Second Chance with a Billionaire

"W-what is this?"

"What does it look like? Divorce papers." Bruno replied, taking a large drag of his cigarette.

"You're divorcing me." I whispered, gripping the sides of the file in my hand. The air in the office suddenly became too thin and too heavy, like I was breathing in blades.

"Don't act so surprised. You knew this day would come." He scoffed, blowing a puff of smoke in the air.

I knew. I knew this day would come from the moment I said 'I do' two years ago. The countless affairs and the times he threatened to do so were an added bonus. But I never expected it to be this day of all days. Not when I found out the news that was going to change our lives.

"W-what about your child?" I asked as my trembling hands dropped the file on the table between us.

"What delusions are you talk-"

"I'm pregnant." I breathed, pulling on a paper from my purse and dropping it in front of him. He stared at it with zero emotions in his and took another drag of his cigarette.

"T-that was why I went out without your permission today. I went to the doctor, and the test came out positive." I explained, biting my inner cheek and praying he didn't yell at me again for leaving the house.

It was unfortunate that I just had to get pregnant the day he was kicking me out, but that didn't mean I wanted to stay. I just wanted to know how he planned to take care of our child.

"And so? Do you expect me to keep you because of a child that isn't mine?" He said, raising a brow and hers furrowed.

"W-what?!" I gasped as my eyes grew wide. "It's yours. I-"

"You really have the nerve to try to babytrap me with a child that isn't even mine." Bruno hissed as he stood up from his chair and walked to me.

"It's yours. I sw-!" A small scream left my lips as he grabbed a fistful of my blond hair in his hand and glared straight into my amber eyes.

'Please don't hit me. Please.' I trembled at the pure rage in his gaze.

"Look! I don't care about the devil spawn in your womb. I don't care if you aborted it or if the two of you died. You're going to sign these papers and leave my house. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." I nodded, blinking back tears, and he let go of my hair. Why did I think he would want anything to do with the child? I was a fool.

My fingers shook as I picked up the pen on the table and wrote my signature on the space on the paper. I always imagined a heavy weight would be lifted off my shoulders when I finally signed our divorce, but dread curled up in my stomach.

"You have thirty minutes to pack all your stuff and leave. Sasha will be here in the next one hour, and I want your stench to be gone." Bruno said, walking back to his chair.

'I'm not surprised Sasha is the first girl he would invite. She has always been his go-to sex buddy, even before we married.' I thought as I stood up and walked to the door.

"You know you're not getting any dime from me, right?" He asked as I opened the door.

I didn't need to turn back to see his satisfied smirk. It was very audible. And he didn't have to tell me. I didn't forget the prenup that completely favoured him.

"I know," I nodded, stepped out, and closed the door.

'Don't cry. Don't dare cry.' I scolded myself as I staggered to my room, though my eyes pricked. 'Crying won't change the fact that you foolishly loved a man who completely hated your existence.'

(⁠´⁠;⁠︵⁠;⁠`⁠)(⁠´⁠;⁠︵⁠;⁠`⁠)

"What are you doing here?" My mother's voice boomed through the foyer the moment I stepped through the door of my family's mansion.

"Mother! Father!" I stiffened, forcing a pleasant smile as I tried not to squirm under my parents' harsh glares. "I-"

"Not a word from you. Bruno already told us. How dare you disgrace us?! Do you know how hard it was for us to secure a marriage with such a good man?!" My father yelled as they stormed to me.

Good? There was nothing morally good about Bruno. He was an abusive, narcissistic, egoistic man, but that didn't matter to my parents. As long as there was a fat bank account and business deal, even the devil was a saint. To them, he was the perfect man.

"I'm sorry I failed you, father." I apologised, bowing my head and clasping my hand in front of me. Tears gathered, but I blinked them away. 'Crying means you're guilty and you're only looking for a way to escape', said my mother always.

*Slap*

His large, rough palm collided with my cheek, sending me to the ground. Black spots dotted my vision, my head rang at the pain, and I couldn't stop my tears as I held the stinging spot.

"You're a disgrace to this family! Do you know what people will say when they hear you divorced just after two years of marriage? You've brought shame to all of us!"

"I-I'm s-sor-"

"Sorry?! You're sorry?! After all my training, you still couldn't keep your husband. How can you fail in the one thing you're made to do, you useless, useless girl?!" My mother yelled, and I flinched as my tears hit the floor.

"I-I s-swear I-I'll be a better daug-"

"And where are you going with those?" My father growled at the maids pulling my bags into the house and they froze. "Take them out now! There's no place for uselessness in my family!"

"What?" I gasped, lifting up my head to stare at their disgusted faces and blazing glowers. He couldn't mean what I thought he was saying.

"You are no longer a part of this family, Agatha. I disown you. I never want to see you near any of us and our properties unless you want to sleep in jail." He sneered, and cold settled in my bones.

"P-please you.. y-you can't kick me o-out!" I begged, kneeling in front of them and placing my hands on my belly. "I... I h-have n-nowhere to go, and I'm p-pregnant-"

"Then go to your lover, or you think Bruno didn't tell us about that too." He spat, turning on his heels, and walked away.

"The baby is his. I never-"

"James, throw her out now! Beat her if she resists. If I come here in the next two minutes and she isn't out, I'll fire all the staff in this house and make sure none of you find a job in this city!" My mother commanded, turning away from me.

"Mother! No please! I'm sorry!" I begged, struggling against the man that grabbed my arm and was yanking me towards the door.

"You are not my daughter. I regret the day I gave birth to you. I should have killed you like your father suggested. I wish you death!" She spat, glowering at me from over her shoulder.

My begging and pleading turned silent as my entire being processed her words. She had said a lot of hateful things to me, and I persevered, but those ones... they shattered the tiny fragments of what was left of my soul, leaving me empty.

I was thrown to the ground, but the force or dirt didn't phase me. I took my bags and stared at the mansion that was once my house but never my home. I was never a part of a family.

Everything else went in a blur. One moment I was at my parents', no, the Jacobs' family house; the next I was on a bridge, staring at the water below. The darkness and the distance blurred my vision of my reflection, and I was glad. I didn't want to look at the pathetic girl that was thrown away twice.

'Where do I even go from here? I have no experience of the outside world, and I'm pregnant. How am I going to take care of a baby if I can't stand on my two feet?' I thought, leaning against the railings and staring down below. It was almost like it was calling me, telling me to end it all.

'If I jumped now, in a few minutes all the pain and emptiness I'm feeling will just disappear. I won't have to worry about living another day or taking care of a child in this awful world. I'll be free. No one would miss me, so why do I have to cling to life.' I leaned forward, lifting a leg up and pressing my stomach against the railings. 'A little bit forward and it will all be over.'

But my body refused to move. Two sides of me were conflicted at my actions, yelling to jump and stop at the same time.

A figure in a distance caught my eye. A man stumbled to the railings like he carried the sorrow of the world and stood a few feet away from me.

'Does he want to do the same too?' I wondered as he stared at the water and shook my head, turning my head away. 'I should focus on myself instead of poking into someone's business.'

Still, I couldn't help but watch him from the corner of my eyes. He threw one leg over the railings, then the next and sat on it.

'I shouldn't interfere. It's his life, not mine.' I told myself as I stood up straight and my feet walked towards him.

'If he thinks life isn't worth living, then fine. Let him do what he wants. I don't judge him.'

The man closed his eyes and slowly, he leaned forward. A little bit further and he would fall off. My tentative walk turned into a sprint.

'I should let him, but... I can't.' My arms wrapped around his torso, yanking him backward.

'Ouch!'

I groaned as the man and I crashed to the ground with him on me, crushing me under his heavy weight.

'Ow! I hope I didn't hurt my baby! Am I bleeding? I don't think so, but ow, my back and stomach hurt.' I winced, pressing my hand over my stomach as he rolled off me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" A masculine voice yelled, and my brows furrowed.

'Who is he talking to? We are the only ones here. Does he have some kind of psychotic condition? I hope not. I can't deal with a madman after all that happened today.' I thought as I stumbled to my feet. Puffy blue eyes glared at me, and I flinched, taking a step backward.

"A-are you ok?" I asked, hoping I could disperse the tension hanging in the air. He probably wasn't angry that I had saved him. Maybe shocked but not angry, I hoped.

"Why the hell did you save me?!" He barked, taking a step towards me, and I took two back.

"I... I-I couldn't just let you-"

"You could have! You could have turned away and pretended I wasn't there but you just had to stick your nose in where doesn't concern you! Do you know why I wanted to die that you just decided you had the right to stop me? You-"

"Then jump!" I screamed, silencing him.

"The water isn't going anywhere, so jump! I'm not going to stop you again! I shouldn't have stopped you before! You're just like my family and husband! I tried so hard to be a good daughter and wife. I was whatever they wanted when they wanted, even at my own discomfort, and do you know how they repaid me? I got divorced and disowned on the same day! After everything, everything I did. I was nothing to them! Nothing! They wished I was dead!"

Tears poured down my eyes and I wiped it with my sleeve. I didn't want to rant to a complete stranger but he had no right to yell at me like that. Yes, I shouldn't have stopped him but I wasn't the source of his problem that he had to take his anger on.

"You know what? I don't blame you or them. I blame me. I'm a fool and doormat. I let people walk all over me just because I wanted to please them, yet look at my life now. It's... useless." I whispered and slowly walked to the railings of the bridge. I stared at the abyss; my mind was already made up, and nothing was going to stop me.

"It would be better if I just disappeared. No one would miss me if I were gone." I sighed, closing my eyes and flinging myself forward.

Instead of the rushing of air past my face, arms wrapped around my waist, yanking me before I plunged down the bridge.

"What! What's going on?!" I gasped as arms wrapped around my torso and held me pressed against something firm and warm.

My eyes fluttered open and I turned stiffer than a mountain; the stranger was hugging me. My face was buried in his chest, and his head was rested on mine. His hug was gentle and warm and my eyes watered. When was the last time I got a hug?

"W-what are you doing? Let go of me!" I insisted, wiggling in his hold, but he held me tighter.

"I'm sorry that I shouted at you. It was wrong for me to take out my annoyance. It was wrong and stupid." He apologised into my ear, running his fingers through my blonde hair. "And what you went through was terrible. Nobody deserves to go through that, especially someone as kindhearted as you, but I don't think you should take your life."

"I-Ironic coming from you. What rights do you have to stop me?" I sniffled, leaning closer to him for comfort. It was shameless, but he was the only thing stopping me from falling apart.

"None, but you'll only give your family and husband the satisfaction that they were always right about you. They have been controlling you like a puppet all your life, controlling your moves until they decided they had no use for you. It might seem like everything is over, but it isn't." He let go of me, resting his hands on my shoulder, and his pale blue, almost grey eyes stared into mine. For a moment, I was hypnotised by the kindness and concern in them. No one had ever looked at me like that before.

"You have been given a chance to live your life on your own terms. No pushy family or ex. Just you. Now is the time for you to live for yourself and find what makes you happy. You deserve to live a long, good life, not one cut short because of toxic people. Do you understand?"

"You... y-you don't understand. E-everything is a mess. I don't k-know what to do. I-I... I-I don't have anywhere to go. I-I... I-I'm hopeless." I bawled, crying into my hands.

What he said was nice and appealing to think about, but reality wasn't so easy. It was me, my baby, against the big, wide world. How was I going to survive with no experience when I couldn't differentiate my left from right?

"Hey, now don't cry. I didn't say everything would be easy." He panicked, patting my head as I tried not to sob.

"Good things don't come easy, but the reward after putting in so much effort is always worth it. And most of the time, our brain projects things bigger than they actually are. You'll find a way through it, and I can help you. Just make up your mind that you'll live. You'll create your own happiness and proof them for your sake. Life is worth living, and yours is too valuable to toss away because of idiots that can't value you."

'I guess he's right. Life is valuable. Not just mine, but the one in my womb. I have to live for me, for it... for us. I will be the mother I never had, and my son or daughter will be so loved. Our lives won't be perfect, but they will be amazing. I'll be free from my parents and Bruno, and my baby will never meet them. Everything will turn out well if I just have faith and put in work.' I sniffled and wiped my face with my hands.

"Are you ok now?" The stranger asked, and I nodded.

"T-thanks for the advice. I'll take it." I replied, giving him a small, grateful smile. "I hope you'll take it too."

His face turned gloomy the second my words left my mouth, and his entire body slacked. The tired, crushed man I had saved was back.

"M-mine is a different. I don't deserve to live." He sighed, dropping his hand from my head and running it through his dark brown hair.

"If you jump, I'll jump." I said, and his jaw dropped.

"Are you crazy? You can't do that!" He yelled, staring at me like I was, well, crazy. Bold of him to say that. Wasn't he the one that convinced me not to jump some minutes ago?

"Well, you can't do that either. If I live, you live," I insisted, crossing my hand over my chest.

"You can't be serious."

"I am. What happened to the whole speech of life is valuable and stuff? Isn't yours valuable too?"

"No. It was, but now, it's not worth anything." The man sighed; his eyes were cast to the ground and his shoulders slouched more.

My heart bled for him. What could he have done that made him think like that? Could he have... no way! Was I talking to a...

"Did you kill someone?" I whispered, pressing my hand to my mouth.

"What! No!" he exclaimed, snapping his gaze to me. "I did something stupid, but not that stupid. I hurt a lot of people."

"It doesn't matter. You're living whether you like it or not." I grabbed his arm, wrapping mine around it and holding it to my chest with all my might.

"W-what... what are you doing?" He stuttered as a little blush coated his cheeks, and he tried to yank his arm out of my grip. I held on like my life depended on it because his did.

"I can't give motivating speeches now, but I can blackmail you. We die together. If you jump, I jump, and my blood is in your hands." I smirked at him, and his gaze narrowed at me.

"You're stubborn." He grunted, frowning at me.

"You're stubborn too." I giggled. I wasn't joking; if he jumped, I jumped, so he had to not jump because I was afraid of doing so.

"Fine, you win. I won't jump." He huffed.

"Good, now go back and make amends, alright?" I beamed, letting go of his arm and patting his shoulder.

"It's not like I have a choice, but I'll do it for you." He grinned, pushing a strand of his hair out of his face.

Oh wow, how had I not noticed how handsome he was? Maybe it was because I was too blinded by sorrow a few moments ago. Though it had gotten quite dark, he was really handsome and from the moments I spent pressed against him, he was built.

"I haven't introduced myself. I'm Sebastian." Sebastian said, stretching out his hand to me.

"I-"

A car screeched to a halt at the end of the bridge and I winced at the sudden bright light and sound.

"Sebastian!" The lady cried as she and a man jumped out of it.

"Bianca!" He yelled and ran to her. She jumped on him, brawling her eyes out and telling him how they where looking for him and hoping he hadn't done something to himself.

'Is that his girlfriend? Aww so cute. I'm glad I could save him for her.' I smiled as he and the other guy tried to console her but I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be. I wanted something like that, true love.

But that wasn't for me. I had tried love once and it almost killed me. Never again. I turned my back on the trio and walked away.

*Five years later*

'I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.' I pep talked myself as I tried not to squirm on the couch, which probably cost more than my house rent.

The house was intimidating, and though it wasn't a mansion like I had grown up in, it was still a high-class luxury.

'It doesn't make sense. Why would someone with this kind of wealth want to patronize me? Me?! With her kind of money, I'm sure she has access to different luxurious designers and brands, so why me? Unless...' I bit my inner cheek, trying to quench the fear that gripped my bones, and I shook my head.

'No. I'm just being paranoid. From what I saw on the net, she doesn't have any relation with my ex-husband or ex-family. And it's been five years. They probably think I'm long dead. I really need to-'

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. I had an urgent call to attend to." A young lady said as she strutted into the living room, and I stood up.

She was prettier in real life and taller than I imagined, almost a head taller than me. Silky, shoulder-length brown hair framed her face, and her blue eyes were bright and warm.

"It's alright. I didn't wait for too long." I replied and stretched out my hand to her. "I'm Aurora Nigel; the owner Aurora dreams of fashion. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to finally meet you too. I'm Bianca Warner." She smiled and shook my hand. "Please have your seat."

"Thank you." I said, sitting down on the sofa as she sat on the one adjacent to mine, and I smoothed the invisible creases of my dress.

She didn't need to tell me who she was; I already knew her, as did every girl who loved makeup. Bianca Warner was from the popular multibillionaire Warner family and owned the biggest make-up and skincare brand in the entire country. No one could compete with her; she was a god in her field.

Yet she wanted to see me! Me! When she had reached out to me, I thought it was an elaborate prank or something, and honestly, I still thought it was. The whole thing was just out of the blues. How somebody like her stumbled on my fashion page was a mystery I didn't understand but was glad. It wasn't that I wasn't trying to reach out to big names, but I never expected her.

Bianca's bright smile twitched and she stared at me with curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"You look familiar? Do I know you from somewhere?" She mused, furrowing her brows.

My breath hitched and my stomach clenched. She had to be making a mistake; she couldn't recognise me. It would mean she had either met my ex-husband or someone in my ex-family, and those were the last set of people I wanted to be associated with.

"No. I'm sure we haven't." I quickly said and forced a pleasant smile. "I just have one of those familiar faces."

"I swear I've seen you somewhere, but I can't quite place it. Oh well, can I offer you anything? Tea, juice, wine, champagne, water?" She shrugged, crossing her legs.

"No, I'm fine, thank you." I refused, shaking my head. At least she had dropped the topic. I didn't know what she was going to do if she somehow connected the dots.

Even if I wanted anything, I doubt I could stomach it. All my body wanted was to know why she wanted to see me.

"Ok, so I saw your designs on in.s.t.agram and wow, I loved them. They were so fairytale-ly and princess-y and they gave me this ethereal fantasy vibe that, ugh, just hit the spot. I swear I don't fall in love at first sight, but when I saw yours, I fell madly in love. Like, oooh, that's so cute." She gushed, fanning herself with her hand.

"Thank you. I'm glad you like them." I grinned, pushing my hair over my ear.

The Bianca Warner liked, no loved my clothes! My clothes! I wanted to squeal and kick my legs in the air while giggling like a maniac. She loved my designs. Designs that I sometimes thought were too childish because they were inspired by princesses, fairytales, and magic, but a girl boss like her loved them. It was crazy.

"Like them? I'm obsessed. I know people wouldn't normally associate me with them because I'm more of a bold, badass kind of vibe, but I've always loved princesses and magic since I was a little girl. That's why I want to do something a little bit outside my norm." She bubbled and I nodded, waiting for further explanation.

'Does she want to expand her image from just the badass independent woman to something princessy?'

"My wedding is in a few months, and I want it to be the wedding of the year. I want to make a statement, do something that people don't know me by so my fiancée and I decided the entire wedding will be fantasy and magic themed. We really want to go for the ethereal, fairytale vibe, and when I saw your page, I was like, yes, I love this. I want this person to create my wedding dress."

"You want me to do your wedding dress?!" I gasped, pressing my hand to my lips. There was no way, no way that she wanted me to design her wedding dress. I was dreaming a very good and wonderful dream.

"Yes, your designs are literally made for the vision of my wedding I have in mind." Bianca grinned like a child. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Yes! Of course!" I tried not to squeal and sound too excited.

I was going to design a wedding dress for the one and only Bianca Warner. Of course I could handle it. I was going to pour my entire life into that one dress. It could either make or break my career, and I was going to make sure the former happened.

"Perfect!" She beamed, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she stood up. "I would have loved us to discuss the design and price today, but I have an impromptu event to attend. I would love for us to meet on Sunday evening if that's okay with you. You can show me the designs you have in mind then."

"Yes, it's fine." I nodded as I stood up, and she stretched out her hand.

"Looking forward to doing business with you."

"Me too." I smiled, shaking her hand.

I probably was looking forward to it way more than her. She had given me the opportunity of a lifetime, and I wasn't going to waste it for anything.

"Kelvin, please escort Miss Nigel to the front door," Bianca said, and the man standing at the corner walked to the door and opened it.

"Four pm on Sunday, Miss Nigel; please don't be late."

Me? Late? Never!

"I won't." I nodded as I walked to the door, muttering a small thank you. He stepped out after I did, closing it, and my lips curled into the silly grin I had been stifling.

'I, Aurora Nigel, a noob designer, am going to design Bianca Warner's wedding dressing. Ahhh! I just want to scream and roll on the ground.' I thought as I walked behind Kelvin.

'I can't believe the big break I've been hoping for is finally here! If Bianca's wedding blows up as she imagines, then my design will get so much notice. It will bring my work into the limelight. I can't wait to share the news with Dorothy. I need to tell her now.'

I dug my hand into my bag, searching for my phone. If I waited till I got home to tell her I was going to explode.

'Where is it?' I scrunched my face and turned my attention away from who I was following to my bag. My fingers brushed against the device, and I pulled it out. 'Finally, I- Ouff!'

Crashing into something broad and hard, I stumbled back, almost losing my balance. An arm wrapped around my waist, stopping me from falling to the ground. The pale blue eyes of a man stared into mine and widened as they flitted across my face.

"I'm sorr-"

"It's you!"