A Year With The Billionaire

" Mom, please just open your eyes and look at me ".

It was a sunny day in Los Angeles and everyone seemed to be happy except Sophie Miller as she pushed her mother into the Intensive Unit of the hospital with tears in her eyes.

She felt the hand of her weak mother on her arm. " I will be fine ". She heard her mother whisper.

" Okay, ma'am. This is where you can stop ". The nurse told Sophie but she was left in her thoughts. " Ma'am ". The nurse said louder, bringing her from her line of thoughts.

" What? "

" You are not allowed inside just yet ". The nurse said and her mother was pushed into a room and she was left outside.

Sophie fell to the floor and cried harder, never minding the curious passerbys. All she wanted to scream about how unfair life has been to her lately.

She heard a throat clear beside her and she totally ignored it. Then, it was a voice. " Ma'am". It said and she suddenly felt even more frustrated at how everyone is calling her "ma'am" nowadays.

She shouted out with frustration. " Sophie!". She saw the man flinch. " My name's Sophie". She quickly added quietly.

The man composed himself more. " You see that man over there". He pointed to a direction and surely, there was a man sitting there holding a large newspaper to his face. " He asked for me to call you over".

She looked at him confused. " I don't understand. You are probably talking to the wrong person".

" No, your name is Sophie Miller and your mother who was rushed inside there is Mary Miller". He said and she stood right up. " Am I correct?".

He was obviously correct but she never remembered telling him that.

" How do you know this?". She asked, her hands quickly wiping her face. She probably looked ruined right now.

He pointed to the man again and she stared hard and long at him. She started to walk towards the man and when she got to his front, she cleared her throat.

" You know my mother's name". She said. " How?". She eyed him. " Are you a doctor?".

The man brought the newspaper down from his face and looked at her. Sophie staggered unnoticeably backwards from the sheer beauty of the man in front of her. He had deep blue eyes that seemed to capture her entire being and a strong jawline with a perfect nose.

He eyed her figure once and looked into her eyes and she instantly felt intimidated.

" Do I look like a doctor?". He asked, his voice a rich mixture of deepness and sweetness.

He stood up to his full height and she was forced to look up at him because of his monstrous height.

" Finally done staring?". The man asked with a smug look on his face.

" I was not staring, you don't have to look proud". She said meekly.

His entire face changed back to neutral instantly and he said, " I will watch my mouth if I were you".

She suddenly got mad at him. " Look, I don't know who you are". He frowned. " But I will like to get back to my mother". She started to walk away.

" I have a proposal for you". He said shortly. She froze in her steps and turned to look back at him.

" Well, answer my question first. How do you know my mother's name?". She asked.

The man sat down back again with a heavy sigh. " Are you interested in the proposal or not?". He looked like he was ready to explode on her.

She thought for a second. " What kind of proposal?".

" The kind that brings you money". He said. She was on the verge of speaking when he added. " Enough money to pay your mother's medical bills".

" I don't understand".

" I know you are failing drastically at paying for your mother's medical bills. She has cancer". Her eyes widened. " You don't have a reliable job, infact you work at a local coffee shop". He said.

She felt agitated. " How do you know so much about me?".

" You are in debt and you do not want your mother to die yet the bills grow day by day and you won't be able to afford her treatments anytime soon". He continued. " You are desperate".

She was silent. Drop dead silent.

" The proposal provides the solution to all your problems. All you have to do is agree to marry me". He said with a smirk.

She stared long and hard at him and laughed. The man stared at her with a confused glare.

" Is something funny, Miss Miller?". He asked.

" You want me". She pointed at herself. " ...to marry you".

" For a year ". He added.

She laughed harder this time around and looked at the man like he was full-on telling comedy. Then, she realized the man was not laughing. He was serious.

" Life has been playing with me nowadays a lot and if this is a joke..." She said.

He brought out a file from where he sat and handed it to her. She read the heading which boldly read " The marriage contract "

and she looked at him again.

" You are not joking but why?". She closed the file not giving it a second glance. It was insane to her.

" You need the financial assistance ". He clearly stated.

" Yes but what is it to you?". She asked.

He furrowed his brows. " You lost me". He said and she almost wanted to laugh again at his straight face.

" What do you gain out of this?".

He contemplated for a while before he said. " It is none of your business. I wish to help you".

" That's a lie!". She exclaimed. " That right there is a lie". Although the man intimidated her, she could not help herself from speaking her mind.

" Do you need the help or not?". He asked.

She shook her head. " No, I don't actually". He snatched the file from her hand, dropped his business card and walked out.

She carried his card and stared at it. The name of the man was Alexander King and he was the owner of King's Dynasty, the world-known tech company. His phone number was boldly written on it.

Right there, she realized that she just fell the offer of a billionaire.

She absentmindedly walked back to the front of the Intensive Unit with the hope of seeing her mother. The same nurse from before walked out again.

" Is she okay, nurse?". Sophie asked. The nurse looked at her and gave a brief smile.

" She will be fine, but for now she is still out". She said and gently squeezed the arm of Sophie. She walked away.

Sophie sat down for a while before heading to the exit of the hospital. She hailed a cab and gave the direction to her boyfriend's apartment.

After several tries of his number, she gave up and just hoped he was home. She needed every form of emotional support she could get.

The cab dropped her in front of his apartment and she walked to the front of his house, which was a small apartment near the creek.

She brought the key he gave her when they got together and unlocked the door. The first thing she noticed was the pink shoes at the door side. She knew those definitely did not belong to her and her boyfriend, Sammie, did not have a sister.

She shrugged it off and was about to call out his name when she heard the underlying sounds coming from his bedroom. She walked towards it and saw her boyfriend in bed with another woman.

She choked on her cry and he looked up. His countenance changed and he quickly got off the woman.

" Sophie, Sophie!". She turned around and ran away. " No, wait, Sophie!". She heard him call out and she ran out through the door.

Sophie heard the opening of the door again and didn't bother turning around.

" Sophie, wait!". He grabbed onto her arm and she flung it away. She could not bring herself to look at him. " Look at me, Sophie, please".

She walked away from him. " Leave me alone". With tears streaming from her eyes, she hailed another cab.

" Sophie, I swear to you, I love you". He cried.

" You were in bed with another woman!". She shouted.

He kept quiet and she entered the cab. She sobbed hard. Sophie realized that today might as well be the worst day of her life.

" Ma'am, are you alright back there?". The cab man asked. She cleaned her face.

She cleared her throat. " Yes, I'll be alright". She reassured herself.

Sophie removed the card from her back pocket and stared at it with serious contemplations. She decided there was nothing to loose and more to gain. It was only for a year anyways.

She brought out her phone and dialed the number. It rang twice and when she was about to cut it, he picked.

" Alexander King. Who is on the line?". The deep voice asked.