The Billionaire's One Night Stand

Chapter One

“Go! Go with him and see if I care. I have no daughter like you anymore. You are just like your father.” Natalie could remember the last words she heard from her mother before she fell gravely ill. That was the last time she heard her mother’s voice. A lone tear escaped from her eye as she blamed herself for adding to her mother’s torment.

That day was the day she left with her father. It had been long since she last saw her father. As an eleven-year-old, she had already developed a deep sense of missing. So, she was excited and wanted to spend more time with him.

When her father proposed for her to come live with him, she was so happy that she did not notice her mother’s sadness. Every time she asked about her father, her mother would always say that he was too busy with work and would come when he had the time. She was petite and assumed her father was taking her away for a vacation.

“Why are the plates not washed yet?” a stern voice sounded in the kitchen.

Natalie did not need to turn around to know who the voice belonged to. She knew it was her step-sister, Laila, who had come to torment her as always. She did not respond and focused on washing the plates, not wanting to exchange words with her.

Laila felt annoyed by Natalie’s silence. She disliked that Natalie still seemed to have a solid resolute after many years of wanting to break her. Flipping Natalie to face her properly, she raised her hand and hit her forcefully.

“Ah!” Natalie held her cheeks as her face tilted to the side as a result of the force Laila had applied to hitting her. She bit her lower lip, forcing her tears back in. This is her life now. She was living with her father’s new wife and daughter.

It happened that the only reason why her father came back to get her was because of his reputation. Now, she has become a maid in her father’s house. How pathetic her life is.

“Are you deaf? Don’t tell me you have plans to ruin the dinner party tonight?” Laila scolded her, not caring if her slap might leave a scar on Natalie’s face and someone like their father would notice. She was used to treating Natalie like a dump, thanks to their father, who did not care.

As long as it doesn’t affect his reputation, it is not worth his attention. Laila sneered. “Let me warn you. If anything goes wrong tonight, your useless mother will pay dearly for it.” She smirked viciously because she knew that was the only way Natalie could be kept in place.

She so much hated Natalie ever since she came to live with them. Although she was the younger one, Natalie was still more beautiful, talented, and hardworking than her, and merely thinking of it made her go crazy.

Just like Laila had predicted, her threats were indeed very effective.

“No! Please, don’t hurt my mother. I will do anything you want for the dinner tonight. Just don’t hurt my mother.” Natalie fell to her knees immediately as tears filled her eyes. No matter how bold she wanted to act, her mother was always her weakness, and in the end, she would be left begging for mercy.

Laila laughed, feeling satisfied with the result. “Look at you, so pitiful.” She patted Natalie like she was her pet. As her hand touched the texture of Natalie’s hair, she was immediately dissatisfied and pulled a handful of Natalie’s hair down forcefully, causing her to hiss out in pain.

Laila bent down as she whispered provocatively into Natalie’s ears, “Your hair is so disgusting. You look so irritating. Make sure not to show your face tonight. I wouldn’t want the guest to vomit just at the sight of you. You remember what I said will happen if you are not obedient, right?”

Natalie nodded her head quickly. The pain was harsh on her scalp. She did not want to provoke Laila any more than she already was. Fighting back wasn’t an option because she would always be lost.

“Good that you know. Now, be a good enslaved person and keep the kitchen clean, dear sister.” Laila taunted as she stretched out a mocking smile.

Feeling satisfied, she pushed Natalie’s head away from her grasp and let out a sound of irritation. She quickly rushed to the sink and washed her hands with soap like she just touched something very dirty. Taking one last look at Natalie’s derisive appearance, she flipped her hair triumphantly and walked away with a smug look.

Their father just recently signed a contract with Diamond Group. So, he decided to host a dinner party to celebrate their collaboration. The city’s diamond man, Roy Diamond, was going to be present at the dinner party tonight, and she wanted to make an impression with hopes that he would take a liking to her.

Natalie’s hands were placed flat on the floor, with her face downcast and filled with tears. She could not remember the last time she smiled genuinely. She sniffled and cleaned her tears as she stood up. There was no time to keep crying, she had to quickly finish her chores before the guests arrived for the dinner party.

Just as she was rounding up with the chores, her phone rang. She quickly took it out of her back pocket. Seeing the familiar number, her heart seized, and she became hesitant to answer the call, not knowing what lousy news awaited her.

The call ended, but that did not bring Natalie any relief. Instead, she felt even more uncomfortable. Not knowing what message the caller had for her. Just as she was contemplating calling back, the number displayed on her screen again, and her phone started to ring.

Natalie’s hand trembled, and she slid the answer button across her phone screen. “Hello, Doctor.” Her voice was so”low that it could pass as a whisper.

“Miss Natalie. I have sent a series of messages to your father concerning your mother, but I am yet to get any response from him. I don’t know if he still uses that number or not.” The Doctor spoke up at the other end of the call with a concerned voice.

Natalie gulped nervously, knowing fully well why the doctor might have assumed his father changed his number. But she did not overthink about it. “Is everything okay with my mother?” her voice was soft but laced with worry.

The Doctor paused for a while, not knowing if he should discuss such a deep matter with a young person like Natalie. “Well, you can just let your father call me instead. That will be more convenient.” He replied in a formal tone. Neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her thoughts.

Natalie shakes her head. “No! You can tell me, Doctor. I will pass on the message to my father.” She intercepted eagerly, oblivious to her strong resistance to the fact that her father would receive the report.

The Doctor felt a little strange. “Is everything okay?” he asked with concern. Everyone in the city knew how the Drew family relationship was. He was just a doctor who played by the hospital's rules, ”o none of his patient’s private life concerned him.

Natalie noticed her default, clearing her throat lightly to cover up her nervousness. “Yes, everything is fine. I was just worried about my mother and wanted to know how she was faring. My father has been busy with the company affairs lately. You can discuss these things with me.” She added quickly.

Heaven knows that all she said was a lie. The only person who cares about her mother is her, and the only person who cares about her is her mother, who is already on the brink of death. A tear slipped from her eyes, but she wiped it away before it trailed down her jaw.

The only reason her mother was in the hospital till now was because she had threatened to go mad in public and destroy her father’s image if he did not help her mother. Her father did not care about her mother.

So, if the doctor insists on speaking only to her father about the matters concerning her mother, she does not know what she would do. “Can’t you just tell me? She is my mother, after all.” She pleaded.

The Doctor sighed heavily. “If you insist, then. Your mother has been unable to get medications like the rest of the patients. The first deposit made for her medications has expired, soon, the room space deposit will expire, too. This is affecting her recovery.” He reported calmly.

“What?” Natalie’s lips quivered as she looked at nowhere, feeling exceptionally blank.

The Doctor rubbed his temples. “Just tell your father to call me. He would understand better.” He replied formally, thinking Natalie could not comprehend his words. He did not wait on the call any longer and ended it directly.

Natalie’s eyes were red, showing restrained anger. Never in her life did she believe her father would be as cruel and heartless as to stop her mother’s medication. Now she knew why he had prohibited her from seeing her mother. If the doctor hadn’t called her today, she would not have known when her mother died till later.

She looked around the kitchen. Since entering her father’s house, she has been slaving away like a maid. Her life was even worse than a maid’s own, and this was because she wanted to keep her mother in the hospital.

Natalie pulled off the apron she was wearing off her body, tossing it to the ground. She walked out of the kitchen, heading to her father’s study.

“Why?” Natalie screamed as she barged into her father’s study. Her face was already filled with tears that just kept flowing. She was angry, sad and bitter.

Simon Drew withdrew his gaze from the documents he was reading immediately when he heard Natalie’s voice. He frowned at her sudden intrusion. “How mannerless are you? Did your useless mother not teach you manners?” he scolded Natalie as soon as his gaze landed on her.

Natalie’s eyes bulged out as she glared at the one person who was supposed to protect and love her but only brought her disappointments and pain. She was losing her mind. Her heart was growing old in pain as minutes passed with both father and daughter glaring at each other.

Simon Drew grew impatient at their standstill. “What? What is it? Why did you barge into my study room like that?” he snarled, taking no notice of Natalie’s teary face. He wasn’t a bit moved by her tears. Instead, her tears repulsed him.

Natalie sniffled. “What did I ever do wrong to you?” her voice was sad and filled with melancholy. Her body looked frail; it seemed like she would fly away if a heavy wind blew, but she maintained a firm stance while facing her father.

Simon Drew shakes his head slowly. “Just like your mother.” He started with an irritated look as he sat on his chair, looking like a dominant. “Tell me. What is it this time?” he relaxed back on the chair as he stared at Natalie, waiting for her to speak.

Natalie bit her lower lip, and her hands tightened into tiny fists. The words that were about to drop from her mouth seemed heavy because she was scared that her father would not care, “The Doctor called. He has been unable to reach you.” She tried to sound brave.

Simon Drew scoffed. “And?” he spat out with a blank face