THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECRET CHILD

*ELITES STREET 3 P.M*

Alina Morales gazed at the worn-out advertisement, her heart racing with a mix of fear and hope. "Nanny Wanted for High-Profile Family." The words whispered promises of a better life, a chance to escape the suffocating grip of poverty.

A chance to make her mother, who had suffered enough get the chance she deserved in living a perfect, comfortable and luxurious life.

With a deep breath, she picked up her phone and dialed the number. A crisp, professional voice answered, and Alina's voice trembled as she introduced herself.

"Uh... I... I'm Alina and I'm calling to inquire about the nanny needed for a..."

The voice at the other end didn't let her finish before cutting her off.

"Please, come to the Blackwood Estate at 3 pm tomorrow," the voice instructed. "Be prepared for an interview with Mr. Blackwood himself."

Alina's mind raced as she hung up. Blackwood? The Blackwood of Blackwood Industries? The man rumored to own half the city?

She already had her hopes high as she disposed the waitress t-shirt she wore to work. Currently, she had a job at 'Crisp Restaurant'.

"Babe, guess what?" Alina asked her best friend just the moment she stepped into the house. She lived with 'Mia'.

Mia wasn't rich but she had enough to provide for herself and Alina. She had a job at one of the Blackwood's companies in the city.

"I don't know, get to the point. You know I hate guessing games." Mia muttered without sparing Alina a glance.

"If this is going to be your attitude, then forget about it." Alina said and she sat on a couch while pulling of her clothes.

"I can't see your uniform on you? What does that mean ? Should I be concerned?" Mia suddenly asked earning a huge smile from Alina who couldn't keep her joy to herself anymore.

"I got a job. That's it Babe..." She said at the top of her voice. Mia had a surprised look evident on her face, then it changed to one of joy. They hugged each other each feeling so much happiness.

The excitement died down after a while. Alina busied herself with searching for a suitable outfit for her interview the next day. She hadn't shared any vital detail about the new job with Mia.

And Mia was worried, she knew her best friend and wanted to know more about the new job she just got. In case she needed any form of advice or such.

"Babe? What's your new job about?" She finally got the courage to ask.

"I'm gonna be a nanny... In a high profile family... I have an interview with Mr. Blackwood tomorrow... Can I borrow a dress?" Alina smiled off her dimples which made her irresistibly cute as always.

"Blackwood? Really?" Mia asked her ignoring the request to borrow a dress.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"There's everything wrong with it okay... Babe, you don't know this... Blackwood guy. And you can't work for him. You also can't be a nanny to his arrogant daughter."

Alina forgot she was searching for a dress while turning to face her friend. She didn't look pleased with what Mia had just said.

"What do you mean I can't?" Alina asked the first question that came to her head.

"He's the ruthless billionaire everyone talks about... Mr. Blackwood Alexander. He owns the whole city, I'm sure you must have heard rumors about him." Mia said, her voice raised this time.

"Mia, I don't need to remind you what the meaning of rumors are..." Alina spoke quietly.

"Those aren't rumors. He's a devil, look... I never complained about taking care of you and your mum. And I'm not complaining... You don't have to do this..."

"You don't even have a reason. You just want me to stay with you and... Keep suffering... Do you know how hard I have to work just so I can feed my mum and give her a comfortable life? Mia... You've done so much for me. Thanks, I appreciate all your efforts as my best friend. But, I can't let you push me around."

Mia gasped.

"You can't tell me what to do... You just can't sit here in your apartment and control my life."

Alina's outburst shocked both she and Mia. They had never had to fight or yell over anything. The both women were so close...

"Wow! Since when did you start feeling that I'm controlling your life uh?" Mia asked with a heavy heart.

"Since today." Alina replied nonchalantly.

"I've been nothing but a good friend to you. And even now, I'm only looking out for you. But, if you feel like I want to ruin your precious life? Then... I'll gladly stay away." Mia said before leaving the room not without banging the door.

Alina scoffed before rolling her eyes and continued search the wardrobe for the dress she would put on tomorrow for her interview.

~ ~

*BLACKWOOD ESTATE, NEXT MORNING*

"Daddy, do you love me?" Light streamed into the room that morning bringing a four year old girl and a man on the bed.

"Yes of course baby girl, why would you ask?" The man looked surprisingly at the child who just smiled.

"That's all I want to hear. I love you too, so very much Daddy." The child whispered and she leaned in, planting a very soft kiss on the man's cheek.

"I love you more than you can ever imagine, Emma." The man said lying still for a while until he felt her breath become steady. She was asleep finally.

He kissed her forehead before covering her with the duvet and exiting the room.

That's him, Alexander Blackwood... He's just twenty four year old and already a billionaire... Currently the world's best CEO at twenty four.

Alexander got into his study slamming it shut and taking a chair. He was sweaty all off a sudden and his breath increased. He still got nightmares after all these years.

Nightmares that stopped since he made it a daily routine to sleep beside his adopted daughter 'Emma'. But he can't keep doing that. Emma doesn't let him leave for work each morning meaning he has to stop letting her wake up and seeing him.

Alexander held his head tightly as the memories flashed in, causing a terrible headache and severe pain. His subconscious told him to take his pills, but he had trashed them out. He had to stop living on pills,

"Make it stop!! Please!!!" He muttered, his eyes soaked with tears. The memories kept banging at his head.

His arrival and the betrayal from his family, his encounter with hoodlums, his encounter with the girl he was forced to rape that fateful night for the exchange of his mother's life, which was useless as she was killed later,

"Aaarrrrrgggghhhh!!!" He yelled as he punched the table and went down on his knees.

"Daddy!"

That voice, he looked up as she ran into the study to him, wrapping her tiny hands around his neck as he sobbed.

"It's okay, don't cry." She said, her voice comforting. Emma carefully placed his head on her laps as they were sitted on the floor.

"Daddy, every thing would be fine okay? Men don't cry... And you are a brave man... I don't like seeing you cry." Emma said in a very small voice.

"I won't cry anymore baby."

"Promise?" She asked stroking his very soft hair, he nodded smiling.

"I love you." She muttered and kissed his hair.