The Ruthless Billionaire
1922 Words
In the Vale mansion, Richard paced back and front, his body rigid with tension.
"Damn it!
How did she manage to crawl back and get what I have been searching for all my life?"
”I must stop her from meeting Dominic Sterling." He spoke sharply through clenching teeth
At the corner of the street, Isabella folded her father's final message and pushed it deep into her handbag.
All she had in mind was to find Dominic Sterling.
"But how?" Then she remembered her father's warning " Don't trust anyone,not even family.”
The storm had finally begun to lessen, but the cold rain still soaked through her clothes.
She dragged her suitcase behind her, its wheels bumping against the pavement.
She had nowhere to go.
Barely enough cash for a few meals.
No home.
No job.
No family members
But only the piece of paper her father had hidden for her.
And that was enough to keep her moving.
She stopped under a streetlamp and unfolded it again.
" Your inheritance depends on one man.” “Dominic Sterling”.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
She searched his name on her phone.
And the results instantly popped out, her phone switched off.
Close by, a black SUV remained immobile beneath the darkness.
Inside, a man lowered and dialed a number
A voice on the other end answered
“Did she picked up”
"It seems her phone is dead," the man stated.
Richard Vale's voice came through the speaker.
“Don't take your eyes off her”
The man glanced through the windshield.
“Alright Mr Vale” He replied.
“If Isabella meets Dominic Sterling before the inheritance is transferred, everything could fall apart.” Richard spoke firmly
“Understood.”
“Find out where she sleeps,where she works and who she speaks to.”
“And if she gets close to Sterling?”
Richard paused.
“Stop her.”
He ended the call without any other word.
Isabella knew none of this.
She only knew that she needed money to sort out her needs.
By the following afternoon, she stood outside a five-star hotel with a borrowed blazer and a résumé printed on cheap paper.
The Sterling luxurious Hotel towered above her.
She stared at the gold letters over the entrance.
This place belonged to people of high caliber.
She swallowed and then walked inside.
An hour later, she strolled out with a relieved expression because she got a short term job.
Low pay, long hours but enough to cater for her needs.
She started her duty that evening.
By nightfall, Isabella was carrying trays through one of the hotel's private banquet halls.
She was unaware that Dominic Sterling was inside the same building.
Including Richard, Victoria, and Clara.
She had no idea that all three were celebrating the very thing she had lost.
Inside the hotel's most exclusive private dining room, champagne glasses clinked.
With a cheerful smile, Victoria lifted hers.
“To the Vale family.”
Clara smiled
“To finally get what belongs to us.”
Richard's expression was satisfactory.
“The inheritance transfer will be completed soon.”
Victoria leaned closer and smirked
“And Isabella?”
Richard gave a disdainful smile.
“I’m handling that piece of trash so no worries”
Clara laughed.
“She is powerless and can't possibly challenge us.”
Richard looked toward the closed doors.
“Don't underestimate her.”
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
“She doesn't even know what her father left behind.”
“Exactly.”
Richard took a sip.
”I will make sure she never meets Dominic Sterling.”
Clara's smile faded.
“Why would she?”
“Because if she finds him, she may discover the truth about her inheritance.”
A few minutes later, a waitress entered but none of them noticed it was Isabella passing outside with a tray.
Suddenly,she paused because the voices she heard sounded familiar.
As she looked toward the direction, she quickly turned back and stiffened.
“What are they doing here?” she spoke softly.
Then someone called her code number.
“Miss, table twelve!”
She paused and hesitated.
But later hurried away.
Minutes later, the private doors opened and Isabella nearly collided with Clara.
The tray in her hands tilted and Clara glanced at her with surprise and gave a mocking laugh.
“What the heck are you doing here b***h?”
Isabella looked away.
Then Victoria appeared behind her and her face hardened instantly.
“Who gave this piece of trash the right to work here?”
Clara looked at her uniform and burst into laughter.
“You're here serving drinks?”
Isabella's cheeks burned and lowered her head in shame.
“I need a job.”
Victoria looked her up and down with disdain
“How pathetic.”
“You always needed Daddy to survive,” Clara scoffed. “Now look at you.”
Isabella tightened her grip on the tray.
“At least I'm surviving without him.” she fired.
Richard stepped into the hallway and his eyes immediately sharpened.
“Isabella.”
She stared at him with rage.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I told you. I'm working.” she stated.
Richard's expression changed and he glanced toward the banquet hall.
Then toward the elevators. Fear flashed across his face.
Victoria noticed.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why do you look afraid?” Victoria asked with a curious expression.
Richard stepped closer to Isabella and said,
“Leave.”
Isabella frowned.
“You're not my employer so you have no right to send me out”
Victoria snapped, “You're fired.”
Isabella stared at her.
“You don't own this hotel.”
“No,” Victoria replied coldly. “But we know the people who do.”
Clara crossed her arms and lashed at her.
“Someone like you is not worthy to work in this kind place.”
Isabella's anger rose.
“You are also not worthy to dine in this kind of place.” Isabella fired.
“You” Clara clenched her fists
Enough!
Richard turned “ Security, throw this lowlife out of this place"
Isabella's eyes widened.
“You can't do this.”
Two security officers approached.
“Miss, please come with us.”
“I did nothing wrong”
Isabella stepped backward.
Richard's jaw tightened and fired
“Drag her out before she causes a nuisance.”
She struggled to move around them.
Then someone bumped her shoulder.
which made the tray and glasses tipped.
Isabella reached for them but it was too late.
A wave of champagne spilled across the front of a man in black suit.
The hallway went silent.
Shit! That's Mr Sterling. That waitress is finished. A man whispered.
Isabella froze.
The man slowly looked down at his soaked jacket then up at her.
Her heart stopped.
He was tall, impeccably dressed
and Dark-haired.
His face was cold enough to silence the entire room.
Isabella didn't know who he was but everyone else did.
it was Dominic Sterling his cold eyes settled on Isabella.
“Are you blind?” Dominic’s cold voice cut through the ballroom.
Isabella froze, staring at the wine dripping from his expensive suit. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ?”
You didn’t mean to?” His eyes narrowed. “You ruined a suit that costs more than you could earn in a year.”
“It was an accident. I'm sorry” Isabella begged.
“An accident? He stepped closer, his expression hard. “Do you even know who you're standing in front of?”
“She's done for,” Clara chuckled.
That instant, the head of the supervisor nearby rushed forward.
“Mr. Sterling, please. It was an accident.”
Another spoke quickly.
“She wasn't responsible. The Security was pushing her.”
Dominic's gaze remained on Isabella.
“Who is she?”
Richard's face went pale and responded in order to keep her identity.
“She is no one , Mr Sterling."
Isabella turned sharply.
“No one?”
Richard's expression warned her to remain silent.
But Dominic noticed his gaze
and his eyes narrowed.
“Interesting.” he chuckled.
Victoria stepped forward.
“She is just an employee who has caused a disturbance.”
“She was here to serve us,” one executive corrected.
Dominic glanced at Isabella again.
"Next time, look where you're going before you ruin something you can never afford to replace. It that clear”
“Yes sir” Isabella said as she lowered her head.
“Bedsides, why are the security dragging you?”
Isabella hesitated.
Before she could answer, Richard interrupted.
“She is not well enough.”
Dominic's eyes became colder and he fired.
“Who the hell are you and who gave you the guts to speak on her behalf?
Silence engulfed the entire hall.
Then the executives exchanged nervous glances.
The head of the supervisor cleared his throat.
“Mr. Sterling, perhaps she could be reassigned.”
Dominic looked at Isabella and stated,
Can you still work?
Isabella blinked.
“Yes, I can”
“Perfect” Dominic said
Richard stepped forward.
“Mr Sterling”
Dominic cut him off with one look.
“Do you have a problem with my decision?”
Richard immediately stepped back.
“I dare not.”
Dominic turned away.
“She's serving my table tonight.”
Isabella's heart raced and had no idea who he was.
She only knew that everyone seemed terrified of him.
And for some reason, he had just saved her job.
Hours later, the private meeting finally came to an end.
Then Isabella entered the conference room to clear the table and noticed Dominic was gone.
But Only a black leather folder remained on the chair.
She picked it up.
“Oh!
Mr. Sterling forgot this.”
She opened it to find his name printed across the first page.
DOMINIC STERLING — STERLING INTERNATIONAL.
She turned the page and her blood ran cold.
There it was Her father's name.
EDWARD VALE.
Her fingers trembled as she turned to another page.
She found a legal document,then another.
Then Her own name appeared in bold letters.
ISABELLA VALE.
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