Billionaire's Playmate

by Chance Carter

  “Go back to your date now if you want. Sorry my life got involved in it.”

  “Oh no! I’m happy to get involved!”

  “Bye Cam.” I end the call and drop my phone beside me. So many questions are swimming around in my head, and the only person I could ask and get a truthful answer from could possibly be out there right now, being dishonest!

  I wonder if Marnie is still here.

  * * *

  “Hi Ella! I didn’t know you were here!” Marnie shouts from the living room.

  As I get to the bottom of the stairs, I realize Marnie is knelt up, leaning on the back of the sofa from the living room, her eyes reaching just above the sofa cushions.

  “What made you think that I wouldn’t be here?” I ask, sitting next to her.

  “Well, I’ve been awake for hours and I haven’t seen anyone. Daddy isn’t here either.”

  “Oh, Marnie! I’m so sorry! That’s awful. We can’t be leaving you on your own like this.”

  Marnie shrugs, “You guys are busy, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, but we shouldn’t put you second to anything. Okay?”

  “Alright! Does this mean I can have a puppy?”

  “Don’t push it. Anyway, I wanted to ask you something.”

  Her eyes widen and she looks scared, “Are you going to tell me a secret again?”

  “What? Marnie are you okay?”

  “I don’t like it when you keep secrets from each other.”

  “Oh Marnie… I’m so sorry, I’m putting you in the middle of this. I should have told him about the baby straight away. I promise to tell him tonight. Deal?”

  “Deal,” she gives me a very gentle hug.

  “How’s the baby?” she asks.

  “I’m sure it’s fine. It probably looks like a jelly bean right now.”

  “What flavor?” she asks, and we laugh together.

  “Look Marnie, if your dad or I try to tell you anything else that you think we should be telling each other, just ignore us okay?”

  “Okay,” she grins.

  “Anyway, I only wanted to ask you about your mother.”

  She furrows her brow and shakes her head.

  “I don’t want to talk about her. Daddy says if she’s at the door I shouldn’t open it, and if she calls I should hang up the phone. Also that I shouldn’t be answering the phone.”

  “But do you know why he would be meeting with her?”

  “Nope!” she snaps.

  “Okay, I get it. I just told you to stay out of it and I’m putting you in it again.”

  At that point Joe storms in. He seems pretty angry, so Marnie and I just stare.

  “Gosh, maybe I should go and check on him.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t ask about much right now. He’s probably going to do work and stuff all by himself in his office,” she says. “That’s what he does when he’s mad.”

  I’ll make him a coffee and go check on him.

  * * *

  He barely spoke to me. I still can’t believe that. He just took the coffee and closed the door in my face! And now he’s been in his office for hours and didn’t even say goodnight to Marnie! This is ridiculous.

  I knock on the door to his office, barely able to hold myself up. I’m actually a little scared. I don’t want him to yell at me.

  “Come in,” he says, sounding a defeated, “It’s open.”

  I slowly open the door and step inside where he’s slumped at his desk with his head in his hands.

  He looks exhausted and I can’t help but feel bad.

  “What’s wrong…?” I ask.

  “I’ve just had a rough day,” he says.

  “Oh, come on. You’ve been in here for a long time. You owe me a little more than that.”

  He sighs heavily and looks up at me, “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

  By the looks of it, he’s had the worst day ever.

  “I left work early today, I wanted to come back and spend the rest of the day with you and Marnie. But, then I ran into my ex-wife and she was being her usual self, pushing me around and demanding things. I had to talk to her for over an hour to get her off my back! I don’t want her around and I don’t want her in Marnie’s life. She keeps trying to manipulate me and use it against me.”

  “Oh Joe, that’s awful!” I hug him from behind and rub his shoulders.

  “Oh God that feels so good,” he sighs and collapses onto his desk again, “I’m so sorry that I’ve been like this, I really am. But it’s put me on edge and I didn’t want to take it out on you guys.”

  “It’s okay. I can understand that you didn’t want us to see you like this. But we were worried about you! We’re a team now, aren’t we? We’re supposed to help each other through times like this.”

  He sits up and turns to me, sighing heavily again, “You’re right.” he stands and holds me close to him, “I should have talked it through with you first. I just don’t like the person that she turns me into.”

  “It’s okay, Joe. Don’t worry about it. Just calm down and come and find me if you feel like that again.” I smile at him, and send him off with a kiss on the lips, “I can always make you some of my special coffee and you’ll feel better. I promise.”

  He smiles a bit and hugs me tight, kissing me on the forehead.

  I begin to think that this can’t be the only thing. I feel like he’s still hiding something. There’s quite a bit I’ve not told him too.

  “Hey Joe?” I begin, I’ve got to say it at some point, I know now… I love him and I need to tell him.

  “Yes?” he asks.

  “I just wanted to say, that I, I love you, Joe.”

  “Oh Ella,” he smiles helplessly, like he’s completely forgotten all about the day that he’s just had, “I love you too,” he says, hugging me tightly again.

  I’m not just saying this because I feel that I’m losing him. I want him to know how much he means to me.

  “I love you Joe, I just wanted you to know that, okay?” I’m starting to cry.

  He notices me crying and smiles, wiping my tear away.

  “Ella,” he says as he kisses my forehead, “Why don’t you go on up to bed? I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Okay,” I smile. I trust him. I still trust him as I walk up the stairs, alone. I still trust him as I sit at the top of the stairs, listening in like a kid whose parents are fighting.

  I hear him pacing around, mumbling something to himself, but I can’t make out what it is.

  Then, he pulls out his phone and calls someone, speaking in hushed tones.

  “Yeah, it’s me,” he says. I gasp, who could it be?

  “I’m willing to discuss it. Tomorrow is fine!” he snaps, “I’m doing this, because of her, okay, Julia?”

  He hangs up the phone.

  Oh God, he’s calling her now? How long has this been going on? What do they do, meet up while he’s at work and—oh my God, what if he’s not even going to work!

  I hear him sigh heavily and I quickly run to bed.

  He comes in the room and suddenly seems all smiley again.

  “Goodnight,” he says, “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  I sigh as I roll over in bed, curling up as best I can while cuddling a pillow.

  What am I supposed to do?

  Chapter 29

  Joe

  I didn’t sleep at all last night, I just kept looking over at Ella and thinking about how she just told me how she feels, that she loves me. But what would happen if she finds out what I’m doing. She wouldn’t be proud of me, but I need that ring. It’s the principle, it’s what the ring represents, which is, how much I love her.

  When we’re married I’ll tell her the story. It will all seem funny by then… I hope. If she even agrees to marry me, that is. What if she can sense all the deceit? What if she knows?

  I need to get up. I can’t lay next to the woman I love, the woman who is carrying my child, knowing that I’ve lied to her, over a
nd over again. I get up and quickly get dressed, leaving her another note before I head down the stairs and straight to the door. Like that’s just going to fix everything.

  “Ahem,” I hear Marnie from behind me.

  “Uh, sweetie, what are you doing up?” I ask her.

  “Cartoons and cereal,” she says, the loud crunch of her breakfast echoing around the silent room.

  It’s almost like she knows something she shouldn’t.

  “Where are you going?” she asks.

  “For a walk. Before work.” I shrug.

  “It’s the weekend, Daddy,” she says, as she narrows her eyes at me.

  “I’ve got some extra stuff to do. Make sure you look after Ella okay?”

  I turn to go and Marnie doesn’t say a thing for a moment, but the second I put my hand on the door knob, Marnie gets up and walks over to me.

  “You’re not doing anything to ruin it are you?” she asks, looking up at me sincerely, like she knows something bad is about to happen.

  I kneel down and try to reason with her, “Look, Marnie. I’m just going to meet Julia, but trust me, it’s for a good reason.”

  “No! La, la, la, la! I can’t hear you!” she shouts, covering her ears and launching herself back onto the sofa, “If I can’t hear you I’m not in the middle of it! And Ella says being put in the middle of things like this is really bad for my development, so she told me to ignore anything either of you try to tell me over the next couple of days because I’ve already heard too much and don’t know what’s a secret to who anymore! La, la, la, la, la!”

  Well, I can’t fault that logic, can I?

  “Alright Marnie,” I try to say, but she continues singing, “Marnie!” I snap and she stops, “Everything is going to be alright. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she nods, turning back to her cartoons.

  I’m going to have to take her on a vacation to make up for all this.

  * * *

  “Joe! You made it!”

  Julia sits up and attempts to hug me.

  I ignore her, sighing heavily and sitting across from her in a booth in the restaurant.

  “Julia.”

  “Well, that wasn’t very polite.” She sits again. “I’ve thought up a list of things I want you to do for me, before I can even think about giving you that ring.”

  I sigh, dropping my head into my hand. Is this worth it? I’m starting to have second thoughts, but I want things to be perfect for Ella. Just see it through, she can’t do any real harm… surely?

  “Fine, what would you like me to do?”

  “Well, for starters I’d like you to stop sighing every time you say my name.”

  “Noted.” That’s no easy task.

  “That money you were sending me every month—I’ll be needing that to start again, my landlord needs the rent for my penthouse, and I’m not about to be kicked out on the streets.”

  “Fine.” I grit my teeth and pretend to smile.

  “Next, I’ve got a few parking tickets and things that I need someone to pay for me.”

  “Of course.”

  “And speaking of bills, my car insurance is due as well.”

  “Is that everything?” I ask through my fake smile.

  Julia laughs almost hysterically, “Of course not, Joe! I’ve still got plenty to go through! Which of course includes this lovely meal. Get whatever you want Joe, it’s on you… like everything else!”

  “Julia, come on…”

  “You know, I was thinking about asking for Marnie on the weekends. There are a lot of single moms who get sympathy from the guys that go to my gym. I could use Marnie’s help.”

  I crack my knuckles and try to calm down.

  “Which reminds me, I need you to pay my gym membership.”

  “And if I refuse?” I ask.

  “Oh, come on Joe. You’re in the public eye, all of the time! I could easily ruin you. I’ve got numbers for the tabloids and I think they’d love to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to be married to you. Don’t you think?”

  “You can’t be serious. Do you think they’re going to believe you?”

  “No, but they’ll write whatever gets them more readers, regardless of the truth.”

  “I can do damage control, I’ll sort it out. Why should that matter to me?”

  “Do you want reporters sniffing around Ella and Marnie? What if somebody realized that you weren’t good enough to look after her?”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Like I’ve told you before, Joe, I’ve got many connections. But I also need money, so… I’m sure we can help each other out.”

  “How are you helping me? How is you being here a help to me? This is blackmail.”

  “Call it whatever you like. I call it me not having to work for a living,” she grins at me while sipping her drink.

  I can’t imagine what I ever saw in this woman. She’s been a constant strain on my life, a leech on everything I’ve ever worked for.

  “Okay, fine. So I pay for everything for you and reinstate your monthly allowance.”

  “Come on Joe, it’s not an allowance, I’m not ten years old.”

  “You act like you are! Anyway, as I was saying, I give you money every month and pay for everything on your list, and you’ll leave me, Marnie and Ella alone.”

  “I suppose that sounds like a deal to me.” She purses her lips and folds her arms trying to decide what it is that she doesn’t like about it. I know there is always something with her.

  Julia snaps her fingers, summoning a waiter to our table. One comes over, looking apologetic. I can’t stand the way she treats people who work in hospitality.

  “Sorry Madame, what can I get you?” he asks.

  “I’ll have a steak, the biggest one you have. Make it medium rare… and get him, oh I don’t know, get him the same, but well done… and a few sides for the table.”

  I roll my eyes. She is doing this to spite me. She knows I don’t like anything well done.

  * * *

  “I really can’t believe you would do that. You are literally impossible!” I shout as I leave the last shop on Julia’s list, dragging her by the arm into my limousine.

  She cackles away as I stuff her into the car and slam the door behind me.

  “So, I think that was the last place,” Julia says, when she finally stops laughing.

  “Well, it definitely is now. People are going to stop letting you in if you keep acting like that.”

  “You’re treating me like a child, Joe.”

  “Once again, you’re acting like one.”

  She continues to laugh at my expense and I stay silent for the journey home. Annoyingly, she requested to be dropped off after me because she wants to have a proper look around my neighborhood. I look down at the hundreds of bags containing things that she made me buy for her.

  The last place was the worst, as she decided to make a complaint about literally everything.

  She ordered the staff around like they were her own personal servants and then, right at the end when she was finally going to pay for it, or at least get me to pay for it, she decided that she didn’t actually want anything anymore.

  I’m surprised we weren’t thrown out!

  I’m glad to finally be going home. The day has been exhausting.

  The look on Ella’s face when I get down on one knee and show her that perfect ring will be worth it, I tell myself.

  I get out of the car and Julia starts to follow me to my door.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I ask her.

  She shrugs, “I thought I’d come and see the lovely house that you’re cozying up with that home wrecker in.”

  “Julia, she is not a home wrecker. You were long gone before I even moved here.”

  I fold my arms and glare at her.

  “Look, you’ve done enough today. Just give me the ring.”

  “Oh, but Joe, I have it right here!” She takes out a small box and opens it, showing me t
he ring I so desperately want.

  I reach forward to try and take it, by she snaps the box shut and pulls it away.

  “Well, you know everything you have to do to get it don’t you? I guess I’ll be coming in for some quality time with my family?” She grins wickedly and laughs to herself, knowing that she’s gotten her way and the second that she steps inside that house, my relationship with Ella is over.

  “No, you know what Julia? This is enough! I’m not going to jump through your hoops anymore. Just give me the ring. I’ve done everything you asked for in the agreement. Please, just stop!” I don’t really know if I should be shouting or bringing attention to the fact that my ex-wife is standing on my front porch, but I’ve had enough.

  She’s gone too far this time.

  “Alright,” she shrugs, “You’ve bested me. You win.”

  Wait, what? “Seriously?” I say.

  “I only have one more, teeny tiny request of you.”

  I roll my eyes, “Oh for God’s sake, what?”

  “Kiss me,” she says, plainly.

  “I’m sorry, what?” I’m completely floored.

  “You heard me. Kiss me. Right here, right now. On the lips. Like you mean it. Show me how much giving this tacky ring to your girlfriend means to you,” she grins.

  Dammit. God dammit! Crafty bitch! If I don’t, I don’t have the perfect ring, if I do? I’m risking it all! Risking so much, just to have a chance at everything I’ve ever wanted.

  “Come on, Joe.”

  “Give me a minute!” I snap.

  Is the perfect ring really worth risking everything I have with Ella? I’ve already broken the trust and I might be able to fix that, but if she finds out about this, she’ll never forgive me.

  Julia raises her evil eyebrows at me, awaiting her answer.

  If Ella finds out we’ll be finished!

  Chapter 30

  Ella

  Is this how I’m going to wake up from now on? All alone?

  I check my phone and realize it’s one o’clock in the afternoon.

  Still, what is he doing? Where is he going so early on the weekend?

  I suppose he could be downstairs with Marnie. After yesterday he better be!

  Another note? I sigh and pick it up.

  Hope you slept well! I love you and I’ll be back later xx