Billionaire's Unlikely Bride

Two

Charles raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Very well then," he said, a sly smile playing on his lips. "You have 48 hours to take the girl you want to marry, and if you fail to do so, then you have no choice but to marry Blair Prescott."

Mason's lips curled into a smirk of his own. "Deal," he said, his voice filled with determination. "By the way, Father, I already have a fiancé back in France, so that won't be a problem."

Charles’s smile dropped instantly, the color draining from his face. He couldn’t let his son break the promise he made to his friend Michael. But before he could respond, Mason turned and walked out, leaving his father in stunned silence.

~~~~

Meanwhile, in the Prescott family mansion, Blair and her mother, Lenora, were in high spirits. They had just received news of Mason’s return, and both women were eagerly anticipating the marriage that had been arranged so many years ago. Blair stood in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection. Her shoulder-length hair cascaded down her back, and her honey-brown eyes sparkled with excitement. She couldn’t wait to marry Mason and finally secure her place in the Barrett family.

Lenora watched her daughter with a proud smile, but there was a calculating glint in her eyes. "Remember, darling, you must be on your best behavior when we get to Barrett's tomorrow." She said, her tone firm.

Blair nodded eagerly, already picturing herself walking down the aisle. "Don’t worry, Mom, I'll make sure to impress them." She replied, her voice filled with determination.

Raven came home from work, exhausted. She made her way to her room to take a nice bath before going to bed. She was passing by her mom's room when she heard Blair and her mom discussing. At first, she wanted to ignore them, but then she heard her name, and so she stopped and listened closely.

"Why didn't I think of that sooner?" Lenora was saying, her voice filled with disdain. "I can't stand her presence in this house any longer. I want her out of our lives for good." Raven’s heart sank as she realized they were talking about her.

Blair huffed, crossing her arms. "I know, that's why I told you to send her away in the first place. But you, being the kind-hearted person you are, you just gave her time." She said, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Lenora let out a bitter laugh. "I just didn’t want people to think I'm a bad mom," she replied, her voice softening slightly. "Mr. Clinton came to me with an amazing offer. He asked to marry her, and I'm beginning to think that's a good idea."

Raven's blood ran cold at the mention of Mr Clinton. He was an old man with 3 wives, and everyone in New York knew of his thirst for young girls. The thought of marrying him was unbearable.

Blair rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Mom, you can't do that. He's too good for her," she said, her hatred for Raven evident in every word. Although Raven didn't like how her sister said it, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief knowing that Blair was opposed to the idea.

Lenora narrowed her eyes as she considered Blair’s words. "The man looks like he's probably going to die any moment. So she deserves that at least." She muttered, not even a little bit compassionate.

Blair shook her head, a frown marrying her face. "Mom you don't understand," she said, her tone impatient. "He's been on my case for a while now; I have him wrapped around my fingers. He does everything I ask because he thinks I'm pretty. But think about what would happen if he married Raven."

Raven's stomach churned as she tried to process what Blair was saying; she realized what she meant was that he was her sugar daddy. Raven was grossed out when she tried to picture her sister in bed with him. She knew Blair was a slut, but this was too low, even for her.

Lenora looked at her daughter, confusion written on her face. "I don't understand, baby. What would happen?" She asked, genuinely curious.

Blair let out an exasperated sigh. "She's pretty, Mom, we can't keep denying that fact. If he marries her, she'll manipulate him into giving her all his wealth, and I'll just be forgotten," she explained, her voice rising with frustration. "If she should marry anyone, it has to be someone of a much lower status."

Raven's heart pounded in her chest as she absorbed the shocking admission from her sister.

Lenora’s expression softened as she reached out to touch Blair’s arm. "That's not a problem, darling," she said soothingly. "You'll have the Barrett family's wealth, so you have nothing to worry about."

Blair’s eyes lit up at the mention of the Barretts. "Oh, Mother, I can't wait to become a part of that family," she gushed, her mind already racing with thoughts of the luxurious life that awaited her.

Lenora smiled at her daughter. "You will, darling. We'll be visiting them tomorrow," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "As for Raven, I'll finalize her marriage with Mr. Clinton so she can be out of our lives for good."

Raven quietly slipped away, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. She couldn’t let her mother force her into a marriage with Mr Clinton. Her mother had made it clear that she was nothing more than a burden, someone, to be discarded as soon as it was convenient.

~~~~

Back at the Barrett mansion, Mason sat in the garden reminiscing on his time in France and his fiance, Candice. The night was cool, and the stars twinkled above, but he barely noticed them.

Candice was everything he had ever wanted in a partner. Beautiful, intelligent, and fiercely independent. They've been dating for six months, but Mason never revealed his identity to her; he proposed to her a week before he returned to New York, and he was planning to reveal his identity to her a day before their wedding. Candice is a famous model in France. To her, Mason was just a random journalist, but she dated him despite his status being lower than hers. He had kept his true identity a secret, wanting to ensure that she loved him for who he was, not for his wealth or status.

After much thought, Mason decided to call her and ask her to come to New York. He pulled out his phone, his fingers hovering over Candice’s contact. After a moment of hesitation, he pressed the call button. He didn't have much time, the phone rang three times before Candice picked up.