Treating Mr. Billionaire

~ Prologue ~

He sighed with relief, his grin widening as he set the phone aside. He drank the rest of the coffee in one go, feeling satisfied after finishing the entire cup.

He glanced over to the clock on the wall, noting the time. It was past ten o'clock and he was surprised to find himself enjoying the peacefulness of the almost empty shop. No bodyguards were lurking around him, watching his every move and waiting to pounce on any form of suspicious behavior towards him. That kind of freedom could be obtained only by ditching work and outsmarting those who wanted to keep tabs on him and he would definitely try that again.

He placed the empty mug on the table and retrieved his items before making his way to the door.

Outside the shop, he stepped out into the dimly lit pathway along the sidewalk. He looked up to the sky and noted how the stars were starting to appear. He smiled at the sight of the twinkles of lights against the darkness.

The breeze of the night was cool and refreshing, almost as if the sky itself was trying to bid him farewell. He walked slowly, allowing his senses to soak into the different scents surrounding him. The air carried the scent of the sea mixed with the odor of the nearby restaurants, the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies from the local bakery, and the faint fragrance of fresh flowers from the shop across the road.

He inhaled deeply, enjoying the moment until a horrific alcoholic stench made his nose wrinkle in distaste. He had not made much notice to the strangers passing by, however, the smell was strong enough to make him pause, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

His head twisted in the direction of the foul stench, his eyes scanning to his side until they located the source. It was coming from a woman standing a few feet away from him, her back facing him. Her long hair was tied up in a ponytail, her body wrapped in a black coat and similar colored skirt, and her feet clad in thick boots.

He stared at her for a moment longer, almost glaring at her in disgust, displeased that her company had ruined his moment of relaxation, but the woman who seemed to have bigger problems than to worry about others' opinions about her smell did not apprehend his gaze.

The pity-clicking of his tongue was heard as he rushed some steps away from her, as though she had a deadly communicable disease. Knowing how much treasured his alone time was, he was not looking forward to having it ruined by someone who roamed around with the evidence of drunkenness.

The lady in question shifted her weight from one foot to the other, tapping her toes nervously against the ground. She appeared to be muttering words to herself, mumbling something under her breath. But whatever she was saying was too quiet for him to hear clearly.

He assumed the demons had purposely sent the drunk stranger to interrupt his solitude when the lady's twitchy feet began to pace to and from his position. She continued her walking movements in circles around him, turning in circles while staring at her feet.

He groaned mentally each time she stepped on his loafers, his annoyance rising as he watched her repetitive actions. He frowned, wondering why he had to deal with such a nuisance.

As if sensing his impatience, the woman stopped mid-step, her hands hovering over her mouth as she stopped moving and began to walk away wordlessly.

"Thank goodness. What kinds of crazy people fill the streets nowadays?" He muttered with relief, adjusting his thick coats as if she ever touched them. He did not want to find out what kind of germs she was carrying and how they might infect him.

His brown eyes followed the woman's path as she walked away, her feet shuffling repeatedly and occasionally tripping over a cracked piece of pavement. He watched her go, his brows squeezing as he observed she was moving towards the road.