The Billionaire's Secret

Chapter 3

LIAM

I woke up with a bucket of ice-cold water dumped on me, "What the f**k!" I yelled, as I quickly remembered that I had a five-year-old in the house, but the words were already out, there wasn't much I could do about it now.

I looked up to see Julian standing in front of me with an empty bucket glaring at me in anger. That was when the pain shot through my head. s**t! I really must have drunk my ass off this time.

“Please don't,” I held up a hand. I wasn’t ready to hear Julian yelling. A mere whisper to him sounded like a stereo blasting on loud.

"I took Noah to Alice's. I asked her to play with him and bake cookies. Take a shower you still reek of alcohol, then we will talk downstairs.” Julian said in a cold but steady voice. Thank God, he did not nag me. I was sure my head would explode if he did.

I tried to get out of bed, unfortunately, my head was pounding. I turned my head slowly to see the time of eight o’clock. I was late for work. Technically, I remembered that I owned a multi-billion-dollar company in New York City, not being able to be there on time could cost a hell whole. f**k my life!

I turned the shower on, letting the hot water run as I stripped out of my clothes. I looked at my unclothed body in front of the bathroom mirror. I grimaced, then heaved out a sigh of disbelief when I saw the nail marks over my chest. Did I get laid last night? s**t, I really messed up this time.

I let the memories of last night flow back. Most of it was a bit hazy; I remembered getting into a fight thus the swollen cheek, I remember banging two strippers thus the nail marks, and then I remembered the gala night which had occurred when I was still sober. Thank God, I hadn't done something stupid in front of the cameras.

This isn't me. I was better than this. I should have known better. I have a five-year-old kid at home, what if he saw me like that last night? I shouldn't have let yesterday get the better of myself. It happened every year with me getting drunk and s**t, but things needed to change. I shouldn't let this happen again next year.

I stepped into the shower, letting the water burn on my skin. Suddenly, images of Isabelle came to mind. She was there. She opened the door for me last night. What happened to her? I still needed to pay her for babysitting. God, she probably thought of me as a pathetic loser going out drunk like that.

If only Grace had been there to take care of Noah instead of Isabelle. If only Alice was there to take care of Noah last night instead of Isabelle. If only Julian had been free the whole day to take care of Noah instead of Isabelle. If only Isabelle did not have to see me break down so pathetically as I had last night. Now I have to face her to pay her for staying longer than she was supposed to and apologize for my stupid behavior. Why the hell did I even care what would Isabelle’s think? She was just some undergrad student trying to get some cash, but still, there was really something about her.

After taking a shower, I quickly dried myself off and got dressed in a designer three-piece navy blue suit. God, four years ago, I would have never worn a suit even if someone pointed a gun to my head. The things I do was for the people I care about.

After securing my Armani tie around my neck, I opened my jewelry closet and grabbed a watch. After much delay, I realized I had to face Julian sooner or later, mind as well get it over with.

I found Julian in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee already in his hands waiting to give it to me. Although the shower had helped with a headache, it didn't mean my head would not hurt when someone opens their mouth to talk on the bright sunlight of the early morning.

"I know, I know. I f****d up, okay?” I snapped before Julian could say it for me. To my surprise, Julian didn't agree with me.

"Will you give yourself a break, man? I'm glad you went out and got pissed drunk, and you needed it with the way you had been living your life, but next time make sure Noah is not in the house when you come home." Julian scolded, just like the typical him.

"But still, it's not an excuse for my ill behavior." I sighed and then I saw Julian roll his eyes at me out of frustration.

"Alright, you f****d up badly, but I still think you need a little more excitement to your life than just Noah and work." I heard Julian say as I gulped down massive amounts of coffee letting it burn down into my body.

"Man, hangovers a b***h,” I mumbled dismissing Julian’s previous statements out of topic. I liked how Julian knew when not to push a subject too hard, and instead of continuing on, he changed the topic completely.

"The babysitter yesterday, I told her to stop by today around ten in the morning for her paycheck. She was here from five to three in the morning; you owe her nine hundred dollars.” I looked up at him. I knew it’s too much amount pay for a babysitter, but I realized I had completely forgotten I had offered to pay a hundred bucks an hour since it was a last minute thing. Although I was a man with money and it wasn't a big deal, I still knew the value of nine hundred dollars.

Just then, I heard the doorbell ring bring my head ace to a whole other level. I grunted in pain setting the now empty coffee cup on the kitchen counter and slowly walked to the door. I came face to face with Isabelle's brown eyes.

ELLE

As soon as he opened the door, my heart seemed to skip a beat. Why the hell did he have to be so damned good-looking? I could just imagine the girls from the university flocking over a guy like Mr. Braxton any day. I had expected him to be a complete mess coming to pick up the paycheck for babysitting, but to my surprise, if I hadn't seen his drunken ass last night, I would have never been able to guess he had a hangover.

"Isabelle, come on in,” Liam invited, letting me through the door.

I cleared my throat, “Just Elle, Mr. Braxton, please?”

He ignored me and he turned away. He led me to the kitchen where I found Julian holding two cups of coffee in his hand. He handed one to Liam and offered the other one, “Want some coffee?” he asked.

“No, thank you,” I replied in my polite nature. I always hated being overly polite. Why can't I be those girls from college when I could just grab Mr. Braxton despite his assholery and kiss him all over. Whoa! Elle, where are you letting our mind wander?

I noticed how quickly Liam was gulping down that steaming hot coffee. His head was probably killing him. Truthfully, I wouldn't be able to relate since I had never drunk alcohol my whole life, but from the movies, I did know headaches happened.

"Isabelle, I'm sorry I let you leave like that last night—” Liam started off but I interrupted him.

What’s with the whole name address thing? “It’s Elle, Mr. Braxton. If you don’t want me to call you Liam, you might as well call me with Elle,” I stated, lifting up my chin.

Julian laughed secretly.

Liam cleared his throat, “Very well, Elle.” It was actually the first time I saw Liam actually looked younger than his age, the stress of his face seemed less significant. Unfortunately, as quickly as I saw that youthful look, it disappeared, then altered with seriousness when he spoke, "I'll go get the paycheck for nine hundred dollars.”

My mouth opened in pure shock. I knew I was being paid a hundred dollars an hour, but nine hundred seemed too much to accept. I didn't feel like I did a job worth nine hundred dollars.

"But I was only supposed to babysit until ten. I don't think I really deserve four hundred extra dollars.”

“You deserve the money," Liam pressed on as he took out his checkbook clearly writing nine hundred dollars on it. For some reason, it felt like I was being bought off, and not so much being paid for my work.

“I want to make it up to you for the way I acted yesterday. I should have come home on time. You waited until I got back and made sure that Noah was okay the whole night. Here, I owe it to you,” Liam handed me the paycheck, causing me to feel guilty of what I had thought about him yesterday and just before I come to his home. He seemed apologetic for his actions, but it still didn't excuse him from coming home a pissed drunk with a kid in the house. Maybe just like Julian had said, he had a good reason.

"Elle, you should let him do something special for you," Julian interjected, then winked. He gave that smirk again, the one that said ‘I know something that you don't’.

"I really don't need anything," I said truthfully, shaking my head no.

“How about you take her out to dinner?” Julian interrupted once more, ignoring my comment.

I noticed Liam gave Julian an 'I'm going to kill you’ look.

"No, really, it’s okay. I really don't need any favors.” I insisted, not wanting to get on Liam's bad side.

“Oh come on, Elle. Liam can take you out to a nice restaurant, treat you like a true gentleman.” Julian persisted in.

This got Liam in a snap.

"Yeah, I can take her out to dinner and get published the next day for going out with a college student,” Liam hissed in anger, then he looked at me, "Don't take his words seriously. He is a lawyer and doesn't know s**t about public relations.”

“Dude, it’s not like you’re a celebrity, am I right Elle?”

Liam must be closed from being a celebrity for being one the youngest billionaire in the state, but I found the irony in Julian’s statement funny and then I started to laugh. Unfortunately, Liam was serious as I soon saw Julian glowering at Liam and Liam glaring at me. It abruptly stopped my laughter to a drowning. "Uh, sorry. It thought it was funny.”

Julian began to laugh at my comment, "Now that's funny," Julian stated. Honestly, to say, I did not understand him at all.

"How about you tell us something, Elle? How do you usually get to school? Do you not stay in a boarding home?” Julian asked with a sexy smirk.

I shook my head, “No. I still stay at home with my sick mother. I can’t leave her alone and I walk.”

“Well, how about Liam drive you to school every morning for the next week as his way of saying sorry?”

“What?!” Liam exclaimed.

“Oh, come on, man. You want to make it up to her, right?”

Truthfully, I would never accept such an offer, but the other truth, I was struggling. It takes nearly an hour to walk to school and another hour to walk back. It takes thirty minutes on the bus, including the traffic. How could I refuse such an offer?

I heard Liam exhaled, “How far away is the university from your house?" Liam asked. I was actually surprised by his statement.

"It's an hour walk or a fifteen-minute drive,”

"Damn," both Julian and Liam hissed at the same time.

"Shoot man, forget about driving her for a week. Buy her a car or something. Walking for an hour every single day must suck.” Julian stated.

“Really, should I?” Liam told his friend.

I was surprised that he was actually serious when he Julian told him about getting me a car. But what surprised me more was the fact that Liam was actually considering it.

Wait for a second, what the hell was wrong with my life? I wasn’t complaining about my good luck, but seriously, I babysat one night. I didn't want favors and I didn't want to get involved with billionaires. It was almost nerve-wracking. I just wanted to graduate from college, maybe later on transfer to an Ivy League school, then paint portraits my whole life and start an art gallery business. I just wanted a typical life and be around with regular people. These people in front of me were those from fantasies. Being involved in their world could only cause trouble for me or might as well get hurt.

"Look, never mind. I don't need rides to school or anything. You don't need to feel guilty about it or anything, okay?" I said, trying to assure them that I really did not want their charity upon me.

"Okay, okay. I’ll just drive you for a week then.” Liam said, sounded a bit bored.

My jaw dropped. Is he even listening to me? “What? I said no need!” I persisted.

His jaw twitched, “Let me drive you for a week after, and then we go to our separate ways. It will make my conscience feel better and you will be able to sleep it a bit more.” Liam insisted, his voice tight.

I heaved a sigh, “Whatever! I am out of here, and thank you for the nine hundred dollars.” I could finally able to partially pay my student loans with it.

Julian put his cup of coffee down, then he grabbed my arm, “Don’t go. At least, take the offer.”

I shook my head, then put his hand away, “No, but thank you, anyway. Have a nice day!” I smiled at Julian and then to Liam before I headed out of the penthouse.