The Billionaire’s Fake Wife and Unwanted Baby

Lily’s POV “Can you ever f*****g do anything right?!” Ethan thundered, making me flinch. All I did was to drop one cup. Just one stupid cup and he was already hurling vulgar words my way. “I’m sorry. Did I get myself pregnant? My body is upset with pregnancy hormones and I tend to drop things! Don’t yell at me, please,” I snapped. He didn’t care. It was all he ever did - make life miserable for me. One would think that once you get married, everything becomes rosy. But they also tend to forget that roses have thorns too. But my marriage to Ethan didn’t just have thorns, it had literal long spikes that could rip your soul apart by just staring at it. How did we get here? It all started like this… … “Lily! A cup of coffee and a burger for the customer at the back!” My coworker Sandra said, handing me the plates. She gave me a sympathetic smile, knowing how hard I was working to support my mother. I was tired and upset about my mother’s condition in the hospital. She had been diagnosed with cancer and the treatment was expensive. I knew I wasn’t myself but I still had to drag myself to the restaurant where I worked as a waitress so I could make money to tend to my sick mother. “Alright, bet,” I said casually as I grabbed the tray from her and went to meet the customer. He was sitting in a corner booth, wearing a suit and tie. He looked handsome and wealthy, with dark hair and blue eyes. He was reading a newspaper and didn’t notice me approaching. “There you go,” I said, releasing the content on the tray. But as I did, the cup of coffee slipped from my hand, landing on the floor and spilling on his shirt. He gasped and jumped up, dropping the newspaper. “What have you done?!” He screamed at me, looking at the brown stain on his white shirt. I felt my heart rate increase and my palms become sweaty. I started feeling lightheaded. It was my second plate slipping from my hand that day and my manager already left me with a stern warning not to let it happen again or else he was going to fire me. “Please, sir. Lower your voice. I’m so sorry, I’ll fix everything,” I pleaded with him anxiously as I tried to clean up the mess with a napkin. But he wasn’t having it. He kept yelling and attracting the attention of other customers. Some of them looked at me with pity, some with curiosity, and some with disdain. I wished I could disappear. My manager Mr Wilson came out from the back, hearing the commotion. He was a bald man with a thick mustache and a sour expression. He glared at me and then at the customer. “What’s going on here?” He asked, his voice stern and loud. “It’s this employee of yours. She spilled coffee all over my shirt! My very expensive shirt!” The man cried out, pointing at me with an accusing finger. I looked down at my shoes, feeling my fingers fidget. My heart rate increased and my palms became really sweaty. I felt balls of sweat forming on my forehead even though it was winter. I could feel my manager’s cold gaze on me. “Well, what do you have to say about this, Lily?!” He said, trying to sound calm but I knew he was raging mad. He clenched his fists and his nostrils flared. “I’m so sorry, sir. It won’t happen again,” I said with a shaky voice, hoping he would show some mercy. But I knew the kind of person Mr Wilson was. “Oh, you’re right. It won’t happen again. You’re fired. You can leave your uniform in the back,” he said, making my ears ring at the sound of it. He waved his hand dismissively, as if I was nothing. I opened my mouth to speak but I was at a loss for words. “Did you not hear me? Leave this place this minute!” He said sternly, making me flinch. He pointed at the door, as if I was a stray dog. I ran into the back, feeling tears sting my eyes. I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it. I was in the ladies’ room, where I usually changed into my work clothes. I let the tears flow freely, sobbing for a while. I thought of how I was going to feed myself and my sick mother now. I had no other source of income. I worked two side jobs as a babysitter and a home cleaner whenever I had the chance. But those jobs paid so little and I used that money to buy drugs for my mum. “f**k!” I shouted, banging my fists on the door. I couldn’t believe I just lost the only job that could actually pay my bills. What was I going to tell my mother? How would I cope? I walked all the way home, feeling sad and cold in the chilly weather of the night. The wind was biting and the streets were dark and empty. I wished I had a car or a bike, but I couldn’t afford either. I had to rely on my feet and public transportation. I was relieved when I finally sighted my house. It was a small and shabby apartment in a rundown neighborhood. It wasn’t much, but it was the only place I could call home. I got to my front door and saw a package on the floor. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string. There was no name or address on it. I looked around to check if I would see anyone, but the coast was clear. I picked up the box and it was very light. ‘What could be in here? And from who?’ I thought to myself. I opened the door and let myself in. “Mama. Are you okay? Let me give you your drugs,” I said to my mother. She was lying on the bed as usual. She looked really pale and frail. The doctors said it was cancer. I had to give her medication all the time and on time, as she was too weak to do anything herself. I gave her some water and her medications, then headed for my tiny living room to open the box. “What’s this?” I muttered, taking out the envelope that was inside the box. It was a letter and it read… "Dear Ms. Lily, We are writing to inform you that you have been named as the sole beneficiary of the estate of Mr. John Smith, who passed away recently. Mr. Smith was your distant relative, and he had no other living heirs. He left behind a fortune of over one billion dollars, which he wished to bequeath to you. In order to claim your inheritance, you will need to come to our office and sign some papers, as well as provide some proof of your identity and your relationship with Mr. Smith. You will also need to agree to some terms and conditions, which are stated in the enclosed contract. Please read the contract carefully, and make sure that you understand and accept the terms before signing it. You have one week to come to our office and sign the papers, or you will forfeit your inheritance. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we urge you not to miss it. Please contact us as soon as possible to arrange a meeting, and to ask any questions that you may have. Sincerely, Mr. James Brown. Lawyer and Executor of Mr. John Smith’s Estate." “No way,” I muttered, my lips apart in shock. I did know of Mr. Smith. My dad would mention him once in a while. He was a distant relative, but ever since I lost my dad to a fire outbreak, I never really heard about him ever again. I smiled excitedly, thinking that luck had finally shone on me again! “I’ll see you soon, mom,” I said and gave my mother a kiss on her forehead. I was up and ready to go and meet the lawyer in his office. It wasn’t a hassle finding the place. It was a tall and modern building in the city center. It had a sign that said “Brown and Associates, Law Firm”. I nervously knocked on the door and he opened it in a matter of seconds. “Hello. You must be Miss Lily,” he said with a wide grin. He was a middle-aged handsome man with a charming smile. He wore a suit and a tie, and had a badge that said “Mr. James Brown”. “Yes. I was sent this letter last night,” I said nervously, handing him the letter from my bag. He took it and nodded, then offered me a seat. “Thank you,” I said, making myself comfortable on the chair. “So… in the letter, it states that I have to sign a contract before the inheritance can be released to me?” I asked curiously, wondering what the catch was. He opened his mouth to reply when someone else walked in. “Yes, you do,” the person said. I looked up at him and he was the most stunning man I had ever seen. “My name is Ethan Ross and I’m here to make you a deal.”