The Billionaires Fake Marriage

Standing confidently in my sleek, modern office, overlooking the city skyline, the only thing I could think about was my parents.

It's been 5 years since my parents passed away, and my life hasn't remained the same. I wish they were here to see my tech company evolving into a multi-billion dollar empire. It has always been their dream to see me become this successful. They were alive when I started the company, now they're no more.

"Your parents just died in an auto crash," the news about their death still lives rent-free in my head.

At 28, I've accomplished more than I inte KOnded, but the absence of my parents still finds its way to haunting me.

What more could I have asked for? I am a rich, successful, beautiful, independent, and courageous woman. If I had the opportunity to turn back the hands of time, I would have stopped my parents from embarking on that trip that ended their lives.

My thoughts were, however, ruined by a knock on my door. It was a bad time for me to receive visitors, not when my head wasn't stable. I can't even think straight about saving my life right now. I feel like my whole world is crumbling right in front of me and I can't even do anything to save it.

I ignored the knock at my door and continued to wallow in grief. The more I ignored the knock, the more it kept coming. That was the moment I figured out that it might be important for me to get to the door.

"Come in already," I answered and rushed to get seated. From what I know, it might be a prospective client and I wouldn't want to be caught in an awkward state.

The best I could do was to put up a smiling face, regardless of what I might be growing through.

A moment later, the visitor walked inside my office. I frowned. I thought it would be an entirely different person.

"What do you want, Rachael?"

I rolled my eyes and looked away.

I indicated the chair across from my desk, which had a neat little row of pens and a framed picture of my parents on it. A soothing background noise that reduces pain is produced by the gentle hum of the air conditioner. I felt relieved for the first time in a very long time.

"Hello, ma'am?" Rachel waved at me. I got engrossed by the photo frame and forgot that Rachel was still in my office. I quickly focused my glance on her.

"What do you want, Rachael?" I frowned, my face pretending to be tough, but deep inside of me what I felt was a burning furnace.

"Ma'am, is anything the matter? You don't seem happy to me. If you don't mind sharing, I might be of help," Rachael asked. It was a nice gesture, but I didn't think it was ideal for me to share my private matters with anyone, let alone Rachel, who's just my assistant. We might share a cordial relationship, but certainly not to that extent.

"Is that what you came here for, Rachel? To spy on my private affairs?" I clapped back at Rachel as she shivered like a hen drenched by the rain.

" No, ma'am," she nodded her head in response and handed me a folder filled with documents. I knew that was what she came for, but I wanted her to say it and stop beating around the bush like a lost soul.

"Great! Drop it on the desk and shut the door after you," I authorized her.

Rachel didn't make a move. She stood in front of me with her hands buried behind her.

"Okay? What are you still doing here? I thought I asked you to leave?'"

" Yes, you did.

I just needed to be certain if you would want me to do anything for you," she asked me with a shaky voice.

I observed something fishy in her utterances. It wasn't just about her loyalty; I was convinced that she had something to say but found it difficult to navigate through.

I didn't make a move to speak to Rachel anymore. It was a Monday morning, and the only thing that mattered to me was to focus on work and avoid distractions. The thought of my parents played some role in making my day miserable. It would be completely unacceptable to allow Rachel to add to that.

"Rachel, please get out."

I spoke softly and placed my hands beneath my jawline.

"But."

"I said leave immediately.

What's wrong with you?" I yelled at Rachel and immediately she left.

A few minutes after her departure, I heard another knock on the door.

I was furious and devastated that Rachel had returned. This time, she isn't going to find it lightly with me.

I rushed down to the door and opened it, waiting to yell at Rachel when I spotted a different person.

"Hi, Xander?

You don't seem too excited. From your disposition, I could tell that someone had gotten on your last nerve," Julian asked me. He was my ex. The sight of him made everything worse. I would have preferred to still have Rachel show up and not him.

"What do you want from me, Julian? I thought you said you were never going to have anything to do with me ever again?" I fumed.

I looked away to avoid establishing eye contact with him. He is excellent at manipulating humans with his cute face.

He's tall, light-skinned, and has a blonde air with his attractive blue eyes.

Unlike me, who started from scratch, Julian inherited his family's real estate empire.

"Relax, boo.

Is that how you treated an ex-lover?" He winked at me and tried flirting, and I pushed him away.

"Ex-lover that cheated on me with some girl who was supposed to be his cousin. Oh, you thought I had forgotten about that? At 30, you still act like a child." I clapped back and went back inside my office to get seated. Instead of leaving, knowing that his presence wasn't needed, he followed me immediately.

"You might want to put this beef aside because we are going to be spending quality time together soon," he revealed to me.

"What are you talking about? And what makes you think I'll ever want you close to me after what you did to me?" I stood up in curiosity. He was starting to speak in parables that I find difficult to understand.

"Julian, I'm talking to you. What do you mean by that?' I raised my voice at him. I hate to be kept in suspense, and that's precisely what he was doing to me.

"Relax your nerves, girl. What I am about to say is going to benefit your company for good, and trust me, you will love it!" He assured me. It sounded like a good plan to

me.

"Okay? So what's this about?"

I widened my ears to be certain I didn't miss any information

"Can you start talking already? Trust me, if you continue to keep me in suspense, I am going to ask you to leave, and I'm not even kidding," I told Julian.

I wasn't comfortable with his silence. It would have been better if he hadn't said anything rather than putting me in a state of expectancy.

Julian sighed and stood up, approaching me.

"Stay back

I can hear you from a distance.

I am not deaf," I stopped him with an upraised arm.

"If that's what you want. I would just respect your decision," he retreated and returned to his seat.

"How would it feel like getting married to me?" He popped the question at full speed.

"What did you just say?" I stood up in shock and slammed the desk in annoyance.

I didn't realize my voice was so loud until Rachel showed up in my office looking so worried.

"I heard you scream from outside. Would you mind me calling for help?" She inquired enthusiastically.

I glanced at Julian before processing my response. He wasn't even looking in my direction.

"No, it's fine.

I can handle this.

Thank you for reaching out," I told Rachael and allayed her fears.

She was a bit skeptical about leaving.

"Why do I have a feeling that something is wrong? If you ever need help, I am just one call away," Rachel assured me. She kept glaring at Julian awkwardly until she was completely out of sight.

"Wow! Good to know that you could still defend me in that manner. I thought you didn't want me around?" Julian bragged. He didn't bother to show remorse for his actions.

"This won't happen next time if you don't speak up this minute," I warned him. To show that I was indeed serious about my threat, I reached out to the company's landline, pretending to be dialing some numbers.

"Are you ready to speak, or should I proceed?" I narrowed my gaze at him.

"Put that down.

You don't have to.

Look, five minutes and I will be out of your life for good," he vowed.

Reluctantly, I dropped the landline. However, I still had my doubts.

"I got a proposal for you." He started the conversation.

"What proposal are you talking about?" I twirled my auburn hair.

"Listen, promise me you won't panic if I tell you?" He asked me for clarification.

"Can you quit the long talk and spill already? Your five minutes are on the verge of elapsing," I reminded him. I was getting bored with the conversation. Had I known, I would have walked him out the moment he showed up.

It's difficult for me to kick him out. He just put me in a complicated situation filled with suspense.

"There's this deal I've been keeping tabs on for a couple of months now. It's worth $ nine billion. The investors wouldn't assign the contract to me unless I provided evidence of my marriage," Julian finally revealed, without hitting the nail on the head, hence isolating me in a state of confusion.

"What do I have to do with this," I answered rudely. I looked unbothered, but inside of me, I cared so much to know why he had to come to tell me when we hadn't spoken in years.

"That's where you come in, Alex.

I want you to become my wife," he disclosed.

"Is this a joke?

Come on, Julian.

I don't want to believe you came this far to pull my legs. Where's the camera? I know for sure this is a prank," I argued and doubted him.

It didn't even make sense to me. The same Julian that cheated on me now wants me to get married to him. How ironic could that be?

"I hope that was a joke, Alex." He affirmed. He went mute for a minute, took out his phone, and kept typing.

A few minutes later, he returned the phone to his pocket and asked me to check my mailbox.

I obeyed him and, behold, I received a non-disclosure agreement contract.

"What's this about? So is it true? You want us to get married?" I cried.

"Yes, Alex.

Please, don't say no.

It's only going to last for six months. Much isn't expected from you.

Just pretend to be my wife and that's it," he buttressed.

"I still can't believe this.

Why me? What about Mabel?"

"Mabel? Who's that?" Julian refused, without blinking his eyes.

"Don't act like you don't know whom I'm talking about, Julian. Have you forgotten the so-called cousin you cheated on me with?" I yelled at Julian to rejuvenate his retentive memory.

"We broke up a few months after you caught us making it out on the couch," he confessed.

"Wow!" I widened my mouth astonishingly. It took me a while to realize that.

"Can we stop talking about Mabel? I don't want her to spoil what we are about to do. I chose you because the investors requested that my wife be the CEO of a company. We both know Mabel has got nothing in her name." He added.

"What if I was married? Did you ever consider that? I hope you weren't expecting me to leave my relationship or marriage just to accept your ridiculous demand, right?" I questioned him. His level of confidence needed to be studied at university.

"Come on, Girl.

I've been keeping tabs on you for a while and I discovered that you've stayed single ever since we broke up," he disclosed the shocking revelation.

"Are you stalking me now?" I flared up. He laughed and didn't see it as a big deal.

Julian wasn't wrong after all.

Despite what he did to me in the past, there's a part of me that still wants to be with him. Regardless of the past, he was still the best thing that ever happened to my love life.

I still have my fears. A leopard never changes its spot. It would have been better to begin as friends, but certainly not as couples. I wouldn't get married to Julian for a billion dollars, let alone for six months.

I gave him five years of my life, and it ended in tears for me. Breaking up with Julian was the best thing that ever happened to me.

It took me almost an eternity to move on from the horrible past. Just when I thought my life was on the verge of experiencing another turnaround, he showed up out of the blue and opened the can of worms.

"What do you say?

Do you wish to think about it? I would understand if you're a bit skeptical. I mean, just like you said, we haven't spoken in years. I don't expect you to make decisions immediately," Julian asked me.

Even though I hadn't responded yet, Julian was so certain that I would accept his offer. He looked so relaxed when I was troubled.

I don't seem to get it.

If there's anyone who ought to feel that pressure, it's Julian and not me.

I have absolutely nothing to lose. I am not the one who is desperate to close a deal.

Julian had successfully studied and predicted my next move before I attempted to take a step.

"What makes you think I would want to think about it? What if I decline this minute? What would you do about it?" I dashed his hopes. I was desperate to prove to Julian that I could never be controlled.

I caused it.

I gave him the impression that I can be predictable. While we were in a relationship, I was his puppet. I always agree with his decision without a second thought, regardless of its consequences. It was only natural that I proved to Julian that I was not the same timid girl he dated five years ago.

"We both know you can't decline my offer. It's so evident. I still know your weaknesses and how to penetrate your defense," Julian confessed and confirmed my thoughts about him.

I knew that was the perception he had before approaching me. Had I known, I wouldn't have let him inside my office. That would have saved me from embarrassment.

Five years after we broke up, Julian still thinks I am that girl who can easily be manipulated. If this isn't exploitation, then I don't know what else it Is anymore.

"How smart of you to think about me in such a way? For this reason, you deserve a medal," I feigned a smile and applauded him. It was a smile of shame. I thought Julian would see me differently and be amazed by the significant changes in me.

"Remind me again what you told me about Mabel?" I questioned him.

"Does that bother you? Let's forget about her and seal this deal," he ignored me and dodged the question.

"No, we are not. I demand you put a call across to her now. When she picks up, I want the phone on loudspeaker," I ordered Julian.

For once in my life, I felt that I was in charge and able to influence Julian's decisions. After that, he would regret the moment he said I could easily be predicted.

"Why are we even doing this? Mabel has got nothing to do with this. Can we just move on without her?" Julian bemoaned. I didn't pay attention to him.

I reached out to the company's landline and started calling for security to come bundle Julian out like a common thief. I took his challenge personally, and I'm glad that he's equally feeling the heat.

"Please don't do that.

I would call Mabel right away," he finally surrendered to my command. I had fun doing that. Seeing Julian act under my wish restored my pride. I was elated that I was able to make him beg for my Mercy.

"I am not convinced yet. Until she picks up the call, you leave my office immediately after the security shows up. One thing is certain: I won't make a move to stop them from throwing you out," I warned Julian.

I knew he had a skeleton in his cupboard. If he was so innocent as he claimed, he wouldn't find it difficult to call Mabel. This goes to show that he hasn't called off his relationship with Mabel yet. She may have declined his proposal, and the next person he thought about was me because he thought I could easily be manipulated.

After the pressure, Julian finally called Mabel over the phone and put it on speaker. Her voice hasn't changed yet. She still sounded like a broken record. I haven't forgiven her for what she did to me.

I feel nothing but hate towards her. I just wish to meet her right now and strangle her to death with my bare hands.

"You decided to reach out to me today after calling off the relationship a few weeks ago. Let me guess, you called to apologize? I get the point now. Let's hear what you have to say," Mabel said over the phone. Julian hadn't uttered a word yet, and Mabel had already revealed some hidden information I wasn't aware of.

Julian glanced at my face and buried his face in the ground in shame. He was disappointed in himself, knowing that his secret had been revealed courtesy of Mabel, who didn't know when to shut her mouth.

"I appreciate you for doing this, Mabel." I voiced out.

"I know that voice.

Isn't that Alex?" Mabel asked me. I could tell how shocked she was by her tone of voice. She wished the ground would swallow her.

"You're right. It's me.

I guess you're surprised to hear from me, right?" I laughed and made a travesty of her. It would have been a great feeling to see the shame hoarding her face.

"What are you doing with his phone? I should have known that you were the reason Julian broke up with me. How could you? Aren't you in a relationship? Why snatch a man like you can't keep? You are lucky, we are apart. I would have hit you so hard until you passed out," She dared me.

Mabel still hasn't changed. She is still that lousy and desperate girl who loves to steal from others. Those were the exact words she said to me the day I caught her making out with Julian. The difference was the tone used. She sounded so in pain this time after discovering that Julian was with me.

"You might want to speak to Julian. He's right here," I added, to make Mabel more miserable. I am sure she won't forget about this in a thousand years to come.

I gave Mabel a taste of her medicine. I wanted her to feel the same pain I felt when I found out that Julian was cheating on me with her.

"Julian, are you there?" Mabel called out, but Julian didn't respond. He was too ashamed to utter a word. It was as though his lips were glued.

"I know you can hear me right now. You're just so ashamed to speak. I have nothing to say because I've always known that you were a traitor. Because I declined your fake marriage proposal, you decided to focus your attention on Alex. I pray it works for you both. Don't ever call this phone again if you would rather not spend the rest of your life in jail for stalking me. After this conversation, I am blocking you from all possible areas," Mabel ranted and hung up on Julian.

My ears have heard enough. I feel like donating them to charity. I had a feeling that something was wrong when Julian approached me with the proposal. Forcing him to call Mabel was just a simple test, which he failed woefully.

"What do you have to say about that? Do I deserve an explanation?" I placed my hands below my jawline. I have completely overwhelmed Julian. He couldn't speak or make a move anymore.

"That's it!

I got my response," I sighed. I just escaped a time bomb waiting explosion. Pushing for that call was the best decision ever. Now that I know the truth, Julian has got nothing over me.

"Ma'am, you called us.

How do we assist you?" The security showed up at the right time when I needed them the most. The downfall of Julian is about to get started, and I'm loving it already.

"That's him.

I want him out of my company. If he ever tries to act funny, you know what to do," I passed the instructions and concentrated on my computer like nothing happened.

"Don't you dare touch me? You have no idea whom you're dealing with," Julian confronted them. Unfortunately for him, they were too powerful for him.

Like a piece of paper, he was lifted and thrown outside.

His departure restored peace in my atmosphere again. I was able to get my revenge again on Julian and Mabel, respectively. It was the best thing that ever happened to me in a while.