The Billionaire Series Book #1: The Italian Belle

Helena's POV

I balled my fist and tried not to respond. If I had a penny for every time she has said this to me, I'll be rolling in a pile of pennies. She simply does not understand that not everyone is high on sunshine. Some of us actually reserve the smiles for when we really mean it.  I want to say I loathe this woman but that's too harsh even for me. My mother and I have a stormy relationship. We can never be on each other's good side. We step on each other's toes, take low jabs at each other and when we get fed up we can go weeks on end without speaking. She thinks she knows everything by virtue of being 'mother'. Whoever said mother knows best, didn't meet mine.

Gertrude Bale only cares about what is good for her. If it makes her look good, she's in. If she's the center of attention, then why not? She's a peacock. She likes to be seen. She knows what is best for her and will manipulate any situation to work for her. Her biggest ambition is my marriage. It will never happen! I'm never getting married! It's overrated! It irritates her that I don't make an effort to settle down. While women my age are making it a priority to fiercely hunt for men who smell like bank vaults, I'm focusing on my career determined to make my name and sit among the chauvinistic men who believe a woman's place is in the background without a voice.

"I smile at my pleasure mother, not for anyone's entertainment." I smirked with a taunting gaze when I finally settled on a response that won't start a war. "Aren't you too tired and old for these soirees?" I took a jab at her. "Or are you looking for a replacement for father?"

Her offense was evident in the sharp green eyes. She twirled a lock of her curly ginger hair around her finger. My father has been ill for a while. What started as simple forgetting has turned into him not even knowing who we are. She calls my mother a different name every day probably after one of his many affairs through the course if their marriage. It's things like this that make marriage overrated. Why should I commit myself to a man who will lie, betray me and break my heart? My parents' marriage was a train wreck before the man lost his senses. Why would she push me towards an arrangement with a high probability of failure?

"I love him."

I rolled my eyes. She shouldn't love him. She should put him in a facility and move on. I own everything he has after a brutal confrontation with my uncles. They didn't think I can manage a big company like Bale Industries. According to them, I will be too distracted with child rearing to do what they can do. Seriously, how do they come up with this crap? I understand that society has certain rules that women should play the supportive role but for how long should a woman be number two? I'm the only child my father has. I'm his only heir and I do not consider my gender to be a hindrance. I won that vicious battle and became the sole heir of everything Jonathan Bale has ever owned.

I can take care of my mother if she chooses to ditch the cheater. She's too sentimental to do it. 

"Don't offend me."

I looked at her for a moment. "No one would blame you. Even on his good days he doesn't know who you are. What do you have to lose?"

She looked at me. Something about her gaze concerned me. "Hera dear, if you have never experienced love then you wouldn't understand. When you love someone, you don't abandon them." She's wrong. I have experienced love at it's peak and unfortunately at it's lowest point. My heart still aches over an ordeal not even Gertrude Bale knows about. I resolved never to love again. It's not worth it. "What do you suggest? That i stay home and do nothing all night?"

She went back to what I asked at first.

"How about you mind your husband if he's that important to you. Isn't that what women are meant to do? Mind their husbands?" I quoted one of her lessons. She didn't seem to like her words being thrown back in her face.

"He's faithfully a pain!" She whispered with an upset expression. "That's why we pay a nurse Hera." She shrugged with a crooked smile that was so brief I wouldn't have caught it.

"Still, you shouldn't be here. It appears as though you're looking for a husband already and yours isn't even dead... yet." The old man is not a saint. Most people know that Jonathan Bale is a cold hearted man. His ruthless business sense is the reason Bale Industries is at the helm of success but it also made him a cold husband and a strict father. It hurts me that  he doesn't know me and it must hurt my mother that he doesn't know her either. He calls her a strange woman even constantly kicking her out of the house. "People talk."

"When were we a pair to care about what people say?" We looked each other over briefly. We both shared a small smile. I get my strength and resilience from Gertrude Bale. As much as we don't get along, I admit that there's no one who bounces back from a bad situation like she does. What do I get from my father? His millions. Millions I want to turn into billions. It is unheard of in my time to have a woman at the helm of  a successful company like Bale Industries. I have been challenged and belittled on my journey to the top. I intend to stay put.

"I guess never. This party sucks. Do you want to leave?"

"Why don't you visit us anymore? I know I tend to get on your nerves but your father-"

"Doesn't recognize me anymore." I gave her my reason. It's painful to be forgotten by someone who has defined the person i have become. It is even more painful to lose his love when I never even had it. I'm just a stranger to him. I prefer to stay away because I'm not strong enough to face that same question every time I see him; who are you?

She sipped her drink casually allowing her pretty eyes to survey the entire ballroom. It's like she hasn't heard me. Mother is good at ignoring obvious elephants in the room like the fact that I have a nonexistent relationship with Jonathan Bale.

"The turn out is great today. There so many young single ladies. I hear it's because-"

"This is pointless. I'm leaving." I cut her off before she introduces me to a man whose ego I'll have to crash.

Just because I don't care for marriage and relationships doesn't make me frigid. I don't mind something casual, no strings attached but everyone is paired up except for me. I feel like a misplaced object. Only a few men are brave enough to ask me to dance and the rest are just better avoided.

I started off with a list of the most eligible bachelors in Greece. I narrowed it down to just fifty in a span of days. Greece is not big enough because I have burned through that list fast thanks to my right hand man, Castle. He meets them, studies them and checks out the boxes. So far, none of them is good enough. I'm starting to worry not just about meeting my deadline but also getting an heir before thirty. I'm not getting any younger.

'Should I smile more?' The thought crossed my mind.

Not unless it's a smug one.

"Helena! Wait!" Castle called after me.

"I'm leaving. Not now." I kept walking taking long strides.

"You should see this-"

"I am tired. I have an early morning. It can wait." I patted his shoulder leaving him as i made my way to my waiting car. There are better things to do than being at a party. I have millions to turn into billions.

Castle's POV

In this day and age she should be the one on a man's list but instead she is the one making the lists and the men are adhering. Now that is what power looks like.

But as the night waned away, I saw him. I saw potential walking through the door. I tried to get Helena but she chose to leave. How is it possible that after months of searching, the perfect man arrives and she leaves through the same door without seeing him? They never even looked at each other! I was standing in between looking both ways in astonishment at how close they were to each other and not notice?

This morning, i found my way to his hiding place. It has taken me days to track him down after that night. For a man worth billions, he loves to spend his mornings by the shores of the sea surrounded by common fishermen. He's tying up knots on a fishing net. In the old ragged shorts, flipflops and a stained t-shirt it's hard to believe he is Alexander Christos; heir to a multi billion legacy. He looks like a commoner. I wouldn't have looked at him twice if I didn't know who I'm looking for!

"Alexander Christos?" I felt unsure of myself when I approached him. My heart is pounding hard against my chest. I may be representing Helena Bale but I'm not the same pedigree as these men she tasks me to approach. This one in particular is intimidating me.

He looked up his eyes squinted in the brightness of the morning. He looked over his shoulder almost like he's not the owner of the name. "Who?"

Is he serious? Am I wrong? How can I be when it's the same face from the party? I checked a photograph just to be sure. It is him!

"You are Alexander Christos."

"Nope. Wrong guy." He kept working on his fishing net.

I can't give up on this. Helena is counting on me. This is the only way I won't make a new list. If she doesn't like him, I am quitting my job. I approached him. "Didn't I see you at the party a few days ago? You were in an black tux. A woman spilled wine all over you and tried to dab it dry with her dress."

When he started laughing I was sure I wasn't crazy. "Oh that! I'm sorry man, i don't like to answer to that name."

"What do you like to answer to? It's a great name with billions attached to it. It's the kind of name that gets things done just by a mere mention."

"It's a heavy name. I just like to go by the 'fisherman'. It's simpler. What can I do for you?"

"Are you taking your boat out?"

"Yeah." He nodded pointing at an old boat. "Wanna come?"

I glanced at my wrist watch. I have to be in the office at noon. But this is more important. She will forgive for being late if I get this right. "I don't know a single thing about fishing."

"Who says I'm going to fish?" He asked with a wry smile. I hope he doesn't drag me into something illegal. I know little about this man. If anything he vanished off the face of the earth some years back and is only starting to return to the social scene. With his return, women fanning themselves from the fever he seems to be causing them.

I got into the boat with the stranger. I hope he doesn't drown me. "Ten years. You've been away for ten years. You just vanished off the face of the earth. What happened to you if you don't mind me asking?"

"Navy."

"That's amazing!" Definitely a plus. Even Helena didn't have this on her list. A man who has ser d is disciplined. "Are you taking a break?"

"No. I'm retired. Now I'm just a fisherman." He revealed a book. He sat upright after bringing the boat to a stop somewhere far from shore. He started reading it quietly. I wondered if he's closed for conversation. He doesn't say much.

"Why so early?" I took a chance to interrupt the silence hoping he's not as fierce as Helena.

"It ran it's course."

"Will you be taking over the Christos Foundation?"

"Are you a reporter?" He narrowed his eyes at me. "Is this an interview?"

" I'm a proxy."

"Who do you work for?"

"Bale Industries." I answered.

"What happened to Jonathan Bale is sad. Is it true he doesn't remember anyone or anything?"

"Sadly yes. Did you know him?"

"Yes. He mentored me." He smiled.

Perhaps he has already met Helena and it will be less awkward to put them together. "Then you must know his family."

"I briefly met his wife but i don't know his daughter. We have never crossed paths before."

'But you did! At the party you walked past each other!' My mind screamed.

Back to square one. How do I even begin this conversation? Should I be the one to say it or should I wait for Helena to do it herself?

"She's something." I spoke without thinking any further.

"She has to be in a company full of condescending men." He lifted the book to continue reading and I picked up on the title.

"The Odyssey!"

"Yes it is. I'm trying to finish it. I actually come out here where it's peaceful to read."

The fisherman comes out to the sea to read! Doesn't he have a library at home or does he miss the sea? I took the cue and kept quiet. I took out that infamous list that Helena made and slowly started checking out the boxes. He checks out 90% but about 10% he hasn't made. Tired of constantly doing this, I went ahead and crossed the rest. He glanced at the list and curiosity sparked in his eyes but he didn't ask. He only laughed and kept reading. He must think I'm insane.

This project is done. I have found him. It's the fisherman.