l Accidentally Married A Billionaire (PREVIEW)

Chapter 2

~ IVAN CALLAHAN ~

I strode out of the bathroom, fully dressed then started to apply my cologne while brushing my hair in front of the full body mirror.

My gaze shifted to the woman sitting on the bed. I didn’t realize she had woken up. She was just sitting straight, covering her body with the duvet while staring intensely at the table like she was being hypnotized by it.

Of course, one-night stands weren’t new to me, but last night with this woman, it felt so different. It felt like I couldn’t get enough of her. I did my best to satisfy her, to make her feel pleasure— something I never did for any woman. It was always about me, but with this woman, I wanted to make her body feel adored. Those amazing green eyes she possessed darting at me made me feel a strange and new feeling, like it contained deeper emotions I wanted to delve into.

When I was done with brushing my hair to its exceptionality, I walked over to her, shoving my hands into my pants' pockets.

She didn’t spare a glance at me and still had a non-breakable gaze of the table. She seemed so detached and occupied in her own thoughts.

She looked… beautiful. I, Ivan Callahan, seldom ever admitted a woman’s beauty, but I couldn’t resist the urge to utter it to her last night.

“What the heck is wrong with me?” I muttered, running my hand through my face.

I had a fiancée and a damn wedding coming up really soon, yet I was here, feeling strange and stupid over a random woman that was probably a slut. I began to search my pockets for money to avoid unnecessary drama from her.

“Shit, I didn’t come with any cash.” I cussed underneath my breath.

Her steel green eyes finally met my gaze and they looked so… empty— void of any emotion.

She blinked, then again, and one more time before shaking her head and let out a deep sigh. “I’m so sorry about last night.” Her voice, so calm, so heavenly, the most serene thing I had ever heard. “It was my first time getting drunk last night and… and I don’t why I kept bothering you with talks and this…” She glanced down at herself. Her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. “God, this is awkward.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. How could anyone be apologizing for an opportunity that every girl in this city seeked?

“Anyway,” she rose to her feet, securing the duvet tightly around her body. “I want to thank you, I really appreciate the night spent with you. I’m really really 'really' grateful because it was an eye opener. It made me realize that I’m worth more than Dax and has prompted me to finally take the bold step I’ve been avoiding for years.” She nodded, gently nibbling on her lower lip. Her fingers grazed harshly against the duvet like she was trying to hide her nervousness.

“I’ll… uh… the bathroom… dress up quickly… and take my leave.” She stammered, glancing around till her gaze landed on her dress.

She scuttled over to it and rushed to the bathroom.

This made no sense at all. How could she remain so calm? Other women I had had a one-night stand with were always over-dramatic the next morning and trying to push for more and demanded colossal prices for their so-called services.

My phone chimed in my pocket and I slipped it out to read the message from Sam Tones:

‘The meeting for this morning was canceled last minute. No need for the rush. Let’s meet up for a drink, buddy.’

“A drink in the morning? Damn stupid man.” I rolled my eyes.

The woman stepped out of the bathroom in her red dress from last night that clung to her body, accentuating her slim waist and impossibly perfect curves.

She prowled around till she stopped by her heels and wore them, picking up her phone. “Bye.” She muttered, almost in a whisper, before scuttling out of the room like a lost squirrel.

It still didn’t make any sense. How could she not ask for anything?

I left for the bathroom to see if she left any hidden message but there was nothing. The only thing that filled the bathroom was the lavender scent that lurched around her. How much this scent affected my reasoning.

I returned to the room, scanning around.

“She really didn’t want anything?” I wondered again. “Doesn’t she know who I am? Fuck no. Everyone in the country and planet knows me.”

I sat on the bed then called James on the telephone to clean this place up.

When returning the telephone, my hand brushed against something hard and I picked it up: a wallet. “This isn’t mine.” Obviously.

It’s probably for the woman. Did she leave any note in here for me? I opened it and took out the only thing in the wallet: a folded photograph.

My breath got clogged up in my chest at the beautiful photo of the woman. She had a wide smile that made her green eyes shimmer, her wavy brown hair fell all the way to her back, and she was in a pink floral dress that made her look like royalty. She looked happier in the picture compared to this morning.

Staring at her was making me feel really awkward and a strange tautness encompassed me. What manner of woman is she?

A vibration snapped me out of my trance. I reached for my phone and the name on the caller ID automatically plastered a frown on my face: 'Evelyn Shack'.

“What do you want?” I snapped after answering the call.

“Calm down, tiger. That’s not a proper way to greet your fiancée.” Her voice made my eardrums hurt so badly. “We have to meet up for the wedding outfit selection…” I rolled my eyes as she continued rambling over the phone about our wedding preparations.

Soon, my gaze returned to the woman’s photograph and I was lost in her steel green eyes again, turning deaf to Evelyn's words.

***

~ ADRIANA~

I halted at the door, taking a short breathing exercise to clear the thoughts cascading in my head.

My hands lifted to the doorbell and I gave it a ring, my fingers dancing against my sides in anticipation. 

The door flung open and Tanya Jones propped up, a smile wavering over her face. “Hey girl…” She pulled me into a hug. Her face puckered into a frown when she pulled apart. “Now, you gonna tell me where the hell you was, cause mama here almost had a heart attack. You didn’t even answer your damn phone.” She smacked my shoulder.

“Ow, I’m sorry.” I rubbed against the pain on my shoulder. “I just realized my phone was turned off overnight.”

She folded her arms over her chest, her curly hair dangling as she narrowed her eyes at me. “Uh uh? I’m listening.”

“Tanya, can we just—”

A loud smash boomed from inside, getting in the way of my words.

“Oh no, Sasha's at it again.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “Hop on in. And I’m not letting anything slide, I demand full details.” She warned, rushing back in.

I walked in as well and shut the door, sauntering over to her and her 5-year-old daughter, Sasha.

“Why did you smash it? Did I place it on your head?” She yelled at her daughter, crouching to pick up the shattered wine glass on the floor.

“I’m sorry mama.” Sasha replied, quivering in fear of the unknown.

I stepped in before Tanya murdered her with her scary glares. “Don’t yell so much at my goddaughter.” I warned, extending my hands to Sasha who seemed to just notice my presence.

“Aunt Adriana!” Sasha exclaimed and hopped into my embrace. “I missed you.” She kissed my cheeks.

A chuckle vibrated in my chest at her cute gesture. “I know you did, honey.”

“She’s being scolded while you’re spoiling her!” Tanya shifted her glare to me.

“My bad.” I chuckled and carried Sasha to the chair. She began to fill me with so much information about her new school while Tanya cleaned the glass.

I loved this child so crazily. Tanya was the first one of our Trio friendship to have gotten pregnant. She was pregnant with Sasha at 18, back in our first year in college, gave birth to her at 19, then got married to Damien at 20— 4 years now, and they're still a strong and beautiful couple.

Tanya’s gaze rested on the sofa beside me, a glare still drawn up against Sasha.

“I’m sorry mama, it was an accident.” Sasha apologized sheepishly.

“Go upstairs and start your assignments, your godmother and I need privacy.” She said, her voice a bit calmer than before.

“Yes, mama. I love you.” She kissed Tanya's cheeks and skipped upstairs.

“Now, start speaking.” Tanya leaned closer.

“So… Dax and I got into an argument—”

“That fucking bastard.” She hissed.

“— then I followed your advice and yelled back at him. It made him mad at me, then…” I had to lower my voice to utter the next words, “he told me to get out of his car.”

“Wait, wait, WHAT?!” she exclaimed. “He did what?! He asked you to get out of his car? Oh, that fucking bitch is gonna get a taste of my wrath!” She clenched her fists.

“Please calm down, Tanya. Don’t scare Sasha.” I glanced at the stairs.

“Don’t try to change the topic.” Her face had squeezed into a tight frown. “I’m going to fucking strangle that man. You have to end this madness right now. I’ve been saying this for so many years, Dax doesn’t deserve you!”

“Yes, I know.” I nodded, feeling tears prickle in the corner of my eyes. I sucked in a deep breath, holding the hem of my gown really tight. I knew I had to say the next words in one breath. “I rushed to a club and got really drunk, then there was this really handsome man that took my breath away. I don’t know how but we were both drawn to each other and I slept with him.”

Her eyes went wide. “By 'slept with him', you don’t mean just on the same bed, right?” Her voice was lower.

“You know what I mean,” I frowned back.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” She let out a harsh breath in disbelief, a smile slowly creeping up her lips. “I don’t know what to say. This is… it’s good news, but you know I’ll never advise you to cheat. What are you going to tell Dax?”

“I’ve made up my mind, Tanya.” I sucked in another long breath. “I’m breaking up with Dax.”

“Yes!” She exclaimed in relief. “Dax doesn’t deserve you.”

“I agree with you.” I replied, tears blurring my vision. “I don’t … I don’t ….” I sniffled, dabbing my eyes. “I’ve tried everything I could, he just doesn’t appreciate my worth, and… five years… five years of my effort will just have to go down the drain.” I broke down in tears.

“Aw, honey. I’m so sorry.” She pulled me into a hug.

I buried my head in her shoulder with incessant sobs. “I really love Dax, but he just doesn’t value our relationship as much. I've always tried my best to avoid admitting these, but I can’t help it anymore. He doesn’t treat me with love, he never appreciates anything I do and never misses a chance to remind me that I’m financially stable because of him… he paints me as a gold digger every time. He calls me all sorts of terrible names, treats me like a slave in the house, and only makes me satisfy his sexual desires. It's always about him and him alone, never about me.

“The man from last night made me feel so much pleasure and cared about my emotions in that short while more than Dax had ever done in five years!” I cried.

The door suddenly opened and Damien and Mae walked in in between a short laugh.

Their gaze rested on us and worry washed over their faces.

“What’s wrong?” Mae hurried to sit beside, dropping her bag on the table and began rubbing my back. It was supposed to comfort me but made me cry even more and louder.

“Uh… I’ll leave the three of you to sort this out.” Damien scurried up the stairs and we heard Sasha scream, ‘Daddy!’

“What happened?” Mae asked again, her voice reeked with worry.

“It’s Dax. They got into an argument then he told her to get out of his car in the middle of nowhere.”

“He what?!” Mae shouted.

“Then she went for a drink and hooked up with a sexy man that made her feel really good and somehow did the impossible that we couldn’t achieve in years: he convinced her to break up with Dax.” Tanya summarized.

“She’s breaking up with Dax?!” Mae exclaimed in excitement then cleared her throat. “I mean, yeah… it’s great that you’ll finally get rid of that asshole. Who’s this… uh… sexy man by the way?”

“I don’t even know him. I didn’t ask for his name, no introductions at all.” I sobbed.

Tanya lifted me by my shoulders and cupped my face in her palms. Her thumb grazed against my cheeks to wipe my tears away. “Don’t just cry all day over that bastard. You’ll have to make sure that this breakup hurts him to his core. You’ll make him regret it his whole life for losing such a precious gem.” Her tone was so vicious, it almost scared me. “We’ll plan this breakup so smoothly in a way that’ll shatter his fucking ego!” She had an assuring frown on her face. “Who knows? Maybe it'll be so harsh that he’ll even cry his eyes out afterwards.”

“He deserves that!” Mae agreed.

“Definitely. And I promise you, sugar, I’ll make sure you find this sexy man of yours and make him yours, even if it’ll cost me the last hair on my hair.” She vowed.

I chuckled, shaking my head. The man didn’t matter. I didn’t want a relationship anymore, but I still appreciated that she wanted the best for me.

I pulled them into a joint hug. “I love you both so much, and I mean that.”


A/N: Another Chapter!
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