Billion Dollar Baby

by Imani King

  My stomach lurched. I was going to be sick.

  “The old man has a billion dollars in the bank. Who’s to say he won’t give you half of that? Maybe more?”

  “What?” I spat, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head. “Did you just say… a billion?” My head started to spin. Now, I felt like I was going to get sick and faint at the same time. It wasn’t a nice thing to picture.

  “You didn’t know? Everyone in town knows. It’s like common knowledge.”

  “That he has a billion dollars?” I nearly choked on the word. I knew the man was rich, but I didn’t think he was that rich. My head swam just trying to grasp the amount of money.

  “Yeah. Jeez, you deaf or something?”

  Before I could answer her, Dahlia pulled into the driveway. “Anyway, we’re here.”

  Her sudden stop only exacerbated my nausea. I struggled to focus my vision. My head felt like it was filling with air, like a balloon about to pop. I held my stomach, trying to hold back the urge to vomit.

  With my other hand, I fanned my cheeks. They were burning hot. The number bashed around my skull like a raging bull. A billion dollars? Like with nine zeros? It was overwhelming to just think about.

  Why hadn’t Braden told me?

  I took a deep breath, gripping the door handle. Ever so slowly, I got out of the car, moving at a snail’s pace so I wouldn’t upset my stomach any further.

  When I looked up, Braden was coming right toward me, a bright smile on his face. It was too much for me to handle. Suddenly, my vision faded into darkness. My legs turned to jelly as I crumbled to the ground.

  Footsteps rushed in my direction. “Adele!” The shout was muted like I was listening to it while underwater.

  Strong arms snuck under my body, lifting me off the ground. I was pinned against Braden’s muscular chest. His familiar body heat wrapped around me like a blanket.

  The next thing I remember was the hum of his truck and the stench of leather. I always hated the smell of his backseat.

  Chapter 21

  Braden

  I looked at Adele in the rearview mirror. I could barely keep my eyes on the road. I had never been this worried about anything in my entire life.

  Behind us, Dahlia rode my tail, a look of anxiety painted across her features.

  Suddenly, Adele started to wither. She rolled around in the backseat, clutching at her stomach.

  “Adele?” My voice sounded choked as I turned to look at her. She was covered in sweat, soaking through her clothes. I was about to pull over when she grabbed my hand.

  “Keep driving. Bring me to the hospital. Now!” Her voice was a deadly growl like I’d never heard before.

  I nodded with a gulp, returning my hands to the wheel. I continued to drive, but it was difficult to concentrate when I knew Adele was in so much pain. “Just tell me what’s wrong. Is it the baby?”

  “I don’t know what it is…” She groaned, grinding her teeth together. “But—” She stopped and leaned forward, dry heaving. I feared she would get sick, but there didn’t seem to be anything else for her to expel.

  I stepped on the gas, determined to get her to the hospital as fast as I could. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

  “Just stay calm. Take deep breaths. Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

  “Shut up.” She pressed her hands to her temples as if I was giving her a headache.

  I didn’t say another word. I just sat there, my every muscle tense. It was killing me that I couldn’t do anything to help her. In fact, I just seemed to be causing her even more distress. Was she still mad at me? I thought things were finally turning around.

  My heart tightened, fearing that she would never quite forgive me. No. I couldn’t accept that. She was the girl of my dreams. We were meant to be together. I could feel it deep in my soul. I needed her…

  She groaned, curling into a ball. She squeezed her eyes tight. “Adele—”

  “God… Can’t you drive any faster?”

  I could hear the urgency in her voice. Even though I was already breaking the speed limit, I went even faster. I just prayed we weren’t pulled over by a cop. I feared Adele would kill me at that point.

  Eventually, we reached the hospital. I lingered in the parking lot, looking for an open space.

  “Just leave me in the drop-off area.”

  “What?” I looked back at her, furrowing my brow in confusion.

  “I said, leave me in the drop-off area.” Adele had managed to sit up, still holding her stomach.

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Because I don’t need a goddamn asshole to bring me to the hospital.”

  “What are you talking about?” I turned back to look at her. “Have you lost your mind?” It felt like she had snapped, pulling this hostility out of thin air. “What did I do now?”

  “It’s not about what you did, it’s about what you didn’t do. Why didn’t you tell me?” she hissed. Even though her skin was pale, I could tell by her ruddy cheeks that she was livid. If looks could kill I’d be dead ten times over by now—maybe even a hundred.

  Still, I tried to keep my cool, knowing nothing good would come out of me losing my temper. If I did that, I risked losing her forever. “Adele… you’re not making any sense. What didn’t I tell you? Is this about the will? I already apologized. what more do you want from me? Do you want me to get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness?”

  “Oh, bite me.”

  I cringed. I had never seen her act so coldly before. I shook my head, desperately trying to understand what could have ticked her off.

  “Don’t look at me like that, like you’re all innocent.”

  “Just tell me what I did!” I yelled, losing some of my patience. “I’ve tried to be understanding with you. I’ve waited for you to sort this out. I’ve been honest with you—”

  “Oh yeah? Then why didn’t you tell me about the billion dollars?”

  I didn’t say anything. I had no idea what to say.

  “See. I knew it. I’m such a fool. I should’ve known you were trying to trick me. You never really wanted the baby, did you? You just wanted the money! That’s why you never told me how much was at stake. You wanted me to believe that it was no big deal, that it was just something we could brush off. But a billion dollars! Christ, Braden. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I—”

  “Right, you don’t have a response because what other reason would you have for keeping it a secret.”

  “I just—” I struggled for words. I knew the situation looked bad. Very bad. I tried to think of a plausible explanation, but I came up short. Nothing I could come up with sounded good. “I just—I knew—it was a lot of money… And I thought that I could provide for you and the baby—”

  “Yeah, mighty convenient. You get a billion dollars from your grandfather and all you have to do is pay child support. That’s one hell of a deal.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “How on Earth could I be so stupid?” She grabbed the door handle and swung it open. She tumbled out of the truck.

  My eyes widened. I put the truck into park and rushed out, holding her in my arms. “What are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself.”

  “Let go of me.” She hit my chest, but she was so weak that I could barely feel it. “Let go of me!” She shouted once more. “I don’t want some money-hungry liar helping me!”

  “Well, you don’t have a choice.” I swept her off her feet, holding her against my chest. “Yell at me all you want, but I’m going to carry you into that hospital and I’m going to make sure you’re okay.” My voice was firmer than I expected it to be like I was giving her an order. The only thing I cared about in that moment was her wellbeing. She could hate me all she wanted, but I couldn’t stand to see her in pain.

  “Let me go. This instant,” she repeated, but her voice was a little softer this time.

  I could tell she was struggling with her pain. Her skin had taken on a yellow hue and I feared she was
in danger. Why was she so sick? Was the baby in jeopardy? All these thoughts ran through my head as I carried her through the sliding doors. I could barely hear her angrily swearing at me.

  Dahlia was by our side, trying to flag down a doctor that could help us. I didn’t know where she came from, but I was glad for her help. In that moment, I could barely even think straight.

  I held Adele tighter as if that would make her feel better. She quieted down, laying her head on my chest like she had lost the energy to fight me.

  As I looked down at her, our eyes met. I was about to tell her everything would be okay when she gasped, her lips frozen in a silent scream.

  “Adele!” My grip tightened. “What’s wrong?” I looked up, desperately searching for a doctor—nurse, orderly—anyone that could help my girl.

  Suddenly, Adele grabbed my hand. There was fear in her eyes. “Don’t leave me…” she whispered. “I… I’m scared…”

  “Don’t be scared.” I kissed her forehead, rocking her in my arms. “I love you, and I wouldn’t dream of leaving you. You mean the world to me and I’m so sorry for what I did, it was stupid of me. I should’ve told you the truth from the start. I was terrified you’d take it the wrong way. I was scared you’d leave me.”

  She was shaking.

  Did no one work in this goddamn hospital? I walked up to the desk, but there was no one there. Even Dahlia had disappeared. I wanted to call for help, but I couldn’t form the thought needed to do so. All I could do was think about Adele and my feelings for her. It was like time was running out. I needed to tell her everything before it was too late.

  “I love you. I want to marry you. I don’t give a damn about the money. I kept it a secret so our relationship wouldn’t be about the money, so we could fall in love without it—”

  Adele looked at me, her gaze intense. Her fingers were wrapped around my curls, pulling on them, like she was clinging on for dear life. And then, they went slack. Her arms dropped like a couple of deadweights. Her eyes rolled back, nothing more than white spheres.

  My heart stopped dead.

  “Adele!” I screamed, feeling the blood freezing within my veins.

  Had I lost her?

  “Sir, you need to hand her over.” An older doctor appeared before me.

  “Oh, thank god… You have to help her. She just passed out, I think. What’s wrong with her? Will she be okay? Tell me she’s going to be okay.” The words spilled out of my mouth as my worries for Adele reached new levels. Gently, I placed her on the hospital bed as the orderlies covered her in thick blankets, practically mummifying her. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile. My heart broke at the sight of her. “Tell me she’s going to be okay. Please.” I grabbed his lab coat, practically begging him.

  Carefully, he pried my hands off his arm. “Sir, I won’t know until I have a look. Now please let go of me. We wouldn’t want to delay this any further.” Hesitantly, I stepped back.

  As soon as they started rolling her away, I followed.

  “Sir, you’re not allowed to come with us.”

  “And why the hell not?”

  “You’re not a direct member of the family,” he said, his voice unrelenting.

  “I’m her boyfriend—the father of her baby.”

  “Yes, however, from what her sister has told us, you two were in quite the fight before you brought her here. I think it would be best for everyone if you waited out here. We don’t need to make matters worse with unwarranted stress.” He stared me down with cold blue eyes.

  “I’m going in there.”

  “Sir, do I have to call security?”

  “Braden,” Dahlia spoke up this time. “Please.” She was holding her sister’s hand. “You’re making things worse.”

  I exhaled, my nostrils flaring. “Fine. I’ll wait.”

  With a heavy heart, I watched them roll her through a set of swinging doors. This couldn’t be happening. I screamed in frustration, nearly tearing my hair by its roots. I should be in there, by her side. I should have just told her the truth.

  I paced around the waiting room, adrenaline surging through me. My whole body felt like it had been supercharged with energy. I wanted to punch something.

  “God damnit!” My sudden eruption startled a mother and daughter. The mother held her daughter protectively against her chest, giving me the stink eye. “Sorry…” I muttered, sinking into a nearby chair, holding my head in my hands.

  Why did I always mess everything up?

  Slowly, the minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. It gave me time to think, to gather my thoughts and prioritize them.

  I knew that above all, I wanted—no, I needed—to keep Adele and the baby safe. Seeing her in distress had unlocked this primal instinct inside of me. I felt like an alpha wolf protecting his mate and offspring. I couldn’t let anything happen to them.

  How was I supposed to do that if she didn’t trust me?

  I felt like I had betrayed her trust to the point of no return. She’d never look at me the same way again.

  There was only one thing I could do.

  If I married her then she’d have access to the money. The baby would benefit from it too. She would get all the support she needed. And, if she wanted nothing to do with me, she could slip the ring off her finger and keep reaping the benefits. It was painful to think that way, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make as long as it ensured hers and our child’s wellbeing.

  Now, I just had to figure out how I would tell her this. How I would convince her to marry me when she hated my guts?

  Chapter 22

  Adele

  I was waist-deep in a sea of darkness. The sludge was thick and impossible to wade through. The more I struggled, the more the harder it tried to hold me in place.

  It crept along my body, getting higher and higher along my chest. Soon, it lapped at my neck, threatening to pull me under. I fought against it, using every ounce of energy I had, but even that didn’t seem to be enough. Strange, tendril-like hands wrapped around my arms and legs, yanking me deeper into the darkness.

  I tried to scream, but I no longer had a voice.

  Suddenly, a light appeared directly overhead. It blinded me for a moment before my eyes adjusted to the glow. I squinted, trying to see past it, but without much luck. Thinking it was my only hope at salvation, I redoubled my efforts, tearing away from the grip of darkness.

  My arms and legs pumped harder than ever, propelling me toward the light.

  Mustering all my willpower, I finally reached it.

  For a while, nothing happened. Then suddenly, my eyelids started to flutter. Finally, I opened my eyes, staring at a white ceiling. I blinked a few times, letting my vision clear.

  Eventually, my sense of hearing returned. A constant beeping noise met it. I turned my head and saw a heart monitor. The green line jumped up and down on a field of black. Following the wires with my eyes, I realized that it was hooked up to my body.

  I tried to move my arm, but doing so only caused me great pain. My limbs felt like they each weighed a ton and I could swear there was an elephant sitting on my head. My stomach bubbled with nauseous bile.

  God, I was miserable.

  Footsteps.

  I craned my neck to see a doctor walking in, clipboard in hand. My sister was following right behind him.

  She had a bright smile on her face as she rushed to my side, taking my hand in hers. “I’m so glad you’re awake. You had us all worried!” she exclaimed. “Doctor says you’re going to be fine…” I didn’t like the way she was trailing off. Panic seized me.

  “What about the baby?” I was thirteen weeks pregnant and just beginning my second trimester. This was where things could go wrong. So terribly wrong. “What about the baby?” I repeated when no one answered me.

  The doctor stood at the foot of the bed, looking at his clipboard. Why wasn’t he saying anything? As my panic rose, all I could think about was Braden. I wanted nothing more than to have him by m
y side. I needed his hand in mine. I needed to hear him say that everything was going to be okay. Where was he? I searched the room looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Had he abandoned me?

  “Don’t worry, ma’am — everything is fine.” The doctor’s deep voice delivered the news, calming me down a smidge. “We performed an ultrasound while you were unconscious to check on the status of your pregnancy.”

  “And…?”

  “And… I think you should have a look for yourself.” He smiled, setting up the ultrasound machine.

  “Oh, isn’t this exciting!” Dahlia chimed. She was beaming, her smile spreading ear to ear.

  “What is up with you? You look like you just won the lottery or something. You’re starting to freak me out.” My eyes darted around the room, but it was all still blurry.

  “I’m just happy you’re okay!” she said, a little too loudly. She was rocking on her feet like she had too much energy and didn’t know what to do with it.

  “Okay… But you’re acting strange.”

  She just smiled even deeper.

  “Now, I’ve been made aware that the father is also here. Would you like me to send him in?”

  I bit my lip, contemplating my options. On one hand, I was still mad at Braden for lying to me, but at the same time, I wanted him here. It didn’t feel right to keep him away while I saw the baby for the first time. He was the father after all.

  But, much more than that, he cared about me. Even when I cursed at him, he did everything he could to keep me safe. He held me tight in his arms. Deep down, I knew that he deserved a second chance. Everyone did.

  I nodded. “Please.”

  The doctor called on one of his nurses who relayed the message.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Dahlia asked, her smile still etched on her face. It seemed her face had frozen into a permanent glee. Seriously, what had gotten into her?

  “Yes.”