The Billionaire Who Couldn’t Have Me

Prince’s POV “Mr. Delacroix… please.” The young woman stood in front of me, struggling to catch her breath after what looked like a long run. “I’m sorry I’m late, sir. The traffic was terrible and—” “What time were you supposed to resume?” She swallowed. “Eight o’clock sir.” I glanced at my wristwatch. “And what time is it now?” “…Eight thirty-five.” She tightened her grip on her handbag. “I’m really sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.” “It won’t.” She blinked. “You’re fired.” “S…sir?” The colour drained from her face. “But… today is my first day.” “Exactly.” I slipped my hands into my pockets. “If you’re late on your first day, I already know what to expect on the second.” “Please, Mr. Delacroix.” Her voice trembled. “I really need this job.” For a brief second, she looked at me like she expected pity. She came to the wrong company. “I don’t tolerate lateness.” I walked past her. “HR will handle the rest.” As the glass doors slid open, I stepped into the building. Behind me, I heard voices whispering. “She didn’t even make it inside.” Another voice sighed. “That’s Mr. Delacroix for you.” I didn’t stop walking. By the time I reached the executive floor, the usual morning chaos had already begun. “Where’s the quarterly report?” “Did someone print Mr. Delacroix’s schedule?” “His coffee! Who has his coffee?” Files moved from one desk to another. Phones rang nonstop. People hurried in every direction. The conversations faded the moment I walked past. “Good morning, Mr. Delacroix.” I acknowledged them with a small nod and kept walking. “Sir, your coffee.” My assistant hurried over and handed me the cup. I took it. “Prepare the boardroom. The meeting starts in ten minutes.” “Yes, sir.” I walked into my office and placed the coffee on my desk. My schedule was exactly where I expected it to be. 8:40 a.m. Board Meeting. Good. I hated surprises. A knock came from the door. “Come in.” My assistant stepped inside with her tablet. “Sir, the board members have all arrived.” I picked up the meeting file and buttoned my suit jacket. “Let’s not keep them waiting.” I walked out without another word. “Good morning, everyone.” “Good morning, Mr. Delacroix.” I took my seat at the head of the table. One of the board members cleared his throat. “We apologize for calling this meeting on such short notice, Mr. Delacroix. Some members of the board have expressed concerns about the company’s new investment plan. Considering the amount involved, we’d like to understand how you intend to protect the company’s profits and ensure it doesn’t affect our sales.” There it was. The same doubt. After six years of running Delacroix Holdings, they still questioned my decisions. To them, I was still the young man who inherited the company after my father’s death, not the man who had spent years proving he deserved the chair he sat in. “I expected that question,” I said calmly. “That’s why I had my team prepare a presentation last night.” I turned to the employee sitting on my left. “You may begin.” The presentation lasted a little over twenty minutes. By the time it ended, the room was silent. The employee returned to his seat. “As you can see, there’s no reason to worry. The investment wasn’t a gamble. It was calculated.” I let my eyes move from one board member to another. “And let me assure you of one thing.” I paused. “As long as I’m sitting in this chair, Delacroix Holdings will continue to grow.” No one spoke. “Any other questions?” The board members exchanged glances before one of them finally smiled. “No, Mr. Delacroix. I must say… you truly take after your father.” I gave a small nod. “If there are no further questions, thank you for your time.” I stood, buttoned my suit jacket and left the boardroom. The moment I pushed open my office door, I saw someone sitting comfortably on my desk. A small smile escaped me. “Of course… it’s you.” Gabriel Antoine grinned. “Holla, brother.” “You miss me?” I dropped the file onto my desk. “What gave it away?” Gabriel laughed. I shook my head. “No one else would dare sit on my desk and you know that.” “Exactly.” He grinned. “That’s why I’m your best friend.” I finally looked at him properly. “How was your holiday?” “Too short.” “I saw the girls on your stories.” I gave a teasing glance. “Looks like you had fun.” Gabriel placed a hand over his chest dramatically. “Brother, Paris was getting too boring. I had to remind myself life isn’t just board meetings and billion-dollar deals.” I rolled my eyes. “And yet,here you are… back in the same loophole.” He laughed. “The loophole is what pays my bills.” He threw an arm around my shoulders. “Besides, I missed my best friend. My brother!” I scoffed. “You’ve only been gone for a month.” “A whole month too long.” He flashed me a grin. “Come on. Let’s hit the club tonight.” “How many times do I have to tell you? I hate clubs.” Gabriel raised both eyebrows. “But you don’t hate the girls.” I shot him a look. It only made him laugh harder. “Listen,” he continued. “I found this new place you’ll love. Private rooms, good music, no paparazzi… and plenty of beautiful ladies.” I picked up another file. “You’ve clearly been planning this speech since your flight landed.” “I’ve been planning it since before I left.” He held out his little finger. “And you can’t say no. I pinky swear you.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, please. That was our childhood thing. Grow up, bro.” Gabriel kept his hand where it was. “It may be childish, but you still can’t break it.” I stared at him for a second before sighing. “You really haven’t changed.” “I’ll take that as a compliment.” Shaking my head, I hooked my little finger around his. “Fine. I’ll come tonight.” A victorious smile spread across his face. “I knew you would.” I pulled my hand away. “Just text me the time.” Before Gabriel could reply, my office door flew open. My assistant hurried in, slightly out of breath. “Sir, an important client’s call just came in.” I frowned. “And why am I just hearing about this?” She swallowed. “Sir… the meeting was scheduled after working hours yesterday. We spent the entire night preparing the presentation, and I only just got the confirmation.” For a brief moment, no one spoke. “I have one rule.” My voice was calm. “I don’t like surprises!.” The colour drained from her face. “Sir, I just got the confirma—-” “You’re fired.” Her eyes widened. “Sir, please… it won’t happen again.” I didn’t even look at her. “I said you’re fired.” She lowered her head. “I’m sorry, sir.” Without another word, she turned and left my office. The door clicked shut behind her. “Damn,” Gabriel said. “At least she lasted longer than the others.” He looked at me before letting out a laugh. “That’s like…. your seventh assistant this year” He shook his head. “And we’re only in June.” “Let’s hope number eight lasts longer.” “Alright, brother. I need to get back to work. Good luck surviving the rest of the day without an assistant.” I glanced at my watch. “I’ll manage.” Gabriel smirked. “Doing what?” “I said I’ll manage.” He laughed. “Should I stay and keep you company, brother?” I rolled my eyes. “Get out of my office.” Gabriel laughed as he walked toward the door. “I’ll text you the club’s address. Don’t stand me up this time.” “I won’t.” “Good. Oh and try not to fire anyone else again.” The door closed behind him, leaving the office unusually quiet. My eyes drifted to the empty desk outside my office. Seven assistants. In six months. Pathetic. I reached for the office phone. “HR.” “Yes, Mr. Delacroix?” “Find me another assistant.” “Sir?” “Immediately!” “Yes sir” I hung up. Hopefully… Number eight would last longer.