The Billionaire's Revenge

Done deal

Jade left the office building on wobbly legs, not really seeing anything because she was living in her own mind. Mark didn't seem like a bad guy at first, he remained calm and collected while she accused him off a lot of things. Then he suggested something to her which didn't feel right to her. It made her doubt his character. There was no way he suggested what he did because he had genuine intentions toward her.
Unlocking her car she got behind the wheel and inhaled deeply, trying to get rid of the anxiety which started building in her stomach and making her heart race. She promised herself she'd do whatever he wanted to get her mother their house back, but now she was doubting herself. Willing to break a promise to herself for the very first time.
She jumped when she heard rapid knocking on her window. Tilting her head to the side her breathing picked up when she met Mark's stormy gaze. Rolling her window down she watched him reach for something in his pocket and handed it to her. It was a business card.

"I've wrote down my personal number on the back." He told her, "Let me know what you've decided."

"Okay."

"You have till this Friday, Jade."

"Okay."

He didn't move away so she figured he wasn't done talking. He didn't say anything for a while, just taking her in. She wanted to ask him if something was on his mind but then he continued talking.

"There is no saving your father. The evidence speaks for itself, he is guilty and will be put away for life. Your mom, she'll lose all her savings and will have nowhere else to go. From what you've told me, she isn't someone who can live independently. You'll have to take care of her the rest of your life, but she won't be grateful because you won't be able to offer her the same lifestyle your father had. Slowly things will get so bad between you two you'll get sick of living with your mother. You'll end up blaming each other for the miserable life your father made you live."

"Sounds like you know what you're talking about."

"I've been there, Jade. Different reasons but same ending. It will be tough and horrible, do you really want to go through that?"

"What happened to your mother?"

"She got remarried and is now someone else's problem."

"You're not talking to her anymore."

"I rarely talk to her. Too much shit between us to make things right."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

She placed her hands around her steering wheel and squeezed it tightly, "Because it's my father who made you go through all that." She flickered her eyes back to him, "Why would you want to marry the daughter of a man who destroyed your life?"

"Does the reason why really matter? In the end both of us get what we wanted."

"It matters to me."

"It's personal." He glanced over his shoulder, "I need to run, call me whenever you've made up your mind."

With that he walked away. Leaving her to figure out why he wanted to marry her. She knew deep down what his intentions were though, it wasn't that hard to figure out. He didn't want to tell her because he figured she'd run when he told her the truth. And she knew she should actually run. But the reasons he gave her for accepting his deal made a lot of sense, he wasn't wrong. She had till Friday to make a decision, she'd take her time because whatever she decided she'd do would change her life forever.

***

Arriving back at her apartment, Jade tossed her keys in the bowl by the door. She locked up the apartment and headed to the living room, her mom laying on the couch still curled up in a blanket while she watched a cooking show. As she entered the room her mother's eyes flickered to her.