Sold To The Billionaire

Chapter2-TheUltimatum

She danced, drank, and laughed with Tanya, trying to forget about the suffocating life that awaited her at home.

But in the back of her mind, she knew it was only a matter of time before reality came crashing back down.

Kate’s phone vibrated in her pocket, pulling her out of her temporary reprieve. She pulled it out and saw her father’s name on the screen. Her heart sank.

She stepped away from the dance floor, finding a quieter corner of the club to take the call. “Hello?”

“Katherine,” her father’s voice was cold and furious. “Where are you?”

Kate hesitated, then decided it didn’t matter. He already knew. “I’m out, at a club.”

“Get home. Now.”

The line went dead. Kate stared at her phone, a mixture of fear and defiance warring within her. She knew she would have to face the consequences when she got home, but for now.

Kate’s heart pounded as she stepped out of the cab and approached the front door of her parents’ mansion. The house, grand and stately, loomed before her, its windows glowing faintly in the darkness. She hesitated, knowing what awaited her on the other side of that door. Her father’s voice, icy and commanding, echoed in her mind: “Get home. Now.”

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The house was eerily quiet, the only sound the soft ticking of the grandfather clock in the foyer. Kate's heels clicked on the marble floor as she made her way toward the sitting room, where she knew her father would be waiting.

As she entered the room, she saw him standing by the fireplace, his back to her. He was still in his work clothes, a tailored suit that accentuated his commanding presence. The flames cast a flickering light on the walls, creating shadows that seemed to dance in tune with the tension in the air.

"You're late," Robert Peterson said without turning around, his voice calm but filled with barely restrained anger.

Kate swallowed hard, her hands trembling slightly. "I'm sorry, Father. I lost track of time."

He finally turned to face her, his expression hard and unforgiving. "You lost track of time?" he repeated, his tone incredulous. "You deliberately disobeyed me, Katherine. This is not about losing track of time. This is about your complete disregard for this family and everything we stand for."

Kate felt a surge of anger at his words, but she forced herself to remain calm. "I just wanted to have some fun. I don't see why that's such a big deal."

"A big deal?" Robert's eyes blazed with fury. "You're the daughter of one of the most respected businessmen in this city. Everything you do reflects on this family, and tonight you've embarrassed us. Again."

"I don't want to be your perfect little daughter!" Kate shot back, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice. "I want to live my own life, make my own decisions!"

Robert's expression darkened, and for a moment, Kate thought he might explode in anger. But instead, he took a deep breath, his face hardening into a mask of cold resolve.

"Enough," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I've had enough of your disobedience, Katherine. If you can't be trusted to make the right decisions for yourself, then I'll make them for you."

Kate's stomach twisted with dread. "What do you mean?"

Robert stared at her for a long moment, his gaze piercing. "There's something you need to know. The company is in trouble."

Kate blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in the conversation. "What? What do you mean, the company is in trouble?"

Her father walked over to the bar and poured himself a glass of whiskey, his movements slow and deliberate. He took a sip before answering. "We’re in debt, Katherine. A substantial debt. If we don't find a way to repay it soon, the company will collapse. We'll lose everything."

Kate's mind reeled at the revelation. She had known her father was under a lot of stress lately, but she had no idea things were this bad. "But… how? How did this happen?"

Robert’s eyes narrowed. "That's not important. What matters now is how we fix it."

She felt a cold knot of fear form in her stomach. "What are you saying?"

Her father set his glass down and fixed her with a steely gaze. "There's a way to save the company, but it requires a sacrifice. A sacrifice that you will make."

Kate’s heart raced. "What are you talking about?"

He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I've arranged for you to marry Cedric Rutherford."

For a moment, the words didn’t register. Kate stared at him, her mind struggling to comprehend what he had just said. When it finally sank in, a cold wave of shock and disbelief washed over her.

"Marry… Cedric Rutherford?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "The billionaire?"

Robert nodded, his expression grim. "Yes. He’s agreed to take on our debt in exchange for your hand in marriage."

Kate felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her. Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts at once, but none of them made any sense. "You can't be serious," she said, her voice shaking. "You want me to marry a man I've never even met? Just to save the company?"

"You’ve met him before," Robert corrected her, his tone unyielding. "And this is not up for debate. It’s the only way to protect our family's legacy."

"Met him before? When?" Kate was trying to piece together everything, but her mind was too clouded by disbelief and anger.

"He was at one of the charity events last year. You were introduced briefly," Robert replied, dismissing her confusion. "That’s not the point. The point is that this marriage will secure our future."

Kate’s shock quickly morphed into anger. "So that’s it? I’m just a pawn in your business deals? My life means nothing to you?"

"Don’t be so dramatic, Katherine," her father snapped. "This is what needs to be done. I won’t allow you to ruin this family with your childish antics. Cedric is a good match. He’s wealthy, influential, and capable of providing for you in ways you can’t even imagine."

"But I don’t love him! I don’t even know him!" Kate’s voice rose, her emotions spiraling out of control.

"Love is a luxury you can’t afford right now," Robert said coldly. "This is about survival."

Kate could hardly believe what she was hearing. Her father, the man who was supposed to protect and care for her, was essentially selling her off to save his company. The betrayal cut deep, and she felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"This isn't fair," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "You can't do this to me."

Her father sighed, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of something that resembled regret in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by his usual steely resolve. "This is the way things are, Katherine. You need to accept that."