The Billionaire's Undoing

It had been two months since the closure of Kerrington Publishers Company. I woke up, almost kicking my laptop off the bed. My days had been filled with sending job applications to different publishing companies, but to no avail. For some unexplainable reason, my heart was beating so fast as if I had just finished a marathon. The only marathon I was doing was editing my cover letters, which would lead me to run all through the night to early mornings. I tried slowing down my breathing, and when I was calmer, I steadied myself on the edge of the bed and turned to look at the other side of the bed. Terrence was missing. I propped myself up and took steady steps to the bathroom which was dry and empty. Looking at the alarm clock that seemed desolate on the bedside drawer, I noticed that it was ten minutes to noon. Surely, I had slept all morning, and it made sense why Terrence would be missing as he had an important meeting today morning. Dancing to the small breeze on the bedside table

The party had just started. Women of all races, sizes, and shapes had gathered in Lucas Benjamin’s grand house, ready to partake in the greatest indulgence of their lifetime. They were all dressed to kill in flimsy fancy dresses that distinguished them as ladies while at the same time showcasing their wild nature. The men were not as distinguishably dressed, though they still looked good in their mostly black and grey suits. Only one man ever stood out in such crowds really- the owner of the party, the house, and the hearts of most of the women in the room - Lucas Benjamin. Even if one had never laid eyes on Lucas, it was easy to know who he was the moment he entered a room. His stature, and the way he carried himself, were a statement by themselves. He was standing by his grand staircase, looking poised in his navy green Dolce and Gabbana suit, his black Gucci shoes, the thousand-dollar Rolex draped graciously on his left wrist, and the diamond chain on his neck. He was the defin

I was not myself for a long while. My mind was in a disarray and my whole body was one second away from exploding from excitement. I tried gulping down various drinks that usually calmed me – Remy Martini and the likes – but today, it seemed the alcohol percentage in this one bottle was less than the usual 40%. I even tried my Cuban cigars which I had received from Mark last year, but those too seemed ineffective today. Giving up in frustration, I took the elevator to the rooftop and got inside my heated pool, hoping to feel much more relaxed than I did. Since the phone call with Aunt May that afternoon, my organs seemed to be performing their functions at faster paces than normal. If this happened without reason, I would have had my house manager phone my doctor and term it a fatal emergency. But today, there was the reason. And the reason was Charlotte Manning. I did not like this kind of anxiety. It was Lucas Benjamin. I was always in control. I was aware of things before th

I ran down the stairs to the front parking, smiling broadly at the thought of seeing her in less than an hour. I chose to go with the black Mercedes Benz as I figured it was well deserving for the editor-in-chief’s arrival, but also not too flashy to attract unnecessary attention along the streets of New York. Hardly had I opened the car door when I heard Jacque’s stern voice behind me. “Excuse me Monsieur,” “Yes?” “There is someone on the phone for you” “Hello?” “Hi, Lucas honey!” The enthusiasm on the other end was too much to bear for a sober mind. “Vivian?” I could feel all the blood draining from my face. “Yes, honey. The one and only. Did you miss me, my love?” she answered with a small whine in her voice. “Why are you calling me at this hour?” Laughs. “Oh, I am back in town and I just wanted to let you know that I am heading to the house in a few.” “Which house?” “Your house, of course, silly!” she said between laughs as if it was obvious to me. Normally, I would

I kept scrolling down my I***a in an attempt to find anything new about him that I had missed before. I did not wish to have a strange reconnection with him, and apart from all the gossip that tends to follow him, there was not much online to show what he was really like. Business, business, travel, girls, lots of girls…and more business. Lucas seemed to be living the true Gatsby lifestyle that he had always dreamed of since his childhood. After an hour of scrolling through social media and news, I opened my chat with Aunt May and stared at the number she had sent me to reach Lucas on my arrival. I had had this number a few months after he left Atlanta, and I had wanted to reach out to him for days, which turned to months, which turned to years. Ten years. I still felt betrayed by him, and as much as I loved him, I could not get over the fact that he had chosen to keep his move a secret from me. Moreso, I could not help but console myself that he also had the chance to reach out to