The Billionaire's Secret Baby

Not As I Used To Be

Xavier's POV

**** Five Years Later****

" Good afternoon everyone, my name is Tracey Harvey for Business Insider and today we have an exciting segment for you because for the first time since he became CEO, Xavier King is finally giving us a long awaited interview, Mr King, welcome to the show," Tracey said as she turned from the camera and faced me.

She is right about one thing, I have never had an interview with anyone prior to this, not because no one asked me for one but simply because I didn't have the time for it, I am a busy man and I have a lot to do, plus I know how journalist can be, they can twist your words and use them against you plus they like to pry and speculate. I am a private man and I like to keep it that way.

Now my PR told me that I had to do at least one interview, that it would be good for me and my business if the people got to have a chance to get a glimpse of what my life is like. I didn't want to compromise myself in any way by choosing the wrong person to give me an interview.

This is why we chose Tracey Harvey. Her show is relevant and provocative, she is also a great journalist and a great host. She doesn't cross the line. I don't know the questions she has for me but she is my safest bet. For her sake, I hope she doesn't do what I would expect from other journalists.

" Thanks for having me Tracey," I said to her.

"Now before wasting any time, Mr King, how do you do it? I mean you are one of the most successful businessman in New York, I mean you are everywhere, GQ Magazine, Forbes list, you are doing it all, what's the secret? How do you make all this money? " She said to me.

" Well Tracey, there is no formula to my success, just hard work and dedication. " I said.

I was firm and clear. I don't want to be misquoted on national TV.

" Besides being a businessman, what else do you do? Are you close to your family? " She asked me.

" Well I don't have much time to do many things but when I get a chance, I spend time with my family and friends," I said to her.

"Now a little birdy told me that you are working on a new project, a game changer so to say, do you mind telling us about it?" She said to me.

" I work on many projects Tracy and though I don't know which one you are referring to, I cannot talk about it until it's done, though I promise you this, you will be the first one to know," I said to her.

" I will definitely hold you to that, now there is a question that is on everyone's mind, is there a special lady in your life?" She said to me.

" I would rather not say," I said to her.

" And we shall not speculate, now another serious question Mr King, Is it true that you have ties with terrorists? I mean we have several pictures of you taken with three unidentified men in Iran, are you selling out our country Mr Hardy?" She said to me and the pictures showed up in the background.

In that moment, I knew that my interview was over. I might be a lot of things but I am not a traitor and the fact that she is asking me this means that she thinks I am. She has put me on the spot and if I say something wrong, the rumours could be worse.

"I run a legitimate business Miss Harvey and the fact that you would question that shows me that you are no different from all those glorified gossip shows that sell fake news for ratings, your accusations are both racist and baseless, I think that we are done here!" I said and stood up.

" Cut to add break!" Tracey said to the camera man.

She doesn't know it yet, but she had crossed the line, I am going to teach her a lesson.

"You have just ruined your career, have a nice life Miss Harvey." I said and walked out.

It is a good thing that I wanted the interview in my hotel and instead of the studio. I thought that she was a good journalist but clearly I was mistaken. My business partner is not terrorist. I stormed out and made my way to my suite.

The last five years of my life has been rather challenging. They have also been the most stressful at times. When my father told me that he was stepping down from our family business, I thought that I was taking over a well oiled machine. I sook found out how wrong I was.

Just like me, my father inherited the family business from his father. My grandfather made it a success. My father had one job to do, that job was to make sure that the legacy stays alive for future generations. That almost didn't happen because my father didn't know what he was doing.

He made bad business decisions that not only almost tore the company apart but left it in debts, tens of millions dollars in debts. When I took over, the company was on the brink of bankruptcy. I knew that I had my work cut out for me. I had to start at a bottom. I couldn't let my family legacy die. In the efforts to save it, a lot had to change about me.

Firstly, I knew that my days of being a party boy were over. I knew that if I wanted people to take me seriously as a businessman, I can't afford to be seen in unscrupulous places hanging with the wrong crowd. I also knew that I had to change everything. I also had to let go of a lot of people, especially in the financial department.As far as I was concerned, neither of them could be trusted and I cannot work with people I don't trust.

When that was done, I started to look for business outside of the country and had a chance to make a deal with a wealthy Shaikh who invested billions of dollars into the company, I didn't stop there, I travelled to China and there I closed another billion dollar deal. The company was officially back on track.

I had to make sure that I kept it that way, I was hands on in every important department in the company, because I worked so hard, I hardly ever had time for anything else. Which would explain why I haven't been able to settle down till now. I have money, lots of it. I wish I can say that it made my life easier but it didn't. It only made me a target.

Especially when it comes to relationships. I have had my fair share in the dating pool and I have had enough. As a result, I have been single for the last two years. That doesn't mean that I don't wake up with a beautiful lady every now and then. I am a man and I have needs. At least I am honest about it. Every woman I get with, I tell them that I am not looking for a relationship but that I am looking for a good time, in turn, I get them the most exquisite gifts.

Still I can't pretend that I don't see that time is of the essence. I am not getting any younger. I know that I need an heir, someone who will be able to take over from me when the time comes for me to step down. My father keeps on reminding me how important it is that I have a son. My mother keeps on telling me that I need to find a woman and get married. I am not ready for any of that.

If there is one thing that I have learnt in the last five years is that true love is not for everyone. I will admit this, I didn't think Grant was ready for marriage but he proved me wrong, five years later and he is still madly in love with her. I didn't think it was possible but he proved that it is.

Then there is my best friend Henry. Look Henry is the exact opposite of Grant. Henry also got married a couple of years ago but unlike Grant, his marriage is a mess. He keeps on cheating on her and she keeps on forgiving him. I personally think that they should have called it quits a long time ago but hey, what do I know about marriage?

I might not know much about marriage but I know my friend and he has proved me right. True love is not for men like us. I say that because I am more like Henry than I am like Grant. Even though the three of us have been best friends for a long time, we are not the same. Grant has always been the one to take life too seriously.

My love life is not perfect but I refuse to let anyone question my business dealings, that reporter doesn't know it yet but she has just ruined her career, I am going to make sure of it. I walked to the lift and took out my phone. The lift opened and I made my way inside the lift.

I was irritated by the fact that I fell into a trap. If there is one this that interview showed me was that I should have never agreed to this. I know that I am going to be a trending topic by how I acted and that made me even more angry. This was live TV with millions of people watching. This is going to be a PR nightmare, that is why I am not going to let her get away with it.

My business in the middle east doesn't make me a sell out. She saw the way they where dressed and automatically thought the worst. This shows me that there are people following me everywhere, I don't even know how they even managed to get that picture.

The lift pinged and the doors opened, I made my way outside the lift only to bump into a woman in a blue dress, she almost fell but I caught her before she could hit the floor. I don't know why she didn't look where she was going. She could have broken her neck.

"Watch it!" I said to her in a firm voice.

"You are the one who bumped into me you a**hole!" She said in a rude tone and looked me. I saw her face, her big beautiful eyes, her nose and rose big lips. She looked vaguely familiar. I took a good look at her and I don't know how to explain but I feel like I know her, like we have met before. Then it hit me, I do know her.

"Don't I know you from somewhere? Stacey right?" I said to her.

It was about five years ago when I was throwing a bachelor party for my cousin Grant. I remember her because she was the only woman in that line of work who didn't even know what she was doing. She looks so different from that night and if there is one thing about me, I never forget a face, especially one as beautiful as hers.

"No! You are mistaking me for someone else. " She said as walked towards the lift. I turned around and grabbed her hand.

" I know that I know you, you know me too, I know you do!" I said to her.

" Like I said, you are mistaken, where in the world would I have met someone as rude as you? Now if you'll excuse me!" she said. The lift opened it's doors and she went in.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. I have never mistaken anyone before. I pride myself in that I can always tell when someone is being truthful and right now I am confused. It has been five years and I could be wrong. If that is the case then why does my heart tell me something different? I also know that I can't just let her go like this.

"Look okay, maybe I am mistaken, let me make it up to you." I said to her and held doors with my hand to block it from closing.

" You should be making up for being rude instead of apologizing for making a mistake, goodbye sir!" She said and pressed the elevator.

It looks like she was turning me down, this was definitely a first, no woman has ever dismissed me like, if anything, they throw themselves at my feet. I also don't like losing and if this is how it ends, I have lost and I might never get a chance to level the playing field, furthermore, I am not a quitter, I always get what I want, she won't be the first one to deny me.

"At least tell me your name, like I said, I have to make it up to you somehow," I said to her.

"Step away from the door Mister," She said.

" No, not until you give me your name," I said to her.

She looked at her watch, it was clear that she was on her way somewhere and she didn't want to be late, which is why standing by the doorway is my best option right now. If she likes to be punctual then she will give me what I want just to get rid of me.

"Come on, just a name, what do you have to lose?" I said to her.

She looked at me, she saw my eyes and she could see that I was dead serious, I won't let her go until I get what I want, I am not the kind of guy who gives up so easily.

"Fine! Hope, Hope Mane, now can I go?" She said to me.

" you can go Miss Mane," I said and let go of the doors.

My eyes were locked to hers as the doors closed. The last few minutes were intense. There is something about this woman that makes me feel like wanting to know her. I mean really get to know her. She is not like any other woman I know. She is whitty and she speaks her mind, she doesn't walk around eggs shells and for me, this is a breath of fresh air.

I don't know what it is that draws me to her but for some reason, I am glad I bumped into her. Only moments before I met her I was livid and now I am amused and intrigued. She gave me a name, there is a lot that I can do with a name. I hope that she is a guest at the hotel. She has no idea what I have in store for her and I can't wait. I haven't felt like this in forever, it is new and exciting. I want to explore it.