A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 129: SOFIA

Chapter 129: SOFIA

The silence stretched like a living breathing thing.

Richard sat staring at Alicia, who returned his gaze in kind. It felt like a challenge and the tension was charging. Hairs on the back of my neck stood like thorns on a rose.

Not even the loquacious twins dared utter a word, or make a sound.

"Kpohoh! Kpohoh!" Felix coughed, appearing from the entrance hall with a tray of wine, the bottle as dark as the night and two flutes.

The sounds deafening against the silence. All eyes turned to glare at him.

"Sorry" was all he muttered, looking all innocent.

It was obvious he didn’t know what had been happening or the tension he just broke.

Setting the tray carefully on the ceramic gold table, he uncorked the bottle and poured. Handing one to Alicia and the other to Richard, which the billionaire reluctantly accepted.

It was surprising that all these while, Alicia hadn’t called me to do anything. Normally, I would have been the one serving, but I guess the matter at hand had her so busy that she had forgotten about me.

"1961 Petrus, touche" Richard said, raising his glass after a sip. "It’s no wonder he almost went broke, stacking up this costs a fortune"

The dowager only gave him a nod, settling her own glass on the tray.

"Sofia"

I really shouldn’t have spoken too soon about forgetting me. As if that was even possible.

"Yes ma’am" I answered, ignoring the billionaire’s snicker.

He must’ve found it amusing. The same girl who had challenged him in his office was reduced to a meek servant.

"Get rid of those," Alicia said, pointing to the magazines cluttered on the table, "we’ll get back to it later"

"Is someone getting married?" Richard asked, as I began arranging the magazines.

Before Alicia could answer, he said,

"Oh, don’t tell me you’ve already started preparing in anticipation for any of their wins" he pointed to the twins, "because I assure you, Claire will not allow any other but herself to be in charge of the preparations, that’s if she hasn’t done so already while she waits for me to make a choice"

In my shock, I almost spilled the bottle as I lost my poise, staggering backwards as my one knee couldn’t hold me anymore, and in my attempt not to fall, I hit the bottle with the issue in my hand.

Richard lunged forward, catching the bottle just in time before it wasted its contents on the rug. A few spills escaped though.

"You see why I want you gone as quickly as possible!" Alicia yelled, discarding propriety. "You are so clumsy, you can’t even do one thing, right! What are you still doing, standing there, go and get something to wipe it off before it ruins my rug, imbecile!"

I scurried out of there, as fast as my legs could allow. I didn’t even dare look at Richard, he must be laughing his heart out for all I know.

He had seen me at my absolute worst. How can I even challenge him again when in the very house I live, I’m worse than a servant?

Retrieving a pail of water and scrubbing brush from the kitchen, I rushed back to the living room. I skidded to a halt as Richard was saying,

"... what it takes, she’s mine and mine to do as I please, or would you refute me in this matter, besides it’s already in effect"

"Sir, you don’t understand. The date has been fixed, she didn’t say anything about working for you, if she did why would I even think of crossing... There she is, Sofia, come over here and explain to me why you didn’t tell me that you were offered a job as Mr Wellington’s Personal Assistant? Why did you keep mute and let me go ahead with discussing marriage, were you trying to get me in trouble? Perhaps that’s your sick way of getting revenge?"

"No ma, it’s not like that" I said, dropping the bucket immediately as I raised my hands in submission. Even though I didn’t really understand what they were saying.

"Leave her out of it, she’s clueless" Richard reprimanded, just as Alicia tried to accuse me of having a hand in whatever it was he was saying.

"Don’t just stand there, have you forgotten about the rug, perhaps your biennial salary would be enough to purchase a new one" Mira ordered.

Quickly I rushed over to the rug, kneeling, and I got to work.

"Scrub gently, or do you want to ruin it" Anna rebuked.

As if he didn’t just witness all that happened, or more like he expected it all, the billionaire continued,

"As I was saying, Sofia here, didn’t know of this offer and she never mentioned her impending marriage while she was applying for a clerk," leaning forward, to emphasize that the next part was for me, he went on, "or did she intentionally leave that out? Making me wonder what would have happened if I had hired her, the scandal alone" he tsked, relaxing back.

"No, it’s not like that" Alicia quickly offered, surprising and beating me to my attempt at defense.

I never thought I would see the day, Alicia Blake came to my rescue or defend me. Even her twins were shocked. But they didn’t say anything. As for me, I was too shocked to say anything. I didn’t even know that I had stopped scrubbing the rug until,

"Hey, watch my shoes." Richard called, shifting his foot clad in black glossy Emporio Armani shoes from where the brush I held suspended in the air, dripped water on its shiny surface.

"I’m so sorry" I tried to apologize.

"Save your apologies. Those cost more than you could possibly earn in your entire lifetime" the billionaire chided, not looking at me. In fact, he ignored me like I was an ant just scrolling by.

"Was that really necessary?" I had wanted to retort, but the billionaire spared me no chance.

"You were saying, Mrs Blake"

"Oh yes," Alicia chipped, happy that Richard had rebuked me. "I didn’t know of the job like I was saying, I didn’t even know that Sofia liked Charlie until this morning. As luck may have it, the lad in question, Charlie loved her and had done so for a while now. Having felt like a lot of time had been spent already, he suggested marriage which I accepted on Sofia’s behalf as her guardian. But I didn’t know she was your Personal Assistant."

"So when is the wedding?" Richard asked.

"In two weeks time, my Lord" Alicia answered.

"Cancel it all. I will meet the groom if I have to, but that wedding is not going to hold. I only came here out of courtesy, the news will be released tomorrow and I wanted you to know before everyone else"

It all felt like a dream. A dream where I was just an observer, standing aside while things took place. I didn’t know what to make of it all. I didn’t know what to say, it didn’t feel real.

"But Mr Wellington..." Alicia started, before Richard cut her off.

"Did I mention that 70% of her salary will be paid directly to you, Mrs Blake and of course, the chances of one of your daughters being selected is probable with their stepsister as my staff. Because as my personal assistant, she will always be near me, which brings me to the second reason why I came. I will be traveling on Sunday and she will be accompanying me, hope that will not be a problem?"

It wasn’t a question. It wasn’t a choice. Framing it like that, like he needed Alicia’s approval was merely an act of chivalry. Alicia had no choice, and it seemed I shared the same fate.

I had questions. I had objections. But I didn’t dare voice them out. I didn’t dare jinx things. Not when he had saved me from walking down the aisle in two weeks time.

"A problem?" Alicia repeated, "not at all. I will reach out to the groom and update him on the recent change of events. As for Sofia, you said she didn’t know about any of this so how come you speak like you have her inclination?"

"In case you’ve forgotten, I’m Richard Wellington and no one tells me no, ever. So, whether she wants it or not, she’s to start work tomorrow. By 8am, I want her to be waiting in my office before I arrive. That will be all." He rose.

"Mr Wellington," Alicia called, halting him. "as her stepmom, doesn’t it mean that I’m privy to some certain privileges, like invitations to events and a feature of my work in the launch of the Wellington collection?"

"The invites, yes. But a feature, that’s not up to me, but I can assure you that I will put in a good word if the need arises, now, Sofia, care to walk me out?"

"Of course, she will. Get up your ass and follow him" Alicia commanded.

Choiceless, I followed.

Once we were outside, I said,

"You didn’t have to do all that for me, but thank you"

He turned to me then, walking up the stairs to where I was. Then he leaned close, almost as if he wanted to kiss me, and mumbled in my ear, his breath hot against my skin,

"Don’t ever get it twisted, I didn’t do it for you. You think I care if you lived out your life in a miserable marriage, I certainly don’t. I did it for me, to get what I want, nothing more, nothing less"

Straightening, he added as I swallowed,

"I meant what I said, 8am tomorrow and call Anna and tell her that I’m in agreement with her terms except the part you will write for her of course. Tell her you are now my PA, let her add it in her next issue and of course the Halloween bash coming up next weekend. That will be all, do have yourself a good night’s rest."

And he was gone.