The Billionaire's Love

Chapter 1

Samantha stretches out In her bed in her cramped studio apartment, she had been up all night , compiling reports she made on her recently concluded investigation on a new fast rising boutique chief executive officer a few blocks down, she squinted her eyes at the bright light from the early morning sunshine, she reached out for her cell phone and realized what time it is , she jumped up and ran into the shower ,bathed and got dressed. She quickly put things in place in her apartment and winced after accidentally hitting her head against the wall while rushing, she continued even with the pang of pain she's feeling after the small accident, she has just thirty minutes left to get to work, and Samantha has always been known for her punctuality and rapt determination she can't ruin her reputation now she thought to herself.she applied her face foundation and lip gloss on her lips ,smacked her lips together and pouted.She giggled as she checkout herself in the mirror,she has a blue jacket with a black camisole top on and black ironed pants with a pair of black stiletto heels. She picked up her report and arranged them neatly in her small black briefcase, her favorite briefcase, she got as a birthday gift from her best friend Alex.She stepped out of the apartment and into the slightly dewy street,Samantha feels so proud and relieved she's done with this not so big but complicated investigation on the boutique

Chief Executive officer;Bianca Richardson ,who is the prodigal grand daughter of a wealthy businessman ,she had eloped with her lover Liam Robyn at nineteen after getting ten percent of her inheritance as her nineteenth birthday surprise gift from her grandparents.she unfortunately got dumped by her lover -Liam after taking half of the fortune she inherited,the investigation had gotten a bit complicated because the young heiress had concealed her identity by changing her name as her family was well known by their name and not their physical appearances,her grandfather had put all measures in place for his family to not be in the media space.

walking down the street now she chuckled as she thought of how adventurous,risky,independent and reckless the young heiress had been,admiring how she had picked herself up and opened her own luxury boutique which is now a fast growing success.

She waved to an approaching cab and got in when he stopped,fortunately for her there was no traffic which was very rare and unusual in the ever busy city of New York. In ten minutes, she was in her editor's office, ten minutes earlier than her normal time. She sat in her editor's office placing her compiled report on the young heiress carefully on her editor's desk, her editor, Rachel; a slim redhead beautiful woman in her mid thirties,picked it up skimmed through it and raised her head up with a proud and smug look ,"I'm so proud of you Sam" she said smiling,"yay!"samantha cheered feeling elated and proud.Rachel added the notes to a file and got up pacing gently around her desk with a serious expression, she stopped and looked at Samantha," I have a new assignment for you " she said ,her voice firm."I want you to investigate Julian Blackwood and his business dealings, there are rumours of shady practices and illegal business dealings and I want you to get to the root of it".

Samantha eyes narrowed, she had heard rumours about The billionaire's ruthless business dealings and tactics too,she knows how complicit the investigation may be,but she had never been one to shy away from challenges, in fact challenges were part of the reasons why she loves her job, the thrilling and exciting surge of adrenaline she gets from digging deep and finding hidden truths, complicit and complicated situations and fabricated lies.

She stared at her editor incredulously, "you want me to interview and investigate Julian Blackwood? The notorious billionaire playboy and businessman ??"

Rachel nodded "he's been making great and fast waves in the business world and we need a scoop"

Samantha raised an eyebrow,adjusting herself on her seat."And you think I'm the right person for the job?"

Her editor smiled,confidently"you're the best investigative journalist I have.I don't just think you are the right person,I believe you are the right person,Go get him Sam"

Samantha sat straighter on her seat, eyes widened in shock, her mind racing with the implications. "But Rachel, I've heard rumors about him...about his business dealings, his personal life...he's not exactly the most approachable person." Rachel waved her hand dismissively. "Rumors, Samantha. That's all they are. I'm sure he's a perfectly charming man once you get to know him." Samantha raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "And what makes you think he'll even agree to an interview? He's notorious for avoiding the press." Rachel smiled, a sly glint in her eye. "Oh, I think he'll agree. I've already made the arrangements. You're scheduled to meet him at his office tomorrow at 2 PM." Samantha's heart sank, her stomach twisting into knots. She had a feeling she was in way over her head. "Rachel, I don't know if I'm comfortable with this..." Rachel's expression turned stern. "Samantha, this is a career-making opportunity. You can't pass it up. Besides, I have a feeling you two will get along just fine." Samantha hesitated, unsure of what to do. But Rachel's words echoed in her mind...career-making opportunity. She took a deep breath and nodded, steeling herself for what lay ahead. "Okay, I'll do it."

Samantha, still seating in her editor's office, staring blankly at the notes and research papers now scattered before her.She was trying to come up with a strategy for the interview with Julian Blackwood.

She stood up and began to pacing around room, trying to shake the feeling of unease.She had interviewed countless subjects before, but there was something about Julian that intimidated her.

She stopped pacing and looked at the whiteboard where she had scribbled down some potential questions.They seemed dull and uninspired now.She needed something better, something that would get beneath Julian's guard and reveal the real person behind the enigmatic facade. Samantha walked over to the bookshelf and ran her fingers over the spines of the books. She pulled out a biography of Julian's life and began flipping through the pages. As she read, an idea began to form in her mind. She would approach the interview from a different angle. Instead of asking the usual questions about his business dealings and philanthropic efforts, she would ask him about his passions, his interests, and his values. She would try to find the human side of Julian Blackwood. Samantha felt a surge of excitement as she began jotting down new questions. This could work. She could get him to open up and share something truly revealing. Just then, Rachel walked back into the office. "How's it going?" she asked, eyeing the scattered papers and notes. Samantha took a deep breath. "I think I have a plan," she said, a sense of determination growing inside her. Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's that?" Samantha smiled, her confidence growing. "I'm going to make him talk."

Chapter 2

Julian Blackwood stood at his floor-ceiling-windows in his office,gazing out outside the manhattan skyline.He was out last night at a business associate's birthday dinner,personally Julian didn't care much about social appearances like that, but he has to put up with the lifestyle to be ahead of his rivals in the business world most especially Victor Demario, his eyes narrowed at the thought of Victor Demario his business rival. Victor has been moving more boldly and unabashedly shady these past few months, and Julian knowing Victor and how shameless,ruthless and greedy he is,knew he has to take actions and fast,he put his index finger and thumb on his temple pressing the tout skin of his forehead together in an attempt to tame the rising tension he's feeling inside of him.He had worked so hard and long to save his family business empire and built it to the top,making it one of the most successful business empire in America and not just in the city of New York,he can't afford to lose it or let it slip into the hands of that maniac Victor like his father once did,he'd worked so hard he thought to himself, so damned hard, he had despised his dad,thinking of how weak he was losing what his great-grandfather had built and passed on to his generation,how was he so reckless,undisciplined and immoral,growing up Julian had always revered his father,to him,Austin Blackwood was not just his biological father,but his idol,his second God,his hero.

He had studied too hard to show his dad how reliable and intelligent he was, he graduated at the top of his class in business administration not just to impress his father but to carry on his legacy,he has always loved the idea of businesses, how incredible and demanding creating something from scratch or from a low point to something great and successful.To him his father's acknowledgement was the world's biggest prize,his father was his ultimate mentor,he looked up to him in every way,from business,down to how he handled his family and household with natural grace,wisdom and ease.To him his father was simply the greatest, most powerful,wise and logical person he knew,his father was simply perfect until his father's dirty dealings and shady deeds came to light. Though, his relationship with his father is strained and conflicted, he still loves him in his own way and sometimes tries to understand that he is human with flaws and also capable of making mistakes but still what is a great man without integrity and discipline ?Thinking back of how scared he had been of losing his mother,

He had just completed his masters degree and was twenty two years old, preparing to join his father in managing the family's business.He remembers the day his life changed forever. His father, once a respected businessman, was embroiled in a scandal that made headlines for weeks. The family's business, once thriving, was now on the brink of collapse.

Julain recalls the sound of his mother's tears, and eventually her having a heart attack and stroke simultaneously,the sight of his father's defeated face, and the feeling of helplessness that gripped their home. The media harassment was relentless, with reporters camped outside their house for days on end.asking invasive questions and snapping photos.

He remembers the shame and embarrassment he felt, the whispers and stares at school, and the loss of friends who no longer wanted to associate with him. His family's reputation was tarnished, and he felt like he was living in a nightmare.

As the business failed, their lifestyle changed dramatically. They had to sell their beautiful home, move to a small apartment, and cut back on every luxury. The boy's parents argued constantly, their stress and worry palpable.

He felt like he was walking on eggshells, never knowing when the next shoe would drop. His father became withdrawn and distant, his mother anxious and depressed and took solace in drinking and smoking,her husband had not only ruin the family's business but his marriage and family too,the new habits she adopted to cope with the sad,sudden and shocking reality of their lives.Julian felt alone, like he was carrying the weight of their struggles on his shoulders alone

One particularly painful memory stands out - the day his father's business partner,Marcus Thompson, once a close family friend, sued them for bankruptcy. remembers the look of betrayal,regret,shock and sadness on his father's face, the sound of his mother's anguished cry, and the feeling of their world crumbling around them.

Even years later, Julain can't shake off the sadness and regret that lingers, a constant reminder of the scandal that destroyed their lives.

,he shook himself out of his deep thoughts and stopped reminiscing about a past that doesn't seem so far,a past that had casted a dark shadow over his family like a evil and malefic spell.With renewed determination and strong convictions,he promised himself never to go down the same route as his father,hadn't he heard whispers from people, that he will grow to be just like his father and end up like him?! Hadn't he watched people who had once looked up to his father,people whom his father had helped,people whom he had dined with,hosted and celebrated with,people who had once smiled gleefully and swore that they were loyal,people whom he had trusted and thought he could rely on,turned his back against him at the dire time of need.He had seen the deep seethed regret,shame and humiliation his father had gone through,he had seen it firsthand,how a man who lacks discipline and integrity can fall quickly from grace and honour,to humiliation,disgrace and shame.He had watched intriguingly how people can switch up and switch sides to favour them, as long as you're no longer beneficial to them. Like the saying "a dog eat dog world" many of his father's business rivals and associates seemed like they were waiting for Austin Blackwood to fail so they can buy his business for peanuts in the guise of helping him survive.He can't be his father,he thought to himself, hell no! he can't, he is not weak,he is not stupid and he is definitely not indisciplined. He remembers one of his father's "morality" lectures, in one of their short luxury family leisure trips together, he lectured Julian about how being upright is important and to never compromise his integrity for anything or any price.He shook his head, bringing himself out of his long thoughts and brooding.

He sighed, walked behind his desk, drawing his luxurious leather chair back and sat down, stretching his legs forward.He picked up a report his secretary Martha,had kept on his desk and began skimming through making sure the report was apt and detailed just then,his assistant,Martha,buzzed to announce the arrival of a journalist from daily times,Julian frowned,his eyes flashed with annoyance and impatience,Julian is a very patient man when it comes to playing,winning and securing business deals,but he lacks patience for irrelevant things and people like journalists, the paparazzis and reporters,closing his eyes he remembered the times when the media had gotten a scoop of his father's dealings,bankruptcy and illicit affairs.The paparazzi would camp outside their family mansion and harass anyone who comes out of the building with numerous unintelligible questions , microphones and their damned stupid cameras and flashlights, he wasn't even given the decency to attend school peacefully, him and his family were thoroughly harassed with their pictures embarrassingly displayed across numerous tabloids,news papers and even televised. The media didn't care about how much his father's reckless decision had affected his whole family and how they were faring, his mother was sick and suffered a slight stroke from hearing the news of her beloved and morally upright husband's illicit sexual affairs, shady business deals and the bankruptcy of their family's business.The media didn't care about anything,not when his father was loosing everything,they were only concerned about publishing the bad stories to garner attention and views,not that he blamed them, sometimes people are more interested in bad news and illicit stories; and what they usually term as "tea" why would they suddenly care now?he had recently seen a few newspapers and tabloid articles and headlines about himself and the resurrected family business and just last month he was listed among the top ten most handsome,wealthiest and eligible bachelors and CEOs of New York.Martha buzzed again drawing his attention from his thoughts,he sat up squaring his shoulders,"who is that"? He asked, "Samantha Taylor"Martha announced,opening the door to reveal a young woman with a determined look on her face,Julian raised an eyebrow,she was not what he expected,he slowly observed her from her beautiful heart shaped face with the cute little freckles scattered across her pointed nose ,her bright green eyes and luscious curly brown hair,smooth fair skin with a faint lovely hue of gold,her skin tone seem like she enjoys summer outdoor activities or like being outside, he slowly dragged his eyes down taking note of her delectable neck and collarbone and further looked down lingering his eyes on the slow rising and falling of her full firm looking breasts concealed by her black camisole.She's petite,he observed,her eyes were darting around his office, and eventually landed on him,she blinked twice,giving him a hint of nervousness that was quickly masked by reinforced determination.Interesting! She's a little firecracker he thought to himself amusingly.

Miss Taylor was certainly not what he expected when he got buzzed by his assistant, Martha,about a journalist.Most journalists he had met were middle-aged women and men with a cynical and disdainful air about them.This one is different from the ones he usually encounters ,she seems very much younger and carries an attitude of defiance,feistiness and determination,which makes him slightly intrigued and interested.

"Ms. Taylor,"he said,his voice firm but polite,"what can I do for you?"

He watched her smile,her eyes sparkling with intelligence and mischief."I'm here to ask you some questions about your fast and rapid business growth if you don't mind,Mr Julian."she said sweetly.

Samantha left her editors office with her newly given tough yet interesting assignment, she couldn't she off the feeling of trepidation.She had a sense of forebodings,as if she was walking into the lion's den. She spent the rest of the day researching about Julain Blackwood trying to learn as much as she could about him.But the more she reads the more enigmatic he seemed.she acknowledged ruefully that this new task wouldn't be easy but she is determined to carry it through.

Besides, challenges were part of her,her life has been challenging,she didn't have a easy, rosy or beautiful life or upbringing,her parents had been high school sweethearts who didn't even go to college because her mother Lilian Taylor had fallen pregnant with her, Lilian and Thomas Taylor didn't care about anything else in the world,they had each other and that was enough,they were both from middle class families making their lives even more difficult.Their education ended in high school due to the pregnancy, they got married and started life together surviving on menial jobs, her dad,Thomas Taylor had been a popular basketball player in her school, who was going to be signed into the New York knicks, his dream got cut short after receiving the news from Lilian, he couldn't leave her to cater for a child they were both responsible for,so he stayed with his dream forfeited.Life has not been easy for Samantha,she was born to two inexperienced and young teenage parents,who barely had enough,she grew up in a cramped two bedroom apartment with her parents in Tremont,Bronx.Her parents were loving but not so supportive of her career, they wanted her to study medicine,become a doctor and earn higher to make their lives better,in their defense, their dreams and lives were thrown away because of her,but she didn't asked to be born !!she thought angrily, how was it her fault,her parents were lacking in terms of knowledge and ability to provide what she needed for a comfortable living,her dad,a high school basketball junior coach and mum a seamstress in a local fashion store,were not earning enough,she had started working and taking part-time jobs since when she was fifteen to support and assist her parents in paying rent and billsApparently that wasn't enough, they wanted her to sacrifice her life long dream of being a journalist to satisfy theirs of being a doctor .How is it her fault she had been born? How was any of her parents mistakes her fault?.Her dream of being a successful journalist was what kept her sane and hopeful of a future that seemed so bleak and uncertain.She had no friends growing up not even in high school, her books,news papers,magazines and tabloids were her friends, while other kids were having a much fun and carefree life, Samantha was always head deep buried in her books, instead of entertaining television series or shows and animation, children her age usually enjoyed, Samantha enjoyed watching the news more, she has always found the newscasters smart , incredible and amazing, her parents always thought she was weird, as she basically had no interest in television series children are age were smitten by.They tried all they could to make her drop her obsession with being a journalist and being in the media world, fearing for her safety considering how dangerous being a journalist is. Her parents may have their flaws,but they love and cherish their only child,but sometimes misplaced parental love can be overwhelming. She sighed,taking a stroll down the busy street of Manhattan,her stomach growled, she didn't eat breakfast before leaving the house, she walked into her favourite cafe, morning star cafe shop and ordered her regular, the slightly chubby owner beam at her like she always does and went to get her order. She sat at her favourite place in the cafe as she search the internet for more pictures and information about the billionaire playboy ,Julian as she sat waiting for her order, she had seen his pictures displayed in the front pages of tabloids,magazines and even newspapers many times before,sometimes with women,especially blondes,he was not just one of the most richest billionaire playboys in New York,he was by far the most ruthless, she had once read somewhere that he in fact does not go out with one woman twice,there is always a new woman in his arms in every high class New York event,and she also read that he doesn't date,he only does flings,with models,actresses and even heiresses.

Her breakfast was placed on the table, coffee,with milk and sugar and cinnamon pancakes, she ate slowly as she scroll through the internet and displayed pictures of the billionaire on her phone,he is very handsome she acknowledged,very ruthlessly handsome and looks formidable too. In one of his many pictures online,he stood very tall,proud and unsmiling,in his well tailored suit.She finished her breakfast,paid for it, say her good bye to the polite owner and left.She walked through the busy street of manhattan and stopped a cab after walking shortly,getting in side, she took out the address of the billionaire's high rise building, she had called his office earlier to make an appointment and was

scheduled for eleven thirty a.m. It's almost time, in fifteen minutes time she would be facing the billionaire and that made her nervous and unsettled, she breathed in and out softly to calm her nerves, she does not want to go there and look nervous,scared or disoriented. She can't have him thinking that she's weak or even worse scared.The cab stopped in front of the building in midtown Manhattan seven minutes later.

Samantha got down looking up the luxurious building,she went into the foyer and was led to the elevator entrance by a well dressed usher, she entered the elevator,pressed in the floor number,which is the top most floor,she arranged herself,smoothening her clothes in the elevator watching her reflection in the elevator walls.In no time the elevator stopped, she got out and walked confidently to his assistant desk in an

open office."Good morning miss Carter " she said smiling,she had learnt of the other young woman's name when she called the billionaire's office earlier. She had also learnt that she's the only assistant that stayed for more than three years, all the billionaire's former assistants always ended up leaving because of his temperament and arrogance,she is the only one who has stayed for this long, five years is long compared to the two or three months his assistants usually lasted ."good morning Ms Taylor" Martha said standing,she offered her a seat,picked up the telephone and buzz, she heard her say, "good morning sir,a journalist from daily times is here to see you, for a scheduled appointment and interview" she couldn't hear what was said from the other end,she ended the call and sat down,"in five minutes time you will go in" she said smiling sweetly.In exactly five minutes Martha buzzed and announced "Miss Taylor"Samantha stood outside Julain's office ,wondering what he would be like,arrogant ?condescending? She thought to herself. The door was opened, Samantha went in and Martha closed the door from the outside,she heard her receding steps as she walked away.She was face to face with the most stunning man she had ever seen,piercing blue eyes, chiseled features and a smile that could charm the pants off her, she took her eyes of him and pretended to be observing his office,and eventually looked at him again blinking, at the sheer masculine beauty sitting in front of her, he exudes confidence, power,grace,arrogance,wealth and seduction all at once,she squared up and looked more determined to mask her shameless admiration as he was carefully observing her.

"Ms Taylor"he said firmly but politely "what can I do for you?" She smiled and answered "I'm here to ask you about your fast and rapid business growth if you don't