IN LOVE WITH MY STINGY BILLIONAIRE CEO

CHAPTER TWO

Jeff woke up to the sunlight and

silence. For a second he didn't know

where he was. The room was big, too

big, too quiet, all glass and marble and

and a bed that felt it cost more than

his tiny old bed at his home. which he was used.

Then a memory hit him: the bar, her.

He sat up, rubbing his head.

"What the hell."

The door opened, before he could say anything.

The staffmembers walked in calm, polite, but

there was nothing casual about why

they here.

They weren't carrying trays.

They were carrying a tablet.

"Good morning sir" one of them said.

"You book the presidential suite last

night. The most expensive room we

have" The other added. "Payment

of the room has already been proceed.

We are just here to hand your bill and you should visit our hotel next time. incidentals"

He took the tablet",

His jaw dropped locked.

His heart starts pounding a little

The staff didn't react.

"Your signature is on file sir,"

Jeff phone started buzzing, one alert.

Then another, Transfer, deduction, his

account draining in realtime. real time

He stared at the number until the his heart

started Pounding.

Jeff open hismouth to say something

but the room tilted. too fast. too

much.

The last thing he heard was the staff

saying "sir?" before everything

went black.

The first thing Jeff noticed was

the smell of disinfectant. Hospital

He opened his eyes to white walls

and sound of heart monitor beep too

fast. His chest was tight. His

hands where shaking.

A Nurse glanced up from her clipboard.

Saw he was awake and didn't even look

surprised. she stood at the door and just sighed.

"Good, you are back." the doctor said. "try to breathe."

Jeff tried. it didn't work.

His first thought wasn't am I okay?" It wasthe bill.

"How?" he rasped. "How much is bill

been this time"

The Nurse and doctor exchange a look. No pity

No Shock. just tired.

A nurse walked to his bed." sir can you see me.

Jeff answered in fear"why do you ask "

"His just that you don't recognize me from before."

The doctor walked towards the nurse and whispered "He has prosopagnosia and vasovalgal syncope.

The nurse turned to him and apologized.

The doctor also apologized "she is new here.we are sorry ,she doesn't know you. "You do this anytime money gets off your account.we are not surprised anymore."

Before Jeff could say anything his phone buzzed on the bed side.

"Mom "

he answered on the speaker

"Are you in the hospital again?" Her voice

came through sharp and familiar.

Jeff opened his mouth, but she

cut him off.

"You and your stinginess. That’s what

lands you here every time. You know

better."

A pause, then softer but firm: "I’m not

arguing. Get dressed. I have somewhere I need you to be. Now."

The call ended.

Jeff laid back against the pillow, staring

at the ceiling.

Stingy.

thinking about wherever his mom was,

she was dragging him too.

The air smelled like incense and

old wood.

He stepped into the room behind

his mother, already annoyed.

"Why did you bring me here?" he muttered.

His mother didn't answer. She just

sat him down in front of the small table

where the fortune teller sat, eyes half

closed, beads clicking between her

fingers.

The fortune teller studied him for

a long moment. Then he nodded, like he'd

seen this before.

"You don't know why your mother brought you here"? he said.

His mother scoffed "He doesn't. Look

at him - so stingy. Even to himself, he

won't spend on his own comfort. Won't

spend on anyone else either. Outsider?

Forget it."

The fortune teller closed his eyes and

began muttering, beads moving fast.

Smoke curled from the incense.

"I see it now. Suddenly, the spirit

of stinginess is circling around you.

It clinging to you."

HE pointed at the young Jeff. "But in

the future, you will fall in love with a girl. She breaks the spirit. You will stop being stingy."

He leaned forward. "For now, bring

me a piece of your cloth and some

money. I will do this ritual. I will

chase this spirit away."

Jeff went still. Then he burst out:

"What? Pay your money for a God-

given gift? You are a fraud!"

He stood up, glaring. "Why would

I give you money for something

that’s supposed to be free?"

The fortuneteller just smiled . Jeff left outside angry,and his mother followed suit and went into their car.

Jeff was already home, tired. As he sat down, he remembered there was a small box in his pocket. The box scraped against something, so he immediately took it out and opened it.

That made him flash back to when went to the hotel. The hotel manager had called him over to collect something someone had left behind in the room he booked.

When he looked in the box now, he saw it was a earring. white.and pretty.

Jeff smiled.

He closed the box and walked to where kept his treasure. and placed into one of his structures.

NIKKI sits on the couch at home, talking quietly with her chat gpt, lowering her voice.

Nikki: You won’t believe what happened. I had a one-night stand with a guy I didn’t even know.

chat gpt ,laughs awkwardly, then immediately looks embarrassed.

NIKKI: I’m so fused about it. I don’t know why I even told you.

Suddenly, footsteps sound in the hallway.

Her sister walks in, looking at her

Sister: Why were you being so quiet?

NIKKI forces a casual smile, trying to play it off like nothing happened.

TWO YEARS LATER

JEFF phone beeped on the

night stand.

Jeff reached out for it, half

asleep.

"Jeff" his mother voice came through.

Crisp and proud. Stop taking the bus!

I Bought you a car.

Jeff sat up too fast

"A car?"

"Yes am sending it now. You need it

for work."

Jeff rubbed his eyes. Mom, don't send it.

"what do you mean ,don't send it?

I don't need a car, right now, jeff said

Already calculating fuel, maintenance,

insurance, registration money .

" Owning a car isn't free. It cost you every month.

His mother sighed, exasperated.

"So you would rather spend an hour on a bus every morning?

I 'd know exactly where my money is going.

Jeff said, evenly. I can't afford

a car that drains me.

Silence on the line.

The call ended

He lay back down, staring at ceiling.

Free car. Still felt like a bill.

Jeff's stood up ,shift to his bathroom. The bathroom was silent except for the sound of water running.

Jeff stood under the shower, one hand

braced against the marble wall, to stay

upright. His shoulders were broad,

lean muscle under damp skin.

Jeff moved first . Efficient.

Teeth, brushed in under a minute, jaw

tight, then he rinsed, Hair combed

back with his fingers, still damp,

falling just over his forehead.

He blow dried his hair.

His dressing was natural. No flumbing.

No hesitation.

Black tailored trouser. Crisp, white

shirt, sleeves to the forearm with military

precision. Cufflink, fastened just

enough to look human. The suit jacket

went on last – Charcoal structure

level:

He checked himself in the mirror.

Eye's sharp, composed his ties, straight

his jacket, turned and checked the time .

Sees he his almost late for the bus he hurries.

The bus hissed to a stop at a curb.

Jeff stepped on first, already holding

the exact fare in his palm. He didn't

trust drivers to have change.

He wasn't leaving a single cent behind.

Nikki got on right behind him, after the bus stopped the Third time.focused

and a little rushed.

She'd just gotten an internship at APEX HOLDING.

The richest company in the country.

First day. She couldn't afford to be late.

She tapped her card, paid her fare, and

move down the aisle, eyes on the clock.

In front of her, Jeff was already

in the seat.

"I'm not leaving out any extra," he said

flatly.

The driver frowned. "I don't have change".

Nikki stopped behind him, confused.

"Seriously?" she said under her breath.

"You can't leave one cent?"

Jeff glanced at her. Calm

unreadable. "People like you Spend with out thinking", Jeff said. "Then

you wonder why you're broke".

A few minutes later the bus hissed to a

stop.

Nikki pushed past everyone without

looking up, shouldering past Jeff, as she

checked her phone and rushed toward the building.

The coffee Jeff was holding spilled on his coat. he angrily turns back wanting to call her attention.

Nikki was already going to be 16 minutes late for her first day at Apex Holdings,the richest company in the country. Nikki didn't stop to look back.

Behind her, Jeff steps out off the bus.

Angrily. He'd been arguing with the

driver about the exact change all the

way here.

"bad day for me today "

Jeff said"

At the entrance, people bowed and

stepped aside. The chairman, executives,

drivers with luxury cars, everyone knew

him. He was Jeffrey Cole, CEO and

majority owner of Apex Holdings.

The secretary was already waiting outside. immediately he saw Jeff coat was wet ,he handed him a towel to clean his suit and hurried to get him a suit.

The secretary arrived with the suit Jeff puts it on.

"Mr Jeff .the board is waiting for you"

Inside Nikki was being welcomed

by her manager.

"Welcome aboard," the manager said,

handing her a company credit card.

"Use this for work related expense

and also there is a bonus for

being an intern."

Nikki nodded, distracted. She was

a heavy spender.

Ten minutes later she was in the

hallway, talking on the phone to her sister.

"They gave me a company card! I'm buying

that designer dress from Mona. It's

perfect for my first week."

She swiped the card. $150. Charged.

Boardroom, 18 minutes later:

Jeff sat at the head of the table, board

members around him.

His phone buzzed.

"$50 charge - Apex card - Approved."

He frowned. That was the limit he'd set.

Before he could say anything, it buzzed

again:

"$150 charge - Apex card - Mona. His jaw dropped .

His heart started racing.

The boardroom noticed. Someone asked,

"Mr Jeff, are you alright?"

Jeff didn't answer.

The world went white.

He collapsed.

5 minutes later

Nikki walked in, still confused.

People were whispering, shooting glances

towards the boardroom. The air

felt tense.

On the screen, the intern group

One by one, the other intern replies

replied - $20, $30, $45.

Nikki was last.

She typed $150 - Mona Boutique.

The room went silent.

HR manager: "Raise your hand now."

Nikki frowned, still not understanding,

and raised her hand.

The door to the board office opened.

Jeff was being helped out by two

assistants. One hand clutched

to the Iv pole, His other arm in an

assistant's arm to keep him upright.

Jeff's face was pale, jaw tight, sweat

beading on his forehead even though

the room was cold.

The executive went silent.

phones stopped buzzing.

All eyes went on him.