A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 41: SOFIA

Chapter 41: SOFIA

To be honest, there were two things I expected to happen when Richard reached my side. When he loomed over me like a great shadow.

One, I kinda expected that he might raise his hands on me. I’ve heard the rumors, it was actually one of the things ’City Burn’ covered during the Rosa Ross scandal that most other news pamphlets and magazines didn’t.

City Burn speculated that Richard, when angry, often laid hands on Rosa. And when Rosa was asked during an interview, she didn’t deny it even though she made no comment.

I knew I had made him very angry, I could see it in his eyes as he watched me. He was pissed as fuck.

If he slapped me or laid his hand on me, it won’t matter much especially if I decide to take legal action. I have seen and read news where rich and powerful men like Richard Wellington, harass or assault a woman and the punishment is just a menial payment of fine.

When I see or read such news, yes, I get angry, but I’m not really surprised by it. Men dominate our society, they are recognized, they are accorded more respect than we, the other sex.

Not to talk of when a man is rich and powerful, it’s godship to not just the man, but to those around him. It’s no wonder, they feel like they could do anything and get away with it.

Like the drunk guy who ran into the delivery guy. Even the foolish blond guy who I had a misunderstanding with. And mostly, this dark haired man who was so close to me that his minty breath

was doing things to my brain.

I didn’t say that rich women like Alicia aren’t recognized, they are, but the truth remains that it’s different from the one accorded to the men.

I found myself suddenly dry as I realized that if this man assaults me, he was likely to get away with it. I swallowed and wet my dried lips, silently praying he doesn’t raise his hands on me.

As I wetted my lips the second time, I found him staring at my lips. He watched them as if enraptured by the sight of it and that brings me to the second thing I thought he would do.

Kiss me.

As much as there was a time, I fawned over him and imagined fantasies like how those thin lips would feel when pressed to mine, but now with the possibility of that becoming a reality, I just wasn’t feeling it.

In fact, the idea was nauseating. These past minutes had taught me a lot about him and if there had been a grain of affection or adoration I nursed towards him. It died when I saw him receiving a blowjob from a lady he was supposed to be interviewing.

No, the grain really died when I confronted him about it and he shrugged it off like it’s a norm in his day to day office dealings.

Now, I hate him. I hate everything about him. His eyes, his lips, his face, his ego, his I-don’t-give-a-damn attitude... I just hate everything.

Of the two things I expected to happen, the former had held more probability of happening, until I felt his breath closer to my face as he leaned forward in an

attempt to kiss me.

Eww, what was he trying to do? I thought as I withdrew, turning my face away.

"Imagine," I said, still looking away from him, "the same person you couldn’t stand, you just tried to kiss. What’s even wrong with you?"

Rising and walking away from me, he scoffed,

"Oh get over yourself, I was never going to kiss you, I rather kiss a frog than allow my lips touch yours. I did that to see if my basic looks like you said, had any effect on you. And had you not withdrew, I would have taunted you of being just like the others, irresistible to my ’basic charm’. But that doesn’t mean that you didn’t want it, be honest with yourself, you had imagined it, you had wanted it, but your pride held more sway. Don’t even try to deny it, your cheeks tell me all I need to know"

Instinctively, I raised my hands to my heated cheeks as if to cover my embarrassment.

Glaring at him, for he must be foolish if he thinks my colored cheeks were because I had wanted him. I rose from where I knelt, brushed my knees and derided,

"For someone who has dangled with girls, you sure are ignorant. Of course, I would blush, who wouldn’t in that situation. You forget that blushing is one of those actions we have no control over. It doesn’t imply consent or interest, it just shows my surprise and discomfort with your advance, nothing more"

"You’re not curious?" He teased to my great displeasure. Like what would I be curious about - those lips that I’m sure Cole’s would taste better? How absurd!

With what I hoped was a firm expression that matched how I felt, I answered, "I’m curious about a lot of things, Richard. But your ego isn’t one of them. I would rather stick my tongue on an iceberg than allow it touch or mingle with yours"

Surprise flashed in his face for a second before he masked it away. How does he even do that?

"I see. Well, everyone succumbs in the end, with just a nudge" he offered.

"You forget I’m not everyone" I countered.

"True, but the stubborn ones like you are usually the easiest to give in... with time"

"Not sure eternity would be enough for me to give in" I replied, shoving my hands into my pockets as if to express my point.

He watched me with an expression that I couldn’t read. Perhaps because it shifted before I could puzzle it out. Rage. Hate. Curiosity. Those were all I could guess so far.

I bit my lip as I wondered if I had really gone too far with my last statement. I still needed this tour and I was about to rephrase my statement when he spoke.

"Eternity, you say, but truly I don’t think it would take a week"

Sighing within, I retorted, "You are awfully proud of yourself and I can’t say I blame you. You are yet to encounter a girl who is immune to that charm of yours, you are so dependent on. Perhaps one day you will and then you will realize that you are not irresistible"

"Oh I doubt that. But you are not the first to tell me that and yet till date I’m yet to meet that girl you all are talking about. As I said no one is immune to this" he emphasized with his hands to his face.

It was true, he was devastatingly handsome. The kind that was infuriating to look at. But I doubt it was the same for others, and mostly I hated that there was a time I was one of the ’others’.

Now, I feel nothing, but disgust for those features he seemed to be proud of, as I replied,

"All I can say is let the day when you will realize my words come sooner, now are you going to still tell me no?"

"Or maybe that day has come already, yeah aren’t you immune to my charm?" he teased.

I don’t think I was able to mask my surprise at his words and what it implied. Or how he had guessed correctly how I felt about him.

In spite of how I felt about him, I doubt I was the girl who would humble Richard Wellington, as I said,

"Me? Oh no, this girl will be so much better. First of all, you will fall for her while her heart remains unrequited to you and then you will fall so deep for her that you will be crazy about her and yet she still won’t reciprocate the feelings. Then it will dawn on you, that not everyone falls for Richard Wellington."

"Well, it may shock you to know that the day you talk about is yet to be arranged and the girl you speak of is yet to be born, but by all means predict away" he returned.

"I can’t take this any longer, just tell me are you granting my favor or not? Let me leave the future for the future"

This was it, I’m sure he would say no. I expected him to say no. But his next words were a total shocker.

"Just get out of here. Meet Vera on your way out and tell her to take you to Harry. He will give you the tour"

A grin stretched his lips as I took a step back in shock. I hadn’t expected that response and to be honest, a part of me had wanted to believe he could grant it... but I hadn’t let it.

"You don’t mean that" I found myself saying, shaking my head in utter disbelief, "no, you can’t possibly mean that"

"What makes you say that?" He asked.

"Don’t act like you don’t know what you are doing. I know you want me to think you’ve granted it whereas you just want to shame me all over again." I replied.

"Yes I would love to shame you again and again, but I think you’ve learnt your lesson and besides as the CEO, I love it when people show genuine interest in my establishment. So, go on before I change my mind"

"Did he just speak to me like an actual human being? Is this for real?" The questions thrummed through my mind.

"This had better be right" I said, backing away, my eyes still on him.

"You know what, I think I might change my mind, Ve_"

"No, no, please don’t. I need this and I may never get this chance again, so please don’t change your mind."

"Perhaps you should act more like you care about it more than you’re currently displaying"

"Yes, yes, I will... just don’t change your mind" and with that, I crossed the door and relayed to Vera exactly as he had told me to. She didn’t believe me, in fact she barely looked at me before she rose to inquire from her Boss.

Through the glass, I watched his lips, half expecting him to prove me right. That this was just a ploy to shame me all over again, but from my little skill in lip reading, I made out an affirmative response.

It became clear that he meant his words, when Vera came out and without as much as a glance, she said,

"Follow me" leaving me to hurry behind.

Before I followed her, I mouthed a ’thank you’ to the latest enemy I’m sure I’ve made. Why had I done it? I don’t know, but I sure don’t regret it.

After all, what’s the chance of running into him again?