The Billionaire’s Bargain: Love After Marriage

Chapter 1

SABOTAGED

The symbol of equity people called respect wasn’t much of a value to me. It never was, not after my father was thrown behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. He was a nice man working with the Gates family, the richest and most prestigious family, who also ended up throwing using him as a mere walking stone.

“Debts? I owe no one,” I said, enraged by the voice of my secretary.

“Grow Co., Inc. called us and said that you had applied for a huge load of materials that had been delivered during your 2 days absence, and now they want their money in the next three days,” her voice resonating in my ears.

I couldn’t stop the feeling of wanting to strangle her from the phone, but I wanted to believe she was joking.

“This is the invoice. There’s no proof that you didn’t order also; your signature is right here. I couldn’t help with anything,” she dropped the file on my table before leaving me to think about what had happened.

It all looked strange, but It was real. Someone had sabotaged my business for their gain and had left me to bear the brunt. Millions were lost to a fake sign and several goods were stolen within 2 days of my absence. It was just too much to take in.

No one had access to my signature than my secretary, but the world was too little to argue about that. If she were the one, she would be shaking right before me, but she didn’t. She was innocent.

“Mam, we just got a call from Breakdown Co. They said you had ordered 50 supplies and are here to supply. Their cargo just arrived at the port.” my ears couldn’t take it anymore.

I swiveled out of my chair, grabbed my coat, and headed out of the office, not giving Dabi an answer to her question.

“Wait, we just got Intel from the resource department. It’s been sabotaged, Miss Rose.” Dabi’s voice caught up to me as I ran down the stairs.

“I’m going to see to it all. For now, see what the company’s account can do and pay the ones you can,” I said, rushing towards the exit to release my frustration.

I rushed towards the parking lot, holding the tears that had whelmed up in my eyes as I passed my employees. They all stared at me with infuriating eyes; they wanted to know their faith—would they be paid? Would the company go bankrupt and they will have to lay me up as a scammer? What was it going to be?

I walked past them, raising my elbow towards my eyes to wipe off the tears that had whelmed up in my eyes. Usually, I thought I’d end up a celebrity one day, but I never thought it would be for being on the verge of destruction.

With a pull, the car door swung open, and I walked right in, closing the door behind me. I turned the key, started the ignition, and accelerated out of the company. I couldn’t help but see the gazes of workers feeling empathy for me, not when I’d almost passed him.

After some hours of driving, I finally pulled up in front of the house. The three-bedroom flat apartment we lived in was quite the show; the marbled tiles, which stood steady from the door, were the first thing that greeted me as I walked in.

My mom and my foster sister seemed to be having an intense conversation, which possibly was about me or maybe not.

“Hey Mom,” I walked into the house, kicking Jack the dog out of my line of sight.

“I see you’re home so early; anything new at work?” Nova reckoned with a smile on her face.

“My business was sabotaged. Goods keep coming in, and finances just keep falling as more debts keep hitting. Just because I was out for two days,” I sighed, resting my back on the sofa.

“This is quite astonishing. I thought you weren’t allowed to purchase any goods till next month,” my mother’s voice resonated in the room. I could see the glow in her eyes like a little ray of light reflected on them.

“I didn’t, but it seems someone hacked into the business server and began to order goods that we didn’t need. They aren’t consumables, and they aren’t something people would easily purchase. I’m at a crossroads with my life,” I let out as it dawned on me that I had hit rock bottom.

“What about the police? Can’t they do something?” Nova asked, still putting on a smile. That seemed rather suspicious, but the ring on her finger told me otherwise. She had gotten engaged, and they weren’t going to tell me anything about that so I don’t get pissed.

This was the third year my mother had asked me to bring a suitor to her, but I was more of a career person than a drenched-up personality to fall in love, and my all-black outfit supported that motion.

“If you don’t do something fast, you will go bankrupt. We have to think of a solution; your career can’t go down so easily.” Nova placed her hand on my lap, rubbing it slowly in a comforting way. I could do this all day.

As comforting and stress-relieving as it could be, I still had my doubts about the notion. I knew of no one who could sabotage my business, and Nova herself wasn’t much of a businessperson to know about cargo and delivery. She couldn’t be the culprit.

“The only way to save my business career is to sell my shares, but I know of no one who can purchase them,” I sighed, acknowledging the fact that my business was a far cry from what it used to be.

“What about Nicholas?” I shivered hearing the name Nova mentioned. The name brought traumatic memories back, and the tension in the room rose.