The Billionaire's Son Ultimatum

CHAPTER 4

s**t!" Benjamin's eyes flew open, and he jolted upright in bed. He had overslept, He glanced at his phone's screen – the digital numbers blinked "10:17 AM." He cursed under his breath, scrambling out of bed in a rush.

In a matter of minutes, Benjamin was in the bathroom, hastily showering and dressing. He slipped into a pair of jeans and an orange shirt, his fingers fumbling with buttons. He grabbed his phone, glancing at the screen again – "10:35 AM" now.

As he dashed out of his room, he nearly collided with his mother, Eleanor, who was sitting at the dining table in the living room. She looked up from her newspaper, her gentle eyes following his hurried movements. "Where are you off to in such a hurry on a Saturday?" she asked her tone a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Benjamin paused, catching his breath for a moment. He couldn't brush off his mother's inquiries like he had the night before. "I'm off to see Mike," he replied reluctantly, running a hand through his hair.

Eleanor nodded, offering a warm smile. "Oh, Michael. It's been a while since he came to visit. Please greet him for me." Her voice held a note of fondness for her son's friend. "And also, your father left on a trip this morning. He'll be back in two weeks."

Benjamin's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of his father's departure, but his mind was still fixated on the ticking seconds. "Okay," he said hastily, not fully processing his mother's words. With a nod, he hurriedly left the room, his footsteps echoing through the hallway as he rushed toward the front door.

The door closed behind him, and the outside air hit him like a cool wave. His car keys were in his hand, and he wasted no time in starting the engine and backing out of the driveway.

"Mike was going to kill him", he said to himself smiling. They had agreed to meet at 9 AM, and he was already running more than an hour late.

Finally, he pulled up to the coffee shop where they had arranged to meet. He parked his car and came out, his phone clutched tightly in his hand.

The cafe shop was a warm and comfy place in the middle of the busy city of New York. As soon as he walked in, he could smell the nice coffee and pastries. The lights were soft and made it feel cozy, and people were chatting quietly in the background. Some folks sat at small tables, either talking or lost in their thoughts. You could also hear cups clinking and the person making coffee calling out orders, which made a nice sound.

Benjamin's eyes roamed around the tables until he spotted Mike. He was sitting near the window, holding a cup of coffee and in front of him was a large bowl of salad.

Benjamin walked up to the table. Mike was hard to miss with his red hair and black eyes. He was as tall as Benjamin, but a bit slimmer.

"Sorry, man," Benjamin said as he slid into the seat opposite Mike. "I overslept.

Mike chuckled, shaking his head. "No worries. I've been here enjoying the coffee and this large bowl of salad besides the customer service is top-notch.

Benjamin shook his head, regular you Mike with a smile on his face, calling the waitress to take his order "One large espresso and a sandwich he told her politely ,she nodded and headed towards the counter.

After settling in , Mike leaned in and asked, "Have you tried talking to your dad again? Maybe this time reason with him."

Benjamin leaned back with a smirk and replied, "To reason with him, you act like you don't know David Grant." They shared a knowing chuckle.

A mischievous glint danced in Mike's black eyes. "Alright, I got it. How about this? You hire a skywriter and spell out 'I Need A Woman' in the sky. Dramatic, right?"

Benjamin looked at him earnestly. "Mike, this is serious. I need a real solution, taking a pause as the waitress walked up to their seats placing his order in front of him. "Thanks", Benjamin nodded as he faced Mike back.

Mike nodded, his tone more serious. "Okay, okay, last one. You dress up as a love-struck cupid and shoot him with heart-shaped arrows."

Benjamin leaned back, crossing his arms. "Mike, this isn't a joke. I need your genuine advice."

Michael's eyes sparkled as an idea seemed to dawn on him. Do you want to fall in love fr?".

Benjamin shook his head. "Mike you of all people know that I don't see myself falling in love, it's not something I want to take into consideration."

Michael leaned in, his expression serious. "Well, how about this: what if you enter a contract marriage with someone? Look for a woman who isn't financially stable and propose that you'll pay her bills for a couple of years (like maybe two), cook something up, and then get a divorce."

Benjamin's eyes widened and his voice rose a bit too much. "Two years?" Heads turned toward him, and the coffee shop seemed to pause to listen.

Mike chuckled, whispering, "Tone it down, Ben. It's just an idea."

Benjamin tried to play it cool, "Where am I going to find a woman to make such a proposition without getting slapped?"

He knew his friend was going to bring up crazy ideas. It was Mike, what was he expecting?

Michael laughed, teasing, "Are you scared of getting beaten?

A frown crossed Benjamin's face. "I don't know about this idea." There is no way my dad won't find out.

Mike's tone grew serious. "It's a reasonable idea, Ben. Unless you want to fall in love or give up your position in the company." if you won't tell and I won't tell how's he going to find out? You just have to play it cool and pretend to be in love when you're around them, it's not like you'd be in the mansion with them when you get married.

Benjamin knew his friend was right, and deep down, he realized this might be the only way to secure his place, get what he wanted, and deceive his father into believing he had truly found love. He let out a deep sigh. "I'll need some time to think about it." but his mind hadn't fully settled with his friend's obnoxious plan.

Michael grinned and patted Benjamin's shoulder. "Take your time. We wouldn't want a mini-Ben running around the house for real now, would we?

Benjamin gave Mike a playful punch. "You're taking it a bit too far." They both chuckled, sharing a moment of camaraderie.

As the conversation flowed, time passed quickly. Eventually, they decided it was time to leave and tipped the waitress who had attended to them earlier. Standing up from their seats, a slim figure appeared before Benjamin, aiming to take the now-vacant spot they had just occupied. In a sudden movement, she lost her balance and accidentally spilled her coffee all over Benjamin's clothes.

"Holy s**t," Michael said as Benjamin yelped in disbelief.