Billionaire's Perfect Bride

"The nerve of that jerk!" Talia screamed as she stormed into my office, slamming the door hard behind her. I dropped my pen and swiftly stuffed the journal I'd been scribbling plot points for my next book into my handbag. Dragging my eyes up, I exhaled softly, mentally preparing myself for what I was sure was to be another one of Talia's tireless rants.

I wondered who it would be about this time.

After a couple of months, I woke up this morning with a vague idea of what my next book would be about. And as I wrote that idea down, I was pleased to find out that my writer's block was now completely gone, everything seamlessly falling into place. I knew the exact direction I wanted my next book to go and was pumped to figure out a lot more as I wrote, but with my best friend here, there was no way that would be be happening soon.

"Not the best of mornings, I presume, babe?" I chuckled in greeting. There was only one person who could rile her up like this, and I had no doubt that whatever story she was about to tell was going be both funny and wild.

"Can you imagine? Phillip Rivers stole my original concept, twisted it on it's head, and presented it as his own! He won the project I've spent months preparing for - with my ideas. The board didn't even let me finish my presentation. They believed I copied Philip, meanwhile it was the other way around!"

I leaned back in my seat and allowed my gaze roam over Talia's disheveled, shoulder-length blonde hair - a few strands matted to her forehead. My best friend always looked flawless, but that was not the case today. Looked like Phillip got to her real good this time. They were always at each other's necks.

"Weren't you the one who sabotaged him the last time? You locked him in his office when he had an urgent meeting to attend and ensured he couldn't get out until twenty minutes after time, when you knew that lateness is one thing the clients loathe with a passion. I'd say he simply made things even this time."

Talia grinned wickedly, gave her hair a flip, and looked pleased as she recalled that particular atrocity. "Oh, I got him good. If not for that, he'd have beaten me to securing that resort deal for our company. That was a multi-million dollar deal, Elena. If I'd lost it, I wouldn't have gotten a promotion or a raise. It would've all gone to him. Honestly, I was kind of bummed that he made it so easy for me, leaving his office keys lying carelessly about. He's usually very clever."

"Mmm," I giggled, leaning in, and giving her my full attention. She wouldn't leave until she'd exhausted her time, complaining about her biggest rival in Delmonte Enterprises - one of the leading extensions of the Delmonte real-estate empire. The Rivers and Delmonte families had been close business associates and family friends since forever, but Talia and Phillip never got along no matter what. It seemed they merely existed to bring each other down.

"With a stunt like that, don't you think it's only natural that he retaliated?"

"So you're on his side now?" She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at me as though I'd betrayed her. But I wasn't supporting either of them. Even though they fought tooth and nail with each other, they ended up bringing in the best deals to the company, working together as a team indirectly.

"You know I'm right," I shrug. "An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth."

"I want to get my lick back right this minute," she snapped. "That asshole. You needed to see the way he smiled so smugly at me as I was being escorted out of the boardroom. You have to help me, Elena. You can confront him for me."

I picked my pen back up, not even giving her plea much thought. "No, thank you. I'm good." Phillip and I barely talked, and I didn't want to overstep boundaries by encouraging his rivalry with Talia. Moreover, he had a reputation of being ruthless. A ruthless, cruel billionaire. Talia was the only woman who could rattle him and get away with it, and I doubted she knew the amount of influence she had on him. It was only a matter of time before their rivalry exploded into a full-blown attraction.

My phone bleeped just then, and I reached for it absentmindedly, my fingers turning numb when I caught a glimpse of the name on the missed call notification. Before I could think of what to do, it began ringing again, but I stayed put, staring at it helplessly.

"Elena?" Talia called, her voice soft, laced with concern. "What's wrong? You suddenly look...pale."

I looked up, snapping out of my daze, and tried my best to smile. How long had I been spacing out? And that too in front of Talia? "I'm fine, Tee. It's your cousin calling, anyway," I added before picking the call."

"Hey, Richard," I said coolly, my calm tone in sharp contrast to the loud thudding of my heart. It seemed like gas flares were going off in my stomach.

He chuckled lowly, setting my whole body on fire. A deep urge, one of painful longing lodged itself in my chest, made it difficult for me to breathe properly. "How's my sweetheart doing today? For a moment back there, I thought you weren't going to pick up. Where have you been? You don't even text like you used to. Since when did you start getting busier than me?"

I leaned back on my seat, and smiled. My cheeks, I was sure Talia could note, were surely tainted the brightest red. It'd been weeks since I last heard his voice. Writer's block did that to you, disconnected you from reality. "What's up? How have you been?" I asked, knowing that whatever new update he has about his life was going to hurt me. Richard never kept anything away from me. I knew of all his deepest, darkest secrets. Our friendship was that solid.

"Work's been draining the hell out of me. Seriously. I'm just glad Sarah's birthday is coming up in a few days and I'll finally get to take some time away from work to spend with her. Want to accompany me to go shop for a suitable birthday gift for her? I'm sure you'll know what she'll like best."

The rational part of my heart screamed that I should say no. Cut the call. Quietly block his line. But the stupid, loved-up part nudged me toward the other way. The last thing I wanted to do was accompy Richard to buy a gift for my cruel sister. I couldn't stand hearing him talk endlessly about her, seeing the love and adoration in his eyes. It broke my soul. But I'd rather see and spend some time with him while he gushes over her, than not see him at all.

"Sure. That'll be lovely," I said quickly, shutting my eyes to drive the tears back. "You'll pick me up?"

"You know it! Thank you so much, sweetheart. I owe you one. I'll be down there in an hour. See ya."

"What on Earth does he want from you this time?" Talia scoffed, her eyes narrowed as I hung up and placed the phone back down on the table.

"Uh..." I trailed off, forcing a tight smile. I knew she wouldn't be pleased with what I was about to tell. "Sarah's birthday anniversary comes up in a few days. He needs me to accompany him to the store so he can get a present for her."

Talia snorts, gritting her teeth. "And you blindly agreed? What the hell is wrong with you, Elena?" She exhaled, running a hand through her hair, and when she spoke again, her tone was lighter. "You know what, call him up right now and tell him you won't be coming. She's his girlfriend, and he can always figure out what she'd love as a birthday gift. Why do you have to help him?"

"It's not a big deal, Tee," I said, even though I wasn't sure if it wasn't. It's been years, and I still give in to his wishes no matter what. I could disappoint anyone else but him. That goes to show how head-over-heels in love with him I still was.

"No, it's not and you know it," Talia groaned, rolling her eyes. "Look, I love my cousin brother, but I love you just as much. I'm looking out for your best interest here. You need to stop making it easy for him to get to you when each and every time you spend with him, you heart aches."

I shook my head in denial, trying unsuccessfully to avoid her eyes. "I don't do that, Talia. Richard and I are just friends, and friends help each other no matter what. We've always been so close, but there's no attraction. It's all in your head, really."

She crossed her arms over her chest and pinned me down with a glare. "Lie to yourself all you want, Elena, but you're not fooling me. I'm not a toddler. I know what I'm saying."

I averted my gaze, unable to keep up my act when she was looking at me so intensely. She was the only one who knew what happened while we were younger, and though I tried to avoid discussions that would bring that back up, she was the only one who knew that I was still in love with Richard as much as I was then. The feelings never died no matter how many good men I came in contact with. It felt as though my heart was wired to beat specifically for Richard.

"Elena, don't you ever wonder what would have happened if you had confessed your feelings to him after that night? Don't you think - "

I held up my hand, shaking my head. "It wouldn't have changed a thing. It's always been Sarah that mattered. From the moment she walked into his life, she'd captured his heart and stowed it away in a bottle. Her bottle. If I'd come clean about my feelings for him, it would've complicated things, not just for us, but our families as well. I would've lost him and our friendship."

She sighed, her eyes mirroring the sorrow that was clawing at my heart. People often said that she should've been my twin instead of Sarah, due to how she we were so alike, and felt each other's pain and struggles. "So, it's decided, then? You've made up your mind to sit back and watch Richard get married to your sister?"

I turned away to face the window and inhaled shakily. "You're talking as though I have an option here. What choice do I have? They've been together for six years, Talia. If there was any chance for Richard and I to be together, I've missed it, and that's fine. They're happy together. Richard's happiness is all that matters to me. If he or Sarah finds out about my feelings, it's cost me my friendship with him, and also ruin the thin relationship between Sarah and I. All that hassle for what? He'd never see me as nothing more than a best friend. I can't hope on a miracle at this point. It's no use."

Talia shook her head, refusing to back down. "Well, neither of us knows about that, do we? But what I do know is, I don't think Richard is as happy as he convinces himself to be, and I sincerely doubt that he sees you as just a friend. He might not be able to admit it himself, but there's this sizzling chemistry that has always existed between you two. It was there before Sarah came into the picture, and though she's tried, she's never been able to fully erase it. She can't take your place in his life. Never."

I looked down at my hands, at a loss for words. I hated this. Hated how she fueled my hopes, when it was clear that nothing could work out between Richard and I. He was about to become my brother-in-law, and I respected the boundaries between us firmly if I wanted to survive their wedding. I had to.

"Elena, you and I know the fact that the only reason why they're still together is because they have no say in the matter. They're stuck with each other due to familial ties. Richard can't complain about Sarah giving him less attention, because he's blinded by his love for her. He choosed her over you, and it's too late to whine now, that's why he's trying everything to make their relationship work. Have you forgotten that my uncle's initial choice for him was you?"

My heart ripped open at the hurtful reminder. I remembered the day my parents called up a family meeting, and informed us of their wish to retire. They'd decided to merge their booming real-estate empire, Williams Holdings, with Delmonte Realtors. The Williams and the Delmonte families had been business rivals for years, up until that point, but the proposed merger was poised to change our histories, and it did.

They wanted to keep their beloved companies in the family, and since the Delmontes are well-known for arranging marriages for their successors, they were handed the perfect solution. A marriage between the Williams and Delmonte families would keep the merged empire in the family, and it'd keep both families in control of the companies which would now be one of the leading business empires in all of New York.

At the time, the daughter they'd considered for this arrangement wasn't Sarah. She hardly had time for the family business, always buried in her surgeon work, and so I was the perfect choice. Also, I was very close to Talia, and that worked in my favour. I'd been twenty when the deal was made, and I'd been happy, enamoured by the thought of getting married to the man of my dreams. Thankfully, Richard wasn't opposed to the idea as well.

But all that came crashing down when I was invited for a Talia's parents wedding anniversary and I took Sarah with me. I remembered that night like it was yesterday. Memorized it into the back of my mind. Let it haunt me at night. That was the night I fell in love with him.

But she was the one he fell in love with. Not me.

An hour later, at exactly three o'clock, I received Richard's text informing me of his arrival. I was done with plotting, drawing up character arcs for my book, and had been waiting eagerly. The second I got the notification, I stood up and took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself to see him again. My chest was suddenly on fire, goosebumps spreading all over my body. Good goosebumps. I didn't head outside immediately, waiting back for a few minutes.

Grabbing my purse, I locked my office and headed toward the entrance, sighting him from far off as he leaned against his car, fiddling with his phone. He'd brought his Lexus today. With each step I took, my heart raced faster and faster, the sound growing louder and louder, drowning me in it.

How could a man look...so out of this world? So fucking perfect?

Every time I saw him felt like the first.

I pause for a minute, and inhale deeply, taking him in. I'd memorized his soft features like the back of my hand. That silky blonde hair, that well-defined jawline, those cerulean blue eyes that are identical to Talia's - the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. It wasn't fair that he got even more handsome and attractive as we grew older. Each time I saw him, he felt a little more out of reach. Like he was right there, in front of me, but I couldn't get to him. It made my chest tighten, made me even more sad.

As though he could feel my eyes on him, he looked up just then, and our gaze collided. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and straightened, a warm smile transforming his face, making me lose my breath.

I closed the distance between us, my knees weak. "Hey," I said quietly, trying to sound breezy. He pulled the door open, grinning. I couldn't resist smiling back at him as I clambered into the car, breathing in the smell of new leather and his deep, manly cologne. There was a good chance that I would regret giving in to this shopping idea later, but until then, I was going to make sure I enjoyed every second of it with him.

"So, where are going?" I asked when he got in beside me, his brawny hands wrapped around the steering wheel.

He exhaled, leaning his head back against the headrest. I couldn't blink when he tilted his head toward me. "Elena," he called softly, sounding frustrated. My heartbeat picked up, a thousand miles per minute now. It was so sickening how he had me spellbound whenever he called my name. The world always faded away, leaving me and him alone. "What's wrong? Why don't we see each other anymore?"

He looked genuinely distraught, as though he really had missed me, and that fire I keep trying to put out, reignites once more, stronger this time.

"It's nothing, Richy. I've just been battling writer's block. I've been busy." My voice is low, almost weak, even though I was telling the truth. "I've never been so stressed about my writing career as I am now. I've been trying to cure my block, brainstorming long hours. My readers need me. It's been three years since I got a book out. I'm scared of so many things. I'm scared they wouldn't find the next book as good as the last, or the others. Some days, I don't even eat. Some days I can't sleep. Failure feels so... crippling."

A flash of guilt glows in his eyes, but it's only for a brief moment. So brief, I almost didn't see it. He nodded and dragged his eyes away, a look of concern in his eyes as he revved up the car. "Don't push yourself too hard, Elena. Your mental and physical health is more important than getting out the next best seller. You can't always be so worried about your writing, to the point that you barely eat. No wonder you're looking so tired. Apart from work, you also need to have a social life. Tell me, when was the last time you visited home to see your parents?"

I forced a smile onto my face and crossed my arms over my chest, thinking about the best way to lie to him without him detecting it. The older I got, the more strained my relationship with my parents got. Not that they loved having me around, anyways. Their entire world revolved around Sarah, and her hot, busy life. I hated going where I wasn't welcomed. It was my home, I knew, but I didn't feel like I belonged there. My mother always made sure of that. "I do have a social life. Talia dropped by my office an hour ago," I said confidently. "I do have other friends too who I do meet up every once in a while."

He stared at me for a long moment, like he always did as though he could see through my lies and deception, but choosed not to press further.

"What do you intend to get her this year?" I asked him after a few minutes' silence had passed between us.

He glanced back at me with a grin. "What do you think she'd like? Some hospital equipment she's been raving about lately? Medical books?"

I scrunched up my face. "Ew. Do you know your girlfriend at all? Sarah's not nerdy like me."

He exhaled. "Jewelry?"

I nodded. "That's more like it. She'd love a new statement piece. Or that new diamond necklace from La Ganza."

He blinked at me with such a blank expression, I couldn't hold myself from bursting out in laughter. He shook his head, his eyes glittering. "You looked so... Oh Jesus. You're so funny, Richy."

"It's been a while since I heard you laugh," he said seriously. "I didn't realize I missed it. It sounds so nostalgic."

My laughter died away instantly, and I pursed my lips, shifting my gaze to my lap, my heart aching. I wish he didn't say things like that. He saw him as his best friend, and future sister-in-law, but whenever he dropped sweet lines like that, it made me hope dangerously. Like he was leading me on without ever knowing. I tightened my hold on my purse, and exhaled, my head pounding now. "Sarah's obsessed with diamonds. La Ganza has some really good pieces. They're the best jewelry store in all of Manhattan."

"I've heard of them before from Phillip." He grinned at me. "How about I just let you pick?"

I gave him a pointed look. "Like you let me do every year? She's your girl for fuck's sake, Richard. You should know what she'd love."

"Well, I don't, so you're picking it for me. Pretty please," he pleaded, making a sickening puppy-eyed face.

I groaned. "Okay, fine."

"You're the best!" he bumped the steering wheel in glee, then drove carefully into La Ganza's parking lot. He jumped out, rushing around it so he could open the door for me, offering me his hand. I took it and stepped out of his car, my eyes on his.

A flash of light, followed by the sound of a camera click startled us both, and I turned to my side to find a paparazoo that has been stalking my lately smirking at me.

"What the fuck," Richard gritted out, taking a step toward him, but the paparazoo bolted off, quicker than lightening. "That idiot - "

I held onto Richard's arm, preventing him from going after the brute. "Leave him. He's not worth it. Let's just... let's just go inside. Come on."