A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 116: RICHARD

Chapter 116: RICHARD

I watched Sofia exit my office with Vera, who had a venomous expression on her face, especially after I ordered her to provide our guest with everything that would make her comfortable.

She was already feeling threatened by Sofia. As if she knew about the position I was to offer. Perhaps it will help if they are rivals already.

Most people would claim that they don’t care when people or persons fight over them. Not me though. Being fought over is a sign, a sign that speaks volumes about a person’s identity, looks and personality.

But what I don’t understand is why Vera feels threatened, I was done with her. And there’s no way in hell, I will ever go back to what I’ve moved over from. It’s as stupid as a dog going back to sniff around his faeces.

Vera was beautiful, but not like most girls I’ve been with. In fact, if I rank her with the others, I don’t even think she would make the first ten. She should be the number fifteen. Rosa was of course the first, with Mel following close behind. It’s puzzling how Sofia reminded me of the girl who was my first and only heartbreak.

In breaking her heart, I broke mine.

And besides, I don’t think it will be long before Sofia shoves Vera in her place. If she could be this headstrong with me, Vera would be an easy meat.

Even as I had better and pressing things to do, like why we lost the venue for the collection launch, review some of the designs the team came up with, approve those that ought to be added with the Wellington Edition II, but instead I decided to go through the names and personalities of the candidates for the selection.

1. Olivia Fisher - 5’9", curvy build, black wavy hair, brown eyes and a kind heart. Heiress to Fisher Shipping & Construction Company and heiress to her family’s position among the founding families of the Wellington Fashion Empire.

2. Alexandra "Lexi" Thompson - 5’8", athletic build, long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a radiant smile.

Heiress to a media empire, socialite, and philanthropist.

2. Sophia Pastel - 5’5", petite, dark hair, expressive brown eyes, and a small tattoo of a sun on her left ankle.

Daughter of a wealthy tech mogul, software engineer, and avid traveler.

3. Breanna Lee - 5’9", slender, long curly brown hair, warm hazel eyes, and an elegant poise. High-society event planner, fashionista, and devoted daughter.

4. Emily Chen - 5’4", delicate features, short black hair, piercing green eyes, and a subtle sprinkle of freckles.

Brilliant scientist, researcher, and only child of a prominent academic family.

5. Gabriella "Gaby" Martinez - 5’7", vibrant, wild curly hair, bright amber eyes, and a colorful sleeve of tattoos. Vibrant artist, free spirit, and youngest of five siblings.

6. Juliana Knight - 5’10", statuesque, long raven hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a glamorous presence. Aspiring actress, model, and scion of a famous Hollywood legend.

7. Ava Moreno - 5’6", fit, short auburn hair, intelligent grey eyes, and a small scar above her left eyebrow. Ambitious lawyer, advocate for social justice, and a managing partner in Dean & Moreno Law Firm.

8. Lilah Rose - 5’3", curly honey-blonde hair, dreamy blue eyes, and a delicate nose ring. Whimsical writer, poet, and member of a bohemian family.

9. Ruby Singh - 5’6", striking, short spiky black hair, bright turquoise eyes, and a bold nose stud. Songwriter and pop artist, a two time Grammy winner and proud daughter of immigrants.

10. Eleanor "Ellie" Windsor - 5’9", refined, long chestnut hair, soft blue eyes, and a regal bearing. Member of a British aristocratic family, equestrian, and charity worker.

11. Maya Ramos - 5’5", passionate, short dark hair, intense brown eyes, and a warm, genuine smile. Passionate activist, environmentalist, and first-generation college graduate.

12. Vivian "Vee" Nguyen - 5’4", short edgy black hair, bright hazel eyes, and a collection of colorful tattoos. Quiet and reserved contemporary artist, known for her piece "Pearl".

13. Catherine "Cate" Flynn - 5’10", confident, short silver hair, piercing grey eyes, and a strong, athletic build.

Adventurous journalist, world traveler, and only child of a retired diplomat.

14. Annabel "Anna" Blake - 5’8", adventurous, chestnut curly hair, dull brown eyes, and a smattering of freckles.

Aspiring model, heiress of Alicia Hats and Headwears.

15. Mirabel "Mira" Blake - 5’7", sassy, auburn curly hair, dark brown eyes, freckled face. Twin to Annabel Blake, aspiring actress and heiress of Blake Real Estate Company.

Wait a minute. Blake. That could only mean one thing, those girls were sisters or half sisters to Sofia. Either it’s that or it’s just a fucking coincidence that they answer the same last name.

But why Claire added twin sisters to the selection list, the woman was a homewrecker so I’m not really surprised. Paraventure, I choose one of the sisters, then the other might not be receptive to the idea. Or she might be, if they are the type of twins that believe they are halves of a whole.

And that a win for one is a win for both. Or perhaps, if they are identical, then they might trick the hell out of me. Not Sofia though, whether or not she’s related to them, her reading alone is an advantage. More reason why I need the bitch. Hopefully, she will sign the damn thing and we’ll get this over with.

Staring at the list, I was already dreading meeting these ladies. Their good qualities may have been mentioned, but what of their other side. The bad qualities they possess.

In the case of Olivia, as much as I know her already. She would indeed make a fine wife, but she’s not really tough enough to go against the Lords. Even with a meager of both families, Wellington and Fisher, the other Lords won’t stop their incessant plots. Certainly not the Greys.

Besides, Olivia is always agreeing with me. The marriage would be a boring one, and I thought that’s what I want, but not really. As much as I wanted nothing complicated, but being forced to live together and go out together, I want someone who wouldn’t be quick to agree with me. Someone afraid to share her opinions.

And again, I doubt she will be hard hearted enough to deal with my death. Will she even be able to recover?

After she found out about my heart condition, she sort of changed her attitude towards me. We were very good friends, close enough that I saw her as a sister, but even still today, she hasn’t been able to stop looking at me with pity.

We quarreled after she found out. Her concern and pity became overbearing. My condition was literally the only thing we talked about. She no longer taunted me or teased me. She no longer challenged me. She turned from a friend, a pain in the ass sister to a nurse, an over caring and over concerned sister.

I just couldn’t take it. I couldn’t bear it. I tried to tell her that I didn’t want her concern and pity, but like my parents. She said that I wasn’t taking my situation seriously. That I was teasing death, and for that we had to be separated for some time.

Though we’ve reconciled, if I can even call it that. But it’s not the same as before. We used to tell each other almost everything. We were just comfortable in each other’s presence, but now my condition feels like a third wheel, an invisible but dominant presence wedged between us whenever we sat to talk.

Comfortableness gave away to awkwardness. Our conversations lack depth and they feel forced, like she’s tiptoeing around subjects and topics because she doesn’t want to make me angry or trigger me.

My condition has taken a lot from me, including my best friend and sister, Olivia Fisher. And now, it was prompting me to take her as a wife.

Is it not bad enough that it has taken my heart, these heartbeats I feel when I press my palm on my chest aren’t even mine. And in a few years, it will take my life and yet, that isn’t enough. It now strives to take away my freedom, my choice and the pleasures that come with being alive.

I just can’t marry Olivia Fisher, even if she’s the obvious choice. I don’t think I can ever bring myself to see her as anything but a friend, a sibling. The thought of sleeping with her is even an atrocious image that my mind just can’t form. It’s like trying to search for something on Google and each time the search button is pressed, it opens a page saying ’No results can be found’ or ’Error loading the requested page’.

It wasn’t simply impossible. And I love her as a sister that I can’t afford to be cruel to her. Which is exactly what I intend with whomever I end up choosing. The marriage will be one of convenience, to sire an heir. It has nothing to do with companionship, I doubt that after sleeping with the lady in question twice and siring two heirs, that I would ever warm her bed again.

And if Olivia is chosen, I can’t do that to her. She’s too important to me to witness such cruelty. I plan to have her removed in the very first stage. She may not understand, but I’ll be doing her a favor.

And most times, isn’t that what it means to love?