My Billionaire Baby Daddy

I saw that you were perfect and I loved you, then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even more

- Angelita Lim

Nathaniel Kennedy could not remember, for the life of him, why he was at a fashion show of all events. He recalled his friend Damon Price asking Nathaniel to accompany him to his model girlfriend’s fashion show she was walking in. He just could not remember why he had agreed to attend. Was he that bored? Maybe. His whole life revolved around work lately. He was glad when it was finally over. The flashing lights, loud music, and mad rush of persons were giving him a headache.

What he wasn’t glad about was the number of lascivious looks and attempts he had to endure in the last couple of hours. The cocktail waitress who brought his drink slipped him her number. An actress pretended to lose her footing on the red carpet and tripped up in front of him and when he went to help her up, she started feeling his chest. One of the models deliberately and conveniently fell off the runway and into his lap. He was tired of it all.

“Come on bro.” Damon said while nudging him and rising from his seat. “Let’s go grab Melanie so we can hightail it out of here before you start murdering people.” he said in response to Nathaniel’s facial expression. Nathaniel replied him with the same stony expression he kept all night, before rolling his eyes.

“I don’t plan to forget this favour and I intend to get even in the nearest future.” Nathaniel said as he rose from his seat.

“What you need is a girlfriend. A fashion show is the best place to find one. High profile and high maintenance, just the way you like them. This is me doing you a favour and you should be saying thanks.” Damon said as they made their way backstage, ignoring the eyes fluttering in their direction.

Nathaniel turned to him with an incredulous expression “These girls are stick thin. Majority of them are anorexic. I happen to like my women with a little flesh on them.” he said.

“Thought you liked them anorexic.”

“Not anymore.”

“Ah. Changing your palettes I see. Happy for you my friend. Although you picked a bad time. I told Melanie’s friend Bella that you were available. We’re supposed to get dinner after this.”

“Damon, really?”

“Sorry, didn’t know your tastes have changed. Point taken.”

He did not want to admit to Damon that he still was not over Jennifer. Damon would think he was crazy. It’s getting to three years and the image of her in his head is still fresh. Her red hair. Her soft lips. Her dark sensual eyes. Her soft curvy body. Damon helped him search for her at that time, after which he told Nathaniel to let it go. It was like she had vanished off the surface of the earth. He found it hard to believe someone could just disappear like that. He knew it was time to let it go but his gut was telling him that he would cross paths with her soon. And he always trusted his gut.

Rousing from his musings, Nathaniel realized they had entered the battleground that was the backstage area, awash with warriors consisting of press officials, models, assistants and managers. It was a crush. Damon located Melanie through the designer she had walked for. Sighting them approaching, she launched out of her seat and threw herself at them, her platinum blonde hair flying behind her slim body. Damon greeted her with a deep kiss that bordered on being inappropriate. Nathaniel looked away for propriety’s sake. This is getting embarrassing, he thought.

“Hey Nath, fancy seeing you here. I thought fashion shows weren’t your scene.” Melanie said, smiling up at Marcus.

He scowled down at her, “You thought correctly.” he said.

Melanie gave a shrill, headache inducing laugh while smacking his arm. She turned her attentions to her boyfriend.

“Baby,” she whined “I want that dress from Saint Lucia’s fall collection.” Melanie dragged Damon towards the display of mannequins. He gave Nathaniel an apologetic look as he walked away.

Nathaniel stood surveying his surroundings. It was at that moment, he saw a flash of red hair. Immediately, he thought of Jennifer, and her vivacious red hair. He shook his head, trying to clear the image. He can’t keep comparing her to every red head he saw. He turned his eyes away. But he was drawn, and he kept staring, and staring. She was speaking animatedly with a woman, her back to him. She turned to smile at a man who approached them and he caught a glimpse of her profile. He felt the wind leave his lungs. My God. Suddenly, as if she felt the weight of his stare, she turned her head towards his direction and locked eyes with him. Her eyes widened, and in that moment he knew she knew who he was, and he knew who she was as well.

It was her. Jennifer. It’s Jennifer. Of all places. He couldn’t believe it. She turned and started quickly making her way through the back exit. He starting making his way towards her, brushing off anyone who was in his way, determined to get at least an explanation. A side door opened and a crowd of fans flooded the backstage area and in the mad rush of people, most of whom were trying to get his attention, he lost her. He saw her glance back at him, then she was gone again, blending into the crowd and disappearing.

Nathaniel looked around in frustration, spinning in circles and feeling all kinds of foolish. At that moment, he glanced towards the corner she was standing and spotted the woman she was speaking to arranging merchandise on a table. He marched towards her.

“Where is she?” he growled at her. She jumped back, startled and her eyes wide. “Mr Kennedy…” she started. “Where is she?” Nathaniel repeated, forcefully. She visibly swallowed, glancing around as if looking for someone to save her. “The redhead you were speaking with who just hightailed out of here. Her name is Jennifer. Where is she?” he said, softening his tone when he realized she was scared out of her wits. “I was speaking to a redhead, but her name is not Jennifer, Sir.” she said, looking at him like he had grown a second head.

Nathaniel stepped back in shock. “What?” he said. “Yes sir, her name’s not Jennifer. It’s Jade. Jade Bennett. She’s the creative director of Jaded. This is her merchandise table.” she said. Nathaniel stared at her in shock. He was silent for a moment before shaking his head to clear to recover himself. “Thanks.” he said to the lady before walking away.

No wonder he couldn’t find her. She gave him a fake name! She had created a whole fake identity. He couldn’t believe it. And all that time he spent searching for someone that did not exist. She was not Jennifer Johnson. She was Jade Bennett. And apparently, she was a fashion designer, not a model. He had to find her, and fast. It was a good thing he had her real name now. He whipped out his phone to place a call to his security adviser.

“Benson, get me addresses on Jade Bennett. Now.”

….……………………………………………………………………………………

Jade Bennett leaned into her chair at her desk in her office in downtown Manhattan. She heaved a deep sigh and closed her eyes. This week had been hell, but she was glad that it was over. She was even happier with the results of her hard work. Conquering New York Fashion Week had always been a goal for her, and she was very happy that she was close to reaching that goal. The reviews and requests were through the roof. She smiled to herself. She had done it, she was on her way to building a successful business doing what she loved, just like she’d always dreamed.

The fashion show the previous night had been the closing event of Fashion Week. Jade had attended to support a fellow designer friend who had been displaying her latest collection and also to display some new merchandise. It was good show, and also an excellent opportunity for a rookie designer like her to showcase her designs and sell some pieces. She went backstage after the show to congratulate her friend and to network with the other designers and models. Everything went as expected and it was a good night thus far.

Her night started going downhill when she saw him. Of all people, at all places. She could not believe it. Her skin had felt prickly and she suddenly felt uncomfortable, she could feel someone’s eyes on her and when she turned, she saw him standing there. She knew who he was the moment she locked eyes with him. Those green eyes. Those unforgettable green eyes. It was impossible to forget them. She saw the recognition in his eyes, the accusations, the anger, the disbelief. When he started moving in her direction, she did the only thing she could do. She ran away. She told the lady in charge of her merchandise table, Tina and her friend Jason that she had and emergency, then she had hightailed out of there.

Luckily for her, the side door opened and fans spilled into the backstage area. When she looked back she could see him still making his way towards her. She wrapped the scarf she took from her merchandise table around her head to cover her hair, blended into the crowd and ran out the emergency exit. She was glad when she got to her car and saw that she had lost him.

She was unable to sleep at night. Whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see were his angry eyes glaring at her. She stared at her ceiling for the longest time, recalling the time they had spent together. The laughs, the kisses, the touches. It had taken all the discipline in her to leave that morning. But she knew it was for the best. There was no future for them. Now that Fashion Week was over, he had probably gone back to Dallas, and she’d never have to be confronted with that mistake ever again.

She made a move to stand up from her desk when she heard a knock on her door and her assistant, Emily poked her head in.

“Someone’s here to see you Jade. Said he’s interested in investing for the expansion.” Emily said.

Jade gave her a quizzical look. Her plans to expand had not been made public yet. She had only spoken to her bank, who said it was a stretch, something that needs careful planning else her business was going to go bankrupt. So how does this person know?

Deciding it would not be bad idea to talk with this person, Jade told Emily to let him in. Her door opened and she rose out of her chair to receive the visitor when she suddenly felt her blood run cold. She found herself staring into a pair of green eyes. Those unforgettable green eyes. Her mouth went dry.

“Hello Jade.”