The Billionaire's Vengeance: My Path To His Heart

The wind dances through the clusters of leaves. The sunlight hits the water of the single pool outside, causing it to sparkle like diamonds as the waves of the water dance. A slim woman with long and wavy hair, named Odella Bale, was sitting in the middle part of a long, soft couch, covered in moist-green leather with a golden-coated frame. She was wearing a turquoise A-line sleeveless dress that reached her knee, which she paired with Christian Louboutin's black leather booties. Odella was a brunette. Her facial features were delicate and easy to remember: a small face, deep-set brown eyes, thin lips, and a slender nose. She was not stunning, but still enchanting. A simple woman, they say. "Miss Bale! I will take you to Sir's office now," the man with a gray beard said, interrupting her silence. He was wearing a black blazer and a pair of trousers. Odella stood up to follow Mr. Ramos, the butler at Caleb Ferell's villa. The person who instigated her visit was Odella's ex-fiancé. She believed that the marriage arrangement they had a decade ago wasn't very sincere. They were too young at the time. Perhaps he had forgotten who she was. As she continued down the long hallway with its clear and shiny marble tiles, Mr. Ramos stopped in front of the second room. He knocked twice on the thick wooden door. "Come in!" a baritone voice called from inside the room. "You may enter now, Miss Bale," Mr. Ramos said, opening the door wide. Odella's eyes met the man seated in the metal wheelchair, a sight she hadn't seen for years. Just like in the old days, Caleb appeared with a strange and commanding aura that sent shivers down everyone's spines. His dark hair was longer than it used to be, now reaching his shoulders. He also sported a growing mustache and beard on his chin. His physique had become even more prominent since the last time she had seen him. Caleb was seated next to a wide table at the far end of the room. Odella felt a chilling sensation as she encountered the man she hadn't seen in a decade. Then, she heard the door behind her close. Her tension increased as she found herself alone with him. "What brings you here, Odella?" Caleb's voice held both surprise and coldness, his expression a mix of confusion. He rolled the thin wheels of his wheelchair, reducing the distance between them. A strange tension seemed to course through Odella's veins, making her throat tighten. "I-I wanted to check on how you're doing." Caleb leaned back in his wheelchair, his eyes carefully scanning her, which only intensified her unease. "Tss! Cut the crap, Odella! We could have said hello in ten years; why now? What do you want?" That's right! The thought that they had a relationship back then sparked her courage a little. "I-I want to ask for your help." Caleb's lips curved upward, as if something about her standing next to him amused him. Those lips! Why does he always raise them? Is there something funny? Do I look like a fool in front of him? Despite this, her feelings were different. She felt even more agitated, as if she were afraid of being rejected again. "Help? Go on…" he urged her to continue. "Listen, I know that you have a twenty percent stake in The Bale Hotel that you inherited from your father." "And so?" "I-I need your help." Odella avoided eye contact with Caleb, sensing a hint of menace in his gaze. He fell into silence for a moment, but she could sense his scrutiny on every part of her body. "And why should I do that?" "Please, Caleb, you're the last person I thought of," the pain in her elegant face was evident, as she recalled her conversation with the representative of the Infinite Company. The Infinite Company purchased most of the businesses under Bale Corporation. Several months ago, Odella's brother, Braud, left nothing but debt after managing it for five years. He sold it to different companies, and then Infinite acquired them. There was something about Infinite that felt like Death chasing the Bale family. They spared The Bale Hotel because it operated as a separate entity. Prior to these events, Odella's family held sixty percent of the total shares in the hotel. Odella herself possessed ten percent, inherited from her grandfather. Braud had sold off thirty percent of the shares, leaving her with the remaining twenty percent. Following these transactions, her brother left the country, disappearing with the money and leaving all the burdens to Odella. "Three days ago, the Infinite Company approached me. They want to purchase thirty percent of the shares I own. Their plan is to acquire all the shares from various holders to gain full ownership of the hotel... Caleb, I'm aware that you hold twenty percent of the shares in The Bale Hotel. Your grandfather bestowed it upon you five years ago." "So?" he asked nonchalantly. "Please, help me stop the Infinite. I-I can't let them take over the hotel. It's supposed to be mine," she pleaded, tears welling up. "I believe you can help me, Caleb. You can assist me in preventing them from gaining control. I can't afford to lose the hotel." Caleb's expression grew colder, clearly uncomfortable with her tears. Odella composed herself by taking several deep breaths and biting her lip to control her emotions. As he turned his wheelchair toward his desk, increasing the distance between them, she appeared to breathe a sigh of relief. "What are you willing to offer in exchange for my help?" "Y-you can have the sixty percent of Bale's annual income shares," she proposed, thinking it was a substantial offer. Caleb raised the corner of his lip in an amused expression. "Ninety. I want ninety percent of your annual income shares." "That's ridiculous!" "Then no is my answer," Caleb responded with a shrug. It was expected that he would act this way; he had nothing to lose. "Seventy. I-I'll give you seventy." He chuckled. "Did you know that there are many companies that could meet my demands? What else can you offer me?" His eyes roamed over her body, and then an idea crossed his mind. "What if I demanded you as payment?" Odella averted her gaze; it seemed as though the wind had taken away all her remaining courage. Caleb continued, "Come closer." With clasped hands, she obeyed. Once she agreed to his proposition, she would place her complete trust in this man once again. Odella seemed entranced as she approached Caleb's wheelchair. She came to a halt a meter away from him, prompting him to tug her arm. However, instead of remaining standing, she found herself on his lap, causing an instant gasp as the proximity flushed her cheeks. "C-Caleb…" The scent of an ocean breeze enveloped her senses. "Shhh…" Caleb's fingertips delicately traced Odella's skin, starting from her arms and slowly ascending to her shoulder, like a researcher carefully examining a guinea pig. His hand paused on her neck, gently caressing it, sending small electric pulses coursing through her body. Various emotions danced in Caleb's eyes as they locked onto hers. ‘Gosh! How much I miss those dark green orbs!’ "What if... I receive the initial payment now?" Caleb inquired, raising an eyebrow. "C-Caleb!" Odella gasped as his lips landed on her shoulder, then grunted, feeling his teeth pierce into her skin. Soon after, as though savoring her blood, she felt his tongue follow. It had happened so quickly, and she couldn't pinpoint where things had gone wrong. Caleb's expression grew tense, and he narrowed his eyes, instructing her to leave. "Get out!" It was as if she had suddenly done something to sour his mood. Trembling, Odella stood up, and Caleb moved his wheelchair away from her toward his French window. "C-Caleb…" Despair laced her voice. "I'll think about it. I'll give you my answer by tomorrow," he said coldly, not looking at her. The pain was evident on Odella's face as she gazed at his back. This was the man she had loved for ten years, but destiny had intentionally played with their lives. There was nothing she could do but leave the room.