THE BILLIONAIRE'S BEAUTIFUL MISTAKE

Chapter One

Cadenza Rowan sat at the edge of her bed, playing with her fingers as she was in deep thought. She had news to tell her parents, and she was sure they wouldn't like her news one bit. Even though it might upset them, she still felt it was better they heard it directly from her rather than find out in a shameful way that would break their hearts.

She picked her night-black hair into a ponytail and wiped the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks, she should stop pitying herself, and she sucked in a deep breath as she muttered words of encouragement to herself.

It would probably be best if she said it over dinner. Everyone would be present, and the only time the family is complete is during meals. The Rowan family's tradition is that no matter what, you are not allowed to skip meal gatherings, and it's the only time they have to each other as a whole family.

"Cadenza!" A small gasp escaped her slightly parted lips when she heard her mother's voice from the other end of the room, she was probably calling her because dinner was ready. Cadenza jumped out of her bed and wiped her face with the back of her hands, using her pinky finger to wipe away the tears at her lower eyelids, she didn't want her mother to figure out anything before she told them. "Don't just stay locked up in your room, it's dinner time."

"I'm coming!" She yelled back as she ran into the bathroom to wash her face, she was thankful her mother didn't choose to come in, she would have figured out something was wrong in a minute and would probably force her to tell her what it was. She dried her face with the towel hanging against the shower, she felt her heart skip another beat when she realized that her father would also be present at the dining table.

Her father, Rhett Rowan, head of the Rowan family is a no-nonsense person, he is a very religious man who aspires to have a position in the church and is very strict with his daughters just because of something like this.

Yet, she allowed it to happen. He would never forgive her for this. She could already foretell how tonight would go. Even though she was shaking and contemplating whether to tell them or not, she had already determined to do it tonight.

"Put your phone away, Cabrini." Rhett barked at his second daughter, Cabrini frowned but didn't argue, she knew better than to argue with her father, she set the phone at the sides of her rice bowl and picked up her spoon.

"Don't be too hard on the girl, Rhett." Grannie Nell chuckled when she noticed just how much Cabrini was scared of her father, she set down the bowl of eggs on the table close to her son. "She is just the right age to know how the internet works."

"She is always typing on that phone, and I keep telling them, the internet is a device created by the devil to cause distractions," Rhett said again, that ever since he joined his church two years ago, he had been such a fanatic, he even discarded his phone so he could have the opportunity to hold a position with them.

"Oh, honey, Cabrini is in high school now. She needs the internet for a lot of things," Chloe said as she joined them at the dining table. Rhett raised a curious brow at her as if he was expecting something or someone.

"Where is Cadenza, don't tell me she is sick again?" He asked curiously his eyes narrowing, and just as Chloe was about to say something in her daughter's defense, Cadenza walked down the stairs in her night dress, with a glum expression on her face.

"Dinner is always so noisy." Ryan chirped in jokingly, Ryan was the firstborn and the only son of the family, he recently graduated from college at the young age of twenty-four and because of his outstanding skills he secured a job in one of the highest-paying technology companies in the country, he was truly a son to be proud of.

"You should see breakfast," Cora answered in a small whisper as well. "Everywhere is a chaos."

Cora is the youngest and the last daughter of the family, she is just six years old, but she is also very smart and is her father's favorite child. Since everyone was already at the table, Chloe dished out the meal and everyone dug into their dinner, everyone else except for Cadenza and her father noticed it first.

"Why aren't you eating, Cadenza?" He asked curiously and her eyes left the vegetables on her plates and they rested on his steel-cold eyes, she felt her heart flip painfully in her chest, but she tried to remain as composed as possible.

"You look like you just saw a ghost." Cora noticed with a mocking grin, which earned her a glare from Cabrini, her elder sister.

"You should have some respect for your sister, little girl."

Interrupting whatever Ryan had in defense of Cora, Cadenza dropped her cutlery and then raised her eyes to meet her father's hard ones once again.

"I have something to confess to you." She announced as boldly as she could get, she blinked back her tears as well.

"Don't tell me you have to repeat another semester," Her dad's tone alone scared her, she hadn't even told him her news and he was already sounding so aggressive. "I spent a lot of money to make sure you transferred out of the previous school, you can't disappoint me again."

"Let the girl talk, honey." His wife, Chloe cautioned him as she held his hands from across the table, Cadenza wondered if it was a good idea to tell them her news, her father would kill her. It was too late to back away now because everyone's gaze was now on her. They were waiting, waiting and they were still waiting, the silence enough to drive her crazy.

"I am sorry, father, mother." She started again, her voice nearing tears, as she turned in the direction of her siblings as well. "I'm truly sorry."

"Will you tell me what in God's name you are sorry for?" Rhett felt his patience wearing off, he was already annoyed at the fact that another bad news was waiting for him, he hated the fact that his first daughter had done nothing so far but brought him problems. "If you are going to talk then do it."

"Dad." This time it was Ryan calling him to caution, everyone knew just how bad Rhett's temper was and so they tried to avoid it, Ryan knew just how much his little sister feared their father, so he understood if she was hesitating to tell them the problem.

He gave her a reassuring nod, somehow boosting her confidence that no matter what happened, Ryan would be here to defend her.

"Go on, what do you want to tell us?" Grandma Nell urged with a wrinkly smile on her face.

"I..." She was unable to say it, the words felt heavy on her tongue, she knew it would be difficult but she didn't expect this much, nevertheless, she had come this far and she couldn't go back.

"I-I'm pregnant."

That was the bomb, everywhere became dead silent, she was expecting an instantaneous reaction, but nothing happened. The dining hall became so silent it seemed as though they weren't even breathing, everyone's eyes were now on Rhett and he chuckled.

"Cadenza, what are you talking about?" He asked with a light smile playing on his lips. "What do you mean by you're pregnant?"

"I'm sorry Dad, I didn't mean t-" he banged his fists on the table making everyone else jump out of their seats, Cadenza jumped out as well.

"What the hell are you talking about, Cadenza?" He barked making her jolt in surprise. "Answer me, you brat, are you pregnant?"

"Y-Yes, I'm pregnant," and before she could proceed to the next part, she felt a loud smack against her right cheek, she knocked over the chair and fell to the ground.

"You ungrateful kid," he ranted angrily. "I worked so hard to make you go to school so you could be a better person like your brother, is this how you repay me?"

"Rhett, can you please calm down?" Grandma Nell snapped at him, she was horrified at the scene her son was causing, she tried to soothe him by touching his shoulder but he pushed her away stepping towards Cadenza.

"Don't tell me to calm down, mother." He yelled. "This is me disciplining my child, please don't get involved."

His bloodshot eyes turned back towards his daughter who was still scrambling to get off from the floor. "Tell me, who is the father of the shame you are carrying?"