The Billionaire's Bargain

Chapter 4

Ariel's POV

A Deal Sealed

Never had I ever felt an envelope so heavy in my grasp, never. Not when I had turned in my resignation after three years at an IT form or even when I took my eviction notice from the mailbox months ago.

"Breath, Ariel, breathe." I murmured to myself and inhaled deeply, trying to calm my nerves.

I was in the elevator when I almost changed my mind and crumbled the piece of paper. I could simply quit and act like none of it had been real.

"Hey, Ariel!" Someone yelled from behind me and I swiveled, almost losing my handbag and the manila envelope in my grasp. It was Gina and she was wearing a smile that didn't quite match the messy morning that I we as having.

"Oh my God! I can't believe it." She gushed as I strolled to her, balancing my bag and a stack of papers. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked and just as I was about to question what she was getting excited over or how I was part of that conversation, I saw Mr. Stone matched into his office, his driver in tow.

"Okay, I have to go, I'm late and coffee isn't on that table." I said and walked away briskly, dumping my bag and going to the coffee machine.

"Really? You still have to do that?" Gina gave me an odd look but then shrugged and smiled as she walked away. I blinked at her, not understanding her strangeness that morning, but it was bound to make sense soon enough, if only I knew what she meant, if only.

Two minutes later, I was with a steaming cup of espresso and the envelope in my hand as I tapped on the door.

"Enter." Came his baritone and I opened, taking a deep breath and stepping in. His eyes left the man beside him who was pointing at his computer screen and focused on me.

"You'll excuse us, Dave." He said and the man looked at me, more or less leering, then nodded and left the office, closing the door softly behind him.

"So, I see you're a little late, traffic." He asked and I nodded. It was no traffic, I was simply torn between the contract and skipping town after quitting my job.

I walked to his desk and quietly dropped the envelope there. He didn't open it, didn't even attempt to, he simply gave me a wry smile and then returned his attention to his computer screen. I dropped the coffee, moving a stack of files a little to the left. He still hadn't said a word that day and if anything, I was both confused and pissed at his behavior.

If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought it was a prank and I had fallen knee deep, I was no doubt now a gold digger and it was a matter of time before the whole office knew of it. What if it was a survey? What if it had been kept on everyone's desk and I had simply been the only one stupid enough to consider it as being true. What if…

His deep baritone drew me out of my reverie as he cleared his throat and said, "You have work to do." I blinked at him and stood there for a few more seconds, unable to believe how much I'd just made a fool of myself. Certainly I was jobless now, I couldn't stand the embarrassment.

As I clicked his door shut and leaned on it, I shook my head, disappointed at myself, I should have known it was a joke, what would Mr. Sylvester Stone want with a plain Jane like me? I wasn't his type, not with looks or prestige, I couldn't match up with girls his league. I berated myself for not realizing it was a prank soon enough.

The kiss, it was all part of it, to make a fool out of me and I fell, hook, line and sinker.

"Oh my God!" Came the yell from before me and I jumped, almost slipping on the tiled floor. There was a bouquet in my face and a small box handed to me by who I knew too well to be Sylvester's driver.

"Congratulations!!" Came Gina's loud voice and others joined in, clapping. I looked around, unable to grasp what all the fuss was.

Sylvester was right behind me, his hand held what was a ring, a beautiful one, with an onyx face, he was certainly not on one knee but he did hold a small bunch of roses which I could smell from inches away.

"Congratulations, Ariel! On my God!" More persons gushed and yelled as I stood there, spinning, jaw hanging open. I could see a few cameras flashing in the hall, some flash light from cellphones too. I barely had time to wrap my head around it all when Sylvester drew me to his side and then spoke to the crowd.

"We're getting married." He said and the office erupted in an applause and cheers. I smiled sheepishly and he bent to whisper in my ear. "Look happy." Then he walked out, heading back to his office.

With a plastered grin, I waved at the few cameras lined in my face and then retreated after him.

Sylvester was by his desk, scrolling through what looked like a list on his phone. "Excuse me, you didn't...you didn't quite let me knew it was going...it...it would be so soon and..."

His stiff look cut me off before I rambled any further. "You did sign the contract, didn't you?" He asked with an arched brow and I nodded. "Good, it's begun, we don't have time to play hide and seek, let's give the press what to say tomorrow." He stated and then looked at me, as if daring me to oppose.

How could I tell him that I was still unsure, uncertain of what I'd gotten myself into. "I'm just surprised, I didn't..."

"That was precisely the point." He said and then added as an after thought, "I'll have Dave pick out a dress for you, you're meeting my family." Then he walked out.