A Billionaire For Her Revenge

LORAH

Today is my birthday, but for me, it's just like every other year, it comes and goes with nothing that makes it worth calling a birthday. My mum died when I was eight, and my father married his PA, they gave birth to my twin step siblings shortly after and it was all joy and happiness for them, but for me everything changed. My step mother did not bother to hide her dislike for me, then my dad changed too, finding faults in everything I did. I kept hoping that one day they’ll come to love me, I made sure to ace all of my subjects in school and graduated as best student from university, all of these did not change how my parents see me as an outcast, I would forever live in this misery…

“Lorah, get down here! I jolted out of my reverie, Oh shit, I had totally forgotten the pasta I was cooking which I’m sure would be burnt to crisp by now, I got to the kitchen to meet my angry faced stepmother, nice of me to give her a reason to get mad at me today, I approached her slowly as if scared she’d turn the burnt pasta on my face,

“You're a nothing child, you’re of no use, you can’t cook a simple meal!”

“I-I’m sorry, it wasn’t…” she stormed out of the kitchen, cutting me off. I sank into the kitchen chair in despair, I knew she had gone to report me to my dad like she always does, I waited for him to call for me but he never did, I cleaned up the mess I had made in the kitchen, and started the food all over by the time I was done my father sent for me, finally- I was beginning to think he had a stroke or something. on occasions like this, after my mum must have given me an earful, my father would add the icing on the cake to remind me how of they never wanted me in the first place.

I braced myself for his condescending words as I entered his study, he sat behind his table bent over some documents, I greeted him but he mumbled something in return and motioned me to sit down, okay, that’s new, I always got my earful while standing for as long as they wanted, a few minutes had passed he said nothing still, I was starting to fidget in my seat when he cleared his throat and went straight to why he had sent for me.

“your wedding has been scheduled for next month, you’ll be getting married to Austin Barnes.” “Wedding? Next month?’ The questions rushed out of my mouth faster than my brain could process I was questioning my father, “Well, your mother and I have decided that you will be getting married and that’s final.”

“After all, you’re of no use to this family; it's time to get rid of you,” he continued without sparing me a glance.

The Barnes incorporation has always been a rival company to my father’s company over the years. Why on earth am I marrying my father’s rival?

“Your mother will convey more of the details you need to you.” With that, I was dismissed.

I dashed to my room, turned on my computer, and typed Austin Barnes in the search bar. He was New York’s Godsent; he had many orphanages, free healthcare centers, and schools commissioned to his name. He is a businessman who never loses and has maintained the top-ranked business in New York.

The question remains, why am I marrying my father’s rival? Something is definitely not right. I waited till the whole household was asleep before I snuck into my father’s study, I rummaged through his desk looking for anything that can explain my unexpected marriage, and there it was, the notice from the bank, my father was in debt, a huge one, the company is sinking, the share holders are breathing down on his neck, and right beside it is the contract between my father and Austin Barnes offering to save my father’s company on the condition that he marries his eldest daughter which is me, now it all makes sense, the lawyers coming in and out of my fathers study the past week, the hushed tones between he and my mother, my parents need to keep my siblings in their private schools and they need to maintain their status while I was being pawned off in marriage to a total stranger.

Sleep eluded me throughout the night, I couldn’t help but to think which one is the lesser evil, getting married to Austin or staying with my family, who cared less if I existed or not, By morning I concluded marrying Austin can’t be as bad as living with my family, who knows, he might learn to love me and we’ll live happily ever after, there’s no harm in trying.

I spent the next days drooling over Austin’s Instagram pictures. I stalked his social media handle, learning about his favorite meal, his hobbies, and his favorite color. I learnt everything that the web had on him. I heard a knock on my door. My step mother came in with a wrapped box in her hand, she dropped it on my bed

“you are having a dinner with Austin tomorrow evening and he sent you this, Lorah behave yourself make sure you don’t do anything that will jeopardize this impending marriage or we will make you very miserable for the rest of your life” she turned and left, I had no reason to jeopardize the marriage anyway, this marriage is now my escape from my miserable life.

I took one final look at myself in the mirror, finally my days of online makeup classes paid off, I’m sure Austin would be smitten, I decided to let my hair fall down my shoulders, I opted for a red lipstick to match with the red dress Austin sent to me, it was a sleeveless long straight gown cinched by the waist a little with an inbuilt corset and a front slit that stopped mid thigh, my breasts looked like it was about to spill out of the dress, it isn’t the kind of style I’m comfortable with, but then I have no choice than to wear it, or face my Father’s wrath.

A limousine was already outside the house waiting for me, as I climbed down the stairs, I met my father’s scrutinizing eyes, a look of satisfaction appeared on my stepmother’s face as she held the door open, as I passed her, she gave me a silent warning “don’t mess this up Lorah” I nodded quietly and entered the limo waiting to take me to my knight.