The Billionaire's Enigma

Lena's Pov

"You are what?" my father asked, not sure of what he heard.

"I am ...."

I started to say before I was interrupted by a stinging slap that landed across my face. I stumbled backward, rubbing my cheek as tears welled in my eyes from the pain.

"Lena, what in the name of God have I done to deserve this, what!?" my father asked, half yelling and I could feel the anger boiling up inside him.

"Why did you score me like this, why!?"

"Answer me," he yelled in anger, making me flinch in fear.

I stood frozen to the spot, not daring to look up. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole this instant. I felt immense shame and couldn't find a word to respond to my father, who was demanding for one at the moment.

"Can't you hear your father? Answer the goddamn question!" my stepmother chimed in from where she was seated.

"I... I..." I stammered between my tears, not knowing what to say.

"Ever since your mother died, haven't I tried my best to make sure you are happy and comfortable? Is this what I get after all this?!" my father asked, with a mixture of pain in his voice.

"No, Daddy, you haven't," my mouth protested against my wish. I don't know where the courage came from, but I spoke, not caring about my present state.

"No, I haven't?" he asked, quiet surprise.

"Yes, Daddy, you haven't," I began, affirming my words.

"Ever since my mother died and you married this woman, you've neglected me. It got worse when she gave birth to a son. You no longer cared for me nor gave me the attention or love a father is supposed to give his daughter."

"Wow, really?" he asked.

"Yes, and that was what drove me to look for it elsewhere. I found it, and it led to this," I said, staring at his face, pointing down to my stomach and wiping my tears with the back of my left hand.

Before I could catch my breath or register what was happening around me, a slap from my stepmother landed across my face.

The pain I felt and the sound of it knocked me straight to the ground. I gazed up at her enraged face, rubbing my cheek as the tears flowed freely down my face.

"How dare you speak to your father in that tone? How disrespectful!" she poured out angrily, ready to pounce on me if I said anything bad again.

"Now you blame your father for your mistake?" she asked, pretending to be a senseable person.

I stood up from the ground and wiped my tears instantly. I stared at her, wondering what gave her the right to slap me in the first place.

"And was I talking to you?!" I asked her in annoyance, raising my voice a bit.

"What did you just say to me?" she asked as she came closer to me.

I stood still, not moving an inch from where I was, and repeated what I had said earlier, of course questioning her authority.

"Why are you acting all concerned all of a sudden? Why!?" I asked, gazing at her with a disgusted expression, refusing to back down.

"You and I know that what I am saying is the truth. You've estranged me from my father and reduced me to a maid in my own father's home, you wicked soul. You are the cause of all this!" I declared, standing my ground and leaving her speechless.

"You have no ......"

My father intervened, interrupting my outburst. "Enough, Lena!" he reprimanded. "Go pack your things and leave. I can't tolerate your behaviour, let alone the child you're carrying," he said, facing away from me.

"Daddy, you ....."

Before I could complete my response, my father reiterated his decision. "You heard me, Lena. I won't repeat myself, and don't ever step your feet in this premises again," he stated as he walked away, ignoring my pleas.

I tried to follow him, but my stepmother held me back, taunting me, "You heard him, right?" with a sinister smirk.

"You must be very happy now, are you not?" I asked her, staring straight into her eyes, fighting back my tears.

"Why should I be when you are still breathing real good?" she replied, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Furthermore, you shouldn't be worried about my present emotions but should be concerned about where you are going to lay your head tonight and beyond," she finished, smirking devilishly at me.

She was right, though. I shouldn't be worried about her or her emotions at the moment, and begging my father to allow me to stay one more time is an absolute waste of time. I stared at her for some time before finally giving her a reply.

"You will regret all of this," I said before going to pack my things and leave in tears and confusion.

I stood at a corner in the empty street, calling my best friend for the seventh time, but she still did not pick up.

After some time, I finally decided to call my boyfriend-Gideon, who didn't pick up either. After contemplating and concluding for a while, I decided to go to my boyfriend's place because it was past nine already at night, and the cold out here is killing me.

With the last money I had, I took a cab off to his place. As the cab got closer to my destination, I began to panic, lost in my own thoughts.

"How am I going to explain to Gideon that I am two months pregnant ? How will he take the news? What if he denys it, how will I go from there? My life is in a mess already. What if he is not even at home? What if he chases me out like my father..oh lord please ........"

"Ma'am, we are here," the cab man announced, drawing me out from my thoughts.

Lena's Pov

I gazed at the raindrops through the cab window for a while, then at Gideon's window.

Almost immediately, the light in his room lit up, and I could see his shadow from where I sat inside the cab. I smiled to myself; at least he is at home.

I got down from the cab quickly after I had paid for the ride, carried my bag from the cab boot, and dashed to Gideon's door to avoid getting too wet from the rainfall.

I pressed the bell, waiting for him to come answer, but he didn't until I had pressed it for the sixth time.

"Lena?" he called, surprised. "Baby, what happened to you?" he asked, coming very close to me after noticing how dull my face was.

I ignored his questions and hugged him tightly, crying. I noticed he smelled different yet familiar, but I ignored it because that was not the reason I was here.

I kissed him thereafter, and he kissed me back but stopped when it was getting intense.

I stared at him, searching through his eyes to see the reason he stopped, but it only made him uncomfortable. So, he ushered me in, leading me to sit on his blue couch in his sitting room.

The moment I stepped in, the scent of recent intimacy lingered, but my problem took over my thoughts.

I soon began to cry, and he sat beside me, petting me while I rested my head on his chest. I stopped after some time, and he left to go get a clean, dry cloth for me to change into.

"Baby, do you mind telling me what really happened to you?" he asked softly after I was done eating as well.

I thought for a while and decided to tell him. After all, what will happen will happen anyway.

"My father disowned me," I muttered slowly, looking down at my fingers.

"Why?" he asked, raising my head softly so he could look at my face properly. "Why would your father do such a thing?"

"It's because I am two months pregnant," I said with a mixture of sadness and happiness.

"You are what?" he asked, interrupting me, staring at me.

"Gideon, I said I am pregnant" I repeated, staring at him.

"Lena, are you pregnant? How did this happen? Oh no, Lena, please don't tell me..." he exclaimed, getting up from the couch slowly, shaking his head in disbelief and turning away from me.

Running his hands through his hair, he was stunned for a while, unsure of what to say.

"You're really saying you're pregnant, Lena?" he asked to confirm if he had heard correctly.

"Yes Gideon, I am. What is wrong and by the way aren't you happy?" I asked.

"Yea, I am so happy for you congratulations Lena" he said, putting on a fake smile, looking at me.

"Happy for me? I don't seems to understand. Gideon what do yo.."

"What don't you understand Lena? That child is not mine isn't it obvious?" He asked yelling, pointing down at my stomach.

"Gideon, wait", I said getting up going closer to where he stood.

"Are you trying to tell me you are not the one that got me pregnant? Are you trying to deny this pregnancy to my face?" I angrily questioned, facing me.

"Lena, I am not denying anything I am only stating the obvious cause everytime we had sex I use protection so how come you are pregnant?!" He asked. "How?!"

"Do I look like a joke to you? Do I?" I asked him yelling already.

"Lena I am not taking responsibility for that bastard you are carrying in your womb that baby is not ......."

I couldn't hold back nor allow him finish before landing a dirty slap across his face.

"How dare you call my child a bastard." I spat out angrily.

He stared at me dangerously before speaking out.

"Don't ever lay your hands on me again are we clear?"

"Or what?" I asked him.

"What worst can you do that you've not done Gideon, what?!"

"Lena, get out of my house" he commanded.

I let out an annoying laughter making him stare at me in confusion.

"Why are you laughing or do you think I am joking?" He asked getting more angry.

"So you really think I will leave right? Well you must be joking" I spat out.

"Lena, I am not the father of that baby, it's either you abort it and we go our separate ways or you keep it and take full responsibility" he explained wearing a serious face.

The look he wore this time shows how serious he was. It was there and then it dawned on me that I am all alone.

It was there I started to believe that my life is in a deep mess than I had imagined. I sat down on the floor slowly and began crying.

"Gideon after everything we had, you still had the guts to deny our baby?" I asked him in tears as he stood still staring at me, emotionless.

"Is this what I deserve after all I've been through with you?"

"Lena, I am sorry but that baby is not mine and if you would excuse me I have some unfinished business to attend to so please help yourself out" he said going upstairs.

"Are you really breaking up with me cause I am pregnant?" I asked, getting up on my feet, wiping off my tears with the back of my palm.

He stopped in his track, took a deep breath and turned slowly to face me.

"No" he answered, walking up to me slowly.

"I broke up with you cause I had the chance to do so today" he said, not minding how painful the words were.

"Gideon, are you really human? Who the hell raised you?" I asked, waiting for him to come closer so I can slap him hard one more time.

"What is going on here babe?" a familiar voice asked from behind.

Lena's Pov

I snapped my head in the direction of where the voice came from. I widened my eyes in surprise as I saw no other person than my best friend Jane on the staircase, wearing one of Gideon's shirts.

"Jane, what are you doing here?" I asked, wondering if my sight wasn't playing a trick on me.

"I should be asking you that," she replied, raising her eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that? Isn't it obvious that this is my boyfriend's house?" I shot back, confused by her reaction.

"Oh, I am sorry but this happens to be mine too" she said walking up to Gideon who stood there, unfazed.

"What did you just say Jane?" I asked her, quickly approaching her to confirm what I heard.

"You heard ....."

I couldn't bear to hear the remaining gibberish she had left in her mouth as I slapped her hard across her face with the back of my palm, sending her straight to the ground.

She got up almost instantly, ready to retaliate but I gave her another sounding slap that I believe would deaf a person for more than two minutes.

Gideon intervened immediately, pushing me away from her and helping her up. I felt a strange satisfaction the moment I saw her bleeding from her mouth.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Lena?" Gideon yelled at me.

"Gideon, when did you start sleeping with my best friend?" I asked him, ignoring his question.

"And is that supposed to be your business?" Jane asked from behind Gideon.

"Oh you've still got guts in you right?" I asked bending down quickly to pick up my slippers and threw it at her.

It hit her squarely on the head because she didn't dodge in time, and she screamed in pain. I waited for Gideon to turn to tend to her, and when he did, I seized the chance to attack her again, shoving Gideon aside.

I lunged at her, hitting her hard across the face, fueled by my anger.

She attempted to fight back, which only got me more pissed. I delivered a heavy slap to her mouth, causing her to bleed profusely as few of her teeth came flying all around the place before Gideon managed to pull me away.

He quickly lifted her as she sobbed in his arms, and I stood by, watching painfully thinking of what I can do to get Gideon's attention.

Then, I headed straight to the kitchen, filled a bowl with water, and drenched them with it. They were caught off guard since Gideon was too preoccupied with comforting her and she was busy enjoying the moment, so my timing felt unexpectedly perfect.

The swiftness of my actions is something to reflect on; it's astonishing what anger can actually drive a person to do.

"Oh my God, Lena!" Gideon yelled, getting to his feet.

He turned his attention to me, ignoring Jane on the floor which made me happy cause that's what I wanted.

He stood there, breathing heavily, glaring at me, then at his wet clothes, then at me again and after sometime he finally spoke.

"Lena, please leave my house. I don't want to hurt you because you're a female. I don't hit females," he said angrily but in a controlled tone, likely shocked by my sudden rage.

"Gideon you still don't get it do you?" I asked.

"Don't I need to be explained to? Why the hell have you been sleeping with my best friend behind me?!" I shouted .

"I never did that behind you, I did it right in front of you but you were too oblivious to notice" he yelled back.

"I never loved you Lena; it has always been Jane!" He added.

"Then why did you come to me? Why?!" I asked, hot tears streaming down my face despite my efforts to hold them back.

"Because I pitied you. You were so pathetic". He replied coldly.

"You pitied me and took my virginity as well?!" I asked, trembling with rage and hurt at the moment.

"You pitied me and made love to me? Gideon, answer me!"

"Lena, just look around you-no one loves and wants you and that includes me as well. They all hate you because of the negativity you radiate every now and then," he said, ignoring my question.

"I never begged you to love me. I've always been happy, even without your love nor anybody's. You simply came into my life and made everything worse, and I'm not thankful nor grateful for that!" I said, knowing deep down that it was all a lie.

Gideon came into my life and made me smile again which no one has made me do ever since my mother passed. He had been the reason I was able to cope with the daily mistreatment from my stepmother and often my father.

"We both know that is a lie. I never made it worse. You've never begged me to love you but your heart did, it longed for it and I faked it all just like it wanted!" he shouted back.

This was the highest of it all. I couldn't take it anymore as I slapped him hard and spat on his face. He paused for a while before cleaning off my saliva with the hem of his clothes.

I stood there, trembling in rage and pain. His words had shattered me completely. He was right; nobody loved me and the ones I thought did were only faking it and today's events have proven that.

"You'll regret this," I said, staring directly into his eyes.

"No, I won't. You will." he shot back immediately.

I simply ignored him and went to pick my bag. With tears streaming down my face, I stormed out into the dark rainy quiet street, not minding the potential danger.

I walked in the empty street all alone heading to where I don't know. I wished my mother was never late. I wish she could feel the betrayal and loneliness I feel right now.

My phone rang suddenly, making me almost jump out of my skin in fear.

"Lena, where the hell are you?" The unfamiliar voice asked as soon as I answered.