The Billionaire Wants Her

"You can't just do that." He yelled at his father who wasn't even paying attention to the ruckus he was creating in the office.

"Oh, watch me, son." He added before getting on his chair.

"No, Father, you just can't. Everyone knows I'm better at running this company than Noah ever will. Heck, I've been in this business way before he found his path. I was here while he was busy gambling with all his inheritance and now, you want him in charge?" He yelled at the old man who was in his early sixties but still looked fit enough.

"No, I'm not putting him in charge. I'm saying I'd leave him in charge if you don't settle down. He has a family of his own now, so he'd be in a better position to handle this company affairs."

"Fuck! Father, having a wife and a cute daughter doesn't make anyone responsible. He's still the same old Noah. You know this father."

"Firstly, I'd like it if you mind your language while conversing with me. Secondly, I've made up my mind. It's left for you to make yours." Antonio Fernandez said before adjusting his suit.

They both turned to the knock at the door.

"Yes, Miss Camille?"

"Sir, your meeting scheduled for 11 is ready. The investors are waiting for you."

"Thank you, Miss Camille." He patted his son's shoulder and followed his secretary.

Sean kicked the swivel chair out of the way in frustration as he buried his face in his palms.

Settle down?

He had never thought about settling down all his life and now his father put him in such a difficult situation.

He decided the best way to handle his thoughts was to get his favorite coffee at his favorite cafe.

He rushed out of his father's office and with his cold demeanor, walked out of the company building without greeting anyone.

He headed straight for his Maybach and drove with all the anger coursing through his veins making him grip the steering a little too tight.

The drive was a fifteen-minute one and soon he was standing before his favorite cafe. It was pink in color. It was probably what attracted him for whatever strange reason.

******

She sighed for the umpteenth time as she waddled through the tables at the cafe until she got to the counter.

She was extremely exhausted but she knew the key reason she was here and that was enough motivation.

"Mia, serve table 19." Liam, the cafe owner, told her before grabbing a coffee.

"But my shift is over."

"And your pay could be over too." He announced smiling. Mia wished she could slap the smile away from his ever-cheerful face but that was almost impossible.

He was her boss.

"What's the order?"

"Strong, black coffee. No additions or sweeteners or milk. Just bland."

"Would that be all?"

"Yes." She started on her journey to get the order when he spoke up again.

"What, Liam?"

"He's an extremely important person. I don't want you chasing him away with your cold look."

As if. She huffed.

She headed for the table once she got the order. The person was in a black suit and had his back to her and his black sleek hair was in view.

His back was straight and his poise was admirable.

"Your order, Sir." She dropped the saucer skilfully like she had been taught. When she stood straight, she almost fainted when she saw his face.

This was the same man she had been with the night before.

She hoped he wouldn't recognize her.

"Yes?" He asked not looking up from the MacBook on the table.

"No-uh nothing." She stuttered.

He looked up from his laptop and focused on his coffee. He took a sip before turning to the lady before him.

"Just how I like it." He said to no one in particular. He drew his eyes to hers and squinted when he noticed how familiar she looked.

He racked his brain trying to recollect where he'd seen her but came up with nothing. The tall brunette with a nice bob hairstyle stared at him like she'd seen a ghost.

He was used to getting such reactions from people so he didn't bother to question her.

"Do I know you?" He asked and she shook her head vehemently.

"Good. Now, leave." He said with such finality like her very presence appalled him. She turned on her heels and fled.

Immediately she got back to the counter, told her co-workers goodbye, and hurriedly left the cafe. She boarded a bus back but stopped by the grocery store to get a few essentials needed at home. She planned to home over the weekend which was just a day away.

She loves weekends because she gets to see her charming brother. She missed him already.

Mia took another bus back to the apartment she shared with her two friends, Renee and Ashley.

"Didn't expect you back this late, thought your shift ended an hour ago?" Renee questioned her the moment she got into the two-bedroom apartment they shared. Mia took off her shoes and freed her toes.

"Liam kept me for a few minutes more and I had to stop at the store to get something to take home." She explained and Renee nodded.

"Ash texted that she's not coming home tonight. I ordered Chinese food for dinner though. Care to join?" Renee offered and Mia smiled brightly. She was indeed very hungry.

"Of course. I'd go take off my clothes and take a shower. Be back at fifteen." She hopped out in joy.

That night they had a wonderful dinner of cold noodles and spoke at length about what they'd missed in each other's lives. At 10, Mia was already on her way to the club.

She stepped into the club with neon lights spreading across the room from every corner. Nothing about this place pleased her. It was a strip club and she hated it.

It was a place where all the rich men of New York gathered at night to have fun, as they would say. They'd watch young girls who just want an opportunity to show the world who they are, strip down a pole and they'd laugh, place stakes on their bodies and order them for the night if they want more private dancing.

The only reason Mia worked here at night was because she needed the extra money. The club paid well, even more than the cafe. She was sure to make half her monthly salary at the cafe, here in one night.

If she was lucky, she could make the full salary. Honestly, the money from the strip club is what has been keeping her going. She had so many debts choking her already, she didn't need more. She has got to start settling them.

"Good thing you're here. Someone's ordered you for tonight. VVIP" Her boss told her in the dressing room.

"Who's he?"

"You'll find out eventually. Hurry up." He stormed out of the dressing room as quickly as he had come in.

She got on her feet and adjusted the red mini-dress that stopped right after her ass. It had a plunging neckline that revealed way too much cleavage.

She strapped her heels and touched her makeup. She put on her mask before walking out with her head held high. She bumped into a few drunks on her way to the VVIP section where her client was waiting for her.

Client? She scoffed.

She noticed her boss go out of the room and waited for him. He had a huge grin on his face similar to that of a Cheshire cat.

"Yes?"

"You can go in. He paid extremely well to have you. Treat him right." Joe, her boss winked before joining the sea of people.

Mia took calculated deep breaths before turning the knob. At first, she jumped back in fright the moment the knob made contact with her skin.

Once open, she took slow strides into the moonlit room. It was a beautiful room and until yesterday, she'd never been to this part of the club. She was still in awe.

Joe had once told her that the section was reserved for those who paid thousands to millions of dollars for a night. She remembered how shocked she had been that while some people needed half of that money to help their families, other people wasted it in a strip club for a night of pleasure.

She looked around the room that had a pole at the center and an armchair at the right corner. There was a small fridge by the left which she was sure contained drinks of all sorts.

There was a board game lying around somewhere and she wasn't sure why it was here at all. In the middle of pleasure, do they stop to play board games?

She hoped the man who rang for her wouldn't want her playing board games with him. She wondered where he was.

She heard the sound of running water and that calmed her nerves. The toilet door opened and a tall man emerged. Her eyes fell on the man in a clean plaid suit and once their eyes met, she stumbled back on her heels.

This can't be.

This can't be.

It was the same man from last night and from the cafe today. Was he stalking her?

She got nervous. Beads of sweat formed on her face and her breathing was rapid. Her eyes were everywhere but on him. She used her hands to fan herself.

"Why are you uncomfortable?" He asked with a smirk on his lips as he sat on the armchair crossing his legs.

"Uh-" She swallowed. "I'm not." It came out more as a squeak and this amused him.

"Very well then. Get to work. I paid good to have you dancing and not merely existing." He said in a tone she was well familiar with the rich.

She nodded and began dancing sultrily about the pole. His eyes were fixated on her the entire time. He didn't let his eyes stray off even for a second.

She wrapped her legs around the pole and began to go up and down slowly. Her thong underneath did little to stop the cold sensation from the pole between her legs.

"Come here." He said in a strained voice, halting the process.

Mia stopped but didn't comply.

"I'm sorry but it's against club policy. You only pay to watch and not to touch." She said in a shaky voice. He chuckled.

"Wow. I didn't know this. I thought you are a whore, so why exactly do I need to go out and satisfy myself when I've got you here?" His smirk grew.

Mia huffed.

"I am not a whore, kind sir. If you'd excuse me-" She was about to leave when he stopped her by raising his hands.

"I know when my session is over. Until then, show me how much of a whore you are or are not."

"What d'you want, sir?"

"You're a stripper. Get stripping." He said in such a business-like tone. It was almost like they were doing a transaction which he has done his path but is now waiting for her part.

"But-"

"You said I could only watch. I want to watch you strip while you dance of course." He relaxed on the armchair waiting for her.

He was unbelievable. Mia thought. Tears stung her eyes but she vowed to never let it drop for all these entitled rich brats.

She got on the pole again, dancing. She pulled off the mini dress as she danced sensually about the pole.

About twenty minutes later, her leg was aching badly but she was still entertaining the perverted jerk who sat across her.

She fell to the ground the minute the session was over. He chuckled and she recognized him as the devil's incarnate at that moment.

She unstrapped her heels and freed her legs. He got up from the armchair and walked to the door.

"I look forward to seeing you every night this week. Don't worry, I'll pay whatever to see you this exhausted." He left without a backward glance but not without leaving his evil smirk permanently etched in Mia's mind.

As she massaged her foot, the tears threatened to spill but she held it back. She wasn't going to cry.

I'm not going to cry.

I'm not going to cry.

I'm not going to cry.

I'm not going to cry.

She chanted.

She wasn't going to cry because she wasn't weak like her mother. She could take on life's challenges like the woman she was.

Crying would make her weak. Would show that the rich have somehow dominated again. Would show that she was going to give up. Would show that she sacrificed for nothing.

She didn't want to feel any of this so she wouldn't cry. She got on her feet with her heels in her hand as she exited the room.

Mia walked straight to Joe's office. The scent hit her nostrils. Joe's office always smelt like a mixture of mint and tobacco. It was odd but oddly not disturbing.

He was behind the desk, arranging some files. Joe's club was one of the biggest and most bubbling in New York. He had come a long way to get this far. Mia admired his zeal.

"Hey, Joe?" He looked up from his papers and greeted her with a smile.

"I was waiting for you. I knew you'd stop by eventually." He said and she gave a weak smile.

"Of course. I need my money. So what's good?"

"Oh, everything is wonderful. The gentleman you went with, he promised to be back just for you. What did you do? He's loaded. I hear he's from old money." Joe divulged and she could honestly care less.

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "He's just trying to be a pain in the ass."

"That much explains why he requested you and only you. I would have asked if you two were fucking, but I know you. Anyways, this is your pay." He handed her a few thousand wads of cash and she smiled.

"I've never been paid this much."

"I know. Keep him here and you'll get more. He paid that much for you. Don't forget that. Goodnight, Mia."

"Goodnight, Joe." She walked out of his office and the club.

Cold wind from the night blew past her and goosebumps appeared on her skin. She was still in her mini dress because she didn't have any ounce of strength left in her to change.

She ordered a ride which arrived about five minutes later and soon she was nestled in the back of a car, getting as much comfort as she could get from the warm vehicle.

The ride stopped just outside her apartment complex and she paid before getting out. She dragged herself into the building and used the malfunctioning elevator to get to her apartment.

She slotted her key and opened the door before pulling herself inside. She plopped down on the sofa and fell asleep almost immediately.

*****

At exactly 6 the next morning, she got up lazily from the bed and pulled herself into the shower. After taking her shower, she got dressed and left the house for work.

She took a bus to work and still got in late.

"You're late again." Liam said immediately he saw her rush into the cafe.

"I'm sorry, Liam. I promise to be early next time."

A time she knew might never come. Not because she didn't want to but because she couldn't.

Just this morning, she got back from the club at 2AM exactly and had slept for 4 hours before waking up to get ready for the day's work.

She wondered just how long her body would take the pressure before it started telling on her. She braced herself with the fact that she needed the money and there was no other way possible.

"You look tired." Her co-worker, Chloe had pointed out just before work hours ended that day.

"I've almost forgotten what it feels like to have you around." Tessa Andrew, Mia's mother said. Years of hard work were telling on her. She looked frail and tired.

"I know. It's work. I barely have time for myself." Mia replied to her mother. They were in Tessa's tiny crib. It was small but homey. It wasn't where Mia had grown because they were always on the run from her mother's possessive and abusive boyfriends.

"I can tell. Mia, I understand that you're doing your best to keep us afloat and out of debt, but you're working too hard. It's telling on you already. You don't want to end up in your early forties looking like me." She said all these holding Mia's hand.

"Ma, there's nothing we can do or turn to. We're all we've got and I'm the healthiest amongst us three so let me do this. You've done enough. You've sacrificed enough. Let me do this." Mia used her free hand to rub her mother's which was over hers.

"I love you, Mia. I'm sorry that you have to do all this while I do nothing. I'm sorry you have to burden yourself with such responsibilities." Her mother said sobbing.

Mia hated whenever her mother cried. Her mother was so used to crying that it pissed her off sometimes, especially when she was little.

Her mother's boyfriends would hit her and she'd do nothing; just sit there crying. It was tiring. Crying was tiring.

"Where's he?" She asked quietly.

"In his room. Go. I'm sure he'd be happy to see you." Her mother urged her on and she went ahead. She stopped by his door and peeked in. He was reading something.

She stood by the door, just watching him. When she had gotten her fill, she stepped in.

"Hey." She spoke up. He turned to the door and flew across the room to hug her at the door. Tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes and no matter how she tried to keep it in, it fell.

She wiped it away immediately.

"How are you, Jer? You look so big and grown. Are you eating well? D'you sleep early? Are you taking your drugs?" She asked at once cradling his face and turning his whole body as if to see any scar.

"Chill, Mia. I'm good. I'm eating well. I sleep early. I'm on my meds. Any other thing?"

"No, I've just missed you so much." She hugged him again, this time placing a kiss on his forehead. He went back to his reading position after they disengaged.

"What are you reading?" She asked him and he smiled.

"It's a Bible. Mommy calls it the Big Book of Hope. See, it has illustrations and it's very nice."

"Oh really?" Mia said in disinterest. She'd lost interest in faith and concepts like God, heaven, and all.

There was a time she believed it with her all and she believed he was in that stage too. He'd eventually get over it when he sees life for himself. She thought.

"Let's go get ice cream." She said ruffling his black hair.

"Yay." He gestured, flailing his hands in the air. "After my Bible study?."

"Sure, after that. I'll be with Mother." She took a long glance at the room before leaving. She had always hated it here. She'd promised to take her family out of here soon. It was her dream to.

"Hey, I'm making pasta. Come join me." Her mother called from the little kitchen. She went to join her. She settled down on a high stool.

"I saw the groceries. Thank you."

"Ma, you don't have to thank me. It's my duty. I should be doing more."

"You shouldn't. Pass me the scotch bonnet." Her mother requested and got up from the stool and passed it.

"So-how are Renee and Ashley doing?"

"They're good. They send their greetings." Her mother passed a weak nod.

"Any man? Boyfriend? Fiancé? Anything?" She asked again.

"No, Ma. I'm always working so I haven't had time for dates and stuff."

"You should have time for those. You're extremely pretty and anyone would kill to have you. D'you want to end up lonely?" Mia noticed the like me hanging at the end of the sentence but chose to say nothing.

They both felt it. Silence ensued between them. Tessa cooking and Mia deep in thought as she watched her mother.

*******

"D'you like it?" She asked Jerald who was stuffing his face with ice cream.

"Is it humanly possible to hate ice cream?" He asked and she chuckled. She missed this. Hanging out with Jerald.

"I guess not. What have you been up to?" She asked, trying to catch up on the boy's life.

"Nothing. Just the usuals. Being in and out of the hospital. Chugging meds and being forced to maintain my healthy sleep schedule." He said it so casually that it hurt Mia.

"Okay. So what d'you do for fun, Jer?"

"Nothing. What's fun like? I can barely walk and I'm supposed to be having fun. I wonder why I haven't slumped now. We've been walking." He said before licking his ice cream.

Mia blinked back the tears in her eyes and turned the other way when a stray one fell.

"We should head back. I don't want to fall here and embarrass you further." He spoke after a few seconds.

"Jer, you don't embarrass me. I'm happy to be here with you." Mia reassured him but he scoffed.

"I'm not. I hate the park. It's a reminder of how I can never be like my mates. How I can never live a normal life. These kids don't have their lives glued with restrictions. I do. I want to go home." He said with a sad smile.

Having a hole in the heart wasn't anyone's plan. When he was younger, he always fainted and had attacks. He was later diagnosed with a hole in his heart and surgery had to commence. There was no money for surgery, so Mia had to leave the house and look for a job to help with meds and also save for his treatment.

The meds were only sustaining him, not treating him and they were very expensive. Tessa had called Mia during the week that Jerald's health was getting worse and the doctor said the surgery needs to commence immediately.

Where would she get the money so quickly? She didn't have rich friends or anything.