A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 35: SOFIA

Chapter 35: SOFIA

Defeat.

That’s one word I hated more than any other.

To lose. To murdelize. To vanquish. No matter it’s synonym, I hated every single one of them.

No matter how it’s defined, I abhor the word. But the definition I have always taken into consideration, though I hated every word and punctuation was; to reduce, to nothing, the strength of.

That’s how it felt after Richard dismissed me. My strength and myself had been reduced... to nothing.

Everything I worked for, everything that led to this very moment felt like it meant nothing. Like steps leading to failure.

I suppose that’s exactly what it is.

Failure. If not, then what

else would I call it when it failed to

achieve the main goal. The main objective.

I may have tried to achieve success during high school, college and my internship. But the truth remains that life has already defeated me when it took away the two persons who have always fought gallantly for me.

They were my trusted soldiers, and with them out of the picture, the war was lost.

I guess I was trying to prove to myself and life that I could still win. That I could succeed. That I could fight the battle alone and emerge victorious.

Who was I kidding? In the war against life, I was nothing, but an insect against it’s gigantic form. All those times, I thought I won was just me irritating it with my buzzing and humming.

And now, it seems life has finally managed to slap me away, and with enough force that I fear my wings may never lift me up... again.

I think there’s a reason why it’s often called, ’the cold floors of defeat’ and that’s because, rising from such place is close to impossible.

I knew I had lost even before I crossed that threshold. Or a part of me knew,but I was too stubborn to accept it. Even with Cole as a startling reminder, I allowed a part of me to think victory could still be realized.

But is victory even possible when the battle has already been lost?

Now, I must cross that threshold again, but this time with every part of me certain of my defeat.

"It’s over. I’ve lost it all. Stupid me." I

mumbled to myself as I ever neared those doors that mock me with the reflection of my defeated self.

Never have I ever looked smaller. My coat hung over me like a shroud of trounce. My hair hung thickly over my shoulders in curls of defeat. My eyes were dull, brown as the muddy paths of loss. My face felt unrecognizable, as I stared at it, I refused to believe that was me. That I bore those puffed and cherry cheeks and trembling lips.

My mind wheeled and turned, each trail of thought filling me with the crushing weight of what just happened.

It had thought of a way out. An alternative. A choice. Something... anything at all that could change the outcome. Any piece to move that would make this checkmate less mortifying.

But there had been no way out. No alternative. No choice left, but acceptance of this turn of events. Nothing... or anything that held the power to change this outcome. No move or piece capable of outmaneuvering the checkmate.

I remember the very day I got the interview mail. It had been on a Monday, three days after I submitted the application.

A year and six months away from the Blake Mansion for internship, I had returned to my usual routine. A maid.

I was doing my dishes when my phone chimed with the notification. I had been expectant ever since the submission and as I checked my phone, there it was. I was among the selected.

It wasn’t a confirmation of receiving the job, but it was hope. Hope that I could make it out of the Blake Mansion, a ray of sunshine hinting at better days. A step towards achieving my goals.

And now, it was none of these things.

My mind has continued reeling, reminding me of what laid in wait for me back at the Blake Mansion. Ridicule. Mockery. Rounds of really annoying laughter. And "I told you so" statements.

It was inevitable, but I couldn’t go back yet. I was still very hurt for salt to be added to the sore. If I go back in this state of mind, Lord knows, I won’t be able to keep silent when their taunts start. And I would regret every word I retorted in more dire ways.

I needed something, anything at all that would take my mind off things and at the same time - stall.

"Vera!" Richard called, "get me those files I requested for yesterday. I wonder why I’m yet to have them on my desk."

"Wait a minute," The idea ignited in my mind like a high voltage light bulb.

"Of course, why didn’t I think of it before", I thought, and then I decided to take my shot.

"Um... Richard, I actually have a favor to ask of you?"

He looked up from his laptop and on seeing me, his expression turned to a sneer.

"A favor" he repeated, cooling his

features as he crossed his legs.

"This should be interesting, pray tell what do you want me to do for you?"

That’s the thing with ideas. When they take form, they appear really good, but as they are spoken, or about to be spoken as in my case, you realize that perhaps you didn’t think it through.

"Um..." I began, battling on whether to go ahead and say it or just leave.

"Spit it out already, I don’t have all day" he snapped at me.

"Excuse me," Vera said, pushing past me. She was still pissed at me for the reading and how it all ended.

"Sorry," I offered, making way for her.

Turning to her Boss, I said,

"I was wondering if... well, I know you

are not prone to giving favors, but I hope you could make an exception. Not that I deserve it or anything, but I really hope you will grant me, um... a tour before I leave. I really didn’t get the chance to join the others and I may never get this shot ever, so..."

I could tell those words weren’t what he had expected to hear, and though I had lost. It felt good knowing that I had surprised him. Perhaps he was expecting a plea about the job or maybe a letter of recommendation to apply in another firm.

Now, I’m remorseful of why I hadn’t asked for that first.

"You may leave, Vera" he said, dismissing her and I was really glad that he did. If he was going to humiliate me the second time, I didn’t want another to witness.

"Yes Sir" Vera murmured, retreating.

"The door?" He added when she left it open.

As the door latched shut, he faced me and said,

"Well, I will be damned, Sofia Blake it seems you have finally learnt of your place, but I’m yet to hear a proper apology for the things you said and the actions you displayed"

"Wait, what?" I echoed in my thoughts. "An apology? He must be joking". But I didn’t say any of these, instead,

"We both know that I’ve already apologized prior, but If you are not going to grant me the favor, please just tell me now. Don’t waste my time like you did with the interview" I said.

"Obviously, you are yet to fully learn of your place, but I’m sure you will get there. Now about your favor, like you said I’m not prone to giving favors neither do you see me wearing the red and white of Santa, so my dear_"

"Forget it" I interjected, "what was I thinking? People like you never change. You don’t feel and I was a fool to think a part of you would understand, but then again now I realize you’d never understand what it means to want something really bad that you are willing to go to extreme just to have it. I’m sure everything you’ve ever wanted was handed to you on a silver platter, so why would you understand?"

He had made to offer a retort as he leaned forward, but then he decided against it and returned to his former position.

"I knew there was still this part of you

left. Was almost beginning to believe, I’ve squashed it already, but here you are with your decisions and conclusions. But let me get one thing straight, you knew I wouldn’t grant you such a favor, so why ask in the first place, or are you a fan of always getting ’no’ as an answer?" He asked after whiling away seconds.

"You know what, just let it go."

"No, no and no. Sofia Blake, answer me why did you ask if you were already sure of the answer you would receive?"

"Perhaps a part of me, that same stupid part of me that had known you would never give me the job, but it believed there was a chance. That part of me thought there was a slight chance that you might agree, especially now that... em... you’ve won"

By God! I hated those last words. How could I have acknowledged his win? His smile was obvious, he had loved those words, but as desperate as I was, I couldn’t care less.

"Well, it’s not my fault that a part of you is adamantly stupid, but erm," he smacked his lips, before adding, "What if I surprise you?"

"No offense, but if this is just another ploy to get my hopes up only for it to be squashed on the cold stones of defeat then, forget it. We both know, you are incapable of such surprises" I countered.

"It baffles me, the way you assert to knowing me and what and what I’m either capable of doing or incapable of doing"

"Well, I’m I wrong? Prove it then, show me that this is not Richard Wellington"

I hadn’t even realized how I managed to turn the tables. I had him stuck with barely a choice. It’s either he shows me that he was truly human or proves to me that he was all right cruel. And only a really messed up person would pick the latter.

"Bravo, Sofia. You know for a moment there you almost had me? With just a push, you could have gotten what you wanted. You could have played me exactly how you intended, but here’s the shocker, I, Richard Wellington can never ever be played. Get that into that dumb skull of yours and my dear, I have nothing to prove to you. Love me or hate me, I don’t fucking care. Run along now, I’m done with you." he finished, returning his focus to his laptop.

And there, he was really messed up, much more than I actually thought. But I would be lying if I said a part of me didn’t see that coming.

But that doesn’t mean that his words didn’t hurt or that it didn’t cement my defeat.

Losing twice in one day, and to him. I have to really do something about it, I can’t just give up not when there is still a chance. Something more I could do.

He wants me to beg, to grovel. Well, once your life is as shitty as mine, those things are the norm.

"Wait!" I yelled.

He smiled.

And just like that, I knew I had him just as I know he thinks the same.