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CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
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The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Natalie's POVThe kitchen din enveloped me: clinking dishes, and hum of dining-room voices; this is just background noise that I almost always hear. I finally looked up and stopped to revise this menu since new seasonal dishes needed my attention. There is only one rhythm here in the restaurant that continues day in, and day out that assures me that all is right with the world in its place.Today, however, was stretched to a breaking point. Of late, Brandon had gone standoffish: not catching glances, short conversations, the way he came home late and blamed it on work. I really did want to believe him, but something really did not feel right, and I couldn't get it off my mind.It was that knock on my door that pulled me out of this reverie. I didn't get a word said, let alone get words formed, before Hailey walked into my office, white-faced, shaking her hand, holding her phone out in front of her like some sort of explosive."Natalie, you have got to see this," she said, her voice ju
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Brandon's POV "Thanks, all, for your time," I said, nodding to close the meeting, trying to focus on the investors seated around the table. It had gone well-or so it seemed-but my mind was elsewhere. A cloud had hovered over my head for weeks now, and I just couldn't seem to let it go. Until finally, the room emptied, and that little voice in my belly started telling me I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's one of those feelings that I just couldn't shake-and boy, was I right: the minute my secretary Olivia burst in looking like she'd just seen a ghost, I knew my world was going to come crashing down. "Sir… You need to see this," Olivia stammered, extending the tablet toward me. Her hand was shaking. What is it?" I asked her, frowning as I took the device from her. "Arlys… she… she gave an interview," she managed to say, her voice cracking. "It's everywhere. It's viral." It was as if blood oozed out in one go. The instant it glued on the screen when I scrolled
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Natalie's P.O.V.I barely felt the weight of the office door closing behind me as I stepped out, my vision blurred by the tears that kept falling though it tore my heart into pieces. It felt just like the walls of Brandon's office closed in on me and suffocated me, and now that I was outside, I couldn't breathe. Maybe my legs were lead, and little I did but walk, step after step, without an end at all in or direction toward the sight.How blind can I be? How come I let it seep inside my head that things between us were getting better? The last weeks had been speckled with instances of warmth and tenderness-quiet moments indeed, but which made me feel secure and sure that finally, we were on firmer ground. But all that was one big lie.Snicker, grim, escaped; images flashed of soft stroking, the way Brandon had held me up through the night, the look in those eyes, which I had mistaken for love. I had let my defenses down, and given him my trust. Now it seemed I was paying the price for
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Brandon's POVThe house was cold the minute I stepped through the door. Not warm, nobody was waiting to greet me in the doorway. There was this silent feeling, a feeling which told me within an instance that something was wrong. She should have been in the sitting room or at least heard her humming emanating from the kitchen. Today, there is nothing but stillness.I went down the hall, my footsteps resounding in the big emptiness. My heart started to beat this weird rhythm the closer I came up to her room. The door stood ajar, and one could hear someone rummaging inside."Natalie?" I half-aloud quietly said, yet nobody answered me.I flung the door open and saw her by the bed, the suitcase opened, and clothes scattered around; she was packing. My heart fell into my tummy, and for one moment, I stopped breathing."Natalie, what are you doing?" I said, stepping inside, lacing my voice with confusion and fear.She didn't turn but went on with the packing,-folding a sweater and laying it
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Natalie's POV"Are you sure about this, Nat?" Hailey asked as she extended a glass of water in my direction, her eyes deep with concern. I knew that furrow in her brow and pursing of her lips meant she'd bitten her tongue not to ask a thousand questions.I nodded, swallowing as my throat welled up with tears that threatened to fall. "I didn't have a choice, Hail. I just couldn't stay there anymore."Hailey plopped herself beside me on the couch and reached across to set a hand on my arm, turning toward me. "And you just packed up and left just like that?"Just like that," I said-my voice as flat as his. "What was I supposed to do? He's going to have a baby with Arlys and didn't even have the balls to come to me. I had to find out just like everybody else did-on the damn internet."Anger twisted all of the features on Hailey's face. "That snake knew it, I knew something was off about her, but I didn't fathom it, didn't think she would go this far."By this time, I was whispering now; s
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Brandon's POV"Brandon! Open this door right now!" My mother's voice pierced through the house, razor-sharp and commanding, cutting through the heavy silence that had fallen since Natalie left.I didn't have the strength to get out of bed and face her. Now, sitting in bed, staring only at the floor with all that on my mind, my chest cramped, my heart was heavy with all the guilt and regret that Natalie was gone and had left me, and hadn't found even the strength to go after her.“Brandon!” she yelled out this time louder, and pounded on his door a little harder.I did with a deeper breath rise to my feet with the firm realization embedded in my brain-that the more I took to avoid her, the grimmer things got. I walked up to the door, knowing full well what lay on the other side-my actions blowing right in my face. Slowly, I opened it, and there she was, standing, her arms across her chest, her face contorted in anger."Well? Going to explain to me why the whole world is talking about y
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Brandon's POVStill, I stood there, my phone still clutched in my hand, my chest furiously heaving up and down, my heart seething with anger. Arlys had driven me to the limit, and now she threatened me once more. The words still rang in my head, "This is just the beginning."What more was she to do?I had underestimated her, knowing no better than to think she'd keep in her bounds. Now I knew just what kind of danger she was. It was finally time for me to take matters into my own hands and bring this to an end once and for all. But Natalie-just the mere thought of her tear-stained face, how she had left with so much pain in her eyes-scared me on a whole other level.Gotta get outta here, needed some fresh air, you know? Just would not shake, would not.Quiet, it was a house where every room was just a little colder without Natalie inside. I went up the hall and passed her room, now so bare. My hand fell onto the cold doorknob, and I turned it slowly before stepping inside. Just a mome
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER ONE
My whole life is about to be a hell of a rollercoaster. I stare at the beautifully dressed woman standing before me with a resolute look and for the second time this morning, I find myself unable to utter a word. The chairwoman of the Martinez empire is standing before me and announcing in front of the entire staff of Giancarlo- which is only one of the many establishments that her family owns- that she wants me to marry her son! I count to five in my head and try to steady my breath to form a sentence. "Ma'am, I can't possibly marry your son. I don't... I can't... I don't know...." "Nonsense!" She says pleasantly. "You don't know my son but you must have seen pictures of him all over the news. He's the sort of man that any girl would be happy to get married to." She's not wrong, I know. Brandon Martinez is the heartthrob of Seattle, Washington. He is 6ft tall, built like a Greek god, and controls an empire worth billions of dollars. Who wouldn't want to be with a man like that? Th
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The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Brandon's POVStill, I stood there, my phone still clutched in my hand, my chest furiously heaving up and down, my heart seething with anger. Arlys had driven me to the limit, and now she threatened me once more. The words still rang in my head, "This is just the beginning."What more was she to do?I had underestimated her, knowing no better than to think she'd keep in her bounds. Now I knew just what kind of danger she was. It was finally time for me to take matters into my own hands and bring this to an end once and for all. But Natalie-just the mere thought of her tear-stained face, how she had left with so much pain in her eyes-scared me on a whole other level.Gotta get outta here, needed some fresh air, you know? Just would not shake, would not.Quiet, it was a house where every room was just a little colder without Natalie inside. I went up the hall and passed her room, now so bare. My hand fell onto the cold doorknob, and I turned it slowly before stepping inside. Just a mome
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Brandon's POV"Brandon! Open this door right now!" My mother's voice pierced through the house, razor-sharp and commanding, cutting through the heavy silence that had fallen since Natalie left.I didn't have the strength to get out of bed and face her. Now, sitting in bed, staring only at the floor with all that on my mind, my chest cramped, my heart was heavy with all the guilt and regret that Natalie was gone and had left me, and hadn't found even the strength to go after her.“Brandon!” she yelled out this time louder, and pounded on his door a little harder.I did with a deeper breath rise to my feet with the firm realization embedded in my brain-that the more I took to avoid her, the grimmer things got. I walked up to the door, knowing full well what lay on the other side-my actions blowing right in my face. Slowly, I opened it, and there she was, standing, her arms across her chest, her face contorted in anger."Well? Going to explain to me why the whole world is talking about y
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Natalie's POV"Are you sure about this, Nat?" Hailey asked as she extended a glass of water in my direction, her eyes deep with concern. I knew that furrow in her brow and pursing of her lips meant she'd bitten her tongue not to ask a thousand questions.I nodded, swallowing as my throat welled up with tears that threatened to fall. "I didn't have a choice, Hail. I just couldn't stay there anymore."Hailey plopped herself beside me on the couch and reached across to set a hand on my arm, turning toward me. "And you just packed up and left just like that?"Just like that," I said-my voice as flat as his. "What was I supposed to do? He's going to have a baby with Arlys and didn't even have the balls to come to me. I had to find out just like everybody else did-on the damn internet."Anger twisted all of the features on Hailey's face. "That snake knew it, I knew something was off about her, but I didn't fathom it, didn't think she would go this far."By this time, I was whispering now; s
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Brandon's POVThe house was cold the minute I stepped through the door. Not warm, nobody was waiting to greet me in the doorway. There was this silent feeling, a feeling which told me within an instance that something was wrong. She should have been in the sitting room or at least heard her humming emanating from the kitchen. Today, there is nothing but stillness.I went down the hall, my footsteps resounding in the big emptiness. My heart started to beat this weird rhythm the closer I came up to her room. The door stood ajar, and one could hear someone rummaging inside."Natalie?" I half-aloud quietly said, yet nobody answered me.I flung the door open and saw her by the bed, the suitcase opened, and clothes scattered around; she was packing. My heart fell into my tummy, and for one moment, I stopped breathing."Natalie, what are you doing?" I said, stepping inside, lacing my voice with confusion and fear.She didn't turn but went on with the packing,-folding a sweater and laying it
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Natalie's P.O.V.I barely felt the weight of the office door closing behind me as I stepped out, my vision blurred by the tears that kept falling though it tore my heart into pieces. It felt just like the walls of Brandon's office closed in on me and suffocated me, and now that I was outside, I couldn't breathe. Maybe my legs were lead, and little I did but walk, step after step, without an end at all in or direction toward the sight.How blind can I be? How come I let it seep inside my head that things between us were getting better? The last weeks had been speckled with instances of warmth and tenderness-quiet moments indeed, but which made me feel secure and sure that finally, we were on firmer ground. But all that was one big lie.Snicker, grim, escaped; images flashed of soft stroking, the way Brandon had held me up through the night, the look in those eyes, which I had mistaken for love. I had let my defenses down, and given him my trust. Now it seemed I was paying the price for
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Brandon's POV "Thanks, all, for your time," I said, nodding to close the meeting, trying to focus on the investors seated around the table. It had gone well-or so it seemed-but my mind was elsewhere. A cloud had hovered over my head for weeks now, and I just couldn't seem to let it go. Until finally, the room emptied, and that little voice in my belly started telling me I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's one of those feelings that I just couldn't shake-and boy, was I right: the minute my secretary Olivia burst in looking like she'd just seen a ghost, I knew my world was going to come crashing down. "Sir… You need to see this," Olivia stammered, extending the tablet toward me. Her hand was shaking. What is it?" I asked her, frowning as I took the device from her. "Arlys… she… she gave an interview," she managed to say, her voice cracking. "It's everywhere. It's viral." It was as if blood oozed out in one go. The instant it glued on the screen when I scrolled
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Natalie's POVThe kitchen din enveloped me: clinking dishes, and hum of dining-room voices; this is just background noise that I almost always hear. I finally looked up and stopped to revise this menu since new seasonal dishes needed my attention. There is only one rhythm here in the restaurant that continues day in, and day out that assures me that all is right with the world in its place.Today, however, was stretched to a breaking point. Of late, Brandon had gone standoffish: not catching glances, short conversations, the way he came home late and blamed it on work. I really did want to believe him, but something really did not feel right, and I couldn't get it off my mind.It was that knock on my door that pulled me out of this reverie. I didn't get a word said, let alone get words formed, before Hailey walked into my office, white-faced, shaking her hand, holding her phone out in front of her like some sort of explosive."Natalie, you have got to see this," she said, her voice ju
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Brandon's P.O.V. "Anthony, I need your help," I said into the phone clutched to my ear, while my voice quivered. My hands were all wet from sweat, and I could just feel the weight of everything weighing down on me. The walls in my office closed in while I paced, unable to sit down. A second later, Anthony answered on the other line saying, "Brandon, what's up? You sound a mess." "I… I messed up, man," I said rubbing a hand over my face in frustration. The guilt just about ate me alive and I couldn't shake this image of Arlys leaving my office with that smirk on her face. I hated her for the angle she was playing but God I hated myself even more for putting us in this situation. "It's Arlys. She's pregnant, Anthony. And she's threatening me." "What?" Anthony's voice all but reached a high pitch, incredulous at the good news palpable. "Pregnant? Brandon, you gotta be kidding me right now." "I am. I didn't even want to believe her in the first place, but then she came back and t
The Billionaire’s Bargain CHAPTER FIFTY
Natalie's POVThe morning in the restaurant had been busy, but finally, some afternoon lull appeared, which gave me the chance to catch my breath and think about something other than work. It was ages since I saw Brandon's mother Rebecca, and all of a sudden I started feeling how much her presence was missed.She was always nice to me because of this ever-pressing turbulence between Brandon and his family. And so I went over to them, hoping to have a nice afternoon.I had done everything that needed doing, passed it on to my assistant, and left. The backseat was comfortable, and my mind began to stray. Something tugged in my brain concerning Brandon, but I'd just blown that off. We will sort that out later. Now, all that I wanted was to be with Rebecca.Finally, as I was approaching her estate, my driver slowed down since some other car seemed to materialize from the opposite direction. I went forward and peered into an immensely familiar sleek black car driving out. My heart barely m
