The Billionaire's Recovery

Growing Up

 Conrad had just finished reading the report on her when the stewardess got his attention. He watched as Andre brought Claire to the plane. She seemed intimidated. His men assured him that she had made it into the private rooms without a hitch and that Andre was doing the pickup himself. She boarded the plane with wide eyes of excitement and wonder.

"First time on a private place, I see."

"Yes," she answered breathlessly while taking the seat next to him. "It shames my apartment, for sure. You own this?"

"No, but not because I can't afford it. As a bookkeeper you can understand proper budgeting. In order for it to be worthwhile for the company to own the plane, pay the insurance, mechanic, and pilot, we would have to use it more than thirty five times a year. We have never gone over eighteen times. It just doesn't warrant the cost of ownership."

"I can fully appreciate that. I have done work for companies that go through money so fast and needlessly. It is good to hear that not everyone is like that."

"Once we take off and get clearance, dinner will be served. Why don't you look at the menu now so that they can start on the preparations?"

"Wow, so many choices," she said with a nervous laugh.

"There are more menus," Conrad said with a smile, "but too many choices usually lead to indecision."

"Shall we toast to the health of our child and to the beginning of a new relationship," he asked raising his wine glass.

"Are you sure you want to start with alcohol?"

"I know myself," Conrad responded while shrugging his shoulders. "The last three months were on purpose. It won't happen again unless I want it."

"So tell me please," Conrad began after the appetizer was removed, "how much to you know about me?"

She blushed. "Only what it says on Wikipedia. I looked you up when I realized I was with child."

"Do you mind giving me the details? I would love to hear the cold facts. Was it juicy?"

"You mean you never looked it up yourself," she asked with an incredulous laugh.

"To be honest, I never thought of it, but now that you have given me the idea, I would prefer hearing it in a nice sweet voice, rather than to read it. I'll let you know if something is incorrect."

"Well, your childhood seemed to be the standard middleclass until the end of high school."

"True."

"During summer vacation prior to going to college you disappeared for two years with no recollection of what had happened while you were gone. Since your return and your father's company recently becoming a billionaire company were not far apart, there was speculation that your parents were able to spend a lot more money than previously and found you."

"Not exactly. They were spending a lot of money to find me and the fact that the business had become what it is, allowed my parents to spend freely on private investigators. However, they did not find me. I remember waking up in a ditch near a Police Station. I walked myself in, introduced myself and said I don't know how I got into that ditch. I had not even realized that two years had passed."

"Ouch. Did you ever get your memory back?"

"None whatsoever." Though that was true, he wasn't going to go into the fact that only he and Andre knew that he had obviously learned some sinister things while he was gone.

"That is what Wikipedia says too. They say that you were checked by top doctors, who declared you in decent condition, but they gave no assurance that your memory will return for those years."