The Billionaire’s Pawn

LONDON

“What took you so long in the bathroom?” Neke waited for me at the door with her fist against her hip and studied me for a while.

“You’re gonna also ask me the color of my pee or poop?”

She pursed her lips to hide her smile. “I didn’t expect you to adapt to this kind of life so quickly.”

“You mean my poor life?”

“Jeez, London.” She rolled her life. “I’m aware I’m poor, but you don’t have to shove it in my face.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean it like that.” I was about to come to her when she raised her hands.

“Just kidding. You’re not poor. I’m sure you have savings, and I also have a few thousand dollars in my account.”

“There’s a clause in the contract that I can’t have the percentage of the revenue until it meets that deadline. But we’re going to start searching for jobs today.” I joined her in the kitchen.

It was nine in the morning, but we were still in her apartment. It had been a week since we were jobless. And I didn’t know why she hadn’t tried job hunting.

“Wait a minute. Weren’t you supposed to be meeting your lawyers yesterday? Today is Thursday, right?”

“Yes. My lawyer called me last Monday. The meeting is postponed.”

“Do you know what it means?” She smiled meaningfully.

“Delayed?”

“No, silly. It’s the angels doing you a favor. Come on, London. Get it together and call your husband.”

“And then what I’m gonna say?”

“That you’re sorry, duh! We, your friends, are rooting for both of you. And I want my fifty dollars.”

“Fifty dollars for what?”

“Reed will give me fifty if you and white knight get back together.”

“Sorry to say this, but you won’t get your fifty.”

“Damn. Stubborn, bitch.” She cringed as she sipped her coffee as if I had just spat in it.

“I checked if I am pregnant.”

She spat her coffee back into the mug. “What did you say?”

“Sometimes my cycle is either early or delayed if I’m under too much stress. I haven’t had my period in six weeks.”

“So? What’s the result showed? Are you pregnant?” She looked more excited than me.

“I was terrified that I might be pregnant, but I never missed my pills. I take it to regulate my period.”

“So you’re saying you’re not pregnant?” She pursed her lips in disappointment.

“Yes. And I’m glad. With my life on the brink of falling apart, I don’t have a job, and I don’t have a home. How am I gonna raise a child?”

“If you are pregnant, swallow the pride and tell your husband. Striker is not the kind of man who runs away from his responsibility. He will help you raise the child, provide his child support, and he can even afford to buy you a house or even a castle.”

“Well, I’m grateful I’m not pregnant. I’m not ready for another responsibility while I’m homeless.”

My phone rang, and that caught our attention. We stared at each other before I picked up my phone.

“Hello?”

“Miss London Cade?” said from the other line.

“Yes, it’s London Vanderford.” I watched Neke’s reaction. “Cade.”

“I’m Emy from the HR. There have been changes in management. We’re requesting your presence with Miss Web in the conference room. If you can make it right now, that would be great.”

“LH has new management?” Already? Great. My heart was just crushed.

“A new owner, ma’am. And technically, the CEO job is yours if you’re interested.”

“Wait. I’m confused. Linus Vanderford, my father sold LH?”

Neke was watching me intently, and she was also shocked to hear it.

“Yes. That’s what I’ve been saying, ma’am.”

“Be there in thirty. Thanks for calling.”

We stared at each other before we laughed and danced.

“Yes! We’re back, baby.”

“I’ll take a quick shower,” I told her.

“No more shower. Just put your makeup on and wear something hot.” She rushed to her room, leaving me alone, puzzled.

After twenty-five minutes, we were fully dressed and ready to conquer the world, as they say.

“I’ll drive,” Neke suggested when we reached the apartment lobby.

“Wait. Is that Reed?” I pointed at the man in a suit in front of the apartment building, waving at us. “What is he doing here?”

“Let’s go and find out.”

Before we could ask, he opened the backseat door. “Morning, ladies.”

“What are you doing here?”

“My job.” He smiled.

“You know I can’t afford to pay for your service.”

“Just get in.” Neke pushed me into the backseat. “We’re late, bitch.”

“Who hired you?”

“The new owner.”

“The new owner? Who? I mean, why in the hell did my father sell LH?”

“I just received a call. Since I still didn’t get an assignment and was working on moving to a new firm, I’m idle as you.”

“You’re moving to Linden’s?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Wow. Good luck. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

Neke’s apartment was not far from Vanderford Building. It would only take twenty minutes without traffic.

I felt suddenly nervous as I joined Neke and Reed in the elevator. Why would I even feel nervous? I mean, this had been my job for two years.

“What if the new owner changed everything that I started?”

“Have a seat with them and tell them your goal, your vision. I’m sure they will hear you out. Besides, you’ve started it.”

“They’re gonna rebrand.”

“To what? HYL”

“HYL?”

“Hey, You Loser.”

I laughed. “I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”

We arrived at the office. I felt nostalgic. The staff was the same. Nothing had changed but the owner.

“Mrs. Cade, good morning.” Why was she kept calling me Mrs. Cade? It only reminded me of my failure and heartbreak.

“Morning.”

“Miss Web, you can go to your office. I’ll reinstate and update your credential later.” Emy turned to me when Neke left for her old office. “Mrs. Cade, follow me.”

I did as she said. “I’m not updated lately. Who bought LH?”

“Good luck.” She pushed the door open of the conference room, Ignoring my question.

I had many meetings with my staff here, and it brought back good memories. Emy turned on her heels and left me just like that.

I drew a deep breath before I entered.

“Good-” I halted. I was shocked to see what was before me that I took a few steps back to make sure I entered the right room. Yes, I was in the conference room.

“Good morning. Come in and close the door, please.”

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I just stood there and stared at Striker in shock. He caught me off guard. I wasn’t ready to face him. My loser self-the jobless me-the homeless me wasn’t prepared to meet my ever-handsome-soon-to-be-ex-husband.

He gestured to the chair before me. “Vanderford, please? I don’t have much time.”

“You bought the company?” I asked, but it sounded accusatory instead of inquiry, maybe because I was still wrapping the fact around my head. My question came out strong and bitter.

“Yes. Technically it’s Cade-Braddson.”

“Cade-Braddson?” Wow.

“My company.”Again. Wow.”But yes, I’m the new owner. Do you have any problem with that?”

“Why did you hire me? I’m sure there are many successful women or men, well-experienced, who are more qualified than me to be the new CEO.”

“Yes. There are.”

“Jeez. Thanks.” I went to take a seat because my knees began to wobble, and clearly disappointed by how I got the answer. “Since I am handpicked, can I make a demand?”

“Demand?” He arched that brow. He did that when he was amused. So, he thought my demand amused him.

“Yes.”

“Name it.”

“Them.”

“You said demand.”Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. No rebranding.”

“Of course, I intend to keep your name. It’s proprietary. I won’t change a thing. All you have to do is do your job like how you made a start-up retail clothing chain into a well-known sustainable brand.” Wow. My third wow for today. That’sa new record. He did his own research. Impressive.

“Thanks. Appreciate it.”

“Now my demands.”

“Excuse me?” My eyes grew big. I should be thankful someone offered me a job-the job that I loved, but I felt like I would not like his demands, but did I have a choice?

“I didn’t just buy your name from your father without making some deals.”

“What do you want?”

“Since you’re staying with Neke-”

“How did you-”

“Don’t interrupt me.”

“Sorry.” I raised my hand.

“You’ll stay in my house since your things are already there.”

I raised my hand to interrupt. “What things?”

“Your things that were supposed to be in the storage unit.”

“How-”

He started to get annoyed. He breathed through his nose as he raised a finger to stop me from asking questions. “I wasn’t aware Reed and Linden hired movers to bring your things to my house. I have enough space. That wouldn’t be a problem.”

How would he know? He’d never been there.

I behaved.

“You will stay in my house, in my room, from now on.”

I swallowed hard. Oh, boy. He was punishing me. In order to get my job back, I was going to pay for what I’d done. Yay. I should have seen this coming.

“Reed will be your driver. The bills are mine to pay. I will provide everything needed in the house. And as for your father, he won’t bother you anymore. That’s one of the deals I made with him.”

“And you?” I swallowed again. “Where are you gonna stay?”

“Don’t worry. I have a place on my own. Anything else?” he asked as he stood up.

I got up too. I wanted to say thank you, but I couldn’t voice it out. I just watched him walk toward me in confusion.

“You wanna say something before-”

I launched myself into him and wrapped my arms around his neck as I hugged him tighter. I shut my eyes for a while to feel him. He didn’t return the hug, though, but I was beyond grateful.

I looked down as I pulled away.

“You’re gonna be okay, Vanderford. If you need anything, I suppose you still have my number?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “Um, about the-”

“Look at me, Vanderford.” He lifted my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye. The moment our gazes locked together, it felt like my heart split in two. There was no warmth in it. No anticipation. No sparks. Just cold cobalt blue eyes staring blankly at mine. “Don’t dream of getting a divorce because that won’t happen until you get your life back. At this moment, you’re not capable of doing that. Since you declined my help in giving you financial support, you left me no choice. So you will stay as my wife until I tell you so. You can sleep with another man if you want-”

“And you will do the same?” My hand flew to my mouth when I realized I had just asked him a stupid question. Crap. My cheeks burned in embarrassment.

“You can go back to work.” He walked past me to the door.

“Cade?”

“Yeah.” His hand froze on the doorknob.

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t do it for you.”