The Billionaire's Real Wife

Chapter 1: The Genesis of the Major Crisis

I was mowing the lawn in our front yard when my sister's convoy drove in. I resisted the urge to look at them. I am the adopted daughter and the maid of the family and she is the biological daughter and the future Queen of the Kingdom. She detests the sight of me, so we don't talk to each other.

"Mia, what happened?" A message came on my phone after about an hour. I looked at the sender, it was Chloe, a lady in her late forties that lived across the boulevard.

"Nothing, Chloe." I forwarded a reply, looking in the direction of her house.

"Then why did you sign up on Matrisure; begging men to come and marry you? For God's sake, you are twenty-three!"

"Chloe, please calm down; what is Matrisure?"

"It's a matrimonial website! Please delete the pictures; your hair is so unkempt and people are laughing at it!"

"Queenie! She is at it again!" I yelled, took my hand off the mower, and ran towards the grand foyer.

"Queenie, did you just create a profile for me on a matrimonial website?" I asked my sister, who sat on one of the sofas, keeping her knees and ankles tightly together and slanting her legs to the side. Queenie was betrothed to Prince Henry Montero, the heir apparent to the throne of Cambodia, when she was thirteen years old. The Queen took her when she turned sixteen and taught her how to be the Prince's wife. Having lived six years in the Palace, everything Queenie does emits royalty.

"Oh…you have been visiting the website yet it never occurred to you that you should create a profile; aren't you old?" Queenie asked, without looking at me.

"I haven't been visiting the site, my friend called me now. Did I tell you I needed a husband?" I asked, raising my voice slightly up.

"Mia!"

"Mom, please, stay out of this, I'm talking to my sister!" I yelled. It was as though my words ripped Queenie off and she stood up and walked majestically towards me.

"Mia, you are a fool! You are so dumb…gosh! I have told you several times that I'm not your sister! You were used as collateral, mom never adopted you! Your lazy mother used you as collateral! Please, stop addressing me as your sister. I am smart and intelligent, I can't have a dumb mule as a sister! You are too ugly and dirty for my liking!" Queenie screamed at me. I licked my lower lips and looked away.

My family will never stop reminding me that I was used as collateral. I don't know what they meant by that. I knew I was adopted, but being used as collateral; I knew nothing about it. I feel bad each time they remind me that I am a stranger in their midst. I don't know my true identity and it makes me feel as though I am an alien and bitter toward my birth parents that couldn't raise me.

"Please, remove all my pictures you uploaded on the website; I will get married when I see the right man for me," I said with a sad tone.

"When, Mia? You are twenty-three years old! All you do is sit and eat all the food I send to mom and dad! When will you start appreciating them for raising you? If raising a child is easy, your biological mother wouldn't have given up on you! You are leaving this house whether you like it or not!"

"Would you stop citing my biological mother?" I yelled at her.

"No, I won't! She gave birth to the most confused human! A dull brain!"

"Mom, please, warn her," I said, looking at my mom.

"Shut your dirty mouth up!" Mom stood up and pointed a finger at me. "Queenie has been here for more than an hour and you saw the royal convoy yet you didn't come to show some respect! The whole nation bows to her! People give her a standing ovation whenever her presence is announced at any function! I don't see the reason why you shouldn't! Well, may I remind you that this mansion belongs to her? The royal house gave it to her on her thirteenth birthday. She has decided that you are leaving this house and her word is final."

"She wants me out because I didn't bow to her the way you and dad do?"

"Yes!"

"Have I been bowing to her?"

"No! And she can't take it anymore. Mia, you are leaving."

"Fine, I'll leave, but I…need time to look for an apartment," I sputtered with my face lowered. What I needed wasn't really time but money.

"Your stay here is over! A suitor called me thirty minutes ago, he is coming tomorrow morning to take you away. He has also transferred a huge amount of money to me now," dad, who had just walked into the lounge, said with a wild grin. They see Queenie as god and do only what she says.

"You sold me off?" I asked, tilting my brows in surprise.

"No, someone cleared your debt! Listen, I'm not transferring the money back to him. It is either you get married to him tomorrow or I'll throw you out! You would have served me and my wife for the rest of your miserable life if this stranger didn't clear up the debt your crazy mother owed me! Now you are a free woman. Go up there and pack your things because you are leaving this house tomorrow," dad said. I stood still and my eyes dwindled. I know they hate me but I didn't know the extent.

I ran upstairs hurriedly with tears in my eyes as I recalled how unfair life had been to me. I blamed my biological mother for giving me up or owing them; I don't know what she did. I could hear the sound of raucous laughter in the family's executive lounge.

My name is Mia Edwards, this is my story. I am twenty-three years old. My color is white and elusive pink. I am beautiful, but my family makes me believe I'm ugly. My mom said that the only thing beautiful about me is my deep-gold hair that cascaded down my shoulders and my olive skin.

I am an alien who is always lonely and depressed. I hardly hang out with friends because I spend my time learning how to improve myself, yet no positive results.

I got admitted into the college of medicine five years ago, but I was expelled after two years for failure to meet the academic standard; disappointing myself and Princess Isla, who gave me a scholarship.

Writing stories is my passion, but I couldn't overcome mediocrity. I want to publish a story about my life, but all the publishing companies who read my story said nothing was interesting about my true-life story. They all rejected my work.

My boyfriend engaged me five months ago. However, he called off the engagement when I slapped one of his father's business associates who was bent on ruining my life. The family rejected me instantly. I tendered an apology, and they accepted it, but won't accept me. The rejections made me feel I was not good enough.

I sat on my bed crying like a child, blowing my nose and sobbing uncontrollably. I did not notice a figure in a royal robe standing in the doorway.

"Mia, it's okay," Princess Isla muttered. I looked up at her as she shut the door and began to move close to me.

Princess Isla is Queenie's would-be sister-in-law. She likes me a lot and always talks to me with respect.

"Blessings come in different forms and blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing. Wipe your tears and get ready to meet your husband tomorrow," Princess Isla said.

"They hate me and I know they will give me to the most horrible man in the world," I whimpered.

"What kind of man do you wish to get married to?" she asked, sitting beside me.

"I want to get married to a man who loves me unconditionally."

"Do you have anyone?"

"No," I responded.

"Don't worry, Mia, you have a pure heart and the wish of a pure heart never goes in vain," Isla said with a soothing voice that boosted my courage and determination to embrace whatever life throws at me.

The Princess took a deep breath after a short silence and stood up from the bed.

"I will be on my way. Do not forget what I told you. Meanwhile, I love your deep gold hair," she grinned as though she was seeing my hair for the first time and began to walk towards the door.

I stood up and walked towards the window. I saw my sister waiting impatiently for Princess Isla.

I stared at the red-gold hair with an aura encircling her head, her blue eyes, glowing skin, and her tall and slim figure. I concluded that she is the true definition of beauty. Queenie is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.

The five white latest model Volvos she came with really matched her personality. There were six armed security men at the gate, protecting her from kidnapers and paparazzi because she is a celebrity. Aside from being the Prince's betrothed, Queenie is also a TV presenter. She anchors a television program every Saturday known as 'Inside The Palace'. The television program made her so popular.

They entered the cars gloriously when Princess Isla came out and drove slowly away. Mom and dad kept staring at them until they were out of sight.

I sat down on my bed and began to wonder about the kind of man I was going to meet tomorrow.

I knew it was going to be a disabled man who needed a caregiver, a blind man who also needed a helper, or an old man, old enough to be my dad. I believe healthy and young men are not on matrimonial websites because they can get any girl they want.

I looked around and began to pack my things slowly with tears in my eyes. Even though I was going to have my own home, I felt I was thrown out to live on the street.