Billionaire's Lover

Chapter 7

After hours of pacing and second-guessing, she finally decided that a message would be the best way to begin. Face-to-face contact still felt too overwhelming, too immediate, for such a life-altering revelation. But it was time. She couldn’t hide the truth any longer.

She sat down at her desk, her laptop glowing softly in the dim light of the room. The cursor blinked in the empty email draft, waiting for her to pour out everything she had kept bottled up for so long. This was her chance to reach out to Rainer Hell Villafuentes, the man who unknowingly fathered her daughter, and the man whose life was about to be changed forever.

Her fingers trembled over the keys as she started typing, careful to find the right words. She didn’t want to overwhelm him with too much at once, but she also didn’t want to hide anything. It was a delicate balance between honesty and gentleness, between explaining her choices and asking for understanding.

The email began simply:

Subject: Something Important to Discuss

Hi Rainer,

I hope this message finds you well. It’s been a long time, and I know this might seem out of the blue, but there’s something I need to talk to you about. Something very important.

I’ve been carrying this with me for years, unsure of how to tell you, and now I feel that it’s time. Please know that I never intended to keep this from you for so long. Life just... got complicated, and I didn’t know how to approach it. But I realize now that this isn’t something I can keep to myself any longer.

I would prefer to explain everything over a video call, if possible. I know we’re in different countries, but I think it’s important that we have this conversation in a more personal way.

Let me know when you might be available to talk.

Best,

Sofia Heaven Smith

She sat back, staring at the screen. Her heart was racing, and she could feel a lump forming in her throat. The weight of her decision hung heavy on her chest, but there was also a sense of relief. The first step had been taken.

Without allowing herself to think any further, she clicked send. The message was gone, flying off into cyberspace to reach him wherever he was. There was no turning back now. She had opened the door to the truth, and now all she could do was wait for his response.

Hours passed with no word from him. She tried to keep herself busy—cleaning the house, going over her daughter’s schoolwork, cooking dinner—but her mind kept wandering back to that email. What would Rainer think? Would he be angry? Confused? Shocked? All of the above?

Later that evening, as she was tucking her daughter into bed, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately knew it was him. She kissed her daughter goodnight, whispered a quiet “I love you,” and hurried back to the living room to check the message.

There it was, his name on the screen: Rainer Hell Villafuentes.

Her pulse quickened as she opened the email. It was short, but to the point:

Hi Ms,Smith

Thanks for reaching out. I have to admit, your message took me by surprise. I’m not sure what this is about, but if it’s important, I’m willing to talk. Since we’re in different time zones, let’s set up a video call. I’m available tomorrow evening on my end, which should be morning for you. Let me know if that works.

Best,

Rainer

She let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding. He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t dismissive. He was willing to talk. That was more than she could have hoped for.

She quickly typed back:

Hi Rainer,

Tomorrow morning works for me. Let’s plan for 9 a.m. my time, which should be 5 p.m. for you. I’ll send over the link for the video call. Thanks again for being open to this.

Best,

Sofia

It was set. The video call would happen in less than 12 hours. Her stomach flipped with a mixture of nerves and anticipation. What would she say? How would she begin to explain everything? The enormity of the situation felt overwhelming, but at least now there was a plan in place. She just had to get through the night.

The hours leading up to the call were restless. She barely slept, tossing and turning in bed as her mind replayed different versions of the conversation. What if Rainer didn’t take the news well? What if he refused to be involved in their daughter’s life? The possibilities swirled around her, leaving her exhausted and on edge by the time morning arrived.

She woke up early, got her daughter ready for school, and set herself up in the living room, laptop open and ready. The clock ticked closer to 9 a.m., and her nerves intensified. She made herself a cup of tea, hoping it would help calm her down, but her hands still shook as she prepared for the conversation ahead.

At exactly 9 a.m., the video call alert popped up on her screen. Her breath caught in her throat as she clicked to accept the call, and the screen lit up with Rainer’s face. He looked different than she remembered—older, more serious, but still with that familiar intensity in his eyes.

“Hi,” he greeted her, his voice steady but curious.

“Hi,” she replied, her voice coming out softer than she had intended. “Thank you for making time for this.”

“Of course,” Rainer said, leaning slightly closer to the camera. “What’s going on? You’ve got me really wondering here.”

She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. The moment had come, and there was no room for hesitation now. She had to tell him everything.

“This isn’t easy for me to say,” she began slowly, choosing her words carefully. “But I need to tell you something I should have told you a long time ago. It’s about the time we spent together—years ago. After we parted ways, I found out something that changed everything.”

Rainer’s brows furrowed, his expression growing more concerned. “What do you mean?”

She looked down for a moment, steeling herself before meeting his gaze again. “I was pregnant, Rainer. I found out shortly after you left.”

His eyes widened, and for a moment, the air between them felt impossibly still. He said nothing, his face a mask of confusion and shock.

“I didn’t know how to tell you,” she continued, her voice shaking. “I didn’t want to disrupt your life, and honestly, I was scared. But now... now I realize that keeping this from you was a mistake. You have a daughter, Rainer. She’s six years old, and she’s incredible.”

Rainer sat back, running a hand through his hair. His face was unreadable, his mind clearly reeling from the revelation. He remained silent for several long seconds, his gaze shifting from the screen to the floor, as though he were trying to piece everything together.

“You... you’re serious?” he finally asked, his voice quiet, almost disbelieving. “I have a daughter?”

“Yes,” she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “You have a daughter, and she deserves to know you. I just... I didn’t know how to tell you before.”

Rainer let out a long breath, rubbing his face with both hands. “I don’t know what to say. This is... a lot to take in.”

“I know,” she said softly. “I’m not expecting anything from you. I just thought you deserved to know the truth.”

He nodded slowly, his eyes meeting hers again. “I need some time to process this.”

“I understand,” she replied, her heart pounding in her chest. “Take as much time as you need. I just wanted to be honest with you.”

The call ended soon after, with Rainer promising to reach out again once he had time to process everything. As she sat back in her chair, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. The truth was out, and now all she could do was wait for what came next.