The Billionaire Who Saved Me

Elice needed some time to process what had happened. She realized she was in a hotel room, with Garrett, both completely naked. Dramatically, Elice closed her eyes. She knew she should not have done that. But for some reason, she did not feel any regret in her heart. Perhaps it was because what she said was true. That there were many other things she should regret more than this one.

At least… tonight, I am sure. Maybe there are still people who consider me valuable. Even if it’s a stranger whose name I only know.

That thought was what finally made Elice open her eyes again. In the yellow-tinted light, she found herself unconsciously sinking into his warm embrace.

Garrett.

Elice would remember that name. As a memory. And it would only remain a memory.

Because when Elice managed to gather her strength and consciousness, a determination formed in her mind. She had to leave. She did not want to be there when Garrett woke up.

Elice decided to leave it at that. The events of that night did not need to be prolonged by the awkwardness of the morning, which could only make her feel embarrassed.

Slowly, Elice withdrew from his embrace, being cautious to not wake him. He appeared sound asleep, deeply lost in a slumber that held his consciousness captive.

Before getting off the bed, Elice took a moment to observe Garrett’s face. He looked handsome in his mature features, with a thin mustache adorning his mouth and a slight beard on his jawline.

Drawing a deep breath, Elice decided to get ready. It was already four in the morning, and she did not want to take any risks. Garrett could wake up at any moment.

Feeling fatigue all over her body, Elice reached for her clothes one by one. She put them on quickly and neatly. In no time, she was ready to leave.

Elice grabbed her bag, put on her shoes, and checked her appearance in the mirror, making sure she looked presentable. However, she could not hide the red marks on her neck. For that, there was not much she could do.

Initially, Elice was going to leave immediately. But something made her pause when her hand reached the doorknob. She looked back at Garrett, who was still sound asleep.

Sighing, she could not resist the urge in her heart. Instead of leaving right away, she turned around, approached Garrett, and looked at him as if wanting to capture his face for the last time in her memory.

Elice lowered her head and gave a faint kiss on Garrett’s cheek. In her heart, she whispered.

Thank you.

*

Not sure, but Garrett could feel it. There was a gentle touch on his cheek. A touch that rendered him powerless to draw his consciousness back. His eyes blinked once, trying to gather his senses.

When the hotel room ceiling greeted his sight, Garrett took a deep breath, realizing how light he felt that morning. It made him wonder if it was due to the sound sleep he had after a week of non-stop overtime. Perhaps… that could be it.

Feeling a sense of comfort in his chest, Garrett furrowed his brow when he turned to the side. The pillow next to him was empty. Elice was not there.

“Elice?”

Calling her name, Garrett sat up, propping himself up on both elbows as he looked around, trying to find her presence. But she was nowhere to be found. What is worse, his calls went unanswered.

Garrett immediately felt uneasy. He got up, ignoring his vulnerable state, and headed to the bathroom, only to find Elice was not there. Worse still, the bathroom showed no signs of recent use; its dryness provided an explanation to Garrett.

“She…”

Garrett took a deep breath and held it momentarily in his chest. His hand roughly brushed his still messy face, looking truly puzzled.

As Garrett stepped out of the bathroom, he realized clearly that there was no trace of Elice left. Her clothes, shoes, bag, and all her belongings were gone. Disappeared along with their owner, who had left.

“She’s gone.”

Honestly, Garrett never expected Elice to do that-to leave as if she were a criminal fleeing from the police. After all, they did not do anything wrong that night.

Garrett realized that it was a bad start to his morning. Eventually, after putting on his underwear, he decided to settle himself on the comfortable sofa available. He turned on the television, not enjoying the program it displayed.

A bottle of water was emptied without a drop left as Garrett quenched his thirst, accompanied by a growing frustration.

One ring made Garrett’s unfocused gaze shift. He got up, reaching for his pants and pulling out his phone from his pocket. One name displayed on the screen caused him to let out a long sigh.

“Hello.”

Without wasting time, Garrett answered the call.

“Hello, Garrett. You finally answered my call.”

His morning seemed to be getting worse. But he could not do anything about it.

“What is it?” Garrett asked. “Did you call me on a Sunday morning just to talk about the inheritance?”

“Oh, God, Garrett. Don’t talk as if this inheritance is only worth a thousand dollars. You know very well the amount and the number of zeroes that come with it.”

Garrett closed his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose, and felt the heaviness in his head. He did not want to discuss money.

“I’ve had a long week. I’ve practically been working overtime lately. And I beg you, can we talk about this another time?”

A faint sigh was heard from the other end, but it seemed Garrett’s conversation partner did not have much of a choice but to accept his request.

“Alright. We’ll postpone this discussion until I see you. How about Monday?”

Garrett’s eyes widened. “Oh God. Why does it seem like you’re more ambitious to get this inheritance than I am?”

“Hahaha.”

When that laughter echoed in Garrett’s ears, it could not hide one fact. That his conversation partner was a man of a certain age.

“You know, Garrett, I always enjoy a good competition. Especially when it’s about fighting for rights that rightfully belong to you.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Garrett shook his head dumbfoundedly, knowing for sure that his rejection would not be visible. Especially not to Nelson Graham, a middle-aged man, and a lawyer who had been serving their family for many years.

“And I hope you don’t forget, Garrett.”

Nelson’s voice was heard again, making Garrett feel weaker that morning. It seemed like he needed painkillers more than just a slight massage on the bridge of his nose. He surrendered.

“What?”

“This inheritance is not just about money. But it’s more than that. There’s dignity attached to it.”

Nelson managed to make Garrett hold his breath in his chest. His expression seemed to change, but he did not say anything.

“I don’t care about your reluctance to accept your inheritance. But at least, you should consider the actions of the Ramirez family. Right now, they’re preparing for any possible actions you might take. They would gladly lend a hand if you refuse the inheritance, Garrett.”

“I don’t care about the money, Sir.”

“I know. I know you’ve never cared about wealth or the Morales name that comes after your name. But, as I said, this inheritance is not just about you, Garrett. There’s your mother, and there are many people depending on your decision.”

Something clear made Garrett’s head spin even more. It seemed that this time he truly needed painkillers rather than just a slight massage on his nose. He gave up.

“Meet me at the office tomorrow.”

Of course, that statement changed Nelson’s tone on the other end. Full of delight and enthusiasm.

“Alright.”

*