Love In Disguise: The Billionaire's Gamble

I stood at the window of my office,the beautiful city of Toronto sprawling beneath. My office was on the 13th floor of the 22-story building which was my father's company. Any free time I have in my office is always spent admiring the city and the people going around with their daily business.

I mean who wouldn't!

I felt a surge of pride as I looked down at the company my father had built - a company I have dedicated my time to since I graduated from college. I had been offered a well paying job immediately after I got out of college by a Public accounting firm,but I declined the offer because I already made up my mind to use my skills for the benefit of my father's company.

Although he had not really appreciated my efforts since all his attention was on my stepmom and her daughter,I poured my heart and soul into my job nevertheless. I knew my efforts were crucial to the company's success.

I was so lost in the view before me and the thoughts running through my head that I didn't hear the phone on my desk ring.

Silly me!

The continuous ringing jolted me back to reality and I made my way to the table to answer the call.

"Hello, Miss Sophia," said a voice from the other end of the phone. It was Abigail,my dad's secretary.

She had been working for my dad since only God knows when. I met her in the office too when I finished school.

So, don't blame me!

"Yes, Abigail."

"Your dad requests for your presence in his office right away. He said it's urgent."

"Oookay......Abigail, I'll be there right away."

Curiosity got the most out of me as I dropped the call and made my way to my dad's office. I wondered what my dad would want to tell me that could be so urgent.

He rarely called me into his office and was always formal in his dealings with me when in the office. Even a stranger would doubt it if someone told them he was my dad. As I entered,I found him seated behind his massive desk, engrossed in the newspaper he was holding in his hands.

He gestured for me to sit and I complied, a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. The office was dimly lit,the afternoon sun casting long shadows through the half closed blinds.

His face; usually stern and composed,looked uncharacteristically vulnerable as he directed his gaze away from the newspaper and turned towards me.

"So, Sophia," he began, clearing his throat as he started to speak. His voice sounded softer than I had ever heard it.

"I need to discuss something important with you." I shifted in my seat, a churning unease creeping through me. I could sense from a far distance that this was not going to end well.

"What is it Dad?"

He took a deep breath,his eyes fixed on the papers scattered across his desk.

"An old friend of mine, Richard Smith,has made a proposal. His son,Lucas,is in need of a partner. In exchange, Richard has offered to fund your mother's surgery."

"The popular CEO of Smith's Groups of Company?" I asked him.

"Yes dear"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt the room spin as I processed what he had just said. "You want me to marry a stranger to save mom?"

"You heard me right," he said nonchalantly.

"But what about Oliver?.What do I tell him?. He has promised to marry me and you of all people are aware of that. Do I just go to him and break-up with him or what exactly are you trying to say?"

He shrugged,his expression indifferent.

"Your mother's health should be your primary concern, Sophia. This is an opportunity to secure a future for both our families. Lucas's business is completely down the drain and this arrangement could be mutually beneficial. You need to set your priorities, your mother's life or the relationship with Oliver. Which one comes first, Sophia?. It's up to you to decide. Choose wisely!"

His words seemed to hit me at the right spot,like a sinner listening to a salvation sermon.

My heart ached. My thoughts drifted to my mother,sick and battling cancer,and the expensive cost of her surgery. The weight of the decision pressed down on me,and I was finding it hard to breathe. "Why do you care so much about this,Dad?"

He leaned back in his chair,his eyes cold.

"Richard and I have a long standing relationship. Although this is partially about business,you need to realize that I also care about your mother."

My mind raced,images of the beautiful life I had imagined with Oliver flashing before my eyes. I knew my dad didn't care about my mother,not since their divorce when I was just 7. I had deliberately chosen to stay with him back then after the divorce because he was all caring back then.

If only I had known!

I knew for a fact that if there was a way to test the love he has for my mom now,he wouldn't pass the test.

I wish there was a device for that!

I was also aware that the proposal,as beneficial as it sounds, was greatly about business. But since I had a more serious matter to attend to at the moment,I acted like I had no idea what he was up to.

I clenched my fist,the pressure of the options before me weighing down on me. "When do I have to decide?"

"Soon" he replied,his tone businesslike.

"Your mom's condition is getting worse. We can't afford to wait."

Silence enveloped us,the tickling of the clock on the wall the only sound. I stood up,my legs unsteady.

"I need some time to think." I said as I stood up,making my way to the door.

"Take your time,but remember what's at stake." he said as I held the knob to open the door.

I left the office,my mind loaded with a whirlwind of emotions. As I walked through the bustling corridor of the company,each step I took felt like I had a rock tied to my leg. With each face passing by looking like I was having a blurry vision.

I entered my car and started driving home. The drive home was blurred with the thoughts of fear and doubt in my mind.

Oliver had been the only person making me feel loved. He was always visiting and checking up on me like we were a married couple. My father never had my time since he got married to Monica, my stepmom. He spends most of his time out of office with her and their daughter, my stepsister- Chloe. I tried on many occasions to be on good terms with them,but they never gave me a chance.

I parked my car, staring at the steering wheel, it was a miracle I drove home safely. I tried to gather my thoughts,and the weight of the decision made it hard to breathe.

As I entered the apartment,the familiar scent of lavender welcomed me,but it brought no comfort. I fell on the couch, burying my face on it.

"What do I do?" I asked myself in a whisper.

I was so exhausted and within a twinkle of an eye, I fell into a spectre of sleepiness.

"Sophia..... Sophia..."

A voice called at me from across the street. Shouting my name at the top of his voice, leaving me wondering who it could be. I moved closer and when I finally got closer to him,it was Oliver.

He was standing beside someone in a hospital bed who seemed to be mumbling some words that were not audible to my hearing. A lot of questions seemed to be running through my mind at that moment. A hospital bed in the middle of the street with a sick lady on it and everyone passing by didn't seem to be amazed at that. What could be more confusing than that?!

And who could the person be to Oliver?

These were the thoughts on my mind as I walked closer to them. I leaned closer to the woman on the bed, and I almost screamed at the top of my voice. There she was, my own mother lying helplessly on the bed. She leaned towards me and struggled to utter some words.

"Do you have your answers now?" she asked me in almost a whisper.

I told her I didn't know what she was talking about. I looked at Oliver's face for a clue but he seemed to be avoiding eye contacts with me. I turned to her, trying to figure out what she meant by what she had just said ,but she cut me off.

"Listen to me carefully, follow your heart my precious jewel"

This was a name she is fond of calling me.

"He knows........"

"Ding, Ding."

The sound of a new incoming message beep on my phone took me back from the dream world.

It was all a dream!

I had been so exhausted that I didn't realize I'd been asleep for more than four long hours. The apartment had grown darker as the sun was already setting. My mind was still a battlefield of emotions, from the fear of what my next decision might imply.

I decided I wasn't going to keep this to myself,I needed someone to share my burdens with.And that person was no other than Oliver, my fiance. I drove to his house,my heart pounding with anxiety.

I got to his house,and noticed his car was in the driveway, so I parked outside. I walked to the front door and saw that it was locked from inside.

A sign that he was home!

I searched my bag for the spare key he had given me a while back and was lucky to have taken it with me.

My first luck since the day began!

As I entered,I noticed the house was unusually quiet. He must be sound asleep,I think. But as I approached the living room,I heard faint moaning sounds and whispers. I got curious instantly, and fastened my pace towards the living room.

As I entered,the sight before me froze me in place. Oliver,my 'loving fiancee' was having sex with a lady, and not just any lady but someone I had lived with most of my life.

"Wha–whaaaat! Oliver!!" I screamed as the shock and heartbreak left me gasping for breath,my world shattering in an instant.

I just couldn't believe my eyes seeing my fiance in bed with my step sister.

I stood frozen,my brain still trying to recover from the shock. Oliver reached out for his boxers and started putting it on. Chloe on the other hand had wrapped herself with the bedspread that was on the couch.

That fucking whore of a stepsister!

"How could you do this to me?" my voice trembled with rage.

Oliver had guilt written all over his face as he tried to express himself,he fumbled for words as he tried to justify his actions.

Fucking traitor!

Chloe remained cold and indifferent as she sat up comfortably on the couch.

I wish I could strangle her on the spot!

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Chloe said,her voice devoid of emotions.

And that was it!. The statement flared my anger,my face red with betrayal. I rushed towards her with all the strength I had left in me, I was determined to teach her a lesson-one she would never forget.

I was about to bounce on her when suddenly,Oliver grabbed me from behind. His grip was too tight that I couldn't set myself free, and he wouldn't let go. This time there were already tears flowing freely from my eyes.

"You've always been jealous of me, Chloe. You and your evil mom. Always trying to take everything that's mine. Well, he's all yours now. You can have him. I'm done." I screamed at her, the tears in my eyes still flowing freely.

"Keep my mother's name out of your mouth you shameless idiot." She fired back.

"I might be jealous or want what you had,but that doesn't change anything right now. He wouldn't have cheated on you if he really loved you in the first place."

"Enough, Chloe." Oliver barked at her. He had finally let go of his grip and turned his gaze towards me. He cleared his throat, trying to say something to me. But he hadn't uttered a word when I hit him hard on the face with my fist. The punch landed heavily on his face making him bow his head for a second. He finally looked up again and I could see the rage in his eyes,but he was trying really hard to control himself.

"I wouldn't do that again if I were you, Sophia," he said.

"I hate you Oliver. How dare you? I trusted you with everything I had. You should be ashamed of yourself you fucking traitor." These were the few words I could gather at the moment,I knew if I continued yelling,I would end up bursting into tears again. And these people definitely do not deserve to see a drop of my tears.

"And you, Chloe. You are definitely going to regret this. I promise you."

I grabbed my bag and started going towards the door. Oliver tried coming after me but my pace was much faster than his.

"Please, Sophia,let me explain." he said as he hurried after me. I didn't want to listen to whatever he had to say so I fastened my pace.

What could he possibly want to say that could justify his actions?!

He stopped at the front door as I entered my car,he wouldn't want to be seen outside in his undies.

I drove home furiously,the events replaying in my head as I was going.

I have never had such a bad day in my life!

Getting home,I met my dad and Monica chatting cheerfully in the living room. They seemed to be talking about some characters in the movie they were watching. I stormed past them and went straight to my room. I fell heavily on the bed and I felt some kind of relief, breaking down in tears. Crying myself out behind closed doors.

Why is everything working against me?!

Now I understand why Oliver had always been visiting even when I wasn't back from the office.

Stupid me!

I allowed myself to be fooled by his pretence. This reality made me more sober,I felt cheated.

Or was this in any way related to the dream I had?

The next few weeks were like a nightmare to me. I had no motivation to do anything so I took a break from work. I was waking up, eating and sleeping on a loop for the whole week. Thanks to our maid, I never had to worry about the cooking. She was the one providing everything I needed to eat the whole week.

I felt devastated!

It felt like I had lost my passion for everything that used to excite me, including work. The betrayal from Oliver and Chloe still hurt like a fresh cut.

I found out from our maid that my dad was aware of the affair between Oliver and Chloe,but acted like it was nothing. I knew he did that out of preference, Chloe being his favorite.

"I should have told you this a while back but I was scared of losing my job" the maid said.

It pained me more that my father could watch that happen to me. No wonder he never had a second thought about Oliver while he was talking about the contract. I connected the dots and the picture got clearer. I was being used the whole time.

They never cared about my feelings. Nobody does!. I knew I couldn't continue staying at home,else depression might set in. And I wouldn't consider going back to work at my dad's company.

Not a chance in hell!

My only resort was to accept the proposal from the Smith's family. So I made up my mind to face whatever fate brings my way next. I went to my dad immediately after he got back from work. He seemed to have been exhausted from the day's work but I couldn't care less. He acted like he hadn't noticed my absence from work the whole week.

"Hey,Dad," I greeted him.

"Hi, Sophia. How have you been doing, my baby girl?"he said. His expression unreadable.

Is he kidding right now? And when did I become his baby girl again?

"I've been doing really great. I really have." I replied sarcastically, shooting him a deadly glance. "I need to have a discussion with you."I said to him.

"Well,I'm all ears, I had a really busy day at work today attending to business partners from across the country. The only thing I need right now is a good rest,but what harm can a few minutes of discussion with my baby girl do?. Compared to the stress I've gone through already."

I scoffed internally.Can he stop with the "baby girl" pretence already? Ugh!

"So get to it. And by the way, have you decided yet? He asked impatiently .

"Well, that's why I'm here." I took a deep breath, as if trying to reconsider my decision one more time.

"I'll do it. I'll marry Lucas." He nodded with a satisfied grin. That statement seemed to be the most interesting part of our conversation so far to him.

"Good,this is the best decision for our family."he said excitedly. "I'll arrange a meeting as soon as possible. We need to have a formal introduction before you move in'

The next day, a dinner meeting was arranged at an exclusive restaurant with the Smiths. We arrived at the venue a bit late,and they were already seated. The restaurant was bathed in dim golden light,the kind designed to enhance the illusion of exclusivity. Richard Smith,a business tycoon and billionaire sat dominantly on the seat. Beside him was his son,Lucas trailing silently,his presence commanding yet brooding.

I had seen pictures of him before,but they hardly did him justice. He wasn't just handsome -he was 'arresting',with sharp cheekbones and a confidence that radiated even in silence. I couldn't stop looking at his perfectly carved physique as I approached them. He was properly groomed,his hair styled with precision and carved with attention to every detail. Sleep edges,defined lines and not a single strand out of place.

God damn!

He didn't seem to notice us until we got closer to the table. He stood up to greet my dad,his posture casual but tense, followed suit by his dad. He barely acknowledged my presence as he pulled his chair and got back on his seat.

Mr. Richard cleared his throat as we took our seats. "I appreciate you both meeting us tonight,"he began,his tone carefully measured. "Lucas,meet Sophia."

Lucas let out a quiet scoff, swirling the drink in his glass before taking a slow sip.

"Hi," he said coldly. All I could hear was a baritone throaty voice. I stole a glance at him, searching for any emotion in his gaze -but there was none. He remained unreadable,his fingers tracing the edge of his glass absentmindedly.

I felt an immediate shift in the atmosphere. Was he forced to come? I have heard from different sources that he broke up with his ex-girlfriend a while ago. Was that the reason for his nonchalance?.

His dad gave him a warning glance,but he didn't seem concerned. Richard leaned forward, resting his forearms on the polished wood of the table. "Sophia,"he said,his voice rich and authoritative. "I understand this might not be what you envisioned for your future. But I want to assure you that Lucas is a good man. Despite his business struggles,he is still my son,still worthy of the kind of marriage that holds value beyond money."

Lucas set his drink down,his fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Let's not sugarcoat things. We all know why we are here- my financial struggles,her mother's condition and my supposed role as the solution."he said,his gaze steady but indifferent.

"What I need to know is-are you doing this because you want to, or because you feel you have no choice?."

The question caught me off guard. Was there a right answer?

I swallowed hard. This wasn't about him,it was about my mother. The cost of backing out of this deal wasn't heartbreak;it was my mother's life. I hesitated,then met his gaze.

"I wouldn't be sitting here if I didn't think this was the best decision." I clenched my jaw, refusing to let his attitude get to me. If anything,he confirmed what I already knew -this wasn't about love.

My dad cleared his throat, trying to regain control of the conversation. "Sophia is an intelligent, capable woman. She understands the reality of this situation and she has made her decision."

I inhaled deeply before speaking again. "I'm not expecting romance,Lucas. But I am expecting respect."

He held my gaze for a moment,his expression unreadable. Then,he nodded slightly. "That,I can manage."

Richard let out a relieved sigh, turning to my father. "We'll ensure she has everything she needs. The transition will be smooth as silk. Now let's discuss terms", he said, resting his back comfortably on the luxurious chair.

I listened as they negotiated the deals but barely absorbed the words. My mind drifted to Oliver,to the betrayal,to Chloe sitting naked on his couch -a cruel reminder that love,in its purest form, was a fragile illusion.

Maybe this wasn't love. Maybe this was survival!

And maybe, just maybe, Lucas Smith was the exact kind of distraction I needed.