A Contract With A Billionaire Heir

Ezra and Storm Gomez were born as twins, and being the second born, Storm is happy because the responsibilities assigned to the heir of their family depends on his twin brother Ezra as the firstborn. As the second born Storm is safe from the orders and he is happy to live his life in his way and being free is what he really wants. That's what he thought, not until his twin brother's death!

As the first son, his twin brother will succeed his father in their family business. Azrel Gomez wants one of his twins ready to take over the reins if needed. Ezra is ready for the role. He was born for it, and Storm is the opposite.

Ezra had the charisma, intelligence, and unwavering business sense to have taken their company to new heights. Storm is the spare son and he was very happy with it. He never wanted this company. He never aspired to be in the spotlight or crave what the CEO position brings.

Now, he will never escape it. He knows it's coming after his twin's death. Before the ink dries on his twin's death certificate, his father had a plan.

While Ezra had the drive to succeed in his father's career, Storm just wanted to live a quiet life away from the responsibilities that their father gave them. It was almost within his grasp until his twin's death!

***

"Storm," his father growled, making him grit his teeth. He never knew he would speak to him in a kind voice. Everything about him is abrasive and makes him nervous.

Knowing that he had to admit to him at some point, he turned and took off his coat and handed it to Lorelei, his father's assistant who was suspected by everyone as his father's mistress. Maybe they are hiding a child which he doubts is unlikely to happen. He calmed down and followed his voice to his study, where he had already lit a cigar and flipped through some papers.

"What is it?"

"Gael Mendez will be here soon or in the next day. I need you to take care of him for me."

He grits his teeth, knowing what to expect. "Certainly."

The hostile look in his father's eyes would startle any board member, but Storm is used to it. "Not sure. Gael and I were on the verge of merging companies before your twin passed away. We will be the largest company in the country if that happened!" his father said, slapping his hands on the table.

"You can still have it without Ezra."

"You know the rules of our corporate merger."

He did, and his twin brother readily agreed. It's a gentleman's game in which the merger of companies is marked by marriage. It doesn't make sense. Gone are the days when those old-fashioned values, when a handshake was as good as your words were. Any deal can now be made under the right conditions without sacrificing your happiness.

"I'm not marrying someone I didn't know."

"She's from a nice family, she's indeed a nice woman."

"No matter how nice she was, I'm still not sure if she'll fit my taste, especially in her appearance."

He is not the type of guy who judges women by their looks, but he does think she has to be attractive. But most of all, he wants to enjoy being with his beloved wife-to-be. Arranged marriages are not a guarantee of his happiness at all.

"She may be fine, but I'm not going to be forced to marry. I'm not Ezra." He scoffed at it.

His father's disappointment with him is obvious. "I know very well that you are not your twin brother. You prove it to me every day, and you despise me."

"Do you think the day of his funeral is the perfect time to ask this question? You can't even let me mourn for him before you push me to his fiancé?"

"Business never sleeps. If we don't keep doing it now, Gael Mendez will make a deal with the Colton Group. That family is ruthless. If he makes a deal with them, we will never expand the way we need to. Is that what you want, let's limp our company down?"

He finds it funny that when he planned his marriage on the day of his twin brother's funeral, he thought Coltons was ruthless huh? What does his father think of him? His father was one of the most hated businessmen in town. People despised working with him because of his ruthlessness in business dealings. For this reason alone, he doesn't want to have anything to do with his company.

"I'm not going to marry a stranger," he said forcefully, his fists clenched and staring at him.

He got up from his desk, buttoned his suit jacket, and came to face him. "You have to be the CEO."

He couldn't help but laugh. "We all know I'm not going to be CEO. You're going to run the company until you die."

"But the board needs a fresh face, which is why I was chosen to replace your brother so I choose you. But make no mistake, the company is run by me."

***

(At His Twin Brother's Ezra Gomez Funeral)

Water dripped from his face, and he bowed his head in silence. The cold air combined with the rain only made the day more painful. He stared at the coffin in front of him, wishing his twin was standing beside him instead of lying in a wooden box.

This is not right for several reasons. Not only because his life was cut short, he is too young with many dreams, but because it put him in his shoes - taking over the family business.

Even standing in his expensive suit and stiff wool coat,

he felt trapped in a cage. He never likes to dress up. Tried on by a tailor with a bold smile for the public to see, that is his twin brother. He prefers a quiet life, working with his hands and getting sweaty and dirty.

And now, the stifling stench of wealth seeps into his pores, making him want to escape what he was about to face. However, there is no way to escape it. Only in death, as his twin proved.

My father stood stoically beside his secretary, holding an umbrella for both of them. He dared not show a trace of sadness. He was as callous as ever, and the only thing he cared about was his public appearances. And he never showed weakness.

The cemetery was packed with his father's business associates and a few friends that Ezra called himself. But when he glanced at them and noticed how they looked at their watches, he wondered if anyone was actually Ezra's friend, or if they were just interested in his connections.

The service was over and his father walked back to the limo that was idling for them. Forbid the vehicle was too cold when they got in the car. As they left the stately place, he followed his father, staring out the window.

Her mother was bedridden for years now, and the only machine was giving life to her, So he is angry with his father because of the condition of his mother, he even made a mistress. Even back when her mother was fine, it was obvious that Lorelei and her father had a relationship.

Maybe they have something to do with what happened to his mother. Because of that, he became even more distant from their family. Unlike his twin, Ezra accepts what his Dad is doing, because their father is a man and needs hot flesh. For him that is wrong. It's wrong not because of his sympathy for his mother but because it's wrong to betray your wife.

His parents have also arranged marriages so maybe their relationship was like that. That's another reason why he doesn't like the arranged marriage thing.

As he sit there thinking about his twin, he couldn't help but think of when they were much younger and they acted like brothers. But the years distorted their relationship, tearing them apart until they were almost strangers.

As the first son, his twin brother will succeed his father in their family business. Azrel Gomez wants one of his twins ready to take over the reins if needed. Ezra is ready for the role. He was born for it, and Storm is the opposite.

Ezra had the charisma, intelligence, and unwavering business sense to have taken their company to new heights. Storm is the spare son and he was very happy with it. He never wanted this company. He never aspired to be in the spotlight or crave what the CEO position brings.

Now, he will never escape it. He knows it's coming after his twin's death. Before the ink dries on his brother's death certificate, his father had a plan.

While Ezra had the drive to succeed in his father's career, Storm just wanted to live a quiet life away from the responsibilities that their father gave them. It was almost within his grasp until his late twin!

"I know that even if I'll be CEO the management was still yours."

"Then you know you need my consent to take over."

"I'm not seeking your consent. This is not the life I want. I will never run this business," he said, turning around and walking towards the door.

"Then they'll vote for Enzo Ventura."

He stopped, closed his eyes, and tried to calm himself down after hearing the name. Enzo is the guy he hates more than his dad, and his dad knows that. Enzo used his sister Hazel against and betrayed him. They've been dating for over a year and he feels sorry for her because of her stories about his older brother's treatment of her. But everything about their relationship is a lie.

Hazel played him, conspiring with her brother Enzo to make him CEO. They thought he would take over one day and he would eventually rule the company through her. But he never thought about working in the company. When she found out, her hatred flew out of her mouth like a blue flame.

She never loved him. He had never had a thing she liked. She was more interested in his twin brother. He doesn't understand why until she called off their engagement.

He knows very well that his twin brother has always known her intentions. Ezra just didn't notify him. They never talked about it, and he never knew why he didn't tell him what Hazel's real plan was until-until he caught Hazel in Ezra's room naked and on top of his twin brother. Only then, he realized that his twin turned Hazel into one of his flings.

That's disgusting and Enzo knew it!

But Enzo is still fighting for that top spot, and if he gets it, he's going to ruin his family. He doesn't care about business, but no matter how much he hates his dad, he still doesn't want to see him or their business that his twin's worked hard for fall into Enzo's hands forever, ruin, and gone.

Slowly, he turned to his father, his nostrils open with anger. "There's no guarantee he'll be picked."

"He's been against me for years, you know. I thought I'd this taken care of with your brother, but-

He nodded, realizing that everything was ruined now. He stroked the stubble on his face with his hand and sighed. Is he really willing to sacrifice his life and happiness for a father who never gave shit about him as his son or acknowledge his wife?

He was never good enough for him. He was a family rebel he can't control, and if he decide to take his place, he'll own him. His life will be taken away by a man who doesn't care about his and her mom's happiness. The knock on the door made him turn around.

"Sir Azrel, Gael Mendez is at the door," Lorelei said eagerly.

He swallowed hard and did something he swore to himself he would never do. He gave in. "I have this," he said hoarsely. He adjusted his suit to put on the face he have trained in all business relationships. Then he walked out of his father's office to prepare for the inevitable - his marriage to Gael's sister.

***

He was suffocated by his situation. For weeks, he had been walking into the office he despise and looking at his father. Everything from his swagger to the fake smile on his face pissed him off. He hates the way he treats his employees and his flirting with Lorelei in the office. He didn't even care that he did it in front of his son.

Storm followed his dad into his office, closed the door, and took the seat opposite him. He stared out the floor-to-ceiling and at the windows and glass walls, dreaming of the life he had been planning before everything fell apart. He wants a house in a secluded place that he can fix the way he wants with his own hands. He knows about woodwork a lot. He wanted to make a furniture shop made of wood.

He wanted to celebrate the holidays with his future wife instead of stepping into his parents' house. Their elaborate holiday parties are enough to take his breath away. But the idea of ​​staying away from them and living the way he always wanted is now a distant dream.

"Storm, are you still paying attention?" his father snapped.

He slowly turned to look at him, with a mask on his face, hiding his true emotions. Disgust, embarrassment, hatred. He would die in the office day after day, every hour more painful than the last. He sighed.

"We need to set a date for the wedding."

When it comes to weddings, he can already feel his eyes go into a daze. He would be forced to stand there in an uncomfortable suit surrounded by men he hated, and it was all a marital farce that made him miserable. "I need more time," he said, his voice almost hoarse.

For the first time, he saw a look of sympathy on his father's face. He ran his fingers over the top of his hair, then leaned back in his seat and stared at him. "What if I make a deal with you?"

He shifted in his seat, ready for whatever he threw at him."For example?"

"We need this deal now. No time to waste. But I don't think you want a big wedding."

"I don't want a wedding at all," he retorted.

"Noted," he nodded. "But it has to occur. So what if we have all the proper paperwork ready? You don't even have to attend the ceremony."

He looked at his dad suspiciously. "How is that possible?"

"We are Gomez," he laughed. "We can do anything."

"What the hell does this get me? Attending the wedding or not, I'll still get married, and it's painful and sad."

"I'll give you three months," he returned immediately. "Sign the document that you'll be back and make the proper wedding possible, to make it legal. Then you will be free for three months. During this time, you will not hear from me and will not have to attend any meetings. You do whatever you need to do to get ready to take over as CEO. In the meantime, I'll handle everything, including the board."

"How does that look like?" he asked. "My wife and I are going to get married one day, and that's not going to work for social pages."

Azrel Gomez shrugged slightly. "A whirlwind of romance-" he gestured. "Can't help falling in love and wanting to elope without the world watching. You guys want to be alone together. We can turn it into a fairytale romance. Before taking over the company, you had a long honeymoon period to have some time with yourself."

It sounds too good to be true. Considering that he gave up his life for this company, three months really isn't much. On the other hand, for three months, he can be himself and find some peace and acceptance of his current situation. "And I don't have to see that Mendez brat in 3 months?"

"No."

His dad leaned back in his chair and stared at him, making sure he had not missed something.

"What exactly is the contract of this marriage?"

"This is your typical contract. As long as the marriage remains intact, the shares in the company will be divided equally."

"If one of us wants to go out?"

"Then the spouse filing for divorce will have to sell shares as compensation."

"How long?" he asked, squinting at him. He stared at him, not wanting to tell him. But he had to. He knew he would never enter into a contract like this without knowing it.

"3 years."

He burst out laughing. "Really?"

"And a son. 3 years of marriage and a son!" his dad added.

"Wow, you guys didn't ask a lot, did you? But by the way, how to make a son, maybe you have some tips?"

Impossible.

"The company needs to be passed on to someone in the family. That's the norm."

"Yeah, I know a lot of forced marriage contracts."

"What the hell do you think you're going to do? You can marry that girl but live elsewhere. Live a completely independent life."

He hopes so at least, but it's clear that he seriously underestimated his dad and Gael Mendez.

"What if I don't have kids? Especially a son you were asking?"

"Surely, you can't live with one woman for enough time to have heirs."

I'm not like you. He thought.

"A lot of people can't have kids. Others have many children but their children are girls. Why does it have to be a son you're looking for? Female or male, they're the same, a child."

"A son to continue our race. Bloodline. Surname."

"Tsss, I see. So the "son" was not Gael's idea after all. It was yours."

"I'm doing this for our family. Do you want me to add more clauses to the contract?" he smirked. "Perhaps a fertility test before you get married?"

With a sigh, he can see that he has no way out of this. Marrying that stranger is inevitable, but giving himself three months will be a small part of happiness for what's to come. Because he knows they won't be divorced in 3 years.