Love at a Price: a billionaire's bargain

Chapter 3:Two Steps Backward

Melinda's voice echoed through the tiny apartment. "Joe! Why are you always messing things up?" Her frustration was clear. "We're barely scraping by, and you just make everything worse!" why do you keep fighting at school? Joe flinched, "Mel, it wasn't my fault! This kid wouldn't leave me alone, I was just defending myself." Melinda sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Joe, please. Not now. Please stay out of trouble for Christ's sake!

Mom called yesterday, she's coming over today."Melinda's eyes widened. "Today? Why didn't you tell me before?"You came back late last night, "I didn't want to wake you up."

"What does she want?" Her voice laced with suspicion."She just said she needs a place to stay, desperately," Joe replied. Great! Just what we need, an extra month to feed! Melinda muttered sarcastically. "Anyway, I have an event to usher for tonight, so I'll be late. Stay out of trouble, Joe. Seriously, if I get one more complaint about you, you're on your own."

Joe mumbled but agreed. Melinda felt the stress of it all. Her mom was never around and never helped out with anything. Melinda looked around their tiny apartment, filled with old furniture and barely any space. How could they handle another person living with them?

The rest of the day crawled by. Joe tried concentrating in school but the thought of his mom's visit filled him with excitement. He imagined her walking in, looking glamorous as ever, with her perfect nails and fancy clothes. Unlike Melinda, his mom wouldn't nag him or care about the trouble he got into. In his mind, she'd always have his back, no matter what. He even felt a little smug thinking about how Melinda wouldn't have any control over yelling at him or ground him anymore. A smug grin spread across his face. Maybe things were finally looking up for him.

Mom! I missed you so much! Joe shouted at the top of his voice immediately Rona came in sight "Can I please come with you when you leave? Rona smiled. I love that you want to come with me, sweetie, but not this time. Mommy has a few things to do first But listen, I gotta take care of some stuff first, like a whole big pile of things. It's kinda like a mountain I gotta climb over before I can go anywhere.

Let's talk about something else, pulling him to the worn-out cushion at the end of the room, How's your sister these days? Does she have someone special in her life these days? I know she's always working but she needs to go out and date, get married to somebody rich, and sort out the bills.

Here he was, excited about his mom finally showing him some attention after all these years of absence and his mom immediately pivoted the conversation away from him.

"Tapping her perfectly manicured nails against her purse. "Honestly, honey, That girl works all the time. But listen," she continued, her voice softening, "you know I think the world of you. Melinda, well, she's trying to do a good thing, but sometimes..." she trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

The unfinished sentence hung in the air, Joe wasn't sure what to make of it. Did she think Melinda was too strict? Melinda might be tough, but at least she cared. At least she didn't seem to flit in and out of his life whenever it suited her fancy.

"So, when will you be done with your mountain of stuff?" Joe asked, his voice flat. Rona sighed, her smile fading. "It might take a while, sweetie. Maybe a few days, maybe even a month or months." She knelt, her gaze meeting his. There was a flicker of something in her eyes, a hint of sadness.

Joe hesitated, torn between lingering disappointment and hope. He looked at his mom, her face etched with a weariness he hadn't noticed before. Maybe things weren't as glamorous as he'd imagined. maybe, there was more to his mom's visit than he initially thought.

When Melinda's father passed away, things got tough for the family. Her mother, Rona, desperately clung to her glamorous lifestyle. To maintain her fancy clothes and expensive habits, Rona started dating much older men. Melinda even met a few of them, brought home by her mother, until she couldn't take it anymore. Disgusted by her mother's choices, Melinda packed her bags and left, determined to build a life free of such shallowness. Years passed without a word between them. Melinda had slammed the door on that superficial life, leaving Rona behind. Back then, the hurt had been raw. Her father's death had left a void, and Rona, instead of facing the grief, had thrown herself into a desperate attempt to maintain appearances without thinking about the bills, debtors on their necks, or her children.

Melinda used to let her mom set her up on blind dates. She went on a couple, but it was a disaster. Both guys asked her if she was a virgin on the first date! Needless to say, she was super annoyed and never went on another oneShe remembered clearly how her mom didn't help at all when they owed money and collectors came to their house. She had to work many jobs to get by, and her best friend Harriet was there for her the whole time. she will forever be indebted to Harriet.

Still no call, no text, not even a reply to her messages. A nagging doubt crept in. Did he see her as a fling, or was she misreading their spark? To make things worse, his phone now went straight to voicemail, each unanswered ring amplifying the silence. Even days later, the memory of Charles' touch lingered on her skin, a sweet ache. She yearned to rewind, to feel the press of his lips again, succulent and tempting. Lost in thought, she stumbled into the house, the weight of her tangled emotions threatening to pull her under. There on the couch, her mom was sprawled out comfortably, completely glued to her phone. A big, goofy grin was plastered across her mom's face. It was one of those dating apps again! Frustration bubbled up inside her. Here she was, totally confused about one guy, and her mom had a whole bunch of them at her fingertips!

"Hi Mom, Just needed to freshen up. I'll be heading out soon" Hi Mel, won't you greet your mother properly? I don't have time for that mom, I need to rush back. Her mom's eyes got big. "Right! The charity gala! your brother told me, the opportunity for you to get a rich man, her mom giggled.

Melinda went to her room, her mom's happy words feeling fake. She knew something was up with her mom but she didn't have time to confront her. All she could think about were the unanswered texts and how much she missed Charles. She stepped out of her apartment, her ushering uniform neatly pressed and ready for the evening's event. She walked briskly to the bus stop, the cool breeze refreshing her tired mind. The city was alive with activity, and for a moment, she let herself be swept up in the energy around her.

Arriving at the grand venue, she was greeted by the bustling preparations for the night's gala. The chandeliers sparkled, and the tables were adorned with elegant centerpieces. Melinda took her position inside, ready to serve the guests.

"Don't get too distracted," Matt nudged. "We have VIPs arriving soon, and you're on their table."Melinda's smile widened. "VIPs, huh? This is going to be a night to remember."

The gala was a dazzling event, all set up to raise money for an amazing cause, helping kids with disabilities. Green and blue tablecloths covered the tables, showing off shiny caviar, delicious pastries that looked like tiny works of art, and even fruit carved into fun shapes. Soft music played by a famous string group filled the air, and every time someone clinked their champagne glass, it seemed like a silent toast to why they were all there.

But this wasn't just about how fancy everything looked. There were parents with kids with disabilities there, their eyes filled with pride in their children and a strong will to help them. Rich people who wanted to donate money mingled with celebrities who were there to raise awareness about the challenges these kids faced.

She weaved through the crowd, balancing a tray laden with drinks for the VIP section. Conversations swirled around her like expensive perfume, filled with hushed gossip and laughter. Her ears pricked up as she caught snatches about the Harris Corporation's heir. This guy was a real piece of work. He seemed to think the world revolved around him, his father was rumored to have been killed so he had to fill in the position fast only if he got married first. Feeling sorry for whoever it was, she turned around quickly and accidentally bumped into someone. The tray of red wine glasses crashed to the floor and shattered ."Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! Let me help you clean that up."Everyone turned to look. Feeling flustered, she quickly dropped to her knees and tried to pick up the sharp shards of glass.

A drunk man stumbled over to her. His face was bright red, and his words were jumbled together as he yelled at her. "Hey! Watch it, clumsy oaf!" he shouted in a thick, angry voice. He pointed a shaky finger at her. The unexpected outburst startled her. She flinched back, momentarily speechless, as the drunk lurched closer. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized it was no other person than Charles. But when she tried to get closer, he pushed her away

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