THE BILLIONAIRE’S PLACEHOLDER

Chapter 3: The First Lesson

Rose’s POV

Vivian’s laughter from the master bedroom woke me early. I lay awake, listening as rain tapped against the window. She was on the phone, bragging about being back in Jake’s bed , as though she had won a prize. Maybe she had. Because twenty four hours ago, that bed had been mine.

Before I could get out of bed, a sharp pain hit my stomach. I gripped it tight and ran to the bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet before throwing up.

My hands shook as I wiped my mouth. My legs felt too weak to stand. I stayed on the cold floor and rested my head on my knees to stop the room from spinning.

This was not just stress. It was the tiny life growing inside me. I touched my bare stomach. Everything had changed. I had lost my husband and our home, but I had something else to protect now. My baby.

Out in the hallway, Jake and Vivian started talking. I wanted to grab the envelope, walk out there, and throw the test result in his face. I wanted him to know he was having a child with the woman he just kicked out.

But keeping quiet was safer. The baby was mine alone. He did not deserve to know.

Standing up took all my strength. I looked in the bathroom mirror. My face was pale with dark circles under my eyes. Looking sick was not an option today. Neither of them would get to see a hint of my pain.

I washed my face, put on makeup, and fixed my hair. My black suit was already ironed, so I put it on. I touched my stomach.

“One hundred and forty nine days left,” I whispered.

I just had to survive five months. Then I would take my child and leave this place forever.

I walked out to the main living room. Vivian was in a silk robe that used to belong to me. She sat at the table reading a magazine.Jake stood by the window talking on his phone.

“You are late, assistant,” Vivian said without looking up. “I wanted my coffee ten minutes ago.”

“I handle the business, Vivian,” I said quietly. “If you want coffee, ask the kitchen.”

She unclipped one of her gold earrings and dropped it on the floor. “You are whatever I say you are in this house. Get down and find it.”

I looked at Jake. He kept talking on his phone. Seven years with him, and he would not even defend me.

“What is the schedule for today?” I asked him.

“Just find the earring, Rose,” Jake said. “Then get your notes. You are training Vivian this morning. We have a board meeting at noon, and she needs to know the company structure.”

I knelt down and reached under the table. I found the earring by the leg of her chair and placed it on the table.

“Is that all?” I asked.

Vivian pushed her coffee cup toward me. “Bring a fresh one to the home office. We have work to do.”

In the home office, I spread out the company files. Vivian sat across from me, filing her nails. Jake watched us from the door.

“Washington Global is split into four main branches,” I said. Nausea hit my stomach again. I swallowed hard. “Finance, Legal, Construction, and Marketing. The board members oversee construction. You need to understand Finance to approve their budgets.”

Vivian tossed her nail file on the desk. “Why do I need to know all of this? Just tell me what to say when they ask questions.”

“You cannot just memorize lines,” I said. “They will ask about profit margins and supply chain costs. If you do not know how the branches connect, they will eat you alive.”

“I am the wife of the CEO. They will listen to whatever I say.” She picked up her phone and started scrolling. She did not even look at the files I spent hours preparing.

“Vivian, pay attention,” Jake said.

“Jake, she is making it too complicated. I do not want to learn about supply chains.”

“Rose knows this company better than anyone,” Jake replied. “Listen to her.”

I said nothing.

Vivian glared at me. “Then maybe Rose should sit in the meeting instead.”

“You are going,” Jake said.

He watched me organize the files. Then he looked away.

I spent the next two hours explaining basic business terms to a woman who did not care.

At headquarters, the board members sat around the conference table.

Jake walked in first, holding Vivian by the hand. I walked three steps behind them with the folders.

“Gentlemen,” Jake announced. “I want to introduce my wife, Vivian. She has taken over as the head of our legal and planning division.”

The men clapped, but their eyes moved past Vivian and looked straight at me.

Mr Davis leaned forward. He had watched me build this company. “It is good to see you, Rose. Do you have the new budget estimates for the downtown project?”

Out of habit, I opened my mouth to answer. But I stopped myself and stepped back into the shadows.

Mr Davis cleared his throat and turned to Vivian. “My apologies, Mrs. Washington. What are the projected margins for the third quarter?”

Vivian flipped through the papers, but she couldn’t find the answer.

I quickly wrote 14 percent. Supply costs rose by 2 percent on a sticky note and slid it onto Vivian’s folder, out of sight.

Vivian stared at the note and sat up straight. “Fourteen percent,” she said loudly. “And our supply costs only rose by two percent this quarter.”

Mr Davis nodded. “Very well done, Mrs. Washington.”

The next question came. “What is our plan for public relations this quarter?”

“We are hosting a charity gala next month,” Vivian said. “It will bring in great press for the new development.”

The men nodded. Planning social events was the only topic Vivian spoke about with confidence.

“And the zoning limits for the new warehouse?” Mr Davis asked.

Vivian frowned. “We just sign the papers and start construction.” Even I knew that wasn’t how zoning approvals worked.

“Our legal team is reviewing the zoning limits right now,” Jake said, covering for her mistake.

The executives instinctively looked at me first. When Vivian panicked, I slid a note across the table. When she gave a bad answer, Jake jumped in. I watched another woman take credit for seven years of my life.

When the meeting ended, the executives stood up.

“Great presentation today,” Mr Davis said.

Jake wrapped his arm around Vivian’s waist. “Thank you, everyone. My wife is a brilliant woman. She handled this transition very well.”

Vivian beamed and kissed Jake on the cheek.

I gathered the files and empty cups, walking toward the door.

Jake waited until Vivian walked ahead, then slowed his steps as he passed me.

He spoke without looking at me.

“You handled that well.”

Then he walked away.

I gripped the folders tight and ignored him. His praise meant nothing to me anymore.

I turned to pick up the last cup. Vivian stood outside the door, staring at me.

She heard what Jake said.

I looked at Vivian’s eyes and understood exactly what they meant.

The true nightmare of these five months was just beginning.