THE REMORSEFUL BILLIONAIRE

I struggled to open my eyes to an unfamiliar environment. It was the hospital. The smell of disinfectant in the air is a bit pungent, but it's reassuring at the moment, as I felt a breath of fresh air, although I was still extremely weak. I scanned the room and found my mom back, turned at me, staring at an empty space. Weakly, I called “Mom.” “My baby," she said as she walked towards me, sitting beside me. She placed her palm on my forehead for some seconds, trying to deduce my body temperature, before finally nodding in satisfaction. Tears welled up in her eyes as she took her palms off my forehead, took my hands in hers, and kissed them. I looked at my mom's face and realized that I didn't know when she had wrinkles at the corners of her eyes before. She had a few gray hairs in her hair and dark circles underneath her eyes, indicating that she hadn't had a good night's sleep in the past few days. Thinking of those times I let mom worry about me, I'm all grown up, and I still ca

Judith’s POV Eight months later, I was wheeled into the operating room. Yes, I decided to keep the baby. When I told my mother and the doctor that I had overheard their secret conversation about the pregnancy, their shock was palpable. They were at a loss for words, clearly stunned that I had found out. My mother tried to change my mind and justify her decision, but I was already resolute and unwavering. During the prenatal period, I struggled with conflicting thoughts in my head. On one side, the scene of that night replayed, and on the other side, it flashed back to her mother's slightly hunched yet determined figure sitting alone on a garden bench; the sound of her own agonized despair and reverent confessions intertwined with the echoes of that night. As the operating lights came on, I closed her eyes and made a life-changing decision. A few years later... “Mommy!!!” The twins ran up to me in the school parking lot. “How was school today?” I scooped both of them into my ar

Nathan’s POV I sat on my bed for a few minutes after I woke up, needing to recollect all the energy I lost the previous day and then lose it all today again. That’s how my life has been lately, and today, being the day of the job interview, I already predicted what the future of stress had in store for me. I painted my room dark gray to ease tensions for mornings like this. When I wake up, I don't seem to remember who I am. They calm me and remind me of my purpose, making me feel better. “That shouldn't be what's on my mind now,” I muttered to myself as I struggled to stand up and picked up my laptop to check for any new mail that I might have gotten the previous day. “Argh, I have an interview to host too.” I lamented inwardly and undressed before walking into the en-suite bathroom. I went into the bathroom, did all the necessary preparations, got into my car, and drove off. Stopping in front of my office has always given me stress and anxiety attacks, but it was different today.

Nathan's POV I could hear my alarm blaring from the nightstand by my king-size bed. I was still feeling sleepy because I slept so late last night, working on the business proposal my father wanted me to come up with. “Oh God, it's 7 a.m. already.” A surge of irritation came on me: “I can legitimately swear that I slept just a few hours ago.” These days, rest has become such a luxury. This billionaire lifestyle is so difficult. The saying "money isn't everything" echoes within me deeply. I can't even remember the last time I had a proper rest or genuinely had fun. When I was a dirty and broke street thug, I was happier than I am now. I didn't have to worry about so many responsibilities. I didn't have to worry about business deals, proposals, or any investments. I didn't have to prove my capability to anyone. Somehow, I actually missed the days I lived without a care. Dragging myself out of the duvet, I ventured into the en-suite bathroom. After a quick shower, I walked into my cl

Nathan's POV Oh fuck, there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with me. I hope my aunt wasn't right when she labeled me a harbinger of bad luck and disaster years ago, after my mom's death. Everything, even the universe, seems to be against me. I don't have peace within me; I always have this fear of the unknown. A wave of guilt weighed on me. It seems to me that I'm the architect of my own misery. I should have navigated life with more prudence and grace. Oh damn, I miss mom. London offers no solace—no love or warmth; everything just seemed off, like I just popped up in the middle of nowhere. Even the one person I love, the one whose forgiveness I desperately seek, I continue to alienate with my careless words and actions. "Should I just go back to Rome? If I go back, what would I do there?" I mused loudly. No one would want to associate with me, as everyone dreaded and avoided me like a plague. "Well, let me just stay here. At least I'm a billionaire and highly respecte