THE BILLIONAIRE'S BARGAIN

Chapter 4 — Backing Out

“You’d do yourself good if you but speak up”

“You sure didn’t bring home a tongue tied fiancée, Son. Or did you?” She turned to Aaron. Wait…she didn’t hear that? My eyes widened as they darted all over the floor. Thank goodness! That was so close.

I wasn’t sure exactly what Aaron’s facial expression was, but he didn’t say anything. I really hoped he wasn’t embarrassed. I mentally face–palmed myself for having almost blown my cover by myself. We had just begun the charade, there was no room for mistakes.

“I’m Lourdes, Ma’am. Lourdes Tarr”

“Lourdes Tarr….” She trailed off, uncertainty in her voice.

“Your name doesn’t quite ring a bell. I know a lot of moguls, but I haven’t heard about you. Have you made it to Forbes or Vogue?”

The heck! Forbes and Vogue were the standard now? Crazy how two magazines were the yardstick to determine a person’s popularity or wealth. This woman was sure going to be hard to please. I suddenly regretted why I had agreed to Aaron’s bargain.

“I hope to do so very soon, Ma’am”

“You hope to do so?” She arched her eyebrows at me, giving me a disapproving look. I lowered my eyes, fidgeting with my fingers

“Mom, don’t you think you’re asking Lourdes too many questions? I mean, it’s her first time here”

“How else does Mommy want to get to know her future daughter in law?” Olivia made air quotes when she mentioned daughter in law. Her sarcasm didn’t go unnoticed.

“Take a seat, Lourdes and tell us more about yourself”

“Thank you, Ma’am” I said as Aaron led me to a chair adjacent to his Mom and pulled it out for me to sit. He pulled out the chair beside me before lowering himself into it.

“So, what do you do?”

“I design” I smiled. She gave me the ‘is that all’ look and my dentition disappeared. “I mean, I’m into fashion designing. I draw up designs and all. Matter of fact, I’m the one who made my dress”

“That’s right, Mom. Lourdes makes really good designs. Remember the dress I got you last week for your birthday? That was Lourdes” For a moment, Aaron sounded like a proud fiancé.

“Oh..” Solené nodded a few times “It’s just strange how you never told us you had a fiancée”

“Well, you said to get my life together; that’s exactly what I’m doing. Besides, I wanted to make it a surprise”

“How long have you both been together?”

“Six months, Ma’am” I quickly cut in, before Aaron could say anything

“Six months?” Olivia exclaimed, eyes bulged in astonishment. She was sitting directly opposite Aaron. “Isn’t that too fast for you both to be thinking about marriage already?”

“She’s the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, so it’s not too fast” Aaron caressed my right hand, before leaning down and kissing it. So much for acting. I rolled my eyes but regretted it almost immediately and hoped no one saw that.

“It’s just strange that Aaron decided to keep a girl. For all we know, he changes ladies the same way he changes his briefs’ Olivia said, her fork holding down the Parmesan cheese in front of her while she sliced with her knife.

“All that changed when I met Lourdes” He kissed my hand again. To keep up with the façade, I smiled. I don’t know how long the silence lasted, but Solené soon started talking. Whoever knew what she was about to drop was a bombshell?

“I’m indeed surprised Aaron kept his relationship with you under wraps, you know, away from the paparazzi and all that, which is a little unlike him and I’m not sure if I should commend him for that or not….” She forked a portion of mashed potatoes which disappeared down her throat with a gentle swallow

“…. but I’m wondering if he has told you he’s seeing someone else”

Wait, what? My eyes immediately darted to Aaron who by this time had dropped his cutlery and was staring at his Mom, eyes widened in surprise, mouth slightly agape.

“I— I don’t—I don’t understand, Ma’am” I stumbled on my words, looking at all her facial features except her eyes

“In other words, you’re not his intended fiancée; you’re not the girl we know and are expecting”

“Mom!” That was Aaron. His voice was on edge as he tried to hush his Mom, but she wasn’t having any of it.

“Tell her the truth” She added and I felt one side of my body go numb.

______________

“Really? Khloe Simmons, really?” Aaron half yelled as we walked towards the Cybertruck that had brought us. After that awkward moment where Solené made mention of the other girl Aaron was seeing, he was finally able to hush her when he stated that she was his ex-girlfriend and that he had no intentions of marrying her.

His Mom insisted but he made it known to her that I was the person who was going to end up as his wife and although what Aaron and I had was fake, I felt somewhat in the middle of hurt and annoyed that he didn’t mention that to me during any of the dates we had gone on, to talk about the conventions of our marriage of convenience. The rest of the dinner went silent afterwards. It was as if everyone ate in annoyance and left the table pissed.

“I thought you said you had some lines rehearsed. Why did you flop like that? For crying out loud, Khloe, that was the first time you were meeting my family. What happened to being extra self conscious?”

“And can you keep your voice down before my disguise is given away? Anyone might hear us. Look around, there are guards everywhere” I spoke in a hushed tone, teeth gritted, jaw locked.

“I’m sorry about that. It was a mistake and could have happened to anyone. I mean, I’m Khloe Simmons, so it’s just very normal if—” I was saying but he cut me short

“Lourdes Tarr, Khloe. For the sake of our marriage, you’re Lourdes Tarr! Lourdes! Lourdes! What if I hadn’t pinched you on the arm, huh? f**k!” He undid the only button of his lapel suit as he kicked his right foot in the air; probably against some imaginary boulder.

“Of course I know that and of course I’d have corrected myself immediately. You don’t have to scream at me. That’s what I was trying to say before you interrupted me! It’s not like she heard my real name anyway” I moved away from him. I was already beginning to seethe. Why did it have to get like this? Why was he this way?

“And don’t make it look like tonight was all about me. Why didn’t you tell me about your ex–girlfriend?”

“And why should you care? Is she of any importance? All you need do Khloe, is stick to the script and that means you being my make believe girlfriend, posing for the camera, answering properly whatever goddamn questions that’d be thrown at you, getting your pay and walking out of my life like you were never in it!”

“Of course I know my role. I know the part I’m supposed to play perfectly well. I just made one thing clear, you should have told me about her, period!”

“You don’t get to dictate what happens in this agreement. I call the shots here”

“If I remember clearly, I told you about Chase. For Pete’s sake, Aaron, you made me look foolish in front of your family!” I yelled, pointing my index finger aggressively at him

“Look who was tutoring me about keeping our voices down some minutes ago. Just so you know, I don’t give a s**t about your boyfriend. He could be dead for all we know”

“Ex–boyfriend and you won’t speak about him in that manner!” I snarled through clenched teeth

“It’s not like you still love him or do you? If you do, I don’t even know why your sorry ass is here in the first place. He put you in this mess, so he should fix it” He said and began walking away

“And where are you going?” My hands were flung sideways in the air, my forehead creased in anger

“Don’t you have eyes in your head? To my room, of course”

“And how do I get home?” I stood at akimbo

“Figure that out yourself or you could call Chase to come pick you up”

“But Aaron….” I trailed off in frustration. Without thinking, tired of thinking, I covered the distance between us, grabbed him by his arm and whirled him around. It happened so fast, I bet he didn’t see that coming.

“You can have your shitty ring. I’m out!” I furiously pulled out the ring from my finger and hit him hard on the left side of his chest with it. “f**k you, Aaron and f**k your household!” He wasn’t quick to grab the piece of glittering rock, so it fell and rolled a few inches away from where we stood.

“To hell with you too! I’m done” I felt he bent and picked his million dollar jewelry but I wasn’t sure if he actually did or not. Matter of fact, I didn’t care. I was going to find another savior.

“You need me goddammit, and you know it!” He yelled at me but I didn’t spare him a glance but shoved him my middle finger instead. I hope he’d seen that.

I wasn’t sure exactly why, but I tripped and almost lost my balance. I staggered briefly to maintain my stance. Frustrated, I took off my shoes and headed bare feet for the gate.

I moved the strand of hair that had fallen in my face away from my face. Angry couldn’t describe how I felt at the moment. I was vexed to the core. Aaron was a piece of s**t and his family? They were a bunch of d**k heads! I couldn't believe I had wasted this look and my outfit as well.

Thunder rumbled, making me raise my head to the sky and that was when I noticed the clouds that had gathered. I was already walking down the road trying to figure my way home. There seemed to be no cab in sight. I had rung Tanya’s line multiple times but she wasn’t picking up. I remembered Rebekah and I suddenly hastened my steps. I had a daughter to get home to.

“Good gracious” The words slipped out of my lips as the rain began to drop. It started in dribs and drabs, then increased to torrents.

I walked into a nearby shed hoping that the rain would stop but it seemed the universe was against me because the rain intensified vehemently and time was ticking. It was getting late. The street was getting lonelier too.

When the rain seemed to reduce for a moment, I abandoned my shed and began walking once again. Not long after I entered the road, the rain came in full force but I wasn’t going to find shelter anymore. I cursed Aaron and his family as I wiped off droplets of water from my face.

On impulse, I turned to look behind me and saw something that looked like a male figure following me. I turned again immediately to be sure but didn’t see anyone. My heart skipped a beat. I increased my pace and turned back again and indeed I saw someone this time but when I looked again, he was gone.

A ghost in New York? I ran.

I wasn’t sure I heard the sound of my stalker running after me, maybe it got drowned in the sound of the rain, but the next thing I knew, was a strong arm pressed tightly against my neck and a huge palm firm over my mouth, muffling my scream.