Engulfed with the billionaire brothers

It was valentine morning, bright and crisp with the snow in the air and the watery aroma it produced. Annie McHenry walked down to the sidewalk, to stop a taxi. New York was always so crowdy and choked up like the air wouldn't get to everyone on time. Her Brunette was packed in a tight back bun, her coat hugged her slender and delicate shoulders, 8 inched heels were no joke especially in this chilly weather, it gave her the extra lift. Not that she needed it but she looked really good and besides her boyfriend loved it. She finally hailed a taxi, holding a Versace gift bag. It was a Christmas and birthday gift for the one and only Zach Ralstone. She held a smile to her lips as she casually but gracefully filled the back seat of the yellow and black. All the lights were on everywhere, people in bunches filled the roads and a choir singing Carol's on the streets as the driver asks " season's greetings ma'am. Where to?" The smile still appeared on her lips as she replied " To 178, maddison avenue. Thank you and season's greetings" the driver turned a bit from the steering wheel to look at the mirror. She got those at times, maddison avenue was a place for the billionaires, homes to lofts and penthouses, well she was going there for her boyfriend Zach Ralstone. A current billionaire with an empire behind his bank account. She smiled to herself, despite how annoying those stares that drivers gave her were, she couldn't help the pride. Her name was splattered on tabloids when the media found out that she had been dating Zach Ralstone. It was no news how amazing they looked together. Today was his birthday by the way, her alarm hadn't done it's job this morning because how dare she forget. She had rushed out of bed before her alarm woke up by 8am, getting ready just in time to remove the alarm for it's duty and rush to the Versace shop at the other side of manhattan because she knew that was Zach's favorite brand. It wasn't even possible nor was it on her list of 'things I wish I didn't forget' The ride to his loft took only 25 minutes and excitement overwhelmed her as she started to see the roof lines of the loft, floating parallel to the sky. Her heart did a few back drops and flip flops. She could hardly contain her excitement of what was happening right now. She couldn't control her wandering mind either. She recalled how she had met Zach Ralstone, at a business hangout her dad organized for her as a way to welcome her as the CEO of 'Clazzy'. A company owned by her father. Mr Mike McHenry. Nothing short of an old man, late 70's but very sharp witted, intelligent and by all means very unpleaseable. She went to Stanford, got a first class honorate but it still wasn't enough. She lost her mum when she was born, it was forever a dent in her family because according to her dad, she was a copy and paste deal gone right. She was pressured into doing more than she believed was possible. She pushed past the little remarks that wasn't appreciative of her efforts, she looked past the bad and all she needed to do was to remind herself that she could be her mother for him. Brilliant, reliable, strong and the head of his beloved company. Which is why when he called her for breakfast that day, she relentlessly agreed. Her dad was not a patient man and she was desperate to show him that she was more than a trophy, left behind by her dead mother, To be spoiled rotten to the core by things that were already achieved. She believed she was more than a pretty face, more than a good hair-do, killer heels, perfect figure and smooth faced 25year old. She wanted the world to see that she wasn't just a tall woman with big brown eyes, that could charm but those eyes could also intimidate, that she was confident in herself, in her abilities, in her persona, in her rights even. She was smooth, outspoken in all ways and could play ball with some big guys. Something most firms believed was not possible for a pretty faced girl but she was going to prove them all wrong. When her dad called her five months ago to ask to see her, three months after graduation. So she grabbed her latte on her way to meet her dad at his favorite hotel , the Archer hotel down Manhattan. It was a site to see with all the greenery and the autumn bringing only the incoming weather to mind. She drove really slowly, but it was important to her to show up in her own car, BMW. She knew his regular spot in the seating area, she didn't need to ask anyone any questions. They knew her and they knew her dad really well, so it was all 'he's there ma'am', 'he's been here 30 minutes maam' these guys and serving people were like family to her, she technically grew up having to come here as a way of studying and spending time with her dad as he worked and took business at this hotel. It was frightening after all the pleasantries she exchanged with her dad and her dad dropped the bombshell on her. "Annie. The company's dying" he chewed his Sunny side up, moaning his pleasure through shut teeth. Even though he was an asshole like that, she still found him lovable and cute and still in control of things around but that wasn't it. "Dying?" What did he mean by dying? He took a well manicured finger and removed a grey curl that had sprung up from nowhere out of his greyed thick mat of brown hair... "We either need a merging or we need the company to be bought. With the expense of having no CEO and me retiring from the job, why not?" He asked rather too innocently. Here was my chance to amend and make up for lost time and still keep the company, that was until it hit this wall. "I could manage the company for you. I've got a cert for that, I'm ready to take the company to higher grounds and improve our strength because why not" He looked me straight in the eye and said " one condition" Here was my break, my starting point where my dad would be, for the first time proud of how much she's become. How much efforts she had put in, to show him that she could do this. "What condition? I'm ready for it" that got her dad to concentrate on her before letting a light smile touch his lips. "Have you ever heard of the Ralstones?" He continued eating. " No, I haven't. Who are they?" She didn't know what these people had to do with this important matter. He wasn't surprised that she hadn't heard anything about them before, it was only fair. She wasn't the social type anyway, not that he knew of. "They own a chain of companies, ranging from airlines to fragrance to shoes to runway. They're billionaires, anyway I'd like you to marry one" It was the way he said it, so cooly like this wasn't his first rodeo even though she was the only child. Her wide eyes got even wider with that revelation. "I've never met them but you want me to marry one of them? Don't you think that's a bit too much?" She had never been one to keep shut about her thinking and by all means this was the most absurd thing she had ever heard. It was clearly unheard of. He had finished eating his food, taking the glass of white wine, as that was his favorite morning splash as he called it. "Annie, I know this is alot to take in— 'you bet' she thought sarcastically—" but the company would be saved from it's downfall if it merged legitimately with another bigger fish. It's either that or the company gets owned by them, either way you said you'd like to handle it. So why not. Maybe getting married is a bit too much, too soon and maybe I could help in that area as well" he took a sip of his wine, this was all baffling for me but I did say I was capable of anything. "Ok, I'm listening" He kept on talking and I kept on listening. When I said I was going to help out, I didn't think it would be this. My eyes grew thin with his plan, while I couldn't object because I wanted to please him, I couldn't say no to his plan and in the light of the way he said the things he revealed, it seemed I could at least get a reign of the plan. I shook hands on it and left.