The Billionaire's Last Minute Bride

The Billionaire's Last Minute Bride

last updateLast Updated : 2024-05-31
By:  NovelSnackCompleted
Language: English
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This book is authored by G O A. Why Tech Billionaire Artemis Rhodes would post such a thing?! "Everyone is talking about the hashtag that just went viral in less than a few hours. Nevertheless, this girl has become a mystery everyone wants to solve. In fact, we have pictures from several people who have seen the girl in person." The screen of the phone is small but I catch several pictures of me flashing on the screen. This can't be happening! You know that panic attack I had been pushing down? Well, that thing comes back with a vengeance. It feels like all the air is sucked out of me and my chest gets tight. My vision blurs and I register I'm falling just before things go dark. "Relax Miss Riley, this is Mr. Rhodes a donor to our hospital. This woman is his fiancee. I'll take things from here." The doctor says and steps aside to let the nurse out. I watch her scurry away before I focus on the doctor. He's an older man with white hair and a friendly face but he gives me weird vibes. Wait...did he just say, fiancee? "I'm sorry what did you say?" I ask. "I have a proposition for you." The man says. "A proposition for me? What do you mean?" "A proposition? It means-" I wave my hand. "Not that! I'm not an idiot. I mean what proposition?" "I want you to marry me." He says with a straight face. So I bet your wondering how a woman who lives in an abandoned train car ends up married to a big tech billionaire. Well it's simple. We ran right into each other, locked eyes and the rest is history.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Blue 

The sound of banging on metal has me jolting awake and looking around through blurry eyes. It takes me a second to remember where I fell asleep last night.

“Little Blue you gotta wake up!” A muffled voice calls from the other side of the wall next to me.

It takes another few seconds to pinpoint the voice as Bucky, my neighbor. If you can call him that. He lives in a tent a few feet away from the train car I’m currently in.

“Come on girl, the patrol will be here in less than an hour!” He calls out.

That has me moving like my ass is on fire. I can’t get caught by the security patrol again. Last time I couldn’t go back to my favorite place for at least a month. It’s not that I have many belongings but it’s a hassle carrying the small things I do have everywhere. I don’t bother with shopping carts since I don’t stick around in one place long enough to collect a large amount of stuff. A backpack and a small duffle bag are all I allow myself to keep.

I quickly roll up the sleeping bag I sleep on most nights and stuff it into the duffle bag. The pillow I use is an inflatable neck pillow, so I deflate that and slide it in with the sleeping bag. I turn off the small light I keep on while I sleep and put that in my backpack. Once my little camp sight is packed up I grab the worn-out blue converse that I got at a second-hand store and slip them on. They are holding up okay but I’m going to need some new ones in about a month from the looks of the soles.

When I’m finally put together I grab the handle for the train car door and grunt when I pull it open. It’s heavy and I have noodles for arms. Not much time for exercising when I’m on the move so much. If anything my legs are the strongest part of my body thanks to all the walking I do. I guess I could splurge on a bus pass but I try to keep my spending to the minimum. I never know when I’ll need to spend money on something a little out of my budget. Like shoes and clothes.

Bucky is standing outside the door with a small cup in his hand. I smile down at my friend and jump down to greet him. When my feet hit the ground I stand and lift my arm and place two fingers on my forehead.

“Good morning Sir!” I say before saluting him.

He had served in the military for ten years and came home without any support and ended up on the streets for his trouble. 

He rolls his eyes. “You’re funny. Here take this and warm up.”

I accept the cup and take a long sip of the warm liquid inside.

“You don’t have to bring me coffee every day Bucky. Especially on Wednesday since I play at Monica’s!” I tell him once again.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation.

“It's not like 3 small coffees will break me Little Blue. Now hurry up and get a move on." He turns and finishes loading his cart. "I'm stashing this at the alley on Main. Where are you headed?" 

"I have a morning performance at Monica's, so I'll head there now. Where's Maria-Ann?" She was the other squatter here. 

She was an interesting character with a bad attitude that took some getting used to but is also a kind person in her own way. She's emotionally stunted but she cares and has helped me find all the best places to find cheap liquor stores in the area. I've only been here for a few weeks, so it was a huge help. I haven't always been this lucky. Not all homeless communities are as welcoming.

They can also be dangerous for someone like me. I make money by playing my guitar wherever possible which makes me a steady income. Not enough to settle down anywhere but enough to keep me alive. That's more than most and they will come for me if I'm not careful. Thankfully when I arrived in Seattle I met Bucky and he told me I could camp out with him by the abandoned railroad switch point. 

There was only one train car still intact and he told me I was welcome to use it. At first, I refused because I didn't want to take it from him or Maria-Ann but he assured me they never used it. I knew that was bull, but he wouldn't let me bring it up again. Since I'll only be here for a couple more weeks they won't have to give it up for long. 

"Well, get on with it and I'll see you tonight." He pats me awkwardly on the shoulder and walks off. 

A quick glance around tells me Maria-Ann had already left for the day so I don't bother waiting around. I pull the cheap little pay-as-you-go phone out of my pocket and check the time. There is still about an hour until I need to be at Monica's at seven, so I can walk in the park and enjoy my coffee. 

The park is about a twenty-minute walk from the train depot and a ten-minute walk to Monica's Cafe. It's the perfect place to hang out and people-watch. It is also my second job. I play near the huge water fountain and I have an in with the park patrol so they leave me alone when I'm here. 

I enter the park and see a few people running along the paths. There is an empty bench only a few feet away so I head in that direction. When I see a small sign on it I stop to read it. 

"In memory of Cecilia Rhodes. Loving mother and wife." 

Rhodes? 

It's a name I've seen on one of the buildings downtown but I'm not sure what the family is known for. I don't bother keeping up with the lives of socialites. What's the point? I never understood why people were so interested in the lives of the rich and famous. Don't they have enough going on in their own lives? Or maybe I just never thought about it because I could never afford a gossip magazine. 

When you have a strict budget or a foster parent who barely feeds you let alone pay for something like that, it doesn't seem very important. 

Anyway, I give a moment of silence to the woman whose memory inspired this sign and take a seat. It's getting colder out so I have to pull my jean jacket tighter around me. Another super find in a second-hand store, but it's one of those that has holes in it because that's in style now. I was able to patch a few of the holes but it doesn't help keep out the cold much. 

I'm happy now that Bucky got me this coffee because it's working to warm me up a little. When I take another sip I sigh in contentment and settle back in my seat. A pair of women jog by in their designer workout clothes and hundred-dollar sneakers. They glance my way and say something to each other as they pass, but I don't dare try to listen. It's not like I haven't heard people talk about me when they see me, but I also don't want to go out of the way and listen for horrible words. 

It's not like I look dirty or anything, but it's clear that I'm not very well off. My clothes are old and well-worn. That's enough proof that I'm lacking in my life. At least in everyone else's eyes. 

Truthfully I enjoy my life most of the time. It's better than foster care for sure, and I get to see so many new places. Not many people have the freedom to pick up and leave at any time. They are busy in their lives with nine-to-five jobs and bills. Me? I'm free of all that. 

Don't get me wrong, if life offered me a steady job and a place to live I wouldn't snub the chance but it's never happened. It's best not to hope for things that are impossible. 

So I have accepted this life and tried to live with a smile on my face. Bucky told me that if you smile through the rough times it makes it easier to survive. So far he hasn't been wrong. 

I finish off my coffee and throw it away in the closest trash can. It's time to head for Monica's Cafe, so I turn down the opposite path and start walking that way. It's getting busier on the street and I'm too busy looking around at the chaos to notice someone coming my way. I run into a hard chest and whoever I bumped into drops their phone. 

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I bend down and pick it up. 

It doesn't look damaged but I brush it off and look up at the person. When he sees me he looks surprised. 

"Here you go. It looks okay." I hold the phone out to him but he doesn't move to take it. "Okay..." 

I reach for his hand and set the phone in it. 

"I'm expected somewhere, so I have to go. Sorry again." I move around him and quickly walk away. 

When I glance over m shoulder he's watching me walk away with that odd look on his face. 

Okay, that's a little weird. 

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Shirl
Great read, full of surprises. Keri’s you captivated
2024-07-19 10:34:42
0
128 Chapters
Chapter 1
Blue The sound of banging on metal has me jolting awake and looking around through blurry eyes. It takes me a second to remember where I fell asleep last night.“Little Blue you gotta wake up!” A muffled voice calls from the other side of the wall next to me.It takes another few seconds to pinpoint the voice as Bucky, my neighbor. If you can call him that. He lives in a tent a few feet away from the train car I’m currently in.“Come on girl, the patrol will be here in less than an hour!” He calls out.That has me moving like my ass is on fire. I can’t get caught by the security patrol again. Last time I couldn’t go back to my favorite place for at least a month. It’s not that I have many belongings but it’s a hassle carrying the small things I do have everywhere. I don’t bother with shopping carts since I don’t stick around in one place long enough to collect a large amount of stuff. A backpack and a small duffle bag are all I allow myself to keep.I quickly roll up the sleeping bag
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-13
Read more
Chapter 2
ArtemisShe’s the perfect girl! I’ve been trying to work around this tradition of my family. For the last four generations, our family has partaken in a long tradition of arranged marriages. An exception was made thanks to my grandmother who was a romantic at heart and wanted her children to at least have a chance at real love. The only concession was that we had to choose before our thirtieth birthday. If one of us doesn’t choose a partner before then our family chooses someone for us.My birthday is a week away and I’ve been too busy to think about this ridiculous tradition. Alan, my business partner, and I have been running into one problem after another trying to finish our newest software. All my attention has been focused on this contract that I had forgotten my birthday was close. The only reason I remember the day is because my mother makes it into a spectacle for matchmaking. For that reason alone I try to forget the day exists. A call from my sister telling me she will be f
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-13
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Chapter 3
BlueI make it to Monica's just as the morning rush is starting. The guys behind the counter wave and smile at me as I head for the small stage. This place used to be a small bar with live karaoke, and when Monica bought it she decided to keep the small stage and have live performers play. She saw me playing one day at the park and asked if I wanted to play at her cafe, and I jumped at the opportunity. It's not that I expected to make it big with my singing or anything. Actually, I've never once thought about trying to become famous using my voice. I use what I can to make money and I happen to be an okay singer and guitar player. I'm no Adele but people seem to enjoy my performances so I keep doing it. The stage has a wooden stool, a mic with a stand, and a guitar all ready to go for me. I used to lug around my guitar when I came here but Monica told me to use the one here so I wouldn't hurt myself. Even after I objected several times she didn't waver and I gave in to her request.
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-13
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Chapter 4
Blue After almost being grabbed by that guy my heart is beating like crazy. I also feel super paranoid and can't help looking around me as I rush in the direction of the railroad yard. Forget the park! Besides, I swear people are watching me but I can't figure out why. What is happening? Is there something weird about how I look today? I cleaned up well before I went to Monica's but maybe I missed something. Except I'm pretty sure she would have said something if she noticed I looked off. "Excuse me." I stop short when a young girl stops next to me. "Yes?" I look around to see if anyone is watching us. She has to be fourteen, so I don't think she's a threat to me. Maybe this has nothing to do with why that guy approached me. "You're the girl from the Twitter hashtag!" She smiles at me like she's just met her favorite celebrity. "I can't believe I found you! Can I take a picture with you?" What is she talking about? "Hashtag?" I ask her. "Yeah! See?" She turns her phone to
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-13
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Chapter 5
ArtemisI normally hate social media. The idea that people want to share everything they think and do at all times doesn't make sense to me.However in this case I was convinced that it could be useful. When Abigail suggested it I wasn't sure if it would work, but she said the post had gone viral within an hour. In that time some people had even snapped a photo of the girl. I was happy to let Abigail handle things after that and I decided to get back to my real work. Several urgent emails were waiting in my inbox to read. Alan has been out of town trying to close a contract with a security firm. Apparently, they were hacked a few times which I find funny since they work in the field of security. In their defense, they specialize in securing people. The first email is from my mother inviting me to brunch on Sunday. She adds that there will be a few friends joining us. That's code for potential wives and their wealthy families. It's the third of this month, and I'm ready to be done wi
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-14
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Chapter 6
BlueI slowly stop laughing when I notice the guy's face hasn't changed. He isn't cracking a smile or laughing along with me. Neither is the woman next to me. "Are you serious?" I ask with clear disbelief in my voice. "Yes." He says. "Okay. Can I ask why?" I'm not sure what to ask if I'm honest. "I'll be right outside Mr. Rhodes." The redhead says before leaving me alone with this crazy man."I need your help with a problem I'm having." The man says as he moves and stands at the edge of my bed. "Well, admitting you have a problem is the first step but what does that have to do with me marrying you?" He doesn't seem amused by my odd comment."I need to be married by Sunday. My family has a tradition where all children are supposed to be married by the age of thirty. Either to someone of their choice, within reason, or to someone of their choosing." He says this in what I assume is his way of explaining the situation. It only makes me more confused though. "Aren't things like fo
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-14
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Chapter 7
Blue"I agreed to marry you, not carry a child! What the hell? It's a good thing I didn't sign anything yet. You are fucking crazy if you think I'm going to give you free rein over my reproduction choices." We are back to me wanting to kick this guy out on his ass. How dare he drop that bomb on me! "I never said you would have to carry the child. We could claim you have a problem conceiving and use a surrogate to carry the baby. We can even use a donated egg if you don't want to have any biological connection to the child." My mouth drops open in shock. Literally. Did he just say..."You want me to pretend I can't get pregnant and have another woman carry a baby that isn't mine but will be passed off as mine? You are certifiable." I can't believe I thought about marrying this guy!"Look...Blue," He stops and tilts his head at me with an odd expression on his face. "Is that a nickname for something?"Great now I have to explain this to some rich prick. "No. When I was little my fo
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-14
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Chapter 8
ArtemisI hesitate outside of Blue's room feeling a strange surge of concern for her. After what she told me...something changed. She wasn't just a random woman I picked to play a role in my life. She was a real person with a past and from what it sounds like, possibly a bad one. She was in foster care. What happened to her in the system? Suddenly I want to know everything about her. What happened to not caring? I told myself to keep my distance from the woman I would marry so I wouldn't have to deal with the mess of a relationship, but I don't know what that means now. From one conversation with a mysterious woman, I've only just met my whole plan has been thrown out. Maybe because she isn't like most women I know. It's not just the blue hair, it's more than that. I have never been interested in getting to know people. My mind is constantly wrapped up in my work. The only reason Alan and I are friends is that he was the one to keep that connection alive. He is an extreme extrovert
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-14
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Chapter 9
BlueI stand in front of the mirror and see a girl playing dress up looking back at me. It's blindingly obvious that these sorts of clothes don't suit me. My hair is a bright blue sign saying this businesswoman look isn't me. Also, it doesn't hide some of the scars I have. One in particular. It's a section of round burn marks from when one of my foster dads put a cigarette out on my skin a few times as punishment. I was too little at the time to fight back and too scared to try. For the most part, I don't notice it and it's easy to forget some of the dark moments of my past, but this outfit highlights all my worst parts. It's unflattering and...off. Still, Abigail thinks it would be a good idea to wear it, so I'll follow her advice. I would prefer people not to make horrible comments about my looks if I'm going to be in the spotlight from now on. I'm hoping that once Artemis and I are married...if we get married...Who am I kidding? I'm accepting his dumbass deal. What the heck? It
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-14
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Chapter 10
BlueThe view is amazing from Artemis's office. I don't think I haven't had the chance to see Seattle like this. It's breathtaking even with the dark clouds steadily rolling in. His office on the other hand looks very...professional. There isn't a hint of anything personal anywhere in the room. No pictures of family or diplomas like you see in most offices. It's a lot of brown and black with a pale grey wall and wood accents. It sort of reminds me of what you would expect an old man's den would look like.I'm not surprised, to be honest. He seems to like control and this room allows him to become the center of everyone's attention. The air around him screams authority and I guess that's enough to fill this space. Still, if I had a say he would at least have some colorful pillows. Even something like a soft cream color would do a lot for this place. "Who decorated your office?" I ask moving away from the window. I can feel his eyes following and soon I hear his footsteps as well. "
last updateLast Updated : 2024-03-14
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