The Billionaire’s Payback

Reckless Decision

Sophia Pov

“This ain’t you,” I kinda mumbled, like saying it out loud would somehow make it real. But the chick in the mirror just stayed put, didn’t even blink. She knew what was up, and I was about to morph into her. “Just make it through tonight.”

I took a step back, fixing my sleek, black dress that wrapped around me like a second skin. This outfit was all about making a statement totally low cut, with a slit that went way up my thigh. I loathed every bit of it, but I knew it’d grab his attention. I was the bait. My dad’s words echoed in my head: You’ve got one thing going for you youth and looks. Use it wisely.

I snatched my clutch, my fingers grazing the cold metal of the car keys inside. By the time I hit the elevator, I was already second-guessing everything. But there was no way I could bail now. I’d made a promise to my dad. I had to look out for my mom’s cash, even if it meant throwing my pride out the window.

The Beaumont Hotel, My dad said this dude would be there tonight. I just needed to catch his gaze, chat him up, and… work my magic.

I waved down a cab, and as it rolled up, I hopped in, thankful for the little bit of warmth.

“The Beaumont Hotel,” I told the driver, trying to sound cool even though I was freakin’ out. He gave me a quick nod, peeling away from the curb and diving into traffic. I stared out the window, watching the city whip by in a blur of yellow and red. It felt like I was looking at everything through a fog, like none of it was actually happening.

Dudes like him were so easy to read. They craved power, cash, and sometimes a pretty face to make 'em feel even more badass.

But the idea of doing this, of charming some random guy just for a business deal, made my stomach turn. But then if I didn’t go through with this, Ryan would grab it all. Lily would totally win. And my dad… he’d never let me live it down.

When the cab rolled up outside The Beaumont, I tossed the driver a crumpled bill, not even waiting for change.

A doorman greeted me with a polite smile, holding the door open. I forced a smile back, my mask sliding into place. Just get through tonight.

But as I got closer, I spotted a black van parked by the curb. The windows were tinted, and something about it just gave me the creeps. I paused, looking around, but everything seemed chill. People were coming and going from the hotel, laughing, chatting, decked out in fancy clothes. I was just being paranoid.

I took a deep breath and moved forward, feeling my nerves chill out until I heard tires screeching.

Before I could even think, the doors of this black van swung wide open, and two dudes in dark clothes jumped out like they owned the place. I totally froze, feeling like a statue as they sprinted right at me. “What the heck?” I tried to scream, but one of them just clamped his hand over my mouth. Total panic hit me as the other guy yanked a black hood over my head, tossing me into total darkness.

I kicked and squirmed, flailing my arms like a crazy person, but these guys were way too strong. They hoisted me off the ground, dragging me back towards the van like I was a rag doll. My heels skidded on the pavement, and I felt a sharp pain shoot through my ankle as it twisted. “Let me go!” I yelled, but the hood totally drowned out my voice, and I was gasping for air.

“Quit squirming,” one of the guys growled in my ear. His grip got tighter, and I felt myself being shoved into the van. My body crashed onto the cold metal floor, and before I could even try to get up, a door slammed shut behind me. The van roared to life, and I felt it jerk forward, zooming down the street.

This was not how things were supposed to go down. This was totally not in the plan. “Please,” I pleaded, my voice shaking like a leaf. “I have no clue who you think I am, but you’ve totally got the wrong person.”

Inside the van, it was pitch black. I couldn’t see a single thing, but I could feel the guys chilling next to me. Their silence was way scarier than anything they could’ve shouted at me. Were they after cash? A ransom? My dad had a ton of enemies, so who knew?

“Shut it,” one of the guys hissed. “We know exactly who you are.”

I fumbled with the hood, but before I could yank it off, one of them grabbed my wrists and twisted them behind my back. Pain shot through my arms, and I stifled a cry. “Just go along with it, and you won’t get hurt.”

I was breathing super fast and panicky. “What do you want?” I shot back, trying to sound steady. “If this is about cash, I can”

“It’s not about cash.” His voice was weird, like I was just some annoying problem to him.

If it wasn’t about the cash, then what the heck did they want? My mind raced to Ryan and Lily. Had they set this up? Were they trying to freak me out into signing the divorce papers and giving up my share of the estate?

The van took a sharp turn, and I was slammed against the wall. Every muscle in my body tensed up as I fought against the fear trying to take over. I couldn’t lose it now. Not when I had no clue where they were dragging me.

Minutes dragged on, and all I could do was listen to the low hum of the engine and the occasional whispers of my captors. I tried to lock in their voices, their movements, anything that might give me a hint about who they were or what they wanted.

Finally, the van stopped. I heard the door slide open, and hands yanked me out, dragging me like a rag doll. I stumbled a bit, my legs all tingly from sitting forever, but they hoisted me up and shoved me forward.

They pushed me along, the hood still over my head. I could hear some voices in the distance, like a door creaking open. They took me inside, and everything felt different warmer, with the smell of wood and something kinda like antiseptic. My heart was racing as they plopped me down in a chair.

The hood got ripped off, and I blinked against the bright light. My eyes adjusted, and I saw a bare room with white walls and one lamp hanging above. Two guys were standing in front of me, their faces hidden by masks.

“Why am I here?” I asked, my voice shaking as I tried to sound tougher than I felt.

One of the guys crossed his arms, looking real cold. “Sorry for the hassle, just needed to check that you weren’t being followed.”

I frowned, totally confused. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. Who the heck are you guys?”

He leaned in, whispering like it was a secret. “You'll be meeting with him now, just go up and get ready.”

My breath hitched. “Meeting who?”

The second guy slammed his hand on the table. “Oh come on, enough with the act.”

Panic hit me hard as I realized they had the wrong person. “You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not who you think I am!”

But the look in their eyes made it clear they weren’t buying it.