THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEARTBEAT

Amelia's P O V

I stood at the airport, looking at the city I once lived in.

The city where I was accused of what I knew nothing about

The city that took away everything I loved.

I was humiliated and betrayed in this same city by my fiance and my family, the people I taught would not let anything happen to me.

But now I am finally back, I will take back everything that rightfully belongs to me. I am not going to let my enemies enjoy my wealth.

It is time for them to have a taste of their own medicine, for them to experience suffering, just like I did seven years ago.

After coming out of the airport, I spotted a white sandy beach nearby. I decided to take a walk, relax, and wait until I called the person to come pick me up.

'I am no longer the sweet, innocent girl I was back then, that they could deceive. I am back to take everything that belongs to me.'

I said to myself while taking a walk.

After spending about an hour taking a walk to my satisfaction I decided it was time to go.

I didn't call the person that was supposed to come pick me up from the airport because I wanted to have some time to myself, but I guess it's time to leave here.

I still kept blabbing to myself.

I took out my phone from my bag and searched for the number I was told to call when I saw it, I dialed the number, after five rings the person finally picked up, and a man's voice was heard through the phone.

"Hello."

The person said in a very deep voice at the other end.

"I was told to call this number when I arrive, the person would come pick me up from the airport, well am here now and I have been calling, but you have not been picking up my calls." I said without even introducing myself.

"Are you Miss Lopez?" The man asked, sounding excited.

" Yeah, I guess so" I replied nonchalantly.

'But his voice sounds familiar.' I said to myself.

" Ok, sorry for not picking up your calls, have been busy. "

He apologized.

"Not a problem, just come and pick me." I said to him in a tired voice.

" O....ok, sorry about that am on my way now "

" Where are you so I can come pick you up " He asked.

"I'm at the beach near the airport."

" Ok, am on my way." He responded.

Then I disconnected the call, put the phone in my pocket and stood for a while before I continued with my walk while waiting for him to come pick me up.

Twenty minutes later, I saw a man in a black suit looking around like he was looking for someone, I was just staring at him from the place I was standing.

'It seems he is the one I have been waiting for.' I said to myself

'But I didn't call him, I behaved like I didn't see him, I wanted to know if he was the one.

Finally, I saw him approaching me.'

" Am sure you are Miss Lopez right?" He asked.

" Yes, am Miss Lopez, but have we met before "

I asked him, I didn't even wait for his reply, when a memory flashed, and my eyes widened in recognition.

" I remember you, Yo..... you were the one that night right "

I said with anger and hatred in my voice.

And I am sure he knew I had recognized him because he immediately looked away from me.

" But you are my dad's driver, how come you were the one from that

night " I asked confused.

" Miss Lopez, we shouldn't be doing this here, it's not safe for you, come with me first so we can discuss it."

I looked at him and did not know what to say, and it was true it was not safe for me because I just came back to this country after so many years.

"Ok then we should get going, so you can explain everything to me cause I can't wait to hear it."

Have been waiting for today for the past seven years, where all my questions could be answered and it is finally happening.

Maybe I could give this man a chance. He doesn't look like someone who could harm anyone. Moreover, the old couple I stayed with for seven years are his parents, so why not?

I spoke to myself trying to understand why he did something like that, that night.

I held one of my bags, put on my glasses, and walked with pride as we left the beach to where he parked the car he came in with.

We entered the car, no word could be heard except the sound of the breeze and of course the honking of cars around us.

We got to our destination, we arrived within thirty minutes of leaving the Beach.

We stepped down from the car and he helped me bring out my bags from the boot. Once we were settled inside the condo I looked at him and he knew what I wanted from him.

He had better start talking because I cannot be at peace till I get answers to my questions.

I said to myself nervously cause I was even afraid of what he would tell me.

He sat down in front of me and I sat properly on my chair to listen to what he wanted to say to me.

" I know this must be shocking." He started talking.

" But I want you to know that everything that happened was for your safety "

I sat down restlessly, I wanted a good answer for what happened to me and my father because I knew that his death was planned by someone.

" Like you said before I'm just your father's driver, but I am his bodyguard disguised as his driver."

"A Bodyguard."

AMELIA'S POV

'Dad had a secret Bodyguard.'

Bodyguard that he kept secret all this time.

But why ? I will have to find out.

Now I can understand why he always acted strange to the extent I had to report him to Dad but Dad said nothing about it because he already knew who he was.

"Am known as Patrol Paul but my name is just Paul."

"I was your dad's bodyguard but I am now your bodyguard." He said

His face void of any expression, he looked at me without saying a word and I also couldn't say anything, because I was speechless.

" You cannot be my bodyguard,"

" You were the one that came to kill me that night, so how can you be a bodyguard to someone you wanted to kill."

I said to him with anger.

"Yes, Miss Amelia, I was the one that night but I didn't come to kill you." He uttered, making me surprise.

"Then who are you? Why were you there that night? Why would my dad make you a secret Bodyguard?"

All these questions I asked and I wanted answers from him because I am confused and at the same time afraid.

"Ok let me answer your questions because I can see you are confused."

"Like I said before am known as Patrol Paul but my real name is just Paul."

"The reason why your dad made me his secret Bodyguard is that he knew he had enemies and he wanted me to guard him, and most importantly You, Amelia Lopez, secretly without anyone knowing. "

I was not that surprised Dad did that but am surprised at the fact that a driver was my dad's most trusted bodyguard.

"The reason why I was there was because."

He paused and looked at me like he was afraid to say whatever he wanted to say to me

"Am listening, you can go ahead."

I said that to get his attention so he knows am still itching to hear everything that happened that night.

" I only guarded your dad when he employed me at first because I knew he needed it more than you."

"You were still a child then." He added.

"But as time went on, he suspected that someone was after you, he needed you to be protected because you were his everything." He explained.

"He told me to start guarding you instead of him, I didn't like the idea because I knew other guards could do that but your dad trusted me a lot, that's why he told me to be the one to do it. "

I kept an expressionless face because I did not know how to react, everything he was telling me looked like a story.

'I was looking at him like I wanted to eat him up.' I laughed at myself.

He continued;

" I started shadowing you secretly, and I found out that you were even surrounded by enemies more than your father. "

" Because why? you trust people a lot. "

When he said that, a tear slipped from my eyes and I wiped it off immediately.

'I didn't come here to be weak.' I muttered to myself angrily.

"You don't have to cry Miss Lopez, I will make sure everything is alright. I promised your Dad, so don't worry."

He said to me like a Father would say to his child.

"Continue with what you were saying."

I said in a commanding voice because I was annoyed with myself.

" Your fiance, and your step Mom with sister, you trusted these people a lot and that's why you didn't see it coming."

"I knew from the onset that these people could not be trusted, especially your Step Mom and sister that's the reason your dad lived separately from them."

"But you loved these people so much. I couldn't say otherwise. However, I didn't care that much because I never knew they could do such a thing. I was also surprised."

"Before I could dig deep into them it was too late, they had everything planned out already."

"You were drugged, and your photos from the hotel with a man have already circulated like wildfire. "

" I tried fixing it but your father's accident made everything difficult and hell for me."

" So I focused more on protecting you, then I discovered that they sent abductors to kidnap you for slave

trade, where you will be sold into sex trafficking."

He said to me,

I couldn't believe my ears, I was just looking at him with my eyes wide open. Do they hate me that much?

I asked myself.

Just because of Dad's property, they didn't think twice before doing that.

Now I have more reason to take revenge on them, and I will stop at nothing till I have succeeded in

doing so. I said to myself, determined.

He paused and looked at me to see if I was taking the information lightly, which of course I was.

'I am done crying for these heartless people.' I mumbled to myself.

Then he took a deep breath and continued with what he was saying.

" That's why I took you out of the city. It was the best thing I could do at that time."

" And I could not I've achieved that without them suspecting me, so in order to make them believe me, I made it look like you were dead."

"Then I sent you out of the country to go stay with my parents."

"I told them you were dead, and I would dispose of your body and they believed me, then I got you out of this country, changed your name, and everything about you."

He told me feeling down already after his explanation.

"The good thing was that they didn't know I was not the person that was sent to them to do the job, beause I killed the person and finished everything myself. He concluded.

I sat down unable to move an inch, I was emotionally drained, and exhausted from everything I just heard from him.

I didn't know how to react because the information I just heard was too much.

Am grateful and I owe him my life.

"And I doubted this Man. I Can't wait to hear the plan, because I will make them pay."

AMELIA'S POV

This man sitting down here saved my life. Something none of my family members couldn't do, instead they wanted me dead or sold as a sex slave.

'What a life!!'

I said to myself in deep thought.

After minutes of silence between the both of us, I decided to speak first.

" Mr. Paul or should I call you Patrol Paul."

I said and we both laughed.

" You can call me Patrol Paul when we are alone, then Mr. Paul when we are outside, because people know me as Mr. Paul and we wouldn't want anyone to my true identity."

He said to me.

" Yes that's true."

" So you were really the one that saved me." I asked to be sure.

A driver or I would say, a bodyguard saved me without expecting anything from anyone.

I never knew good people still existed.

" Thanks to you I'm alive. I am really grateful for everything." I said gratefully.

" You are welcome Miss Lopez."

" Your father helped me when I had nothing so it was time for me to return the favor."

I just smiled at him, I didn't even know what to say again, I was short of words.

" So the old couple I stayed with are your parents."

I asked him.

"Yes they are my parents, I didn't know where to take you, so that was the only place I could think of and my parents were happy having you there."

" They wanted someone to stay with them since I am their only son. "

" I see the resemblance that's why I asked "

I uttered to him, making him smile.

" Yeah people say that a lot."

He said, smiling.

"So what is the next step to take."

I asked him, so I could know what I should be doing and what I shouldn't be doing so I don't make a mistake.

" Waiting for your orders, Boss " He responded to me.

I was surprised when he called me that, but I didn't show it. But I knew why he addressed me that way,

'We were now talking business.'

" Hmmm " I sighed.

" Tomorrow I will call you and let you know what I want you to do for me "

" As you can see, I just came back so I wouldn't want to spoil my mood concerning matters about these people, so Tomorrow Mr. Paul. "

I told him with my eyes closed.

"OK Boss, I will take my leave now, so you can rest. "

He said to me and stood up to leave,them I remembered something I wanted to tell him.

" Mr. Paul, I want to ask you something."

" Okay, go ahead "

He replied, looking at me more intensely.

" I wanted to go see my friend Emma tomorrow, hope that's okay. "

" I just want to make sure she won't be a threat to us because I don't trust anyone."

" Yes you can go see her, I investigated if she joined hands with these people to harm you, but I found nothing. "

" She has been asking after you ever since she heard you were dead, but I gave her a deaf ear."

" But even if you go see her, don't tell her anything about our plan, or about how you escaped, find something else to tell her, till we are sure we can trust her. "

He explained to me like a Father protecting his child.

Now I miss my dad a lot, and I wish I could see my Mom, even though I don't know my Mom's whereabouts.

" Ok I will do that." I replied.

" Do you need anything?"

"Should I send for food," He asked, looking concerned.

" No I don't need anything for now, when I go meet my friend, Emma, I will find something to eat."

I said to him, totally exhausted, I was yawning.

" You must be very tired, I will take my leave now. "

" And don't hesitate to call me with the number you used earlier, in case you need anything."

" Yeah, I will."

" And please where am I going to stay."

I just remembered that, because this beautiful condo can't be mine.

" You are already staying at your house. "

" Wow." I whispered to myself so he wouldn't hear it.

"OK thanks." I said to him, genuinely grateful.

You are welcome "

" And the phone I gave you won't leave a trace of anything you do."

He said and stood up to leave, and as he was about to go, I said something to him....

" I want everything concerning them, everyone connected to them."

" Everything that happened in their lives in the past seven years since I left."

" Every single detail that could be of help to us." I said suddenly in an authoritative tone.

I didn't know why I wanted it now instead of waiting until tomorrow.

But one thing is certain, I didn't come here to play around, I can't sit back and watch them enjoy what belongs to me.

They will pay for what I have gone through over the past seven years.

Am sure he must be shocked, but I turned my back at him, avoiding his expression.

"Your wish is my command Boss."

He said and left immediately.

I ordered takeout for dinner that night. When I was done eating I went up to my room to sleep. I was happy because I'm going to see Emma, my friend , tomorrow.

I can't wait to see her, I said, and slept off.

**********

THE NEXT MORNING

The next morning I woke up feeling energetic.

" Now I have the energy to go out. "

I said to myself.

After taking my clothes out of my bags, I arranged them in the beautiful wardrobe I never thought I would have again, I was so happy.

In about Thirty minutes, I was done with everything I needed to do, then I came down from my room and sat on the couch in the living room so I could call Emma.

I dialed her number to see if she would pick an unknown number, and luckily she picked it.

" Hello who is this."

Emma said to me over the phone.

I couldn't speak, I was speechless hearing her voice for over seven years.

" Hello."

She said again, that when I found my voice and I decided to speak to her.

" Hey. " I said to her in a shaky voice.

" Who is this please?" She asked.

" AMELIA."