In Love With Mr. Billionaire - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke up before my usual time but stayed in my room. After last night's event, where my dad had made a brilliant spectacle of me, I didn't wish to face him. Nor would he want me to.
The little clock on my bedside table indicated I was going to be late for work but that was something I could deal with. Mike was an amazing boss and though he disliked unpunctuality, he would understand my concern.
Once I heard the car move out of the driveway, I hurried out of my room. Sitting inside my room since dawn, as the night before had played itself again in my head in the form of a horrible nightmare and woke me up, I had lost my appetite. Now for some reason, as dad's car turned around the left corner, I felt famished.
Making my way to the kitchen where our househelp, Jane, was putting whatever was left of the breakfast in the refrigerator, I grabbed a sandwich and stuffed it in my mouth. Jane smiled at the act and served me another one, pairing it with a slice of cake.
"You're late for breakfast," she said, pouring a glass of orange juice for me.
"Woke up late," I lied. "This is delicious, by the way," I pointed at the sandwich that was already nearing its end.
Noticing how she was pouring another glass of orange juice and putting it on a serving tray, I asked, "who's that for?"
The question was answered the next moment when I heard Lahaina enter the kitchen with a frown on her perfectly trimmed brows, "what's taking you so long?" she chided Jane. The househelp tensed with her presence and quickly went to her with the juice.
"Did my dress arrive?" She asked, picking up the glass and taking a sip.
"Not yet, Ms Lahaina," Jane informed her.
"Then go get it, you fool! I need it before evening!" She shouted at her. Screaming and shouting over people without any apparent reason was a norm in this house.
Jane gave her a timid nod and went out of the kitchen. Watching me have my breakfast, Lahaina came towards me. She placed her now empty glass on the table and folded her arms across her chest. Having no intention of starting a conversation, I stayed silent and waited for her to speak.
For the initial few seconds, she said nothing. I took the last bite of my cake and went around her to put the dishes away in the sink. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her turn around and lean against the kitchen counter. "We have to attend a party tonight so come early from that little cafe of yours," Lahaina said with an eye roll.
"You're all going to a party?"
"Are you hard of hearing? Did you not hear me say 'we'"? She said, irritated.
"Your 'we' usually doesn't include me." I put away the dishes and washed my hand, turning to face her.
Lahaina was a few inches taller than me. With her beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes and body that would put models to shame, she was every man's dream. Add in the confidence and excellent social skills and it was no surprise that men were always after her. On the other hand, I could hardly stop myself from judging my reflection in front of a mirror.
"I didn't want to include you. It's just that an old friend of dad who could potentially be his new business associate wanted to meet both of his daughters," she twisted her mouth in disgust while saying the word 'both'.
"Alright," I told her. Because of his business and dealings with other business people, dad was always attending formal parties and get-togethers. Lahaina and Juliea were always with him, helping him create more connections and meet new people. He never took me along. Never felt the need to. As I was the daughter that he was ashamed of.
After all these years, I still fail to understand why he hates me as much as he does. Lahaina, even though not his biological daughter, was the apple of his eye. I don't know what I had done to earn his loathe.
"Don't forget the jewelry today," she instructed, following me out of the kitchen. "I have to impress someone."
I glanced at her to see the brightest smile displayed on her lips. "New boyfriend?" I asked.
"Nah. Someone really important is going to be at that party. Dad wants me to lure him because once I get him, he could help our company reach new heights." She said excitedly.
It was no surprise that she was willing to get involved with someone just for their wealth. Money has been the basis of all her past relationships and by the looks of it, it wasn't going to change anytime soon. Juliea supported her for the same and dad would be the happiest whenever Lahaina would get a new rich man as it gave him a chance at manipulating the guy to invest in his business. I never understood the importance of money in his life, nor the reason why he could love the inanimate dollars but not me.
"And who is that someone?" I asked, uninterested.
"Aaron Woodwords," she declared.
I had heard about the man. He was one of the top richest guys in the world at the moment. The tabloids have declared him the most eligible bachelor but that didn't stop the rumors of him being one of the most arrogant and ruthless businessmen. Lahaina clearly cared more about the former and had no worries about the latter.
I would have warned her about getting involved with someone who had as bad of a reputation, with women and also otherwise, as that man; but I knew, anything I said would fall on deaf ears. So, I kept my mouth shut and gave her a short nod.
"You've got nothing to say about him? Have you ever seen him?" She asked, a little surprised by the lack of a reaction.
"No, but I've heard of him," I said as a matter of fact.
"Oh God, you're pathetic. He is literally perfect!"
"Good for you," I hurried towards the doors. Lahaina had stayed back home today to look perfect—intending to grab the attention of her perfect man—for the evening but I still had to go to work. I was already late and the conversation with her had delayed it further. If Mike fired me today, it would totally make sense.
Since after last evening I was forbidden to even touch any of dad's belongings, I took a cab to work. Reaching the cafe, I was about to dash through the doors and beg Mike to not fire me, when I saw the commotion outside.
Mike was locking the doors from outside. The lights inside the cafe were off. The sign on the door was turned to CLOSED. I spotted Nadia standing between the swarm of the cafe employees and made my way to her.
"What's going on?" My voice startled her. She turned to look at me, then sighed.
"We're all fired," she stared at Mike as he locked the cafe and turned around to address his ex-employees.
"I'm sorry it had to happen this sudden. I got the notice only a few hours ago. You all were wonderful to work with. I hope you find better jobs at better places," said Mike. He shook hands with a few of us and went away.
I stood there clueless as everyone else started to go away. What was going on? Just a few minutes late to work, for the first time ever, and the world has collapsed? With a hundred questions in my head, I started with the most obvious one.
"What the hell just happened?"
"Okay so," Nadia said, turning to face me as the crowd scattered away, "have you heard of Aaron Woodwords?"
That was the second time I was hearing that name in one day. It wasn't a good sign. I nodded.
"He bought the place."
"He- what? Why?" My eyes went wide in shock.
"I wish we could ask him that," Nadia shook her head in dismay.
Everyone had walked away. Nadia and I were the only ones left outside the cafe. I stared at the CLOSED sign at the door. Working at this cafe were the best hours of my days. Not only did it give me time away from my family, but it also gave me an amazing friend in the form of Nadia. I loved working here. This place was like a few hours of heaven in the hell my life was.
"Isn't he unbelievably rich? What would he get with this little cafe?"
"Not just this cafe, Caroline, he bought up all the buildings in a four-block perimeter," Nadia said and my mouth dropped open.
I looked around myself and it was only then I realized the street was quieter than usual. The store next to our cafe had a similar 'closed' sign hanging at the door. A lot of other buildings appeared to be deserted. Just a day and the whole place had transformed for the worse.
"We'll find better jobs, Caro," Nadia said, pulling me towards the parking where her car was parked. It was her father's old Toyota that he had given to her when she moved to New York.
"I don't think so. It took a lot to convince dad to allow me to work here. He's either going to tell me to work at his company or not work at all," I told her, already dreading that conversation with him. "You, on the other hand, are going to ace that interview and land your dream job."
Just a month ago, Nadia had applied at Johnson Technologies for a job. I have always been amazed by her exceptional computer skills and was elated when she told me about finally putting them to good use. She got the interview call only a few days ago.
"I can try to convince your dad," Nadia offered with such enthusiasm that it made me crack up. As much as she hated them, she loved interacting with them. The interaction usually involved her calling them out for their behavior, them threatening her for that and her having the last word, inevitably, disregarding all those threats like she never heard them in the first place. However, dad was a resourceful and powerful man, who could cause a lot of harm to her life and career. Since she had no care for her own safety, it always came down to me to keep her away from them.
"No need for that, Nadia," I said, getting in her car.
"Also, working for Johnson Tech is not my dream job."
It's not? I always thought she wanted to design softwares at a good company. "Then what is?"
"I'll tell you when I finally get there," she gave me a radiant smile, "why didn't you bring your car?"
That question sent me a very embarrassing and regretful trip down memory lane. Even with all the things happening around me since that incident, the memories of the day before were still fresh in my head. If only I could go back in time and punch myself for being an idiot.
"I'll tell you on the way," I sighed. Nadia was probably going to be mad at me for what I did but I needed to share it with her. "By the way, where are we going?"
"Getting coffee then crying about our lives," she said with a smile.
"Sounds like a great plan."
For the next few hours, Nadia and I went around the city, doing nothing, in particular, just celebrating our first day of unemployment. We were sitting inside a little burger shop—one that I've been a regular to since I was a kid—when I told her about the car accident that I had caused the previous day.
At first, she gave no reaction, claiming my actions of the previous day to be unlike me, something I would never do. I had to give her the confirmation twice before she believed me.
Nadia gave out an audible gasp at that. I had expected this reaction and was waiting for her to scold me for my actions but instead, she stopped munching on her fries and sat back in her chair in utter disappointment.
It was seconds later when I got to know her disappointment wasn't in me but herself, for missing the 'historic' incident for a stupid birthday party. I had to remind her that the 'stupid birthday party' was her own birthday party but the dismayed look on her face did not change.
After lunch, we went to pick Lahaina's jewelry. Nadia was particularly excited to tag along with me, wanting to see the crime scene for herself. Never in these three years of friendship have I ever seen her more excited for anything.
Back home, I went directly to Lahaina to deliver her precious jewels. "You're early," she commented, taking the boxes and opening them to check if the jewels were still in place, unharmed.
"Your Aaron Woodwords bought the whole area," I told her. 'Bought the whole area', I repeated the phrase in my head and let out a little chuckle. It sounded ridiculous when I said it out loud and even more absurd when repeated in my head.
What does it feel like waking up in the morning one day and randomly deciding to just buy a whole area? That was a lot of power and authority. Something that I had no intention of experiencing ever and no intention of associating myself with someone who had that kind of influence. Apparently, with the sudden attention to my words and the sparkle in my step-sister's eyes, it was evident that Lahaina was looking forward to it.
"Was he there? Did you see him?" she asked, disregarding the jewels like they never mattered to her in the first place.
"No. He wasn't there," I told her and, instantly, she lost interest in me. With the job done and nothing else to talk about, I was about to take my leave when Lahaina spoke again, looking at me through the mirror.
"Dress up nicely!" she said, more like ordered, "we don't want people there to think we brought our housemaid along, now do we?" She gave me a sarcastic smile.
"I'll try," I replied to her with a similar smile.
I had never been to one of dad's formal parties. From whatever I had heard of them and from things that I had read about them in the newspapers, they were like a different world where I didn't belong. With all the influential people who gathered there only to improve their social standing, giving out fake compliments and pity smiles, I was grateful to never have been forced to be a part of it.
Considering my social skills were as good as that of a stranded human in an alien civilization, I had no idea how I was going to manage through the evening. Dreading the mass human interaction, I went to my bathroom for a relaxing shower. Nadia would be here soon.
The lack of interest in formal get-togethers explained the lack of an evening gown—one that would be appropriate for Lahaina's and dad's reputation—in my cupboard. I had asked Nadia to bring me one of hers. It was not like she had ever attended a formal gathering or was going to in the near future, but her habit of buying pretty things even though knowing she was never going to use them in her life ever, had resulted in a few very beautiful dresses in her closet. It was very sweet of her to lend one of them to me.
Close to two hours later, I was all dolled up sitting in front of my mirror. Nadia was helping me tame my hair that has decided to go rogue at the most undesirable time.
"Perfect!" Nadia placed the last pin to fix the bun on my head and stepped back, admiring her hard work.
"You're very pretty, Caro," she complimented, with a genuine smile.
"And you're very skilled, Nadia." My reflection watching me through the glass wall looked like a different person. I was not very great with makeup, not very fond of it, and hence I was used to my usual bare face. The person sitting inside the mirror did share my face but the slight highlights in my features—unconventionally known as Nadia magic—had modified my entire face. I admitted I looked pretty.
"I know and you're very lucky to have me," she flattered herself. I indeed was.
"Just make sure you don't kill any men at the party." She hit my arm, playfully, as I stood to my full height and I gave out a hearty laugh.
I gave a last look at myself in the mirror and went out to the foyer where Lahaina would be joining me to go to the party. Dad and Juliea had already left an hour before.
It wasn't long when Lahaina appeared at the stairs. Her eyes first went to Nadia, automatically forcing her to twist her mouth in disgust. The reaction was welcomed by my friend with her whole heart and a wide smile. Next, Lahaina looked at me. The look of disgust on her face remained and a frown was added to it to make her dislike more obvious.
"You clearly didn't try hard enough to avoid the housemaid thing, did you, Caroline?" She said as she took careful steps down the staircase.
Having no context, Nadia gave me a confused look. I kept my eyes on Lahaina and shrugged, "I couldn't do better."
"Of course, you couldn't. You look awful," she came to stand in front of me.
"Is that what you said to the mirror?" Nadia asked, drawing Lahaina's attention to her.
"You don't get to speak in my house, cafe girl," Lahaina told Nadia, then gave me a look, "did she get you that hideous dress? Because that would explain a lot."
It was a beautiful turquoise dress that hugged my figure to the waist then flowed to the ground in an elegant wave. The lace-covered bodice and sleeves gave it an ethereal look. I had fallen in love with it the instant Nadia showed it to me.
"Explain exactly what?" Nadia asked. If I didn't know her better, I would think it was a serious question she needed answers to. "That you don't have friends to bring beautiful clothes to you? Or that you don't have friends at all?"
Lahaina glared at her with pressing anger. Instead of talking to her head-on, she turned to me, "you shouldn't associate yourself with low class people like her. They're a bad influence."
Contrary to Lahaina's beliefs, I have never met a high-class person who was not a total brat. Money influences people in the worst way possible and sometimes, no matter how hard one tries, once people acquire wealth, they become ignorant of others' sufferings. Just like my own dad. He had never been an ideal dad for me but it was the lust for money that had made him the person he was today.
I was not going to reply to Lahaina but Nadia—always wanting the last word—had other plans. "I'd say the same for you, Lahaina, but unfortunately, she is related to you so getting rid of you is kinda hard. Though I can arrange a way," Nadia smiled to herself at the last part and it made me wonder what the way was.
Lahaina was fuming in anger and my lovely friend paid no attention to her. Instead she turned to me to give me a hug. "Have fun," she said with a smile and, "don't bother her," she warned my step-sister.
I walked after Nadia outside the house where a car was waiting to escort Lahaina and I to the venue. Getting inside, I had to wait for almost ten minutes before Lahaina joined me. The ride was silent but the air inside the car was tense, given Lahaina's bad mood after the incident.
I looked out at the busy streets flooded with colorful lights, lost in my own thoughts. How am I going to survive the night? There was no one I was acquainted with. My family had a totally different plan and the thought of spending hours among the top executives and overly successful businessmen, sitting alone and sipping a drink made me want to jump out of the car.
Reaching the destination, I chided myself for not actually jumping out. The place was surrounded with media reporters and journalists, lining outside the entrance. I took a deep breath and stepped out after Lahaina.
The night event had not started yet and I wanted it to end already.