College Senior and actress Savannah Duley meets complicated and repressed billionaire business mogul, Alexander Holt, who soon becomes obsessed with Savannah and pressures her to sign what he calls his "marriage contract." Savannah is soon wrapped u...
"So," Jonas says after practice a few days later. "How are things with your billionaire?"
"It's okay," I say.
"Just okay?" he asks. "Why just okay?"
I shrug. "Yeah. I don't know. I like him, but there are things about him that just make me worried about any long-term relationship. I'm just keeping my distance for a while."
Jonas nods. "That's understandable. But can I ask if it's something specific? Like did something happen?"
I get my phone out and show him an anonymous text I got the previous morning.
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After reading the texts, Jonas says, "Oh, wow... I'm sorry, Savannah. What are you gonna do?"
I shrug. "I'm not sure. Do I believe this or not?"
"I don't know. I'm sure he has a line of women you're making jealous right now. I mean, that could be anyone just trying to cause trouble. Who is Naomi Pierce? Has he mentioned her?"
"He has. I don't really know who she is."
"I don't know what to tell you to do. Maybe just confront him directly about it? Are you spending the holidays with him at all?"
"I doubt it," I say and think about what Alexander said on the plane ride back... how he does nothing for Christmas.
"Why not?" Jonas asks.
"I dunno. I just feel like spending the holidays together means a committed relationship."
"Savannah, I'm not one to meddle in other people's business..."
"Ha! Yeah, okay," I say with a laugh.
"Anyway... but this guy paid for your play to go on, he took you to France, he bought you a car... What more can he do to prove he is interested in you?"
I shrug. "I'm just worried about why he's doing all of this, Jonas. It isn't normal. Is it?"
"You're right, it's not. That's why you need to stick it out. I mean, at least let him explain the text."
I walk to my car, thinking about Jonas's words, and decide to go to Alexander's office. It's been a few days since we've talked and I know he's trying to give me my space. But now with this, I feel like .
I walk inside Holt Tower and the doorman greets me. "Good afternoon, Miss Duley. How are you this fine day?"
"I'm very well. You?"
"I'm doing very well. Thank you for asking. Heading up to see the boss this afternoon?"
"I am," I say.
"Very good. I'll phone up and let the office know you're arriving," he says.
I walk to the elevator, push the button, and step on. The whole ride to the top, I can't help but think about Alexander and how sad his life is... how he has a daughter he never sees, how he spends Christmas alone... but I also think about the women, the contract, everything. I step off the elevator and his secretary says, "Mr. Holt is in his office."
I say nothing back to her as I walk off to Alexander's office and knock.
"Come in," he says.
When I get in there, I see a woman in a suit sitting across from his desk with her skirt hiked up her legs as she leans on her knees seductively.
"Savannah, this is Naomi Pierce. Naomi, this is my girlfriend, Savannah."
I say nothing, and I think Alexander can see that I want to talk to him because he says, "Naomi, can we continue this another time?"
Naomi glances at me and says, "Of course. Anything for you, Xander."
I want so badly to roll my eyes, but I don't. Naomi grabs her things and heads out the door, bumping into me on her way past.
"Sorry about that, Savannah. I wasn't aware you were coming by today."
"I didn't know I was coming either," I say and sit in the chair next to the one Naomi had been sitting in.
"I'm happy you did," he says and stands from behind his desk, walking around to me. "You haven't texted or anything. I was starting to think maybe I'd upset you."
"Yeah, um...I uh..." I stammer, tucking my hair behind my ear, and look away from him.
"Is something wrong?"
"Hm?"
"Is something wrong?" he asks again.
"Alexander, who is she and why was she here?"
"Naomi? She's a business associate. Why?" he says, seeming frustrated as he leans on his desk.
"I got a text yesterday."
He glances up at me. "What did it say?"
I pull my phone from my bag and take it over to him, showing him the text. After he reads through it, he says, "Naomi Pierce is a business associate. That is all. I'm not sure who sent this to you, but whoever it is, they are only trying to cause problems. Listen, forget about this. My sister wants to see you, so I was hoping maybe you'd have dinner with us tonight."
"Oh, um... where?"
"Jocelyn's boyfriend owns a pub downtown. We were going to meet there."
