their comprehension what Walter was talking about. Luke put his ear closer to his father’s mouth in an attempt to listen. Walter began shedding tears from his eyes. He continued to murmur, “She had uttered the name of Jesus with her unholy mouth. She’s got my son in her grasp. She’s taken him to her house. One day, she will devour him. Dear Lord, please save my son from this witch.”

Subsequently, his eyes closed and his neck tilted to one side. His life had vanished.

* * *