Captivated By The Billionaire

Pinnacle Bank

Chapter Four

Present Day.

Unfortunately, staying home wasn’t an option. Betty hurried toward the bus stop just as her regular bus pulled up. She struggles through the crowd of Commuters on the sidewalk.

.“Wait!” She screamed. The doors had already begun closing. The driver spotted her and stopped them. Betty jogged forward, slightly out of breath.

“Thank you.” Betty said breathlessly.

The driver grinned. “Running late today, Miss Betty?”

She blinked. Then recognized him. "Mr. Bernard" He is one of the oldest drivers on that route and very kindhearted and has become friends with Betty over time.

“A little.” She said

“A little?” he laughed. “You usually get here five minutes early.”

Betty forced a smile and tapped her transit card. “Guess today isn’t my day.”

Mr. Bernard studied her face briefly. His smile softened. “Well, hopefully it gets better.”

Betty nodded. “Hopefully.”

She found a seat near the window. The bus surged forward. Buildings rolled past outside. People hurried through crosswalks carrying briefcases and coffee cups. She used to enjoy these bus rides to work and back.

But today everything feels bleak. Hmmm, Betty sighed.

Betty rested her forehead against the cool glass. She wished that day were a weekend and she didn’t have to be in the office. Her mind drifted back to the previous night. The image appeared instantly. Mark is kneeling. Paula crying with excitement. The ring slid onto her finger. She gasped, her hand unconsciously tightened around her purse strap.

The sound drew a curious glance from an elderly female commuter. She quickly looked away. She tried to push the thoughts out of her mind, but she just couldn’t.

Then another memory surfaced. A black Limousine. A black umbrella. A warm voice.

“You don’t look fine.” Chris. She remembered how he had driven her home. No awkward questions. No strange expectations. No attempts to flirt. Just quiet conversation.

When they reached her apartment building, he had stepped out first and opened the door for her.

“You sure you’ll be alright?” he had asked. She remembered nodding. “Yeah.”

He hadn’t looked convinced but he said. “Alright. Just call me if you need anything. You have my card, right?"

Betty just nodded. She had slipped it into her purse when he gave it to her earlier.

Chris had waited until she reached her front door. Only then had the limousine driven away.

The memory left an odd feeling behind. She couldn’t really place it. Strange unexpected comfort. She quickly brushed the thought aside.

The bus slowed near her usual stop. Betty grabbed her bag and stood.

“Have a good day, Miss Betty,” Mr. Bernard called. She glanced back. “You too.”

Stepping off the bus in front of her favorite coffee shop. She was tempted to go in but looked at her watch, it was already 8:50am.

She has to skip her usual morning routine. She was running late. The smell of roasted coffee beans enveloped her as she walked briskly past the coffee shop.

Five minutes later she was crossing the street towards her office building.

She looked up at the building housing Pinnacle Bank and whispered to herself,

"This is my focus now. This is all that matters right now."

The towering glass structure reflected the morning sun. Employees streamed through the revolving doors. Betty joined them.

The familiar sounds of keyboards, phones, and conversations filled the office floor. Normally, this gets her excited but today it felt exhausting.

She had barely reached her desk when a voice spoke behind her.

“Okay, Start spilling."

Betty froze. She knew that voice.

“What’s wrong?”

She turned.

Lisa stood there holding a folder and a cup of tea. Her best friend at work. The one person who could read her expressions better than anyone.

Betty tried to smile. It failed immediately. Lisa’s eyes narrowed with curiosity.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“That fake smile.”

Betty looked away. Lisa set her tea down. Took Betty’s bag from her and dropped it on her desk.

"Sit."Lisa said to Betty “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Betty?”

“I’m fine.”

"Really?”

Lisa folded her arms with her head tilted to the side. Looking at Betty

“You spent half of your lunch break yesterday talking about Mark’s birthday.

”Betty remained silent.

“You had dinner plans.”

Silence.

“The cake.”

More silence.

“The surprise.”

Lisa stepped closer.

“You were excited.

”Betty swallowed hard.

“Was.”

Lisa’s expression changed instantly. Concern replaced curiosity.

“Oh.”

The single word almost broke her.

Lisa lowered her voice “What happened?”

Betty stared at her desk,At the computer screen then at her empty finger where she once had Mark’s engagement ring.

Lisa’s eyes followed her gaze.

Her eyes began to burn. “Lisa…”

Her voice cracked. Lisa’s face paled. Without another word, she pulled a chair over and sat beside her.

"What happened?” That was all it took. Betty’s carefully built composure shattered.

A tear slid down her cheek. Then another. Lisa reached across the desk and squeezed her hand.

She rushed out to get Betty a cup of strong black coffee.

"You need this." Lisa handed the cup over to Betty.

"Drink up."

And for the first time since leaving that restaurant, Betty finally had someone to tell the truth. Someone to tell exactly how she feels.

Betty just poured her heart out.

"I can’t believe he did that to you after three years"

Lisa said softly as he handed Betty a tissue.

"Neither can I” Betty replied sobbing quietly.

Lisa handed her another tissue and waited patiently for her to wipe her eyes.

The office around them continued moving as though nothing had happened.

Phones rang. Printers hummed. Employees walked past carrying folders and coffee cups. Meanwhile, Betty felt as though her entire world had crashed.

"I need to give Mark a piece of my mind “ Lisa snapped

"There will be no need for that”Betty responded.

"I am done and just want to put all this behind me”

Betty stared at her computer screen without actually seeing it.

“Three years and he proposes to someone else?” Betty laughed bitterly.

“When you say it out loud, it sounds even worse.”

“It is worse.”

Betty opened her mouth to respond when her desk phone rang. The sharp sound startled both of them.

Betty glanced at the display. Her stomach tightened.

Joe Thompson. Branch Manager. Her boss. Lisa noticed immediately. “Oh no.”

"Yep” Betty sighed. She picked up the receiver. "Betty speaking.”

Joe’s deep voice came through the line. “Morning, Betty. Can you come to my office?”

“Sure Sir” Betty responded

“Bring a notebook.” The line clicked dead. Betty slowly lowered the phone.

Lisa groaned. “What could he possibly want from you this early, You think you’re in trouble?”

Betty shook her head. “I haven’t done anything, got a mail yesterday about a meeting but completely forgot all about it ”

"I was going to read the documents attached to the mail later but Mark happened”

Lisa stared at her. “Oh no! What are you going to do? “

“My life exploded twelve hours ago, it can’t be any worse ”

Despite everything, Betty managed to smile as she picked up her notepad and pen. "Wish me luck "

"Best of luck” Lisa said softly but still concerned.

Betty rolled her eyes as she walks off to Joe’s office. “I’ll be back in one piece, hopefully “

“Good luck.” Lisa said again

“I’ll need lots of that”