The Billionaire’s Ruthless Proposal

Chapter 5 I Have My Ways, Danielle

DANIELLE

I woke up to a splitting headache, opening my eyes to look at the unfamiliar ceiling that looked back at me. I froze.

Wait...

Where was I?

How had I gotten here?

The last time I had awoken in an unfamiliar room_f**k!

No! No!

It couldn’t be what I was thinking!

Something flashed in my mind, but in my frantic mood, I couldn’t exactly pin point what it was.

I quickly slipped down the duvet that was still over me and looked down, sighing when I saw that I was still wearing my clothes but was missing my jacket.

Forcing myself to calm down, I took deep breaths and was about getting my ass of the bed when the bedroom door opened, and in walked a man that looked like he could be on the cover of a playboy magazine, and Forbes magazine, all at the same time.

But I tried to put that off my mind and face the situation at hand.

He looked familiar...

I blinked again, trying the remember where I had seen him, through the haze that was my mind and screamed as I shot off the bed, pointing at him.

“It was you!” I screamed. My voice was shaky but I didn’t care. “It was you!”

It was him! The man I had slept with. I couldn’t forget that face, even if I had not been in my right senses when it happened.

What was he doing here? And why had he brought me here?

Had Chloe paid him again to carry out another evil plan of hers?

But he looked really sophisticated to have colluded with my half sister to commit such and act to me.

He was so hand…shit. I couldn’t be thinking about that now.  Especially not in this situation.

For now, I wanted to focus on my anger.

Our eyes met, and gazes locked, making me feel a little bit off. Small snipers of images hit my head as I was reminded of that night.

I was so lost in thought that it was only when I felt cold air on one of my breasts, that I realized that the strap of my dress had been torn off, exposing me to the hungry gaze of this man. I immediately pulled the cloth over my bare breast.

The man man walked closer, with a grin etched on his lips. "I have already seen everything that needs to be seen. And more. You don’t need to hide yourself from me"

What?!

"You!!!" I was furious. I wished I could slap him, but knew I was in no position to, as I could actually end up as the person with a disadvantage since I was a woman. "No matter whether you were arranged by Chloe or not, last night was just an accident." I said, looking at him with all the coldness I could manage.

Instead of trying to defend himself, he raised an eyebrow at me. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Danielle. But I can assure you that last night, was filled with so much passion.” And then to my surprise, he winked at me.

I couldn't help the gasp that left my lips, placing my hand on my chest. “Wait. What? A night of passion? I can’t even remember anything other than feeling dizzy as f**k and hightailing it out of the room. And you call that passion? I lost my virginity for heavens sake!” I wasn’t shouting, but my voice was raised to an extent that showed just how angry I was.

Despite myself, from his behavior, I was beginning to think he wasn’t exactly the villain. He seemed really calm. Too calm. And spoke with confidence.

I watched as he adjusted the cuffs in his sleeves, bringing my attention to his long fingers. I licked my lips nervously as another image of our time together flashed in my head.

This time, it was of his fingers trailing down my legs…

I blinked, removing the thought from my mind as quickly as it came.

“I acknowledge that. But then again, you were the one that materialized out of no where, into my room, and was so eager to indulge in the love making with me. So I wouldn’t use that tone if I were you.” He said, oozing confidence.

I faltered a little. Didn’t he really know? Gosh what the heck had happened? If he had found a willing woman on his bed, wasn’t it his job to turn her away? “Tell me, Danielle. What do you want? You have managed to get what a good number of women are trying to get. Me. Do you want money? What? Tell me?”

I felt like I had just been slapped on the face, as those words spewed out of his mouth. Did he even know who I was, that he thought I would sell my body for money?

Complete driven by anger, I pulled at my bag which sat on the table close to me and opened it, bringing out wads of hundred-dollar bills and throwing it on his face.

“Isn’t this money? Do these look like papers to you? Who do you think you are to talk to me about money!” I asked as I watched the bills fly around in the air.

What did he take me for? A w***e?

To my surprise, which seemed to be happening more often than not since I met him, he just smiled, unfazed. I felt my body boil in anger.

“Well then, I am glad we got that out of the way, as we have established the fact that the motive for you being in my bedroom that night, wasn’t for money. So, tell me why you were in my bedroom.” He said, walking closer to me.

I tried to move away, but was pinned to the spot by his hot gaze on me. Once he was standing close enough to me so we were only a foot apart, he lifted his hand to my cheek and caressed my lightly.

I felt goosebumps make their way around my skin.

Just one touch from him made me feel so many things. If it were another person or another time, I would have melted into his touch.

He was so good looking, that even in the situation, I was still able to be pulled in by his handsome features. Aside from that, I had been amongst a lot of rich people to know that whoever he was, he exuded a kind of aura that only spoke of insane wealth.

Where had Chloe met such a man?

Deciding to be level headed, I stepped away from him and went to sit back on the bed. At least he didn’t look like he was about to jump on me and strangle me. Or even do worse to me.

He had proved that to me by letting me sleep in his bedroom for a whole night without touching me, when I had obviously been so drunk, I was oblivious to the world.

“Why are you being so stubborn, Danielle? Just tell me what you want and clear my own confusion.” He said and walked over to the side of the bed, where he pulled out something that looked like a first aid box.

I frowned. “How do you know my name?” I asked. I had been wanting to ask that question since the first time he called me by my name, but had relented.

Mr. baritone chuckled. “I have my ways, Danielle.” he said, and pulled out a drug from the box.

My lips tightened as I wondered what he wanted to use the drugs for. Was he sick?

He simply walked towards me and handed the medicine to me with a bottle of water. “Here. Take this. You need it.” He said.

I looked at the drugs in my hands and almost died from embarrassment. They were contraceptive pills which I was supposed to take the morning after. I hesitated a little as I felt my cheeks flush.

“Drink them now.” He prompted.

I did as he asked, swallowing the pills, then drinking little water from the bottle, before looking up at him.

Gosh, this was embarrassing.

I got to my feet, grimacing at the after taste of the drugs. “I think I should leave now. And we would pretend like this never happened.” I said, starting to move towards the door.

Once I reached the door, I turned to look at the man who didn’t even bother to stop me or even try to convince me to stay. “I hope we never cross each other’s path again.” The words came out forced, as something deep within me was objecting to it. Why? I didn’t know.

He just watched me, completely blank in his expression

I turned and walked out of the door, wishing for the umpteenth time that this was just a nightmare I was in and that I would wake up soon.

But I knew it was not.

And that face, was going to be imprinted in my mind forever.

~

With a heavy heart, I stopped a taxi and got in. I needed to freshen up a little as I hadn’t done that in that man’s house.

It was still early in the morning, so I hurried to a hotel where I took my bath and refreshed up, ordering for new clothes to be brought to my suite. A breakup wasn’t going to put a stop to my life.

Besides, I had a meeting to attend for a very important project that was being launched. I needed to get there and put on a show for everyone present.

No matter how much I tried, I ended up being late. Well, I didn’t care.

I strutted down the office floor to the meeting room with my head held up high as people around watched, whispering.

Let them gossip.

A tiny voice in my head said.

Once I got to the meeting room, I was not surprised to see that they were taking a little break.

I was met with the image of Tyler sitting in a corner, with a cigarette latched to his lips, while a proud looking Chloe, entwined herself in his arms.

I scowled inwardly.

They just couldn’t wait to show their affair to the public, could they? It was such a shame that the dumb Tyler was falling for my scheming half sister’s ways.

He was undoubtedly a tool in her little game of catch me if you can.

I managed a smile and shut the door with a semi-loud noise, making everyone turn their attention to me.

"Directors, I'm sorry I'm late." My words were very sincere, as I actually didn’t like coming late to work. But I guessed it was a different day after all.

The directors waved their hands one after another, indicating that it didn’t matter. Everyone surely understood that there was a little incident.

The meeting started again, and I stepped forward to give my presentation, not faultering one bit. I made sure to highlight all the points I had made that would be of great advantage to the project at large.

By the time I finished with the presentation, there were murmurs of approval and claps coming from around the table.

The only people who didn't react where Tyler and Chloe, who looked at me like they wanted her to disappear.

Idiots..

"I would suggest you sit this one out, dear sister. And allow Tyler handle the project. He has already presented his own points long before you came here. Besides, remember that father wants the partnership between our company, and Tyler's." Chloe sneered, making me stare daggers at her.

What the heck was wrong with her? Not only was she brandishing to the whole world that she had succeeded in stealing my fiancé, she also had the mind to bad mouth me.

I took a deep breath, looking around to gauge the reactions of the others on the table, and almost sighed in relief as I saw the fed up look on their faces.

Good.

I cleared her throat and sat down. Without facing Chloe, I spoke. "If you don't mind, Chloe. Can we leave personal affairs like that one out of our meeting and focus on what is actually important." I said tightly.

I didn't want to fight. No matter how tempted I was, I was never going to fall for their pettiness.

Looking at the board members nodding, I couldn't help but think of what it would be like if I lost to both Tyler and Chloe.

No, that couldn't happen.

As I sat, pondering on my situation, my father's secretary walked over to me and whispered something in my ear that made me frown a little.

"I'm sorry for not letting you know earlier, but we have involved the Hernandez group in this project. And would be working together with them." The secretary said.

I looked at my father in confusion, but he just sat there, saying nothing.

"Since when?" I asked in a whisper to the secretary who shrugged.

"I do not exactly know when this decision was made. But it was your father who gave the go ahead. And they will be here anytime soon."

Before I could say anything else, the secretary straightened and left, going back to her seat.

Hernandez?

I knew nothing about them apart from the fact that they were one of the wealthiest conglomerates in the whole country.

Since when did my father start doing business with them?

Just then, the door opened, and all eyes, including mine, turned to the direction of the door to see who it was what had entered the conference room.

But while everyone had similar expressions on their face, mine was different.

Shock.

That was the first emotion I felt that course through her, at the sight of the very person I had told I never wanted to see again.