The Billionaire’s Counterfeit Bargain

Chapter 1

~Aria~

The Luxen enterprise known to be founded by the late Daniel Luxen and is now currently managed by his daughter Ariana Luxen had been formally charged with embezzlement of government properties and fraud.

It is said that there is recorded evidence and documents to support these claims.

“ What?!?!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, jolting up from my seat as the voice of the television faded.

I stared at the television screen, the words glaring back at me. Embezzlement? Fraud? Evidence?

My mouth opened just a fraction but enough to show how shocked I was. This can't be real. It had to be some joke. A prank played by some competing companies.

Yes it had to be. I tried reassuring myself but I knew very well that this was no joke and I was very much facing reality.

Everything written on the screen in front of me was real.

I paced back and forth, clenching my hands tightly into a ball, my fingers digging into my skin. My father's company, my company is being dragged through the mud and is what? Accused of fraud and embezzlement?

What sort of nonsense and worst of, on national TV. I scoffed. No, there was no way, I would have known if something shady as this was going on in the company.

I mean–I practically lived in that office, so how would an important and crucial part like this be missed.

“ Think, Aria, think” I muttered, raking my fingers through my hair. I'd gone over every file and ledgers multiple times and it was clean. Everything was clean. Unless…. someone had tampered with them after I was made to step down as CEO.

And it was no other person other than… Darren Maxwell. That name brought a bitter taste to my mouth.

My dear loving husband. Of course it had to be him. After forcing me to marry him and making my life a living hell, he still had to go out of his way to get involved in fraud.

I was definitely not sitting this one out to watch the company my late father had left for me sink to the ground. Whatever he did, he should undo it.

If there was anymore tactics up his sleeves which I didn't know about, I needed to know it now.

He had already played one on me by threatening me with a blackmail which I still cannot figure out how he laid hold of that information. It was the first time hearing about it and I had never heard about it from anyone, not even my own parents. This was something I couldn’t let go out as it would ruin me and my family.

Angrily, I turned to grab my purse, pulled out my phone and dialed Laurel’s number. I needed someone to vent my frustration to and she was the absolute perfect person for that in my life.

“Hey laurel, it's me. Call me back, it's really urgent. The company is in trouble. I-” I hesitated, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Just call me, okay”

With that I pushed the phone back into my purse and headed to the door.

I immediately slid into my car and sped off towards Darren's office, with so much anger raging in me. Not caring if I could get into trouble for over speeding. My mind racing and my heart pounding in my chest.

The only sound I could hear was the constant humming of the car’s engine. I searched my mind, looking for possible reasons why he would do this to me after giving him everything—my love, my sweat, my home, my company!

After sacrificing a lot to be with him, regret was always my end result every time.

I took a sharp turn as I pulled into the underground parking lot of the company. With my nerves on the edge, I fluttered my eyelids close, taking a deep breath as I came out of the car.

I didn't wait for the elevator before taking the stairs, taking two leaps at a time until I reached the top floor in no time.

The receptionist barely had time to greet me before I pushed through the glass door leading to Darren's office.

Ready to shout at the top of my voice, I barged in, “ Darren! what's the meaning of-” I stopped mid air, my breath hitched as I beheld the scene in front of me.

My heart raced, beating faster than a thousand volts as I felt this slightly painful headache pass through my head.

“Mmmm, Darren harder” Laurel moaned while he banged her like he meant it.

“Darren? Laurel?!” I called out perplexed, but they just looked at me and continued what they were doing like I was a nonexistent ghost standing right there.

I didn't know what to feel or how to react. It was as if the nerves in my body had stopped working.

I felt numb all over, void of any emotions. I just stood there with my hands on the door knob squeezing tightly into it like I could break it from the door, my knuckles almost turning white.

My eyes stung with tears and the next second I dashed out, running through the corridor like I was being chased by a vampire

I didn't stop or look back till I was inside in my car. I sat staring at my steering wheel trying to process what I had just seen.

The cold and disgust in his eyes as he looked back at me.

Laurel bent down, chest on my once-before office desk with her black skirt up and her bra undone while my beloved husband banged her like his life depended on it.

I shouldn't be surprised, I knew a day like this would happen but I didn't think it would be with my best friend.

Someone I had called my sister, that I had taken as one. Never knew such an innocent and cute face had an ugly side to it.

Even if she wanted to betray me, why would it have to be with that bastard—Darren Maxwell.

Who she knew had made these past few years of my life a living hell. The person who enjoyed threatening me and derived pleasure in tormenting me.

I had always complained to her, always lamented about all he did to me and yet still, she seriously did this to me! Me?!

“ f**k!!!” I screamed hitting the steering wheel multiple times.

What have I done to deserve all these? What was my crime? If he had only cheated on me, I wouldn't have considered it a crime but he f*****g took my company from me! My inheritance!

How dare he!

I had managed that company right before my father's death. It was the only thing that kept me going even when I was in mourning and now everything was going to go down the drain, all because of a cold hearted human being, who was my husband!

I was definitely married to the devil himself.