The Billionaire's Secret Baby

A New Beginning

Hope's POV

I opened my eyes and saw that there was light outside. It was morning and I didn't think that it would come. Last night I had a bit of difficultly falling asleep. During last night's dinner at the award ceremony I couldn't help but notice that Xavier might have been flirting with me. It took everything in me not to flirt back with him.

You see, seeing him was a shock but what was more of a shock was how much I couldn't get him out of my mind. For the first time in five years, the memories of that night flooded my mind. It was not just memories but feelings as well. I remember his soft kisses on my neck and how it made me feel. I remember how it felt when he kissed me all over my body, I remember how big he was and how I wondered if it would fit.

It was hard at the beginning, I was nervous that he would realise that I was a virgin and back out of the deal, then he pleased me with his tongue, made me feel things in parts I didn't know existed and made my toes curled up. He made me come many times before he penatred me deeply, one thrust he broke through, it hurt only for a second and after that, it was pleasure.

As I kept on looking at him, I felt like pouncing on him, I knew that I had to get out of there. I made an excuse that I was not feeling too well. Xavier offered to walk me to my room and I declined the offer. The man has made it clear from the moment we bumped into each other that he is used to getting his way, I also knew that I wouldn't be strong enough to say no to him if he ever asked me to come up inside.

I left with the promise that I would give him his answer today before the end of business. I don't know what I was thinking because I should have just thanked the offer and kindly declined it. I know that this is a great job, that it is my ultimate dream job but I don't think that I can do it here, not with Xavier as my boss. I have a lot to gain but I have a lot more to lose.

Last night when I came back into my room, I did something. Since I couldn't get him out of my mind, I decided to Google the man and I found a few things that didn't sit well with me, for one, he wealthy and there is a certain type of women he associates himself with. Even though he had never came out publicly to declare that he was indeed in a relationship with anyone, I have seen a lot of pictures of him and a lot of women.

Beautiful women who are models and actresses, which is why I don't understand why he was flirting with me last night, I am clearly not his type and since I am a mum, a lot of things have changed. I have stretch marks and curves. I don't have a perfectly sculptured body or a super flat tummy. I don't get it, what would he want with someone like me?

Also, I heard that he doesn't have kids, he also doesn't look like someone who would want to have kids anytime soon. If I ever have the chance to make sure that he doesn't find out the true paternity of our son, he wouldn't want to be with a baby mama, no one wants that. As for my son, I can't bring in a man who is just looking for a good time. I am raising a boy child, I have to watch who I bring around him.

I know guys like Xavier and judging by how I am already so taken with this guy, my heart doesn't stand a chance. I know myself, I will fall in love with him and he will hurt me. He will tear my heart into a thousand pieces, I am not sure if I can handle that kind of pain, which is why I am going to stay away from him, this is why I am not going to take this job. I can't work with this man. With my mind made up, I finally got out of bed.

I stretched out my arms and walked to the window, I opened the curtains and looked outside. From up here, I could see the busy streets of New York city, I could see the live billboards at Times square and all the people going about their business. A bell rang, someone was at the door. I put on my silk robe and walked to the door and peeped through the door hole, I saw that it was one of the hotel's staff in uniform.

I opened the door and he came in with a huge bunch of beautiful flowers. They were different colours and different kinds of flowers. He greeted me on the way in. I went to my purse for a tip and gave it to him. He left the flowers on the coffee table. There was a note written on it. I took the note.

" Be ready in an hour, take blue if "yes" and "red' if no!

Signed XK," I read the note but didn't see anything red or blue.

"Here Ma'am..." The man said and pulled out two envelopes, one red and one blue.

I didn't have to guess where the flowers came from, they were from Xavier, what I didn't understand was why he wanted to see me in an hour, I was also intrigued and my curiosity was getting the better of me. I figured that since I had to turn down his offer, the least I could do is to hear him out and what he wants to tell me. I took the blue envelope. The guy finally left and I opened it.

"Dress Cormfy..." The note said.

I will admit that at this point I feel a bit nervous. I have seen a lot of pictures of Xavier and I know that he is a bit of an extremist, from jumping out of planes to swimming with sharks. I regret taking the blue envelope. I went into the bathroom and took a shower. I chose an outfit I thought was comfortable. A navy blue pair of skinny jeans, a white blouse and white sneakers.

An hour went by very quickly and there was a knock at my suite, I was already dressed and ready. I opened the door expecting to see Xavier, instead, I saw a man I have never seen before in a suit.

"Yes... Can I help you?" I asked him.

"Yes I believe you can, My name is Thomas and I have been sent to fetch you by Mr King, " He said to me.

"Oh... okay I am done, let me grab my purse," I said to him.

" I will wait for you here ma'am," He said.

I went back inside and took my purse. I walked out and we walked together to the lift. We went down to the parking lot and he opened the door for me. I went inside and we were on our way. I was nervous because I didn't know what to do and I felt weird riding up off to nowhere with someone I didn't know. He barely said anything to me.

"So Thomas, where are you taking me?" I asked him.

"I am taking you to Mr King Ma'am," He said.

"Please call me Hope," I said to him. He made me feel old by calling me "ma'am".

"Noted Miss Mane," He said. I suppose this was better than calling me "ma'am".

"So where are we going?" I asked him.

"I am taking you to see Mr King, which won't be long," He said to me.

It was clear that Thomas was not going to give me a straight answer. One thing I know is that Xavier King is a persistent man and a smooth operator. From the flirting last night, to the flowers, the envelopes and now this, he is definitely after something and I fear that the job offer has nothing to do with it.

Here's a thing with me, I turn to overthink and that is rarely a good thing. I am saying that because right now my mind is overthinking. I wonder how many women he has done this with before, how many of them fell for it? I wonder if this is a trap, if he is just trying to get the truth out of me. I did lie to him about not knowing who he was before we bumped into each other.

The car came to a halt abruptly. He was parked in front of a very tall building. He got out and opened the door for me. I got out of the car and saw a woman standing by the entrance. She looked older, like she was my stepmother's age, except that she took care of herself. She looks great.

"Is this her? She is so pretty..." The woman said with a smile. She was talking to Thomas.

"Yes, I am going to park the car," Thomas said and left me with this woman I didn't know.

"Hope... My name is Linah and I am Mr King's PA, he is waiting for you, please follow me, " Linah said.

I followed Linah with a thousand questions running through my mind. I wondering what this meeting is really about and why do so many people know about this. The lift stopped and we got out only to walk into an apartment. It big and spacious, Xavier was standing there with two glasses of champagne in his hand.

He was not wearing a suit and it took me back to the day we first met. If I didn't know better, I would say that he did it on purpose, he was wearing the same coloured jeans and the same coloured golf shirt that he was wearing when we first met. I tried to compose myself. He went through a lot to get me here, I hope that it was worth it.

"Thanks Linah, I will take it from here," Xavier said to his PA. Linah left.

" Miss Mane..." He said with a smile and walked up to me, he gave me a glass of champagne, our fingers touched and we locked eyes. He took my breath away, I quickly pulled away my hand and turned my back on him.

"Thank you Mr King," I said and turned my back on him. I walked to the window and I looked outside. I felt something when we touched and right now, I am not sure if that is a good thing.

" So Miss Mane, have you thought about my offer?" He said behind me. He was so close to me I could feel his warm breath.

"Right down to business I see," I said to him and moved to the side, we were too close.

"I know that this is a big deal Miss Mane but this is also a once in a lifetime chance, tell me Miss Mane, what do you think about this apartment?" He asked me.

" The apartment is wonderful, It is stylish and spacious," I said.

"Can you imagine yourself living here?" he asked me.

"Well anyone would love to live here," I said.

"This apartment is yours if you accept the offer," He said to me.

"What do you mean mine?" I asked him.

"Accept my offer and this apartment is yours as an insentve on a five year contract, during that time all utilities will be paid for you, you will have your own personal chef, a full house staff and a driver, on top of that, with every successful year, you will get a bonus, six figures," He said to me.

"Mr King I am grateful for the offer but I don't think that I can take up a position like this with this little experience, running a small publishing house in New Orleans is nothing compared to the Giant that your publishing is," I said to him.

" Miss Mane you will be the Chief of staff, you do not have to be hands on everything, you will have a whole team behind you, a team at your back and call," He said to me.

The deal was sweet and I am not sure if I can turn it down. If I do not accept this offer then I might spend the rest of my life regretting my decision. If I can make it work somehow then maybe taking this job is exactly what I needed.

"Mr King, I must say that you are very persuasive, if I am to agree on this offer, how soon would you want me to start?" I asked him.

"As soon as possible, I have already spoken to Mrs Pierce and she said that she can release from your duties without notice," He said.

"Hmmm, it looks like you and my boss have been talking a lot," I said to him.

" We both want the same thing, for you to be a success at this," He said.

"Fine but I will need at least a week to put my affairs in order," I said to him.

What I really meant was that I have to work around my son. This move won't be easy for him, this is why I need time, I need a chance to explain why are we leaving everything and everyone he knows behind. I hope that I can make him understand.

" I am glad to hear that... Now that our business is concluded, I hope that you are hungry, the chef prepared something for us, follow me!" He commanded.

I followed him to the balcony where there was a table and two chairs, an unopened bottle of Grey Goose on the table. The same bottle we drank when we first met. First it was the clothes, now it's the vodka, I think that Xavier is trying to tell me something indirectly.

Now that he is going to be my boss, this means that whatever happened between us can never happen again, it means that there will be no relationship outside work. I don't want people to think that I got this job because I was sleeping with the man. It also means that he can never find out that I lied to him. I have just realised how much of a complicated situation I have just placed myself in.