Chapter 1

"I have always hated noisy places, but what could I do when my so-called date chooses a bar over every goddamn nice restaurant in the city? These billionaires and their weird tastes," Charmaine thought.

I can't begin to explain how I'm feeling right now; my bodycon gown and 3 inch heels are really becoming too uncomfortable for me. If he had given me the slightest clue as to where we are headed tonight, I wouldn't even dare wear these. Well,  I'm going to endure it all.

"Look at the big picture," she muttered to herself while patting her chest gently.

Nothing good ever comes easy, and if going on these blind dates is going to take me out of poverty, then I would gladly suffer and smile.

Let me rewind a bit to where it all began. I know some of you are a bit confused.

My name is Charmaine Raven. I graduated college a few years ago, and just a few months after graduation, I got a job with CBS News as a reporter. I don't really mean to gloat, but I'm the real deal.

I have carefully planned my exit out of poverty and made a checklist of my grand entry into affluence. I mean, what better way to snatch a rich man in the 21st century than to be the hand picking up their disgusting secrets they want hidden?

I know what you're thinking, but far from it. I obviously want to play it fair, but just in case all else fails, I won't mind blackmailing one into marriage.

Yeah, you can think of me however you want, but I'm never going to end up poor, and when I do get my prince charming with a running over pocket, I will rub it in your face.

"Charm, check this out," Linda said while hurrying over to Charm's desk.

It had been a very stressful day at work today with the field work and being stuck at the office. The only thing I wanted to hear was a way out of this tedious case I have, nothing more.

I didn't want anything to do with what Linda saw, but knowing her well enough, she isn't going to let me be until I listen to her.

I raised my head from the pile of documents heaped on the table to see what made her so excited.

"Go on!" she exclaimed, handing over her phone to me.

"What is it, Lin?"

"What you have always wanted"

I looked at the screen of the phone.

"A dating site?" I was a bit disappointed and almost threw the phone at her.

She quickly grabbed the phone from my hand and grabbed a chair close to mine.

"Not just any dating site charms; it is the dating site."

"How?"

"This dating site is just for elite society."

The mere mention of elite society brought life to my dying soul and light into my swollen eyes.

"Billionaire Hunters?"

"Yeah!"

"Come on, Lin, don't pull my legs."

"Did you even look at the membership fee?" Lin asked me.

"Oh my God, that's a lot of money."

"How on earth will an ordinary person afford that, and any dating site that asks for that much has so much to offer?"

The sound of Linda's last words kept playing in my head: "This is my jackpot, my ticket to affluence.

I have been searching for a way out of this stressful and tedious work, and finally the god of riches decided to smile at me.

I kept staring at the app while checking the requirements, but the only issue at hand was the membership fee. How will I survive the rest of the month after paying this much?

"Well, once I get my very rich husband, I don't need to worry about money anymore; I would gladly invest everything in this," I thought to myself, spinning my chair while smiling broadly.

I imagined myself going on a shopping spree, adorning my neck with diamonds, and going on expensive vacations.

"What is going on in that head of yours?" Linda asked while giving me the look.

"Nothing," I quickly replied.

"I doubt that" She stood up and went back to her desk while murmuring something about the huge membership fee.

"This reality stinks," I muttered to myself, looking at the heap of unsorted documents screaming for my attention. I just couldn't take it anymore, so I slammed my pen on a table.

I wheeled my chair to my personal computer and quickly typed in the dating site before I changed my mind.

I knew I was no billionaire, but lying a little won't do any harm. I had to transform myself a bit to attract and keep these men. Thanks to Oliver, it wasn't so difficult to convince the dating site that I belong to that class.

I clicked on the submit button, and I was now a member. I threw my hands in the air while I stretched my body. The rumbling in my tummy reminded me that I had eaten absolutely nothing for lunch and dinner. I looked at the watch on my wrist, and it was a few minutes past 8 p.m.

"Damn, I'm working late again."

I stood up from the chair, parked my stuff in the bag, and turned off the lamp on the desk as I made my way out of the office.

"Good night, Lin."

"Good night!" she screamed right back at me, but I was already out of the office.

I threw myself on the bed when I got home, but remembering I hadn't eaten, I went to the fridge to bring out the left-over fried chicken from yesterday. I threw it into the microwave, and I began undressing.

"Freedom at last," I murmured to myself while pulling off my bra. I quickly dashed into the bathroom, and a few minutes later I was out.

I danced to the microwave, took my dinner, and was about to settle down to consume my chicken when the constant chiming sound coming from my phone just bugged me.

I took out my phone to see tons of notifications from the billionaire hunters.

"Oh my God!" I let out a scream.

I quickly took out my computer and logged in. I had more than 10 winks and I had been matched to Declan Wright.

"Wow, that's fast!" I exclaimed. I checked out his picture, and he was handsome.

"Uuuuuuuh!" I exclaimed.

I took my computer to sit comfortably on the sofa while chatting with my newly-matched prospective husband.

Call me whatever you want, but I'm optimistic. I rushed to the fridge in search of a fruit juice, I chewed on my chicken while chatting away, and after what seems like forever, we agreed on a first date.

I dropped my computer on the sofa while I danced around the room. I knew I was going to abandon this life of lack and want, but never did I dream it would be so soon.

I knew I had to look my best, even if I had to rent every single thing I was going to put on.

I was still thinking about what to wear when my phone rang, and I picked up the phone to check who the caller was.

"Hey smarty!"

"Charmer, you're sounding so happy; did you finally trap any rich, ugly dude?"

"Come on, but I did charm a rich dude, and a handsome one at that."

"Who is this unlucky dude?"

"It's an online dating site?"

"What now?"

"You know what? Shuu off my phone, you go."

I ended the call. Oliver is my best friend; we met at college, but he can be mischievous most times and has a special talent for getting on my nerves.

Oliver's parents are also insanely rich, but he makes a living for himself running his tech corporation. Even though I admire him for that, but if my parents were that rich, I wouldn't work for a day in my life, I will spend the rest of my life living with them and inherit billions. But different strokes for different folks

Some Elite parties I have attended have been because of Oliver; I was always his plus one because he can't seem to keep a woman for more than one week. Even his parents got used to seeing the poor reporter.