Love's Price: A Billionaire's Dilemma

Aubrey's POV The concept behind being an only child has never applied to me. Being spoiled with gifts, luxurious living, and lots of love from both parents has always stood as the upper parallel line and me as the lower one; we never met. I have only experienced ruckus and chaos ranging from different circumstances: fights between them because of my dad's addiction, my mom suffering different health deteriorations, and so on. I only find peace in coming to swamp myself in so much paperwork as the secretary to the renowned owner of King Tech & Co, Logan Archer. Having to fill in the scent of freshly printed work gives me a drill of excitement and I look forward to it every single day. Well, today isn't an exception, and I am glad I left early. The company is having a very important meeting with a potential investor and if I fail to carry out my duties today, call me unemployed by the afternoon. I sit at my desk nestled with all the chaos of King Tech & Co, ruffling through pages to make sure there are no lapses when I hear my name. "Miss Aubrey Smith" A deep masculine voice called. "How can I help you?" I answered without even looking up to find out who the caller could be. "Miss Smith, could I get your attention?" he pleaded. "I'm so sorry! "How can I help you?" Giving him my full attention now, only to find out it was one of my boss's security personnel. What could I have done now? He's not even at work yet! I panicked ""Miss Smith, Mr. Logan asked to make sure the conference room and every other necessary item is in place and ready for execution. "He's almost here," he said. "Yes, everything's ready, Mr ...?" I asked. "Nathan will" he answered. "OK, thank you, Mr. Nathan". I responded with a smile. How could I have forgotten the perfectionist my boss is? And I was frightened that I may have done something wrong to warrant me being fired today. It is not news the way he fires people. I mean he's Freaking Logan Archer!! In the realm of silicon dreams and binary reveries, Mr. Logan Archer towers like a sentinel of the future, a striking 6'5'' colossus whose very presence commands the surrounding air to tremble. His dark, tousled hair surges like a storm on the cusp of breaking, a deliberate chaos that dances just above his brow, fading gracefully into the sleek contours of his temples. Each strand seems to hold the secrets of a thousand algorithms, reflecting both the brightness of innovation and the shadows of fierce ambition. Muscles forged through relentless endeavor ripple beneath his tailored attire, a living testament to both discipline and determination. Logan stands not merely as a man, but as a fortress—his fierce stance reminiscent of a warrior preparing for the next great battle in a domain where codes are swords and ideas, shields. He is a tempest in a tailored suit, and when he enters a room, the air thickens and gravity shifts, making hearts quaver and resolve unravel. In the business arena, he has transcended the mere title of CEO, becoming the Tech Lord, the harbinger of a new digital epoch. With an uncanny intellect that intertwines logic and creativity, he navigates the labyrinth of technology with the grace of a master in chess. Within the span of two fleeting years, he has not only succeeded his father but has redefined the essence of leadership in a sphere rattled by his very name. Logan is a paradox, a figure both revered and feared, his aura a potent blend of magnetism and might. Rivals shudder at the mere mention of his name, for he wields not just knowledge but influence, like a maestro conducting a symphony of innovation. He is a tempest of ideas that shatter old paradigms, a man whose very essence reshapes the landscape of the business world, leaving an indelible mark on the canvas of time. In his eyes lies the spark of unyielding ambition—a flame that ignites the dreams of those who dare aspire, yet casts shadows on those who would challenge him. Indeed, to encounter Logan Archer is to brush against destiny itself, a moment electrified with the possibility of greatness, where knees may falter, both in awe and admiration, as he strides forth into the annals of tech history. "Enough of drooling over your boss you can never have and continue your work!" My subconscious scolds. I rolled my eyes and headed straight to the conference room. Cross-checking everything I had put in place last night, I set the coffee cups and made sure the dispenser had enough in them. I proceeded to inspect the projector and make sure the remote worked just fine, testing it with different slides already set for the presentation today. Finally, putting in the correct order the necessary files for Mr Logan. “Last minute checks?” a voice interrupts. I looked up to find Ethan Reece, the right-hand man/best friend of my boss, smiling at me. “No need though” “I’m sure you've put everything in order like you always do” I smile genuinely at his comment. “That's why you've stayed longer… or maybe not.” He smirks devilishly at me. Waving the paper in his hands, he declares: “You can leave now” “I'll take care of the rest” I just stand motionless and speechless, bewildered by his utterance “That's why you've stayed longer… Or maybe not.” What's that supposed to mean?! “Earth to Aubrey?” “I'm sorry I'll be taking my leave now” Being lost in thoughts of Ethan's last statement didn't even make me realize I was running into someone until the hard chest came in contact with my forehead. “I’m so sorry” I apologize while trying to soothe the pain caused by the collision. “Hmm!" is the response I got and a shove. “You should watch where you're going, Miss Smith”, a deep voice warns. Wait! I know that voice! “I'm so sorry, Mr. Archer:” I'm going home today. “Go continue with your work. "Ethan will take it from here" Mr. Logan instructs “Yes sir!” The response I get is a bang from the door closing. It wasn't until they were out of sight that I realized I had been holding a huge breath, and my heartbeat was 50 times faster than it had been 2 minutes ago. The papers that were in my hands are now lying rent-free on the glittering marble floors and spread, smiling at me to reap the consequences of my clumsiness. With a grunt, I bent down to pick up the mess I had made. “Are you f*****g kidding me?” an aggressive yell came from the room. The voice, so strong and intimidating, caused me to flinch. “You can't possibly mean that” “You can't ask me, your only son, to do that!” “I'm not asking you to do anything impossible, son.” His father calmly speaks “This is important to not just the company but me too!” “Seetah and Co sit as number 2 in technology history after us, and we can't let this collaboration slide because of something we can regulate and make happen.” “John believes you will be accounted for as fully eligible to take proper care of both his company and yours if you assume the full responsibility of a family man.” “You just have to get married Logan, it's that simple and I have options for you if you don't have any considerations.” “Dad, we can't push this further; I can't just be married, out of the blue. Won't it raise suspicions?” He sighed, “Just give me some time.” “We don't have time. The concluding meeting to hold this deal is today.” “You have to decide by 11:00 am and that's an hour and 30 minutes from now” The room went silent and that was my cue to stop eavesdropping. I quickly picked up the papers and made my leave to my desk. This must be tough for Mr. Logan. In my 6 months of being his secretary, I have barely seen him with women, so how does he pull this off in just a few hours? I'm worried he will make decisions he may regret later in life just to please his father! The blasting sound of my ringtone brings me out of my deep thoughts. I have been through a lot of interruptions today. “Hello?” I called out. “Hello please, is this Miss Aubrey Smith?” “Yes, how can I help you?” “I'm calling from Bech's Specialist Hospital. Are you the daughter of Mrs Jenna Smith?” “Yes, I am. Is anything wrong with Mum??” “Your mum was rushed to the hospital an hour ago because she fainted, and from her records, she has had a series of complications. From our test and findings, she suffers from leukemia, and immediate treatment is advised to prolong her life. “We need to conduct her chemotherapy treatment and afterward administer drugs, and, from the look of things, her insurance will not be able to cover it. "We don't have so much time on our hands, and we need to act fast.” “Miss Smith??” “Miss Smith!” Cancer??? My mum has cancer. What am I going to do?? How am I going to take care of that?? “Miss Smith!” “I'm so sorry, doctor” “How many days do we have until it worsens?” “Every hour counts my dear. It's advised you take action now to avoid more complications in the future.” “OK thank you doc” “Could you administer drugs to help the situation for now while I raise the money for that?” “Yes we can, but please act fast” “How much is it?” “It would cost about $1000” A $1000!! Where am I going to get that from?? “OK, doc. I'll talk to you later!” “Thanks and bye” “Have a nice day,” and with that, she took off the phone. This is just too much!! How could I possibly raise $1000 in just this week? It's not even salary week! My salary can't even cover that! I haven't even paid for my dad's rehab. The rent is due next month. How on earth am I going to cover this?? “Miss Smith?” Mr. Logan called I didn't even realize he had reached his office. “Give me the files we have for Seetah & Co” “OK sir; I'll bring them right to your office now” “Are you okay?” “I'm very fine thank you” He proceeds into his office, and I retreat to my stack of files and search intently for the folder he requested. Upon finding it, I entered his office after two soft knocks on his door. I gently placed the folder on his desk, and just as I was about to leave, an idea came into my he ad. It was the only solution I could see to save me from the problem I'd found myself and him too, so I took a U-turn and faced my boss, Mr. Logan Archer looked him in the eye, and asked him: “Mr. Logan Archer, will you marry me?”