The Billionaire's Contracted Mistress

For the past five years, Holly has taken the same drive to visit her father in the same hospital and the same days. The only thing that seemed to change were the cars in front and behind of her as almost everything else seemed to remind her of the depressing nature of her life. Being twenty three and the only one at her place of employment without a husband, fiance, or even a boyfriend, the fact her only joy in life was watching reruns of old television shows, and the bitter longing for something more was a consistent thing upon her mind. She would always watch as couples came into the store fawning all over each other, almost drooling or nearly having s*x between the aisles as she would be stuck with that damned sticker gun. She imagined what it would be like to feel a love like that; the kind you want to rip each other’s clothes off the second you see them; the kind where that feeling is never really satisfied. Sure, she had divulged in Fifty Shades and Outlander to get that feeling, but nobody had ever struck her fancy enough make her step out of her comfort zone. The only one who had ever been close was Doctor Darrow-her father’s primary doctor who, although young, was incredibly successful and attractive. He was the usual type she would go for with the All American guy persona and clean shaven smile with perfectly pearl white teeth. Whenever he would smile, it would see as though he was part of a toothpaste commercial as it had been so captivating. For the past five years, Wyatt Darrow and Holly Blaire had a distant flirtation that always resulted in them getting so close, yet never truly taking that leap for the other person. It never seemed to be the right time as either one of them was in another relationship or uninterested in any kind at that moment. Perhaps that would be the change that Holly felt as she made her way into the hospital room of her father’s for the millionth time. She found his favorite flower; a sunflower placed on the vase beside the window as his frail physique laid motionless in a bed with wires and monitors surrounding him. Unfortunate due to the reason, Holly had been known by every doctor, nurse, and even member of the custodial crew by her first name, rather embarrassing life details, and her father as she had spent the majority of her time at her father’s side. Whenever she wasn’t working at the boring grocery store or hammering time into studying, she would be found at his side, even sometimes studying for upcoming tests and falling asleep in her books as he would look over and feel fuzzy warm to see her remain at his side. Holly had the type of natural beauty that wasn’t needed amplifying with makeup. She usually wore her sandy blonde hair in a quick ponytail and today was no exception. She would occasionally use a bit of mascara or lip gloss, but never felt as though caking on makeup would do anything but ask for the wrong kind of attention. But today, she entered the hospital with a slight line of eyeliner perfectly congruent with each of her eyes as a light layer of blush was set on each cheek and a single line of a clear gloss was set upon her lips. She wasn’t even sure why she had done this, but she felt as though she needed to on this specific day. As she took the place beside her dad and waited for Wyatt to enter, she pulled her chemistry book up to her view and began to read its complex nature before feeling an overwhelming need to look at her father. Within a second of her doing so, she noticed there had been a vicious shaking his body began to exhibit. With nurses being right outside of her door, she begged for help as they rushed in to her side and quickly helped ease him with a cocktail of sedatives and other medications that calmed him. It wasn’t until his body stopped moving that the extent of her emotions began to flood down her cheeks. For the time he had been afflicted with his plethora of diseases, Holly had always dealt with it rather well-or at least that was what she had told herself. But there was something about this specific moment that just became too much for her, and so she brought herself to the hallway of the hospital to get some distance from the sight. As she lingered, waiting to get her bearings back, she noticed there was a type of overwhelming sensation to venture outside and so she did so and felt actually relieved at the brisk morning air that brushed her skin. It seemed to almost guide her tears away as she placed herself at the corner of the building. Keeping herself immobile for some time, she finally lifted her gaze when hearing the engine of a fast sports car bring her from her sadness. She noticed how the driver had little to no care of handicapped places as he parked diagonal into one and left his car running. Usually she would remain silent and simply roll her eyes and keep to herself. But now, she had this type of bizarre self-esteem that she had never felt before and so she moved to the driver’s side of the car. As the man looked up to her, she was slightly taken back by his level of attractiveness. It wasn’t the kind that was a crush, it was the kind that held mystery and danger in his steely gaze. When pulling himself from the car, he had stood towering her and quite humored at her anger placed at him as he knew he could simply wink and she would turn to butter. However, with her current attitude and anger she held against the world, she groaned internally before crossing her arms in front of her. “Perhaps you didn’t see the sign…” She motioned to the bright blue handicap sign only an inch from where his bumper would have hit it. He smirked at her, not used to girls or anyone speaking to him as if his money didn’t matter. To be honest, Holly did notice the fact he had money, but didn’t care as she continued to speak to him almost like a mother to a child who was getting in trouble. “I saw it.” He spoke as he went to walk away, finding her to suddenly appear in front of him. Although she was little, the look in her eyes was enough to explain to him that she meant every single word she said. “There are some people who actually need that spot…” She spoke now more aggressive, with her hands now on her hips as he analyzed her from the top, down. It was only a second before his eyes reconnected to hers as he gave her a villainous smirk. “You don’t seem like one of them…” He challenged her, seemingly enjoying the fact that there was a bit of tension between him and a member of the opposite s*x. “My dad is.” She commented in a stern tone, growing less patient with the jackass of a man who stood in front of her with enough self esteem to fill an entire high school. “Maybe you’re emotionally handicapped or even mentally, but that spot is for people who need it.” She paused, but not long enough for him to speak as he was impressed to find her take such a tone with him. “Actually...the spot is perfect for you then.” Before he could respond, she pulled herself together and into the hospital where the man followed behind with a mission. It wasn’t until he made it to the reception desk that he spoke again as his gaze seemed locked on the petite yet fiesty young woman who dared to challenge him. “Who is that?” He asked the receptionist who was taken by him in a matter of micro seconds. She was disappointed of his attention to another girl, especially one she fell inferior to in beauty and experience, but gave the name nonetheless. “Holly Blaire.” He repeated her name, taking care into each of the letters gifted in her spelling. A smile then crafted at the end of speaking it before he the woman glared to Holly from behind. “It’s actually kind of sad, she spends all of her time here…” The receptionist spoke while trying to make her sound less attractive to him, but this backfired as it made him feel more alluring to her. The thought of her selflessness was enough to make her irresistible to him as he decided in that moment that she was the one he was looking for. As she returned to her father’s side, finding him now awake and being brought back into reality, still a bit foggy. No matter his mindset though, he always knew his daughter’s face as he smiled at her and greeted her with a kiss on her forehead as she leaned to hug him. “There is my beautiful daughter.’ He spoke as she blushed, trying to hide the fact she had been crying. “She’s single, you know.” He spoke to one of the nurses who then held up a wedding ring and her father then shrugged. “It’s worth a shot…” He spoke beneath his breath as Holly tried to hide herself from him, feeling embarrassed and slightly annoyed. Slightly used to this however, she did her best to forget about it before helping him get comfortable by fluffing his pillow and helping adjust the bed that he never seemed to understand even through all the time he had spent here. With the news having been on full blast behind her and her father seemingly focused on that, this gave her the chance to speak to the nurse on the status of his medical health. “Holly…” “I’m not putting him in a home.” She spoke slightly aggravated as it was something that was brought up almost every time she came around. The older woman who seemed to always be the one in the hospital when she came around had taken to her with a type of pity. She saw a beautiful young girl filled with potential, who was wasting it on her father. The thought broke her heart as she had even used her own connections to make things easy for him, but being in a hospital as long as he had, made every day there more and more dreary. “You are just so young...you should be out enjoying your twenties and making mistakes, not reminded of his illnesses.” “I am all he has.” She spoke the words as they pained her to hear them aloud. The same was said for the nurse as she then set her hand on Holly’s shoulder. “Financially, things would be better if he was put somewhere that takes care of everything for you.” “You and I both know that him being here is best for him.” “But what about for you?” Holly stood back, she couldn’t remember the last time someone had actually asked about her or put her first. Even in her childhood, she always played mother or guardian and now seemed to be no exception. “I will be at his side until I can’t anymore.” At that very moment, security and housekeeping had both made their ways into the room and began pulling her father from the room as she rushed to them with questions. “What are you doing?” “Your father has been moved to the West wing.” “Why? I think there has been some mistake…” She was beyond confused as the West Wing was known for being the location where those with money were held. They were given their own rooms, own nurses, own menus, even own regimens specific to their disease. “We can’t afford this…” She said below her breath as the nurse came up to her before trying to ease her while rubbing her back. “I suppose you have found yourself a guardian angel.” She smiled at the thought as Holly remained suspicious. “Nothing comes for free…” Holly commented while following her father into his new room. It was almost unbelievable in difference. The other room he had just come from was nice, but completely outdated. It was clear that more care was given into the more expensive rooms as even the monitors and Egyptian cotton sheets made this difference noticeable. As he was set in his individual room, even with his name listed on the door, she noticed how there had even been a difference with the staff. “Can you have Doctor Darrow come in here?” The new doctor that had taken over her father’s care looked to her with a smile. “Forgive me, Miss, but I am actually going to be taking over his care from now on.” “I am sure you would be just as beneficial to my father, but we are familiar with Doctor Darrow.” He seemed kind of hurt by this before nodding. “Perhaps him and I can work together to give you and your father a calming atmosphere. He then left the room as she looked to her father who was blown away by the room. That was until he noticed his flower had been missing from his window. As she moved back to the old room, she stole the sunflower from the sill before carrying it back through the hall, unknowingly being seen by the man who lingered in the reception area, still watching her rushed movements. She saw him for only a split second when changing rooms, feeling an unsettling feeling when his lips curved to a smile. Her eyes glared at him before shaking it off and returning to her father. As she set his flower in the window, he gave her a smile before motioning for her to move to him. “You take such good care of your old man.” He spoke with a crack in his voice as he was beginning to grow emotional in his thoughts. “But all of this...it’s too much…” “Dad, I don’t know why they switched you, as much as I would love for you to stay in here...I can’t afford this…” “I was worried about that…” He let out a sigh just as Doctor Darrow entered the room. Having seen a familiar face, one she felt comfortable with had allowed her confusion and anger to subside into a smile. “Miss Blaire…” He spoke her name with a smirk as he looked down at her father’s chart and then back to them. “Were you getting tired of the same old view?” He teased as I looked to him and shrugged. “I’m not exactly sure why we are in here...I think there’s been a mistake…” “I’ll go to finance and see what happened.” “Thank you.” She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though she wasn’t alone in this fight as she took the seat beside her father. “You should ask him out.” He spoke as her eyes shot up to him. “I may be older than you but I’m not senile yet.” “It would be too weird…” “No. What’s weird is seeing you two drool over each other. If it’s my blessing you’re waiting for-” “No. Dad, I have too much on my mind to even think about a boyfriend.” “What about a friend with benefits? Is that the right phrase?” “Where did you learn something like that?” His eyes shifted to the television as she rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Maybe I am going to have to monitor what you watch.” “Don’t forget who the parent is here.” “Don’t forget who can take you down in two seconds.” She teased as he conceded by playfully throwing his hands up. At that same moment, Wyatt returned with a confused look before entering with a stack of paperwork. “It is definitely not a mistake, but absolutely a first.” “What do you mean?” She asked as he handed her the stack of papers. “Someone donated one million dollars to you and your father.” The words didn’t seem to register as she just continued to stare at him and blink rapidly-in complete shock. “It’s a joke...right?” He shook his head “no” before showing her the part of the paperwork where it showed the donation and the number. “Usually donations are given to the building or charity...or sometimes even left for adopted children...but...this has never happened since I’ve been here…” She looked at the sheet very closely, reading every word as if it held the secret to healing her father before she looked up back up to Wyatt. “Maybe whoever it was meant to give it to the hospital…” “No, it’s directed to you, your room number...your names…” He paused as she continued to be baffled in the moment. “Maybe it is a relative?” “I’m all he has…” She spoke as if it was as easy as saying her name, although incredibly painful. Holly seemed to be rather gifted when it came to hiding her pain as she mastered being able to cover it behind a smile. “You don’t know a…” Wyatt hesitated as he moved beside her, reading the name on the signature line. “Parker Hammond?” She stopped for a moment, trying to think of all the millions of people she had met in her life. Maybe it was a friend of her father’s back from the military or maybe it had been a distant relative of some kind that she had never heard of. But when her gaze fell to the business card left and attached to the documents that showed the million dollars gifted to her and her father, she pulled it to view and lingered deep in thought. “Hammond Enterprises….” She spoke the name aloud as Wyatt smirked. “THE Hammond Enterprises?” “The?” Wyatt chuckled before throwing up his phone into view and pulling up a news conference with the very man whom had taken liberty in ignoring the handicapped sign in the parking lot. “What is the next step for Hammond Enterprises?” A disembodied voice asked as the man, as handsome and dapper as ever had smiled to the camera and spoken as if he had been planning this his entire life. “We want to eventually bring ourselves global. To be able to give our services to the entire world. But of course, you must start at one step before reaching a million.” Wyatt then pulled back the phone before growing a bit emasculated by the fact she seemed so impressed by him. He then put his phone back into his pocket as she looked back at his signature, drawing her fingers over his name before smirking to herself. “I suppose you have a not-so-secret admirer.” He spoke these words as she grew even more confused as usually admirers were created by kindness and shared interest. But as she looked to how happy and comfortable her father was,she didn’t want to question it-even though her mind did race a million miles a minute. But she was unaware of what meeting Parker would do to her life, unaware of the things he would want in return.