My Billionaire father

Episode2

A Proposal Between Chaos

The car hummed softly as it glided through the city streets, Leonard Mason sitting rigid behind the wheel, his dark eyes fixed straight ahead. Across from him, Anthonia sat stiffly, her arms crossed, her body a mix of indignation and wariness. She had just been dragged from her modest apartment by David, Leonard’s secretary, and now found herself sitting across from the man who had, in her mind, ruined her life.

Leonard turned slightly, giving her a smile that was calm, measured, but magnetic—a smile that made her chest flutter despite herself. “Do you know,” he said smoothly, “that running away doesn’t really help anyone?”

Anthonia’s hands tightened into fists. “Mr. p*****t! Why won’t you leave me alone? Am I really that attractive to you that I can’t escape?”

Leonard chuckled, shaking his head. “Attractive? Perhaps. But that’s not the point. The real question is… do you want to pretend you’re the victim here? You were the one who came to my room. Pictures and videos were taken. And somehow, everyone believes it was all your choice.”

Her eyes went wide. “What? I… I don’t understand.”

Leonard leaned closer, voice low, almost clinical. “You don’t remember last night clearly, do you? I suspect the drinks at the hotel club were spiked. If not… you’re certainly not my type. I would have never… acted the way I did with you.”

Anthonia shook her head, trying to make sense of the words. “You… you’re saying someone drugged me? That… I didn’t… that I—”

“Yes,” Leonard interrupted sharply, his tone commanding, though his eyes softened when he saw the panic flicker across her face. “You weren’t supposed to end up in that room. And yet, somehow, here we are.”

Her voice wavered as frustration and disbelief collided. “So I’m a victim… and yet you’re acting like I did it on purpose?”

Leonard’s expression hardened, but he remained composed. “I need to know everything, from the beginning. How did you even get to the hotel? Who brought you there? Why were you drinking?”

Anthonia hesitated, tears welling in her eyes. She hadn’t wanted to explain, hadn’t wanted to reveal the mess her life had become, but there was no escaping the scrutiny in Leonard’s gaze. “I… I had a breakup. I was… devastated. My best friend thought a night out would cheer me up. I went to the hotel club with her, had a few drinks, and… I honestly don’t remember everything after that. I remember someone guiding me upstairs, but that’s it. I… I don’t know what happened.”

Leonard’s eyes narrowed. “And you expect me to believe that?”

“I swear!” Anthonia’s voice broke. “I didn’t plan anything. I wasn’t trying to… I just… I was upset, and I—”

He paused, studying her carefully. The small tremor in her hands, the honesty in her eyes—he realized she was telling the truth. Her life hadn’t been easy, and she didn’t have the cunning or resources to stage anything like this.

“Fine,” he said finally, leaning back, his voice cooler but less threatening. “I’ll believe you… for now. But understand this: someone deliberately set this up. And I intend to find them.”

Anthonia blinked. “Find… who?”

“The person who spiked your drink. Who orchestrated this so that it would look… well, messy. Someone wants to damage my reputation, my company… and you got caught in the middle.”

Her arms fell to her sides, realization dawning. “So… you’re not angry at me?”

“I was,” Leonard admitted, his voice low, “but now I see this is bigger than both of us. And if we handle it carefully… we can make sure no one gets hurt further.”

Anthonia’s voice wavered as she asked the question she had been afraid to speak. “How… how did you even know where I live?”

Leonard smirked faintly, eyes glinting. “I have my ways.”

Her jaw dropped. “Ways? Seriously? That’s… scary.”

He ignored her comment. “Listen. We need a plan, and we need to move fast. The news of last night is already spreading. My company’s image is at stake, and your life… well, it’s already complicated enough. I have an idea that will fix this for both of us.”

Anthonia frowned, skeptical. “An idea?”

“A fake engagement,” Leonard said confidently, leaning forward, his gaze intense. “We make the public believe we’re engaged. That controls the narrative, keeps the media busy with us instead of spreading lies. Meanwhile, we find the person responsible for setting you up.”

She laughed, a sharp, incredulous sound. “You want me to pretend to be engaged to you? And… you think I’ll agree because… why? Money?”

He didn’t flinch. “Not just money. Opportunity. Exposure. You have a struggling life, a sick father, and a career you want to push forward. This gives you both. You’ll get the money you need, and you’ll gain influence in the modeling world. People will notice you. Doors will open.”He already did his background check on her so he already knew the strings to pull to make her succumb to his very wishes.

She stared at him, a mix of anger and desperation warring inside her. Her father had been in a coma for eight years, her mother had abandoned them for a wealthy man, and she had survived on sheer grit and her best friend’s support. Now, the hospital was threatening to stop her father’s treatment because she hadn’t been able to pay. She had no choice.

“I… I’ll think about it,” she said finally, her voice tight. Without waiting for a response, she stepped out of the car. “I’ll contact you once I’ve decided.”

David, ever professional, handed her Leonard’s business card. “Call if you have questions or when you’re ready, Ms. Anthonia,” he said calmly.

Anthonia clutched the card, staring at it as she walked away, her mind a whirlwind. Anger, resentment, fear… and a faint, reluctant curiosity about the man in the car.

The rest of the day dragged on. Her modeling shoot was canceled without explanation, frustration simmering in her chest. She tried calling her best friend, but got no answer. Anxiety gnawed at her. She decided to go check on her friend in person, hoping for guidance or at least comfort.

But when she arrived, the door was locked, the house silent. Panic surged. Then her phone rang—it was the hospital.

“Ms. Anthonia, we cannot continue your father’s treatment if the outstanding bill is not cleared immediately,” a nurse said, her voice firm.

Tears sprung in her eyes. “I… I’m on my way,” she stammered. “I’ll bring the money.”

The nurse insisted she hurry. Anthonia’s chest tightened. She had nowhere else to turn. Her mother had abandoned her, her relatives were distant, her best friend unreachable. Then she remembered the business card in her pocket.

With trembling fingers, she called the number. No answer. She called again. Finally, David picked up. She explained everything, voice shaking, tears spilling freely.

David hesitated, then whispered to Leonard, who was still in a meeting. Leonard let out a short, almost indifferent chuckle. “Attend to her,” he said casually. “I don’t have time for someone like her.”

Within moments, the funds were transferred. Anthonia’s hands shook as she confirmed receipt. Relief, gratitude, and disbelief flooded her. She rushed to the hospital, barely able to hold back sobs. The nurse accepted the payment, giving her a warning: “If you’d been a minute later…”

She sank beside her father, holding his hand, tears running freely. That night, she didn’t sleep. She cried, whispered prayers, and stayed by his side, knowing that the man who had caused chaos in her life was also, strangely, the one who had saved it.