A Billionaire’s Ruse

Alexio’s POV

Emily groaned in satisfaction after the second plate and afterwards she rested her back on the chair, heaving.

That was when she looked up and saw that I had been staring at her all along.

“Where…” I began to say

“Rose and Karl had left earlier. It’s just you and me now Emily. In this room alone. Remember our deal for tonight?”

I could see her brain trying to work out a way for her.

“Alex, I…” she choked on her words when she saw the way I looked at her.

“You’re lucky you’re across from me but bear in mind I don’t forget things easily. You’ll surely pay for that.”

“Can I know why you’re so obsessed that I call you Alex? One time, you did not even want me calling your name and now I must call you Alexio. You’re so confusing.”

I just smirked at her, saying nothing.

There was a knock on the door and Damon came in immediately.

“Yes Damon, you can drop it on the table.”

Damon stepped into the room and dropped an envelope on the table.

“When will Jim get here?” I enquired of Damon.

“He will be here soon. He left the gala ten minutes ago.” Damon replied.

“Okay. You can leave now. I’ll call you in soon.”

Emily was staring at Damon as he left the room.

“This night is the first time I’m seeing him and he seems to be so close to you seeing as he is at your beck and call. Why haven’t I noticed him before now.”

“That’s because you have not been as attentive as you think you are.”

“What do you mean by that? You’re the one who never wants me to visit you at your work place. Even when we go out on dates, it has always been the two of us.

“Every time I ask you anything personal, you become so evasive.”

Hmmn… I see now how Alexander has gotten her and her parents hooked and fooled.

He has always been evasive

“Just as you’re right now.” Emily quipped

“You don’t need to know anything about me Emily. It’s not for you to know.” I thundered coolly without raising my voice.

I picked the glass of wine on the table and had a sip all the while looking at Emily.

“I understand that you want to meet me especially tonight because of your father’s company. I’m listening.”

Emily seemed pressured at that moment, not that she was relaxed with me to begin with.

“Actually A… I mean I need you to take back what you said the other day.”

What I said? Interesting.

“You’ll have to expantiate on your words Emily.”

“Why are you feigning innocence?” She queried.

“But I’m not. I am only telling you to help me refresh my memory.”

“How can you say that. You came home, dropped a bombshell, then you left and we heard no word from you for three days. Only for us to see you at the gala tonight and now you’re saying you can’t recall?

“Do you know how worried and restless my parents and I have been for the past three days?” She was on her feet, pacing to and fro and even though she was angry, she looked hot doing that but this was my game and it had to be played by my rules.

“Sit down Emily.” I commanded pretending to be bored by her long talks

“Don’t tell me what to do, okay?” She snapped at me. I can understand she’s angry but I refused to be disobeyed.

“You must have forgotten what I told you earlier in the car. Or perhaps, you want me to refresh your memory.” I said also standing on my feet and moved close to her.

She stretched out her hand to stop me.

“I’m sitting… I am sitting down. Okay. Here… see. I’m sitting down.”

She was obviously scared. Instead of sitting down, I moved closer to her and rested on the back of her chair and bent down to whisper into her ear.

“Don’t be scared, I can only make you feel good.” I whispered in her ears, giving her a bite.

She winced but she did not move. I blew on her ears and stood back up.

“You learn quickly but you just forget easily. I want you to know that I am very willing to always remind and teach you.”

She sat still and she did not move as I went back to the other side and sat down.

“Here. I want you to carefully go through that and affix your signature.”

“What…” she stopped to clear her throat. “What’s this.”

“You have all night to go through that and understand it.” I told her as I leaned back on the chair and stared at her.

“Okay.” She said, picking up the papers.

The colours drained from her face as she read the title of the document. She lifted her head to stare at me incredulously.

“I don’t understand this Alexio.”

“Come on Emily. I know you can read.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“You want me to save your father’s company, right? Then, you should be willing to do that much.”

“But I’m already married to you. Or rather should I say ‘bound’ to you instead.

“Why do we need a postnuptial contract?” She cried, lifting her hands to show me the wedding band on her fingers.

It was a post nuptial contract I had drawn up. I smirked at her and also showed her my wedding band.

“That makes two of us Emily. But no, this is not what I’m talking about.” I said pulling off the ring. “I want more from you.”

“What more can you possibly get from me? What you stated here is absolutely mad. How do you expect me to quit working and stay at home? I love working.

“And what is this here, in the fourth paragraph? I have to be faithful to you. You’ve been the unfaithful one all these while. You even had the guts to bring a woman into a home my father got for us. How shameless can you be asking this of me?

Alexio’s POV

Emily groaned in satisfaction after the second plate and afterwards she rested her back on the chair, heaving.

That was when she looked up and saw that I had been staring at her all along.

“Where…” I began to say

“Rose and Karl had left earlier. It’s just you and me now Emily. In this room alone. Remember our deal for tonight?”

I could see her brain trying to work out a way for her.

“Alex, I…” she choked on her words when she saw the way I looked at her.

“You’re lucky you’re across from me but bear in mind I don’t forget things easily. You’ll surely pay for that.”

“Can I know why you’re so obsessed that I call you Alex? One time, you did not even want me calling your name and now I must call you Alexio. You’re so confusing.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I just smirked at her, saying nothing.

There was a knock on the door and Damon came in immediately.

“Yes Damon, you can drop it on the table.”

Damon stepped into the room and dropped an envelope on the table.

“When will Jim get here?” I enquired of Damon.

“He will be here soon. He left the gala ten minutes ago.” Damon replied.

“Okay. You can leave now. I’ll call you in soon.”

Emily was staring at Damon as he left the room.

“This night is the first time I’m seeing him and he seems to be so close to you seeing as he is at your beck and call. Why haven’t I noticed him before now.”

“That’s because you have not been as attentive as you think you are.”

“What do you mean by that? You’re the one who never wants me to visit you at your work place. Even when we go out on dates, it has always been the two of us.

“Every time I ask you anything personal, you become so evasive.”

Hmmn… I see now how Alexander has gotten her and her parents hooked and fooled.

He has always been evasive

“Just as you’re right now.” Emily quipped

“You don’t need to know anything about me Emily. It’s not for you to know.” I thundered coolly without raising my voice.

I picked the glass of wine on the table and had a sip all the while looking at Emily.

“I understand that you want to meet me especially tonight because of your father’s company. I’m listening.”

Emily seemed pressured at that moment, not that she was relaxed with me to begin with.

“Actually A… I mean I need you to take back what you said the other day.”

What I said? Interesting.

“You’ll have to expantiate on your words Emily.”

“Why are you feigning innocence?” She queried.

“But I’m not. I am only telling you to help me refresh my memory.”

“How can you say that. You came home, dropped a bombshell, then you left and we heard no word from you for three days. Only for us to see you at the gala tonight and now you’re saying you can’t recall?

“Do you know how worried and restless my parents and I have been for the past three days?” She was on her feet, pacing to and fro and even though she was angry, she looked hot doing that but this was my game and it had to be played by my rules.

“Sit down Emily.” I commanded pretending to be bored by her long talks

“Don’t tell me what to do, okay?” She snapped at me. I can understand she’s angry but I refused to be disobeyed.

“You must have forgotten what I told you earlier in the car. Or perhaps, you want me to refresh your memory.” I said also standing on my feet and moved close to her.

She stretched out her hand to stop me.

“I’m sitting… I am sitting down. Okay. Here… see. I’m sitting down.”

She was obviously scared. Instead of sitting down, I moved closer to her and rested on the back of her chair and bent down to whisper into her ear.

“Don’t be scared, I can only make you feel good.” I whispered in her ears, giving her a bite.

She winced but she did not move. I blew on her ears and stood back up.

“You learn quickly but you just forget easily. I want you to know that I am very willing to always remind and teach you.”

She sat still and she did not move as I went back to the other side and sat down.

“Here. I want you to carefully go through that and affix your signature.”

“What…” she stopped to clear her throat. “What’s this?”

“You have all night to go through that and understand it.” I told her as I leaned back on the chair and stared at her.

“Okay.” She said, picking up the papers.

The colours drained from her face as she read the title of the document. She lifted her head to stare at me incredulously.

“I don’t understand this Alexio.”

“Come on Emily. I know you can read.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“You want me to save your father’s company, right? Then, you should be willing to do that much.”

“But I’m already married to you. Or rather should I say ‘bound’ to you instead.

“Why do we need a postnuptial contract?” She cried, lifting her hands to show me the wedding band on her fingers.

It was a post nuptial contract I had drawn up. I smirked at her and also showed her my wedding band.

“That makes two of us Emily. But no, this is not what I’m talking about.” I said pulling off the ring. “I want more from you.”

“What more can you possibly get from me? What you stated here is absolutely mad. How do you expect me to quit working and stay at home? I love working.

“And what is this here, in the fourth paragraph? I have to be faithful to you. You’ve been the unfaithful one all these while. You even had the guts to bring a woman into a home my father got for us. How shameless can you be asking this of me?