The Beautiful Billionaire

LINDEN

“You didn’t even touch your beer. That’s a first.”

I dipped the fries into the ketchup, ignoring Kye’s eyes on me.

“Boss, are you okay?”

“I wish everyone could just stop asking me the same question.”

Kye and Sax shared a look as if they might notice the exhaustion in my voice.

“Okay, fine. Is everything all right, mate?”

Sax turned his head sharply to Kye, blinking. His British accent was on point, making me chuckle. “You’re not sleeping with Brit, are you?”

“Well, I can’t ask him if he’s okay. I’m just concerned with our buddy here.” He tipped his chin at me. “He seemed not himself lately.”

“Whoa.” My eyes widened a little. “I’m fine, really. I haven’t gone to the gym in days. My ass was stuck in the office for the whole week because I had to finish the paperwork I left before I went to Italy.”

“And you had wine and dine with Terzo fucking Siciliano.” If I didn’t know Sax, I thought he was jealous, but he knew he had nothing to worry about because my loyalty remained to them. They were my brothers.

“Ignore him. He’s PMSing and has to keep his heart in check because he knows he can’t ask Padilla out.” Kye watched Sax’s reaction as he mentioned Hope.

“If you like her, take a leap, brother,” I said to encourage him. I didn’t give a shit about policies anymore as long as I knew they would be happy and it wouldn’t affect their work.

“I don’t like her,” he replied defensively. “I just like pissing her off and watching her ears turn red.”

I shared an incredulous look with Kye. Was he fucking kidding me? It was obvious he liked Hope. I could swear he just had no clue.

“Jesus. You’re the dumbest man I know.” Kye tsked and shook his head. When he focused back on me, I drank a glass of water. “You, on the other hand-”

“Have a lot of work to do, run Osmium, or we would end up homeless, jobless, and penniless, and still be in a huge debt.”

“No. We’re not doing this. Come on, brother. I may look dumb and a piece of shit, but you can’t just shut us out when you literally need someone to talk the shit out of your-”

“Shit,” Sax cut in. “That’s a lot of shit. I know you like Estelle. What’s the problem? I couldn’t remember the last time you had this look on you like your cat just died.”

“I’m a dog person.”

“You don’t have a dog, but whatever, and you got my point.”

“She likes me, but she doesn’t want to be with me because of that fucking asshole Weston. She’s arranged to him.”

“Shit. Not this again.” Sax had the same look as Kye. They looked in pain and confused. “Why the fuck do these rich people practice this awful tradition when they aren’t even old-fashion? Like, damn. Poor kids. They have enough huge shoes to fill, and their safety is at stake, and not to mention they never experience to grow how normal kids do.”

I opened my mouth to say but had to close it back when Sax raised a finger to stop me.

“Don’t ever say it’s to strengthen their power, keep the money running, merge businesses, or make future heirs. Smells like bullshit to me. What about their mental health, their feelings? Money can’t buy happiness, bro.”

“Are you done?” I asked him.

“Not even close, but you seemed to have given up already.

“I have to.”

“Maybe you should sire her an heir.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Kye barked out laughing, his voice echoing in the entire resto-bar. He stood up to apologize before he stared at Sax. “Are you reading erotic paranormal romance novels?”

“No.” Sax grimaced.

“Where did that come from?”

“Fine. Yeah,” he finally admitted. “Padilla quoted me something like if I could dream at all. It wouldn’t be about you. I was stupid, and my mind went blank, but I tried to impress her. I said, Lao Tzu? She laughed at me like she really laughed at me, tears filling the corner of her eyes. That’s why I liked pissing her off.”

I joined Kye in laughing. “Who said it?”

“Edward fucking Cullen.”

“Who’s that?”

“A guy from Twilight.”

“Twilight Zone?” Kye asked.

“No. The Twilight Saga. I watched the entire series in one night. It was dumb and cringy but entertaining somehow. I mean, she died, came back to life so beautiful, and became a vampire.”

“Okay.” I raised my hand. “We got it. So, you did that to Padilla?”

“No. I was just curious.”

“Why would someone watch the entire-”

“Five films.”

“Five fucking films?” Kye was even more shocked than me. “And you call it curiosity? I think you are in love with Padilla. You’re obviously dumb if you don’t even know how you feel about her.”

“Just shut up. Our focus is on our boss here.”

I checked my watch. It was still early, but I wasn’t ready to discuss my not-so-important issue. “I’m calling it a night.”

Just when I was about to stand up when Sax called out, Estelle just appeared, with Quinn catching everyone’s attention, including me. I was on my feet before I even realized it. Because fuck me, she was even more gorgeous than the last time I had her in my home.

She just took my breath away, and my heart did a little thumping inside my chest.

“Hey, beautiful.” I took the opportunity of her shocking moment by cupping her face and kissing her quickly before she could resist. “You’re here for the burgers or me?”

Quinn went to the guys, leaving me and Estelle alone in the aisle.

She smiled timidly, and I had a feeling that the dinner with her father made some leery progress. “I didn’t know Quinn would bring me here, and you’re also here,” she said breathlessly. “I don’t call it a coincidence.”

“You could say that. How’s the dinner with your father?”

“I wish you didn’t bring that up.” Her gaze averted.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.”

“You should try their burger.” I placed a hand on her back, but she didn’t move.

“Now that you’re here, I need to talk to you.”

I stared down at her. Her eyes filled with worry and fear. “This can’t wait? I was just leaving. Come home with me, and then we’ll talk. Just the two of us.”

“That’s not a good idea.” I felt the pain in her voice. Her hesitation, on the other hand, didn’t affect me that much.

“Why? I promise to keep my hands to myself. We’ll just talk.”

When she seemed became uncomfortable, I nodded. “Just a minute. Stay here if you don’t wanna join the guys.”

“I’m good. Thanks.”

I went to the cashier and pointed at our table. “Table is on me. Send the bill to my office.”

“Got it, boss.” She saluted. I was a regular, and she already knew me and Osmium guys.

“Thanks.”

I went back to Estelle, still in the same spot, but Quinn kept an eye on her the whole time. I gestured at him that I would be outside with her.

“What’s going on, baby?” I asked the moment we were out of the resto-bar, but she hadn’t given me an answer, it was unnerving, but I swore it seemed hard for her too.

Once we reached her car, she finally faced me. The look on her face alone, I couldn’t take it. I had to close my eyes for a brief moment, or I might just break down before her.

For our short time in that island, I unlocked something I had never felt in a long time. I learned to be more patient, I learned something about myself, what I was capable of, and what chances meant for everyone. I began to care deeply for her and realized what we had meant more than anything to me.

“I can’t see you anymore.” Her words seemed vile, burning in my throat, a blunt knife in my chest, a bullet in my gut.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll be turning twenty-five in three months.”

“Advance happy birthday.” But that wasn’t exactly what she meant.

“I’m getting married as soon as I turn that age.”

“I thought you were not ready to be a wife.”

“You don’t understand.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them, I stared directly into her eyes. I would sound desperate, but who gave a shit. I was desperate and running out of options. “Then we get married.”

She gave me a wary look. “I can’t be with you.”

“Fuck them, Estelle. Why would you let them control your life? We’re already a big cruel world. The least you can do is resist, be bold, be strong, and face the current.”

“I can’t!” she yelled, but she tried hard not to burst to cry. Still, her eyes were red. Her chin trembled.

“Of course, you can. You’re the strongest woman I know. You are capable of anything if you believe in it. You believed once that you could make a difference and then built your company, and then you just gave up because your damn father and that asshole asked you to?”

“Because I signed a contract!” She snapped and caught me off guard.

I narrowed at her. “What do you mean you signed a contract? What contract?”

“I will lose my company to them if I won’t marry Klayton.”

“Why the fuck did you do that?” I blinked in confusion, frowning.

“Exactly.” She shook her head. She looked so lost and couldn’t even look at me anymore. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over. What done is done.”

“No, it’s not.” I swallowed hard. It fucking suck that she gave up easily. “You’re still not married to him, Estelle. You still have a chance to right that mistake.”

“Don’t do this to me, Gabriel.” Her voice was low, almost a plea.

“You do this to yourself, baby.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“No can do. And I didn’t do anything. The only thing I did is care so much about you that I would give up everything I have to get you out of your mess, whether you let me or not.”

“Gabriel, please?” A single tear rolled down her cheek.

I was quick to wipe it with my thumb and cupped her face. “Hate me however you want, and I know it sucks where we are right now, but you can’t push me away anymore because you are arranged to that asshole. I have you once, Estelle. I will have you again, hopefully, mine till the end of my life.”