Blind Date With A Billionaire

Chapter 2: Blind Date Swap

Raven froze, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as the remnants of the cake clung to her blouse. The restaurant buzzed with hushed whispers and muffled laughter, amplifying her humiliation. She wanted to disappear, to melt into the floor and escape the scene entirely.

Alex approached her, his expression a mix of concern and awkwardness. "Are you okay?" he asked, holding out a napkin.

"I'm fine," she muttered, snatching the napkin and dabbing at the frosting smeared across her shirt. Her heart sank

a love that would never be returned. Every gesture, every laugh they shared, every moment she’d hoped would turn into something more, now felt like a cruel reminder of the truth. She wasn’t the one he saw. She was just his best friend.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her out of her thoughts. She checked it, but the message was from Lily—nothing important, just a reminder to take care of herself. Raven smiled weakly but didn’t reply. It didn’t matter now.

She was almost at the corner when she heard Alex’s voice calling her name.

"Raven! Wait!"

She turned around reluctantly, finding him standing by the restaurant’s entrance, holding a small envelope in his hand.

"I—" Alex hesitated before stepping closer. "I got you something."

Raven glanced at the envelope, her heart sinking further. Was it another consolation prize, another token of his appreciation for being his ever-loyal friend?

She opened it slowly, pulling out two concert tickets. She blinked, processing the words printed on them. The tickets were for her favorite band, the one she’d dreamed of seeing live for years. But the gesture, as thoughtful as it was, only felt hollow now.

"You should go with someone you want to," Alex said with a hopeful smile, his voice light.

Raven stared at the tickets, the weight of the bracelet on her wrist suddenly feeling heavier. She took a deep breath, trying to push the tightness in her chest aside.

"Okay," she said quietly, her voice betraying no emotion.

With that, she turned and walked away, the sound of Alex’s voice fading behind her as she disappeared into the night, the cool air doing little to numb the ache in her heart.

Meanwhile, across town, Christopher Wells sat in the back of a sleek black car, staring blankly at the screen of his phone. His grandfather's words echoed in his mind: "Marriage."

The thought of it made his jaw tighten. The last thing he wanted was to be paraded through a series of blind dates. But there was one thing he couldn’t ignore—his grandfather’s declining health. The old man had always been a force of nature, but lately, it was clear his body was giving out. His insistence on arranging these dates wasn’t just about tradition; it was about securing the future, a future his grandfather desperately wanted to see before it was too late.

"Sir," Evans said from the driver’s seat, glancing at him through the rearview mirror. "Your first date is scheduled for tomorrow evening."

Christopher sighed, rubbing his temples. "Cancel it," he muttered, irritation in his voice.

"But your grandfather—"

"I don’t care," Christopher snapped, his frustration rising. "I have a company to run, Evans. I don’t have time for this."

Evans hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "Understood, sir."

The car pulled up to Christopher's penthouse, but he didn’t move right away. Instead, he stared out at the city skyline, his mind working through his options. The pressure from his grandfather, though overwhelming, wasn’t something he could ignore. It wasn’t about the dates themselves. It wasn’t even about marriage. It was about doing something for the man who had raised him, who had always been there for him.

He didn’t want to disappoint his grandfather, especially now.

"Fine," Christopher said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I’ll go through with it."

Evans didn’t question him, simply nodding in acknowledgment. Christopher stepped out of the car, his mind already turning to what lay ahead. He would go through with the blind dates, not because he was interested in any of it, but because it was the least he could do for his grandfather.

He poured himself a drink as he entered his penthouse, trying to shake off the sense of unease creeping into his chest. This was for his grandfather—only for his grandfather. The rest of it could wait.

Raven was curled up on her couch, halfway through a pint of ice cream, when the doorbell rang. She frowned, glancing at the clock. It was past nine.

"Who’s coming over this late?" she muttered, dragging herself to the door.

When she opened it, there stood Lily, looking far more glamorous than anyone had a right to at this hour. Her designer coat was draped over her shoulders, and her heels clicked against the hardwood as she swept into the apartment without waiting for an invitation.

"Lily," Raven said, shutting the door, "what are you doing here? It’s late."

"Desperate times, darling," Lily announced dramatically, collapsing onto the couch.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Okay, spill. What’s going on?"

Lily let out a loud groan, tossing her bag onto the floor. "It’s my dad. He’s at it again."

"At what again?"

"Arranging another blind date," Lily said, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "I swear, the man is obsessed with marrying me off to some wealthy heir like I’m living in a 19th-century novel."

Raven snorted. "Well, you do live in a penthouse that looks like it belongs in a period drama."

"Not helping," Lily shot back, glaring. "Anyway, this time, he’s outdone himself. He’s set me up with some big-shot billionaire. He’s young, successful, and ‘exactly the kind of man who can handle me,’ whatever that means."

"Wow," Raven said, crossing her arms. "So, what’s the problem? Isn’t this like, the dream for most people?"

"The problem," Lily said, sitting up and fixing Raven with a pleading look, "is that I do not want to go. And that’s where you come in."

Raven blinked. "Come in… how?"

Lily leaned forward, clasping her hands together. "You’re going to go for me."

"What?!" Raven’s voice shot up an octave. "No way, Lily! Not."

"Please," Lily begged, grabbing Raven’s hands. "You’ve done it before. Remember that finance guy? And that tech bro? You went, turned them down for me, and it all worked out perfectly!"

"Those were different," Raven said, shaking her head. "They weren’t billionaires! And your dad didn’t pick them personally."

"Exactly! Which is why I need you this time," Lily said, her tone desperate. "This guy is a big deal, and if I say no directly, my dad will never let me hear the end of it. But if you go and politely let him down, it’s a win-win!"

Raven frowned, pulling her hands away. "Lily, this is crazy. I don’t even know this guy. What if he figures out I’m not you?"

"He won’t," Lily said confidently. "I’ve already told my dad I’d go. He doesn’t need to know it’s you, and neither does this guy. All you have to do is show up, be your charming self, and make it clear there’s no chemistry."

Raven hesitated. "I don’t know, Lily. This feels… wrong."

"Raven," Lily said, her voice softening. "You’re my best friend. You know how much I hate these setups. You’re the only person I trust to help me get out of this. Please. Just this one last time, and I swear I’ll never ask you to do this again."

Raven sighed, staring at Lily’s pleading face. She wanted to say no. She should say no. But Lily was her best friend, and she couldn’t ignore the desperation in her voice.

"Fine," Raven said finally, throwing her hands up. "I’ll do it."

Lily squealed in delight, throwing her arms around Raven. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re the best!"

"Yeah, yeah," Raven muttered, rolling her eyes. "But you owe me, Lily. Big time."

"Anything you want," Lily promised. "Now, let’s find you something fabulous to wear. If you’re going to turn down a billionaire, you need to look like a million bucks doing it."

Raven groaned as Lily dragged her toward the closet. "Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?"

"You won’t," Lily said with a grin. "Trust me."

But as Raven stood in front of the mirror an hour later, dressed in one of Lily’s designer gowns, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this blind date might not go as planned.

She looks at the mirror in earnest at what's going to happen by the end of the week…It's Saturday!!! “Yes,” Lily said.