Chapter 2

Bam! Ashley ran right into a tall, handsome man. Speechless, she dropped her phone. The man caught it just before it hit the ground. Ashley was speechless.

She quickly moved back to put some distance between her and the stranger. "I'm so sorry, sir. Thank you," she said. She couldn't help but notice his eyes. They were such a beautiful, deep blue it was looking at the sea. They were like magnets, bewitching her to move closer to him.

She didn't realize how close she had moved towards the man. They were only a breath away from their lips touching. Ashley was in a daze. The man chuckled mischievously at her enchanted state, and he found himself amused. Instead of stepping away, he moved closer, breathing in her alluring scent.

"What kind of perfume are you wearing?" The man asked Ashley.

His calm voice snapped her back to her senses like a pail of cold water. "Excuse me? Perfume? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not wearing any. It must just be my shampoo," Ashley managed to reply.

She was about to say something else when she heard her name called. "Oh…I'm sorry. That's me. I have to go." She sprinted to the terminal where the plane was waiting.

Hmmm…so her name is Ashley, he thought to himself.

While Tanaga Jones walked toward the private plane that was waiting for him, he realized Ashley's phone was still in his hands. He was reluctant. Should I go after her, or wait for her to come looking for it? After contemplating his options, he decided he would let her go to him. Until we meet again….he thought.

CEO Tanaga Jones had no idea, but he would meet Ashley Gusman again…the very next day.

===

It was late in the evening when Ashley's plane landed at Narita International Airport. She remembered the phone call she had promised her family and reached for her phone, but it wasn't there. She realized she must have left it in the confusion of her encounter earlier.

Ashley rushed out of the terminal, looking for a landline to call her family. Public telephones were outdated, and she couldn't find one. Her search was cut short when she a middle-aged Filipina holding a sign with her name on it. She approached the woman. "Are you Ashley Gusman?" The woman asked her.

"Yes, I'm Ashley. How about you? Oh, I mean, who are you?"

"I'm Mrs. Gutieres," the woman replied as she scrutinized Ashley from head to toe.

"If you don't have any other luggage that needs to be collected, we should go now. It's getting late. We have a long drive ahead of us." The woman told Ashley, rushing her in the process.

"Mrs. Gutieres, could I ask a favor? You see, I lost my phone. I think the person who has it is here in Japan."

Irritated, Mrs. Gutieres asked, "What is that you want?"

Sensing the woman's irritation, Ashley changed her mind and responded that she needed nothing more.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's go. It's getting late." With that, Mrs. Gutieres turned and walked to the vehicle that was waiting for them.

Exhausted, Ashley followed without asking any questions. After driving for an hour, they reached their destination.

Ashley looked out the window. When she saw where they were, she was in shock. A moment later, the car door opened, and two big men stood in front of her.

"Down!" one of the men shouted at Ashley.

"Huh?" She asked, eyes wide and shaking with fear.

"Did you hear me? I said down," the angry man yelled.

When she didn't move, a hand holding some king of cloth cupped her mouth from behind. Within seconds, Ashley passed out…

When Ashley woke, it was morning. She found herself lying on a bed in a narrow room. He rubbed the sleep from her eyes, hoping this was all a dream. But when she looked around again, she realized nothing had changed. It wasn't a dream.

Moments later, the bedroom door opened. Mrs. Gutrieres came in. She had a little girl with her.

"Good. You're already awake. Get up and follow Isoka." Mrs. Gutieres ordered.

When Ashley didn't move, Mrs. Gutieres glared at Isoka. "What are you waiting for? Drag her if you need to. I already told you! This is just a job. You don't need to show kindness in places like this!"

Ashley realized nothing good would come of her stubbornness. It would only get someone hurt. The only thing she could do for now was to cooperate until she found a way out.

Tanaga was eating breakfast, watching Ashley's phone. He was expecting it to ring at any moment, but no calls came in. He placed the phone in his pocket and went back to his room to get ready. He needed to head to his office soon.

While he was changing, he received a phone call from the agency he had contracted to find him a suitable mate. The agency would present girls to him from various nationalities. He was to choose the one he found the most ideal for providing him with an heir.

"Hello Mr. Jones, all the preparations have been made. If now is a good time, we will get the girls ready for you," the woman told him.

"Hmm…yes, I see. Give me half an hour," Tanaga replied.

Thirty minutes later, Tanaga arrived. The iron gates to the private property opened, and he drove through. Mrs. Gutieres and two guards waited for him at the entrance.

He parked his car, and one of the guards opened the door for him. Mrs. Gutieres smiled politely as she welcomed Tanaga. Inside, she could barely contain her excitement. If he chooses one of our girls, we're going to be rich! Mrs. Guitieres thought to herself. Just the possibility of that amount of money made her giddy.

She led him to a private room with a large two-way mirror. It would allow him to view the women while protecting his anonymity.

"Open the curtains," Mrs. Gutieres ordered. When the curtain was opened, Tanaga quickly viewed the women and turned to leave.

"Sir! Wait! They're all beautiful and willing! Take a closer look. You can speak to them if you wish." Mrs. Gutieres was pleading.

"No need. Call me when you have another group for me to view," Tanaga replied.

Mrs. Gutieres couldn't stand the thought of losing him as a client. "Tell me exactly what you're looking for, so next time we can provide you with more pleasing options."

Tanaga stopped and turned to face Mrs. Gutieres. "Filipina! I told you I was very specific."