THE BILLIONAIRE'S UGLY DUCKLING

Emma's POV 

“Get dressed, Emmy. Hurry!”

I hurriedly applied the last stroke of lipstick and stared at my reflection.

Tonight could change everything.

After six years with Adrian, I had a feeling he was finally going to propose.

I had my dress specially made and designed by me. That day meant a lot to me, even though I wasn't sure Adrian, my boyfriend, had a proposal planned; Anyway, it would still be nice to spend time with him, even without a proposal.

I used every opportunity I got to steal a glance at myself in the mirror, even though I was in a hurry to meet up with Adrian. And if Olivia caught me wasting time, she might scold me again.

She helped me arrange my makeup, and so I grabbed my bag and headed out of the house to the car Adrian had sent with a driver. 

I got in the car with Olivia. I had always wanted her to be at my proposal, and it turns out that if I'm getting proposed to, then it would be nice of her to take pictures of me. 

For six years, Adrian had never made me feel ashamed of the body everyone else loved to ridicule.

I remember the last days in high school; Adrian had chosen to love me despite all my flaws and weaknesses. Over time, our love grew stronger, and I was hoping he would propose to me at dinner, as he had given me signs and his brother Alexander had told me he had a ring.

People always have different opinions and wonder how a fat, ugly girl like me would be dating such a handsome heir of a wealthy family and a billionaire CEO.

I even felt lucky, and other girls began to be jealous of me, especially my bullies and the ones in high school.

I sat comfortably in the cozy, dark, shiny car as the driver concentrated on his job, looking sternly at the smooth, long, city-vibe road. 

Olivia took a glance at me as the orange light in the car shone upon my face. I noticed the glance and asked, “Why are you looking?” I asked in an unfamiliar accent as we drove through the dark city.

The light from the solar-powered streetlight brushed the car as we drove past each one.

“Just admiring your beauty.” She said, letting out a simple smile.

That word lifted my confidence, and before I knew it, I had whispered, ‘Thanks’ while blushing like a little shy girl.

I felt good and excited at the same time. I could see my future with Adrian, and it felt all fulfilling. 

The driver drove quietly, minding his business, while I just felt like the queen of the world the whole time.

Finally, we arrived at VEE RESTAURANT, one of the most expensive restaurants in the whole of New York City. 

The place is usually a setting for influential and wealthy people. Cars like Rolls-Royce were parked in the parking lot; the restaurant was made of glass, and luxurious lights hung everywhere.

I stepped out of the car as the driver opened the door one after the other; I lifted my legs out, coming out of the car one after the other. 

I stood up confidently on my heels. The driver closed my door to open the second door for Olivia while I stared at the whole place for a moment. 

This used to be my favorite restaurant back then, but things went rough with my family's business, making me unable to visit VEE RESTAURANT anymore.

“Let's go in,” Olivia said as she walked past me towards the restaurant's door. I followed her from behind quietly.

We both walked into the restaurant confidently, heads up high; our heels clicking the floor in a steady, unhurried rhythm. 

Each step landed with deliberate precision. At the front of the restaurant, Adrian stood, waiting. 

I smiled immediately when I saw him. I opened my arms as I moved closer to receive his hug.

“Pretty ladies, welcome,” He said after the hug and led us to a table where we would order food. “Have your seat.”

He put his left hand in his pocket and began rubbing his beard with his left hand.

He didn't smile; I could see him staring at us—me and Olivia. I acted cool, brought down my smile a bit. 

“You look pretty today.” He said, but that didn't land well with me. 

I second-guessed the sentence; in my thoughts, I doubted that word even though I hadn't doubted any of his words before. 

Not because the word sounded weird, but because Adrian never said such to me. The expression on his face told me something was off, but I couldn't tell. 

On a normal day, when being together, we would talk, make jokes, and laugh, but he didn't look at me; rather, he was on his phone throughout, making one call after another. 

I convinced myself it must be because of Olivia, but Olivia has also been Adrian's friend, which got me doubting if everything was alright. Even when Olivia is around, we used to talk.

All of a sudden, I saw him kneel with a box of a diamond ring; my heart skipped a beat. The moment I've always wanted is finally in front of me, but then, it wasn't in my direction. Rather, it was Olivia's direction he was facing. 

I opened up my mouth wide as I heard, “Will you marry me, Olivia?” 

Without hesitation, while covering her mouth with her right hand, Olivia nodded ‘yes’ in excitement, and he slipped the ring onto Olivia, my best friend's finger. 

The crowd cheered. Some people began taking pictures. 

In my presence!

I couldn't believe my eyes. “Adrian! This is me, Emma.” I said, in shock. 

My body shivered. My teeth clenched, and my jaw moved uncontrollably.

“You really thought I brought you here to marry you?” He said to me, his voice came out neat but harsh.

The crowd laughed. 

Even Olivia laughed. 

And before I knew it, I was the centre of attention, and everyone laughed. 

Nobody cared how that would make me feel. I couldn't believe it was a reality.

So I stood up and left to avoid the disgrace. With tears on my face, I headed towards the door, and Adrian called, “Emma!” 

I turned back to see if it was a prank, but what he told me changed everything.