SEDUCING THE BILLIONAIRE

Chapter 29

This was not how things were supposed to go. When I signed that contract to get married to Duke for five years I thought it was an amazing deal which would not only make me rich but would give me a billionaire husband who would fall head over heels in love with me. Yes, I was that dumb and naive. I thought surely even if he doesn't fall hopelessly in love with me then maybe we would at least be getting it on under the sheets to quench each other's thirst but even that didn't happen. I tried my best, made a fool of myself trying to seduce a man who didn't find my body desirable and I learnt my lesson, never again. I guess I just didn't have the it factor which Connie had because the girl had managed to get Duke in her bed and now she was pregnant.
She was flaunting the pregnancy all over social media and I hate to admit it but she looked incredible. Everyone was guessing it was Duke but she never confirmed anything, Duke had told me that they had agreed not to say anything until the child was born and a partenity test done to confirm that he really was the father. But that didn't stop aunt Brenda from commenting
"I am so excited, I cannot wait to meet my nephew, I know it'll be a boy".
That comment pretty much confirmed what the gossip blogs had been speculating about and social media went wild, wondering if we were getting divorced. A lot concluded that we wouldn't divorce claiming I was too desperate to actually leave a billionaire. They were actually laughing about how I would turn into the baby's nanny while Duke and Connie continued going out and enjoying themselves.
"I hate this" Clement said as he was scrolling through post after post reading the comments "you don't deserve this, he's the one who is having a child with this woman. How are you the one getting mocked?" he frowned.
"stop looking at that..." I snatched the phone away and put it on the table, his place was looking incredible and I was very proud of myself. "that's why I don't go on Facebook often, now I'm staying away from twitter as well.".
The story was everywhere and it was hard to run away from it.
My sisters were telling me to not leave my home for the "side chick", my mother was asking if it was true, saying they had to sit with Duke and discuss the way forward.
.
"so, how exactly are you responding to this?" Clement asked as I poured a glass of wine for him, I had been coming with a bottle each time I visited and the wine rack I had bought for the mini bar in the corner of the lounge area was slowly getting packed.
" I told him that I want a divorce and he refused" I let out a sigh.
Yes, Duke had refused to just peacefully sign the divorce papers saying I had committed to stay for five years and it wasn't even two years yet. When I told him that I would take the case to court he actually threatened to sue me.
"we signed a contract and you want to terminate it prematurely, I will sue and get every coin you've made while married to me" he had threatened me and I couldn't believe it, I had opened my mouth but no words could come out.
Was he serious? After all the crap I had endured, after helping him get out of his shell and get back out there mingling with his friends, after helping him legally adopt Lindsey... This is how he was going to repay me?.
I had told him that I would forfeit the millions I was supposed to get in the divorce after five years but nope, he didn't care, he still claimed that he would sue me if I terminated the five year contract because we had agreed.
If Duke sued and got every asset I had acquired from the allowances he was giving me, I would go back to nothing, I wasn't even working. This wasn't fair at all and I was trying not to become bitter and frustrated. I had thought of finding a lawyer to fight it, maybe a judge would take my side and after being sued the judge may rule in my favor saying Duke had no right to take my assets away from me. I couldn't even hide them because Jerome who had been helping me knew everything I owned and he was Duke's lawyer and friend.
"do you need a lawyer?" Clement asked
"eventually sure but not at the moment" I took a sip of the wine and cuddled up to him "I know this is all messy but right now going to court will make things worse and I don't want to be going back and forth with him. It's not fair that he wants me to walk away with absolutely nothing not even the car. Sure the money came from him but it's my car, registered in my name... I need to have a plan for when the divorce goes through"
"I understand..." he wrapped his arm around me and kissed my forehead "we have to be smart about this... Have you thought about that job interview?" he asked.
Clement had connected me to a job writing articles for growing cleaning company. It was small and the salary would be lower than what I used to get at my last job. With the money coming in my accounts and all the assets I had, I really didn't think I should take the job, I knew I wouldn't enjoy it and also there was probably someone out there who needed the job more than I did.
"I thought about it and I appreciate you looking out for me...."
"but?". He arched an eyebrow.
I let out a sigh.
"I just don't think it's the right move for me at the moment" I really wanted to be honest with him, to tell him that my networth was almost at $1 million and I would probably reach that by the end of the year...but I was still scared as I didn't know how he would react. I was still letting him buy some groceries at the end of the month. I had identified some old women who were taking care of grandkids and struggling, while I had started making donations on my own, I would put some groceries in the basket for Clement to buy then donate them as well. That way he felt good that he was helping and he was actually helping some people out there.
..
"No, I am not doing this" Jerome refused
"what do you mean you're not doing it? You're my lawyer" Duke frowned.
"Audrey is a great person who has helped you a lot. I will not let you bully her into staying with you when she's not happy."
"but she can be happy if she just gives me a chance!" Duke argued.
He had gone there to tell Jerome about his plan to use money to keep Audrey from filing for divorce, to threaten her with a lawsuit if she terminated the contract.
"just let her go dude, you're having a baby with Connie"
"I don't want to marry Connie and are you forgetting that Audrey and I legally have a child together?" he asked rhetorically.
Oh yes, on the adoption Audrey had been listed as the mother so the two had adopted Lindsey together. Jerome knew that if Audrey wanted she could even fight for joint custody of Lindsey.
" she doesn't deserve this Duke" Jerome spoke again, sighing as he rubbed his forehead. This was becoming exhausting.
"I don't want her to leave J, I know it can work if she just gives me a real chance... I know it can" he insisted "I know she's seeing someone, she's been secretive about it but I can track him down and have him leave her alone."
Jerome opened his mouth then quickly closed it again, yes, Duke was his friend but in this case he wouldn't help him. Yes, he had looked into the guy he had seen with Audrey and his investigators had already delivered a file on his desk but he refused to help Duke continue making Audrey miserable, she didn't deserve it.
"you're losing your mind Duke, you're a freaking billionaire, a lot of women want you... Why won't you just let Audrey leave?" he asked
Duke couldn't really say why, maybe now that she didn't want him anymore, he wanted her even more.