004

I stood frozen in place, my heart pounding relentlessly in my chest. Confusion and frustration swirled inside me, tightening my throat and making it hard to breathe. I had never felt so utterly out of place before, and the sensation gnawed at me.

What is this? Some kind of twisted joke? Was this stranger following me around because he thought I was an amusing toy? My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms, but even the sharp sting didn’t pull me back to reality.

“Daddy... you’ve found mummy.”

The boy’s words echoed in my mind, pulling my focus to the small child still clutching at my waist. His innocent face radiated joy, but his declaration left me reeling.

Mummy?

Who was he referring to?

My pulse quickened, the sound of my own heartbeat roaring in my ears as I turned my gaze back to the man at the entrance. His piercing eyes softened as they locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw relief wash over his features. He glanced between the boy in my arms and me, as though confirming something only he understood. Then, he took a sharp breath and started walking toward me.

Behind me, I heard the sudden shuffle of movement. The manager’s voice broke the tense silence, trembling and thick with panic.

“I-I’m so sorry, boss! I had no idea she was your wife.”

What?!

I turned sharply to face the manager, disbelief flashing across my face. Before I could question what he meant, the stranger’s voice cut through the air, silencing me before the words could escape my lips.

“Get up, Williams. Stop fooling yourself.”

My heart nearly stopped. “How?!” My eyes darted sideways, and from the corner of my vision, I saw him—standing right beside me.

No footsteps. No warning. The stranger had crossed the distance between us in mere seconds, his movements so silent and swift that I hadn’t even noticed.

His hands remained casually tucked into his pockets, his expression cold and unreadable. Detached from the world, almost... as if reality itself couldn’t quite touch him. Something about his demeanor whispered of a deep pain, a lifetime of struggles that had carved his stoic mask. My instincts screamed that this man had endured far more than he let on.

“Thank you, boss,” Williams stammered, relief washing over his face as he stood and dusted himself off.

“You.”

The single word pulled my attention back to him. His voice was low, steady, and commanding. My breath caught in my throat as I locked eyes with him, and my pulse thundered in my ears.

“What are you doing here?”

No. No, this couldn’t be true. My thoughts spiraled as the pieces clicked into place. “Don’t tell me he’s the CEO...”

My chest tightened as realization sank in. The mysterious stranger, the man who had caught me all those weeks ago, was none other than the head of one of the most powerful companies in the country. And here I was, standing before him, holding his child.

“She came to—”

“I don’t remember speaking to you, Williams,” the billionaire cut in sharply, not even sparing the man a glance. His eyes stayed locked on me, his piercing gaze scrutinizing every inch of my face.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice, but the weight of his stare made it impossible to speak. My mind raced, a whirlwind of panic and disbelief. I know this man somewhere other than that day. I’ve known him all along, haven’t I? But how... why? I can’t remember.

“I-I came for a job,” I finally managed to stammer.

He said nothing. He simply continued to stare, his silence louder than any words could have been. It made my palms sweat and my heart race even faster.

“Daddy...”

The small voice broke through the tension. The little boy, had wriggled free from my arms and now tugged at the billionaire’s pant leg.

“You’re scaring Mommy,” He said, his voice filled with innocent concern. “Say sorry to her!”

The man finally broke his gaze to look down at his son. For a brief moment, his expression softened, but the exhaustion in his features remained.

“Williams,” he said, his voice laced with quiet authority, “disperse everyone. You know how much I hate being stared at.”

The manager scrambled to comply, barking orders to the onlookers. Employees quickly retreated to their desks, though many couldn’t resist stealing glances at the unfolding scene.

The billionaire let out a tired sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then, with a subtle wave of his hand, he beckoned one of his guards forward.

“Take Dustin to the car.”

The guard stepped forward, but Dustin darted to me, clutching my dress tightly. His small hands trembled, and tears welled in his eyes.

“I won’t leave Mommy,” he cried, his voice shaking.

“Dustin,” the billionaire’s voice was calm but firm. “Go with Caleb.”

“No! I won’t leave Mommy!” Dustin’s defiance made the air thick with tension.

“Dustin.”

“Mummy,” his tearful gaze locked onto mine, his small face etched with despair. “Please don’t let Daddy take me away. You still love me, don’t you?”

The words hit me like a punch to the chest. My breath caught as I tried to make sense of the emotions swirling within me. Love him? How could I love him? But why does it feel like I do?

“Dustin!” The billionaire’s sharp tone snapped me out of my thoughts. His face was taut with frustration, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His patience was clearly at its breaking point.

Without thinking, I spun around to face him, anger bubbling to the surface. “Don’t raise your voice at him! He’s just a kid!”

The billionaire froze, his brows lifting in surprise. The room went eerily quiet as his guards glanced at each other, waiting for his reaction. His face was unreadable, but his eyes held something—something unspoken.

Ignoring him, I crouched down to meet Dustin at eye level, my voice softening. “Hey, it’s okay,” I said, gently wiping his tears. “Go with Caleb for now. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“You promise?” His voice wavered as he looked at me with pleading eyes.

My heart twisted. I can’t promise this... but I have to. “I promise,” I said with a forced smile, hoping it was enough to ease his fears.

Dustin hesitated but eventually let go of my dress. Turning back to his father, he grabbed his hand, his voice small and apologetic. “I’m sorry, Daddy. Please don’t yell at Mommy. I’ll be good, I promise.”

The billionaire’s expression softened for the briefest moment, a flicker of emotion crossing his face. He gave Dustin a nod before the boy turned and followed the guard out of the room.

The silence that followed was deafening.

“What’s your name?” the billionaire asked abruptly, his voice low and steady.

“Amber,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, then, to my surprise, reached out and took my hand. His grip was surprisingly gentle, but firm enough to leave no room for argument.

“Come with me, Amber,” he said simply, his tone brooking no refusal.

I followed him, my mind spinning with questions. The rhythmic clicking of our shoes echoed in the massive space, his guards falling in line behind us. My pulse raced as he led me into an elevator. The moment the doors closed, the tension between us became almost suffocating..

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, we stepped onto a floor that felt worlds away from the rest of the building. The air was cooler, quieter, almost reverent.

At the end of the hallway, a door came into view, its golden tag gleaming: “CEO.”

With the guards stationed right outside the door, we walked right in. He took of his thick black jacket and hung it on a chair’s arm rest. Underneath, he wore a white sleeve, with a few undone buttons, revealing his hairy chest.

He rolled the arm of his sleeves and offered me a seat, before taking one opposite mine. “I’m sorry for the drama.” He apologized, leaving me confused at the sudden change in emotion.

Back there, he seemed detached and unreadable but in here, he felt both comfortable and relaxed. He also didn’t seem upset that I had spoken back at him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I am.” My brows crease in confusion as I wondered what his motive was.

“I will go straight to the point.” His cold demeanor is back again, as he stared at me dead in the eyes. He was probably observing me, probably. Or maybe, he is the that state like before, where he looks at me like he knew me from somewhere. “I’m sure you are confused about what just transpired back then, between you and my son.”

I stirred in my seat. I knew I was but I didn’t feel the need to ask but let him unburden it himself. Whatever it was, something tells me it’s a sensitive matter and if I should ask, I’d give him no choice to decline. Instead of asking, I just shrug my shoulder. After all, I somewhat didn’t care. I just wanted a job or to go back home and think of the next step.

“I lost my wife, Marcella in an accident, some years ago.” He finally spoke with that same cold demeanor on his face but I knew…I knew what a man in pain, would look like. I could feel it radiating from his eyes…Pain. “We got married and had our son, before I lost her in an accident.”

“I’m sorry.” I felt the need to interrupt but he just gave a weak smile in return. Though I feel hurt for him, I was still left confused as I had no idea what he was getting at.

“So when I saw you for the first time, I was in shock because I believed I had found my wife. I thought I had found Marcella, only to realize you just look like her but you are not her.” He took in a deep breath and sighed…it sounded as though it hurt.

So that’s why? It all clicked at once—the reason he had been staring at me since the beginning, the way the little boy mistook me for his mother. The truth was undeniable: I “was” his mother. Well, at least in appearance. A pang of guilt tightened my chest, and an unspoken urge to apologize gnawed at me.

“That’s why I’ve decided to give you a job,” he said suddenly, his voice snapping me out of my thoughts.

His eyes locked on mine with a seriousness that made me wonder if he truly meant it. “I have a proposal for you, Amber. You can choose to accept or reject it—it’s entirely up to you. I won’t force you.”

His tone was resolute, and I couldn’t help but sit a little straighter. I desperately needed a job—“urgently”, in fact—but before I could let hope bloom, I had to know exactly what he was offering.

“Okay,” I replied, my voice steady despite the nervous knot in my stomach.

My fingers fidgeted in my lap as I silently prayed it wouldn’t be a prank or a way to toy with my emotions. I needed something—anything—that could help me pay my bills and turn things around.

He inhaled deeply, as if searching for the right words, his expression unreadable. “Amber,” he began, his tone deliberate. “I want you to be my wife.”

Now that, I did not expect to hear.