A Billionaire's Redemption

CHAPTER 3 THE MEETING.

Lila walked into the grand entrance of Eleven Madison Park timidly, anxiety taking its toll on her.

She had worn an emerald-colored flair lacy gown, which was above her knee length.

The neckline was V-shaped which gracefully highlighted her collarbone, neck, and a part of her cleavage. Her gown flared out from the waist, creating a beautiful A-line silhouette that swayed with every step, paired with a stunning pair of silver stiletto heels that complemented her emerald gown perfectly.

Damien sat gracefully on the restaurant’s sofa, his legs crossed. His well tailored black suit, did not just exude luxury but authority also. His gaze was fixed on his phone, his demeanor calm and collected.

“Nice to meet you!” Lila said, extending her hand for a handshake. Her voice was warm, though a hint of nervousness betrayed her composure.

He didn’t bother looking up, his gaze remained fixed on his phone “You are two minutes late, each second of my time is very important to me, never keep me waiting again” he said with an icy voice, his eyes still fixated on his phone.

She put down her hand in embarrassment, not saying a word, she sat on the sofa opposite his.

About ten minutes later, he briefly took his eye off his phone for a few seconds and gave her an icy, scrutinizing glance before returning to his phone.

“The dress,” he muttered.

“You love it?” Lila asked with excitement in her voice. “I sewed it myself.”

“It’s exposing too much cleavage. Don’t wear it again,” he continued without looking up.

Lila was taken aback, her excitement instantly turned into disbelief. She spent a moment trying to process his words. “Excuse me?! Last time I checked, you have no right to tell me what I can or can't wear,” she retorted, her voice tinged with a mix of anger and hurt.

He finally looked up, his eyes meeting hers with a cold, detached stare. “You are about to become my wife, what you wear reflects on me, and I won’t have you parading around like that.”

Lila's expression shifted to one of shock, her eyes widening. She heaved a sigh. "About that, I don't know what you discussed with my father, but I can't marry you. Damien!" she called out his name sarcastically.

"Besides, I have a boyfriend who I love deeply. I doubt you can understand, as you seem to enjoy sleeping around with other people's wives and daughters. But there's something called love, and it's real."

Damien's face hardened a flicker of anger in his eyes. "About your boyfriend, that's about to change" He tilted his head a bit to the side. "Love?! Is love the price you're willing to pay for your mother's life?"

"Change?" she stuttered

"In two weeks we are getting married" He returned back to staring at his phone "Your father agrees to this arrangement, and you will honor it," he continued.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "You must be hallucinating if you think I would marry you. It's not possible. My boyfriend and I have plans to raise the money needed for my mother's surgery. So if you think you can marry me or control me with your money, you might need to have a rethink!"

With that she stood up and walked towards the exit, she was done listening to him, he was nothing but a proud spoilt brat- she thought to herself.

There was something about her that was uniquely her own, something that set her apart from all the other women Damien had encountered.

Perhaps it was the way she challenged him, unlike any woman before her. Others were too engrossed with his handsomeness to even think of defiance. Or maybe it was her innocent and calm demeanor, which seemed to contradict her stubbornness. This intriguing blend was something Damien had never experienced before. It fascinated and infuriated him at the same time.

He signaled to Hakim, his most trusted staff, who was sitting at the far end of the restaurant.

In his car, Damien drummed his fingers on the armrest, his gaze fixed out the window. Her defiance was unexpected, and it stirred something within him. Damien prided himself on being in control, yet here was this woman challenging him. It was both a thrilling and infuriating prospect.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to Hakim, who was driving. "Tell me everything you’ve gathered about Lila Thompson," Damien said, his voice steely.

Hakim glanced at him in the rear-view mirror before responding. "Lila Thompson, 25 years old, only daughter of Magnus Thompson. She runs a small but notable fashion house that's been struggling financially. Her mother is critically ill, and the medical bills are mounting."

Damien's grip tightened on the armrest. He knew the basics, but he needed more. "What about her? Her strengths, her weaknesses?" He asked coldly.

"She has a reputation for being kind and loyal, but also for having a fiery temper when pushed. She is in a relationship with a certain Richmond, he is a paint artist.”

Damien nodded, processing the information. “Find out everything about this guy. Where does he work, what does he do, what commitments does he have with her—everything.”

He waited for a reply from Hakim, but when none came, he looked up at the rearview mirror, locking eyes with Hakim. “Am I clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Hakim said, quickly diverting his gaze from the mirror.

“Do you have something to say?” Damien asked, his tone sharp as he continued to watch Hakim through the mirror.

Hakim hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Sir, with all due respect, you’re not the type to chase after a woman. If Dianne said some shady things about you on the internet, she should be the one to come out and fix her mess. You know how to make her do so. Why are you being so soft with her? I have worked with your father for years, and I know he won't want you to marry out of some business obligation”

Damien didn’t respond immediately.

The car immediately fell into a tense silence. After a long pause, he finally asked, “What would my father have done in this situation?”

Hakim locked eyes with him in the rear-view mirror before speaking. “That I can’t say for sure, but I’m sure your father wouldn’t want you to ruin your life, based on some loveless marriage, He was always a preacher of love, he loved your mother and you know that”

“And where did that get him to? Six feet?! Besides, in his last words, he clearly stated that I run the company and avoid whatever would make Liam take over. That’s priority and that is what I’ll do”

Hakim nodded, not altering a word again, this was one quality Damien liked about him. He knew when to speak and when to hold his peace.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned from Dad and Mom, it’s that true love really never exists, one has to love and the other pretends to love. In our case, we both pretend to love which makes it less deceitful.