The Billionaire’s Pretend Fiancée

Roman’s POV

“Here you go, sir. These are the minutes of the last meeting with H and R technology, sir.” Nathan explained, placing a pile of paperwork on the conference desk.

I nodded, “Alright. When will they get here by the way? It’s almost thirty minutes past the stipulated time of the meeting, haven’t they heard about punctuality or do they think I have nothing else to do with my time?” I gruffed, reaching for a piece of paperwork to skim through pending the time the people I was scheduled to meet with decided to arrive.

I was already beyond pissed that I had wasted thirty minutes of my precious time waiting for an incompetent company.

If it wasn’t because of Nana who had begged me to consider them because the Herreras were longtime friends of hers, and also business partners with GV group of companies when she was still president, I wouldn’t have bothered to show up to the convergence.

After the patriarch and founder of the company died some years ago, the company went from grace to grass as the people in charge of it weren’t interested in improving its reputation, and were only interested in embezzling funds.

I decided to wait for ten more minutes and if they didn’t arrive within that timeframe, I would annul the meeting.

“I just got off the phone with their spokesperson and he told me to apologize to you and assured me that they’re already on their way, sir.” Nathan replied, and I just nodded before he bowed and took a seat beside me, as my secretary.

Suddenly, the door was hastily flung open and a middle-aged man, flanked by two other men and a young woman strolled in.

The middle-aged man, Francis Herrera, the good-for-nothing CEO who replaced his dad stretched his hand for a handshake, “Roman Giovanni, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? How’s the chairwoman doing? I heard her gout is getting worse with age, is it true?”

Great, he had no sense of responsibility either to realize that he needed to apologize first for coming late before beginning his aimless rambling.

“Take your seats and let’s get this meeting done and over with.” I said coldly, ignoring his handshake.

He chuckled and nodded, “Okay, okay. Can you believe I almost forgot about the meeting?”

Of course, he would. The only things in that empty circular box he called his head were banging women from different races and spending his late father’s hard-earned wealth on gambling.

I didn’t say anything and just locked my jaw, to suppress the ire that was gradually slithering into my veins.

“My sister was the one who reminded me. I can’t believe I’m already being so forgetful at just forty eight.” He laughed and his entourage joined in.

“Let’s begin the meeting, Francis. Some of us have to actually work here, and not entirely depend on daddy’s fortune, so time is very precious to us.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, but I felt no remorse as I met Francis’ shocked expression with a menacing glare.

The room was filled with awkward tension as Francis cleared his throat and nodded, “Yeah, you are right. Let’s begin the meeting.”

Finally.

I signalled to Nathan, and he nodded before standing up to brief us about the topics for discussion for the day’s meeting.

While he went on, I busied my eyes with the other two men who came with Francis and I couldn’t help but scoff; instead of paying rapt attention to the ongoing meeting, they were both giggling at something.

Breathe, Roman. Breathe.

Though, I had the unquenchable urge to send them out of the convergence, I didn’t because I had already concluded on a decision even before the meeting ended.

There was no way in hell that I would invest in H and R technology, it’d be nothing but a waste, I’d just be pouring water into a basket.

I’m sorry, Nana. But I have to do what’s best for the company. I thought to myself.

The meeting ended forty minutes later, and immediately it did, the other two men among the entourage quickly exited the conference room after mumbling a rushed ‘goodbye’ to me.

I shook my head as I watched them slam the door shut.

Pathetic fools, I thought to myself.

After Francis and I shook hand with him promising to check up on Nana that weekend; a promise we both knew he wouldn’t keep, and was only saying because he wanted me to invest in his company, he left.

Nathan had to take an urgent phone call, so he also left and I was left alone in the conference room.

Or so I thought until I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder, I muttered a curse at the person for catching me off guard before turning to glare at whoever it was.

The young woman from Francis’ entourage grinned flirtatiously at me as her fingers traced down my back, “Hey, baby boy.” She said.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

I shrugged her off me as I stood up to my full height, fixing a scowl on her, “And who may you be?” I asked, in the coldest of tones.

She gasped, as if shocked, “Don’t tell me you are being serious right now. You’ve forgotten about me, Charlie Herrera, the woman you fucked two months ago at the art auction!”

The tawdry images from that night rushed into my head and I groaned inwardly; that night I was so stressed up, and aroused that I had fucked the first woman who flirted with me in my car.

“Oh.” I simply said because I didn’t know what else to say to a casual hookup.

She scoffed, “Oh? Is that all you can say? Don’t you want to relive that night with me again?” Her voice melted into a seductive octave.

“No, I don’t.” I deadpanned.

“Is it because of that fiancée of yours?”

I concealed my ire as I stared at her, “That fiancée of my mine has a name.”

She scoffed as she moved closer to grab at my suit lapels, “You know just because you’re engaged to a nobody like her doesn’t mean you have to be faithful to her. You are too sophisticated for her, why wo-”

“What the hell did you just call my fiancée?” I barked, anger simmering within me.

How dare she call my Sofie a nobody?

She shrugged, feigning nonchalance but I could see fear glazing her eyes, “What? Did I lie? She’s nothing but a wretched golddigger, Roman and I’m surprised that you can’t see it. How did she even manage to convince you to propose to her? Is sex with her that good, or is it her mouth? I can-”

“Get out.” I said and Charlie huffed before continuing like my utterance meant nothing to her, “That girl is way out of our league, Roman. She’s neither wealthy nor is she famous, so why her? What is so special about her? What does she have that-”

“Get the hell out of this place right now before I do something I might regret, Charlie!” I spat, glaring murderously at her.

That seemed to instill trepidation into her which she tried to play off as she grabbed her purse with trembling hands, and scurried out of the convergence.

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

I held on to the table as the anger within me fizzled down to nothing as I thought about my life since I met Sofie.

I hadn’t been to bars or nightclubs since the day I met her, neither had I thought of fucking another woman, the thought just didn’t appeal to me like it used to, because Sofie lived rent-free in my head all the time.

How hadn’t I noticed all these before?

Damien was right, what I felt for Sofie wasn’t lust after all, the weird feeling was love.

Fuck, I was really in love with her.