Tempted by the Billionaire

Arabella’s POV

" I'm so sorry, if I knew you had not remembered, I would not have said anything, at least till you left the hospital," Tasha said, her eyes holding remorse, but I shrugged it off.

" It's fine. Can I...can I see the post again?" I asked her.

She looked at me unsurely for a minute, as though contemplating if she could fulfill my request, but eventually, she handed me over her phone and the smiling faces of the couple attacked me, the two people who were supposed to be the closest to me, doing this to me three months before my formal marriage with my fiancé of five years.

I could see my parents in the background too, shining their perfect teeth as they looked so proud of their daughter. After all, I was just the adopted one.

I knew I was adopted from the moment I opened my eyes and that was because I was already nine when they adopted me.

They were the best parents I could ever wish for. The way they pampered and cared for me was like their own.

I was fourteen when I found out about their own daughter that went missing a few years before they adopted me. I could see the pain in their eyes every time someone called to say they had information, but it just led to another dead end.

And when she finally showed up, one day, with the health worker who claimed to have raised her up until she was a fit member of society, their joy knew no bounds.

When the results of the DNA test came back positive, I was sure they could have burst from excitement.

My mum could never get tired of comparing her with herself. Just how black her hair was, just like theirs.

But mine was a rich chestnut color.

I did not mind anyway. I was working, I had my whole life in front of me with a fiancé that could go to the moon and back for me. I had it all planned out.

So when she started stealing my spotlight with my parents, going to dinners that I was not included in, attending family functions with them forgetting about me, I did not feel all that bad.

After all, this was her time to enjoy her parent's love.

She could take everything I had with my parents and I would not care. But she took my man.

My callous fiancé could not find the balls to tell me that he was now engaged to my sister and I had to find out about it through a blog post.

My fiancé, who took my life and my dreams and shattered it in one go.

I did not realize fresh tears were already sliding down my face until Tasha pulled out a white napkin, carefully dabbing my face with it.

" You shouldn't let them see you down like this. I hated that girl from the moment I saw her. With her fake smile and her graceful demeanor. I know you don't feel like it now, but you will always be the star of the show, no matter how hard she tries," Tasha said.

My heart strings tugged as I sighed, nodding my head rapidly. It was comforting to know that I still had people who cared about me.

Even if my family didn't.

As I closed my eyes to go to bed that night, I could not help but reminisce about how I had met my fiancé.

It was a cliché meeting, one that was picture-perfect for books. It is at my favorite coffee spot.

" I would like to order an iced macchiato and also an Americano " he had said in front of me that day.

I was not paying any attention to what he did,, mostly because I had a major test coming up and I could already feel the heat of my failure dawning on me.

But then, he prodded me softly, handing me the cup.

I stared at him in surprise.

" Can I help you?" I remember asking vividly.

To answer my question, he had flashed me a million dollar watt smile that still had the effect it had on me four years ago.

" I have been coming to this cafe for a long time and I just thought to give you a little something as we have been bumping into each other for quite a good number of times now" he said.

I did not remember ever bumping into him.

I could tell from the label of the drink that he held up towards me that it was the exact same one I always ordered.

" Well today I was going to buy drinks for my friends as well" I said, giving an awkward laugh as his mouth shaped into an O, letting me step past him to place my order.

It was an awkward meeting, we felt awkward but it was nice. He had collected my number as I left the cafe and the rest was history.

Leaving the hospital was supposed to be the first moment I could finally breathe again. For days, guilt had sat heavily on my chest, convincing me that I was responsible for a death I could never undo. Walking through those hospital doors felt like leaving that pain behind, even if only for a moment.

Tasha dropped me off at the house, and I was more grateful than I could explain. Deep down, I already knew I wouldn't be staying. Not in a house where the man I loved was now spending his time with my own sister.

The moment I stepped inside, the silence felt strange, too quiet, almost like the house was hiding something.

I hurried to my room to collect a few clothes. As I opened his drawer, something slipped from the back and landed on the floor. A pack of condoms. I froze immediately and my fingers trembled as I stared at them.

*****

We had been together for so long, yet we had never slept together. I had always believed he respected my decision to wait. I had never imagined that while I was protecting our relationship, he might have been preparing for something or someone else. Then I heard the front door open.

My heart pounded as footsteps approached. He appeared in the doorway and stopped the moment he saw me.

“Arabella, what are you doing here? I heard you were involved in an accident. Honestly, I've just been so busy. I was going to come today.” he said but I knew it was all lies.

I slowly looked at him, then at the condoms still lying in my hand.

His face changed.

" Who are these for?" I asked him and watched him pale as I held up the pack of condoms.