Loathe by the Billionaire

Kayla

A loud knock woke me up. At first, I thought the sound was just part of a dream. I scrambled out of bed and checked my alarm. It was past 8:00 AM.

"Shit," I whispered. I had slept like a log. After the nightmare I went through, my body had just shut down.

I jumped up and ran to the door. I looked through the peephole, but the hallway was empty. No one was there. I didn't have time to worry about it. I took a freezing cold shower-thanks again to my landlord-and threw on my best corporate clothes.

I grabbed my tote bag and ran out to catch a cab to the Blackwood Tower. During the ride, I finally checked my phone. It was blowing up. Chelsea had sent a bunch of texts to check if I was still alive. She did throughout the weekend.

The other messages were condolences from our text chain. Thank you Chelsea for not knowing how to keep your mouth shut.

My phone buzzed and another message came in. This one was from Jason.

Unknown number: [I'm so sorry babe. It was a mistake. How am I going to cope without you?]

'Cope' was code word for, I'm broke!

The truth was, we were both broke. It was the start of a new month, and I had lent him 30,000 dollars right before I found out he was a cheater. Now, my rent was behind, my car was smashed up, and I had nothing left.

Worst of all, I had to find money for my mother's dialysis and her kidney meds. It felt like a weight was crushing my chest.

When the cab pulled up to the glass tower, I took a deep breath before entering inside.

As I walked into the lobby, I spotted my friend Joan. She works a few floors up from me, but today she was hiding near a large pillar on the ground floor. She was clutching a coffee cup like her life depended on it, trying her best to look invisible.

I walked over to her. "Joan? What are you doing down here?"

She jumped a little and looked at me with wide eyes. "The whole building is a damn mess, Kayla," she whispered, leaning in close. "People are screaming. Managers are running in circles. Everyone is in a total frenzy. I think the big boss is in a very bad mood."

"The big boss?" I asked, my heart sinking. "You mean my boss? Damien?"

"Yep," Joan replied. She looked at me with pity and pouted. "How are you doing, though? Are you okay?"

I shot her a confused look. "What do you mean 'how am I'? What-" I stopped, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. "Wait. Did Chelsea call you? Did she tell you about Jason?"

I scoffed, thinking my sister had been gossiping again.

"Chelsea? No, honey," Joan said, shaking her head. She pulled out her phone. "Cames sent me a video."

My blood turned to ice.

"Is everyone watching it?" I whispered, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

"No, not really," Joan said softly. "Cames only saw it because he's chronically online. Said it was wiped off the internet like it never existed."

At least one good news. A small smiled played on my lips, Damien kept his promise.

Shit, Damein!

I checked my watch, it was almost nine o'clock.

I took the elevator up to the last floor where Damien's office was. I saw people lined up in the waiting room, each one holding a brief case. My assumption was that they were lawyers. But why were they here?

Was there some sort of cooperate fuck up.

I spotted Miles power walking with Damien. They were coming out of the board the room. What in God's name is happening today.

I settled in at my desk, thinking of a way out of my current financial situation, then an idea struck; company loan.

"Leave," I heard Damein say, his voice cutting into my thoughts. He was dismissing the whole waiting room including the people he was with in the board room. In a moment the whole floor was clear.

Miles stood beside him looking like he would shit himself.

He charged towards me. The closer he got to me the more my lungs felt like they were collapsing. "Miles, you can leave now, it seems like I'm royally screwed."

Damien faced me, "Good morning Kayla, can you see me in my office?"

I'm sure that wasn't a request. Is he going to fire me for my unprofessional conduct and botched love life?

God why is everything going so badly?

"Sit," he said gesturing towards the large sofa. Damien pulled his swivel chair closer to me. He sat so close our knees were almost touching.

My heart did a little cartwheel. Here I was on the brink of loosing my job, and the only thing I can think about is how good my boss looks in that three piece suit.

"Do you like your job Miss Robinson?" He asked, his eyes narrowing, creating this really intense look that made my blood go cold.

I nodded my head rapidly because words were failing me right now. I was tardy, it's not like I stole company funds or something.

He inhaled slightly, slumping his shoulders.

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes," I lied.

"You're lying," he said.

Shit!

"What can I get for you? Have you eaten, do you need anything?"

"No, nothing sir."

"Kayla, I don't take no for an answer."

I cleared my throat, "I'll take anything sir."

"Good," he said picking of the phone on his desk and dialing a number, "get me a two sandwiches and two cups of coffee." He turned back to look at me, "what do you want in your sandwich and how do you like your coffee?"

"Umm, I'd like a bacon, egg and cheese with spinach and tomato. And for the coffee, a latte is fine."

"Did you hear that?" He said to the person on the other end then ended the call.

"Now that that's settled, I'd like to inform you that your car has been fixed. It's in the private parking lot."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Thank you very much sir, I--"

He cut me off, "But that's not why I called you into my office Kayla."

I swallowed hard.

"Kayla, I have a proposition for you," he smiled. This was the first time I was this close to this man. He looked delicious, "Will you marry me?"