Billionaire's Baby Bargain

CHAPTER ONE

ANDREA'S POV

Mr Crown's eyes bore holes into my skin as I walked over to his desk, almost tripping over my feet. For the past 2 years that I have been working here, he has not looked at me longer than two seconds, and now...

I gulped, trying to push the nerves away as I placed the files on his desk. "These are the files on the..."

"Miss Charlton, would you like to be my wife?" Fits of cough erupted from my throat and I stared at him wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry, what?!" I asked the minute I stopped coughing.

"Will you like to marry me?" He asked again, and I just gaped at him, trying to find the traces of humor in his stoic face and bland eyes, but there was none. Mr Crown never jokes around, at least I've never seen him make a joke.

It was always business.

"Umm..." I wiped my sweaty palms on my skirt, standing upright as I did. "Your meeting with the Marketing board is in 30 minutes, sir." I blurted out.

He finally dragged his eyes away from me and nodded. "You can go now." I gulped and nodded, yet my legs refused to move. One of his brows shot up once he noticed I was still standing in the same spot. "Is there something you want to say?"

I flinched at the hint of annoyance in his voice. "N-no sir." I immediately dragged my feet away from his office.

A deep breath escaped my lips the second I made contact with my chair. I forced whatever the hell happened just a few minutes ago into the back of my mind. I have a lot to do and thinking about an absurd marriage proposal is not on the list.

Letting out a shaky breath, I forced myself back into work. The same work and routine I have been subjected to for the past two years. It was boring, tiring... but hey, it paid the bills.

Some days I felt like throwing in the towel and going after my own dreams, but the thought of her kept me shackled to this desk.

I tucked my bottom lip in between my teeth at the thought of her. I thought I had escaped, I thought I could finally live my life for me the day I escaped that shit hole of a town, but seven years later, she found me and...

My trail of thoughts were broken off by my ringing phone. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as I quickly reached out for it; Mr Crown has a policy against ringtones.

I swiped the green button without looking, in the bid to put an end to the ringtone. "Miss Charlton here" I said, trying to keep my voice calm and neutral.

"This is St. Lucy's nursing home..." My mouth immediately ran dry at the introduction. A torrent of emotions swirled in my head and I could swear the building moved for a brief second.

"Yes?" I mumbled, hoping and praying for... I don't know. I never know what I'm praying for when they call.

"We are calling to inform you of a 30% increase in the monthly payment, this is to..." The loud roaring in my head drowned out the rest of whatever the heck she was saying. A 30% increase. A THIRTY PERCENT INCREASE! That would take up my salary, all of it.

Nothing would be left even for groceries. My breath came out in harsher puffs and I immediately ended the call. I gripped the hems of my skirt as I cajoled myself into taking deep breaths.

A thirty percent increase... That's fifteen grand. My entire monthly pay. I could feel the panic curling in the pit of my stomach and blurring my vision.

"Miss Charlton, are you ready for the meeting?" A familiar voice asked and I snapped my head up to see Mr Crown staring down at me, a curious glint lined his eyes instead of the usual boredom that coated it.

I immediately grabbed the next thing I laid my hands on and stood to my feet, knocking the pen cup over as I did.

His brows furrowed and he stared at my hands before his eyes slowly trailed up to my face and I gulped. "Are you sure about that?"

"What?" I raised my brows and his gaze fell to my hands again, or rather, what they held.

"Are you sure you want to go into the meeting holding that?" I immediately looked down at my hands, and I was holding onto the package for the Chinese food I ordered a while ago.

I felt blood rush up my to face as I immediately threw the package into the bin and picked up my tablet. "Uhh..." I cleared my throat and looked up at him, trying to keep my face neutral like my insides weren't a mess and my face and indication of that. "I'm ready now sir."

He gave me a once over and nodded. "Let's go." He turned and strode out. I gave myself a few seconds to collect my thoughts, before I rushed out to catch up with him.

We both fell into a familiar stride and the usual comfortable silence that accompanied our walk had turned into something more... Awkward.

But the thought of the earlier call didn't give me an opportunity to dwell on that. I couldn't take her out of that home, it was the most sensible option, the most relieving, yet... It was the one option I couldn't consider.

"Miss Charlton?" I put an end to my thoughts and looked over to him.

"Yes, sir"

He stopped, and turned to me, tucking his hands into his pocket. "You seem out of it." He stated, rather than asked and I gulped. "If it has anything to do with what I asked earlier..."

"The proposal," I cut in, taking myself and him, from the obvious change in his demeanor, by surprise. "If I say yes, will..." What the heck was I doing!? He raised both brows, urging me to go on, and against my better judgement, I continued rambling. "Will I get an increase in my salary?"

Surprise flickered in his eyes, and what seemed like a ghost of a smile hovered on his lips. "And if I say yes?"

"Then..." I licked my lips, taking a deep breath. This feels like I'm selling my soul to the devil. "I'll say yes."