THE UNWANTED BILLIONAIRE'S WIFE

It is Monday morning. All workers were set in the large meeting room except Mr Damain Stone. Aria was sitting opposite the chair meant for mr Damain Stone. She looked fearful, but she talked to herself; ”Aria, you can do it. Today, I will prove to everyone that I deserve to be more than the assistance of mr Damain Stone. She smiled as if something spoke to her that she could actually do it. She looked directly towards the seat meant for mr Damain as though he was there, “I will present this new house design, and it will wow you all. Her thought was intercepted by the sound of the door. Everyone quickly stood u, and there come a man in a black suit came. He smells nice with a wrist watch that sparkles, which one can tell from its looks like it's worth millions. He walked in, not smiling nor frowning, but he looked absolutely bossy. He adjusted his seat, then his seat. Miss Bennet, you may begin. Her heart sank in fear, but she summoned courage. She stood up, adjusted her chair, held a remote that was in front of her and switched on the screen. She spoke confidently but quickly, “ This design for the green city project uses less steel and more glass to save cost and…” Damain lifted his hand, ”Stop”. She was confused! Sir? You call this innovation? Damain responded But, Sir! Aria exclaimed, but she was quickly interrupted by Damain. What you just presented looks just like a child who is trying to draw with a crayon. The other staff laughed softly, but when Damain looked at them, everyone quickly adjusted. The hall was so quiet that Aria's heartbeat could be heard. "Sir, you haven't allowed me to explain…” "Enough," Damian said again. This time with a sharper and louder voice. "If you had put in your brain what it is meant for, you would not come here and present this rubbish to me." Aria’s heart pounded quickly. She had been working tirelessly on the design, but all she could get was this? She couldn't control her anger, she said, this time looking at him straight in the eyes; "Maybe if you actually listened to your staff, you would have known how hard they work." The room went silent again, and everyone was surprised that Aria talked back to Damian. Nobody had ever done that, not even the top staff. Damain looked at her, gnashing his teeth in anger. "What did you just say?" This time around, her voice is louder and with a strong determination to correct her boss's excessive authority over his workers. "With due respect, sir, " she continued, “I said people here are afraid to speak because you wouldn't allow them to express themselves. Sir, if you didn't allow us, how do we prove to you that we are capable of the position we are occupying? The remaining staff looked at one another with disbelief. Damian stood up slowly. Miss Bennett, I most commend your unsolicited advice and courage to speak your mind. You’re fired.”! The words hit her like a slap. Aria thought she didn't hear him well. Sir, “fired…? He turned to his secretary. “Make sure the security escort Miss Bennett out of this building, and if she stays, then necessary, then you will also lose your job.” He left the meeting, and everybody sat coldly looking at one another. Aria was looking at them one after the other, but none looked back. She muttered, “I understand"! She gathered her folder with trembling hands. Her design pages slipped to the floor, she looked at them for some seconds, and she couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes drop on the paper. She left the papers there. She walked out of the room with her eyes burning and her heart heavy. As she walked past every worker, they looked down and quickly turned away as though, if they looked too much, they would face the same fate as hers. This attitude broke her the more, but she summoned the courage and left. Her hands trembled as she pressed the elevator button, and when the doors opened, two people stepped out quickly without making eye contact. She looked at them and said quietly to herself,” Have I turned a virus that everyone needs to run away from? She rode the elevator alone, staring at her reflection in the silver wall. I shouldn't have talked back, she muttered as tears dripped down her cheek. She quickly cleaned it. The doors opened again, and she walked out of the building. She paused a bit, looked back and continued her journey. The weather had changed. It might rain soon, but she had no umbrella. She walked quickly, hoping the rain would catch him before he got a bus. When she got to the bus stop, she stood alone. Suddenly, the rain started heavily. She was soaked with water. She cried out loud but quickly controlled it. The bus arrived late and was nearly empty. She sat near the window, staring at the gray streets as she sobbed quietly. “Beep, beep”, her phone rang. She brought it out to check who the caller was. She saw,” my sweet mum,”. She quickly wiped her eyes, composed herself and answered the call. “Hello, mummy” Aria said softly “Hello, sweetheart", her mother responded softly but with concern The bank called again. They said if we don’t pay this week, they will sell your father’s old company.” Aria couldn't hold it but burst into tears. Are you crying, sweetheart? Her mother asked. Aria quickly wiped her face. No mummy, but how come? They said the debt is overdue, and they can't give us any extension. There was a pause on the line. Then her mother whispered, Are you there, Aria? But mummy, why is everything working against me today? She asked rhetorically. What happened, her mother asked. “Never mind, mum, I will be fine,” Aria responded. “We may have to leave the house soon,” her mother said in a mild tone “I will call you later, mum,” Aria said and dropped the call. This time, Aria couldn't help but start sobbing. She had lost her job and was about to lose the property her father had laboured hard to get. By the time she got to her bus stop, the rain was heavier. She hurried to her apartment, but when she got to her door, she met the worst. Her landlord had padlocked the door and was waiting for her to come. Good morning! She greeted me. “Your rent is 5 months late and I can't keep waiting “ the landlord responded. I will pay next week. I already arranged for it. Aria said calmly “It is too late”, I have changed the lock.” The landlord said as he left. Aria was heartbroken. She did not know if she should cry or shout. She sat down on the stairs thinking of what had happened to her in just a day; she lost her job, her father's property will be confiscated, and now, she is homeless. She stood up and walked down the stairs slowly. She was walking slowly in the rain to an unknown destination. “Beep…beep” a car horn from behind, but, shedidn'tt even bother to look back. Slowly, a black exotic car stopped in front of her, and the glass to the back seat was gradually wound down. It was Damain, but he wasn't looking at her direction. She looked at the car and was surprised to see her boss. She said faintly, “What could he possibly want from me again”? The door was opened, and Damain stepped out of the car calmly. Aria stood calmly but looked into his eyes without any fear whatsoever. She asked in a mild, sober tone; What do you want from me, Mr Stone? “Get in the car,” he said without looking at her. “Pardon?”, Are you kidding? Should I come inside? Come inside to come and do what? You fired me this morning, and you're expecting me to come inside your car. Come to do what? Aria said with a voice that sounded as though he was sobbing. “You want to pay your father's debt”? Get inside the car, Damain said. I have a business offer for you. Aria was confused. She didn't know if she should say yes or no. But, she thought, if she didn't get it, what was left for her? Damain opened the car door. Get inside the car, this time around. He said it calmly, I will explain inside the car. She entered the car after a long hesitation. The driver started the car, and for some minutes, no one said anything. They were both silent. Aria was already feeling cold because she was drained already with the air conditioning in the car. She was shivering, and Damain signalled the driver. The driver turned down the air conditioning. The silence was broken by the statement that Damain said that sounded as though he was talking to Aria. “I need a wife”. Aria was very mad this time. Despite feeling cold, she managed to express herself,” Do I look like an agent or what? Damain quickly responded, “ I need a wife for just one….” Aria quickly interrupted…and that hasn't answered my question. Do I look like an agent or what…” I thought you said you had a business offer for me? “Marry me for a year, and afterward, I will pay you off,” Damain replied calmly. It will be a legal public marriage, then after a year, we will divorce, and I will pay you handsomely so that you can start a living. This time, Aria was more confused. Is this a sort of joke? Damian responded: “ I am too busy for a joke”. I am a businessman. But…Aria stammered, You…but..why me, of all the women in this world? Wait! Was that why you fired me earlier today? Damain didn't say anything. Aria said, Why me? You could have gotten thousands of billions of girls of high calibre to do this for you. “Simple! They will want more…love…But I am too busy for that, and I know you are not ready for that rubbish because you've not pulled your life together. Damain responded. Marry me for one year. You will be rewarded handsomely, then we will go our separate ways. Aria was curious, and she said, Why do you want to get married to a woman for a year and…” You have just tomorrow as a deadline to decide. Damain interrupted. After tomorrow, this offer ends! The car stopped, and Damain gave her his card. She wanted to reject the offer, but she remembered she had lost her job, her home and her father's property would be gone forever if she didn't act smart. Ok”, she said as she collected the card. She alighted, then the car drove off. She checked the card and what she saw was his phone number, home address and two lines of text that read: “marry me for one year: no love”! She sighs! But why would he treat me like trash? Aria said softly to herself. She decided to accept the contract. She boarded another bus to spend the night with her mum. By morning, Aria went to Damain's mansion. She nearly fainted at what she saw. What a haven! She said, opening her mouth. She called, but he didn't pick up the call. A few minutes afterward, a security guard came out to pick her up. You are… the security asked, and without wasting time. ”Miss Aria,” she quickly responded. Alright! Come with me! The security ordered. She was missing her steps because the whole environment was too clean and perfect. Everywhere smells of luxury. Damain had already prepared the document, and immediately, Aria came in. He asked expectantly: You come! I know you will make the right choice. Remember, no love! Yes! Aria responded. But I have my own rules too. “Rules”? Damain said with a smile. Do you want to bargain with me or what? “I have the right to do whatever I wish to do. I won't be a slave to you for a year. She said. Damian smiled and responded. Stick to my rule, and everything will be fine. Don't do what I ask you not to do. In public, I own you. Your rule! I am fine. Aria said ok and Damain told her the wedding is by afternoon. The lawyer had already prepared everything. Damain gave Aria a pen to sign the agreement paper. Aria read through it, then signed and returned the pen to him. Done! She said, Some hours later, the wedding took place in a private hotel and some dignitaries were invited. The ceremony was quick. When everyone had gone, they both rode to Damian's mansion.