Hidden By Her Sister, Loved By The Billionaire

Serendipity

Chase POV

I automatically reach out to steady the girl who has come walking out of the building, bag in hand, her body bumping right into mine, bouncing back, the bag dropping from her hand. I feel a warmth spread through my hand where I grab her, my eyes focussing on the unusual brown hair that reminds me of a forest with its earthy tones, even as she blinks up at me, her eyes a beautiful hazel color, so intense that it's all I can do to stare down at her, unable to make myself look away. Her complexion is pale porcelain and she's short, so short she stands at my chest height. Something comes over me as I slowly bend down to pick up her bag, the girl still looking mildly taken aback. Did she feel the tingles too? Or was she simply overcome?

I force a smile onto my face as I hold out the bag, the girl reaching slowly out to take it. My hands are no longer gripping her by the arms. "I believe this is yours," I say softly as she takes hold of it, her hand enclosing around the handle.

"Thank you" she whispers through pale pink lips, my eyes fixating on them.

What would it be like to kiss those lips and taste them? The thought shocks me. I've never looked at a woman like this before, nor been taken by one so quickly. There's something about this one though, something about her that seems so innocent and pure. She's not like the other girls you would catch walking in such a fancy part of town.

"I'm, Wilson," I say reluctantly, still not wanting to give my real name.

What if I bumped into her again? I couldn't afford for her to know me as Chase Callahan, but oh how badly I wanted her to. Her lips curve into the sweetest smile I've ever seen and she holds out her hand. "Sage" she whispers.

Sage. An unusual name, for an unusual girl, I think, taking hold of her delicate little hand in mine and giving it a brusque shake. Her eyes widen slightly and then she slowly pulls her hand away.

"I apologize for bumping into you" she adds in a shaking voice as I continue to stare at her mesmerized "I should have paid better attention to where I was going"

"There's no harm done. I'm just glad you aren't hurt" I told her honestly.

She gives a light laugh. It's like music to my ears. "No, I think you managed to save me from falling flat on my ass" she joked, causing me to give her a grin "so thanks again for that."

She shoots an uncertain glance behind me and I turn slightly, seeing a waiting limousine. She flushes. "I appreciate your help but I really must be going" she added biting her lip, which was so adorable that I gave another crooked grin "I'm so sorry" she apologized again, bowing her head in deference.

This girl was extremely polite. I opened my mouth to reassure her that everything was fine, but before I could, she shot me another quick glance underneath her eyelashes and then turned on her heel and sped off, leaving me staring at the back of her speechless.

"Who was that?" Wilson murmured, coming up behind me, dressed to kill, while I was clad in a basic suit and shirt.

"Sage" I murmured, still looking in the direction she had left and then glancing back at the limousine.

Why hadn't she gotten in the limousine? Did she have more errands to do? I wanted to go over there and enquire, but then I reminded myself that I had no business doing that. Still, it wasn't often you had a confrontation with a beautiful girl that left you speechless or wanting more. My mouth went dry just picturing her in my mind. I was going to have a hard time forgetting the beauty of her face or the sweetness of her voice. Something about that girl just drew me in. Her beauty was more than just her looks. I had the instinctive feeling that there was a lot more to this Sage girl than met the eye. I was intrigued. Curious.

"Sage" Wilson murmured as we began to walk back down the street, "as in Silverspoon?" he asked with a frown.

I stopped short, almost causing him to walk into the back of me. "I don't know?" I said glancing at him in surprise "I didn't think to ask her last name."

"Well to be fair, Sage isn't exactly an uncommon name," he said, causing me to deflate "but I am surprised. You don't normally act so um" he paused trying to phrase it delicately "enthusiastic towards women."

"She was different" I scowled "she even apologized for bumping into me. How many women do you know would do that?" I demanded.

"Not many in the wealthy circle" he allowed "but it's more than that isn't it. You looked as though she had knocked you over" he pointed out.

I fidgeted "I thought she was beautiful" I muttered under my breath as we made our way towards the building "in a wholesome sort of way."

His face cleared "I see. Should I go after her?" he asked knowingly.

I hesitated and then shook my head. "No, that would be wrong and to be honest we don't have time. My father is waiting for us in the solicitor's office to draw up the contract promising me the company if I get married within a year. We can't afford to hold him up or he might change his mind" I exhaled, looking back behind me regretfully "who knows maybe I'll run into her again" I sighed, knowing the likelihood of that was going to be zero.

Wilson looked doubtful as well but merely nodded tightly as we opened the door and made our way upstairs. "Very well, but remember that I offered" he reminded me tersely.

The solicitor's office was exactly where I remembered it being. I opened the door and Wilson entered, with me behind him. My father was waiting patiently, seated in a chair with his longtime friend Harry Giles. Harry's eyes were crinkling with good humor as he stood up and extended a hand to me. "Mr Callahan Junior," he said with a warm smile as Wilson sat down and I joined him "it's been a long time since I've seen you. You've grown up to be so big" he chuckled, as my father smiled "I remember when you were just a little tyke."

"Harry," I said gently "it's a pleasure to see you again. I understand you have some papers for me to sign?"

He nodded, looking between my father and me. "I must say that this is quite an unusual circumstance" he began shaking his head "when your father informed me of what he wanted me to do, I can't say that I was quite on board with it, but it is his decision to make. I've drawn up a legal contract, specifying that the company, Textile Holdings Pty Ltd will officially become yours, so long as you are legally married within the correct timeframe of twelve months, ending on this date" he pointed to it on the papers.

I quietly pulled the papers towards myself. My father looked at me disapprovingly "I would never try to cheat you" he snapped.

I raised a brow "I'm ensuring for myself there aren't any loopholes which you can use to regain control of the company. I'm not as trusting as you would like to believe father, you taught me to look everything over with a fine tooth comb" I reminded him.

My father huffed and sat back, crossing his arms. I scanned the papers, taking note of everything while Harry waited patiently. I could see nothing that my father could use to regain use of his company or put himself back in charge. I handed the papers to Wilson to look over, to make sure I hadn't missed anything. My father scowled. I shot him a sharp glance and he clenched his jaw, looking away in disgust. I was determined to make sure nothing was missed. I trusted Wilson to pick up anything I may have unintentionally glanced over.

"Everything appears to be in order" Wilson said, handing the papers back to me.

I nodded satisfied. Harry merely nodded calmly, a small smile playing on his lips. "I need to witness your signature and you need to date it, here, here and here" he pointed, as I began to scribble my name on the dotted lines "but rest assured everything is as it appears on paper. If you fail to marry within the designated timeframe, your father retains control of the company and everything in it. You will have no recourse" he told me.

"I understand" I said gravely.

I was putting everything on the line. I was not a betting man but in this case, I was gambling with my familie's company. For all truth and purposes, if I couldn't find a woman to marry me, I was going to have to admit defeat and do what I had always sworn I would never do. Consider a contract marriage, because I would not allow the company to remain in my father's hands. Not any longer. He was already ruining what remained. If he continued at the rate he was going, there would be no company worth saving. I handed the papers to my father, watching as he bent over the document and began to apply his own signature to the legally binding document.

"I will of course, immediately prepare individual copies for the two of you and keep my own in a safe. I have witnessed it" he applied his personal stamp to the document "and it is legally binding. Should either of you have any questions or concerns" he glanced meaningfully between the two of us "then by all means please don't hesitate to call and discuss it with me. I may not be able to offer any advice other than what the document legally pertains to, but I do want to see you still remain a family at the end of all of this" he added, as my father began to stand up, indicating the discussion was over.

"Thank you Harry" my father said, shaking his hand "I can always count on you to do what needs to be done."

He glanced at me, a gleam in his eyes "Good luck son. You have just under twelve months to find a wife" he said, beginning to walk past "I suggest you start looking if you're going to be as fussy as you proved to be on the last date. There's only so many I'm going to set up for you and then you're on your own. I want grandchildren" he said with a sidelong glance "before I'm dead and gone."