The Billionaire's Trap

"Vanessa, you are fired!" Her CEO's hoarse voice rang in her ear. She stared at the phone screen, arched her brows, and then placed the cell phone back to her ear. "Sir, what offense did I commit?" Her tiny voice managed to ring out due to the shocking news. Tears were already struggling in her eyes. She blinked several times and sniffed after each sentence to stop the tears from flowing. "I don't ever want to see your feet in this company again. Get your filthy self another job!" the CEO screamed at her. "But—" The phone hung up when she was about to say something else. She lifted her face and stared at the wall clock; it was 7:30 a.m. "What the heck is really going on with me? This is the second job I'm losing within two months," she murmured, leaning against the wall with her head bowed low. The tears she'd been fighting finally had the opportunity to roll down, ruining all the makeup she had put on while preparing for work. "All because I'm refusing them my body, huh? Why on earth should I date my CEO, that ugly, married man?" She shivered at the disgusting thought of dating her boss. She stood up from the floor and started dusting her body while staring at the large dressing mirror in her room. "What a perfect day to start a beautiful Monday," she said sarcastically, picking up the tissue paper beside her to wipe her face. "Now I have to start searching for a vacancy, or else I’m going to be homeless because my rent will expire this month," she thought sadly while wiping the makeup off her face. She looked around, thinking of what to sell in the meantime, but the most expensive thing in her room was her standing mirror. She laughed at her misery, dolled up her face, and prepared to head out. "I better begin my search now," she thought, taking one final look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a rumpled old mini skirt and a simple white shirt. Her shoes were something she couldn’t describe. "I think I know why I got fired," she laughed, picking up her old bag from the table and dashing outside. Vanessa stood frustrated by the roadside, waiting for a taxi. The scorching sun was beginning to affect her eyes, so she started walking slowly, hoping to see a vacancy board on the road. "This life is very miserable to me. I can't wait to overcome all these miseries," she grumbled while walking. A splash of muddy water on her body brought her back to reality, soaking her dress and her bag. Her feet stiffened in place, and she bit her lower lip to keep from breaking down in tears. She started to wipe her face with her palm, but it made things worse, as she had mud stains all over her clothes and face. Her eyes were affixed on the black Mercedes Benz until it stopped, and a young man in a dim blue suit alighted from it. He made his way towards Vanessa, an apologetic look on his face. "You jerk," she cursed with a chiseled face. "If you are not ready to drive, why not throw your car key away instead of causing a nuisance on the road?" she roared at him, venting all her morning anger and frustration. The young man stared at her, surprised. He brought out a blue handkerchief from his suit pocket and started to clean her body without saying anything. She pushed him away in anger, and he struggled to keep his balance. "But I'm very sorry. It wasn't intentional," he apologized, and for the first time, Vanessa was mesmerized by a man’s voice. He picked up the handkerchief and started to clean her body again. She came back to her senses when she felt his hands wiping the stain on her chest. "You p*****t!" she screamed, throwing his hands off her. Some passersby glanced at them, making the man feel embarrassed. "I'm only showing sympathy. Stop being rude," the young man replied, already irritated by her behavior. "Get out of my sight!" she yelled at him, snatching the handkerchief from his hand. "I was just trying to be nice; never knew I was helping a psychopath," Ryan muttered, adjusting his suit as he walked away in anger. He paused and turned back with a sly smile on his lips. "You have a nice upper body, but I feel bad for them since they belong to a psychopath," he winked at her, and she shielded her chest with her hands. Vanessa bit her lip in dismay while staring at her body. "That dude is the devil in a suit," Vanessa smiled when she remembered his voice and his naughty compliment. "I just hope my looks don't matter when it comes to getting a job." She wiped her body with the handkerchief, noting the expensive cologne on it. "Welcome, Sir," the young secretary greeted Mr. Ryan when he arrived at the top floor. He turned to her and gave a nod, his mind still on the morning incident and how rude the lady had been. He smirked when he remembered his compliment about her upper body. "They do feel nice, and I wouldn't mind fondling them all day," he thought to himself. "Sir, you can try mine too," his clerk said, displaying her chest on the table with eyes full of lust. He moved closer and whispered to the secretary, who closed her eyes, thinking he wanted to touch her. "One more silly move, and you'll be on the street begging," he threatened, walking away. She immediately adjusted herself, embarrassed at her failed seduction. What he hadn’t considered was firing his secretary, despite the way she showcased herself to him. One warning he had given her was never to dress indecently to work, or she would be fired, and she had obeyed that order. Sometimes, he didn’t blame the ladies wanting his attention. Who wouldn't want to be close to a wealthy, famous, charming man like him? He smirked proudly at his handsome features and thought of his net worth. "Women are for lazy men," he thought, unlocking his majestic office. Oh, he wouldn’t have time for them for any reason. All that mattered to him was the company’s success. Ryan sat down at his desk, signing contracts and approving documents. He was starting to feel exhausted, so he loosened his tie, unbuttoning two buttons to expose his broad chest. His office telephone rang, and he picked it up, sounding tired. "What is it?" His deep voice was harsh on the phone, and for a moment, he heard no reply. "Are you deaf?" he shouted, and his secretary started stammering. "Erm… erm… you have some visitors waiting for you in the meeting room," she said, breathing heavily over the phone. He dropped the telephone, arranged his desk, picked up his phone, and left the office. "Where are the visitors?" he asked the secretary, who was too embarrassed to look him in the face. "They’ve been waiting for you in the visitor's room," she replied. He nodded and walked out, heading to the visitors' room. Immediately, he stepped in, and they all stood up. "It's nice to see you, Sir Ryan," one of the men said as Ryan took his seat in front of them. A smile appeared on his face for the first time since he left home. "I'm very sorry for keeping you all waiting. My desk is filled with paperwork, and I had to sort it out before this meeting," he apologized, and they all nodded with a little smile. "It's alright," they chorused one after the other. "So, how can I help the administrative department?" he asked, smiling at them. One of the three men placed a file on his table. "Uhmm, we are here to extend an important message from the business board to you." He knitted his eyebrows. "Okay, I’m all ears." "Sir, the business board will be responsible for all the pending contracts coming to this company if the CEO isn’t married thirty-one days from today," the young man stated boldly. Ryan narrowed his eyes, trying to process the information he just heard. "Erm… I don’t understand," he stammered in confusion. "Sir, you need to get a bride within the next thirty-one days," another man explained, trying to avoid looking at the CEO. A fake smile appeared on Ryan's face. "This is a prank, right? There’s nothing binding the contracts I get and my marital status." His voice was hoarse, revealing how enraged he was. The board members cleared their throats, whispering among themselves. "Who gave that order?" Ryan asked, and all he got was silence. "I said, who gave that order?" he shouted, banging his fists on the table, and the board members jumped in fear.