THE BILLIONAIR'S REGRETFUL WIFE

CHAPTER ONE

Chapter One

Frederick’s POV

“I’ve reviewed your proposal, Mrs. Bennett.” I closed the file in front of me and looked up at the woman sitting across my desk. “Your idea is impressive,” I said calmly. “But I’m sorry… I can’t offer you this contract.”

The smile on her face disappeared almost instantly. She stared at me as if she hadn’t heard me correctly.

“W-What?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Mr. Fredrick, please.” She leaned forward, clutching the proposal tightly. “My daughter and I have worked so hard on this project. We’ve poured our hearts into it. Everything we have is riding on this contract.” Her eyes slowly filled with tears. “Please… would you look through it one more time?”

I sighed quietly. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Bennett, but I don’t see enough benefit for my company. This agreement favors you much more than it favors me.” I stood up, straightening the sleeve of my suit. “This is business, not charity.”

I had another meeting waiting, and I was already running late. I had barely taken a few steps when her trembling voice stopped me.

“Please, Mr. Fredrick!”

I turned around. The sight before me made me pause. She was on her knees.

“I’ll do anything,” she cried, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. “Please… my company needs this contract. I’ve spent years building it. If I lose this opportunity, everything I’ve worked for will disappear.”

For a few seconds, I simply looked at her. I wasn’t a man who let emotions influence business decisions. Still… Seeing someone kneel out of desperation was never a pleasant sight. I knew exactly what kind of situation she was in. Her company was barely surviving, and this contract was probably her last chance.

“Please get up, Mrs. Bennett.”

She slowly rose to her feet, wiping her tears with shaky hands.

“I have another proposal.”

The hopelessness in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a spark of hope. “What is it, Mr. Fredrick?” she asked eagerly. “Whatever it is… I’ll do it.”

I looked straight into her eyes. “I want your first daughter.”

She frowned in confusion.

“I want Sophia Bennett to become my wife.”

Silence filled the office. Her eyes widened so much that I thought they would fall out of their sockets. She simply stared at me.

“W-What did you just say?”

My expression didn’t change. “Deal…” I paused. “Or no deal?”

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. “I…”

I raised a hand, stopping her before she could continue. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to think about it.” I picked up the prepared agreement from my desk and handed it to her. “Take this with you.”

She accepted it carefully, her hands trembling. “You can bring it back once your daughter signs it.”

She lowered her gaze to the document.

“I know your company is facing a financial crisis,” I continued. “Without help, it won’t survive much longer.”

She remained silent.

“But once this agreement is signed, I won’t just approve your proposal.” I paused briefly. “I’ll make sure your company receives every financial and business support it needs to recover completely.”

I met her eyes again. “All I need…” “…is Sophia’s signature.”

She looked completely confused. “But… Mr. Fredrick…” She hesitated before speaking again. “Why Sophia? You barely know her.”

A faint smile appeared on my lips. “I understand why you’re confused.” I adjusted my wristwatch before walking toward the office door. “But right now… The only thing I know… is that I want Sophia Bennett to become my wife.”

Without giving her another chance to question me, I walked out of my office and headed toward the conference room. As the elevator doors closed behind me, I knew one thing for certain. By this time tomorrow… Mrs. Bennett would have her answer.

Sophia’s POV

I sat by the window in my bedroom, my sketchbook resting on my lap as my pencil moved across the page. A small smile found its way onto my lips. The dress was finally coming together just the way I had imagined it. I leaned back and admired the sketch for a moment before glancing at the clock. Mum should be at Stones International by now. I really hope everything goes well.

The thought of the proposal made my smile fade a little. For weeks, Mum had barely slept. She spent every spare minute working on that presentation, determined to save the company she had built with so much sacrifice. This contract meant everything to her. If Mr. Fredrick rejected it…

I pushed the thought away. No. He wouldn’t.

A knock on my bedroom door interrupted my thoughts. I quickly got up and opened it.

“Mum!” My face lit up the moment I saw her. “You’re back!” I grabbed her hand excitedly. “How did it go? I’m sure you got the contract!” Without waiting for an answer, I picked up my sketchbook. “Look at these new designs! I finished them while waiting for you. I knew we’d have good news today.” I held the sketchbook out to her. She didn’t even look at it.

My smile slowly disappeared. Something wasn’t right. Her shoulders looked heavy, and the smile I had expected to see on her face wasn’t there. Instead… She looked exhausted. She quietly walked into my room without saying a word. A knot formed in my stomach.

“Mum…” I followed after her. “What happened?”

She remained silent. Fear slowly crept into my heart.

“Was the proposal rejected?”

She slowly shook her head. “No, Sophie.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “It wasn’t rejected.”

Relief washed over me instantly. “Oh my goodness!” I laughed and threw my arms around her. “I knew it! We finally did it! We don’t have to worry about the company anymore.” I pulled away, expecting her to smile. She didn’t.

“Sophie…” Her voice stopped me. “It hasn’t been rejected…” She hesitated before finishing. “…yet.”

The excitement on my face disappeared. “What do you mean?” I frowned. “What does ‘yet’ mean?”

She lowered her eyes, avoiding mine. For a long moment, neither of us spoke.

“Mum…” I called softly. “You’re scaring me.”

She let out a deep breath before picking up a file from her handbag. “Read it.” She handed it to me. Confused, I opened it. The first page looked like an ordinary business agreement. Then my eyes stopped on one sentence. I read it again. And again.

“No…” The file almost slipped from my hands. “What is this?” I looked at Mum, hoping she would tell me I had misunderstood. She looked at me with tear-filled eyes.

“It means exactly what you think, Sophie.” “Mr. Fredrick will only help the company… if you agree to marry him.”

For a few seconds, I couldn’t even breathe. Marry… Fredrick Stones?

“Mum…” I shook my head repeatedly. “No.” “There has to be some mistake.”

“There isn’t.” Her voice broke. I stepped back. “There is no way I’m marrying him.” “I love Nathan.” “You know how much we love each other.” “You should have rejected this immediately.”

Anger rushed through me. I threw the file across the room. It landed on the floor with a loud thud.

Mum closed her eyes for a brief moment. “I know how much Nathan means to you.” She walked closer to me. “But right now, the company needs you more.”

I stared at her in disbelief. “Sophie… If this company closes…” She swallowed hard. “Do you know how many families will suffer? Our employees depend on us. Their children depend on them. They’ll all lose their jobs.” Her eyes filled with tears once more. “They need you. I need you.”

I felt my own eyes begin to sting. “Mum…” I whispered. “Please don’t do this.” “There is nothing you can say that will change my mind.” “I can’t marry Fredrick.” “I won’t.”

I turned and headed for the door.

“Fine, Sophie.” Her quiet voice stopped me. I froze.

“When you were four years old…” I slowly turned back. “Your father died.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “It was just the two of us after that.” She smiled sadly through her tears. “I started this company with nothing. Your father couldn’t help me financially… But he never stopped believing in me. He encouraged me every single day.”

She wiped her eyes. “This company was never just about me. It was for you. It was the future I wanted to give my daughter. I always believed your father would be proud of what we built together.”

Her voice trembled. “But now… I’ve watched everything I’ve worked for slowly fall apart. Years of hard work… Years of sleepless nights… Everything…” She looked straight into my eyes. “But do you know what hurts me the most? My own daughter can save it… yet she’s choosing not to.”

Those words pierced straight through my heart. Tears blurred my vision.

“You wouldn’t just be saving me, Sophie.” She spoke softly. “You’d be saving every family that depends on this company.” She picked up the file from the floor and placed it gently on my desk. “You have until tomorrow to make your decision.”

Without another word, she walked out. The door closed quietly behind her. The silence in the room suddenly became unbearable. I locked the door before sliding down against it. The tears I had been holding back finally escaped. I buried my face in my hands and cried. I didn’t want to disappoint my mother. That company wasn’t just her business. It was her dream. A piece of my father still lived in it. If it disappeared… A part of her would disappear too.

But then there was Nathan. The man I loved with all my heart. The man I had dreamed of spending the rest of my life with. How could I marry someone else? How could I break his heart? I hugged my knees tightly as sobs shook my body. For the first time in my life… I had no idea what the right choice was.