My Crazy Billionaire

4, Him

“Good morning sir” the receptionist chimed as I got into the building. I was not in the mood to greet back. A few other employees greeted me as I moved towards my private elevator. On the way, I met Mr. Griffin, the guy who handled the press. Apparently, just as I entered the building, a few press people had pulled up to the building and were trying to get me to say something on the new deal I was going to make with Ethan Caster. Yup. Ethan Simmons, my childhood best friend and Lily’s brother.

When the Simmons lost their wealth, Ethan was a mess and to be fair I didn’t really blame him. We fell out during our last years of business school at Harvard. He pretty much ignored me and stayed away from everyone else, even his family. Two years later, when Lily was in her fourth year of medical school, he came to his senses and got his s**t together. I was the only of his friends who hadn’t given up on him despite the fact that he had no status now. It was just us two. It had always been just us too. The others only ever cared about the status and popularity that came with being friends with us. We had one hell of a bloody fight, had a few drinks together and we were good. Ethan will always be my best friend despite everything.

It was also during those four years of not being friends with Ethan that I joined the mafia. After the Simmons lost their wealth and moved away and Ethan wouldn’t even talk to me, I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands. It was then that I found out my father had a whole other family and to f**k things up more, my mum was cheating on him too with her f*****g yoga teacher. It was all one f****d up mess. Maddie, my older sister was away so I couldn’t call her or talk to her. Filled with angst and anger at how completely f****d up life in general was, I found myself joining the mafia and meeting Emile. They were an outlet for all my anger. Emile and the guys were cool and all, but I knew I couldn’t really trust them. Not even Emile. In the mafia world, you only trust yourself. Lacking trust for anyone and fueled by anger which was only momentarily satiated by taking an evil person’s life, I slowly rose up the ranks till I became mafia king. I was a force to be reckoned with.

Despite being influential in the mafia world, I still had to maintain legal and physical appearances, so when the time came, I took over my father’s business and grew it to what it was today. Plus, through the legal business, I could flush some of my illegal money undetected. It was all perfect.

Except, I was an overworked, cold, lonely and unhappy man. I guess that’s the price you pay for having all the wealth one man can have.

When I resumed my friendship with Ethan, things were a bit more bearable as I at least had one person in the entire world that I could trust. It felt nice. Despite this, we hardly saw or spoke to each other as I was busy with my businesses and Ethan was trying to start his business from scratch. Although we were both busy men, we did find some time to just hang out. I needed that.

The press was currently interested in getting my statement as in the last years, Ethan’s business had slowly picked up speed and everyone was curious as to whether the once fallen Simmons family would resume their position among the elites under the leadership of Ethan Simmons. My company was investing in the new Simmons company project and that would be the one push the Simmons company needed to regain its rightful socialite place. Ethan was my brother. It was the least I could do for him. Plus, my company had reviewed their books and studied the project and investing in the project would be beneficial for us as well as them.

Good thing I dodged the press.  With the morning I was having, I was not in the mood to talk to some over bearing news reporters who would twist words and do anything just to have a good story. With the fame and power, I possessed, I was a regular target for reporters and paparazzi and I was keen on keeping a very low press profile because of my illegal business.

Reaching my office on the top floor, I passed by the office of my private assistant/secretary: Corine who immediately rushed out of her open office and followed me into mine as soon as she saw me.

Setting my bag by the side, I sat in my plush leather chair as Corine immediately placed a very large folder of documents before me on my well-polished mahogany desk.

“Good morning sir. Judging from your tense shoulders and ticking jaw muscles it would be safe to assume that you are not having a good morning so I’m going to be snappy so I can leave you alone. Well here are the documents you requested from marketing. They all need your signature. Before you ask, there are about 150 of them. There are about 50 private emails which I directed to your private account and you need to answer some before noon today. Those I have marked with a read header. Also, I passed by the laundromat on my way here and picked up your laundry. They were ironed and folded just like you like them. I sent them to your condo via one of your muscly, handsome, tattooed guards…” she shot on and I quirked a brow at her dreamy look over one of my guards.

“……...I also arranged your pens and pens according to color and brand as you can see. If you need anything more, I would be in my office sir” she said and left my office, closing the door behind her leaving me confused.

Corine was a lot of things. Very chatty. Very annoying. Very pushy, always wanting to help me and know what was troubling me. very nosy. Changed her hair color every week; it was a ginger red at the moment by the way. She was all those things but she was very very efficient and that, I couldn’t argue. She read my moods like a retired man read the paper for info on retirement plans and despite her being pushy, she knew when to leave me alone. Which was probably why she was currently the longest serving secretary/personal assistant I had ever had. 3 years to be exact. She was also the only one of my secretaries/ personal assistants that I hadn’t f****d yet. Probably why she was still around. I never mixed pleasure and business. Never. It was a personal principle. Plus, she had made it very clear to me the first time she came to work for me that she cannot sleep with me. no matter what. I actually respected her for that. She was hot but the woman knew what she wanted.

I pressed the intercom by my desk.

“Corine?”

“Yes sir” she answered almost immediately over the receiver.

“Did Brittany or Megan or whatever send in her resignation letter?” I asked. Ah yes. The girl I f****d the other day. I still couldn’t remember her name for the likes of me.

“I don’t know who you mean sir but was she hot, tall, long brown hair, legs that went on for miles and very whiny?” she asked with a meaning voice. She was probably either rolling her eyes at my antics now or drooling over the girl. Yeah. Corine was bisexual.

“Yes. That’s the one” I affirmed. The legs were probably her selling point.

“You f****d her didn’t you? And discovered later that she was your employee so you fired her. That’s cold” she chuckled on the other end and I rolled my eyes.

“To answer your question sir, yes she did. She called you a cold, heartless pig as well sir” she said and chuckled.

“That would be all Corine.” I said and cut the call. I was not in the mood for her mindless gossip at the moment.

Then I wondered what Lily was doing. Probably having more fun than me. I wished I could have fun with her as well. Urgh f**k my life. I should probably get to work.

Groaning, I started signing the documents on my desk. Good thing I had that cup of coffee. I would probably be dead without it. I really needed a break or something. It was ironic. I worked so hard and had all this money and yet I could not even afford to have a break. I just didn’t have time for it. Or maybe that was just an excuse. Maybe I used work as an excuse all the time because I have almost no one to just let go and live free with. Damn my life was pathetic!