The Hottie Billionaire Series: Romancing A Banking Magnate (The Billionaire Meets The Damsel In Distress)

by Sharon Rose

  But he flashed her a smile. A smile that momentarily blinded her eyes, yet made her feel a little better.

  For a moment, there was silence between them. It didn’t take long, and he broke it. “Okay, so how can I help you?”

  She sensed impatience in his voice, and that made her realize that she might have been a bore to him. That couldn’t be. She had to get the interest of this man. The chance to make her family get out of their financial woes was now in her hands, but she needed to play her cards well.

  And that was enough to put her back to business. She smiled sweetly at him. She now regretted that she didn’t thoroughly doll herself up. If she had just known that she would be meeting a very attractive man, she would have put more effort to make sure that she was flawless in his eyes. The competition was tough after all. For sure, there were already a lot of women who came to see him.

  But she was here now. And she had to seize the moment. She only had one chance. One chance to get this man to marry her so that he could provide her with the millions she needed. So she better deliver and close the deal, or she would surely go home drowned in tears.

  She looked at him in the eyes. She softened the formal look on her face, and donned a flirty smile. She had to, at least, arouse this man’s interest. “I’m here because of this…” she mumbled softly as she fluttered her eyelashes. She walked towards his desk, put the canary yellow tote bag that she was holding in her hand on top of the table. She was clutching at the bag the entire time that he was making her knees shudder under his penetrating gaze.

  She rummaged through the contents of her bag, then, she pulled a newspaper. She flipped to the pages, and stopped at somewhere where she made a dog-ear as a mark. “This…” She showed the part of the newspaper that she was referring to him, carefully spread the folded page on the table so that he could take a good look.

  She was hunting for a job when she got a hold of that newspaper. She was waiting for her turn to be interviewed, and was waiting for the time to pass by reading. That was when something caught her attention. It consumed the whole page, and it was difficult for her not to notice it when the big words were literally screaming in her eyes.

  BANKING MAGNATE, LOOKING FOR A WIFE TO BEAR HIM AN HEIR. ONLY LOVELY, HOT WOMEN WITH MATERNAL INSTINCTS NEED APPLY.

  The ad took her attention. She couldn’t help but read the entire advertisement, which looked ridiculous at first glance. She found out that a very rich man was looking for a wife, and the lucky, chosen one would be paid one million pesos in cold cash, would receive a generous monthly allowance, and would get a big chunk of shares from the family’s established banking business.

  For someone who was in a dire need to look for money, the ad was very tempting, like an answered prayer to her predicament. So she folded the newspaper and sneakily put it in her bag, keeping it.

  When she got home, she texted right away the contact cell phone number that was provided in the ad. Someone answered her text, asking her to email her resume and recent picture to a yahoo email account. Which she did.

  She got a call the next day from a woman who introduced herself as Xavier Yuchengco’s personal assistant. She was given little information about the filthy, rich banker who was looking for a wife who would bear him an heir. She was informed that she was qualified to apply to the ad, and was given his name and the address where she had to go for a personal interview.

  She wrote all the information she needed. She was serious in considering to apply to the ad. But she was from the far South, and she couldn’t leave in an instant. There was her sick father who needed to be taken care of. Though Brenda could look after him, she still had to make sure his needs were properly addressed.

  It took her two weeks to fix what she needed to do so she could fly to Manila and stay for a few days there, or maybe longer, depending on the outcome of her almost desperate mission. She was hoping for the better, so she took care of the long term plan.

  She just arrived in the city yesterday, late at night, and she didn’t waste her time. She prepared the next morning to meet the billionaire who had the money to save their farm from foreclosure. Her only hope when they had one month left to pay off their debt with the bank.

  “Please have a seat…” he said, as he took a look at the newspaper that she spread on his desk.

  His voice stopped the trail of thoughts in her mind. Her knees were really turning into a jelly, so she sat on the chair that was at the side of his desk.

  Thank God, she now had a chair to support her weight!

  She grabbed her tote bag, and deposited it on her lap. Her hands clutched around the handle, firm and hard, as if her life depended on it.

  He scanned the newspaper with his eyes, and when he looked at her again, she saw how his eyes sparked mysteriously. “Oh, so you’re applying to this ad?” His voice sounded calm and relaxed.

  She nodded her head in confirmation. “Yes, I am.”

  His eyes riveted on her. He was looking at her intensely as if his eyes were piercing even to the deepest recess of her soul, assessing her from head to foot, sizing her up. He just stared at her, lips pressed firmly, as if he was contemplating.

  She didn’t know what was going on in his mind. The crease on his forehead and the strain on his brows didn’t give her a good feeling. Her heart pounded nervously as he remained silent for some time.

  Didn’t he like her? Oh, how she hoped not! She knew she had some extra-ordinary good stuff to boot, enough to warrant every man’s attention, but he was looking at her as if her physical assets didn’t interest him.

  “Do you know, Ms. De Leon, that this ad had been suspended for two weeks already?” he said, as he casually shifted position in his swivel chair.

  She instantly panicked at what he just said. That couldn’t be! He just couldn’t cancel his ad, just like that! Not now. Not when she had already spent the last dime of her money just to be here.

  She took a deep breath. She felt as if the world had mercilessly crashed on her shoulders, thumping the stubborn sense of positivism which she refused to let go in the midst of their financial woes.

  She came here with the hope that, finally, it was the answer to her prayers, but sadly, it wasn’t. And she felt hopeless.

  “Did someone already fill the position?” Her voice became wobbly. It was difficult to act okay when all she wanted that moment was to break down, and cry in helplessness.

  But he chuckled, as if amused, while she was losing hope. “You sound as if it was a job position,” he blandly commented.

  Well, it was. At least, for her. But she kept her mouth shut.

  What would she do now? Her world was crumbling down, and it wasn’t a good thing. She traveled all the way from down South just to try her luck. She spent her last dime of money for this. She hadn’t bothered to double check if the ad was still active after two weeks, as she was really determined to snatch the coveted position. Now, she felt stupid for doing so. If she had just used her common sense, she hadn’t wasted her precious money for nothing.

  She started to hyperventilate. What would happen to her now? To her family? To their farm? Oh my God! She couldn’t think of the darn possibilities. Her brain refused to process the unwanted thought.

  “Well, to answer your question, no, I haven’t had someone filled the ‘position’ yet,” he gave emphasis to the word ‘position.’

  He was still sporting that amused look on his face, but that was enough to ease the boulder of rock in her chest. It was good news, at least. Hope sprang in her heart again. “So, can I still apply?” she asked eagerly. If she could just beg at him, she would do so in a snap of a finger.

  He looked at her intimidatingly, but she did her best to remain calm. She fought his intent stare, oblivious of the fact that he seemed into her. Her stomach wanted to lurch, as his eyes bored into her soul, but she toughened her resolve. She knew that she had to use her charms to get him under her spell, but she was so overwhelmed by his bloody presence, that she
couldn’t flirt with him anymore.

  “Would you like me to consider you for the position?” he asked, after some time.

  “Of course!” she answered in an instant. That was the reason why she was here in the first place! She wanted to be picked as his choice.

  He ran his pinkie over his lip again, his eyes hooded at her. There were a lot of things that mirrored in his eyes, intensifying the mysterious smoke in his irises, making his gray eyes appear darker. Her throat constricted in tension, but she tried her best to fight his intent stare.

  Making an eye contact was one of the things that men watch out for when they want to hit on a woman, she reminded herself. But when his stare landed on her lips, something in his eyes flickered, a burning flame of desire, that gave her chills. She looked away, and darted her eyes to the glass wall. She saw the magnificent backdrop of the flourishing Metro. It was breathtaking. But not as breathtaking as Xavier Yuchengco.

  “But tell me this first, Katrina…”

  Her eyes darted back at him. He looked serious this time around.

  “Why should I consider you?”

  She was about to open her mouth when his stare landed on her chest. He didn't hide the malice in his eyes, as he raked the swell of her breasts as if he was undressing her. She felt as if something envelope through her, like a surge of heat that instantly lighted a fire under her seat, and her body shuddered involuntarily. She gasped silently at her body's reaction. My, but that was carnal!

  Her cheeks burned. It was hard to feel at ease under his intense gaze, and the feeling of uneasiness tripled when he made it apparent that he was sexually checking her out.

  Unknowingly, she pulled her bag up, arranged it in a way that it covered her breasts. But then, she realized that she had to display her assets to him. She had to seduce him. And what she was doing was kinda stupid. So she willed herself to remove the bag in front of her chest, so that he could freely look at her nice pair of rack.

  His eyes darted back on her face. She silently swallowed the lump in her throat. My goodness! Something between them was building up, a sinister attraction that appeared difficult for her to handle.

  "Anyways, are you fertile?" it was a straightforward question.

  She still hadn't recovered from his previous question when he fired her another one that was more sinister, something that she thoroughly didn’t expect. What kind of a question was that? What the heck?

  For a moment, she just gaped at him. She completely lost her wits and her goddamned tongue. Her cheeks were burning unabashedly, and she knew that she was blushing like hell!

  For the past few months, she had been in a lot of job interviews, some were really nerve-wracking. She was never thrown such a question. It was indeed ridiculous, not the usual witty question that she had to answer in a smart way, so she struggled to rake her brain for a meaty answer. God, what had she gotten herself into with?

  "Don't get me wrong," he said defensively when he saw her reaction. He straightened his back with an air of confidence. "You are applying as my wife and baby momma, Katrina, and I'm just making sure that you're fit for the role. I hope you understand." His eyebrows cocked as he explained.

  “Of course!” she answered in reflex. She just sighed silently. She was really having a stupid brain freeze. Well, he was right. His question was legit. She just took it in a bad light. “So how many kids do you want? Two? Three? A dozen? I can definitely give you those,” she blurted like crazy. Then, she realized how awkward she sounded. And she wanted to punch herself, right in the face.

  What happened to her? Why couldn’t she pull her thoughts properly and act cool? Well, blame this gorgeous billionaire and his chinky, gray eyes! He was the sole reason why she felt like an empty potato.

  He laughed, quite amused by her answer. And she was mesmerized by how his eyes slanted even more, how his Adam’s apple moved up and down his throat, how his laughter filled the room. “Well, a dozen will do,” he was shaking his head gently when he answered.

  Her jaw dropped in surprise. Of course, she was just joking when she said a dozen. She couldn’t imagine herself giving birth to a dozen children! My, that would be a hard thing to do. She wasn’t a swine, for crying out loud!

  He laughed again, louder this time around, as she gaped at him with mouth wide open. “Did I scare you with that?” he asked. His eyes were twinkling as he looked at her.

  She pursed her lips when their eyes met, still in a state of shock. Why was she so transparent? She disliked it when he could read her mind. It was embarrassing.

  He turned serious. “Okay, one kid will do. I just need an heir,” he formally whispered after a few moments.

  “That’s good to know.” She sighed in relief.

  Whew! At least, she wouldn’t become a babymaking factory. She tried to pull a smile.

  His eyes lingered at her again, and chills were starting to creep in her spine. His pinkie ran over his lower lip once more, a gesture that she was getting familiar to, yet still makes her skin tingle every time he would do that.

  “So… are you good in bed?” he asked saltily. His voice became a soft growl.

  The smile on her lips immediately disappeared. His heated gaze burned not just her cheeks more, but her entire body. And his question… Goodness! But it flipped her wits.

  Was she good in bed? It was a totally crazy question for someone like her who haven’t had any intimate experience with the opposite sex. But she wasn’t completely naïve either. She’d had sex education, had read books discussing about sex and romance, and she’d heard tales of sexual conquests from her friends, so she wasn’t completely clueless.

  And she was here now, applying as his wife and baby momma, and of course, it was expected that she was good in bed. The competition was tough, and she had to be really competitive.

  “Of course, I am!” Her answer made her blush to the roots of her hair. And it was a good thing that she didn’t choke on it.

  His smile broadened, openly pleased by her answer. His pearly set of white teeth flashed, and she blinked. “That’s my kind of girl.” He was grinning from ear to ear.

  Just like what she expected. Well, it didn’t need rocket science. He wouldn’t shell out bucks of money for nothing. Of course, anyone wanted to get their money’s worth. Her job entails that she would please him in bed in exchange of financial benefits. She clearly understood that. When she went today to see Xavier Yuchengco, she fully understood the nature and the extent of the position and role that she wanted to snatch – a wife and a baby momma. She already expected that they would be talking about sex, but she just wasn’t expecting that it would be this intense.

  Finally, it made her feel better when she saw the playful smile on his lips. It looked as if she made a really good impression on him. She suddenly felt hopeful that she would grab the chance to pay off her family’s debt.

  “So am I accepted?” she couldn’t help but ask. She was holding her breath in suspense as she waited for his answer, fervently praying that it would be a positive response.

  He shook his head. “Oh no, not yet. Not so fast…” he answered as if he didn’t want to end their kind of conversation yet.

  “Okay,” she sighed softly. “I know you would want to know more about me, so I brought my resume for you to peruse, Mr. Yuchengco.” She rummaged through the contents of her bag again. She pulled out a two-paged bond papers that were neatly folded. “Here, please check this out.” She handed her resume to him. She was really serious to nail this job interview so she could convince this man to choose her as his wife and baby momma, and not anyone else.

  “Okay…” He accepted her resume, straightened the folded papers, and scanned the contents with his eyes. But he didn’t look interested. His face became impassive. That made her feel nervous when he looked at her again. “Why are you applying to this ad, Katrina?” He shifted to a serious, business-like tone. “As I can see, you’re a decent woman, and you’re taking Law. That says a lot of things about you.
” He tossed her resume on his table.

  She couldn’t help but swallow. They were warming up to each other a moment ago, but right now, the atmosphere became somewhat restrained. “Why, Mr. Yuchengco, what do you expect? Do you just want a woman who could just be uprooted anytime from the streets? I’ll bet that you’ll not just pick any random stranger to be your wife and baby momma. At least, you’ll make sure that she has a decent background, right?” she asked bravely like a shrewed lawyer.

  “Right.” He snapped his fingers.

  “There, you answered your question, Mr. Yuchengco.” She smiled in satisfaction when she clearly made her point.

  “Let’s drop the formality, Katrina. You can call me Xavier, from now on.”

  “Oh... okay… Xavier…” She was surprised to discover that she liked the sound of his name at the tip of her tongue. It sounded sexy.

  “You quite impressed me, you know,” he said, and chuckled amusedly.

  “Thank you!” She couldn’t help but smile.

  “And I like you more when you’re smiling like that. You’re such a refreshing sight amidst all the tensions and turmoils in my banking life.”

  She couldn’t help but blush. For the life of her, she’d heard a handful of people giving her compliments, but his was something that tugged at her heartstrings. “Why, thank you.” He looked sincere, though, so she accepted his compliment heartily.

  He tilted his head so he could see her face squarely. “Seriously, Katrina, I just want to know this…” There was a serious shift in his voice, though his eyes were still twinkling with amusement. But she could feel that they were gearing towards a more serious conversation. “Why did you come here today?” His steady eyes probed at her.

  It was an important question that she knew held a pivotal position for her to finally secure her goal.

  She cleared her throat. “Well, I need money,” she honestly answered. She didn’t want to picture herself as a gold digger, but that was in all honesty, the reason why she was here. She desperately needed money to save their farm from being sequestered by the bank. “I’m sure that every woman who comes here to apply to your ad has got something to do with the money in the first place. It may not sound good, but I need a good sum of money.” She didn’t want to lie. It would be totally inappropriate to hide her true purpose why she responded to his ad when it was obvious in the first place. The reason wasn’t anything noble, nor romantic, but purely in terms of financial gain. Money. It was all about the goddamned money.