Sold For a Billion Dollars

Lena’s POV

The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache.

I was on the couch with a blanket over me, pretty warm. I grabbed my phone from the table, a series of missed calls and messages on my phone, most of them from Damien.

Why was my phone on silent?

“Grant!” I snapped, crossing my arms. “Why did you put my phone on silent? Why didn’t you tell me Damien was trying to reach me last night?”

Grant was casually sipping his coffee, scrolling through his phone like everything was normal. “Oh, that? I didn’t think it was important. Besides, you looked too exhausted to take calls.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Are you serious? It wasn’t your decision to make, Grant! I would’ve taken his calls.”

“Would you?” he smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Look, Lena, you were half asleep by the time you had that coffee. There was no way you were talking to anyone coherently. I did you a favor.”

I clenched my fists. “I don’t need your favors, Grant! Damien’s calls were my business, not yours. You had no right.”

He shrugged, clearly unfazed. “You’re welcome.”

I turned on my heel and stomped back to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I needed to get out of here, away from him. I dressed quickly, grabbing my bag, and was about to storm out when I noticed the driver, who had been missing last night, standing outside by the car.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath. “Where the hell were you last night? I called you! I had to walk in the rain!”

The driver, avoiding eye contact, apologized. “I'm sorry ma'am. He didn't tell me."

“He who?"

He winced and I knew at once what had happened.

“Tell me the truth,” I demanded.

He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Ms. Reynolds, I—”

“Tell me!” I barked.

He flinched. “Mr. Wells told me to disappear for the night. He said he'd drop you off and he wanted to talk business. I'm sorry.”

I felt the heat rising in my chest. I turned to look back at the house where Grant stood by the window, watching us. My hands trembled with rage.

“So, you made me walk in the rain, soaked to the bone, just to play along with whatever game Grant was pulling?”

Marching back up the driveway, I burst through the door, and Grant didn’t even flinch as I approached him. He actually had the audacity to look amused.

“You paid him off?” I growled, standing right in front of him.

Grant raised an eyebrow, still looking infuriatingly calm. “Maybe I did. It worked, didn’t it?”

Without thinking, my hand flew to his face, the sound of the slap echoing through the room. He rubbed his cheek but smiled.

“You’re insane!” I spat. “I’m done, Grant. Done! Don’t ever talk to me again.”

I turned to leave, but his voice followed me out. “You can’t avoid me forever, Lena. And what’s the deal with Damien? Are you two seeing each other now?”

I stopped dead in my tracks, turning around to face him. “It’s none of your damn business, Grant. None. Of. Your. Business.”

Grant chuckled. “Touchy subject, huh?”

“Go to hell,” I snapped before slamming the door behind me and heading straight to the car.

By the time I pulled up to my building, I was ready to forget this entire nightmare. But as I parked, something caught my eye — two Lamborghinis parked in the lot. I frowned. That was unusual.

I froze when I saw my parents sitting in the living room. My mother stood up, smoothing her dress, while my father remained seated, arms crossed, staring at me with that familiar look of disappointment.

“Lena,” my mother began, her voice cool but controlled, “we need to talk.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, glancing between them.

My father spoke first, his tone harsh. “What’s going on is the mess you’ve made of the Reynolds name. The shame, the embarrassment—”

“Dad, I—”

“Don’t interrupt me,” he cut in, his voice cold. “Your reckless decision two years ago has already cost this family a fortune. You destroyed our investments, ruined our reputation.”

I swallowed.

“You’ve brought great disappointment to this family, dear,” my mother added, shaking her head. “But we’re not here to rehash old failures. We’re here to give you a chance to make things right.”

I stared at her, confused. “What are you talking about?”

My mother reached into her bag and pulled out a folder, laying it on the coffee table in front of me. “This is your way out.”

I frowned, flipping open the folder. Inside were documents for an exotic holiday home in the Bahamas, in her name. I blinked, glancing up at my mother.

“And outside,” my father added, “is a brand-new Lamborghini, also in our names. This is your chance to restore our family’s glory, Lena.”

I stared at them, fist balled. I had an idea what this was about. But I had to hear it from them. “Why? What's the catch?"

Thompson, my father, leaned forward, his expression serious. “There’s no catch. All you have to do is agree to one thing.”

“What?”

My mother answered, her voice smooth. “All he wants is a partnership with the Reynolds family and let's be frank. That's something anyone with a nickel of sense would kill for.”

I shook my head, “I don't know what you're talking about, mother. Damien and I are forging a good partnership and in a few months it will be perfect then the Reynolds family can buy all the shares we want.”

“That's nothing but wishful thinking!" My father retorted.

My mother actually looked at me like I'd lost my mind. “Lena, darling, how could you even compare what Mega Hawke can and will ever offer you to what he can.”

“Your mother is right, Lena. This is your chance to make it right. And if you agree to it, everything you’ve lost, everything we’ve lost, can be restored.”

I took a step back, feeling like the walls were closing in on me. “So that’s it? I’m just supposed to agree to this partnership for some vacation home and two Lamborghini?”

My mother’s eyes narrowed. “Lena, this is your chance to fix what you broke. Don’t be foolish. Your family had suffered too long. We lost everything because of that night!”

I swallowed, “I need to think about this.”

“There’s nothing to think about,” my father said sternly. “This is your duty. You owe this to us.”

I glanced at the documents again, the Lamborghini parked outside. This was my chance to make things right. But at what cost?

My mother stepped forward, her voice soft but firm. “Lena, this is your opportunity. Don’t throw it away.”

My father sneered at me, “You will call Grant Wells and you'll sign that deal or you cease to be a member of the Reynolds family."

I froze.