THE BILLIONAIRE’S BRIDE

Aria’s POV I was very late and I disliked myself for it. I quickly rushed into the tall glass building and I almost slipped down on the smooth floor. My heels were too high and my legs were too tired. My stomach was so empty, but I moved and I held my old purse close to my side as I tried to look calm. I could not be late for the job interview, I needed this job. The elevator didn't stop in time, it took quite some time and when the doors opened, I had to force myself in between two people in suits. I kept my eyes down and I felt I was too small. My blouse was a little wrinkled, my makeup was cheap, and my resume was folded at the edges. But I stood tall, I didn't care, because I really needed money, I needed a miracle. To take care of my son Noah, he was sick and there was no improvement. The elevator stopped at the 14th floor. I immediately stepped out and looked at the sign that said “Hawk Industries.” The letters shune, they were cold and they were powerful. My fingers shook slightly as I tried to fix my skirt and walked quickly toward the glass doors. I inhaled deeply and I pushed them open. Inside, a beautiful woman wearing a black suit sat behind a desk and she raised her head up and smiled, but it was obvious from her eyes that she was judging me. “Miss Aria Lane?” she asked. “Yes,” I said, my voice was small. “You are late,” she said. “I am so sorry,” I said. “Traffic was bad and..” She didn't care, she just stood and opened another door for me. “This way, please. You are meeting the CEO himself.” My heart stopped. The CEO? Why would the CEO be in a secretary interview? I walked through the door slowly and the room was large and cold. The walls were glass and the sky outside was gray. There was only one man sitting at the long table. And when I saw him… I stopped breathing. It was him. Killian Hawk. My legs instantly felt weak and I stopped breathing for seconds. He was putting on a dark suit and his black hair was more neat, his jaw was sharper now and it was indeed him. He was the man that I met five years ago. He was the man who kissed me and touched me, the man who took everything from me. The man who left the next morning like I was nothing. He raised his head up, and he stared at me, he looked bored and his face was hard and he did not recognize me. He didn’t know who I was, not even a little. I then walked towards him slowly. “Sit,” he said His voice was deep, and calm. It was too calm. I sat across from him, I was looking down and not to his face as I tried to breath. He picked up a file and opened it. “Aria Lane,” he said without looking at me. “Twenty-six. Bachelor’s in Business. Three years at Wilford Tech. You left last year. Why?” My voice was stuck and I tried to speak but nothing came out. I forced myself to smile. “My mom got sick,” I said quickly. “I had to take care of her.” I lied. But I couldn't tell the truth. I couldn’t say I left because I was pregnant. That I had no one to help me and that I worked night shifts at a diner and cleaned offices during the day just to feed my son. Killian finally looked at me. His eyes were the same. It was sharp, dark and dangerous. “I don’t hire people who lie,” he said quietly. My body went cold. “I am not lying,” I whispered. He looked at me hard, it was like he could see deep into my soul, and I immediately looked down quickly. “Do you have any experience working with high-level executives?” he asked. “Yes,” I lied again. “At Wilford Tech, I worked closely with the finance manager. I handled reports, emails, schedules…” He cuts me off. “You speak too fast when you lie,” he said and I froze. He leaned back in his chair, and watched me. “You are nervous.” “Yes,” I whispered. “This job means a lot to me.” He said nothing. I looked at his face again. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to ask how he could forget me. How he could forget that night, how he could forget how he held me like I was everything. Instead, I smiled and he flipped the file closed. “We will call you,” he said flatly. That was it. I nodded and stood up. My knees were so weak now and my heart was broken all over again. I walked out of the room without a sound. ___ I took the bus home and I sat alone in the back and stared out the window, the sky was already turning dark. I tried not to cry and I stepped into our small apartment. The lights flickered a little and I heard soft coughing from the bedroom. “Noah?” I called. I dropped my bag and ran inside. He was lying on the bed, and red cheeks, sweat on his forehead. “Mommy,” he said, with his tiny voice. I touched his face. He was burning up. “No, no, no,” I whispered. I picked him up and rocked him. “I am okay,” he said. “Don’t cry, Mommy.” But I did and I held him close and cried. The next morning, I woke up feeling heavy. My head hurts and my chest feels tight. I didn’t sleep much and I kept thinking about him. Killian Hawk. I grabbed my phone and checked the screen. There were no new messages. I bit my lip and sighed. Then… Buzz. A message popped up. It was from an unknown number. “Miss Lane, this is from Hawk Industries. Mr. Hawk would like to meet you today. In private.” I sat up fast and my fingers shook a little. It was not about the secretary job. It was not normal. Why did he want to see me again? Why in private? Did he remember me? My heart beat too fast. I stared at the message again. This can’t be good. But I knew one thing: I have to go. Even if it scared me.