Bound With The Billionaire

Chapter 1

It all went Downhill Until...

Sophia stared at the financial statement of her company and knew that troubled days had arrived already.

She had dreaded doing the financial math because she knew things were getting worse in her company but she didn’t know that they were this bad.

She took in shaky breaths and didn’t even look up when Chloe Sunderland, her chief of operations and best friend, showed up.

“Soph, honey, are you alright?” Chloe asked Sophia when she came in and she saw her in a bent position. She knew Sophia had finally checked the financial statement of the company. Chloe was sad because she had more bad news.

“I didn’t know it was this bad, Chloe. I know you tried to tell me numerous times but this is really, really bad. What should I do?” Sophia asked in a broken voice and for the first time in a long time, Chloe saw the little, scared girl that hid behind the vicious businesswoman.

She cleared her throat and said, “This may not seem like a good time to do this but at this point, you have to know every single detail, whether good or bad so you’ll know which card to pull out to make the situation better. “

detail,

Sophia realized that Chloe was about to share more bad news and steeled herself for it already but nothing prepared her for what she heard next “The Bendell brothers have pulled out of the investment deal with us. Mandingo and Navarro Global have followed suit. Apparently word has gotten out that the company has not been performing so well for a while and it has only gotten worse.”

Sophia stood up weakly and said, “wha..wwhat did you say, Chloe? Those were our three biggest investors. If they’re gone, coupled with the financial statement I just saw, then we are on the verge of bankruptcy.”

Sophia lamented with Chloe, consoling her but after a while, she looked at Chloe with a determined glint in her eyes and said, “I built this business from scratch and despite the numerous challenges I had, I became one of the most successful business women in America. I won’t allow my company to go downhill just like that. I have to do something. I have to!”

****

“What the hell does grandfather mean by that condition? I have been working hard for years to keep this company up and running. Even generated revenues that equals double of what this company generated previously and now he claims that he would hand it over to Jonathan, freaking Jonathan if I don’t get married soon.” Leonardo Black walked angrily into his office and threw his Louis Vuitton monogram serviette conseillerbriefcase on the couch in his office, then sat on it.

“You have to be calm and try to understand that our grandfather only has your best interests at heart. I know he never meant what he said by handing it over to Jonathan. Everyone knows that he is a freaking psychopath and a narcissistic one at that.” Adeline Black, his younger sister, reasoned with him.

They had just returned from a family meeting where their grandfather gave the ultimatum and Jonathan, Leonardo’s cousin, was super glad about the latest development because everyone in the family knew Leo does not believe in or have time for love and had failed at marriage before so he wouldn’t want to go down that road again.

“I am not going ahead with that shitty ultimatum. I got married before and look where it got me. I am not doing that again. And we are in the freaking twenty-first century; nobody forces another to get married.” He reasoned and tried to calm himself down. He had a meeting with Sophia Bennett and wouldn’t want to scare her with his temper.

Adeline stood up and started to head out to a social call with her elite friends. Then she turned to her brother and said, “I wouldn’t push our grandfather’s hand if I were you. We all know you inherited your ruthlessness from the man and he just might go ahead with his threat just to prove a point to you.”

“What do you suggest I do then? Get married? To whom? I haven’t been in a serious relationship since Vivian. You don’t expect me to marry one of my flings or hire a wife, do you? Leo sarcastically asked until he saw the glint in his sister’s eyes.

“I know that look, Adeline, an idea just came to that brilliant head of yours. What are you thinking?” Leo asked with excitement and dragged his sister to sit beside him.

Adeline playfully flipped her hair at the comment and said, “Well, since you don’t have any serious romantic partner to bail you out of this predicament, you can create one. Pay someone to pretend to be in a serious relationship and marry her. When all of this blows off, you get a divorce. My friend, James, did the same to his father and it worked just fine.”

Leonardo loved the idea and while his sister spoke, the perfect candidate for the fake marriage came to mind. He looked forward to his next meeting already.

****

Leonardo adjusted his seat again, excitedly waiting for Sophia Bennett to come in, when his secretary told him that she was around. He got an e-mail from her weeks ago about setting up a meeting as she was looking for investors for her company.

He agreed to the meeting upon her insistence but he was not interested in her company. Now he was interested but for other reasons.

When she entered his office, Leo gave her a once over and agreed that she would fit perfectly for the trophy wife job.

After introductions, Sophia started to go on about her company and it took a lot for Leo not to zone out completely. He was just not interested in what she had to say.

Leo impatiently cut her mid-sentence and said, “I have heard all you said, Ms. Bennett but I have a proposition for you, myself. I will invest in your company.”

“Really? Oh! Thank you, I am….” Leo cut her mid-sentence again and while he admired how her face lit up when she was excited, Sophia found his interruptions rather rude.

“I will only invest in your company ms. Bennett under the condition that you marry me.” He stated it so matter of factly that Sophia couldn’t help but laugh.

“I am sorry,” she said while still laughing. “I don’t get your joke but it’s still very funny.” Sophia stopped laughing when she looked at his expression and asked incredulously, “You’re not joking?”

“No, Ms. Bennett. I know you are single and your company is on the brink of collapse but nobody is interested in investing. I am the eighth investor you have seen in two days and you haven’t gotten a yes yet. If you marry me, I will save your company without asking for anything in return. I assure you that it is purely contractual and there are no strings attached. I just need a wife to bag a permanent deal and the marriage will last no more than two years. Then we will go our separate ways and by that time I will not only save your company, I will pay you an amount that will set you up for life. Say yes, Ms. Bennett.” Leo said this and settled back in his seat, waiting for her answer.

Sophia opened her mouth and closed it. She did so many more times as she was lost for words and when she could finally speak, she said, “You are a freaking lunatic.” Then she stood up and stormed angrily out of his office.

Leonardo folded his arms and laughed as he watched her go out. He liked her already. He was used to women worshiping the ground he walked on but this one is not afraid to cuss him out.

He knew she would come back except she's ready to say goodbye to her company. Besides, apart from getting his grandfather off his back, there was also someone else he would get off his back if he married Sophia Bennett, so this had to work.