Taming the Billionaire

#2 The Secret Relationship

Earlier that day...

"Elise, what was the hurry? You could have looked a little more!" Sara pouted.

"Look what? Or whom? Was it me or you? You were totally devouring that man with your eyes." Elise teased her friend on their way inside the office. Sara pouted, even more, blushing a little. Indeed, it was her.

"Mike is totally going to love this." Sara changed the topic for her own good. She didn't want to be teased by her friend, especially with a man she had no chance with.

"I hope so. I am totally nervous." Elise's face turned red with tension. It was the costliest thing she ever brought after saving for almost three years.

"Go to his cabin. Don't delay any longer," Sara insisted.

"But we are at work. You know, our relationship is a secret here. I will surprise Mike later." Elise was simply delaying out of nervousness.

"Demerits of dating your boss. But don't you think Mike should be more open about seeing you? He has been dating you for three years now. And it is more if we add the time he chased you like a puppy." Sara complained. It was one of the many aspects of their relationship she didn't like.

"He has his reasons. Plus, it is better." Elise tried to be more understanding.

Deep down, it had begun troubling Elise a little. While she was on the page where she wanted marriage and a family, Mike still contemplated dating her openly. He would always tell her that it was for her. She wouldn't want her colleagues to treat her differently or think of her as a gold digger. In the beginning, it seemed so. But as time passed, she wished to have a relationship where she could love more openly. It was exhausting meeting Mike in secret or lonely places. They couldn't go out for movies, dinners, shopping, or amusement parks like the other couples. They always watched a movie or spent time in his apartment, ate takeaways, or in private sections of restaurants where no one could see them. Even if Mike gave her many gifts, even if she didn't really need them or use them, they never shopped together. She even wondered if Mike really knew her taste. Or if her taste was now what Mike preferred. Everything always felt heavy and confusing whenever she began to think more about their relationship. She wondered if they were on the same page.

Sara patted her one more time. The drained-out look on Elise's face was enough for Sara to be concerned. Lately, Sara noticed that each time she tried to have a deeper conversation about Elise and Mike's relationship with Elise, she would start wondering. Elise would be in a bad mood for the entire day, and sometimes Sara even caught her crying. Sara wondered if her friend was happy in that relationship.

"Are you happy?" Sara pondered in a concern-filled voice. She was genuinely worried.

"Yes? I mean, yes. Why wouldn't I be happy?" Elise was replying. But it sounded like a question to Sara.

"I hope you are not lying!" Sara was warding off this discussion for too long. But she spits it out at the most unsuitable moment. Sara knew it was wrong to spoil Elise's mood on her special day. But now that she had intervened, she didn't want to let the topic go.

"Why would you think like that? Mike really cares about me." Elise was saying that more to her than Sara.

"Then why do I feel you are the one who is after him these days? It is like you are chasing him while he is there for the sake of it. Did he even wish you till now?" Sara probed.

"He is busy." Elise looked down. "He wished me. We are meeting in the evening."

What was she supposed to say? How would she explain to Sara that it was she who wished him, and only then did he return the greeting? She had felt like he was uninterested in that conversation. She could be imagining it. But something told her he had clearly forgotten about it. They didn't even have a long chat. He was at a party. He promised her he would call back. But he didn't call her back even though she waited a long time. It was only in the morning he called her to say that he had dozed off and would like to meet her for dinner. She felt as if it was more like a formality than excitement. Was her relationship dying? It wouldn't be too surprising. She wasn't the beauty queen exactly. It was a surprise someone like Mike was even interested in her.

Elise went back and forth, wondering if she should see Mike. He was in his office. There was no reason for a floor manager to meet the Managing Director in his office. She wished she could have continued in the managing director's office. But recently, Mike transferred her, giving her a promotion. Even though she was now a manager, her access had been deeply reduced. She sometimes wondered if he did that to put distance between them. They have rarely met ever since then. The gossip was that he was spending more time with Helena, the new beauty queen of the Miller hotel, who replaced her in the public relations office.

It was finally around evening when she decided to see Mike. She would pretend to visit her old colleagues. She let out a deep sigh before entering the office area. It was odd for no one to be there. She wondered if they were out for a group meeting or work. She sighed again. Perhaps she should have waited for their dinner. But Mike was very vague about it. She still needed to discuss when and where to meet. He wasn't responding to her calls or texts. She looked around again with a blank expression before turning to leave when she heard some faint noise coming from Mike's room. A smile rolled over her face. Luck was on her side. Perhaps Mike was there alone in his room.

Elise decided to surprise Mike. She knew the code to his room door. Without any notification, she simply barged in. Only to stand there stupefied for a long second, wondering if it was the biggest mistake of her life!

Alas!

No!

She was probably dreaming!

It wasn't true!

Never!

In front of her on the director's chair sat her longtime boyfriend, Mike Samuel, with his trousers rolled down to the floor. On top of him sat the beauty queen, Helena Thomas, her breasts pressed against his face while he was sucking onto them while she rode him. They were doing a remarkable job of being discreet if not for that single moaning sound that had escaped Mike's mouth at that point.

Mike pushed Helena off from top of him in reflex, failing to pick up his pants. He wasn't expecting her out of all. He felt flustered, tensed, and annoyed.

Helena fixed her dress casually, rolling her eyes. She could read the situation due to the tension in the air. She was disappointed in Mike's taste. Elise was too plain for a director. But according to her, he had rectified that mistake.

"What are you doing here?" Mike gushed, again picking up his pants. He turned around to zip his pants.

"I am sorry! I am sorry!" Elise whispered, turning to run away from that disastrous situation. She felt flabbergasted, humiliated, and at a loss. What was her fault? Where did it all go wrong? Or was she just another girl to him? One of those he managed to conquer? Was their relationship ever even true? After all, it was all in the dark!

Elise tried to push back the tears that were rolling down her cheek freely despite her earnest efforts. She was breathing heavily, running away from that place with no particular destination in her mind. For a little while, she could hear footsteps following her. Perhaps Mike still had something to say to disgrace her even more. Or maybe it was Helena who was towing to revile her. Whoever it was, she didn't want to find out.

Elise ran and ran until she bumped into someone. The man scolded her for spilling his coffee. But she apologized to him far more than he would have wanted. The man felt flustered, wondering if she was crying because of her. He, too, apologized to her, feeling worried and confused. Everyone was looking at him as if he slapped her or something. It was weird. Elise kept crying vehemently, now her cries becoming louder and louder and her sorry becoming more dispersed and reduced to soft stammers.

Sara ran towards Elise, giving a death glare to the man. The man wondered if she would swallow him whole. But another man, probably the front office manager, approached them and let the man leave. He instructed Sara to take Elise somewhere quiet and comfort her. It was all too confusing for everyone, including Sara.

"What happened? Elise? Why are you crying?" Sara asked, worried. She wiped Elise's tears, but it was like a dam burst free. The many frequent calls and texts that Elise got from Mike gave Sara a bad feeling. She was just being patient for her friend to speak.

Elise took almost an hour to tell Sara about what she had seen in Mike's room, stuttering and stammering between her sobs. Sara wanted at least to punch Mike's face. But she couldn't afford to do that. She would lose her job at the next minute.

Sara made a silent promise to herself that she was going to seek their revenge in some way.

The two were on their way home when they met Helena, who mocked Elise through her sly smile and rolling eyes. Sara wanted to throw a fit, but Elise had already turned to leave. It wasn't like Elise to run away from any situation, given her personality. But the day was proving to be different.

"Loser!" Helena wasn't going to miss that opportunity to deride her. She was smart.

Helena was worried that maybe someday Elise and Mike's relationship could be out in the open, even if they might not get back together. Then there would be factions who would put her in a tough spot. Plus, she wanted to date Mike officially. It won't be difficult given her family background. Elise could be a problem in the future. So, before any of that happened, she would ensure to torment Elise enough for her to leave the hotel.

"w***e!" Sara grunted at Helena before running to catch up with Elise. But it infuriated Helena even more as the passersby overheard it.

Helena scoffed at the remark. "At least I am not a gold digger."

Elise had hated every time someone called her a gold digger. She had ensured to live on her own from a very tender age. Still, people judged her constantly. She turned around, glowering at Helena. Her eyes were red from constant crying and anger.

"What?" Helena mocked. "You should know where you belong. Don't try to reach the sky when you can't even afford the ground." Helena taunted Elise as she glanced at her cheap shoes.

Sara groaned in anger, wanting to punch Helena in her face. But Elise stopped her. She wiped away her remaining tears and glared at Helena with pride and self-love. She loved herself. She would never let anyone trample over her dignity like that repeatedly.

"You can keep the sky to yourself. I give it to you as charity." Elise smirked, glowering at Helena, who felt like thunder struck her. Sara let out a happy, victorious smile as the two left for their home.

They were on their way home when Elise received a message from Mike. It was after a long gap now. She didn't want to open it. She was still contemplating when Sara took her phone and read the message while showing it to Elise.

"You shouldn't tell anyone about us. No one will believe you." The message read.

"What a jerk!" Sara hissed as she scrolled up to read the other texts from Mike.

"Why did you come like that?

I should have told you earlier. But I didn't know how. I wanted to break up with you sooner.

Don't tell anybody about us.

Don't tell anyone about today.

Where are you? Why are you not picking up my call? Don't tell anybody about us!

I can give you another promotion if you promise not to tell anyone about us and what happened today.

What do you want?

Pick up my call.

I should have ended this a long time ago. I was being nice. I couldn't because I care about you. So, don't do anything reckless.

You shouldn't tell anyone about us. No one will believe you."

There was no hint of an apology in his texts. All he was worried about was that the truth would get out! Elise laughed at herself, looking outside the window. She didn't want to look pitiful to her one and only friend. She felt petrified, disgraced, unwanted. Why would someone play with anyone's emotions like that?

Sara let out a deep breath. She felt sorry for her friend.

"Why? Why did you want to break up with me? I won't tell anyone if you answer me honestly." Elise texted Mike. Sara opposed this because the answer would hurt Elise even more. But she couldn't stop Elise when she looked so determined.

The answer came back rather quickly. "I was exhausted. I knew you wanted marriage and kids. Our background is very different. I can never marry you and get everything I want. Also, you are not fun. You are way too serious and organized. The only fun part in our relationship was the secrecy."

Elise let out a deep breath. Why chase her without any intention of marrying her? Why was he with her for three whole years?

"Why drag this, then? Why even chase me?" Elise texted back.

"It was a bet to woo you. But once you fell for me, I didn't see any reason not to date till it lasted. It wasn't like I was bored in the beginning. Then it was just out of habit, I guess. I am sorry. Please don't tell anyone about us," Mike responded.

Elise did not feel like reverting to his text. She switched off her phone and looked outside the window to avoid Sara's pitiful gaze. She felt even more humiliated and sorry for herself. What did she do to deserve this?

"Lady! You can either cry and cry till your eyes burst out, or you can wear that tight little red dress and celebrate your freedom with your one and only best friend." Sara tried to improve Elise's spirits. But Elise kept quiet throughout the entire ride. Sara didn't know what to speak to raise Elise's spirits. But she didn't want to leave her friend alone, either.

As soon as the two got out of the cab, Elise looked at the sky and smiled. It wasn't a happy one, but full of pain and remorse. "Let's have some fun!" Elise whispered, gazing at the cloudy sky.

"That's more like my girl!" Sara jumped on her toes.

"Let's go to the most happening and famous pub in the city. I could be fun, too." Elise twisted her lips purposefully. She didn't want to cry anymore. She didn't need a sky that wasn't hers.

And just like that, the two friends headed to Nolan Miller's pub as if fate had something planned for Elise and Nolan.