The Billionaire's Game

Asher refuses to go to school again and we've been parked in the drop-off zone for over five minutes. I try to coax him out with my sweetest voice, "Ash baby, talk to me, what's wrong?"

He pouts, his arms crossed, looking out the window. "I don't want to go to school today. I want to come to the bakery with you."

I sigh, frustrated. This is the second time he's refused to go to school this week, and it's only Tuesday.

I offer a compromise. "If Cole is still bothering you, I could come meet your teacher."

He shakes his head, his messy brown hair flying. "No, don't do that!" His big blue eyes plead with me.

I try another tactic. "Okay, how about this? I'll have your favorite cupcake and milkshake ready when you're back from school, but you won't get it if you don't go."

He drops his arm, his pout deepening. "Okay," he says softly. "I'll go."

I breathe a sigh of relief and watch him climb out of the car and join the stream of students heading into school. He's growing up so fast, almost four feet tall at just 5 years old. He turns back to wave at me before disappearing into the crowd of kids. I drive away, praying that no incidents occur today and that he finally stands up to the kid bullying him, though I know Asher isn't violent – mischievous, yes, but not violent.

As I arrive at the bakery, the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries fills the air, mingling with the hum of mixers and the chatter of customers. It's the morning rush, and I'm late. Mom is at the counter, expertly piping a border of chocolate ganache onto a tray of cupcakes. She looks up as I walk through the door. "Finally," she exhaled. "What happened?"

I tie on my apron and explain, "Asher refused to go to school again." She looks concerned. "Again? He's usually excited about going to school. If he's reluctant now, it must be pretty bad." I nod in agreement. "I know. I'll find a time to go see his teacher."

Just then, Mom mentions that my father was there earlier, which raises my suspicions. "What did he want?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at her. "Just came to get coffee and muffins," she replied. I press her for more information. "You're sure it's just that?" She shrugs. "He wanted some money too."

I'm pissed. "The hell. What for?" I ask, but she doesn't respond. I study her curly brown hair and warm brown eyes – Asher looks just like her. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was hers. Her eyes soften. "Mum," I exclaim in disbelief. "We talked about this." I sighed

"I know,I know. He promised he won't come back again"

I scoffed. That's a lie and she knows it.

I know my father,he's just taking advantage of her. He knows how soft mum is,that she'd cave regardless,that's why he keeps coming back - especially when I'm not around cause he knows I won't let her.

"stop being foolish Emily, that boy will be back" Nana,my mother's mum says coming out of the kitchen.

She always refer to my father as 'that boy' because in her words,he isn't fit to be called a man.

My mother doesn't respond,she leaves to go assist our other waitress.

"Hey nana" I greet her. Didn't get to see her this morning cause as usual,she leaves early to come bake the morning batch.

"Hey baby girl" she comes close to hug me,smelling of cinnamon and vanilla,her signature scent,my favorite scent.

I can't believe my father would come to the bakery, knowing he's not supposed to ask for money. And now, he's put Mom in a difficult position. I'm frustrated and worried about how this will affect our finances.

As I head back to work, I notice a familiar face in the crowd - Cole's mother, Mrs. Johnson. She's standing in line, waiting to buy some pastries. I feel a surge of anxiety, wondering if she's here to cause trouble.

As Mrs. Johnson approaches the counter, I try to stay professional and friendly. "Good morning! What can I get for you today?"

She smiles sweetly, but I can sense a hint of condescension. "Just a few pastries, dear. And by the way, how's Asher doing?"

I try to keep my cool, knowing she's just trying to stir up trouble. "He's doing well, thanks for asking."

She raises an eyebrow. "Really? I heard he's been having some issues at school."

I force a smile, trying not to engage. "Just the usual adjustment problems, nothing serious."

She nods, but I can tell she's not convinced. "Well, if you ever need any advice on how to handle a difficult child, I'm always here to help."

I grit my teeth, trying not to respond to the jab. "Thank you, Mrs. Johnson. I'll keep that in mind."

"Don't talk to my grand baby like that" Nana comes to my defense.

Mrs. Johnson smiles tightly,greets Nana and leaves in a haste without replying.

"You shouldn't let them talk to you like that, Emma," she caution for the 100th time. "Else they'll never stop"

I know what she means. It's being this way since I came back to the town pregnant with Asher. I became the town's model, "don't be like Emma" they warned their kids, "that's what happens when you go around sleeping with men instead of focusing on your studies" they say.

It's been over five years now and still they don't let it go.

I decide to focus on my work,putting the thought aside. The morning rush is intense, with a long line of customers waiting to buy our freshly baked bread and pastries. I work efficiently, taking orders and handling payments with a smile.

As the morning slows down, I take a short break to grab a cup of coffee and chat with Mom. "Hey, are you okay?" I ask, noticing her worried expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replies. "Just a bit stressed. I need to tell you something" she say, her voice low and serious.

"What is it mum?"

Just then the door swung open and a man walks in. He's new; i know this because I haven't seen this face before. He looks out of place,like he doesn't belong here.

He's tall, broad-shoulders with piercing blue eyes and a strong jawline. His dark blonde hair is stylishly messy, and his tailored suit accentuated his fit physique.

He smiles at my mom, "Hello Emily,I'm Jason Wells" he stretches his hand for a handshake,mom grabs it

I'm curious,who is this man?,what business does he have with my mother.

"Oh hi,Jason...this is my daughter,Emma" mum says to him,then turns back to me. "Emma,this is Jason Wells, He's-"

My phone rings interrupting mum.

It's the school. Asher's been in a fight and they need me to come right away.

My heart sinks, i quickly tell mum in her ears then dash out the door,Jason Wells totally forgotten,replaced with Asher. It's only when I'm in my car driving off that I realize that mum never got to tell me what he was coming for.

As I walk into the bakery, I'm immediately struck by the warm and inviting atmosphere. The sweet aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air,and the sound of friendly chatter and clinking cups create a cozy ambiance.

I spot Emily the owner,standing beside her,a younger version of her.

"Hello Emily" I smile trying to sound suave.

My eyes lingering on the lady beside her,she's slim,and pretty,probably 5'5 or 5'6,with a dark brown,shoulder length wavy hair and dark green eyes. Her heart-shaped face and high cheekbones gave her a striking appearance.

"oh hi Jason," she says smiling back "this is my daughter Emma" nodding her head towards the lady beside her. "Emma,this is Jason Wells," she says to her. "He's - " She's interrupted by the ringing of a phone. It's Emma's phone.

She pick it briefly,then whispers something to her mum and leaves without a second glance at me.

"I'm sorry about that," Emily apologies once she's gone. "It's my grandson,there's a problem at school."

Of course, she is married. "No problem" I smile warmly.

"Let's go into my office and talk"

"Sure," I say following her into the office.

As we sit down,I can't help but notice the family photos to on the wall, showcasing Emma's growth from a little girl to the beautiful woman I just met. There's also one of a little toothless boy,a striking image of both Emily and Emma,presumably the grandson.

"So my company reached out to you few weeks ago," I start and she nods.

"We're interested in discussing a business opportunity with you, Emily"

"Yes they mentioned that. What exactly do you want?" She asked her eyes narrowing slightly.

"A potential partnership"

She raised an eyebrow, "what kind of partnership?"

"We'd like to invest in your bakery,help you expand and modernize. In return,we'll take a 50% stake in the business"

She chuckled as though I cracked a joke. "50%?"

Of course I didn't expect her to give in easily.

"I know you're struggling" I play my first card " we can help you, bring in new capital,new ideas,and a fresh perspective. Together we can take this bakery to new heights" I say smiling.

She looks at me disgusted,I just know I just played dirty.

"Mr. Wells," she starts

"Jason, please" I beam a smile

"Jason, I appreciate your interest,but no,I'm not interested,thank you very much for stopping by" she begins to get up dismissing me.

I smile. Challenge accepted. I didn't get to where I am on the corporate ladder by backing down from a challenge. My business acumen and strategic thinking all came from a ruthless determination.

"This is a golden opportunity Emily,you should at least take a look at the proposal. Your bakery is in the heart of the city,if not me,then someone else will definitely come for it,and they may not be as nice as I am" I say still seated.

"What are you implying?" She asked

"I'm not implying anything,I'm just stating facts"

I'm not the only one that has eyes on Nana's Sweet treats (Em's bakery),if I don't secure the deal,my reputation and business empire will suffer.

My competitors will pounce on the opportunity ,and I'll be seen as weak.

"Thank you very much for your concern but we're comfortable the way we are now" she said

"Comfortable? Emily you're barely scraping by. You need an influx of capital and expertise to compete with the big players. I can offer that."

She moves to the door and opens it.

"Thank you for stopping by Mr. Wells,you may leave now"

"Sure" I get up "thank you for having me Mrs. Wilson"

"It's Ms" she corrects.

"Oh,sorry, Ms Wilson" I nod heading out.

As I walk out of the bakery,I can't help but feel a sense of frustration.

I can't help thinking about my father's words: " always get what you want, no matter the cost."

He was a ruthless man who built his empire through mergers and acquisitions. I learnt from him,but I also know that sometimes you need to be more strategic and calculating.

I know I'll be back,and next time I won't be so polite.

Just as I'm about to step off the curb,my phone rings. It's Rachel my assistant, I had asked her to run a thorough background check on the Wilsons. I hope she has good news.

"Jason,I've got something," she says "Emma's past is complicated," she paused and I can sense a hint of intrigue in her voice "I can't say it over the phone,you need to see it for yourself,I'm sending it right away"

Immediately I get a ping on my phone,and i open the file Rachel sent.

My eyes scan the content and a sly smile spreads across my face. This is the leverage I need. Card number two, and maybe my last card. Checkmate, Emily.

I drive to the school as fast as I can,my mind racing with worries about Asher. I've always been protective of him and thoughts of him getting into a fight at school made my heart ache.

He was struggling in school,I knew that,and no matter I tried to deny it that I could handle it all on my own,it was right there. Asher clearly needed a father figure in his life and there was nothing I could do about that.

I arrive at the school, feeling a sense of trepidation I hope everything is okay with Asher.

As I enter the classroom, I see Asher's teacher, Mrs. Thompson, sitting at her desk. She smiles kindly and gestures for me to take a seat.

"Asher's been having some trouble with Cole again," she explains. "But this time, it's gotten physical. Cole pushed Asher on the playground, and Asher retaliated by pushing him back."

I feel a surge of concern. "Is Asher okay?"

Mrs. Thompson nods. "Yes, he's fine. But we need to address this behavior. Asher's been having trouble standing up for himself, and it's leading to problems like this."

I nod, understanding. "I'll talk to him, and we'll work on building his confidence. But what about Cole? He's been bullying Asher for months now. Can't we do something about that?"

Mrs. Thompson sighs. "I know, it's a tricky situation. But we're working on it. In the meantime, let's focus on helping Asher develop some coping strategies."

I leave the meeting feeling determined. I'll do whatever it takes to help Asher feel safe and confident at school.

As I pick Asher up from school, he looks up at me with big, worried eyes. "Mommy, I got in trouble today."

I hug him tight. "It's okay, baby. We'll work through this together. And remember, you always have the right to stand up for yourself."

He nods, looking a bit more confident. And I know that together, we'll get through this tough spot.

I take him back to the bakery with me, and while he sits with nana enjoying a vanilla milkshake and cookies, I head into Mum's office.

"So, Jason Wells," I begin

"Yes,Jason Wells," she exhaled,her expression weary

I give her a puzzled look, "is there anything I should know about?"

She sighs,her shoulder slumping. "It's the bakery, Em,we're losing our capital,with the rate things are going,we might run out of business before the end of the year"

I'm shocked,my mind racing with the implications "And Jason Wells?" I press,my voice firm

"He came with a proposal for a partnership" she reveals, her eyes avoiding mine.

"What?! Mum!" I exclaim,my voice rising "How long has this being happening? Why didn't you tell me"

"Shh keep your voice down" she shout whispers "you don't want to rattle the workers,plus, your grandma doesn't know"

"Nana doesn't know?!" I shout-whisper back

"Yes" she says firmly "what would you have me tell her huh? that the business she handed over to me is about to collapse"

She sighs. Her eyes filled with a mix of worry and defeat. "I didn't want to burden you Em, you have a lot to deal with already,Ash,your other job at the bar,you barely even have time for yourself,you're going through so much already"

I sigh too. "Still mum,you should have said something,I can't begin to imagine the burden you had to carry alone."

I take a sit in the chair, thinking.

"So what is Jason Wells offering?" I ask my mind racing in doubt

"Oh I'm not even considering it." Mum says her voice firm. "He wants 50% of everything, can you believe it?"

"50%!" I exclaim my eyes widening in shock " Christ that's a lot"

"I know,told him we'd do fine on our own," Mom says, her expression indignant.

"he knows we're struggling,can you believe it?,how do this people even get hold of such information"

I shrug, wondering the same thing.

"50%, that's not a partnership,that's a takeover. I know his type. All smooth talk and at the end, grab everything from right under your nose,leaving you with nothing."

Mum nods vigorously, "Exactly. He even insinuated if not him,another person would come and they may not be as nice as him"

I sneer.

"Apparently we're hot stuff now" mum jokes drily.

"We need to come up with a plan mum,we can't let Jason or anyone else push us around"

Mum nods. Her face sets in determination.

I take a deep breath,my mind racing with ideas. "Okay,let's think this through. What are our options? We can't just sit back and let Jason Wells take control of our bakery"

mum nods again,then her eyes sparkle, " we need to come up with a counteroffer. Something that will make him think twice about trying to take us over"

I nod,my mind already racing with possibilities . "I've got it. What if we offer him a smaller percentage, say 20%,that way,we still maintain control,but he gets a stake in the bakery"

Mum's face lights up in excitement.

"That's perfect, Em! And can give him a seat on the board,so he feels like he's got a way in the decision-making process"

I grin,feeling a sense of hope for the first time in hours.

But Mum's excitement dwindles,her expression clouding over.

"What is it again mum?" I ask noticing her concern.

She shrugs,her shoulder slumping "I just can't believe it's gotten to this...losing so much capital that we need help from outside."

I try to reassure her "It's not your fault mum. These things happen okay?"

She nods, drained

"And we don't have to do it. We have other options. We could apply for more loan,or they nana...,I'm sure she has savings that she'd be willing to give us to save the business. If anything,I'm sure she'll be strongly against the idea of us partnering with anyone"

Mum gives me a thoughtful glance. "Em, I'm not sure Nana has such an amount of savings," Mum says, her face creased with worry.

"Then the bank?" she averts her gaze. "Mum?" I call firmly.

"We don't have many options, Em," she says sadly. "The bank called last week. They're foreclosing on the bakery. We have 60 days to pay off the loan... or we lose everything."

I feel like I've been punched in the gut.

"That goes without saying, we need Jason Wells'" I say, trying to hide the desperation in my voice.

Mum nods reluctantly. "I know, dear. But I don't trust him. He's got an ulterior motive, I can feel it."

I take a deep breath. "We don't have a choice, Mum. We have to try." And with that and ask for his number and pick up the phone, hoping against hope that he'll be willing to help us... and not make things worse. As the phone rings, I can feel my heart racing with anxiety. What will he say? Will he help us? Or will he twist the knife even further?

And then, his voice answers on the other end of the line... "Jason Wells speaking." I take a deep breath and launch into my plea... but as I speak, I realize that I'm not sure if I'm making a deal with a savior... or a devil in disguise.