Chapter one

Rags to riches, everyone’s happy ending but it’s not as easy as it seems. Sometimes you become so desperate you end up doing something you never thought you would. But wait, I had it all then I lost it all and now I cringe at the memory of what I had and what could have been.

Four years later broke and desperate, all I can do is get up and do whatever it takes to make money again, am done making excuses it’s time to take action even if that action means marrying this man who hates all of me but what can I do? Like I said, whatever it takes.

I have a short and curved frame wondering how I would have been feeling if I was madly in love today, as I stand at the altar looking so beautiful in my wedding gown.

“if only love was involved,” I think to myself. I look at the Tall Handsome figure staring at me with his blue eyes so beautiful I feel like he can see my soul. He showed me no emotion as he said

“I do”.

Xxxx…

Xavier’s POV:

“Maybe I should just find out who started this bullshit and kill them?” I ask my lawyer Santino.

“well that can be done but I doubt it will sort out the mess, the best option right now is for you to find a girl you can marry to put the fire to rest and prove the allegations wrong. Maybe this is good for publicity” he added.

“Marriage is the last thing on my mind now Santino, Fix this mess!”

“yes sir."

Santino has been my Lawyer and advisor since I built this company from scratch but even he is not allowed to come close to me It’s not that I don’t trust him I just don’t like anyone close otherwise how can someone I don’t trust advise me?

This suggestion must be some kind of joke right?, And I rarely find anything funny. Getting married is something I’ve never even thought of since Alexandria was killed right in front of me simply because she was my girl.

What hurts the most is that the betrayal came from within, my then-best friend Cole sold her while I left him to protect her all for a stupid gang membership, it tore me apart I failed to protect her because I was blinded by trust.

I have therefore chosen to never forgive myself and I’ve never looked back since. My emotions are sealed and no matter what I’ll never love again.

The next morning I wake up to more ridiculous news. My stocks are dropping and investors are pulling out so they’ve requested an emergency board meeting I mean what the hell is this? Have people forgotten who the fuck I am? I own 15 companies and even if the world ended today I have nothing to lose unless well they touch my high-tech company that would be a whole different story.

“get my car ready,”

“I thought you would not attend the meeting Sir,” he asks sounding confused.

“I wasn’t going to, but then I remembered that not every investor has 15 companies and some might lose all they have and I can’t be responsible for that, I like to kill my enemies with a clean conscious and I protect the weak by all means” I smirk knowing very well he understands what I mean.

As soon as I reach the office doors open for me as usual with no one in sight except a few staff members essential to the day's program I don’t like seeing people when am stressed and irritated.

Alex hands me the agenda and I look at it as she waits for my next instructions

“Is there anything else you need Sir?”

I look up and look at her and I find it funny how she has been trying all she can to make me fall for her She is not bad looking she just wears too much makeup and I don’t know if she is at war with the outfit she has on because it looks like it will tear any moment but I ignore her so she can keep her job. I am too busy to start training a new secretary worse off having to deal with mistakes.

“No,” I say plainly and walk into the boardroom.

Everyone stands up as I walk in except the one person who gets on my nerves.

“Good morning Dante,” I say

He quickly stands up

“Good morning Mr.Kings, my apologies I didn’t see you there “ he mocks

“Please do take your seats and let me hear what your concerns are” I address the room ignoring Dante’s sarcastic response.

Men like him need validations as long as I don’t validate what he has said it won’t carry weight. He has been trying to get his daughter to either seduce me or force me into marrying her so he can have a share of my fortune and power So I wouldn’t be shocked if at all he began all this bullshit.

Then again it could have been Blondie the obsessed bitch, that girl can do anything to get me to put a ring on her finger but after today's news, she will definitely sleep with a heart attack. Am always one step ahead and the news I have will shock them well.. it shocked me too.

“We don’t feel like our investments are safe Sir, seeing how events have been the last few months and how you’ve done nothing about it. It seems you are not bothered it being you have little or nothing to lose out of this whole mess hence, we’ve decided to withdraw our funds”. Old Dante says

“And you speak on behalf of?” I cock my brow daring someone to cross me

Knowing very well that no one in this room can go against me at least not openly apart from being threatening am also a good businessman, I’ve multiplied everyone’s money and no one In this room will lose a dime no matter what. That sadly, is never enough and I know they're willing to betray me at any chance I lower my guard. These greedy fuckers!

“Everyone here agrees?” I add.

“Please, do understand our concern “ the old man whose name I don’t even know pleads.

“And what are your solution options to end this problem?” I ask.

Not that I'll even consider it.

“get married, of course, I can even give you my daughter as a kind gesture you know” he laughs while clapping his hands.

Is this man delusional? Seriously? That's his card?

Well...

Nothing would make me happier than to wipe that smirk off his face, so I touch him where it hurts the most. I crush him with one sentence and this is something he will never recover from.

“Well then, am sure you’ll all be pleased to hear that am getting married tomorrow, I have a fiancee and I wanted to introduce her to the world when the time is right but I guess now is the time,” I say.

“ She doesn’t like huge gatherings, so it will be a small wedding with only close relatives attending” I add.

“But you barely even have relatives” Old Dante responds mockingly

“Well, that’s the point.”

“I hope you’ve not just picked out a gold digger worse off a whore just to fool us because it won’t work,” he says under his breath

“Well. I thought you wanted me to get married I didn't know you cared about what kind of wife I picked or would you rather I marry your daughter then?” I ask with a raised eyebrow

Everyone goes so quiet you can hear the breathing in the room. I could kill this man right now right this moment for disrespecting my nonexistent fiancee. But that’s what he wants, to get me worked up so I ignore him.

“Everyone in here is invited, except Dante. You have disrespected my wife to be and that I don’t tolerate so if you want to cross me and see how far I will go I dare you to pass another remark!” I say it so slowly and threateningly it’s satisfying even to my own ears.

“if I see this man is near my wedding tomorrow, you’ll be the first one I’ll kill,” I say to Dave as I walk out of the boardroom.

The shock on Old Dante’s face was so satisfying I couldn’t help but laugh to me. I knew I had shattered his dreams of getting part of my wealth by working with his obsessed daughter to get her impregnated and seeing him so afraid was a bonus.

The only problem is I have no fiancee, I don’t like people getting close to me and I dread marriage. To solve both problems I’ll need to find someone only interested in money so she can not bother me by needing affection. I’ll protect her and provide whatever she needs the only thing is I’ll never love her. And I need this “her” before 8 tomorrow.

And Just as I walk out something catches my eye.