A Contract With A Billionaire

MARIA'S POV The door to my bedroom softly creaked open, and Mom's voice floated in with a persistent tone. "Maria, what are your thoughts on Mr. Arnold's proposal? Marrying him could be the lifeline for our family legacy." Last night, Mr. Arnold came in with this grand plan to rescue our family legacy and revive our struggling company. We were grateful for the offer, considering the challenges we'd faced since my father's passing. However, the bombshell he dropped left me taken aback. The condition was more than a business partnership-he had some feelings for me. What made it even more peculiar was that he happened to be the same age as my dad. "Maria, talk to me…" her voice cut through the silence. As I dressed for work, I paused, feeling the weight of the conversation. My fingers lingered on the buttons of my blouse, as if each one carried the burden of my struggle. "Mom, we've hashed this out. I don't have feelings for him, and he's not the answer. I believe I made it clear last night." Leaning against the doorway, Mom insisted, "He could secure the company's future, Maria. Your father would've wanted that." Frustration threaded through my voice as I buttoned my blouse, the fabric seemingly resisting my efforts, reflecting my resistance to the unwanted proposal. "I want a future too, Mom, but not one where I'm shackled to a loveless marriage." I glanced at my mother's reflection in the mirror and saw the sadness etched on her face, the lines of concern deepening with each passing word. I sighed, weariness evident, as I took another shot at trying to make my mother understand. "I can't marry him. Mom, He's 50! We're on completely different paths of life. Besides, he's had two failed marriages because, well, he's known for being a womanizer. Both of his ex-wives walked out when they found out. I can't step into that kind of situation." Mom, not backing down, retorted, "So what, Maria? Just because that happened with his other wives doesn't mean it'll happen to you too. Maybe they weren't right for him, perhaps they were only after his money." I sighed, my heartbeat echoing in my ears as I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of my mother's expectations bearing down on me. "Mom, how do I marry someone I don't have any feelings for?" My mother's stern figure in the reflection of the mirror was countered, "Maria, it's not about love; it's about saving your father's company. Mr. Arnold can help, and you owe it to our family legacy." Sighing and stealing a glance at my father's photo, I said, "I miss Dad, but this forced marriage won't bring him back or save the company. It's not fair." Mom pulled out the emotional card, her eyes getting all intense. "Your dad built this for you. If it crumbles, his legacy crumbles. Can you live with that guilt?" My whole senses dropped flat. It wasn't just my mom's words; it was like this heavy weight of family stuff crashing down on me. The room suddenly felt tight, and the air got thick with the guilt my mom just handed me. That photo of my dad? It felt like he was giving me the side-eye, adding to the ache in my chest. "I... I don't want to see his legacy fall apart, but I can't do what you ask of me," I mumbled, my voice kinda shaky. It could be seen on my face-the struggle between what I should do and what I really wanted. As I reluctantly kissed my mom on the head, the bitterness practically lingered in the air. The pain I carried to work was no joke. My heart was aching, but no one could come to my aid. The office buzzed with activity as I, lost in my thoughts, made my way down the corridor. Colleagues greeted me, but I responded with absentminded nods, the weight of my mother's expectations clouding my thoughts. In the midst of my bitter thoughts, my world collided with chaos as I inadvertently crashed into my boss, Connor McAlister. Papers went flying, jolting me back to reality. "Hey, watch where you're going, Maria!" The corridor echoed with the sharpness of his tone, and frustration radiated from him like a storm about to unleash. "Honestly, how can someone be so careless?" His words cut through the air. I, caught off guard by the unexpected encounter, was left wide-eyed and speechless. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. McAlister. I was-" But before I could finish my sentence, a swift and ruthless slap from Sophia, his fiancee, landed on my cheek. The stinging sensation snapped me back to the harsh reality, a physical reminder of the unforgiving clash between my personal struggles and the demands of my professional world. Mr. McAlister, now more agitated, continued his verbal assault. "Do you have any idea how important those documents are? Or are you just too lost in your own little world?" His words, like arrows, struck my core. Each sentence was a painful reminder of my vulnerability in the face of the rich. "I expect better from my employees. This is unacceptable." The weight of his anger pressed down on my shoulders, intensifying the already heavy burden of my mother's expectations that I was still carrying. I found myself standing wounded, emotionally bruised by the abrupt collision with my boss's callous demeanor and his arrogant fiancee, Sophia. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. McAlister," I stammered, my hand instinctively reaching to cradle the lingering pain. Sophia rolled her eyes at me. The tension created an uneasy atmosphere that lingered long after the scattered papers settled. With a cold and arrogant glance, Mr. McAlister ordered. "Maria, pick up those papers and get them on my desk. Next time don't be as stupid." "What are you waiting for?!" Sophia shouted at me and my head fell. "Pick them up..." he murmured through clenched teeth. His words held a commanding tone, emphasizing his authority over me in the professional hierarchy. Feeling the weight of his words, I knelt and began to gather the scattered documents. As he walked away, holding Sophia's hand, he turned around, delivering a message to me with a really rough tone. "Take care of the office, I won't return early. I've got plans at Sophia's place." His dismissive tone and casual mention of plans with Sophia, his fiancee, added another layer to the emotion swirling around me. In that moment, I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy toward Sophia, Mr. McAlister's fiancee-the only one in the universe he cared about and treated with kindness. Connor McAlister was an epitome of arrogance, ruling McAlister Enterprises with an iron fist. As the richest billionaire in town, he inherited the family businesses from his retired father. His mother's early demise left him void of maternal love from a very young age, and I bet it contributed to his bitter demeanor. Mr. McAlister, with chiseled features and an athlete's sculpted physique, exuded a captivating and intimidating presence. After the confrontation, I felt a strong sadness creep in. My thoughts echoed with a sense of unworthiness, and I couldn't help but blame myself for not being in his preferred circle. I observed how he interacted with others. I reasoned that his arrogance was a uniform treatment to all employees, but the realization didn't alleviate the hurt. While he treated everyone the same way, I always seemed to get the worst of it. As I gathered the scattered papers and placed them neatly on his desk, a tear drop escaped my eye. The events of that morning were too much to bear. The weight of family expectations at home, coupled with the harsh treatment at work, left me feeling like a pawn in a game beyond my control. Why was I so unfortunate? As I stood there, my phone buzzed with a new message. I glanced at the screen, and my heart sank as I read my mother's words: "Engagement party for you and Mr. Arnold tonight at our house. Since you won't accept him, I'll do it for you. There's nothing you can do to stop it. You'll learn to love him after you get married to him." The shock hit me like a tornado, and the phone slipped from my trembling hands. In that moment, the world around me blurred, and my heart shattered.