Marry Your Billionaire: A Modern Cinderella

by C. J. Anaya

  Poor Brody. Hopefully, her brief instructions continued to help him throughout the rest of the season until he found the woman he wanted to claim as his fiancé.

  The thought soured her stomach.

  “As much as we all wish that no one had to be eliminated tonight, the time has come for Brody to decide who he has connected with and who must, sadly, be sent home.” Les turned to Brody and gave him a nod. “Good luck, Brody.”

  The bachelor of the season took center stage and gifted them all with one of his dazzling Crest white smiles. Midge’s stomach did an Olympian somersault before taking a nose dive.

  “Ladies,” Brody began, “I enjoyed speaking with every single one of you. To the women I am letting go, I hope you will understand that this is not a personal reflection on whether or not you as an individual are lacking in some way. With only a brief amount of time to get to know each of you, I have to make my decision based on how I felt in your presence and whether or not we shared anything in common with one another. So please, do not leave this house feeling as if you are unattractive or unwanted because that is simply not the case.”

  Oh, he was good. Emphasizing that his choice hadn’t been based on looks was a stroke of genius. No one at this point could dub the man shallow or insensitive. Brody briefly made eye contact with Midge, as if searching for her approval. She gave him an imperceptible nod, just a slight gesture of support that couldn’t have possibly been picked up by the cameras. The small twinge of his lips hinted at a hidden smile. Then he reached toward the table at his left and picked up the first diamond rose of the season.

  “Charlene,” he said.

  The brunette to Midge’s left let out a soft squeal of delight and moved forward to accept her rose. Midge swallowed the bitter taste of jealousy and mentally chastised herself in the process. She wasn’t here for him. She didn’t have feelings for him. She didn’t have any desire to get to know him, and she continued to tell herself that with every name that left his yummy lips. Every name that wasn’t hers, and every rose entrusted to some other woman’s care made it more difficult for Midge to take in oxygen.

  Get a grip! He’s a playboy, a womanizer, and one humongous heartache just waiting to happen. You’re not here for him.

  After several minutes of this excruciatingly painful procedure—Midge felt certain that open heart surgery with no anesthetic would have been less agonizing—they were down to five women, Felicia Davenport being one of them. Midge had surreptitiously studied the growing outrage on the woman’s face as one contestant after another graciously accepted a diamond rose from Brody’s steady hand. If she hadn’t been writhing in her own emotional turmoil she might have laughed outright at the subtle setback he’d administered. Midge didn’t believe Brody intended to send Felicia home, not if her father had any say in the matter, but at least Brody had found a way to rebel a little against her father’s directives and put Felicia in her place—nearly last place it would seem.

  Once Felicia was finally called forward, she tilted her head and adjusted her expression to that of feigned delight, accepting the rose and giving Brody a loving peck on the cheek, though her eyes were shooting daggers as she walked back to her position. That left three other desirable contestants and Midge, with only one more rose to give away.

  Brody picked up the rose and then gazed at the crowd of girls assembled. “This last rose is perhaps the most important one of all. In truth, I wanted to call this young lady forward first, but then I realized that sometimes the best, most beautiful things in this life must be saved for last. It makes the journey that much more meaningful. So the woman who stood out to me this evening and stole my heart with her kind words and sincere concern…is…Madelyn Knightly.”

  Madelyn’s mouth hung open in a shocked O, and her heart rate elevated to a resounding roar. This could not be happening. Why was this happening? He’d been instructed to eliminate her. He knew she wasn’t here to pursue a relationship with him, and yet he’d called her forward anyway, kept her here to continue this silly, stupid charade, and for what purpose? To what end?

  Though her mind instructed her body to remain still, Brody’s eyes pulled Midge forward with the force of a tractor beam. She stood mere inches from him, heart racing, limbs tingling, filled with outrage and frustration one second and then sheer relief the next. She didn’t want to stay, but she also didn’t want to leave.

  What was the matter with her? How could she be so torn about this decision?

  “Madelyn,” Brody murmured, “will you accept my invitation to stay?”

  “Yes,” she croaked, and then more firmly, “Yes, I accept your invitation to stay.”

  For now.

  Brody rewarded her with a broad smile and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. The significance of that gesture wasn’t lost on her. Though every single woman present had gifted him with a kiss on the cheek when they had accepted their rose, she was the only one who had received such a gesture from him, and she was the only one who refrained from giving one herself.

  As she turned around and walked back to her position, she couldn’t help but notice the hatred and jealousy lurking in several of the contestant’s glances. So now she had a large bull’s-eye on her back.

  Wonderful.

  Hopefully, once the cameras weren’t rolling she could go have a very long chat with Brody and her father about the terms presented in her contract. For now, she had to stand there and simmer in silence.

  Chapter Eight

  Brody was in big trouble and couldn’t have been happier about it.

  After the shoot and everyone’s dismissal for the evening, Knightly had herded he and Madelyn into a luxurious looking office, the kind one might encounter on the movie set of Sense and Sensibility or Emma. So far, the intimidating director had simply listened to Midge’s angry comments, seeming to assess and weigh her reaction against Brody’s. He had no idea how Knightly would react to his decision to keep Midge on the show, and it unnerved him.

  “What in the world were you thinking?” Midge hissed, finally pausing her angry tirade long enough to take a deep breath.

  Brody noted her livid expression and decided it might be best to appear apologetic rather than one hundred percent elated.

  “Madelyn, I know I was supposed to send you home, but I couldn’t do it. I want you here.”

  “Why?”

  “I think you know why.”

  He took her hands in his, but she pulled away and folded her arms across her chest. He didn’t dare make another move toward her for fear she might bolt at the slightest provocation.

  “Just because I gave you some sound advice for your opening remarks doesn’t mean I’ll do it again. You can’t force me to stay on the show in order to play the role of your image consultant.”

  “No, that’s not—”

  “Well, I’m feeling slightly clueless at this point,” Knightly interrupted. He leaned back in his office chair with a bewildered expression upon his face. “Why didn’t either of you tell me you already knew one another?”

  “I already told you we met briefly at Club 23.”

  Brody shook his head in silent disagreement. That lie wasn’t going to work on someone as perceptive as Corbin Knightly.

  Knightly shot her a skeptical look and proceeded to turn his laptop around so that the screen was visible. A YouTube video of Brody and Madelyn kissing in front of Club 23 played back at them. He couldn’t believe it. Some miscreant with a camera had recognized him and posted their passionate exchange on social media.

  “Sweet maple syrup,” Madelyn exclaimed, pressing both of her hands to her flushed cheeks.

  Brody’s mouth twitched at the adorable expression.

  “How many people have seen this?” she asked.

  Knightly turned the laptop to face him and studied the screen. “It was posted a few days ago and has over a million hits.” He continued to study the screen, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, waging war against the grimace attemptin
g to pull them down. “You know, from a director’s standpoint, this is one of the most fabulous kissing scenes I think I’ve ever witnessed. There’s passion, there’s tension, and that slap you give Brody…” He chuckled softly. “Hells bells, Midge girl, who knew you were such a fire cracker?”

  Brody cringed a little at Knightly’s cavalier attitude. He was the worst wingman ever—not that he’d volunteered for the position.

  “Are you freaking kidding me right now? My personal life has just been plastered all over social media and all you can do is comment with your director’s hat on?”

  “You two need to explain yourselves,” was all her father said.

  “We met briefly before the show,” Midge explained. “I encouraged Mr. Prescott to repair his image by dating one woman rather than throwing himself at the mercy of reality TV.”

  Brody looked from father to daughter and noted two strong, stubborn personalities. This was about to get even more interesting.

  “That doesn’t explain why you were kissing Mr. Prescott.” Brody noted the edge to Knightly’s tone.

  “I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me.”

  Knightly took another measured look at his screen. “I’d say you definitely kissed him back. You clearly have feelings for this playboy. Midge, I thought you had more sense than that.”

  He talked as if Brody wasn’t standing right in front of him. Brody’s anger at being relegated to playboy status yet again began to fester.

  He worried as he watched the color drain from Madelyn’s face and edged closer to her in order to steady her trembling form, but she jerked away from his touch.

  “I do not have feelings for Brody Prescott. Nor do I intend to stay on the show. My contract states that I can leave after the first night.”

  “Actually, your contract states that you have to stay on the show until you are eliminated, and Midge girl, Brody did not eliminate you. I’m not happy about the way this played out, and I know you aren’t exactly thrilled about being on the show, but you’re contractually obligated to stay until Brody says otherwise.”

  Brody noted her clenched fists as she ground her teeth together.

  “You promised me no strings attached. I could go home after this first night. You promised me.”

  “I know what I promised,” Knightly said. He rubbed his eyes. “But that was before I knew about this kiss. There’s no way I can let you go home now. Fans of this short little YouTube video will follow the series just to find out if this fairy tale between you and Brody has a happy ending. It’s amazing publicity for the show.”

  On the one hand, Brody wanted to strangle the man for putting the success of his TV series before the needs of his daughter. On the other hand, he had no intention of continuing further with the show if Madelyn wasn’t the prize at the end of it.

  “Publicity,” Madelyn stated.

  The crestfallen look on her face almost convinced Brody to give in and allow her to walk away.

  Almost.

  “I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything more from a man who has spent the last six years pretending I’m not his daughter.”

  Without sparing either of them one last glance, Madelyn turned around and walked out of Knightly’s makeshift office.

  Brody wanted to chase after her, explain himself and convince her of his interest and budding feelings for her, but he suspected that nothing he said at the moment would be well received, and he had a few things he needed to clear up with Corbin Knightly.

  After storming out of her father’s office, Midge stood just outside the door, attempting to reign in her chaotic emotions. She wanted to cry, rant, and throw a few breakable items in the process, and she wasn’t about to allow any of those things to happen in front of the crew, cameras, or contestants. She just needed a moment to cool her anger and steel her emotions. Her father’s voice floated to her through the crack in the door.

  “What is going on here, Brody? Are you feigning interest in my daughter? Has this all been some calculated attempt at getting in good with me? Because I don’t trust your intentions one bit.”

  She heard Brody let out a frustrated sigh.

  “Isn’t that exactly what a playboy would do, Knightly? Get in good with the producer’s daughter to further his own ambitions and get more favorable publicity for himself and the company he represents? I can just use her as a valuable resource for coaching me through this series. Or perhaps I can use her as a shield to avoid the advances of Felicia Davenport while simultaneously improving the viewers’ opinion of me.”

  Midge swallowed down the bile rising to the back of her throat. It was just as she had feared. He wasn’t interested in her, merely using her as every other man in her life had. She alone would never be enough to hold a man’s interest, and Brody Prescott was solely interested in her usefulness, her ability to guide him through this mess he had landed himself in.

  She clutched her chest and bit her lip to keep herself from letting out the gut wrenching sob ready to explode from within. The two men she cared for most were concerned with their own publicity and success. She was a pawn in their Hollywood politics.

  She silently sped off to the privacy of her bedroom, unwilling to listen to anymore of their poisonous, hurtful words.

  Well, two could play at this game. If her father wasn’t willing to cut her loose then her only option lay in convincing Brody to eliminate her, and she had a few ideas of how to make that happen.

  Look out, Brody Prescott. You’re about to get torpedoed.

  Brody continued on with his sarcastic tirade.

  “Or perhaps I find that your daughter is the most captivating creature to ever walk the face of this earth. Has it ever occurred to you that a man like myself might find your daughter to be someone worth loving?”

  “Are you in love with her?” Knightly asked. The question was casually delivered, but Brody sensed the wrong response would bring out a side of Corbin Knightly he was less than eager to experience.

  Brody took in a steadying breath and lowered his voice, aware he’d nearly been shouting at Knightly. “I’ve never fallen in love before, and in all honesty, I can’t say that I’ve had enough time with Madelyn to get to that point, but what little time I have shared with her has shown me that caring for her and liking her are as easy and natural as breathing. Falling in love with her is a given. I want her in my life. The reason I tried to back out of the show was because I’d met Madelyn the very day I came to your office.”

  Knightly’s eyes widened in surprised.

  “You didn’t agree to stay on due to my threats, did you?”

  “I overheard you blackmailing her into standing in for that other contestant. I’m here for her. She’s the only reason I agreed to continue on with this show. I have no intention of eliminating her. Ever.”

  The producer nodded, sizing him up as if seeing him for the first time.

  “I’m allowing this to continue because of what I see in her eyes when she looks at you,” Knightly said. “Midge does not trust easily. Most of her friends, boyfriends, and colleagues were interested in her because of her connection to me. Your feelings for her may be genuine, but she’s been a means to an end far too many times, and this little feud we’ve had over the years hasn’t helped either. Do you understand what you’re up against?”

  Brody nodded. “I think so.”

  “I can’t guarantee you a happy ending, Brody. And I promise you, if you hurt my daughter I will do far more damage to your reputation than Felicia Davenport ever did.”

  “Understood.”

  “Okay, then. Good luck to you, man. You’re certainly going to need it, and now I need to rethink the entire angle for this season’s show.”

  “I’m hoping that means I can let Felicia go.”

  Knightly’s concerned, fatherly demeanor changed, and in its place the director fully emerged.

  “Are you crazy? Absolutely not. She’s going to go insane with jealousy when she realizes you’re pursuing Madelyn. I can’
t wait for the temper tantrums that are sure to follow.” Knightly’s face took on a gleeful cast. He’d just proved he cared for his daughter, but the director in him just couldn’t seem to stay in the background for long.

  Brody rubbed a tired hand over his face.

  “You’re kind of scary, Knightly.”

  Knightly gave him a wicked smile.

  “Glad you think so.”

  Felicia Davenport paced the white carpeted floor of her luxurious suite, glancing intermittently at her phone—it was a good thing she’d had the presence of mind to sneak her phone onto the shoot—where a YouTube video of Brody Prescott and Madelyn Knightly was prominently displayed for all of the world to see.

  One million views and counting.

  Things were sooooo not going according to plan.

  “How could you not know about this?” she asked the trembling contestant seated at the edge of her bed.

  “I don’t know…I…he never once brought her back to his apartment, never went on a single date with her. Their relationship must have developed right before the show started.”

  “A detail I’ve paid good money for you and your company to uncover and report. This no-name woman totally blindsided me tonight. It’s obvious that her father placed her on the show so she could continue to win Brody over, but he’s supposed to fall in love with me. Not this dumpy red-headed nobody.”

  Felicia’s methodical planning over the past several months had not included unexpected competition. Another rival for her rightful place at Brody’s side. Her initial plan several months ago had involved bedding Brody and then faking a pregnancy where he’d have no other choice but to marry her. Once the divorce came, half of his fortune would be hers. The plan had been brilliant, perfect, until Brody had refused her invitation to join her in her apartment for drinks.

  Refused her, of all people!

  It ate at her, the idea that any man might not want her. It simply wasn’t possible. Soon her obsession with having Brody began to outweigh her desire to swindle him for his billions. She had to convince him that his life was better with her rather than without her.