SEDUCING THE BILLIONAIRE

Chapter Two; The Negotiation

"We need to talk about this."

Oh gosh, was Duke going to make me post some cringy apology video clearing the air? I did not want to embarrass myself like that.

"Look, am sure the story will die down very soon," I tried to save myself.

"Get in the car Audrey," he said in a stern voice which had me wanting to obey immediately.

"Yes sir," I responded, oh gosh why did I say that?

Like an obedient puppy, I followed him back to his car and got in after he opened the door for me. Normally I hated the smell of cars, even my own, sometimes if I stayed in a car for too long, I would even get car sick but the scent which was in his car was so different, was it some fancy expensive air freshener?

"So," he rolled the tinted windows up "your family thinks we're dating, can I get the clear picture?"

I had tried to be vague and yet he was still pushing for answers.

"They were trying to set me up with someone I didn't like so I lied that I was already seeing someone."

Why did I keep lying?

"Ahh, I see," he stared at me for what felt like eternity without saying anything. I couldn't even read his face because he still had the damn sunglasses and mask on. "Would you like to get married?" he asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Do you want to marry me?" he repeated and yet I still felt like it was a prank.

"What?!" I repeated like a dumb ass.

"It's purely contractual," he clarified, "that is why am picking you because you're not my type so the chance of falling for you is close to zero."

Ouch, I mean I knew I was no model, but I wasn't an ugly duckling either, that was very insulting, but I guess I couldn't get offended just because he said I wasn't his type.

"Why do you want a contractual marriage?" I asked, this was too juicy and maybe I could even write about it in my article.

"I am not saying anything else until you sign an NDA." he said.

Damn it! Clever bastard, I guess I shouldn't have underestimated a billionaire. I could have walked away right there but my interest was piqued, and I needed to know more. Plus, he had said I wasn't his type, and he wouldn't fall for me, a part of me wanted to prove him wrong. So stupid and naive.

"Fine, I'll sign the NDA."

To my surprise he had a summarized draft on his iPad on the passengers' seat at the back and he gave me to sign. It basically said every conversation with him was confidential and if I told anyone else, he would sue me. I really wasn't scared, it's not like I had any money for him to take. My savings account only k100,000 and my current account a k5,000 which was left from my previous salary. It really helped that I was still living in the family home and didn't have to pay rent, when it came to groceries, I was only contributing a k1,000.

"So, why the contractual marriage?" I asked again.

"My aunty wants custody of my young sister," he explained "she claims it's because she cares, and a bachelor should not be raising a twelve-year-old girl, but I know it's because she wants her inheritance. After my parents died 75% of everything they owned was left for Lindsey and her guardian is in charge of it all until she turns twenty-one. I know Aunt Brenda will squander that money before Lindsey even turns twenty-one. My history with women doesn't paint me as a good parental figure compared to her who has been married for thirty years and has five children. My lawyer said if I was married it would paint a different picture about me."

Wow, that was not what I was expecting to hear from him.

".... I was actually going through my exes to see who would be suitable when I saw that hashtag trending, so I figured this is even better. We'll stay married for maybe five years..."

"Why five years?"

"Well once I win the custody battle, I intend to apply for adoption and that may take a while, once the adoption goes through and I am legally recognized as my sister's parent, we can divorce cause aunt Brenda won't be able to bother us anymore." He explained.

He had really thought of everything.

This was really crazy but a part of me was considering it, I had always planned to marry for love, but it seemed like love was not ready for me so why not spend five years with a billionaire and in that five years I would open the doors for my sisters to get married. By the time I would be getting the divorce I would have met someone else and fallen in love.

"What am I getting out of this?" I asked, I had to show like I wasn't desperate, and he was the one who needed me.

"$5,000 weekly allowance, a car of your choice, a house full of helpers, the title of Mrs. Kalomo which you know opens a lot of doors and $1million in the divorce settlement."

I was so stunned my jaw literally dropped and my mouth hang open for maybe even a minute, a slight chuckle escaped his mouth as he shook his head in amusement. That was a lot of money, how could he just casually offer that.... slowly my brain caught up to the fact that he was a billionaire and $1million in a divorce settlement was probably nothing to him. It was a good thing that I didn't say anything out of shock because slowly I started to process the opportunity that had been presented to me.

"Make it $10,000 weekly allowance and $5million divorce settlement then we have a deal."

To be honest I thought he was going to call me a gold digger and say he would find someone else, but he just laughed and said:

"... clever, never take the first offer." And he agreed to my new terms.

"Sooo.... What are the terms and conditions?" I asked, trying to subtly check him out. I had been researching the man for weeks, sometimes his face would appear in my dreams, he was hot and if we were going to be sharing a bed... well...

"I'll send a more detailed contract later but like I said, this is purely contractual, we will not be sleeping in the same room." He made it crystal clear and again, I did feel a little bit hurt.

Duke and I exchanged numbers and email addresses then I went back to my car. As I drove home, I kept on replaying that conversation and wondering if it had really happened. A part of me figured it was just a prank and Duke was never going to call me.

Upon getting home I was so anxious that I actually went for a run just to calm my nerves. Upon getting back I took a shower and when I joined my family for dinner, everyone was eying me expectantly, but I ignored it until my mother couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"So, is it true?" she asked, "are you seeing someone?"

"Mum..."

"you're not getting any younger Audrey, at 32 you should have had at least three children."

Wow, just wow.

"I know am not getting any younger mum."

"So, is this man serious?"

"I'm not sure yet..." I mumbled.

"Well then find out and stop wasting your time with a man who has no intentions of marrying you soon."

If only she knew that even if I were to marry "the man" she was talking about the next day, we wouldn't have any kids and a divorce would be inevitable just five years down the line. I knew she would be heartbroken but at least by then my sisters would all be married off and they would no longer resent me for being an obstacle to their marriages.

I hoped Duke would really call and send that contract.