The Unloved Billionaires And I

The last few days I have been more like living, not that I could focus or feel anything. I was more like a walking corpse, seeing while I walked but not taking cognizance of things around me.

Sometimes I walked down the road, totally forgetting I could easily be hit by cars flitting by until a shitty driver would honk fiercely and threw some invective at me. I am just a shadow of myself.

True to her words, Irene has been supportive the best she can. She held my hands at day and cuddled me to sleep at night. She helped me get a lawyer to file the divorce papers and helped me to avoid the asshole, Reyes.

Of course, he did try to get to me through my father. All the same, I avoided their both calls. They can both go fuck themselves. None of them actually feel anything for me. To them, I was a means to an end. So now that I am learning to stand up for myself, I have become a bad person.

Eventually, when I have gotten back to my feet after the divorce, life went back to normal. I avoided anything that would make me find myself in the same lane with my father and I have been working hard to get a job. Yeah, like a real job. Not the one I get to play nannies to arrogant selfish fathers, or fucken housewife to deceitful baggageful husband with icing of sex on top of it every night.

“Hey, you have been looking at that coffee for the last ten minutes, what’s the deal?” Irene slid into the next seat close to me at the kitchen in her house. I have been staying here for sometime now. To clear my head. I plan on getting my own place soon when I have accumulated enough salaries.

I bobbed my shoulder, circling my hand on the coffee cup more like a warmer. “I am… good!” I smiled sheepishly.

“I guess so…” She peered at her laptop, pushing out her lower lips as if deciding on something on the screen. After a second she flipped the laptop screen toward me. “Look at that,” I sneaked an amazing emerald ball gown on the screen. “I’m trying to decide if it would fit for the event this evening. I wouldn’t want to look anything… More like a wallflower. What do you think?”

She flashed me her beautiful summer eyes that always get to me. I beamed at her. “You know you will look exquisite in just anything, Irene…” She rolled her eyes eliciting a snicker from me, “I’m serious! People like you don’t need to put in the extra work. I think that’s for people like us,” I fondled with my fingers.

“Oh, just shut up and answer the damn question!” She pried.

“Fine… It’s gorgeous!” I told her wholeheartedly. The gown is elegant and would fit the party in mind. According to her, a business tycoon she met at a friend’s party, had liked her and invited her to this party for the lavidas in the society. I am delighted for her.

“So, now that we have what I will wear…” She flicked through the laptop, and then her eyes lit up, “I think this would suit!” She nudged it to me.

“Fit for what?” I asked, my eyes giving away the warmth towards the gown in question. It was a velvety sequin gown with shiny frills. Very beautiful indeed but would cost a fortune. Maybe I would have considered it while with Lucas or Reyes. But now, I will have to get paid probably five times to afford it.

“Fit for you, dear friend.”

I snapped my face to her. “Stop messing with me, Irene. You know I can’t go. I love the gown but you know…” my eyes fell to my hands.

She giggled. “I love it when you want something but always try to mask it.”

“I’m not masking anything. I can’t go.”

“Well, you are… This is an opportunity for us. Why do you think I did everything possible to secure our invite?”

“You didn’t tell me I was included.”

“Well, the last time I checked, you are single and ready to mingle…” she sang, throwing her arm in the air.

“I am not ready to mingle, Irene. I just suffered–”

“A divorce?” She bucked her shoulder quizzically. “Look, you are going through shit because of what those douchebags did to you, but think of it this way… What if they weren’t meant to be your happy ever after? Yeah, what if you needed to break up with them to reach him, huh?” Her arms were splayed out and I more than anyone knows better than to engage in an argument with her now. “So you see, you deserve a second chance and fuck am I letting you submerge yourself in the ocean of misery when you can be happy out there.”

I scoffed. “I’m not as strong as you are, Irene.”

“You are way stronger than I am, I can tell you that, Arya.”

“I told you I don’t want to hear that anymore.”Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

She scoffed. “Whatever! I am ordering the dress.”

“Even if I want to go along with this silky motion of yours, I don’t have the money for it… Look at the tag! $5000!”

She sniggered. “Relax, babe. I gat you covered!”

“Are you insane? You think I will let you spend that amount of money on me for only a damn dress?

She had a particular impish grin on her face.

“What?” I prodded

“He’s paying.”

I cocked my brow. “Who is paying?”

“The man in question. I told him I’m coming with you only in the condition that he pays for our clothing, down to the chauffeur that would bring us to the party. Relax my friend. There are men out there willing to pay to get a bit of this sugar…” She licked her lips with droopy eyes as she picked our cups and walked out. “Come on, let’s watch the tv before the dress arrives. Today is gonna be lit!”

“I just hope so…” I mumbled.

And just as I envisaged, I was having a rough day at the party. Not only were the class of people here of the top echelon in the society, they were snobbish. I was hiding throughout in fear that I would meet someone from my past. I almost considered leaving but thanks to my dear friend_who was having the best moment of her time in the arms of her gentleman, she pinned me with her eyes as though suspecting what I had in mind.

I tapped my hand mindlessly on the champagne glass in my hand from the corner I was concealed, taking in everybody at the party. I didn’t notice someone coming up behind me until it was too late.

At the clear of throat, I snapped my eyes around to collide with the most handsome man I have yet to meet in my life. For a good ten seconds, it seems time paused. All that remained was him and me in this imaginary world as I stared at him and him me. I couldn’t say anything. It was just too good to be true.

“Hy,” the words purred from his beetroot lips, “I can see you like what you see…” I blinked hard out of my fascination and bit my upper lip. I should have known he would be one of those rich playboys. Look at him, all flawless and stinking of wealth. There is no way he won’t be.

His lips quirked. Oh, no, please don’t. He did it. He smiled. And my world tipped. This was a damn demigod.

“Pardon me, can I have this dance, please?” He asked. I didn’t reply or move. “Why won’t you speak to me?”

Again, I returned back, regaining my composure. “Perhaps you should mind your business and leave me alone. I am not interested in your stupid dance.”

“Whoa! Whoa! Calm down, princess. Someone took your pie?”

“What?” I asked in irritation. “Are the you gonna act the prince charming and rescue my pie?” I inched near, tilting my face close with the last courage I had in me, to whisper in his ear, “and then afterward you demand for compensation, huh?” I heard his breath hitch and tore away from him, sucking in harsh breath of my own. “I have to go.” I took off.

I didn’t know where I was going. I just knew I had to get away from him. He was just like them. I didn’t come here to be swept off my feet by some prince charming. I just want to have fun and forget my past. I was rushing very fast that I didn’t see the next person coming in front of me until I was crashing into a hard chest.

The hand snaked around and held strong. “Silva?”

Liam? I flicked my eyes up abruptly. What is he doing here? “Liam? What are you doing here?” I asked aloud.

He combed his fingers through his hair. “I was invited by a friend.”

“Oh, mingling with some big goons now, huh?”

He shrugged and folded one hand under his armpit of the hand holding a flute of champagne. “And you?”

“Me?” I looked around to make sure the hot guy from before wasn’t coming. “Irene invited me.”

“Oh, Irene. The wild one.”

“Oh, stop it, Liam. She is my best friend and your sister! Don’t forget that.”

“I know…”

A disturbing silence reigned amongst us. Liam and I have always had a thing for each other which I often try to deny. I know he feels the same way too from the way he looks at me. But, to me, he is a friend turned brother. Nothing could possibly happen between us.

“Hey, why don’t we get out of here? You and I?”

I eyed him ruefully. “I can’t.”

“We can. I can see you are not comfortable and so am I. Irene doesn’t look like she would be going home anytime soon,” I followed his eyesight and stopped on Irene in a passionate position with her partner. I cringed and looked away. Liam chuckled. “I thought so too.”

“Fine… Where should we go?”

He looked up in thought and when he brought his face down, he grinned. “I might have a place in mind. Let’s go!” He grabbed my wrists and tugged me along. That I survived this night without smashing my teeth on the floor from my heels, was a miracle.

He took me in his car and after a long drive, he pulled up on this cliff, off Hollywane. I smiled as I alighted. It overlooked the city and had a tranquil atmosphere.

“I like it here,” I told him genuinely.

” I know you will like it.” He said.

I giggled, removed my shoe, and went close until I was at the tip of it. “This is just what I need now.”

He puffed out large gust of cold air and came to stand beside me. “I am sorry about the divorce.”

“It’s nothing. It’s in the past.”

“Still. I feel shitty that I wasn’t there for you.”

I looked at his side. “There is nothing you would have done about it.”

“Yeah, but a shoulder to lean on at least.”

“You are here now. That’s all that matters. After all, I have been the one pushing you away all this while.”

His hands that were folded on his chest fell to his side and dangled closed to mine. It grazed my fingers, sending passionate tingles through my arm. “You are a very strong woman, Silva. You have done things that would have broken down so many, and yet here you are, standing strong. How do you do it?”

I thought of his words. Irene said likewise. Maybe I am not as strong as they think. I might be living. Just flowing with the moment.

“I don’t even know.”