The Bankrupt Billionaire 

Gareth Anna's POV

I still had unclear eyes and the next day, I was going to find out more about this. I went to bed with a take-home worry. Sam's words kept on echoing in my head.

“Tomorrow, you will get married…” 

___________________

It was the creaking of the door that woke me up the next day. I woke up with a hangover due to too much alcohol consumption the previous day. I looked towards the door only to see Emily with a devilish smile. This got me scared and I almost jumped off the bed. 

“Calm down, little girl!” Emily smiled wildly while showcasing her dentition. If I was to be truthful with myself, she had a very nice set of dentitions. However, her flaws made her teeth look like that of the devil.

I stood up to confront Emily. I wasn't going to allow her to bully me early in the morning.

“I am your elder sister, Emily…” I told her simply. “That is enough reason for you to know that I am not a little girl.”

“Okay, big girl…” Emily laughed at me. “You are such a big girl with no money. You are as poor as a church rat and you have to depend on my father's money. You can't even change that phone of yours. Come on, you've been using it for ages!”

“Shut your filthy mouth, Emily,” I commanded her angrily. “Firstly, the person I depend on is my father, okay? Also, all the phones you've used all your life were bought for you by our father. If it hurts you that much, you can buy one for me. I will humbly accept!”

Emily began to laugh at me. I didn't mind this at all.

“I didn't come for this…” Emily revealed. “I just came to tell you that you might have to brace up for the announcement you will get today. And also, Dan is a very sweet man. He sucked my pussy like no man had ever done to me.”

“Shut it!” I shouted at her disgustedly. I was breathing heavily now. “You dare steal my man and you still had the guts to fabricate the true story. You derive pleasure in making me look awful, right?”

“You can say that again!” Emily said loudly. “I will hold Dan firmly. He is very rich, you know. He is amazing at lovemaking as well. Did I tell you that he made me have an orgasm twice yesterday? That man is a beast!”

“Get out!” I urged angrily.

“His body frame is so…” Emily was saying again. I could take this no longer and I pushed her outside my room. I jammed the door after her and burst into tears. 

That betrayal remained evergreen in my heart. 

But then, there was more to come. Emily spoke about an announcement. I didn't know what it was going to be but I could tell it wouldn't be in my favor at all.

___________________

And truly, it wasn't in my favor at all. 

“You have to marry Smith…” Sam told me at the dining table. “He is the solution to our company's problem currently. His company has a fairly good reputation and that's all we need.”

I was dazed for a few seconds. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I had a very sad and lonely childhood and my aim had always been to build a happy family after my marriage. There was no way I would be able to do this if I was being forced to marry someone whom I didn't even know. 

This was absurd.

“I can't do this, dad…” I objected. “I don't know him from anywhere. How do you expect me to cohabitate with him? I don't know him. He is a stranger. As my father, you ought to feel uncomfortable when giving me to a stranger. It makes no sense!”

I could see my stepmother, Sally, smiling while watching this scene. Emily, who was pressing her phone, seemed so amused as well.

“If you will shut your mouth for ten seconds together and ponder on what I have told you, you would likely understand what I mean here!” Sam shouted at me. “The family's business is at stake here and you have to marry him!”

I was ready to end this manipulation here.

“I won't do that, dad!” I stood up angrily. “You can disown me and replace me with Emily. I never used to be a priority in your life. I am not even the one inheriting the company. I don't think it's necessary for me to take on such a hectic task! Emily is the successor, let her do her thing!”

“Shut up your mouth!” Sam shouted angrily. I could see him raising his hand to slap me once more.

I held his hand halfway.

“Do not try it, dad…” I told him slowly. “If you do, I could bite your fingers off. I have always accepted everything from you but I won't take this, I promise!”

I left his hand but as soon as I had left his hand, he slapped me. I didn't expect this and this made me fall.

Emily burst into laughter. 

“Don't do that, baby girl,” Sally told her daughter. “She might be senseless and useless but you shouldn't laugh at her. Just watch your dad punish her!”

I stood up from the floor and began to move off. My dad was blocking my path. It pained me that my biological father was the one spearheading this scheme against me.

“You will do what I want, Anna,” Sam told me. “Provided that I am your father.”

I pushed him aside and left. Time would tell which path I would follow.

_________________

The next day, I was at the courtroom exchanging marriage vows with Smith Clifford whom I barely knew. 

Yeah, the progression was unexpected for me as well. I never knew I would accept the proposal. 

I had a rethink. Truly, my father's company was at the verge of bankruptcy and if this arranged marriage would help work things out, I was going to do it. I struck a deal with my dad and this deal obliged him to help Jake, my eighteen years old friend if I accepted the arranged marriage deal.

And with this, I was at the courtroom taking vows all because I wanted to satisfy my family and friends. Feel free to call me the sacrificial lamb. 

But Smith wasn't a bad looking man. In fact, he was very handsome. He was everything I couldn't find in Dan, my ex-boyfriend. Smith was tall, slim, muscular, and athletic. He was very handsome and cute as well. Apart from all these, he was calm, humble, and manly.

I got to know he was a billionaire through Emily and later, I came to know that he was bankrupt.

“Congratulations, Anna…” Emily had told me when we were backstage. “You must be so happy to have Smith. He is a billionaire, you know…”

I got interested right away. I didn't like this arranged marriage of a thing but I didn't want Emily to meet me like that. I had to prove to her that I was happy even when I wasn't.

“Yeah,” I smiled at her. “He is a billionaire and of course, I have to be excited.”

Emily began to laugh. I didn't know why she was joking again here. I simply watched her as she unfolded her full package of jealousy.

“But were you told that he is bankrupt? He is a billionaire in debt if that's what you would like to hear…” Emily unraveled while still laughing at me mockingly. “He has nothing but debts. I wish you luck in your marriage filled with debts. And yeah, more debts to incur!”

I stared at Emily blankly as she left the scene. I was really unlucky. I was arranged in marriage with a pauper? Oh no!

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Actually, this narrative was changed very soon. Money didn't matter to me at all.

I knew I was in for a lot of surprises when I got to Smith's residence. It was a very big house and I loved it so much. The interior and the exterior were very beautiful and this was still something to be worried about.

But then, I found out that there was only one maid in that big house. The maid's duties were so much and I had to share the responsibilities with her. Apart from the maid, all we had were two security men at the gate. When I talked about it to Smith, he told me that he could only afford to pay three workers and since our security mattered a lot, we needed two security guards. One in the morning, the other at night. 

It wasn't a bed of roses. I had to work my ass off to get the house running fine.

But where Smith lacked money, he filled it up with love. I could still remember our first night together. We were expected to solemnize our marriage with lovemaking that night.

___________________

“I understand you are feeling insecure and believe me, I am ready to wait for as long as you wish…” Smith told me solemnly. “No matter what happens, I will be there to protect your feelings, okay?”

“Thank you…” I muttered.

He went to sleep but then, I had fallen in love with him already. This singular act of his had paved the way to my heart.

Slowly, I came closer and slept on him. I could see him open his eyes urgently.

“I love you, Smith…” I con

fessed. “I am ready. I am ready to have you!” 

Right at that moment, someone dashed in, catching both of us in this mood.