Behind The Billonaire's Mask

Isabella Sterling, the raven-haired senior developer of Luxe Tech, strolled confidently out of the lift. She was dressed stylishly in a Janice cutout lace jumpsuit and a brown blazer.

Her flawless style was rounded out by a Marc Jacobs purse casually hung over her shoulder. She walked into her office with an air of obvious refinement, with lovely blue eyes that could equal the heavens and skin as flawless as Snow White's.

But as she walked, she noticed that the office was unusually quiet; everyone was busy with their systems and their work.

Out of curiosity, she increased her pace and began to head to her department, the software development department.

Her colleagues didn't react as if they saw her; it was as if no one had walked in.

She quickly sat at her desk and logged in. "Omg!" She exclaimed softly. "Hey, Catherine, what happened?" She called the attention of one of her colleagues in the development department.

"You missed quite a scene," Catherine said, her eyes meeting Isabella's.

"What happened? Why would Diana Rozz want to resign?"

"Who wouldn't? Ever since Mr. Richard Gentry handed this organization to his son, Alexander, who wouldn't?" Catherine stated and immediately went back to work.

Catherine had just spoken everyone's mind. If the pay wasn't good enough, there would be no reason why someone would still work for Alexander Gentry.

Just two months ago, Mr. Richard walked in and called for an impromptu meeting where he appreciated all his workers.

Everyone wondered why he was sounding that way, until he mentioned his son as the new CEO of Luxe Tech. At that point, everyone knew that their lives were over.

Everyone in New York City knew who Alexander was. He was very proud and arrogant, and he wouldn't tolerate you shortening his name to Alex.

His father hadn't even driven off when he started making new rules. His first speech after his introduction was about the increase in everyone's work hours.

He threatened everyone that he would fire them if they weren't productive enough. And right there, when someone interrupted him with a question, Julius Covada, he fired him on the spot.

"You only ask questions or suggest when I ask if you have any." And that was when everyone knew that their company culture had changed.

After his first week in the organization, he implemented cost-cutting measures, eliminating employee discounts and streamlining performance bonuses.

He had to force Isabella to share an office with Catherine, Daniel, and Christopher, even as the head developer.

Even though at some point while Bella, as she was fondly called, was working with Richard Gentry, he had mentioned he wanted to leave his business for one of his sons, little did she know that it wasn't Sebastian, the one who helped to run the organization while Richard attended business meetings; it was the devil reincarnate.

Well, another reason Bella kept her hopes up for Sebastian was that she had a tiny crush on Sebastian Gentry.

"Hey Bella, how's the update on the link?" Sebastian walked in.

A big smile spread across Bella's face, and she gladly replied, "I just added the update as we've discussed."

"Cool, besides, you look stunning in that jumpsuit of yours."

Bella's cheeks bloomed like freshly picked roses.

"I always love your outfit," he added. Without waiting for her to reply, he continued, "Do you mind having dinner with me this evening?"

The fact that he boldly asked her out in front of her colleagues, knowing full well that it was against their business ethics, made her like him even more. She loved his open spirit.

"Yes, I don't mind."

"I'm sure you'll be working late today, so let's say after work?"

"Sure, after work," Bella replied.

Sebastian winked at Bella and turned to leave. And for the first time that day, Daniel, one of Bella's colleagues, spoke. "What the heck just happened?"

"She's been asked out by our handsome senior product designer," Christopher added.

"I have some clothes in our restroom in case you want to change into a dinner gown," Catherine teased.

"Why would you have a dinner gown in the restroom?" Bella asked, not surprised, actually.

"You don't know? Catherine can't say no to a handsome guy," Daniel teased.

They all bursted into laughter, wondering how good Daniel was now at coming up with his jokes. With their faces still lightened, their door was flung open.

Standing in front of them all was a man with a striking figure of power and allure. His tall, imposing frame and meticulously tailored suits accentuated his broad shoulders, exuding an air of authority that demanded respect.

His dark, perfectly groomed hair framed a face that seemed sculpted by both angels and demons, featuring sharp cheekbones, a strong jawline, and piercing gray eyes that could penetrate your soul.

An intoxicating fragrance of subtle sophistication and power seemed to accompany him as soon as the door flung open.

His choice of cologne was a carefully curated blend of woody and musky notes, with a hint of spicy undertones.

The top notes of his cologne danced with the freshness of bergamot and citrus, leaving a crisp, invigorating impression.

"What is happening here?" Alexander Gentry demanded.

Their once happy faces turned emotionless. "Shouldn't you all be working? The next time I hear such sounds coming from this office, it might either be you or your salary that will feel the heat."

He fixed his gray eyes on Bella, and she hated it; she hated him. If it was in her power, she would have picked up her pencils and driven them into his eyes.

"Miss Sterling, report to my office. The rest get back to work." And he left the room.

"If only Sebastian was as handsome as Alexander." Catherine was daydreaming.

"You need a psychologist, Catherine," Christopher laughed.

As Bella stood up to go and answer her boss, six notifications came into her phone simultaneously.

It was her siblings; they sent her a distress message. She was yet to understand what, "Trouble at home, SOS, HELP, DISTRESS BUTTON, COME NOW," meant when Nicholas, her brother, decided to call.

"Hey Nick, what's..." She paused.

"Slow down, Nick..." She strained her ears to hear him better.

"Is everything okay?" Catherine asked.

"Dad did what?" Shock etched lines on her face, creasing her brow with the weight of the news.

"Call 911; I'm on my way."

"What's happening, Bella?" Daniel got curious.

Bella wasn't able to hear them. She quickly packed up her bag and ran off. "I'll text you guys later; there's an emergency at home." She managed to say before she bolted from the office.

It was already 8 pm, and Isabella hadn't come to meet him. Alexander quickly stood up from his chair and headed out to go question her.

On reaching her office, he saw his younger brother coming out of her office as well. "Sebastian, why are you not in your office?"

"I'm already done with my work. Besides, I went to ask if there was any update on the project," Sebastian lied.

He actually went to pick up Isabella so that they could go for dinner but was told that she had a family emergency and had to leave.

"Okay, that's fine. You can go," Alexander said and continued his walk to question Isabella.

"Where on earth is Miss Sterling?" Alexander asked, having noticed that she wasn't in her office and her bag was nowhere to be found.

"She went home for an emergency," Catherine answered.

"And why wasn't I alerted?"

"She sounded quite off, and we did think she would come back, but obviously she didn't," Catherine explained.

Without saying a word, he left the office and headed back to his. Isabella was not able to spoil his night.

He was about to surprise his fiancée, Bailey Reginald. Some of his spies spotted her in a hotel. She had traveled a week before to Paris to ensure that her designer had gotten her wedding gown ready.

Yes, in the next 8 days, she would be getting married to Alexander Gentry.

He quickly cleared his desk and began to head down to his car.

Before he had even reached the door, Jonathan Smith, Alexander's driver and personal assistant, had opened the door to his Warren Buffett-Cadillac XTS.

Once he was in, Jonathan asked, "Where are we going, sir?"

"I'm going to see my wife." Alexander answered.

Deep down, outside the ruthless CEO with stunning looks, lies the heart of a lamb.

"Jonathan, what do you advise I get for her?" Alexander continued.

"She loves roses, let's get her some." Jonathan answered.

After they've gotten the flowers for Bailey, Jonathan suggested, "Sir, I think it would be right if we give Bailey a call."

"And why on earth should I do that?"

"She might not be at the hotel; it can be a mistake or something?"

"My spies don't make mistakes, Jonathan. Besides, if we called her, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore."

"I just think--"

"Can you just shut your mouth and drive? Don't make me feel stupid." Alexander yelled. He was already getting pissed.

They both remained silent until they reached the 5-star hotel.

Alexander quickly picked up the roses and began to head inside. He was quite nervous and anxious; he had never been a bit romantic.

He almost had a fight with Bailey before her trip to Paris. Bailey argued that he was not romantic, not even a bit, and it quite touched his stony heart.

And now she was back; he was going to welcome her with a romantic gesture.

He quickly moved to find her room after he had gotten access from the receptionist, and there it was, room 206.

He took a big breath before he opened the door...

"What the..." His jaw dropped open, a silent gasp of astonishment escaping his lips. He stood frozen in place, his body paralyzed by the unexpected turn of events.

"Bae!" His voice faltered, a mixture of shock and disbelief coloring his words.

Hearing her name, she turned in shock and broke free from the pleasure she was having, quickly using her bedsheet to cover up her body.

Anger surged through his veins like molten lava, ready to erupt; his fists clenched, trembling with the intensity of his anger.

His face turned crimson as rage consumed his entire being; he threw the roses to the ground. His once gray eyes had been filled with fury; he fought every part of his body from not doing anything drastic. In those moments, none of them said anything to each other.

Including the young blonde guy, maybe in his late twenties, who just seemed to be shaking due to fear.

Without saying a word, he stormed out of the hotel. Jonathan saw him approaching the car and quickly gave way.

He didn't bother asking him what happened, or else he would have collected a share of his anger.

"Drive me to any bar or something," Alexander ordered.

Quickly, Jonathan started driving.

"How could two horrible things happen to me in just a day?" He yelled in frustration.

"Are you sure you want to be going to a bar, sir?"

"That's the only place I would drown my agony."

"Would you like to share what happened?"

"Earlier today, I had an argument with Diana Ross."

"Your secretary?"

"Yes, and it was so full of tension that she resigned. And heck, my father would behead me. Just 2 months, and I've lost two staff, my secretary, and our experienced marketing agent."

"It's not your fault, sir. Take it easy."

"Easy? I just caught my fiancée enjoying herself on a bed with, I think, a riff-raff or something. Tell me how I easy I should be taking things?"

"I still advise we go home; no one wants to see the CEO of Luxe Tech in a bar. I'm sure our investors wouldn't love this."

"Jonathan, I'm prioritizing my mental health here!" He shrilled, his voice was hoarse. "Just drive me to a bar or even a club, and quit acting like my dad."

"Girls are just so damn useless." Alexander cursed softly. He quickly picked up his phone and started looking for Isabella's contact, and then he texted.

"If you fail to report to work by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, say goodbye to your job." And he sent it.

He sent this message to quite free himself from the rage that was burning inside of him.

A few minutes later, he received a text, and it was from Bella.

"Are you that heartless that you can't even call to check if I was okay? All you do is boss everyone around. You've lost our most experienced marketer, your secretary, and you are not tired? Maybe you want to ruin your father's legacy even before he dies. I'll be running late to work tomorrow. If you can't deal with it, you either fire me or I file in my resignation letter."

"I've changed my mind, Jonathan. Make sure you take me to a club." Alexander sank back into his chair.

"I came in as fast as I could. What did you say is wrong with Dad?" Isabella rushed into the house.

"Olivia took him to the hospital; she asked me to stay back until you arrived," Nicholas, the youngest in the house, answered.

He was just 12 and still in junior high. "So please tell me, Nick, what happened?" Bella asked.

"I was watching a cartoon, and then Daddy's phone rang. I quickly unplugged it from the wall socket and dashed to give him the phone. When he received it, he greeted and then he said, 'My goods? How?' And then he fell to the floor alongside his phone and the coffee he had in his hands."

"Did anyone call Mum?" Bella queried.

"No, we didn't want her to start worrying. We had to make sure she focuses on her job. That was Olivia's plan, by the way," Nicholas explained.

"Okay, quickly change into comfortable clothes; let's head out." As Nicholas climbed up to his room to get dressed.

Bella sank into her seat. She wasn't sure of what was happening again in her life.

Her father had been having heart issues lately, and everyone had been suspecting it had something to do with his business.

But Mr. Sterling was a proud man and quite secretive; he hated to be considered weak. He never sought counsel or believed he needed help.

"I'm ready; let's go," Nicholas announced, and quickly they headed to the hospital.

"Dad!" Isabella ran to her dad, glad he was conscious. "Thank goodness you're okay." She wiped off the little drops of tears that ran down her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Dad," Nicholas smiled.

"Dad, where's Olivia?" Bella asked, as she didn't see any trace of Olivia.

"She left with a guy, he had blonde hair and blue eyes, with a British accent."

"And you didn't bother knowing his name?" Bella continued.

"He introduced himself, but I was half awake when he did," her father answered softly.

"Dad, what really happened?" Bella changed the subject; her dad was much too important to her at that moment.

"I just had heart issues..."

"Dad, I know you too well, besides, Nick said you fell immediately after you answered a call. So, Dad, please speak to me."

"We just lost everything, Bella." Her father's voice quivered.

"Lost everything? How?"

"I've been battling with finances lately. Little did I know that the savior I thought I saw was my biggest downfall."

"Savior, downfall, Daddy, I don't understand," Bella asked.

"I invested in a project that was meant to give me triple of my investment, and to cut the entire story short, it crashed. It was a full scam. I even had to get loans from the bank, using our house as collateral."

Mr. Charles Sterling, Bella's father, was drawn into a high-yield real estate investment opportunity. He invested a substantial portion of his savings in a development project that promised luxurious condominiums in Manhattan, New York City.

The enticing sales pitch and glossy brochures convinced him that this was a secure path to expand his business.

As time went on, Charles became increasingly suspicious. Construction delays and excuses piled up, and the promised updates about the project's progress were vague at best.

Charles confronted the developer, Veronica Sings, but she kept giving him assurances, telling him stories he wanted to hear.

Then, news articles began to surface, exposing the developer's history of financial mismanagement and legal troubles.

Charles's initial excitement turned into dread as he realized the investment was a sham. The luxurious condos he had hoped to profit from remained unbuilt.

Mr. Shags, Charles's secretary, had to call Charles and let him in on what had happened, and the news resulted in his admission to the hospital.

"Omg! Daddy, why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want you guys to worry if it was legit or not, plus I wanted to surprise you with the profits I had made."

"We are going to survive this; maybe I can get a loan from my boss..." Bella suggested.

"Don't worry, I've always been good friends with Mr. Richard Gentry. I just pray he assists me a little until I get back on my feet." Charles wouldn't want his daughter to fix his mess.

"It's okay, Dad." A text message came to her phone, and for the first time, with his private number and not the organization's line, Alexander sent her a message.

Curious to see what he sent, she was shocked to the bone marrow when she read the annoying texts he sent her and, out of rage, replied to him and poured her heart out.

Just a few minutes after she had replied to Alexander's text, Sebastian called her line, and at that moment, she remembered she was meant to be on a date with him.

"Hello, I'm so sorry, it was a family emer..."

"Catherine has filled me in on everything; I'm in front of your hospital if you'd like to talk about your family problem."

"That's nice; let me quickly settle things. I'll be with you in a sec." She hung up.

"Dad, a friend of mine is outside; I'll see you later. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, don't pause your life because of me; you can go," her father assured her.

"Nick," she turned to her brother, who was barely awake, "Take care of Dad; I'll be back before midnight."

And she headed off to meet Sebastian. Reaching the exit of the hospital, she froze in awe; his appearance was a sensory delight. He was wearing a vibrant red tuxedo that made him instantly stand out. Its bold color, combined with the tailored fit, accentuated his youthful charm. He looked like he had stepped out of a classic Hollywood movie.

While she didn't touch the tuxedo, its impeccable craftsmanship was evident in the way it draped over his shoulders and hugged his frame, suggesting a texture that was as smooth as it was stylish.

As he approached, his confident stride resonated with a quiet assurance, a rhythmic beat to the excitement building within her.

A subtle, enticing cologne trailed in his wake, leaving a lingering fragrance that hinted at sophistication and elegance.

Although she couldn't taste anything, the visual feast of his striking attire whet her appetite for the evening's adventure, making her heart race with anticipation.

It was as if he had been preparing for a day like this. He reached out his hands, and once she placed her soft, cold palms in his, he lowered a kiss on her hands that made her tummy somersault.

"You ready?" He finally spoke.

Still in shock, she nodded, "Yes." A barely audible whisper.

As he opened the door to his Amancio Ortega – Audi A8, Mercedes GL, they both received a link in their private inbox by Catherine, "You have to view this."

And to their greatest surprise, caught in a bar and dancing with strippers was their very own Alexander Gentry.