A BARGAIN WITH MR BILLIONAIRE

I shrugged off my coat and hung it on the rack, the air around me was tense but I ignored it, blowing into my palms for warmth. I could hear the familiar sounds of the kitchen which instantly lifted my mood. I was starving and the chef was certainly whipping up something delicious.

I stood beside my dad as he scrolled through The New York Times on his Tablet. I really have never understood the joy these adults get from reading the news, if anything, I'd rather watch than read.

“Dad, I wanted to speak to you about our new clients from the Russian Fintech company, I was thinking perhaps I could-” I was cut of my the clipped nail cutting tone of my step mother.

“Your father hasn't told you?” Both I and my dad turned our heads in attention to her, he appeared as confused as I was.

“Told me what? I don't think he has mentioned anything about the Russians, is there a problem dad?” I asked, turning my attention back to him.

He opened his mouth but she was quick to cut him off as well.

“Not at all my darling, it's just that your sister Audrey would now be in charge of that project. You can go do whatever it is you usually do, she will handle it.”

“Audrey? Audrey doesn't know shit about the company and she would only make us lose a whole lot of money,” is what I was going to say but somehow, I never seem to find the voice to say things like that in the presence of my step mother.

My heart sank as her words registered themselves. I had worked so hard to finally earn my place in the family business, and now they were just taking this away from me?

"But... but why? I've been working so hard, these are my clients.” I started, turning to my dad.

“How come? I was the one doing the follow up on these clients from the onset, it's my project. I have invested money into this.” I managed to force out, taking a gulp.

“Money from the company, might I add.” Audrey chirped in, joining us in the sitting room.

“MY Money” I corrected, starting to get slightly ticked off.

I had spent the last three months doing nothing but studying the market and the build up that surrounds this company. This was my gig, my client, my investment.

I already had a one on one meeting with the CEO two months ago, what were they talking about.

"Please, just tell me what I did wrong. I'll do anything to fix it. I just want to make you happy and I'm thinking of the growth of the company. " Audrey looked at me with a blank expression on her face.

"Sophia, it's not about what you did wrong. Just….” he sighed.

“I have spoken with the CEO of the company already, and I made him understand that he would be doing business with someone else. He seemed a bit reluctant at first, said he liked your business etiquette but I was able to convince him that the person taking over was basically the same person as you, given that she's your sister,” his gruff voice sounded although he barely raised his head from the screen of that tablet.

I couldn't help but snort, I and Audrey, basically the same person? I loved my sister but we were nothing alike.

“Okay dad.” It was certainly not okay.

Audrey gave me a smile to which I returned with a half hearted one of my own. My stepmother took a seat with Audrey right behind her, mimicking her actions.

I looked to each of them raising a brow in question. Why were they seated like they were about to gang up on me.

“Have you spoken to David today?” My dad asked, finally dropping his tablet and paying full attention to the rest of the world.

“Uhm….not really, just some texts here and there, why?”

“Call him, call him and tell him that we're waiting for him.” My step mother chirped in.

I looked to her with confusion evident on my face but went ahead to dial David's number.

“Hey, where are you?” I said immediately he picked up.

“Oh hey Soph, how are you? I was going to call you later” He replied with a forced chuckle.

“Well uh, I'm at home and my step mother said to tell you that they are waiting for you, you didn't mention that you were meeting them.”

He was silent for some seconds before sighing softly. “I'm sorry baby, I've been so busy these past few days, I must have forgotten I didn't mention it to you. Let them know I'm close though, I'm driving now so let's hang up now, okay?” He said kissing his teeth.

He did that mainly when he was lying.

Lying about what though? There's no big deal if he was not on the way yet, they can just talk whenever he comes by.

Shrugging my shoulders, I turned to relay his words to them before excusing myself to go upstairs and freshen up.

Entering into the small room that I've been using since I was 14, I locked the door behind me.

I walked to where my shoes were kept, I crossed my legs on the floor and pulled out a dusty shoe box from the bottom. I opened it to pull out the one single thing I had left of my mother. It was an old photo that had faded out on the edges. A beautiful woman was carry a 5 year old me in her arms, we were both smiling widely at the camera when the shot was taken.

I pushed the shoe box to the left side of my thighs held the pictures in my hands.

Closing my eyes, I just lay there. Me and my mum, a beautiful duo.

*****

“We cannot keep putting off on telling her when I and Audrey have been agreed to marry in a few weeks. Sophie needs to know and she needs to know now, I have to call off the wedding.”

Audrey? Marry? Wedding? Was my sister getting married?