The Billionaire's Second Chance

Chapter 6

5 years later

Austin

I walked into my house and instantly groaned to myself. I heard banging, moaning and screaming coming from my bedroom. I was going to kill Eli for f*****g another damn girl in my bed. I started to make my way to my room, about ready to destroy any possible happy ending he was chasing. I didn’t give a rat's ass. I was having a bad day. I got a call from my father for an emergency meeting and it was the last thing I needed and wanted to do, because anything that involved him always turned out to put me in a sour mood.

I slammed open my door with a force of anger and annoyance. “What the f**k are you doing in my bed!” I screamed at Eli, who quickly paused his s****l encounter with the beautiful blonde, who stopped bouncing on top of him. A smirk formed on Eli’s face as I threw the no-named girl my robe that was in my bathroom.

“Sorry man, I thought you would be in the office a bit longer. I was just enjoying some special time with Tracy here.” Eli winked at Tracy, causing me to groan and roll my eyes. Why can’t he just be a normal dude and sleep with chicks in his own damn bed?

“I have a meeting with father and why my bed? What the hell is wrong with your bed?” Tracy got off of Eli and started to get dressed while I headed to my closet to change into my Armani business suit for this meeting with my father.

“Your bed is a hell lot more comfortable than mine, plus, it’s closer to the door.” Eli pulled up his pants while he threw Tracy’s shirt at her. “I’ll call you later babe.” He winked at her. She bent down and kissed him and laughed.

“No, you won’t.” All he did was smirk. Eli wasn’t going to call her. He never did. This was one of the things that bothered me was how he could have all these no string attached-one-night stands. Tracy soon gathered the rest of her belongings and headed out the door, for her and Eli to never cross paths again.

“Tell me why I let you move in with me again? Because every time I come home and catch you f*****g some random chick, it makes me regret this decision even more.” I walked out of the closet, tightening my dark red tie before grabbing my keys and wallet that I left in the bathroom. I took a long look at myself in the mirror. Nothing has really changed over the past five years. I had matured a bit in my looks, but I still looked and felt as young as I used to. Well, at least I tried. I worked out every other day and ate healthily for the most part, so why did I feel so damn empty? There was the start of a five o-clock shadow since I didn’t have time to shave due to my early morning workout and the surprise meeting with my father. I knew he wouldn’t like it, but I honestly didn’t care. If this would irk my father, even just a little bit, I would consider it a win. I opened his medicine cabinet and took my pill and grabbed the picture I hid.

I looked at the picture often. I tried to get Hannah out of my mind throughout the years, but no matter what I did, she always occupied it. I searched up and down all throughout Texas to find her, but it was like she disappeared off the face of the earth. Everyday it got harder to let her go, but at the same time, it became easier to let go of the ‘what might have been.’ I took one last glance in the mirror, giving myself a mental pep talk. You can do this, Austin. It’s just your father. What’s the worst he could do?

“Because you’re the best friend a guy could ask for, considering my sister needed a place to stay and she couldn’t afford her own place. I know I could have just lived with her, but no one wants to see their brother hook up with a different girl every week and there was no way in hell I wanted to see her doing all the nasty s**t I do.” I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself and shake my head at the answer Eli gave me regarding the matter. “So, did your dad ever tell you why he needed to talk to you so urgently?” I shook my head no.

“I have no clue. I know he has been sick and his immune system is shot to hell. I mentioned the possibility of taking over the company but he laughed and shook his head no, that he was going to do it till his last dying breath.”

“Seems like a dumbass thing to say. If the man is as sick as he claims to be, then why not try to spend time at home with his wife, making the best memories possible and let you run the damn company. You basically do it anyway, all that needs to be done is the final transfer of the title to make it official.”

“Yeah...well, I guess we will see what happens. I gotta go and please, for the love of all things holy, stay out of my fuckin' bed man. Use yours.” Eli laughed as I walked out the door. So many thoughts were running through my mind, but at this point, I was on auto pilot. I drove to the office and parked in my assigned parking spot and made my way to the top floor, passing numerous people and greeting them as I went. I was a firm believer in knowing your employees. Everyone, to me, is equal, no matter the position. You treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO. My father saw otherwise.

I was nervous. I have worked so hard over the past 5 years to be where I am today in Nicholson Marketing. I started off in the mail room, just like my father made me, and worked my way up to executive manager. I was hoping that sometime soon I would get promoted to something, anything, at this point. My mother wanted me to run the company so my father could finally retire, but making that happen was like pulling teeth without Novocain, extremely difficult and immensely painful.

I rounded the corner and knocked on the door to my father’s office. After a gruff ‘come in’, I entered the cold office and took a seat in front of the desk where father sat. He was typing away on the computer, not acknowledging his own son sitting in front of him, typical. We sat there in an awkward silence for a few moments. I wanted to take my phone out to keep myself occupied since I was being ignored, but I knew the repercussions of doing so would end in disaster. After a couple of awkward moments, he finally acknowledged my presence.

“Austin, son, how are you?” He turned away from his computer and folded his hand in front of him on his desk. I crossed my one leg over the other and crossed my arms over his chest.

“Cut the crap, father. What is this meeting about? I have work to do.” I huffed out. I was annoyed and every time I saw him, I wanted nothing more than to let the man get what he deserved. I blamed my father for the breakup between me and Hannah. I blamed my father for so much but I couldn’t help wondering what would have happened if Hannah hadn't left that day. She was constantly on my mind. Where would we be now? Would we have a family, a house, a dog? Would we be married?

“I see. Well, we are expanding our operations. We recently acquired Offbeat Incorporated in Crossdale, Texas. Are you familiar with them?” He linked his fingers together and placed them on top of his desk, looking right into my eyes.

“Yes. I am familiar with them. They are the entertainment industries go to for marketing when it comes to actors, actresses and singers. They opened their 5th branch about, what, five years ago, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yes, well, they are now apart of Nicholson Marketing and I need you to go over there and make sure the transition into our branch is going smooth and complete. Check their numbers, make cuts if you have to. They are in the black, but barely.”

I nodded my head in agreement. “I’ll go and see what I can do.” I went to stand up to make my way out of the office when father stopped me.

“Austin...” I paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath to calm myself down.

“Yes father?”

“I am going to put you in as my recommendation to become the CEO of the company, starting immediately.” This came as a shock to me. My father laughed at me in the past when the mention of taking over the company came up. So what’s changed? I was confused and taken back by this newfound information. “There is something I need to tell you...”

“What is it?” I sat back down in the chair; confusion came from my eyes. He suddenly became even more serious than normal and something felt off, so I prepared myself for the worst.

“I’m sick son. I am just very sick.”

“What do you mean sick? I knew you weren't in the greatest health already, but...” This came as a shock to me. I have always known him to be this strong, independent businessman, but when I look at him, I can see the pain in his eyes. This was something hard for him to admit. I knew it.

“Pancreatic Cancer. I need to go through treatments and I will be in no position to run the company. So, I will give it to you. You just need to go to Offbeat and make sure everything there is smooth sailing and you can decide where you want your headquarters to be.”

“How bad is the cancer?”

“Manageable.” I rolled my eyes. Of course that’s all he was going to give me.

“Isn’t headquarters here though?”

“Headquarters is wherever you want it to be. Who knows, maybe once you and Amber settle down things will-“I cut him off.

I didn’t want to talk about Amber. Me and Amber will never be an item, will never be anything. She has tried throughout the years to convince me that this move was the right thing to do, but I always refused. I fully believed that I couldn’t give my heart to someone else when someone else had already occupied my heart and Hannah would always hold that spot. Always. Her constant banter had put a sour taste in my mouth and our friendship dissipated.

“There will never be an Amber and I, father, I told you this.” I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration and let out a staggered breath.

“You will see one day that you and Amber coming together is what was meant to be for not only the two companies, but for your life as well. She comes from the same elite class you come from. There should be no reason to settle for someone so...beneath you...”

“You don’t even know her!” I exclaimed, slamming my hand against the door. My father, indeed, didn’t know Hannah. He never even took the time to talk to me about her and always jumped to conclusions when it came to Hannah. He pushed her away like she was a nobody, a nothing.

“You’re right, I don’t and I don’t want to. It’s not like you’re ever going to see that girl again. Just move on with your life, son, and do what needs to be done. You and Amber are supposed to be together and that’s that.” He slammed his fist on his desk. “I know you don’t see it now son, but you will understand soon enough.”

“I won’t understand, because I cannot see why someone would want to force their only child into a loveless marriage and take him away from the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. You didn’t even try to get to know her. You didn't even attempt to meet her.”

“Just...think about it.”

My head started hurting from just thinking about it. “I’ll think about it, but that’s all I am saying on the matter. Now, if you can excuse me, I have to pack and head out to Crossdale.”