Falling For The Tycoon

LEENA

Curiosity killed a cat, they say. They're not wrong. My curiosity has earned me several body bruises and a trip to a place I've never been. I'm going to live with people I've never known.

"Leena, are you done packing your bags?" my Father asks, walking into my bedroom without knocking.

I sniffle, wiping away the tears rolling down my cheeks. "Please let me stay here, I don't want to go and live with strangers."

He walks to the bed where I'm seated and begins to close my suitcase. "You brought this upon yourself."

"I didn't mean to," I say, sliding off the bed to

my knees. "Please, I won't mention a word to Mom."

He stops fidgeting with my suitcase and looks at me. "A word about what?"

"About you and Aunt Carissa," I say and he slaps me hard in the face.

"You've just proven a point, Leena. You can't keep your mouth shut so come on, start taking your bags to the car."

He lifts my suitcase and walks out of the room. I get off my knees and carry the rest of my bags to the car.

When I got home from work last night, I heard a female's voice in the house and I followed it to the guest room, opening the door without knocking because nobody uses it. That's when I found my Father having sex with Aunt Carissa, Mom's older sister. I stood frozen at the door until my Father started beating the hell out of me for invading his privacy. Aunt Carissa didn't say a word or try to stop him, she just gave me an apologetic look instead. That's what put me in this situation.

It is a quiet drive to the train station. Dad doesn't say a word to me until my luggage is safely loaded on the train.

"If you ever mention any of this to your mother, I'll kill you," he says, rubbing my shoulders with both hands. Anyone around us would think we're having a sweet emotional farewell conversation.

"I know," I say. Nothing can stop this man from doing just what he says. "I won't say a word to her or to anyone else."

"Good," he says. "Henry will be waiting for you at the station. Safe trip."

With that, he walks away and I get onto the train. I take the window seat, plug my AirPods, and lean my head against the window, watching the fog that spreads over the glass with each breath I take.

A man comes to sit next to me and across from me, a woman and a young boy. I don't realize they're a family until the man seated next to me displays a bunch of toys on the table and they all join the kid in a pretend play. It reminds me of my own family - Mom, Dad, and me - and how loving Dad was to me before he changed into the beast he is now. I close my eyes and let my mind wander to many years ago when everything was perfect, years ago before Dad got the job that changed him and the rest of us.

The airhorne blast startles me awake and I quickly wipe away the drool that is rolling down my cheeks. The kid looks at me and laughs. His mother says something to me, but the music in my ears is too loud, so I just offer her a smile. The train comes to a stop and the family leaves. I hug my jacket tighter as the train proceeds and mentally prepare myself for what awaits me - a holiday in a different city, with a different family.

When the train makes the last stop, I get my bags and go out. There are so many people around, hugging and laughing. Then there's me, looking around for the man who is supposed to pick me.

I turn around when someone taps my shoulder and find myself looking at a tall man, almost my father's age. He looks cold and dangerous, just like Dad.

"Leena Jackson?" he asks.

"Mr...Henry?" I say, realizing that his first name is the only information that Dad gave me.

"Yes, welcome to New York," he says, lifting my suitcase and taking it to his car. I follow behind him and slide into the backseat but he asks me to sit in the passenger seat instead.

"You've grown so much," he says, starting the car. "You were about seven the last time I saw you, how old are you now?"

"I'm twenty-one," I say.

"I see, how's Marina? I heard she moved to a different state."

"She's fine," I say. Marina is my mother. She was transferred to another state for work so I only get to see her on holidays, except I won't see her this time.

"What is the festive season like in Philadelphia?" he asks.

I sigh, not in the mood to talk, "It's just as it is everywhere else, jolly moods, decorations, fireworks and all."

"I see," he says and continues to drive in silence.

"How do you and my father know each other?" I ask, curious.

"He's an old friend," he replies. "And we're in the same business."

I nod, worried about how much more violent a man who isn't even my father would be.

He turns into a driveway and comes to a stop in front of a house decorated in all sorts of festive embellishments.

A woman opens the door and walks to the car just as I open mine. She comes straight to hug me and introduces herself as Anna, Henry's wife.

"Welcome home," she says, smiling so hard.

I smile back at her, "Thank you."

A young man walks out of the house and comes to stand next to her.

"This is our son, Mark," she says.

He extends his hand and I shake it, "Hey, I'm Leena."

"I know," he chuckles. "Mom hasn't stopped talking about you since your visit was announced yesterday."

"Come on, let me show you around," Anna says and I follow her to the house. She introduces me to her teenage daughter Martha and shows me to my bedroom.

"You can pack your stuff later; let's go down and have dinner," she says after the house tour, and I follow.

Everyone is happy to have dinner together and it makes me wonder why my own family can't be like this.

"I'm going to the New Year's Eve countdown tonight. Would you like to tag along, Leena?" Mark asks.

I look at Anna and Henry before responding and they both shrug.

"I'd love to."

"Great," he says. "We start off at 10:30 PM."

"Right," I say.

"Be safe and take care of Leena," Anna says, wiping her hands on a serviette. "She's new to this place."

"Don't worry; she's going to have the best New Year's Eve celebration. One that she'll never forget," Mark says and Anna rolls her eyes.

After dinner, we all sit in the TV room to watch a holiday movie. Martha tells me it is a ritual for them to watch a family movie every Christmas or New Year's Eve and spend quality time as a family, and she tells me about how she enjoys it less and less every year as she grows. That makes all of us laugh.

When the movie is over, Mark and I leave. We use the same car that his father picked me up in.

"You're ready for this?" he asks.

"I bet, where are we going?"

"To a club, been to one?"

I chuckle, "I'm twenty-one, of course I've been."

"We're going to a different kind of club, though," he says.

"How different?" I ask.

"It's a singles club. On festive holidays, singles countdown and kiss whoever is within their reach."

"Does your father know that's what happens?" I raise a brow.

"I'm twenty-four," he says. "To answer your question, though, he doesn't know."

I laugh, "Thought so."

He stops the car in front of a club with glowing neon signs at the door and we both hop out.

"Let's have some fun!" he says.

He leads the way into the club and I follow him to a table.

He orders us some drinks and I start sipping on mine when we're served.

We dance and drink some more until all the lights in the club suddenly go off.

I'm starting to panic when everyone in the club starts counting down.

"Ten! Nine! Eight...."

I join them in the countdown, and exactly at one, strong arms wrap around my waist, and I'm pulled to a body and then kissed. It isn't an ordinary kiss, it is passionate. The kind that makes me forget my fear of the dark. Nothing I've experienced before. Before I know it, I'm kissing Mark back and it feels so good. I didn't expect my day to end like this. When he pulls away, I slowly open my eyes and the club lights up once again. Surprisingly, Mark isn't standing in front of me. Nobody is standing directly in front of me, only people around me and almost all of them are still kissing. When I turn around, Mark is kissing a blond girl and seems to be enjoying it.

I'm confused.

Who just kissed me?

WILLIAM

"Is there anything you'd like me to do before I leave, Mr. Carter?" My secretary asks, a bright smile plastered across her face.

"I think I'm good, Bethany," I say, looking at my laptop screen.

"Are you sure?" She asks.

I lift my eyes from the screen and look at her, "I'm good."

"Alright, I was just making sure," She says and walks out of the office.

She pops her head back in before closing the door, "Mr. Carter?"

"Bethany," I say through gritted teeth.

"Would like to go to the club down the road for the new year's countdown?" She asks, batting her lashes.

"Don't you have family dinner?" I ask.

She pushes the door open and comes to sit on the chair in front of my desk, "I do but there's a little problem."

"Which is?"

"I promised my parents that I'd introduce my boyfriend to them at the last dinner of the year, but my boyfriend and I broke up a few days ago, and I'm too ashamed to show up at home without a date. Do you wanna pretend to be my boyfriend?"

"I'm not interested."

"Then let's go," she says, her face pleading. "I know you have no plans for the night. Otherwise, I'd have known about them."

She's right; she has learned a lot about me over the years she has worked for me. She knows I have no plans of fucking anyone tonight because every time I have such an appointment, she arranges a hotel room for me because I don't take any of my whores home. I have no family, I don't date but I fuck girls, and I have only one friend who recently got married and is on his honeymoon. So I really have no plans for the night and she won't leave until I accept her invitation.

"I'll go with you," I say.

"Yes," she squeals, spinning in the chair. She turns my laptop to herself and switches it off. "Let's go."

"I hate your persistence, Bethany," I say as we ride down the elevator.

"You'll thank me later, Mr. Carter. Moreover, all work and no play made John a dull boy. I don't want that to happen to you," she says.

"Who said it will?"

"Your actions say that loud and clear," she says. "Forget about..."

"Don't get started with that conversation," I cut her short.

She comes to stand in front of me and rolls her eyes, "I'll talk about it until you get back to who you used to be before that bitch changed you. You can't keep focusing on work alone and using any spare time you have to fuck different girls in the city, there are so many beautiful things around that you can do. Loosen up."

I ignore her. I'm hearing this from her for the millionth time. She has said it to me for years now. Five years ago today, my fiance cheated on me with my business rival. That disturbed my entire life. My company started failing; my mental and physical health was compromised, and even my relationships with everyone around me were shaken until Bethany hired a therapist for me. I slowly got myself together, returned my company to its glory, and vowed never to be in a relationship or fall in love. Bethany has been like a best friend to me from then and that's why I tolerate her drama.

"Tell me something," she continues to talk. "Will you forever hate New Year's Eve because of your ex-fiance? It's been five solid years, for Christ's sake; move on."

"You and I both know I've moved on," I say as the elevator doors open. "I just like to spend this day alone but it seems like I'll be spending this particular one with you and many strangers in an ordinary club."

"Ordinary clubs are the best if you ask me. There are all sorts of people and a lot of fun, unlike the luxurious VIP clubs you prefer."

"Alright, tell me more," I tease, hopping into the driver's seat of my Benz.

"You're allowed to kiss anyone in the club after the countdown for only a minute unless they like it," she says. "It's gonna be so much fun."

"How do you know about it?" I ask, curious.

She chuckles, "My cousins took me there when I was eighteen, I kissed a guy and accidentally bit him because I didn't know how to kiss yet. I haven't been there since."

"You're so silly, Bethany. You chose a stranger to be your first kiss?"

"That was a dumb move, I know," she says and we both laugh. We continue to chat until we get to the club.

I look at my wristwatch as we walk inside and it's exactly thirty minutes to the countdown. Bethany wraps her hand around my wrist and scuttles ahead of me to the counter.

She greets the bartender with a very bright smile and orders scotch for me and a cocktail for herself.

"You need something strong to get out of your shell, Mr. Carter," she says as the bartender places our drinks in front of us.

Bethany takes a stool and I lean against the counter, feet crossed at the ankles as I watch my surroundings. Everyone seems happy like nothing on this earth could ever take the joy they are feeling now away.

It reminds me of that night five years ago as I waited at a restaurant for my fiance, and she stood me up, only for me to receive a video of her being fucked hard by my rival at exactly 12AM in the New Year. The joy I had as I waited that night to tell her that we could start trying for a child before our wedding felt like it was going to be with me eternally but it was taken away in a blink of an eye. That's how cruel the world can be.

I shake my head and lift my cup to take a swig when I spot a girl who doesn't look as jolly as everyone else in the club. She's drinking and laughing and dancing with a young man who I assume is her boyfriend but I can tell she has a lot going on in her mind. I can also tell that she's extremely beautiful even under the dim club lighting and I can't seem to take my eyes off her.

Bethany, who is all along flirting with the bartender, elbows me, "The countdown is in a minute."

I rest my cup on the counter and walk towards her.

The lights go off as people begin to countdown. The countdown is almost over when I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her to myself, palming her cheek with my spare hand. The ruby-red glow of her earrings in the dark catches my eye and makes me hesitate for a second before doing what I want to do.

I lower my mouth to her face, finding her mouth and kissing her.

At first, she doesn't respond to my kiss, but that doesn't make me stop. I slide my hand down to her neck and give her a gentle choke. She smiles into my kiss and kisses me back. As soon as the lights are switched on, I pull away from the kiss and quickly camouflage myself into the crowd. For some reason I don't know, I don't want to reveal myself to her. I find Bethany bent over the counter as she kisses the bartender and gently drag her out of the club.

LEENA

"Did you have fun last night, Leena?" Anna asks over breakfast.

"I did," I say, shoving a spoonful of pudding into my mouth.

"Can you tell us about it?" She asks.

Mark shoots me a look as if to warn me not to say anything unpleasant.

I fidget in my seat, "It was amazing, I haven't had that much fun in a long time."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," she says.

My mind drifts to last night's events and I continue to wonder who kissed me and why they disappeared. I shouldn't be thinking about it but I am.

Henry pecks Anna's mouth and waves the rest of us goodbye.

Martha scrunches her face, "You two should stop doing that in front of us."

Mark too, waves us goodbye.

"What job does he do?" I ask.

"He runs a business with his father," Anna says and I nod, understanding just what she means. "Is there anything you do yourself?"

"I recently graduated college...so I haven't had any real job," I say. "I worked in a café back home, though."

"What did you study?"

"Videography," I say.

Her eyes widen, "Really? There's a film-making company in need of a videographer. A vacancy was advertised on TV earlier today. You can send in an application if you like."

I clear my throat, "I'd love to."

"Great, you can send them an online application and wait to hear from them."

Martha and I clean the dishes when we're done and sit down to watch a movie afterward.

My phone rings and I quickly swipe to answer it.

"Mom," I say.

"Leena, how are you?" She says. "You left home without telling me about it?"

"I thought Dad told you," I say.

"He did but I'd have appreciated it if you told me about it too. How are you enjoying the new city, though?"

"It's quite interesting," I say. "How's home?"

"It's great; your Dad, Carissa, and I will be going on a short vacation. I wish you would come along."

My heart breaks for her. I wish I could tell her everything.

"Leena, are you there?" She asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"I wish I could come too but I'm good here, I'm even thinking of getting a job," I say.

"That's brilliant, baby," she says, her voice proud. "I have to go now, talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too," I say but she has already cut the line.

I go to my bedroom, open my laptop, and look up the company Anna told me about.

It's one of the biggest filmmaking companies in the city, and I doubt they'd employ an inexperienced videographer, but I apply anyway.

In just two hours, I receive an email with instructions to go to the company tomorrow and show my skills.

I tell Anna about it and she excitedly asks me to get ready early tomorrow so that her husband can drop me off at the company headquarters.

I spend most of the night watching tutorial videos about videography in preparation.

There's a light knock at the door before it is opened. Mark walks in and comes to sit on the bed facing me.

"A little birdie told me you're going to Skylar Entertainment tomorrow," he says.

"Yeah," I say closing my laptop and putting it on the nightstand.

"You should have tried smaller companies before Skylar, the chances of them picking someone without experience from a bunch of experienced individuals are not so high," he says.

I sigh, "I know, but they say a shot not taken is a shot missed, so I'll just give it a try."

"Right, all the best," he says, standing up. "I just came to wish you a good night. You better be up early tomorrow."

"Thanks, Goodnight," I say, falling onto the bed. I sleep almost immediately.

♡♡♡♡

I groan when I'm awakened by the many alarms I set. I haven't had a reason to wake up this early from the time I graduated college. I get out of bed and begin to get ready. Dressing up for interviews is not easy especially if one has no appropriate outfits. I didn't for once think that I'd be interested in finding a job on my holiday so I didn't pack any smart clothes. I wear a pair of blue jeans, a brown sweater and black boots. Not a smart outfit but better than a sluty one. I accessorize with my ruby red earrings that Mom got me as a birthday gift when I turned 19 and a wristwatch before joining everybody downstairs for breakfast.

We leave a few minutes after breakfast and I'm dropped off at the company's entrance with no one to guide me. The man at the entrance asks what I'm here for and when I tell him, he guides me into the building. We take the elevator up to the fifth floor and he asks me to wait in a room full of chairs but no people.

"Am I the first one here?" I ask.

"Apparently," he says. "But you're probably not going to be the first to be interviewed, there's a list that's going to be followed. You can check it out on the notice board at the back."

I nod, "Thank you."

I walk to the back of the room and search for my name on the list. I realize that I am a little too early for the last interviewee. People start joining me in the waiting room, and I sit in a corner, plug my AirPods, and wait. The room slowly gets filled and then a lady starts calling out names one by one.

After several hours of waiting, the lady finally calls out my name and asks me to follow her.

She leads me into an office with a man seated behind a furnished desk and a smartly dressed woman seated on a chair across from him.

"Leena, you're going to video everything that'll be happening in this office and if the outcome is going to be impressive enough, the job will be yours," The lady says. "The two people in front of you are the actors and as you can see, the equipment is all set. You can begin whenever you're ready."

She goes to sit in one corner of the office and I go to where all the equipment is set.

I study and adjust the camera and lighting.

With a sigh, I say, "action."

The actors in front of me begin talking and I begin recording. The male actor walks around the desk to the female and begins to kiss her neck. That makes me a little uncomfortable but I focus on recording. The two start to kiss and touch until the female is bent Butt naked over the desk, taking the man's thrusts with loud ecstatic moans.

The door to the office opens and I turn the lens in that direction as a hot man walks in and stops in his tracks when he's past the door.

"What are you doing here?" The lady in the corner asks.

The actors who were fucking each other like their sex could reverse the impact of world war two stop fucking and look at the man who just entered with reverence.

"Cut!" The man says, looking at me with so much familiarity. "Report for work tomorrow morning."

With that, he leaves the office.

"We haven't even seen her work yet, Mr. Carter," The lady who brought me in says, scuttling out of the office.

"I don't care," I hear the man say before the door is shut by one of the actors.

I don't know why a hot man thinks I'm fit for this job, but I do know one thing, I got the job.