Mr Billionaires Secret Baby

Chapter 7

Dante’s POV

“Why do we even have to attend this event this evening? We had much better plans for this weekend.” Pheobe whined from beside me as she toyed with the white gold earrings | got her.

“It hadn’t been my plan either but it is business related and, unfortunately, | couldn’t miss it.” | explained for the umpteenth time since | received the invitation to this share holder meeting.

It was not unusual for these things to be held but one from this specific company had come as an unexpected surprise. It had been dormant in any new news for a while that a sudden share holder event was a bit intriguing.

Pheobe scoffed, her irritation audible but | ignored her. She’d be back to her best behaviour once she mingled with the high society present.

“What is this event for exactly?” She quizzed and | knew it was not for her to understand but for her to gage whether or not the weekend getaway was worth being cancelled for.

“A transfer of ownership. The founder, and owner, of Deluxe Enterprises has passed on years ago leaving the company to operate monotonously. I’m assuming the man’s will has finally been dispensed with leaving a new inheritor to take over the reigns.” | explained in a cl*pped tone warning her not to drawl on any further.

“Sounds like some thing that could have just been an email informing every one about the change.” She shrugged but | didn’t respond and. Instead | kept my attention on the road as | steered the car to the venue.

The crowd had been thick once we approached the venue and it has been a bit of a wait as each car paused at the end of a red carpet and their car had been driven away by the valet to be parked. It was all a little unnecessary but whoever the new owner had been had certainly wanted to make an impression.

Paparaz zi went wild clicking away at each wealthy man and his arm candy as they walked the carpet hungry to get the perfect shot for their newest issue tomorrow. The flashing of the camera was violent enough that it had flashed even to where we had been parked 2 cars behind the current car that had been driven away.

“Is that Katie Griffin?” Pheobe leaned forward to get a better look at Carter James, the importing magnet, and his top model girlfriend.

“| believe so.” She didn’t catch my dry remark but instead seemed to have forgotten all about how she didn’t want to be here. 14ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

1 held back an amused scoff. If there was one thing | knew about Pheobe it was that she loved high society and good thing for her, | was always emersed in it.

The car moved forward and both of our doors had been held open for us. | got out of the driver’s seat preparing myself for rapid flashing of the cameras. Pheobe found her way to me and the car was driven of from behind us.

“Look at me like you are utterly smitten.” Pheobe whispered in my car even though she knew that was not my thing very often. The camera’s flashed loudly and | found it a rad bit annoying but this was high society business events. We were ushered further down the carpet to the rest of the paparaz zi could get their perfect shot. Pheobe clung to me, sliding her hand through my arm and shifting her pose every few seconds to even pretending to smile and say absolutely nothing of note to me but | let her be. It was something | was used to by now.

“Who is that?” One of the paparaz zi with a receding hair line and crooked teeth yelled loud enough for every one else to stop taking pictures of Pheobe and 0 and shift to look at the approaching car making its way to the carpet.

Pheobe was annoyed but | was not. The flashing lights were about to give me a headache but Pheobe groaned beside me. “How dare they disrespect us like this? Who are they even looking at?” Pheobe complained yet craned her n*eck to see what every one else had been looking at and | did, too.

Ashiny black Bugatti had pulled up causing a bit of a show making it understandable for the turning heads. Tonight's event was prestigious but not enough for one to bring their best cars to.

Nevertheless, a tall, richly dressed man emerged from the driver side and |

immediately recognised him. Adam Huxley, CEO of Huxley Inc, one of the most successful incorporations in Canada. It was unusual for him to be here since he rarely frequented the country.

“Adam Huxley.” Pheobe whispered beside me sounding awestruck which annoyed me a little. “Oh, he’s come with some one.”

| zoned her out and focussed on the sliver of crea my skin belonging to the leg of the woman that had accompanied him. He held out a hand and slender, manicured fingers. sl*pped in to it. Adam moved aside to allow his date some space but the moment the woman in question emerged and stood in the spotlight, the camera’s went wild.

It had taken me a little bit before | could get a clear view between camera flashes and when | did, it felt like the breath had been knocked out of me.

14.26 Sat, 27 Jan BD

The woman accompanying Adam had been a face I'd recognise easily. Dressed in at black floor length dress boasting a slit that showed enough skin to make my blood stir. Her b*dy had changed in an unexplainable way making it appear more full and womanly but she was still well kept. Her face was made up and she looked flawlessly breath taking and nothing like that woman | remembered her being.

Not because she was not flawless back then but because she possessed a confidence and strength that was unshakeable now. It made her desirable in an uncontrollable way. Gone was the weakling begging for me not to throw her out of my life and now stood a woman unrecognisable to me, unfamiliar to what | knew about her, and why the hell. was she with Adam Huxley? Sophia was all smiles and poise as she stood tall and proud beside Adam. His arm sl*p around her back and she didn’t seem to mind it one bit. The paparaz zi along with other guests present began to lose their mind. The assault of flashes were crazier than ever and the round of chatter was unmissable.

“What is she doing here?” Pheobe gritted her teeth right close to my ear. “Did you know she was going to be in attendance tonight?” Her accusatory tone had fallen on to deaf ears because | was too enthralled at the woman standing on the arms of another man at the end of the carpet.

But what was she doing here? As far as | could tell, neither Adam nor her were shareholders in this company and this was an event held for shareholders and

shareholders only. Sophia was untraceable for four whole years and this is the event she chose to make a reprise at?

“Looks like she managed to trap another rich man.” Pheobe snickered beside me just as Adam and Sophia looked at each other and smiled boldly for the camera’s.

The sight of it all was simply too much to make my blood boil all at once. The glances they shared, the way the man’s hand moulded against the b*dy with familiarity, the fact that Sophia was so at ease beside him and open to his touch. She was beautiful and all this time that passed by had made me forget just how enticing she could be.

“Mr Huxley, here! To the left.” Paparaz zi yelled their orders determined to get the best angle.

“Mr. Huxley, what brings you to New York? Are you the new owner of Deluxe Enterprises? The reporter held a mic to the man and he chuckled, a sound that made Sophia smile in a way that brightened her warm blue eyes.

“My goodness, no. I’m not the one who inherited this company and, though it is a shame, it couldn’t have been given to any one better.” The looks of confusion was unmissable until Adam motioned to Sophia beside him.

“Miss Miller is the new owner of this company now.” Adam Huxley beamed with pride

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as she spoke about Sophia.

Pheobe’s gasp mirrored my reaction. | was shocked to hear such a thing. How did Sophia come to inherit this company? | had been married to her for a while yet | had no idea she was related to the owner of this business let alone a close enough relationship for it to be handed down to her.

“What?!” Phoebe snapped beside me, her disbelief didn’t seem to be dissapating and | couldn’t blame her because | was still stunned by now than just this new piece on information.

Sophia Miller looked almost like a woman | had never met and yet | had. There was some thing about her that | couldn’t quite place my finger on that made it impossible to look away from her. Every thing is me yelled to storm over to where she stood with Huxley’s arm around her and sna tch her from him. The sight of any part of her touching him infuriated me more than | could comprehend.

What was their relationships together? By the possessive way he moved with her, it certainly appeared to be more than just friendship. My hands balled in to fists at thinking about her with another man.

They had been approaching us and Pheobe began yanking on the sleeve of my blazer.

“Let us go inside, Dante. | would hate to have to pretend to be civil when the camera’s are rolling.” She whisper yelled in my ear. My feet felt planted to the carpet and when | thought Sophia was about to turn and look and my direction, my breath caught but she waved at some one on the other side of the carpet.

A jolt of disappointment shot through me. What the hell was wrong with me? Why did | want her to notice me so desperately? | had been the one to end things, to kick her out of my life for good.

Pheobe yanked at me again and, this time, | saved myself any further embara s sment following Pheobe in to the banquet hall but with each step | took away, my b*dy ached to turn back. | could distinctly recall the smell of her mixed with lavender and just the pure scent of her skin. | wondered if her nose still scrunched up every time she laughed a little too hard or if she still liked the things she did.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Dante. Get a grip of yourself.” Pheobe berated me through the mask of a smile she plastered on her face. “It is only Sophia. Not the Queen’s reincarnate.” She snorted.