Taken By The Arrogant Billionaire

Valerie received a text message from Sandy.

“Come downstairs” she was worried. What if she was caught. It was against the rules to leave during work hours. Another one came in. “Don’t worry. You have your boss’s approval”

They met inside the car. Sandy hurriedly held her hand, a look of worry on her face.

“How do you feel? Isn’t this too hard on you?”

Valerie shook her head. “It is no big deal. Most people didn’t recognize me because my face was a little hidden. Only people who know me will realize it was me, and they are a few. The opposite would have been a disaster” she chuckled to reduce the tension, but Sandy didn’t find anything funny in it. “Come on. I am fine. You don’t have to put on such a face. And it is also not good for my little nephew.

Sandy scoffed. “Who said it’s a nephew? What if it was a niece?”

“Is it?”

“We don’t know yet”

“Have you done an ultrasound?”

She shook her head. “We wanted it to come as a surprise. I don’t think Dylan cares if it’s a boy or a girl”

“Is he treating you well?”

“He is. Just that he had become very forceful after that incident happened. He insists on letting bodyguards follow me and I hate it”

“That is normal. He is just looking out for you”

She rolled her eyes. “Looking out my foot. Now back to you. All the articles about you two are gone. Jared probably did this, but it isn’t the solution. Can you tell me what really happened yesterday? You were even holding hands”

“Well, he pulled an all-nighter and he looked very tired. I became worried, so I offered to help him a little”

“You were worried? Why? Do you perhaps love him?”

“I don’t”

“Then if you really don’t, do not give others that idea. Jane, his fiancée, is not what she portrays in public. She looks like a dangerous person who would go to the extreme to get what she wants. I don’t want you to get hurt”

“I get it. I’ll keep my distance”

“I need to go now. That man has imposed a curfew on me, can you imagine that?”

“He is just worried about you. See you later”

“Hm”

Inside the elevator, Valerie found it weird that Kathy didn’t say or ask anything. She must have seen it, right? So, why wasn’t she saying anything? Was she mad? She sat, and her eyes strayed to Kathy, who was staring at her laptop.

“Uh…. Kathy”

“Hm?”

“Did you see the news article about….. the boss?”All content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

“Yeah. I saw it this morning” she replied simply. Valerie thinned her lips and was about to get back to work when Kathy spoke. “The woman in the picture……” Valerie held her breath. “… it was you, right?”

“Yes. It’s me”

“Why were you alone with him and….. nevermind. Not like it is any of my business” she turned away from her.

“It’s not what you think. I just wanted to help him. They had the wrong idea”

“Wrong idea? You guys looked so intimate. You were holding hands”

“That… Fine. We held hands but it… it was strictly Platonic. Please trust me, hm?”

Kathy sighed.

“Why are you getting so worked up?”

“I hate mistresses. That word disgusts me” she answered, a weird fire of anger burning in her eyes.

************

Exactly as he had expected, his grandfather summoned him. He entered the living room and met no one in the living room. She was about to ask his grandfather’s whereabouts when he felt a hit on his back. It was not painful, so it wasn’t his grandfather. He turned angrily and realized it was his mum. His expression softened a bit.

“Mom!”

“What is wrong with you? Where is your head these days?”

He pointed at it. “Right here” she hit him again repeatedly with her little fist, but he barely flinched. By the time she was done, she was huffing and puffing. “Are you done? Now tell me where grandfather is”

“He is in the west wing garden. He has a guest”

“Guest? That lonely old man barely has guests?”

“Watch what you say. It is a very special guest according to the butler. I’m also curious who it is”

They met Mr Smith on the way.

“Dad” he nodded. Together, they went to the garden. Everyone stopped in their track when they heard someone laugh. That was definitely old Smith. It had been a long time since they heard him laugh like that. Dylan and Sandy arrived behind them. They had heard it too.

Old Smith turned back and saw them. “Oh! There you are” his face was full of smiles. This wasn’t what Jared expected. He had envisioned the old man hitting him with his stick and and giving him a thirty minutes-long tongue lashing. There was a young lady seated opposite him. She has a straight nose and a flushed face. She has a long, blonde, wavy hair with simple piece of earrings and blue-gray eyes. Overall, she looked poised like someone who came from an aristocratic family. Her eyes lingered on Jared.

“Dad, who is this?” Mrs Smith asked.

“Let’s go to the dinner table. I’ll introduce her” he turned to her. “let’s go” she nodded, stood up and locked arms with him. Eyebrows were raised.

“Let me help you”

Old Smith laughed. “Good child”

They all settled at the table and were about to start eating when Jane rushed in. “Was I late? I’m so sorry”

“Have your seat” Mrs Smith said. She was so mad when she saw the news earlier about him and a lady, but smiled when she saw an opportunity. The seat beside him was empty. If he had come after her, he would have avoided seating beside her. Maybe coming late wasn’t so bad after all. She suddenly noticed a new person among them, but she was in no place to speak. She was not officially part of the family yet.

“Dad, you said you were going to introduce her”

“Yes, I did. Everyone, meet Amelia Wagner. Amelia, meet my family. This is my son and my daughter-in-law. That is my granddaughter-in-law and over there” he pointed at Jane “… is my granddaughter-in-law to-be. You see those two rascals seated there, they are my grandsons”

“Oh my! You have such handsome grandsons. Any woman would kill to have them”

“I know right? They have my genes” Old Smith boasted.

Jane rolled her eyes. Was she secretly flirting? Who was this nobody, anyway? Amelia Wagner. She had never heard that name in the upper circle.

“I forgot to tell you, she is a princess” Amelia held his hand looking a little embarrassed.

“You don’t have to say that”

“Why would I not? That is what you are”

Jane almost choked on her food. “A princess? You mean….. a real one”?

“Of course. Were you expecting a fake?” Old Smith reprimanded her. He quickly shut her mouth. “She is the daughter of the king of Syldavia”

Amelia laughed awkwardly. “Please be comfortable around me” her eyes strayed to Sandy who ate silently. She stared at her stomach. “You are lucky grandfather. You are already expecting a great-grandchild, while dad is still struggling to have a son-in-law and maybe a grandchild?”

Sandy looked up and realized Amelia was staring at her protruded belly. It felt so uncomfortable.

Old Smith laughed. “You should find someone soon. You are not getting any younger. I can find someone if you want”

She turned to Old Smith. “No. I will take care of myself”

She shifted her gaze to Sandy’s stomach again, staring long and hard.