Married To The Billionaires Son

Chapter 3

The morning sun gently peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Vanessa stirred, her eyes slowly opening to an unfamiliar bedroom. Memories of the previous night flooded back, and she blushed as she realized she was lying naked beside the charming stranger from the clubhouse. Her head started to pound as she couldn't believe she had had s*x with a stranger, and while she was drunk too. She was not usually that impulsive and she chided herself for letting that happen.

Not wanting to disturb the peaceful sleep of the naked man beside her, she carefully slipped out of bed, wrapping herself in a nearby blanket.

Creeping quietly, Vanessa tiptoed her way to the door, picking up her clothes that had been idly strewn about in the hasty lovemaking. She gingerly opened the bedroom door and slipped out into the living room.

As she put on her jeans and t-shirt she found that she was not as miserable as she was the previous night. And she did not regret going out to the clubhouse and meet this man.

After a bout of heavy drinking that was more than out of character for Vanessa.

After retrieve her leather jacket Vanessa left the house and started the walk back to her own place.

The day was pleasant and Vanessa took her time to savor the cool wind and the warmth of the sun. As she did so she couldn't help but feel that normal days like these were coming to an end.

Once back in her own apartment, Vanessa decided it was best to get ready for the day and distract herself from overthinking the situation. She took a shower and brushed her teeth to remove the sour taste of alcohol and bile. She was still hungover so her movements were slow and pained. She checked her medicine cabinet for aspirin and found the bottle empty. She tossed the bottle aside as her frustration rose.

Her frustration rose even further when as she was brushing her hair, her phone rang, and she saw her mother's name on the screen. She groaned. She was definitely not in the mood to deal with her mother.

Vanessa let the call go to voicemail. Unfazed, her mother called back.

The cycle of her mother calling and Vanessa ignoring her continued two more times before Vanessa realized her mother would not give up until she got a hold of her.

With a sigh, she answered, knowing that this call was definitely not for anything good.

"Hello, Mom," Vanessa greeted with a hint of reluctance.

"Vanessa, darling! I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time," her mother's cheerful voice filled the line. That told her that there were probably other people around and her mother wanted to seem like she was a caring, doting mother. She was anything but.

"Any time you call is a bad time for me. What's going on?" Vanessa replied, trying to sound more alive than she felt.

"There's a small gathering at the Don Pedro mansion tonight, and I wanted you to be there. Some important people will be attending, and I think it's time you met your future fiance and in-laws."

"Mom, I'm not really in the mood for that right now. Can't I skip this one?"

Her mother's tone hardened. "Vanessa, don't be stubborn. Do you know what it would mean to insult these people by turning down their dinner invitation? These are powerful people, Vanessa.”

“I don't give a s**t, mom. I'm not some pawn you can use whenever you wish. I told you I'm not getting married.”

“Your father would be ashamed of the woman you've become. Talking back to me like that? Refusing to do what I ask of you? He wouldn't recognize you.”

And that was it. Mom had played her trump card. My dad.

Ever since the accident that claimed his life mom had been using my guilt over it to manipulate me. And it worked every time.

"Fine, I'll come," Vanessa gritted through her teeth. She was reluctantly agreeing because she didn't want to hear her mother's voice.

Cutting the call, she give the countertop a frustrated punch.

Later that evening, Vanessa found herself standing in the opulent lobby of the Don Pedro mansion. Her mother quickly found her and ushered her to the dining room.

“Now remember to smile,” she coached her.

Vanessa wanted to tell her to save her lecture as she was an actress but the opportunity never came. In the living room were two men. Among them was a tall, dark-haired man that was no doubt Nathan and the other was a shorter, grey-haired version of him who was obviously Nathan's father. They both wore expensive suits and the same look of displeasure on their faces.

As her mother introduced them, Vanessa forced a smile, though her intuition told her that Nathan might not be the right match for her. The man had an air of arrogance about him, and his initial greeting lacked warmth. His father was even worse if that was possible. For the first time in her life Vanessa felt like she was the size of a dust particles under their gaze.

"Vanessa, this is Nathan," her mother said, beaming. "And this is his father Don Pedro Carlos. This is my daughter, Vanessa."

Her mother dished a wide, obsequious smile that disgusted and irrated Vanessa at thr same time. Nevertheless she fixed her own smile and offered a hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

Don Pedro eyed the hand she presented and turned to his son. “I'll be in the dining room. I'm starving.”

After a pat on Nathan's shoulder he was gone.

Nathan glanced at Vanessa dismissively. "Pleased to meet you," he said curtly, barely offering a handshake.

"Likewise," Vanessa replied, trying not to let his cold demeanor or deep voice bother her.

“The dining room is this way,” he gestured and turned around.

The dining room of the grand mansion was adorned with crystal chandeliers, and the long table was impeccably set for an elegant dinner. Vanessa, dressed in a blue gown that clung to her curves and fit her perfectly, took her seat at the head of the table, her mother sitting to her right. Across from her sat Nathan, with his father at his side. She was also shocked to see her best friend, Beverly, which made her wonder how she got to know about the party at Don Pedro’s mansion.

The atmosphere in the room was tense, the air heavy with disdain and silent judgments. Vanessa's mother, with a polite smile masking her true intentions, took the initiative to start the conversation. "Vanessa, dear, I hope you're enjoying the evening."

Vanessa forced a polite smile, her discomfort evident. "Yes, Mother, the evening is absolutely great."

Nathan's father chimed in with a hint of condescension. "It's not every day we invite someone of your standing into our circle, Vanessa. We hope you'll appreciate this opportunity."

Vanessa felt her palms grow sweaty, already anticipating the judgement that would come her way. She knew these dinners were merely a facade for her mother's ambitions and Nathan's family's desire to secure a wife for their unruly son.

Nathan, sitting across from her, had a smirk playing on his lips. "So, Vanessa, what is it that you do for a living?"

"I'm an actress," Vanessa replied, trying to maintain her composure and keep the excitement she felt about her work out of her voice.

"Actress? Hah!" Nathan chuckled, his voice dripping with disdain. "Not a very practical profession, I must say. You're entirely dependent on other people for an income."

Vanessa felt a flash of anger but chose not to engage in an argument. She had learned to pick her battles carefully over the years and she was on their property. Who know what they are capable of?

Nathan's father nodded, adding fuel to the fire. "Yes, it's important to have a stable and secure career, especially if you want to fit into our family."

The tension grew thicker with every passing moment. Vanessa felt isolated and judged, her true self obscured by the cold facade she was expected to uphold.

She picked up her glass and took a sip of water.

Just as the dinner threatened to become unbearable, the large double doors at the end of the dining room opened, and an unexpected guest walked in. A tall, charismatic man, his presence commanded attention as soon as he entered.

Vanessa's heart skipped a beat when she saw him—none other than the charming stranger she had met at the bar and gone home with and had s*x with. She was suddenly embarrassed and tried to cover the flush on her face. His arrival was unexpected and seemed to catch everyone off guard.

He flashed a warm smile as he approached the table, making his way to Vanessa's side. If he recognized her he didn't show it.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said, his tone polite but filled with a touch of amusement.

Vanessa's mother looked bewildered for a moment before composing herself. "And who might you be?"

“This is Simon, my youngest son,” Don Pedro answered, picking up his glass.

"I apologize for my sudden appearance," he replied smoothly.

Vanessa's embarrassment tripled as she realized the consequence of what was just said.

She had just slept with the younger brother of the man she was supposed to marry.