Page 3 of Billionaire's Baby Mistake

As I give her the list of things to tackle, I expect her to be on top of organizing the gala. She doesn’t even bat an eyelash, which means she will be good at it. She might be the best hire I’ve ever made. When I’m forced to leave her alone to get on with her tasks, my mind is all over the place. I like Zaya, likereallylike her, in a way that I haven’t liked anyone before. Sure, I find her hot like I do a lot of women, but there’s something more between us, and it isn’t something I know how to deal with. I have the reputation of being a heartless playboy because that’s always how I’ve behaved. I feel like any guy in my privileged position would do the same, but that isn’t who I am deep inside. What I want - what I’ve always wanted - is to fall in love. I enjoy what Mom and Dad had: a companion, an intense passion, and a wonderous love. I haven’t yet found it, so I might as well have some fun while waiting. As soon as I see “the one”, everything will change. The real me will come out finally.

I look forward to that day when I can be with someone who likes me for who I am, not for what I can give them. I have the feeling that I would like it to come soon before I get bored of one night stands; but of course, there isn’t anything I can do about it. I need to be patient and wait to let it just happen… even if sitting back and allowing things to unfold isn’t my strongest trait.

I wander back to my office with only Zaya on my mind. I wonder if she could be the one to pull me into the dating game. I’m not saying that she’s “the” one or anything; I’m not crazy enough to believe after one kick ass job interview. But she could be someone I might get a little more serious with. Sure, I’m reading stuff into the possibility; it might not even be there at the moment because who knows how she feels. Nonetheless, I can’t help how my mind thinks. Of course, Zaya could end up being another Nina, someone I obsess over but can never have, or she could end up being someone I screw. But for the time being, it’s fun to think that maybe - just maybe - there could be something real there…

Zaya

AssoonasAlexleaves the room, I eagerly pull my cell phone from my bag and put in a call to Dad. I want him to know that things have progressed, and hopefully, he’ll get more on board with the plan now that I’m in.

“Hello?” he answers. He sounds more enthusiastic this time, which I’m glad to see. “Zaya, are you okay? What’s going on?” I can only assume he’s had a good think and a change of heart since our last conversation. “How did the interview go in the end?”

“I’m in, Dad,” I whisper quickly. “I got the job.”

“You did?” Despite what he had said earlier, he sounds happy to hear the good news. “That’s wonderful. Was it easy? Do you have an office? Did you meet Alex?”

“It was hard,” I tell him honestly. “But I got through it, and yes, I have an office. I’ve met Alex, and he has me organizing a gala, so I will probably get closer to him.”

“Yes, you need to get close to him,” he muses thoughtfully. “You need to do whatever you can to distract him and keep his attention on you; then you can do what you need right under his nose. Luckily, I think you’re just his type…”

Being his type doesn’t fill me with the sense of dread I thought it would. On the contrary, it sends a weird rush excitement racing right through me. I don’t intend to use my feminine charms to get what I want. Before I got in, I was pretty determined to do it at all, but now… well, I feel like I can – and will – do anything to make this work out. I’m in now, and if a little harmless flirting is what it takes to survive and get through this, then that’s what I’ll do.

“I just… I need that document, and now you’re in, I would love if could come out with it.” There’s a sense of pressure in Dad’s voice, so I do my best to ignore it. “You know what you’re looking for, don’t you?”

“I’ll figure it out, Dad, so don’t worry.”

“If you need help, I have a man on the inside who will give you what you need.” That statement makes my heart flutter with confusion. I don’t think Dad wants to get revenge, and now it seems like he might have had a plan all along. Why didn’t he tell me? Why did he lead me to believe that it wasn’t what he wanted?

“He was around when I was a part of the business, and we’ve always kept in touch. Van Cain works in the IT department.” I note his name, not thinking I’ll use it at all. I can trust myself, and I’m not too sure about anyone else. I don’t want to fuck this up by putting my faith in the wrong people.

“I spoke to him earlier, and he told me that he thinks the formula is in Alex’s office so you won’t be able to get it alone. He’s very protective of it.”

“I was in there earlier,” I gasp, trying to recall the layout. “I had my interview there.”

“Yeah, but he won’t allow you in there by yourself. He usually tries to keep meetings away from his area. He’s been known to take lovers there, but that’s about it, so it will be a challenge for sure. But if you manage to overcome it, there’s a safe and the formula is inside.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.” I’m an intelligent woman, so I’m sure this won’t be too difficult. It will be about being in the right place at the right time, which I’m confident I can orchestrate. “I’ll set about it today and see what I can find…”

“Now, I can tell by your voice that you’re already thinking about doing this alone, but I implore you to contact Van. He’s a good guy who can help you get into the safe.”

“Right… okay.” I feel a little weird about this. I don’t know this guy; Dad hasn’t mentioned him at all and that it’s vital to the plan. Maybe Dad was forming ideas behind the scenes the entire time and didn’t want to put any pressure on me. That would be so like him… he’s always been that way. Even in school, when other parents pushed their kids to do extraordinary well on their exams, he sat back and allowed me to do things my way.

“Right, I have to go,” I hear the click clack of heels coming down the hall, making me think that I might be about to meet one of my brand new colleagues. Although this might not be real, I need to make a good impression. I need everyone to believe that I’m here for a good reason. “I’ll speak to you later.”

When the woman enters my office, she finds me typing furiously away at my computer, looking like I’m in the middle of something epic. But then, I glance out of the corner of my eyes to spot a petite, raven-haired girl with cute elfish features that make me feel a little jealous. She’s adorable but somehow also sexy - the sort of look I think any woman would love to have, and she doesn’t even seem to know that she has it.

“Nina Dylan,” she tells me in a solemn voice. “It’s nice to meet you.” She extends a hand to me, which I shake awkwardly. I try my best to work her out. “I’m Mr. Bryson’s personal assistant; I’m sure we will see a lot of one another.”

I understand she’s trying to size me up, so I stand up slowly, towering over her with a smirk. She might be beautiful, but I won’t be intimidated. I don’t give a shit about office politics, and I won’t be here long enough for it to matter. If things go as planned, thecompanywon’t be around long. Do I feel bad about these people losing their jobs? Of course, I do, but there are plenty of opportunities in the city. They will find something else… it’s the owners who will struggle to move on. They will be the ones devastated by this, which is good because they deserve it. They won’t ruin anyone after this, that’s for sure.

“I guess so. I mean, I’ll probably need a lot of information to ensure that I’m getting the best company impression across.” I don’t mean to sound bitchy with that remark, but I hear it come across that way. “So it’s good that I get to know you now.”

She runs her fingers through her hair before glancing at the paperwork in front of her. She has no idea how to assess me, which is probably a good thing. I prefer to keep people on their toes. The more time they spend trying to figure me out, the less time they will be watching what I’m doing.

“Well, the heads of departments meeting will be taking place in a moment,” she tells me. “I’m sure Mr. Bryson would like you to be there if you can make it. It’ll be good for you to meet everyone else.”

This is a test, and I know it is. She’s probably been ordered to drag me along, but she’s acting as if it’s all casual to try and see how far she can push me. I won’t be forced around; I’m already on to her.

“I would love to come,” I grin, grabbing some papers with have nothing written on them. “That sounds great, plus I have some good ideas they’ll all want to hear.”

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