He's Her Billionaire

Listening to my father, I thought I was doing it for the best reasons, only to realize that he was doing it for his own selfish reasons. Don't get me wrong. I love my father dearly, but he seriously tricked me into moving back home after I got my degree just so he could have his little girl back home.

Luckily for me, I was the only daughter of Jason and Hannah Reeves, the owners of the four-star Nevada Hotel. But luck was not completely on my side just yet since my parents have taken full advantage of using me to run errands for them.

"Loretta, darling, can you pick up your cousin from the train station? Oh and pick up some pizza on your way back," my mom called from the bottom of the stairs as I laid down in my bed listening to Billy Eilis on repeat.

I barely made it past my mom with the money she plucked from her purse when I heard my dad shout, "Wash the Range!"

I held back a snarky comment. I knew that they loved me, but seriously, I felt like I should be paid for the number of things I was doing for them. I really shouldn't make a big deal out of it since the hotel was going through a big renovation and they were both stressed.

After kissing them both on the cheek, I headed to the Range Rover. During my second year at university, I made a lot of money running the website and blog for the hotel. Dad said that if I reached 10,000 followers by my graduation, he would pay half for a brand-new car. Since he paid for half, he thought the car was as much his as it was mine.

I got inside and drove to the train station. My cousin Seth was coming to London for a week. He had this interview with a tech company and Mom suggested he stay with us, which only seemed fair.

I pulled into the car park and searched for him. I laughed when I saw him; he wasn't hard to miss. His usual dark blonde hair was hidden underneath a baseball cap and he was decked out in what I assume was Adidas.

I peeped my horn and waited for him to look my way. His eyes went huge when he saw the car I was in. It's nice to know he appreciates a car more than his blood-related cousin.

"What did you do to convince daddy J to get you this?" He whistles, stalking around the car. I sit inside, impatient.

"I deserved this actually. Worked hard for it too. Will you get in already?"

I could hear him laugh as he opened the boot and placed his bags inside.

"Please. Your mom won't love me if I come empty-handed," Seth begged me as soon as we finished grabbing the pizza.

"Why didn't you get them earlier?" I groaned. I really didn't want to go anywhere else.

"Because I didn't want them to get ruined. I thought my favorite cousin would help me out too." What a little shit. Those words might work on my mother, but not me.

‘That's why you're parked in the Tesco carpark, right Loretta?’ I had to tell my brain to shut up.

Reluctantly, I followed in after my cousin. We looked around the flower section and ended up buying white orchids because they were my mom's favorite. But it's not like she needed anymore.

I grabbed a packet of M&M's on my way down the aisle with Seth.

"Do you remember when we baked that cake, and your dad went crazy on us?" Seth reminded me as we passed the bakery section.

How could I forget? Dad was livid that day, but in the end, when two 6-year-olds were staring up at you with flour all over them and fingers covered in chocolate, you really couldn't stay mad forever.

"Oh, peanut, what did you do?"

I stared at my dad, my fingers sticky, and saw the angry look he was giving me. I instantly felt bad knowing that I’d done something wrong.

"I'm sorry, Daddy." I lowered my head.

Seth started crying beside me. I placed a hand on his arm. "It's okay, Seth. I'll take the blame," I whispered into his ear. I took a brave step forward. I was prepared to take full blame when I noticed Daddy wasn't angry anymore. No, my dad was smiling.

"You look funny," I said, staring up at him. I was worried that Mom would be down soon and that wouldn't be good because she can really get angry.

"Oh, I look funny now?"

I looked down at myself and realized that I was covered in white and dark brown splotches. I burst out laughing. I fully remember that day and so do my parents.

"Important announcement: Can any off-duty medics, nurses or firefighters please offer assistance at the Nevada Blue Hotel on Bakers Street? There's been a fire."

The beautiful white orchids dropped from Seth's hands before I even had time to react.

"Ret, c'mon, let's go." Seth grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him.

"I'm faster. Give me the keys!" Seth yelled when we arrived at the car.

I barely had any control over my brain or body. Seth ended up taking the keys from me, but I realized that it was quicker to go by foot.

"Loretta, wait!" Seth shouted after me, but I was already halfway around the corner. I ran out of the parking lot and crossed the street, not even caring about the cars passing by and honking.

All I could hear were sirens as I approached the hotel. The big driveway and entrance were littered with police cars, ambulances, and fire engines trying to stop the fire. There was so much smoke, I struggled to breathe.

Seth arrived with the car. He practically drove through cones and police tape as he pulled up.

"Shit," he said, his eyes taking in everything. He glanced at me and saw me bent over coughing. He ran back to the car and returned, shoving my inhaler into my hand.

"Look.” Seth pointed. “There they are. Come on, Ret, they're fine." He managed to drag me past the police officers and towards my parents.

Dad was crouched down on the floor with his head in his hands as mom embraced him from behind, no doubt trying to comfort him.

"Daddy," I whispered, kneeling beside him. Mom stepped back and let me in. Dad lifted his head and stared at me with dead eyes. There was once so much life and energy in those brown eyes and now they were blank.

"Honey, it's gone," he whispered. His voice broke. I held back the tears as I embraced my dad's large frame. I was completely at a loss for words. How do you make sense of this?

My dad worked for years to get this hotel to where it was now. He had a terrible upbringing with his father and ended up leaving home. He worked absurd hours, so he could afford to start a business with the help of an architecture he met.

I felt bad, sick to my stomach actually, because only a year ago the hotel nearly closed due to dwindling funds. Dad continued to help me out at uni, when he could have been spending it on this hotel.

"Dad, it's not gone. We can still save it," I said, bringing his large hands into mine. Many times, dad has wrapped his arms around me, comforting me over the stress of uni or a breakup, but this time I needed to be there for him. He didn't say anything.

"Darling,” my mother said, “The fire is nearly out. We can't do much here." Dad shook his head at my mom.

"With all due respect sir, I think its best if you head home. We have control over the fire now. We will provide you with more information throughout the evening," a firefighter said.

We ended up having to drag dad away. The car ride was silent as we made our way back home. I was completely lost for words. Mom and Seth were scared to say anything.

We were shocked when we got home. Surrounding our house were flowers and signs all showing their support for us. Our neighborhood was private and quiet, so this was strange for us to see.

"Oh wow," Seth mumbled as he pulled into our driveway.

Mom helped Dad out the car and walked up to the house. I watched him disappear inside the house.

"Ratty," I heard someone shout. I turned around just in time to catch my best friend Tammy racing down the driveway. She wrapped her hands around me.

"I'm so sorry babe! I was so worried. I thought you were in there!" she cried into my shoulder and that was when I broke down. I was holding it in for so long that I continued to cry as she comforted me. We were in trouble now. We weren't a rich family. Running a hotel wasn't easy and we had already been struggling.

I don't know why but I felt like this was my fault. If I hadn't emptied my parent’s pockets by going to uni and asking for expensive things…

"Hey babe we should go inside. The media is coming." I looked around and reporters were pulling up and photos were being taken.

I nodded my head and we walked inside. I spotted three big mugs on the dining table. I smiled weakly. Hot chocolate was my mom’s way of saying it was going to be okay. But I was stupid enough to think that hot chocolate could solve everything.

Music was always something I enjoyed. I was very passionate about it. When I was in university, I met Tammy who dragged me to the bar and practically shoved me onto the stage.

At that moment I wanted to kill her for even putting me in that situation, but I ended up writing a song and my friends would play it. It was my way of making some money on the side, but when my studies started, I ended up dropping singing.

This morning I woke up early to go out and find another job. The hotel was under investigation so there wasn't much we could do, but someone had to pay the bills. We luckily had insurance but that was solely for the hotel.

I spoke to a few companies about a job, but they needed to pass my application to the right people and said that they would get back to me. We all know what that means.

I grabbed a burrito at the market and found somewhere to sit. I kicked off my heels and let my feet breathe. From a distance, I could see a little boy playing music in the street. I grabbed my heels and moved closer. It was clear to me that he was already a very good singer. He had this rasp to his voice that suited the song well.

I found myself singing along to the song since it was one of my favorite songs.

I was in the moment and I didn't realize that the song had finished. I opened my eyes and was momentarily shocked to see the boy standing in front of me. He stood tall with his guitar, staring back at me.

"Hi, I’m Loretta, but you can call me Retta." I waved at him.

He grinned before stepping closer. "Hi. My name is Thomas. Do you like to sing too?" he asked. It was strange. His normal voice was a lot different in comparison to his singing voice.

"You can tell, huh?" I smiled back. He was alone out here in the streets of London so the least I could do was give him an encouraging smile. I would hate to be alone out here singing.

"Well, you're the first person to stop and listen and sing along. Would you sing my next song with me?"

I stared at him. Sing…I haven't done that in such a long time, especially in public too.

"What song do you want to do next?" I asked him as I went to stand next to him. I don't know what made me want to join him, but what have I got to lose? Plus it would be a great distraction from all the stress right now.

Thomas whispered a song into my ear, and I eagerly nodded my head, liking his taste of music.

I could hear a few voices behind us. I peek over my shoulder and see that we have a large crowd forming.

A few other street musicians walk towards us and they talk to Thomas for a brief moment before we all sit down. I'm guessing it's not just me.

"Hey, I'm Justin and this is Jessie," they introduced themselves.

I take a seat next to Thomas and give him a bright smile to tell him I'm ready. We played Thomas's song; he chose a James Bay song, which none of us complained about. I was singing with him, but I couldn't take my eyes away from the happy look on his face.

We finished the song and listened as the people around us started to clap and cheer. Before I even have time to look at Thomas, he comes running to me, nearly knocking me over. I laugh a little and rub his glossy blonde hair.

"Thank you, thank you, Retta." I laughed as I hugged him back. It was my pleasure. As I looked at him closely, I noticed that he had tears in his eyes. I quickly knelt down and embraced him.

"Hey, Thomas, why are you crying? I hope that these are happy tears," I say to him, trying to lift the mood.

Eventually, Thomas lifted his hand and showed me what was in this hand.

"Thomas, where did you get all this? Close your hand quickly," I said, thinking about what would happen if people saw him carrying that much cash.

"I saw someone come by and put it in my hat. I can't take all this. You all helped me sing, so I should share it with you," he said staring at the wad of cash in his hand. This wasn't just some ten-pound note or anything. There were a couple of 50s in there too.

"No kid, we were just helping you. You're the real star of the day. That's all yours," one of the musicians said coming to stand next to me. "Although a boy could use some money for lunch…"

One of the girls that joined us slapped the guy round the head. He was obviously joking.

I turned to Thomas. "Hear that? Look, if you're really that worried, I can find out who gave the money. Do you remember what he looked like?" I asked him.

His eyes lit up. "Yes, I've seen him on tv before." He grabbed his phone from his pocket and went straight to Instagram.

"I saw him too. It’s kind of impossible not to notice his gorgeous body in that Armani suit and tie. Damn, I could really—" The girl fangirled over this man. How did I not notice this? I was literally right next to Thomas. He must have worked fast.

"Hey, that's Nathaniel Tesoro. He's the rich guy who donates to art schools," the guy said, looking over Thomas's shoulder at the Instagram picture.

Tesoro…that name rang a bell.

"Girl, how do you not recognize him?" Jessie asks, staring at me.

"To be fair, that photo is not what people see when they hear that name." Justin swiped left and picked a post where he was now in an all-black suit. Now I can start to recognize him from online but nothing that really matters to me.

"Alright. Well, Thomas. In the meantime, you keep the money okay? And I will find out about this guy and let you know. Here take my number." I grabbed his phone, added myself to his contacts, and sent a message to myself. He seemed reluctant but I really wasn't giving him a choice. 

"Okay," he finally nodded.

"Was really nice to meet you all, by the way, and thanks for letting us play with you, Thomas," Justin said as he grabbed Jessie's hand. They gave Thomas a quick hug and then me. I made sure Thomas got in a taxi before I left to find this guy.

I pulled out my phone and searched him on google. A lot of articles came up, but I finally found what I was looking for. I clicked on his company’s website and located his building. It made more sense to go directly there since his building wasn't far.

When I saw the name printed on the big building in the center of London, I realized that I recognized the business name more than the man himself. My dad worked here when he was younger; I knew that. I think my dad used to have meetings here all the time back when he was into architecture. I'm sure he did his apprenticeship here too, but that I couldn't be sure.

I walked inside quickly. I was surprised I was even allowed through the lobby doors, but I still had to make it through reception which was going to be more difficult.

"Hello darling, how can I help you?" a lovely older woman said walking up towards me. She scared the living daylights out of me.

"Yes actually, is there any chance I could talk with Mr. Tesoro?" I asked her. There was no point in lying. I was hoping she would appreciate my honesty.

"Sorry, darling, but he only speaks with people who have an appointment," she explained sadly. I sighed. I was expecting that response, so I wasn't too surprised.

He must be quite busy, and I doubt he wanted to spend his time speaking to someone like me. Maybe I could just slide into his DMs. I could even do it on the hotel account. It’s not like my parents would know.

I really thought my luck was out but from the corner of my eye, I spotted him. He was running up the large staircase with a woman following him quickly. The older woman in front of me eyed me suspiciously.

I ran over to the stairs. "Mr. Tesoro!" I shouted, desperate to get his attention.

He paused at the top of the stairs. I breathed deeply, relieved. He slowly turned around and I knew from the look he gave me he knew exactly who I was. Not from the hotel, but from 20 minutes ago.

"Let her come up," he said loudly to the woman. She was skeptical, but I guess whatever he says goes. She allowed me to go up. Everyone around me stopped to stare. They were probably wondering what business I had with their boss.

Nathaniel didn't wait for me, but instead headed straight to his office.

"Okay, you're very lucky to even get the time with Nate, so make it quick. He has a meeting in ten minutes," the woman said handing me a visitor lanyard. I guessed this was his assistant. She must be on a nickname basis with him. That made me think she was showing off to me that maybe they were closer than just colleagues…not like I cared that much anyway.

She left me alone when her mobile started to ring. The door leading to his office was open slightly. I slowly stepped inside.

As I walked into the office, I was surprised at how messy it was. Papers were scattered everywhere on his desk and floor. It seems like he has had a rough morning.

When I scan the room there are no decorations, no picture frames on his walls or his desk, and not a comfy chair in sight. I'm guessing that he doesn't spend much time looking for comfort in his office, but isn't this supposed to be an architectural company?

"Take a seat," he says bluntly.

"Thank you," I say in a whisper. I always seem to be more confident with eyes on me or with a group of people but being alone with Nathanial Tesoro is proving to be very difficult. He is extremely intimidating.

Taking a deep breath, I slide my tongue along my lips, which were dry because I was so nervous.

"I just wanted to come here and ask about what you did earlier…you know, down the street. I know it was you who left the money," I said.

He has a thoughtful expression on his face. All of a sudden, his eyes widen, and he becomes angry. “I really thought you'd be different. All you women are exactly the same," he says, clearly annoyed.

I don't understand why he is so angry. "I don't think you understand," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. If he's implying that I am just here for more money, then he is sadly mistaken.

"Oh, I do though. I suggest you leave and before you seriously embarrass yourself. Try to not use men for money; it’s an ugly quality," he snaps, pointing to his door. He pressed down on a button and spoke. "Come and escort her out and meet me in the conference room."

Was he seriously not going to let me speak and just judge me like this?

I wasn't going to let him talk to me like that. I walked up to his desk and grabbed a pen and paper. I scribbled down the number for Thomas quickly. "I am not here to ask you for more money. I am here because that boy wanted me to find you. He wants to know if the money was all for him because he wanted to share it all. I can’t stand to hear another word coming from your mouth so when you’re done sucking your own dick, give that boy a ring." I slammed the paper into his chest.

Men were infuriating sometimes.

I didn't know if I was seeing things, but was that guilt in his eyes? He must be crazy if he thought I was going to ignore the fact that he accused me of being a gold digger.

The moment the door opened, revealing his assistant, I stormed out, not bothering to wait for her. I just wanted to get out of there.