BILLIONAIRE PRETENTIOUS BRIDE

MISUNDERSTANDING

MARA'S POV

"You get up at this instant!" I groaned, throwing the blankets over my head.

That was definitely dad, he was the only one who would come home in the early hours of the morning and yell at me all day. Yeah, he was a drunkard, he was addicted to drinking already and as most drunkards do, Dad was also in debt, debts that were on me to pay.

Living was hard enough with so many debts to pay but Dad was always making it harder. Each time I tried to save up some amount of money, dad was always the one ripping it off me but this morning,I swear it would be different.

All I had on me was what was going to get me to Jerome, he was my friend, he had always wanted to be more but I have never given him the chance, I do not think I would ever give any one the chance anyways.

"I just told you to get up from that bed and give me whatever you have on you!!" Dad screamed and banged on my door.

The only way to be safe was to lock my door as usual. I walked into the bathroom, took a quick bath and dressed up in a blue gown. It looked a bit old but was still presentable.

I could hardly remember when last I actually bought myself a clothing, it must have been years.

"You are not going to open this door?!" Dad screamed and I shook my head with a soft sigh.

Seeing my dad being like this every single day just assures me all over again that I would never fall for any man the way my mum fell so stupidly for his cheap lies.

One thing was quite sure, if I was going to eventually get married, I would have it be an arranged marriage that is going to get me cool cash. Call me desperate.... Maybe that's what I am but isn't an arranged marriage just much more better?

A marriage that would be broken off once the contract expires? A marriage that has no requirements for love or other emotions.

I shook my head, shaking off my thoughts. I grabbed the blankets and all other blankets I could get, ready to go out the way I have started becoming used to.

I tied the blankets to the balcony rim tightly and when I had ensured it was right enough,I let it down. I grabbed my small purse and went down, grabbing the blankets tightly.

I was quite skilled with it so it was not much of a trouble anymore.

I jumped to the floor and a small smile lighted up my face.

I usually had just one rule, no matter what happens at home, I do not bring the issue outside. Home dies at home.

I skipped out of the house and ran away before dad would sight me and come running after me drunkenly.

I breathed in and out in relief when I had gotten far from home enough. I should be at least good now.

Taking the cab was a luxury I knew I could not afford and the only option left for me was to go to the bus station and await the bus.

"Okay, I do not think that I would be awaiting the bus" I gasped, glancing at my wristwatch.

I tied my sneakers properly and broke into a run, trying to make it to the bus early enough. Missing the bus would actually be the worst thing that could happen to me.

"How many times would I have to tell you that you were just a one night thing?" I heard a guy ask and I halted.

I turned slowly and quite dramatically towards the direction of the guy, he was saying those cruel words to a lady who was crying beside him.

"I really do not understand you, you got paid, didn't you?"

"I want you please.... I really do want you and not the pay"

"Lora, you should very well know that I don't do ladies thrice. Only the lucky ones go twice and you have attained that status, what else do you want from me?" The guy asked, pocketing his hands.

"Yet another lady deceived!" I seethed and sighed.

Not my business anyways but then the truth was the guy was really worth crying over, he looked really handsome and hot, his dark, gelled hair seemed to give a bad boy's look and even from where I stood, I could see the blue in his eyes shimmer.

"What the heck am I thinking about? This is not me, I don't even check out a guy at all" I slapped my cheeks and decided to turn and walk away.

I am going to be late for the bus if I don't leave now. I had only taken two steps forward when I heard a thud.

"I clearly told you I was done with you!! I really do not understand what you think of yourself!" The guy yelled at the lady who was on the floor.

That scene.... Those words.... They reminded me of mum and Dad, the scene of dad pushing mum to the floor replayed in my head and I knew right at that moment that I could not just stand by and watch anymore.

I ran to the spot where the both of them were and have the guy a really hard shove that sent him staggering few steps backwards since he was not definitely not expecting that.

"What are you doing here lady?" He asked.

"You really do not think that you can just stay here and bully girls simply because they love you!" I moved towards him and poked his chest while he stared at me with a disgusted look on his face.

"You guys really do think that you are gods, right? You are a real jerk! You still had the heart to do push her to the floor after all those harsh words!" I yelled at him.

"No... No, it's not what you think" the lady moved towards me and I shook my head.

"People in love are really this dumb? You just wait and let me talk senses into him"

"I said it's not what you actually think" the lady insisted but I ignored her.

People in love clearly do not have a brain of their own anymore.

"You have to apologize to this lady or I promise that I am calling the cops to get you" I threatened the guy and he burst into laughter.

"What's wrong with you?! You think I am joking? I am calling right at this....."

"Oh no Miss.... I am his sister, an actress, he was just helping me practice a scene" the lady explained and my jaw dropped.

Hell no!

FAKE MARRIAGE IDEA

Luca's POV

I chuckled repeatedly as I watched the girl run off in total embarrassment.

"That was hilarious" I chuckled as I watched her retreating figure.

"I think it would have been better if she had actually seen you with one of your fling things, she would have had a better cause to call the cops of you" Lora my sister replied me with a small laugh.

"My girls very well know me, I definitely won't get into this sort of mess with them" I replied her and glanced at my wristwatch.

"Don't tell you're leaving"

"Okay, then I won't tell you sis" I replied and kisses her cheek.

"C'mon, we are not done with the act" she grumbled.

"You really want me to continue so another lady comes here and actually calls the cop on me. I'll be leaving, bye"

"For a lady?" She asked.

"No, for work"

"Don't lie to me, I very well know that today is your free day" she yelled after me and I chuckled.

"Good bye" I yelled back and walked off. I got into my car and zoomed off.

I had just gotten to the bus station when I saw the girl who had just confronted me running after the bus that had already covered some distance.

I watched her yell and scream after the bus. I slowed down the car and checked my wristwatch, I still had quite some time to spare.

She was pretty enough, she could at least serve as a one night girl but judging by her beauty, there was a possibility that she would last even longer than that.

I parked the car beside her and wound down the windows of the car slowly.

"Hello" I waved at her with a small smile on my face.

"I already apologized... I am really sorry about what I did earlier. I guess I was not just in the right state of my mind, I rushed into conclusions, I am really sorry" she apologized yet again.

"I accept your apologies"

"Thanks a lot then" she replied and started walking away but there was no way a pretty girl like her would walk away from me so quickly without me trying to get her.

I could bet myself on it that I would get in minutes, there was no girl that could resist my looks and still yet resist my riches, she had to fall for one.

I alighted from my car and held her hand, holding her back. She turned back to face me with a slight raise of her right brow.

"What more?" She asked.

"I have an offer for you" I replied with a cool smile on my face.

"What offer?" She asked,clearly interested in the offer already.

I leaned against my car and pursed my lips for a moment.

"A night with you"

"Well, what do you say to my offer?" I asked the girl in front of me

"What do I say? I say you are a fool for thinking that I would give in to such advances, you can't just stop any girl on the road and expect her to give in to you!" She seethed, her eyes going blood shot in an instant.

"You're sure you don't want me?" I asked with a smirk

"Want you? Who the heck in the world wants you? If you think there are girls who want you so much then just go for them" her eyes blazed and I furrowed my brows.

"You are rejecting my one in a lifetime offer?" I asked.

"Of course not, why would I refuse an offer from such a handsome and cute guy like you?" She asked with a cute smile.

"Knew it, no girl in her right senses would refuse me" I mumbled and pulled my business card out of my car through the window.

"Come see me here" I said, handing over the car to her.

She accepted the card from me with that same smile still plastered on her face.

"You stupid jerk! To hell with you and your card!" She suddenly yelled and began tearing up my business card.

"To hell with you!" She yelled and threw the pieces of the torn card at me.

"Stupid!" She huffed and walked away while I stood transfixed at a spot for several seconds after she had left.

It had been quite a while since I was refused in this manner by any girl.

Maybe chasing after her would be more of an adventure.

I got into my car with a smirk on my lips but on a second thought, letting go of her was much better, why the heck should I disturb myself over a silly girl when clearly I have enough girls after me? There was just no need for that.

My phone rang and it was Tessa. I picked it up at the first ring.

"Hey"

"Aren't you going to come over anymore?" She asked and I sighed softly.

"Let's meet next time" I replied and ended the call before she would start ranting and fussing like all girls would do.

Like they freaking know that they are nothing to me than play things so why do they try to act like they are my wife or something.

My phone rang again and I groaned thinking that it was Tessa yet again. I was about to end the call when my eyes caught the name of the caller ID, mum.

I bit my lips gently and picked up the call.

"Hello mum"

"Hey Luca, I miss you so much already, want to come home?" Mum asked and if there was anything that I knew, it was that mum would not be taking no for an answer.

"Why ask me when you would not let me decide for myself in this issue anyways?" I asked and she chuckled.

"I would be expecting you home in an hour. Your favorite meal is ready"

"Will be home" I replied and ended the call.

I turned on the ignition and revved the car into motion. I headed towards home and in about thirty minutes I had arrived at the mansion that mum had moved into few weeks ago.

I alighted from the car and two maids walked up to me immediately, I handed over my briefcase to them and walked into the living room to meet mum sipping a cup of red wine.

"Good day mum" I greeted and kissed her left cheek.

"Don't kiss my cheek" she frowned deeply.

"Why?"

"Go and get yourself a wife to kiss" she replied and I groaned.

"Don't let us bring this up again mum" I plopped to the empty seat beside her.

"And why shouldn't I talk about it? I need you to have a wife, I need a grandson" mum grumbled.

That had always been her favorite sentence ever since dad died three years ago, she wanted a grandson that would keep her company.

"I would get married later on, when I feel it's time to"

"When I die?"

"Die? You are not going to die early mum, you are still very young"

"Those were the same words you said to your father till he eventually died. He did not live to see his grandchildren but me, I am going to make sure I live to see them" mum groaned.

"Okay mum, what do you want precisely?" I asked.

"I want nothing but for you to get married" she replied.

My lips curled up in a smirk as a thought approached my brains, a thought I accepted quite gladly.

A fake marriage would not be so bad.

EGOISTIC JERK

Mara's POV

Such an egoistic jerk! Him making me miss the bus due to the silly act put up by he and his sister was simply not enough for him. He still yet had to come after me and offer to buy me with money!

This is just one of the many reasons why a guy would always be the last thing I need. I huffed on the road before sitting on the bench in the bus station.

There was nothing I could do, I had missed the bus and I did not have enough money for a taxi so definitely I would not be seeing Jerome today and probably, I would be losing the job that he is going to give to me.

I sighed softly before pulling myself up from the bench. Time to go back home.

My stomach grumbled reminding me that I had not had breakfast yet. I brought out the little crumpled change that I had in my bag abd stared at the miserly money.

I just so much believed that if it was not for Dad, I would be living in riches right now.

He made me lose my last job by visiting the bar where I worked and demanding for money aggressively.

I shook my head to get the thoughts of it out.

"I would better just find a restaurant so I can take care of you" I said to my stomach, rubbing it slowly.

I found a low key restaurant that seemed to be just the exact size of my stomach. I was about walking into the restaurant when my phone rang.

"Who is calling me?" I grumbled, thinking it was Dad.

I grabbed my phone and took another step into the restaurant. I checked the caller ID and it turned out that Jerome was the one calling.

I had just failed to meet up with him but ignoring his calls cause I feel guilty would make me even more a bad person.

I picked the call, biting my lower lips.

"Hey, hello"

"Mara, why aren't you here yet? I have been waiting for you for quite some time now"

"I am sorry dude, something came up and I... I missed the bus" I stuttered.

"It's fine, I already left the spot so you can just go back home" he replied.

"Does that mean you are not going to give me the job anymore?" I asked slowly, expecting him to say the worst.

"Of course not, I am going to give you the job. Let me see when I am free so we can meet up"

"Thank you so much Jerome"

"Come over to meet me this night at the Crood club"

"I promise that I will be there, thank you for the opportunity once again" I thanked him yet again.

"It's nothing. I told you that it is not really necessary for you to thank me over and over again. It's not necessary, what are we friends for?"

"I still have to thank you"

"I only just wish that I could change the perspective from which you view men" he said.

"It's just my thing" I shrugged.

"You should really change it"

"I would.... Or maybe not" I replied him and heard him sigh.

"Okay, will be expecting you tonight. Let's talk more" he said and I responded with a 'hmm', he ended the call and I took two steps backwards, out of the restaurant.

There was just no way that I was going to spend the money that was going to serve as the transport fare to Jerome.

I would just rather remain hungry or maybe I would be lucky enough to grab something delicious at home to eat.

I began the walk back home, skipping gently. I got home and pushed the door open. Perhaps by now, Dad would be sober.

"Mara" his voice called softly as I moved into the living room. His soft voice indicated that he was sober now.

"I am sorry if I yelled at you in the morning" he apologized but I did not look towards where he was.

I just looked on straight. I was tired if his apologies.

"I am really sorry sweetheart, I just lost my mind" he added, moving closer to me.

He stretched out his hands to grab mine but I moved my hands backwards.

"Don't Dad, do not touch me, I do not want your hands to touch me Dad" I stopped him.

"I am really sorry Mara, you really need to forgive me for this once, I promise you, I am going to stop....."

"Enough of the fake happiness Dad!" I yelled at him, turning to look at his miserable figure.

"How many times are you going to promise me that Dad?" I asked him.

"I am tired of you promising me over and over again dad!" I yelled, my eyes becoming teary.

"This last time,I promise that I would not go drinking again" he gave his usual fake promise and I shook my head.

"The money for the rent?" I asked him and he brought his face down.

"You spent it on drinking.... My job, you made me lose it through your drinking, what more do you want me to lose Dad?"

"Sweetheart, this time around I really did not want to go drinking, I swear I did not want to do it, it was my friends, they insisted that I had one bottle and you know it never stops at a bottle. Friends also cannot be.... "

"Friends?! You call those ones friends?! The ones who lead you to drinking each and every time and ensure that you are the only one who gets dead drunk!

The ones who did not offer even a single penny to me when you were sick! The ones who did not offer to help you in any way!

There's almost nothing in this house to eat this morning, who is going to help us? Your friends?!!" I screamed at him as the tears started rolling down.

I was really frustrated with the type of life Dad was forcing me into living.

"I promise sweetheart, this time would be different"

"You have always said so and there's has always been the differences, yes... You got worse Dad"

Dad held my hands in his but I jerked his hands off mine and walked into my room, shutting the door behind me with a loud bang.

I locked the door from behind and plopped to my bed. I wiped off the tears that streamed down off my face.

"You can't continue crying about this.... Some people do have worse fathers" I mumbled the words that mum would tell me.

She would tell me that some of her mates had worse husbands than dad but then none of her mates were dead from the stress and violence they had received from their husbands. I see every of her mate, looking radiant and even more beautiful.

But she.... She was long gone.

I sat up on my bed and cuddled my knees. The tears roller down and I made no attempt to wipe it off.

Yeah, this was me. I am the girl with the broken home, the girl with a heavy drinker as a father, the girl who no mother, the girl who had no boyfriend.

I am still yet that lone girl. A knock came on the door and I need no one to tell me that it was Dad, after all no one visits us here.

I laid on my bed and pulled the covers over my head.

"I want you to know that I am really sorry from the depth of my heart. I love you Mara and I will try to be the best dad for you"

His words just brought more tears to my eyes because I knew fully well that none of his words were true in action. Perhaps he meant to do them but he never did anyways.

•••••• •••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• •••••••• •••••••

Luca's POV

"What are you thinking about? You have a girl you are hiding from me?" Mum asked when she noticed the smirk on my face.

"Of course not mum, I am hiding nothing from you"

"Let's go and have lunch already. We can talk more in the dinning" mum said and I followed her as we walked into the dinning room.

She occupied her seat and I did the same, I was about to start eating when mum sighed.

"Just take a look at the large expanse of food. Take a look at so many empty chairs, if only you had gotten married and had a whole lot of children for me, this would definitely not be so" mum groaned and I sighed softly.

Mum could really make the issue of getting married a mountain.

"If you want kids, I could just adopt a whole lot of kids for you" I replied and she stopped eating, frowning deeply at me.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing" I replied.

"Better" she mumbled.

"Maybe I could just give birth then.... Without marriage"

"You are such a jerk! Give birth without marriage and I am going to make sure that I cut off whatever is in between your legs" she threatened.

"That's the trend nowadays mum. Who wants to get married and be held down by a wife?" I asked with a eyes roll.

"You need to understand that no matter how long we stay here, we are of the Chinese descent, you can't catch onto the trend here, you need to get married!" She banged the table.

"Okay mum" I replied in Chinese.

After all, I knew what I had in mind already, a fake marriage to suit mum and suit me too.

"Good"

We began eating and I was pretty glad that there weren't other talks relating to children and marriage. Like hell! How old am I? I am just 28, why do I have to be forced to get married like I am 40 or something.

"How is work going?"

"Going very well mum but it had been a bit stressful recently" I replied and stretched my hands.

"You see.... If only you had a wife, she would completely ensure that you have enough rest, she would make sure she keeps stress away from you" mum said and I shook my head, wondering how mum always managed to weave in the issue of a wife and children into every talk we had.

"I have enough people to do that already"

"And can they do it like your soulmate would? You really have no idea the bond that marriage brings, you are simply naive and silly" mum chuckled even though I found nothing worth chuckling about in her words.

"Mum, can we forget about it and eat?" I asked and she nodded.

"Fine, let's keep it away for now" she stressed on the word 'now'.

I was glad that finally I was having a quite lunch when the food in my spoon spilled.

"You see... You are so careless" mum chastised.

"It's just a spoonful"

"Yes.... Imagine, if your wife was here, would that have happened? And even if it had happen, she would have come to your aid in a rush a d help you wipe off"

"I don't need a...." I paused and bit my lips. Telling her I do not want a wife would only elongate this discussion which I am already tired of.

"Forget about it, I am done eating"

"You are going to leave because I am trying to talk senses into you?" Mum asked.

"I am just going to wash the stains off mum" I groaned a reply and headed out of the dinning room to the nearest restroom.

I wiped off the stains on my shirt and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

As handsome as always.... Why then should a lady reject me this morning? Maybe she's got no aesthetics.... Too bad for a pretty lady like her.

With this looks of mine, it would be a really small thing to get myself a fake wife. I grabbed my phone and scrolled through the contacts of the girls that I had stored on my phone but I did not think any of them would be suitable because for one thing, I did not want a clingy person in the fake marriage.

My eyes lit up as she came to mind.

"You would do just fine"