THE BILLIONAIRE'S DEAL TAGLINE: Fake Marriage.Real Temptation

The alarm in my room rang. Shrill. Annoying. I groaned and pulled the pilow over my head because I just slept two hours ago. I was up all night working the night shift at the petrol station. Cold nights. Rude drivers. Counting coins till my fingers hurt. And now I had to get up again. I can't afford to sleep back. If I do, that means I'm playing with my life. If I'm late to the cafe, I lose a day's pay. And we don't have days to lose. I'm a graduate. Business Administration. I used to think a degree meant something. But looking for "god jobs" wil just waste my time. I've dropped my CV to over twenty companies. No reply. Or "we'll call you" which means never. And I need money. Seriously. My mom is in the hospital. Every Tuesday and Friday for visiting her. I sit by her bed after my shifts and hold her hand. It's always cold now. After my dad ran away three years ago. He left with his secretary and a suitcase. And he left us with a big debt. We didn't even know he borrowed from loan sharks until they started coming to our door. Two men. Big jackets. Cold eyes. "Pay us $500,000 or we take the house," they said. The only house we have. And I still don't know what dad used all the money for. Gambling? Another woman? I stopped asking. But I don't have a choice. I have to face it. And mom has cancer. Stage three. The doctor said "if we start treatment now..." Her hospital bil is $600,000. I've paid $40,000 from my three jobs. But it's not enough. Not even close. So I need to work HARD. In the morning, 6AM-2PM, I work in a cafe. Coffe. Smiles. Tips that go straight to the hospital. In the afternoon, 3PM-7PM, I deliver food to people who tip $100 and say "keep the change." At night, 9PM-5AM, I work at a petrol station. No sleep. I don't have time. My boyfriend broke up with me four months ago. "You're always working, Catherine," he said. I apreciate it. If he truly loved me, he would've accepted me wholeheartedly. Love doesn't pay hospital bills anyway. I jumped out of bed because I was already late. Quick bath. Cold water. No time for hot. Quick cab. Thank god I didn't wait long. My uniform was wrinked but I don't care. Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Catherine More. And I am tired. Daniel Alexander is the most feared CEO in the city. Tall. Cold. Heartless. People say his look alone can scare you into resigning. He runs Alexander Inc. A bilion-dolar empire. Hotels. Real estate. Tech. But right now he has one big problem that money can't fix. His grandfather, _Mr. Henry Alexandra is died in the private wing of General Hospital. Cancer too Ironic. And Mr. Alexandra has one thing in is will: "If Daniel didn't get married , the company will be withdrawn from him.." The board also wants it. Desperately. "A married CEO looks stable," the chairman said at last night's meeting. "Or we hand the company over to Victor Ros." Victor Ros. The man who wants to burn Alexander Inc to the ground. Daniel doesn't believe in love. He doesn't have time for dating, wedings, or fake smiles. So his secretary gave him a manila file. "Candidates for private contract, sir." A list of women. No family. No conections. No scandals. He looked through and his eyes caught a name circled in red. CATHERINE MORE AGE: 24. STATUS: SINGLE. NO PUBLIC PROFILE. BACKGROUND: CLEAN. NO CONNECTIONS. Daniel stared at the page for a long time. He didn't know her. But she was perfect. Nobody would ask questions. Nobody would get hurt. He picked up his phone. Ivory white. Custom. "Get me Catherine More on the line. Now." And a call that was about to change everything. TO BE CONTINUED....