A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 83: RICHARD

Chapter 83: RICHARD

I had almost forgotten about Sofia Blake until Vera called. Normally it wasn’t in my nature to forget things, but with such a day, things can slip my memory.

Already my emotions were still all over the place. I was on such a rollercoaster of emotions that my mind was muddled by memories, so muddled that things that should take priority in my mind space were lost in the memories.

"Give her the phone" I had said to Vera.

With my emotional baggage, the last thing I needed was seeing someone as vexing as Sofia Blake.

And worse she reminded me of Mel. Outspoken, not afraid to call me out on my shit, beautiful and annoying.

Of course, she refused to take the phone,

the girl took pleasure in doing the exact opposite of what I wanted.

In no strength to argue, I told Vera that I was five minutes away which was true and that she should offer Sofia anything she wanted. I had regretted saying that as the call ended, as important as whatever message she had for me, I couldn’t give her the avenue to assume that it was.

Lanke had remained silent ever since we left the Dame’s house and as much as it was unlike him, I appreciated the silence.

What had made the heartbreak more disorienting was the lies and the stupid cheers. Aaron, Chad and the Chargers praised and applauded me for getting her to fall for me and dumping her. The Trinity was thrilled and all it took them was a few seconds for them to circulate the message to the entire school.

The boys didn’t even remember making a bet because there was no bet. But when I lied, telling them that they had been too drunk that night, they foolishly jumped on that lie.

I had expected Mel to shrink back to her melancholy, with the laughter, the jeers, the whispers, I expected nothing less.

Instead, she found a way to turn things around. On the day after we broke up, she came to school looking so hot that eyes actually popped as she walked down the hall and jaws literally dropped.

She looked nothing like someone who just went through a break up and I found myself wondering if she ever loved me at all or was all that a lie as well.

Like me, Mel had also been a player in her former school. She broke hearts and walked over them in her stilettos.

When people had asked her that day if what I had said was true, she had simply shrugged and said,

"Who cares, I don’t even think I loved the guy and after yesterday it became clear. He was more like an emotional support during my dark days and I think I mistook that for love. Anyways I’m glad it’s over, I can now focus on myself and dating others cause you know the guy barely allowed me talk to other boys like he was as clingy as fuck"

I remember those words down to the exact punctuations. I rarely forget things, especially when it has to do with my emotions.

With those words, she had turned the situation around. She climbed up to number one on the social hierarchy and with her daily doses of hotness, boys fell at her feet.

I had thought she was faking it, that she was merely doing all that to get back at me, but with time precisely a month later, I didn’t know what to believe anymore. But one thing was clear, I didn’t think she was hurt as I was.

She slept with boys on the team, whereas I couldn’t even get a hard on with any girl because she was always on my mind.

It had hurt so much that when she left our school, I sent her texts, but she never responded to any. I think she blocked me at one point.

People say that time heals, but I don’t think it does. Time only dulls the ache and fades the wound to scars, but it’s always there. It’s been 6 years and yet it stings a bit as I recall the events.

After that experience, I vowed not to ever love again, not ever expose myself to such vulnerability and never to let my weak heart be broken ever again.

Just around the corner to the office, Lanke came to a halt just as other cars, as a series of lorries from the beverage company dragged past.

We waited as they continued their procession.

Nine minutes later, we were on the elevator to my office. Our eyes met as I stepped out of the elevator, for a moment her face was Mel’s until I blinked it away.

"Good afternoon Sir"

She greeted Lanke as I swept by her without as much as a glance.

"Good afternoon, my dear" Lanke answered, delighted. He even paused to exchange pleasantries. But I couldn’t have that,

"Lanke, what are you doing there?" I snapped at the aged man.

Before I went into the office, I heard him call,

"Nice to meet you, Olori omoge"

Used to the Yoruba term because I have heard Lanke use it when referring to his daughters. I scoffed because as much as Sofia was beautiful, there was nothing queenly about her.

Needing to deal with her issue, immediately I called for her. But being who she was, the girl ignored me whilst exchanging formalities with Lanke who just left the office.

"Thank you, Sir!" I heard her yell, as Vera dragged her to my office.

The next bits they exchanged were lost to me, as I walked to the coffee table and drenched a mug before sitting in anticipation for whatever she had to say.

"Believe me, I know" I heard Vera mutter before shoving Sofia in and closing the door behind her.

"Why do you keep testing me, Sofia?" I asked her because it’s been a minute since I called for her.

"I wasn’t testing you, I merely decided to greet a kind man" she answered, approaching the chairs.

Without asking for permission, she sat, the glass desk separating us.

"There, exactly what I’m talking about. Who asked you to sit down?" I asked, irritated by her petulance.

"I actually find it absurd that a mere

courtesy such as sitting down should have to be asked for or permitted before indulgence. Besides, I have every right to sit down because I have been standing and waiting for you, for close to an hour now." she answered, relaxing on the leather chair.

"If you are waiting for an apology because I was attending to my duties, then you might have to wait forever."

"Oh believe me, I know you are incapable of uttering those words, who knows perhaps you’ve never even said them once in your entire existence" she returned.

She was right, I hated apologies, but I think I must have said them once or twice in my lifetime, not to grant her the satisfaction of letting her words disturb me into brooding. I said,

"Let me be clear, I do apologize, but to those who deserve it and when I’m sure that I’m on the wrong"

"I doubt that, but I’m not here to dwell on that. I came to brief you on my meeting with Anna"

"I see you learnt nothing from yesterday, but by all means, go on"

A notification chimed from my laptop and I opened it to see that it was from Claire. Why she had to send it through the formal email proved the gravity of the situation.

I heard Sofia’s voice as if from far away as I read the email. Apparently the single mother whom Claire had removed from the list had threatened to expose the selection process if I failed to marry her.

It was preposterous and very amateur of

her. She had no idea what I was capable of, and it is threats like this that I eat for brunch.

"I really have to start going, all I need from you is the assurance that Harry’s job is safe, I think you can handle Bogue by yourself" Sofia voiced, exasperated.

Slapping my laptop shut, I leaned back and twirled in my chair before saying,

"I was beginning to think that you’ve acquired a grip on your impatience, how predictable of you to prove me wrong"

It was a ploy not to let her see the rage I felt because a fool had decided to threaten her superior.

Sofia murmured something that sounded like a curse.

"What was that? Don’t tell me you’ve

suddenly developed fear of speaking plainly?"

"Far from it, I was merely contemplating how it is that men like you exist, and why people like me always have to be entangled in the webs of your cruelty" she scoffed.

Leaning forward, I mused,

"Oh dear Sofia, thinking about the ways of the world will only give you migraine, all you can do is accept the natural way of things"

She stole a glance at the clock, and waving off my statement, she said,

"Just tell me if Harry’s job is safe, I need to be back at home by 4pm, perhaps if you want to discuss Anna’s terms since I have a major role to play in it, you could tell me when next to come or you could handle it your way"

"What are you, a teenager that you are grounded in or what?" I asked, because her behavior was weird.

"I just have something that I need to do, that’s all you need to know, so what is it going to be?"

It was kinda surprising that she was yet to mention of the incentive I offered her yesterday, so I asked,

"I’m yet to hear anything about the job I offered you, or are you suddenly less desperate?"

"I still need the job, but I’m yet to decide whether it’s worth accepting if it’s to the detriment of another" she replied, her voice troubled.

I didn’t know what she had with my newest employee, but for some unknown reason I hated the picture.

"Are you talking about Cole?"

The sag of her shoulders was enough proof, "Of course you are, with your little romance or whatever you have going. I must say I never took him for your type, unless..."

I allowed the statement to trail unfinished, baiting her.

"Unless what?" She asked, taking the bait, "Are you trying to imply that I’m playing with his emotions like you do with all the girls you’ve been with? Well, I will have you know that I’m not a monster like you"

She didn’t know that she just touched a sensitive subject, and for fear of her seeing through my emotions, I declared,

"Whatever you have or wish to do is none of my business, just like what you think of me. I hope by noon tomorrow you’d have made a choice. Good day, young lady"

I opened my laptop and assured Claire that I would handle the situation, all I needed was the personal information of our threatener.

I was so occupied that I didn’t notice Sofia leave.