Bound With The Billionaire

Chapter 2

She said yes to becoming wife number two…

“I am sorry, Ms. Bennett, but at this time, we have numerous projects on ground so we cannot pursue any external investment projects. Let’s try some other time,” the voice at the other end of the phone said and she clicked the end button.

Sophia stared at the phone and angrily threw it to the wall. This was the fifteenth no she had gotten in the last three days and the only person who told her yes did so with a freaking marriage condition attached.

She sighed and said to herself, “Over fifty percent of my staff have resigned and the remaining ones are just staying out of loyalty. I have already started selling properties just to pay them and there’s no one I can ask for a loan from. Not even my freaking father. I guess I have to do what I have to do.”

****

Leonardo had just finished with his financial team and was heading to his office when his secretary walked up to him and said, “You have an unexpected guest, Mr. Black. Ms. Bennett is here to see you.”

Leonardo smiled broadly and quickened his steps. He knew she would come back and he had made sure of that by indirectly calling off individuals or companies who would be interested in investing in her company.

“Ms. Bennett,” he said enthusiastically when he saw her, “what a surprise! Please sit down.”

Sophia decided to go straight to the point “If I agree to this marriage deal, you have no business with my company other than pouring in the necessary funds; I remain CEO and retain all rights. This is purely contractual and like you said, in two years I will serve you a divorce letter.”

Leonardo grinned widely, then stretched his hand for a sealing handshake “You’ve got yourself a deal, ms. Bennett or should I say wifey?”

While he grinned, Sophia couldn’t help but feel like prey. Did she just sign a deal with the devil?

****

Sophia signed papers pertaining to the deal with Leonardo and they met every day for weeks just so people would see them together and they would get to know basic things about each other so they could pull the fake dating and marriage charade off easily.

Sophia pulled at her dress nervously as she stood outside Leonardo’s family house. Leonardo had taken her to his grandfather’s estate for a family dinner, where he would introduce her as his girlfriend.

He came beside her and put his hand at the small of her waist, then said, “Are you ready to go public, girlfriend?”

Sophia took a deep breath and said, “Yes, let’s do this and get it over with.”

Leonardo laughed, took her hand, gave her a little hand a little squeeze and led her into the house while still holding her hand.

Immediately they entered, conversations stopped and everyone turned to see and know who the gorgeous woman Leo brought home was.

“Hey guys, mom, dad. There’s someone special I’d like to introduce to you all. Meet Sophia Bennett, my girlfriend.” Leonardo paused due to the gasps and low whispers that followed his announcement, then cleared his throat loudly to get their attention.

They started saying hello and gushing over her. It was obvious they liked her already and Leonardo could see why. Sophia was very gorgeous and had this warmth about her that drew people in.

“If she is really your girlfriend, then why have we not heard any news about her at all?” Leonardo’s grandfather asked and his question brought silence as everyone turned to Leonardo for an answer.

Sophia saw Leonardo and a blonde haired lady who looked alot like him exchange knowing looks, then the lady smirked as if they were expecting the question from his grandfather.

Leonardo stepped behind Sophia and held her from behind, then pecked her neck and when she smiled shyly, he said, “Grandpops, I tell you stuff but I like to keep some details to myself till it’s the right time. Soph and I have been dating for a while now but we kept it a secret because she had a lot going on and wasn’t ready for paparazzi business. I respected that but she is ready now. We are ready.”

The grandfather seemed to believe Leonardo’s story so everyone resumed gushing over Sophia and Leonardo was so good with the pretense dating that he had his family members gushing about how cute they were.

He kept touching Sophia every chance he got and wouldn’t take his eyes off her. He dropped kisses and forehead perks here and there and called her lovely names. Everyone agreed that they had never seen Leonardo behave like a schoolboy in love and it was adorable to see.

After dinner, his grandfather dropped the bomb on them when he said, “You two look so adorable together, I am starting to look forward to my grandkids already. Leonardo, I look forward to attending your wedding in a week's time.

Leonardo almost spit out the wine he just sipped and Sophia had to cover her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh out loud. Was the topic of marriage and babies so forbidden to her pretend husband-to-be?

“One week? That’s too close. There’s a lot we’ll have to do and I don’t want to put any pressure on Sophia.” He said that and took her hand tightly.

His grandfather did not miss the gesture so he sighed and conceded, “Alright, I expect to attend your wedding in a month.”

That seemed to go well with Leonardo and Sophia watched as he smiled with satisfaction, thinking that he had managed to fool everyone successfully except his sister, Adeline, whom Sophia suspected was aware of the arrangement.

****

After dinner at his grandfather’s mansion, everything with Leonardo seemed to move very fast, Sophia barely had time to catch up and in no time it was her wedding day to Leonardo Black.

After their wedding, Sophia moved into Leonardo's mansion. Everything was going smoothly, just as she had envisioned, and she liked that.

In public, they acted like a loving couple for the paparazzi, but at home, they slept in separate rooms and barely talked to each other.

Sophia didn't perform any wifely duties, and Leo didn't fulfill any husbandly duties. They lived like strangers under the same roof, as outlined in the contract and Sophia was very fine with that.

She remembered the pep talk he gave her when they got home after their grand wedding. “Now that we are married and all the pretense shenanigans are over, I want to say this. The contract clearly stated that whatever we do, or whoever we see, is none of the other person's business. This means that if I continue my flings, you have no right to interfere.”

Sophia rolled her eyes mockingly and said, “You can stick it up anything in a skirt; that’s your business, not mine. What I’d like to know is how soon you’ll pump in the necessary funds into my business.”

Leo indeed continued his affairs, while Sophia focused on growing and expanding her business. She wanted to be well-established before her contract with Leo ended, leaving her little time for personal relationships.

****

Sophia stood to stretch her body for a few minutes. She had been hard at work in her home office for hours and her body was starting to protest.

She was still doing her stretches when she heard a commotion downstairs; a woman was shouting. She quickly headed downstairs to see what was going on and probably sort it out but nothing prepared her for who had shown up.

She saw a woman holding a little boy, shouting at Leo’s chief of staff because he wouldn’t let her in. “Now you listen here, James, you cannot stop me from entering a house where I was...”

“What is going on here? James, who are these people?” Sophia asked, referring to the woman and the little boy. She noticed James looking visibly relieved to see her.

The woman turned to Sophia, gave her a nasty once over and said, “My name is Vivian Hart, Leonardo’s ex-wife and this is Adrian Black, his son. If you don’t mind, my son and I have been standing outside his father's house, thanks to this incompetent dog, James. Oh! And James, there are suitcases in my car; do well to bring them inside.” she said and pushed Sophia out of the way to enter the mansion, even though the space was wide enough for her to pass anywhere.

It took a while for Sophia to recover from her shock. Leo had been married before? He had a child? What does she want now? Why is she here with suitcases?