Saving the Billionaire

4. Nightmares

/Third Person POV/

"Jace" The soft voice echoed around his room. He lighted up when his mother entered the room with a cake in her hand. It meant she was in a good mood. It didn't often happen, so he was trying to be quiet until she inched towards him. 

The six-year-old raised his head high from the floor and sat up. He folded his legs together. His crayons were littered on the floor, but his mother didn't scold him this time. Something was up with her.

"Is that for me?" He slurred, staring at the yummy cake. His mouth watered at the colour of the cake. It was topped with white cream which he always liked. Sometimes he secretly tiptoed in the kitchen and tried to eat it.

His mother laughed, sitting on her knees in front of him. She forwarded her hands towards him, cupping his cheek. Hesitantly he leaned into her touch, not wanting to piss her off.

"Yes here" She set up the small table and placed the plate on top of it. He licked his lips, staring at the chocolate cake topped with whipped cream.

Hurriedly he picked up the spoon when he noticed her glare at him.

"Thank you, mumma."

He had almost forgotten to thank her. It was basic manners.

A smile stretched across her lips, "You're welcome, honey. Now eat up."

He bobbed his head and dug into the cake when he heard the phone ring. Startled, he stared at his mother, who shook her head and patted at his head.

"Just a minute" She wandered towards the living room leaving him all alone with the cake. He started eating, making noises at how it melted in his mouth. The chocolate dribbled from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't care.

He heard loud yelling from the living room, which made him squirm. Jace always hated when people yelled; it made his ears ring. Before he could cover his ears, his mother stalked inside the room

Tears were streaming down her face, the black thing she applied to her eyes running down, and he was terrified. Wrapping his arms around himself, he slid back as his mother kicked at the table, sending his chocolate cake on the floor. His eyes filled with tears.

"How do you feel you f*****g brat? You ruined everything for me! Everything" She yelled, slapping her face. He tried to inch towards her, but she pushed him away.

"Get away from me. You're a curse. A f*****g curse! I regret bringing you to this world."

Jace gasped, opening his eyes and looking around. When he realised that he was in his room and not that worn-out apartment, he let out a breath. It was almost impossible to keep his eyes open. He ducked his head down, tugging at his hair, trying not to scream. Why him? He thought with a bitter smile on his face. Twenty years later, and those memories still haunted him.

Along the way, he thought he would be able to forget, but it seemed like his nightmares were getting worst. Even though he was taking medication, it didn't prove useful.

Just then he heard a knock on his door. He pulled the sheets over his arms because he slept shirtless.

"Come in."

Greta, their housekeeper, stepped inside the room, holding the tray. He asked her to keep it on the nightstand instead of the bed because he was in no mood to drink anything.

"Good morning" She mumbled, placing the cup on the nightstand and taking the tray in between her hands.

"Morning"

"Jace" She called him out, holding the tray in front of her.

"Hmm?"

"The breakfast is ready. I sent Charles to pick your guest. You should get ready too."

Jace rubbed his face at that. He almost forgot that the interior designer was going to stop by for breakfast. What was wrong with him?

"Oh yeah. Thank you for that."

"No worries. Alex said he wouldn't be joining for breakfast today."

Jace chuckled, "Of course."

He should have known that his stepbrother would never get along with his plans no matter what. But meeting the interior designer wouldn't have hurt him.

"Forget about him. You know how he is" Great tried to smile but failed.

"Yeah, I do."

The silence stretched across the room for a while before Great excused herself. He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, trying to get himself together before rushing to shower.

***

His palms felt clammy for some reason. Jace never felt that nervous even for his exams. And this was just an interior designer. But she had the fate of that building in her hands. If she said she couldn't do it, he had to find someone else. That would take him ages.

"Are you nervous?" Alice quirked her brows, an amused smile on her face.

"No" He spluttered, staring at the entrance again. He knew he would hear the car pull before the designer steps in, but he couldn't help it.

"Wow brother, you're still the worst liar" She shook her head, crossing her legs together. They were sitting on the couch, waiting for her to arrive.

"Geez, thanks."

Alice giggled, "It's funny."

He didn't say anything in response, just stared at the door again. As he was about to stand up and distract himself, the sound of the car made his ears ring. The footsteps echoed towards the door, and it made his insides clench.

His breath hitched as she walked through the door, and he couldn't take his eyes off. Her hair was short, reaching up to her shoulders and strawberry blonde in colour. She was dressed like it was a business meeting, a tight pantsuit and cat eyes black-rimmed eyeglasses. Due to the light streaming from behind, he couldn't see her eyes.

She seemed very confident as she walked when suddenly he heard her yelp. He and his sister stood up as the interior designer twisted her legs at the main door, her heel stuck in between. Isabella dropped the bag on the floor, clutching on to the handle of the door to not fall.

"Oh my god," Alice squealed as she picked up the bag from the floor. She tried to give Isabella her hand to hold on, but she denied.

Jace went by her side to help, but she shook her head, holding her hand up.

Isabella giggled nervously, her cheeks flushed as she managed to pull her heels. She stepped out of the heels and barefoot, touched the floor and winced.

"I'm sorry about that! That was not the grand entrance I had in my mind."

He felt his lips twitch. Even embarrassed, she was making a joke.

"Are you fine, Ms Clark?"

She looked up, and he felt his breath stuck in his throat. Her eyes were blue, exactly like the colour he paints on his canvas—cerulean blue with specks of sky blue. Jace swallowed the lump in his throat. He never felt so attracted to a pair of eyes before.

She bobbed her head, "Don't worry; I won't be wearing those heels anymore."

Alice snickered, "Seriously, that's why I stopped wearing heels. That step is a bit tricky to walk."

"Noted!"

"Are you sure you can walk?" Jace asked as she was biting on her lips with each step she took. He could see the way her ankle looked swollen.

Isabella huffed, her lips folded together, "Actually no, but I'm trying not to embarrass myself further."

"Are you always this honest?" Alice asked, giving her a hand to hold on to.

Isabella managed to lean her weight against Alice as she trudged herself towards the couch, "I try."

Jace cleared his throat, "I'll ask Greta to get you an ice pack."

"Please, that will be nice."

Jace went to the kitchen and asked for the ice pack. Upon returning to the living room, he noticed that Isabella was already sitting on the couch, her feet on the table.

As she noticed Jace, she blushed, "Again I'm sorry about this"

Why was she apologising? It was not her fault that she tripped. If anything, he would blame that doorstep. He shook his head.

"You don't have anything to apologise for."

"Kinda do. I don't think you were expecting this when you invited me for breakfast."

He didn't. When he saw her portfolio, he didn't expect a storm like her. But he wasn't complaining.

Alice interrupted before he could say anything, "It's not your fault."

"You both are convincing me to believe that."

Alice giggled, "Well then you should"

Greta came back with the ice pack, and he handed Isabella. She was trying hard not to show it on her face as she held the bag against her ankle. Great peeked at the wound and nudged Jace.

"Is she a designer from New York?"

He hummed.

"She sure knows how to make an entrance" Greta scoffed before moving back. He wanted to say it was not her fault, but he kept quiet.

Alice looked back at Greta, "Can you get our breakfast here? Is that okay, Jace?"

He stared at Isabella and nodded his head, "Sure."

***