THE BILLONAIRE'S PRETEND WIFE

Vanessa dragged the sack of onions from the storage into the kitchen of her father's restaurant where she worked as a chef.

Finally arriving at her station, after avoiding like a hundred other co-workers along the way, she poured them onto the counter and started selecting the good from the bad, silently humming to herself.

"Vanessa!" someone called out to her, it was her sister

"where have you been, dad has been looking all over for you... he seemed worried " her younger sister Sarah said once she was within hearing distance.

She quickly rinsed her hands and wiped them against the apron she was wearing before heading for her dad's office at the back of the restaurant.

Once at the door, she entered without knocking first and caught her father wiping frantically at his face.

"Dad?" She called out, unsure of what was happening.

He looked up and gave her a small smile, his eyes bloodshot with traces of tears around them.

"Where you crying?" She asked

"No, no, not at all" he replied clearing his throat and wiping off the remaining traces of tears from his face.

"You were crying... what's wrong?" She asked rushing to his side.

"It's nothing, just your mother in the hospital coupled with the business... Its really stressing me out vanny!" He said still with a sad smile.

She looked over the papers scattered on his table.

Final warning

Eviction notice

Due notice

Notice of payment

Payment reminder

Failure to...

Her father Mr Davis quickly gathered the papers together and threw them into one of the desk drawers when he noticed where her attention was at.

"the debtors are back aren't they?" she asked after a moment of silence

Mr Davis replied with a nod and a sigh,

Just then loud commotion could be heard outside and her father's door flew open and his secretary walked in, eyes filled with worry

" Sir?... It's the knight, Adrian Knight!" the secretary said as soon as he entered the office.

"Get the documents and follow me" was her father's response and he stood up immediately and left, the secretary hot on his heels.

Vanessa sat still for a while wondering what the noise was about.

Was it another debtor who came to ask for his money there by destroying the properties in the restaurant, like the last debtor had done.

She stood up and slowly made her way through the kitchen and into the restaurant.

Her father and his secretary were seated at a table together with another gentleman on suit who has his back to her.

Her father looked really worried and kept scratching his head at intervals while his secretary arranged papers before the man who she couldn't see his face.

The other customers had their phones out and where taking videos of the situation unfolding for a reason unknown to her.

She drew closer to understand what was actually going on.

"So what?... You do not have my money?" she heard a cold voice say.

She got closer and noticed seven other men on suit seated on different tables surrounding them.

They all looked like body guards, straight faced like statues.

"What are you doing?" Her sister asked popping out of nowhere, dragging her back by her arm.

"What's going on?"

"Dad's in trouble!" came her reply

"Who is he?" Vanessa asked but got a shrug as a reply from her sister.

She was only close enough to see his profile but couldn't quite make out his face.

"This is all that we have sir, everything... I promise to make it up as soon as possible, just give us a chance!" her father said pointing at a piece of paper before the man, visibly shaking in his seat.

"Do I look like I run a fucking charity organization?" The man roared, the whole restaurant going into complete silence.

"Or do you want me to raze your restaurants to the grounds before you fully understand the words coming out of my mouth"

"Not at all sir... this is all I have at the moment sir and i-"

"Do I look like I care?... I want my money!" The stranger said cutting her father short.

What an arrogant bastard

"if I can kneel down to beg you I will-"

"Then kneel!" Came the strangers reply, then came an uproar of hushed tones from the customers.

Everyone watching the drama displaying before them, most had their phones out recording and taking pictures.

She watched her father drop to his knees.

Who is this man?

And how much money did my father owe him to make him embarrass him so?

She would pick a debtor destroying things over someone visibly much younger than her father shaming him so.

"What's your name again?"

"John Davis!" her father replied on his knees before the man

He picked up each document present before him one after the other, looked through it and flung it at her father

He did it , again and again and again until there were no papers left on the table and all of them were scattered all aroundher father.

Her father's secretary joined her father on his knees as they both knelt before the strange horrible man.

When she couldn't take it anymore, she

freed herself from her sister's grip and went to her father.

"Vanessa!" She heard her sister call behind her but she couldn't just stand there and watch her father go through all this because of money.

She bent, picking up every piece of paper on the floor gathering them up together before placing them back on the table, her gaze finally meeting his.

Her breath hitched.

By God,he was handsome and Young.

Much more younger than she expected and yet here he was treating her father like dirt.

He did nothing but stare back at her, his face expressionless and his grey eyes empty.

For a young man, he was mean

Who hurt him?

"Vanessa!" She heard her dad call out behind her and she went to his side.

"You are not supposed to be here... go back into the kitchen!" He whispered to her.

"But dad?"

"Go.. now!" he commanded and she stood up hesitantly to leave.

"Vanessa!" Another voice called out stopping her in her tracks.

She turned around to see Mr stranger staring right at her.

The silence that followed was deafening.

He just sat there staring at her, almost like he was trying to remember who she was.

She became self conscious, wondering if there was any flour left in her hair or if she smelled of spice.

Then a weird look crossed his eyes and it went back to being cold and empty.

"How old are you Vanessa?" He asked and she just stared at him, stunned at his line of question.

"I said how old are you?... Is your daughter having issues with her hearing? He asked directing the latter at her father who looked traumatized.

"I'm 26" she replied.

Glad that her voice came out clear as opposed to how she was feeling on the inside.

He stood up immediately, and drew closer to her, studying her. She drew backwards with every step he made towards her, she realizing just how tall and domineering he was. Her gaze never leaving his.

Her breathing slowed and her throat was closing up,

Once he got close to her, he pulled off the band holding her hair in a pony tail, and watched as her long beautiful curly red hair cascade around her forming a curtain around her small oval face.

Her cherry red lips parting in surprise.

"It seems there's a way I can be repaid after all" he said turning his gaze to Mr Davis for a moment before looking back at Vanessa who just stared at him, her innocent sea green eyes watching his every move.

He studied her, his face barely inches away from hers.

"Let's get married Vanessa" came his voice.

Vanessa paced up and down her mother's hospital room going through what transpired in the restaurant the day before.

The man, she later got to find out was Adrian Knight wants to marry her.

That's just absurd, right?

It must be a joke

A prank perhaps

Whatever, she was here to take care of her ailing mother and not let the words of a sociopath disturb her, a handsome sociopath with his beautiful grey eyes and luscious lips

"No" she snapped,shaking her head to dismiss such thoughts away.

"Vanny!" she heard her name being called out and turned to see her father rushing towards her.

He enveloped her in a hug and they stayed like that for a minute.

She really needed it.

"I didn't find you when I got home, I was scared that something had happened " her father said looking her through

"I came here straight from the restaurant... I wanted to spend the night with mom, it was just all too much for me" vee said, looking over at her mother, machines of all kinds plugged into her.

Her mother was slowly dying by the day and the pictures of her father on his knees flashing before her eyes throughout the night didn't help her at all.

She looked back at her father and He looked like hell, his eyes still bloodshot and heavy eye bags beneath his eyes.

He looked so tired and sad.

"Mr Knight's secretary called me this morning and explained the terms of the ..." he said and paused, not being able to continue

"What terms?" She asked prompting her father to continue.

"The terms of the marriage" he said finally and stared at her.

"I don't want to hear it" she said shaking her head, pulling away from him and shifting to the far end of the room

" this is going to benefit us all" he said after her

"I can't do it "

"It's only for a year vanny and he's giving me the choice of paying back a particular percentage per year for as long as possible until the debt is paid up and he will pay for your mother's surgery as well"

" I can't " she repeated, replaying the scene from yesterday in her head.

"Look at your mother, Vanessa look at her, she's dying and I have tried my possible best to help her and I don't know what to do anymore... the restaurants are closing up. I owe so many people and he is offering us a way out"

Mr Davis cried pointing at the shell of a woman her mother has become

"how do you expect me to marry someone I don't know, he has the worst personality on earth... did you see how condescending he was, I can't dad, I can't do it, not after what he did to you!" she replied turning away from both her parents and exiting the ward, out of the hospital

She didn't need to hear any more of it

There was no way on earth she was going to marry him.

He was a monster

A narcissistic arrogant sociopath.

She had always dreamt of marrying someone sweet and kind and head over heels in love with her, not Mr arrogant and condescending.

She walked faster increasing her pace , she needed to clear her head.

As soon as she stepped outside the hospital, she was met with dozens of journalists and reporters taking pictures of her and throwing questions at her.

Are you really engaged to Mr knight?

How long have you been dating him?

Are you only after his money?

Will your wedding be this year?

How did you two meet?

Do you consider yourself a gold digger?

How were you able to get him to marry you?

The questions were crazy and they rushed after her as she made her way through the parking lot, trying her best to shield her face from the pictures being taken of her, before she finally entered her car and zoomed off.

Her heart was beating so fast

What was that all about?

Her phone rang beside her, giving her a scare for a second.

"Hello?"

"Vanessa oh my goodness, you are going to kill me one day, I almost had a panic attack, where have you been?" her sister Sarah asked from the other end. Worry evident in her voice.

"I was in the hospital with mom!"

"There's a problem vanny... you are viral, I mean like viral viral, the whole marriage thing with Mr knight,from yesterday plus the leaked news about his team making a statement this morning and now the media, they are calling it the wedding of the century and also dad has been looking everywhere for you.... Our restaurant is a total chaos, we haven't had this much people in a very long time" she said all at once before stopping to catch her breath.

"I don't understand?... What are you talking about Sarah?" She asked again, she could feel her long gone migraines coming back.

She hardly had any rest last night and now this

What is actually going on??

"You haven't been online have you?"

"I left my phone in my car"

"Okay, so after the videos of his outburst last night went viral, coupled with the statement posted this morning by a blog claiming to have confirmed with Mr knight that he is infact getting married to you, it has just been insane ever since... I mean there are like a thousand people here right now waiting to meet you, I really advice you stay at home today... no, don't go home they will be there as well. Just disappear for the moment until everything cools off okayyy?"

"Okayyyyy!" She said still confused but Sarah ended the call anyways.

***********

Vanessa stood in front of the KNIGHTS GROUP OF companies.

she couldn't go in, she just watched the inflow of people, no one seemed to notice her.

She just stood there, heart beating fast, hands trembling, bile rising to the back of her throat.

After the call with her sister, she just drove and drove and drove and she found herself her.

She had so many questions to ask him, but she was scared of him, but then she needed to know.

Why all this ?

All of a sudden?

He just wants to get married, just like that and to someone he knows nothing about ?

And what was dad saying about "it's just for a year?

So many questions, she finally mustered up courage and went in.

She needs to know and she needs to know now!

She sat in Mr Adrian's office, after waiting in his reception for like half an hour and explaining her purpose of visiting to over a hundred people before she was cleared.

She sat in silence across from Adrian.

He didn't even notice her presence, and proceeded with what he was doing.

Her hands trembled and she held them together to stop the trembling.

She didn't know what to do now that she was seated in his office.

She thought of what to say but she came up blank.

Adrian studied the lady seating before him.

She had on the clothes from the day before and she was visibly trembling and looking at every other corner of the room except at him.

She seemed afraid.

That's good, it's best to keep them scared,then they do not cross their line.

"Have you gone through the contact sent to your father?" He asked finally, and she gave a little jump when she heard his voice, turning her full attention to him.

"No I haven't !" She replied after a brief silence"

"And why is that?" He asked and was met with silence.

He began to feel irritated.

"I just w-wanted to know why you chose me out of the blues" she asked

"there's nothing special about you trust me... I need to inherit this company and my father will trust me more as a family man, plus you look innocent enough to fool my mother, she loves poor, pitiful people like you " he said

And also teach my brother a lesson or two he said to himself

"And if I refuse?" She asked in a tiny voice

"You have no choice, your father owes this company a lot of money and I do not play with my money, not when I'm on the verge of inheriting this company... you Either choose this deal or you face the consequences of being in in my black list and trust me, you do not want to see the bad side of me"

Vanessa studied the man standing across from her, the dominating aura around him so strong, she felt so small.

Poor pitiful people

He called them poor pitiful people and yet he wants to marry her.

How can she marry him, when she can't even formulate words properly to say to him.

And now he is talking about his bad side

So all along, what she had been experiencing was his good side?

His physique, his aura and everything about him scared her off her wits.

He felt so dark and so dangerous.

How can she live with someone like him.

He went over to the cabinet at the end of his office and poured himself a drink.

"My father said it's only for a year, I get to be married to you for only a year and you pay off my mom's medical bills and lay off my father for the mean time?"

"We get married for a year, a pretend marriage, I get what I want and you get what you want, then we part ways and you will be heavily compensated for your time" he said before downing the liquid in his glass.

The doors to his office opened suddenly and in came a tall, extremely beautiful lady.

She was drop dead gorgeous

"Hey Handsome" she called out to him in a slurr, still standing by the door

"The documents will be sent to your father for you to sign, other details will be convened to you there after is that clear? " he asked

"But i-"

"I said, is that clear?" He asked again leaning towards her. Anger evident in his eyes.

She immediately responded with a nod.

He then went over to his chair and picked up his suit jacket, and headed for the door.

The beautiful lady planting a kiss on his lips before they both left the office leaving Vanessa alone horrified.

Vanessa sat beside Adrian as the driver took them to a destination she knew nothing about.

He had someone pick her up, earlier in the afternoon to a hotel, which she later found out belongs to him. One of the hotels belonging to the Knight co.

She got to the hotel and was directed to a room

There were different dinner gowns arranged on the bed, as well as a stylist, a masseuse and a make up artist waiting for her arrival.

As soon as she arrived, they began priming and triming, her hair was done, so was her make-up, she was plucked, primed and dressed until she was ready.

And here she sat with Adrian, her heart in her mouth.

He didn't even spare her a look when she got to the car and it has been pure silence through out the ride.

Her fingers were wrapped tightly together as she could feel them trembling.

Her stomach was in a knot.

Where was he taking her to?

"Now listen, this event is a formal one as it is my father's birthday party and there are going to be dignitaries in attendance, so under no circumstances shall tonight be a failure... I will introduce you to my father as my love interest and fiancee and you will smile and be polite and answer each question carefully, do you understand?" He asked and she responded with a nod.

"If you are asked where we met, you tell them it was at your restaurant and it was love at first sight and we have been together for months and we have decided to take it to the next step?"

"What about the video circulating online?... that says an entirely different thing all together!" she said barely above a whisper.

"That has been taken care off... just listen to what I say and do as I say, tonight determines if the contract between us will be a success or not... do you understand?" He asked again almost like as if he was talking to a child. This time around throwing her a glance for a moment before staring back at his screen.

"Yes" she replied quietly.

She still can't believe she signed the contract.

She had gone through it all night, over and over again and finally signed it.

To be married to a man who seems to not be able to stand her.

To be married to an arrogant spoilt rich kid.

To be married to a man she wasn't in love with.

'It's just a year Vanessa, it will be over soon' she said over and over and over again to herself.

She was doing this for her family.

Arriving at the Knights estate, Adrian helped her down from the car, as she took in the site before her.

The buildings were magnificent and the courtyard glowed with beautiful ornamentations spreading across the lawns and beautiful lightings.

The light evening breeze adding essence to the break taking view before her.

She turned to see Adrian staring at her weirdly and immediately her moment was cut short as she remembered what she was here for.

"Take this" he said tossing her a ring.

"Put it on... smile as much as possible, and if you screw this up for me, I will make sure that you and every single member of your family regret knowing who I am, is that clear?" He said leaning into her, his grey eyes stormy with irritation.

"Yes" she replied cowering back, mentally hitting herself for not speaking back at him

"Good girl" he replied and she slipped on the ring.

It was a lovely fine cut diamond placed into a golden band

It caught the light and shimmered.

Adrian brought his elbow out and she interlinked her arm in his and they moved forward to the area the party was held at the far end of the courtyard.

She could hear voices from afar and with each step she took closer, her heartbeat increased.

She could feel sweat breaking out on her body.

They got to the arena, and we're immediately spotted by Adrian's mother, Mrs Anabel Knight.

She made her way over to them, she was clad in a sequinced purple dinner gown which caught the light with every step she took closer to them.

Mrs knight drew closer to them, a large smile on her face, studying the young lady beside her son.

She was a beauty, a petite curvy beauty wrapped in a one sleeved black gown, she looked nervous.

"Adrian" his mother called out to him, but her full attention was on Vanessa and she didn't miss the ring on the young lady's finger.

She gave her son a hug before turning to stare fully at Vanessa, taking her in.

Vanessa had to fake a huge smile as she greeted the older lady who replied with a smile of her own.

"And who might this young lady be?" She asked waiting for an introduction

"Mother this is Vanessa my fiancee... Vanessa my dear this is my mother" Adrian said with a smile.

This was the first time, she had seen him smiling.

He must be taking this even more serious than she thought.

"Oh my goodness, she is such a beauty... so she is the girl from the news, come along my dear" Mrs knight said all at once and without waiting another second for an answer to her question, she wrapped her arm around Vanessa's, pulling her away from Adrian into the crowd of people present.

She turned back to look at him, but he just met her gaze with a cold one of his.

What has she gotten herself into?