The Billionaire's Purpose (COMPLETED) #Wattys2021

Chapter Eight

Josiah called Naomi's phone for the umpteenth time but the call went straight to voicemail. He also leftover thirty text messages and she did not reply.

Instead, he found that his messages would not be delivered.

He was very worried since she did not return home last night and his guilt was driving him crazy.

"Sir, would you like to drive around and look for her? Andy ask and Josiah quickly nodded while grabbing his wallet.

Andy and Josiah both left the house heading towards the car. He quickly sat in the backseat while checking his phone to see if she replied.

"Did you check her credit card purchase?" Andy asks a nervous Josiah.

"Yes, and she has not made any purchases. I also tried to locate her phone but it is like she disappeared.

We drove around the streets of Los Angeles looking for her. Josiah even took the liberty of going to the place that he first found her.

Tomorrow was supposed to be her first day working as Josiah's assistant.

"Can you please drop me off at the plaza?" Josiah asked Andy who nodded.

He exits the car after telling Andy to pick him up in thirty minutes.

He removed the picture that they took of her for her worker's Id.

"Oh my gosh," some teens squealed when they saw him.

"It is you," they said walking up to him.

"Can I take a picture?" some ask and he quickly nodded.

After they took the pictures he showed them the photo of Naomi.

"Have you seen this woman?" he ask and they looked at each other.

"Isn't she that homeless girl?" one of them asked.

"she looks different," they said among themselves.

"The last time I saw her she was coming out if that Pawn Shop last night" one of the boys answered.

"Thank you," he said and rushed into the shop. There was no one at the front so he frantically rang the bell.

"Am coming" a voice shouted from around the back.

He waited for the man and when he did Josiah proceeded to ask the same questions.

"Oh, you that billionaire bachelor," the owner said after finally recognizing him.

"I am, have you seen her or not?" Josiah asked losing his patience.

"Yeah, she came in here last night to sell an iPhone" he answered and Josiah a sigh of relief.

"Do you have any idea where she went after leaving?" he asks and the owner contemplated.

"I have a camera in the back. But what will you give me in return?" the owner asked.

Josiah thought about it before removing two thousand dollars from his wallet.

"Let me see the footage first," he said and the man quickly nodded.

~

Naomi walked inside the restaurant wearing the same clothing from last night.

"Table for one," she said to the clerk.

"This way ma'am," she said leading her to the table.

She placed a menu on the table before leaving.

Naomi took a glance over the menu before deciding what she will be eating.

"Hi I am your waitress Anna," a lady said walking up to her.

"Hi" she replied.

"Do you know what you want to drink?"Anna said standing in front of Naomi.

"A strawberry lemonade," she said and Anna wrote it down.

"Are you ready to order?" she asks and Naomi nodded eagerly.

"Can I have the Colorado Omelette with a side oh hash browns?"

"Yes ma'am will that be all?" the waitress asked.

"Yes," she said and Anna left.

Josiah watched the clip over and over trying to locate the number of the taxi.

"Can you zoom in on the number?" Josiah as Carl the owner.

"It's on the opposite side so we won't be able to see it" Carl replied.

A sigh left Josiah's lips around the same time that his private investigator called. 

"Did you find her?" he asks as soon as he answered.

"Yes she is in the Ihop on 6th street," he said.

"Good job," Josiah said before hanging up.

"Thank you for your help," Josiah told Carl before leaving the pawnshop.

He rushed outside and saw Andy waiting for him.

"Ihop on 6th street," he said as soon as he got in the car.

Andy drove off without another word and they made their way through the traffic. Josiah never saw himself as someone who would be chasing a female, but she was different.

"Is she the one?" Andy asks for the first time.

Josiah knew very well what he was talking about but he did not know the answer to the question,

"Yeah she is my new assistant," he said playing dumb.

Andy started laughing causing Josiah to laugh because they both knew what he was talking about.

They finally pulled up to the Ihop and Josiah rushed out the car and made his way inside.

"Have you seen her?" he asked the clerk who remembered Naomi. She pointed towards the direction where Naomi was sitting alone.

"Thank you," he said as he made his way over there.

Naomi felt the presence of someone behind her. She waited for the person to leave.

"Naomi" he heard her voice and she froze.

She set her fork down and finished chewing the piece of omelet.

Josiah took a seat in front of her and she refused to stare at him.

"Look at me please" he begged but she looked away.

"What do you want?" Naomi finally asks while playing with her food.

"I want to apologize for what happened last night. I shouldn't have blamed you for what happened" he replied.

"Okay," she said casually.

"Are you ready?" he asks her.

"I am not coming back with you. I am very thankful for what you did for me, but after what happened last night it shows that you can't depend on everyone" she said and he stared at her.

"What about the job?" he asks and she thought about it.

"I can still be your assistant am just not living with you. My time was almost up anyway" she told him.

"Where are you staying?" he asks her once it became quiet.

"I don't think that is a good idea" she answered and he nodded in understanding.

"You can use the card to get new outfits or you can get the ones at the house" he tried to reason.

"Okay" she replied at the same time she took out her money to pay.

"Don't worry, I will pay" he replied and she only nodded her head.

She left at a twenty-dollar tip for Anna before leaving.

"Josiah Maelburn is this your new girlfriend?"

"How does it feel to be taking over your family business?"

"Flavor of the month?"