Ruin The Billionaire

Jake’s POV

I watched with a smile as Lilith walked out of the bar. Johnny had been right. She wasn’t half as bad as I thought. She was actually really great company. If I had enjoyed her company when she hated me, how it be if she liked me. I realised that bastard Johnny had enjoyed his time with her. It was probably why he felt so guilty for betraying her.

“You’re smiling.”

“Shut up, Cory.”

After Lilith was gone, Cory reminded the actors to honour the agreement they had signed and released them.

“You seemed to enjoy your time with that woman,” Cory said when everyone was gone. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re in love.”

What was with everybody making me laugh by saying the most ridiculous things that day? First Lilith, and now my own head of security.

“Why would you think so?” I was curious.

“You seemed really happy around her. In fact, now you are in the best mood you’ve been in since the week began. You say you hate her, but I didn’t see any sign of hate when you two were conversing. Besides, no one smiles like that after a conversation with their nemesis.”

“She just said some ridiculous things I found funny, that’s all.”

“If Michael Strong did the same, would you be laughing happily?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Anyway I’ve had enough of this crazy day. Let’s go. I’m sure my crazy mother has already arrived. On second thought, why don’t we stay so we can find her asleep? I don’t feel like dealing with her pretentiousness today.”

Cory decided to sit down next to me. “Do you think it was a good idea, calling her back? After what I saw tonight, I don’t think you really want to destroy this young woman’s life. Your mother knows destruction more than anyone. Miss Hellman won’t be able to show her face in society once Mrs. Rylland is done with her.”

One thing I liked about Cory was his intellect and intuition. It was why he was no longer just my head of security and right hand man. He had become my best friend. When I had no idea what to do, it was him I went to because he always knew the best of course of action.

When I invited my mother, I had been extremely furious. Now that I had got to know Lilith better, my anger had reduced. She didn’t seem like an evil villain anymore, but a woman trying to survive and make a name in a harsh world. She didn’t have the connections or resources I did to pave way for her. She was creating her future by herself.

My mother was known for doing the worst things to destroy people. It was why I had called her, because she would know how to take down anyone. A part of me didn’t want my mother to go after Lilith anymore.

But I couldn’t send her away easily again. I was going to bear with her for a while. Deep down, she had a heart. One had to look thoroughly to find it but I was sure it existed. She would be hurt if I just disposed of her because I didn’t need her anymore. If not, she’d be angry, and her anger was worse than pain.

“Well, I’ll sleep on it. By tomorrow, I’d have figured out whether to allow my mother to interfere or not.”

Cory and I stayed in the bar for one more hour before leaving. When I got to my house, I entered, dreading the sight of my mother.

“Is my mother sleeping?” I asked the maid.

She shook her head. “Mrs. Rylland said she’s going out with her friends. Told me to wait up because she might return late.”

I sighed. Typical of her. Why did I even think she would be waiting impatiently for her son? She still cared only about herself. I realised she was never going to change and maybe it was high time I got used to it.

What bothers me is why narcissists even have children. You know you’re not going to love them the way they deserve. Why have them at all?

“Okay,” I said.

Just then I heard a car come in. it was her. It had to be.

“Tell her that I’m already asleep,” I said, quickly heading to the stairs. I hurried to my room and locked it. A drunk Carrie Rylland was worse than a sober one. I didn’t want to deal with that considering I was already regretting my decision to call her back. What was I going to do?

Quickly undressing, I let water fill up in my tub then stepped. A few minutes later, I heard a knock on my door.

“Jake, dear. Are you already asleep?”

I stayed silent as a graveyard.

“Baby, I missed you so much. Oh, what am I saying, he’s probably asleep already.”

I heard her heels hitting the floor as she moved away. Then suddenly, she shouted. “Maid.”

I sighed. What had I done?

That night I could barely sleep. I thought about Lilith. I thought about my mother, my reputation and also Heather.

I had brought back two woman I didn’t want around me. How could one day go so wrong. I remembered that my mother liked Heather.

Having them both around me was a recipe for disaster. How could I sleep, knowing that?

The smell of pancakes hit me as soon as I opened the door. Mother. she used to make those a lot when I was younger but eventually stopped when she joined a group of ‘cool’ mothers, a group of women with older kids who spent their time spending their rich husbands’ money shopping, going on cruises and all that.

The husbands did not seem to mind as their attention turned to numerous mistresses that accompanied them on business trips, vacations, to clubs. Basically everyone was happy, and the marriage remained intact for society’s sake. It was the children that suffered, as I had.

“Darling,” my mother said cheerfully when I entered the kitchen. She was wearing a light blue apron over her dark blue dress. She came and hugged me. “There’s my handsome boy. How are you?”

“I’m okay,” I said. “Good to see you.”

I wasn’t lying. I hated my mother but a part of me was glad to see her. There was a warmness developing in my heart towards her.

“I’m so happy that you called me. We’re going to have breakfast and then we will talk about why you asked me to come.”

I had resolved not to tell her that I wanted revenge on Lilith. I would just claimed to have missed her so much. It was possible that she would not buy it but it would protect Lilith from her wrath.

My phone rang. It was Cory.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Cory.”

“Have you seen the article?” he asked.

“What article?”

“She wrote about you again.”

“Damn it, what’s wrong that woman?” I said. Lilith really made it impossible to like her. “Send me the link.”

“Done. Check your WhatsApp.”

I turned and walked out of the kitchen.

“Where are you going? Breakfast is ready.”

“I’m right here. I just want to check something.”

I opened the blog article. Is Jake Rylland Obsessed With Being The Golden Boy?

The article was not very long, and wasn’t as negative as earlier posts but it was still irritating.

“A lot of you have been saying I’m obsessed with Jake Rylland. But, could he be the one with a secret obsession? Some of you have told me to stop writing about but Jake Rylland keeps giving me reasons to write about him. So, tell me, how can I stop.

Yesterday I met Jake…” she proceeded to write about how I rented a bar and actors to make it seem like any usual night. How I claimed she was obsessed with me. By the end of the article, the anger that had vanished the night before was back, this time even stronger than before. I was angry at myself for ever trusting her, and thinking she was a good person. She was still the greedy reporter willing to write about anything as long as it brought her fame and money. Lilith Hellman did not deserve mercy from me. She deserved to be destroyed.

“Jake,” my mother called. “Are you done, now?”

I stood up and went to the dining room where my mother had set up everything. “Smells good,” I said, inhaling the delicious scents from everything she had prepared.

“Only the best for my son,” she said.

I hadn’t realised I was starving until I sat down and started downing everything on the table. My mother watched me with a big smile of her face. She seemed truly happy, and I decided not to read too much into it because I would end up concluding it was fake, even though it wasn’t.

“You asked me why I reached out to you,” I said when the dishes had been cleared away. “Do you know Lilith Hellman?”

“The woman who has been gossiping about you? Of course I do, and I don’t like what’s she’s doing to you.”

“She’s the reason I called you.”

“Oh.”

“I want you to shut her up. Cory will give you all the information you need about her.”

My mother smiled. “That’s easy. I will do it.”

“Thank you, mother.”

“No, thank you for trusting me, and calling me in a time of need. I’m happy to know that I still matter in your life.”

“Alright. I’ll leave now, before this gets awkward.”

“Good idea.”