The Billionaires(#1)

35

Anita Simmons had waited for this day all her life. A few days ago, she would have jumped at the idea of seating at the back of her brother's car. However, that was not the case anymore; she was in the car with him and she actually wanted to run away from him.

The car ride back to his hotel was short, but it felt like the longest ride of her life. All this time, she felt like she was sitting next to a statue - a man that could not talk. She was grateful when the car came to a stop in front of his hotel. The driver stepped out and opened the door for her, and Javier opened his own door. She muttered a small thank you to the driver and followed Javier into the hotel.

Everyone seemed to know him, especially the hotel staff. Anita felt really uncomfortable; she did not miss the nasty stares that everyone was giving her, especially the girls who worked at the reception. As if sensing her discomfort, Javier stopped and followed her eyes, and when he caught the women staring, he took her hand. "Come with me." He ordered and pulled her towards the reception desk. When they saw him coming, the women started to look too busy. "Is there a problem here?" He asked, and none of them dared to look up.

"Javier." Anita tugged at his arm, and his head turned to her in surprise. He had never heard her voice that close and the way she said his name made him forget everything he had at the tip of his tongue. She was looking at him and pleading to him with her eyes. Javier was ready to understand, until one of the receptionists spoke.

"It is Mr Mendoza." Javier turned to the woman, and she flinched at the look he gave her. Without saying anything, he lifted his arm in the air and snapped his fingers twice, and before anyone could register what was happening, his two bodyguards appeared and stood next to him. Without looking at them, he ordered, "Gentlemen, please escort Elisa out of the building; make sure that she leaves nothing of hers behind because I don't want her to set her foot into this hotel again." Anita and everyone who was around gasped in shock.

"Javier..." Anita said, looking at him with wide eyes, but he did not pay her any heed.

"If there is anyone else who would like to say something to my sister, say it now; we don't have all day!" He spoke louder this time, and more shocked gasps exploded. The other women's faces turned beet-red with embarrassment, and Anita was lost for words.

"Mr Mendoza, please, I'm sorry...please forgive me. Miss, please, I'm begging you, speak to him." The woman said and tried to grab Anita, but Javier shielded her by shoving her behind him, and then he ordered the men to get rid of the woman. Without saying anything else, he walked away, and Anita had to run after him.

"Hey, you didn't have to do that." She said breathlessly as she finally caught up to him.

"Don't worry, she had it coming." Was all he said. They took the elevator, and minutes later, Anita was sitting in his hotel suite. "Would you like anything to drink?" He asked, and she shook her head. Javier sighed and sat down next to her. He leaned back against the couch and stared at the ceiling.

He had never been in such an awkward situation before, and he actually needed a drink, but he could not drink because he wanted to make a good impression on his long lost sister. He did not even know what to say to her to clear this uncomfortable silence.

"Why have you been ignoring my calls?" He suddenly asked, and Anita fiddled with her fingers.

Ever since Javier's PA called to cancel their dinner, Javier had been trying to call her, but she ignored his calls. She did not want to hear what his PA had to say to cover for him. He had cancelled on her, and that really stung.

"I thought it was your PA calling to come up with more important reasons why you cancelled our dinner meeting." She said sharper than she had intended and she bit her tongue in guilt.

Ah, so that's why she didn't answer! Javier thought as he shifted uncomfortably. "But it was me, not my secretary; you should have answered to find out." He said stubbornly, and Anita shot him a glare.

"So, I was supposed to answer your call so that you could tell me the reasons yourself when you failed to tell me that you were not going to be there to meet with me in the first place?" She asked.

"No, my secretary would have done that." Javier shrugged nonchalantly.

"That's the whole damn point!" Anita shouted and stood up, taking Javier by surprise. "You are handling this whole thing like some business deal; you are handling ME like I am a business deal." She said and threw her hands on her sides. "Javier, do you have any idea how much this means to me? I've spent the past eight years of my life searching for you, because I wanted to have a chance at having a family for once, my real family, but obviously, this doesn't mean anything to you. I am an inconvenience in your life." She said the last past in a broken whisper.

Javier looked taken aback for a moment, and then his face hardened. "You know, you are right; you are an inconvenience in my life!" He suddenly shouted, and Anita took a step back. "You ruined my life. I used to be free and I could do everything I wanted at my own time, but now I have to stop my life because of a stupid girl like you." He shouted, and Anita flinched. His words were like a splash of cold water and a knife to the heart. Any hope she had left in her, evaporated into thin air. "What is it that you want from me, huh?" He asked menacingly and got up from the couch. "Is it money that you want?" He took a step towards her. "How much do you want?" He asked and stopped in front of her. "Just name your price and we can put an end to this whole thing, and then we can all go back to our old lives."

Anita promised herself that she would not cry in front of him, and she did not. She slapped him on the face, grabbed her handbag and left his hotel, and he did not even try to run after her.