My Ex's Billioniare Dad

Nora lay in her bed in her college apartment and listened to her roommate and best friend try to coax her out of her room for the umpteenth time but she couldn't bring herself to bother. She stared at the walls of her room and remembered the day her life turned upside down...

***

Nora's Pov.

A week earlier...

"Come on Jess, please come to the mall with me, I really need to do last-minute shopping for Jake's surprise birthday".

I blinked my eyes cutely at my best friend who has been adamant about helping me.

"Nope not happening, am not helping with anything that has to do with Jake. I don't like him and certainly won't be getting myself involved in his birthday."

She replied fully focused on her phone. I sat on the couch next to her resting both chin on my palms in order to fully focus on her.

"Please Jessica, I'll buy you lunch" She looked at me for the first time in ten minutes. And instantly her eyes popped up in excitement.

And that is my best friend right there, you can get your way with anything as long as you offer her food.

"Is it a restaurant of my choice ?" She asked. "Definitely sweetheart."

"I want Chinese."

"You wish, you only get a hundred bucks nothing more." I said sternly.

She groaned, "Fine I'll go get dressed."

"Hurry up!"

She scurried away yelling how it would only take her a few minutes to get dressed.

Jessica walked out minutes later with a pair of jeans and a flowery crop top.

"Alright let's get going," she said.

It's the middle of July here in Boston and extremely hot. I had worn a simple free gown myself.

We spent the next two hours browsing through aisles, picking everything and anything I could think of. After paying for our goods we grabbed lunch.

Jessica had offered we go to the park where we got an ice cream and just enjoyed the view.

The day went by pretty fast and soon we were back in our apartment.

Jessica won't stop talking about how good the meal was.

Jake's birthday wasn't until tomorrow so I just had enough time to sort through the things I bought and then plan the decoration.

I went to bed with all smiles on my face knowing tomorrow is going to be even better.

My alarm woke me up at exactly 7 am. I woke up with joy and decided to give Jake a call.

He picked up on the third ring.

"Hey babe, good morning," I said on my own end of the phone.

"Good morning," he replied casually.

"I called to ask if I could come to your place this evening."

"Uhmmm".

"Is 8 pm okay by you ?" I asked.

"Well have got some work to do and won't be back until past 8 or so. Is there something you want ?" He replied.

"Alright, that's fine was just asking so I can stop by later, let me know when you get home."

"Okay, bye".

"Bye. Lo..."

He ended the call before I could say 'love you.'

Sometimes I understand why Jess doesn't like him. Deciding not to let anything dampen my mood, I set my activities and as the clock struck 12 I left my apartment and headed for Jake's.

He probably thinks I forgot his birthday but that's part of the surprise.

I have the keys to his house and I'm gonna go make all the preparations before he gets back tonight I let myself into the house and kicked start my big surprise.

As soon as I arrived, I set about putting the decorations in place. I hummed to myself as I carefully frosted the chocolate cake, my mind filled with anticipation. I had planned everything down to the last detail: his favorite meal, the perfect playlist, and a heartfelt gift that I knew would make him smile. I couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he walked through the door.

Jake and I had met during our year at college, bumping into each other in the library of all places. I had been frantically searching for a book on European history to study for a test while Jake was lounging in a corner, reading a sci-fi novel. Our accidental meeting led to coffee, then dinner, and became friends, soon enough a relationship that has lasted for 8 months now. We spent every single minute we could with each other. I love Jake’s sense of humor, his kindness, and the way he made me feel cherished. I had envisioned many more birthdays together, many more memories to be made.

As I set the cake on the kitchen counter, I decided to send Jake a text since it was already past 7.

"Hey love when will you be home ?" I pressed the send button and seconds later his reply came in.

"In an hour."

"Okay."

"Yeah, you can be on your way by 8:00."

Well, that isn't so bad have got an hour to freshen up and get dressed and also do a final touch.

I turned off the light to conceal the decorations before walking into the bedroom.

My phone rang and thought it was Jake wanting to tell me something but saw the name that flashed on the screen, Emma.

I sighed and picked it up "Hey email, what's up?"

"Hey sis, how are you?"

"I'm fine. Why did you call ?"

"I really need to speak to you, could you spare some time for me." I sighed, a slight frown marring my excitement.

"I'm at Jake's. Can't it wait?"

"No it can't, please Nora it's important".

"Fine, meet me at Jake's apartment and you've got thirty minutes he'll be back by 9 and I need you gone before then"

"Sure, thanks sis".

I ended the call and sighed.

Emma had always been the wild one, getting into trouble and dragging me along for the ride. But family was family, and I couldn’t say no.The history with Emma is complicated. We had never been close, even as children. Emma was bold, impulsive, and always seemed to crave what I had. Whether it was my clothes, friends, or attention, Emma wanted it. The rivalry, though unspoken, had always simmered beneath the surface.

Right from when we were just teenagers she never missed an opportunity to compete with me and make me look bad. I wonder what she's gotten herself into now.

My phone rang pulling me out of my thoughts and I smiled. It was Jake.

"Hey, you on your way yet?"

"No, not yet. I got caught up with traffic and I won't be home for another hour".

I bit down on my disappointment "Ok then I'll see you by 9?"

"Yeah 9 is perfect".

"Alright." He ended the call.

Well, that gives me enough time to freshen up and talk to Emma. I headed to the shower to freshen up. I came out of the shower and slipped on my halter neck chiffon gown and afterward applied a bit of mascara on my lashes and some lipstick. I swept my hair up into a messy bun and smiled at my reflection.

Minutes later, I heard the front door creak open and close. "Jake?" I called out, wiping my hands on a towel. There was no answer. If it were to be Emma she would need to knock.

Curious, I walked toward the living room and turned on the light from the switch closer to me. And instantly I froze in my tracks. My heart stopped, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis. There, on the couch, was Jake, locked in a passionate kiss with Emma.

Nora's Pov.

"Jake? Emma?" My voice came out as a whisper, barely audible above the pounding of my heart. The room seemed to blur around me, even more like suffocating as anger and betrayal surged through my veins. The party decorations, which were once symbols of joy and celebration, now felt like mockery.

I just couldn't believe what I was seeing right now, my picture-perfect night had been shredded into un-recoverable pieces.

Jake jumped up, his face draining of color. "Nora, wait, it’s not what it looks like!"

"Not what it looks like?" I echoed, my voice trembling with fury. "So, you’re telling me you didn’t plan to kiss my sister in our living room? On your birthday night? The one I spent weeks planning?"

I ran my hands through my thick brown hair from frustration. I turned my gaze to Emma, who was lounging back on the couch, completely unperturbed. The first three buttons of her top were undone. She crossed her legs and smirked, not even bothering to cover herself.

"Oh, come on, Nora. Don’t be so dramatic. You should’ve seen this coming." She said sarcastically.

My eyes blazed as I turned to my sister. I can't even believe I still consider her my sister "You’re not even sorry, are you? This was your plan all along. You always had to have what was mine you whore."

I lunched at her in an attempt to pull her hair. Jake stepped forward as fast as possible, raising his hands to intervene. "Nora, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what got into me. It was a mistake, I swear."

"A mistake?" My voice rose. "You’re not sorry, Jake. You’re just sorry you got caught. If I hadn’t walked in, you’d still be here, with her! So this was your reason for telling me to come in an hour and thirty minutes? Your intentions were so deliberate, yet you call it a mistake you motherfucking cheating asshole."

The anger and betrayal coursed through me like wildfire. In a blur of motion, I grabbed the cake from the counter and hurled it at Jake. Frosting splattered everywhere, but I didn’t care. "Happy birthday, Jake," I spat, my voice dripping with sarcasm and pain.

Emma laughed, a cold, mocking sound that cut through me like a knife. "Looks like your little party is ruined, Nora."

I couldn’t take it anymore. I stormed out of the house, my breath coming in ragged gasps, tears blurring my vision. The night air hit my face like a slap, but it did nothing to cool my rage. My eyes fell on Jake’s car parked in the driveway, and a reckless idea formed in my mind.

Without thinking, I picked up a rock from the garden and hurled it at the windshield. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash, reflecting the broken pieces of my heart.

As the shards fell around me, I took a deep breath, feeling a strange sense of achievement. I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving the chaos behind me. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, but instead, it turned into a disaster.

I walked aimlessly, my mind a storm of thoughts and emotions. Every step felt heavy, my legs could barely move and my brain kept replaying the scene over and over, like it couldn't yet process what had just happened. I found myself at a small park near the apartment, a place I and Jake often visited. The benches and pathways, once filled with happy memories, now felt like grave markers of a love lost.

I sank onto a bench, burying my face in my hands. Tears streamed down my cheeks, uncontrollably.

"How could he do this to me?" I screamed at the top of my voice, "And with her, of all people?"

"Whyyyyyyyy?" I kept shouting and crying. The questions echoed in the almost deserted playground with just a few love birds enjoying the peaceful night.

Two passersby turned to stare at me like 'is this girl normal'. But at this moment I don't care what anyone thinks, cause clearly the universe has turned against me.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. My finger hovered over my best friend Jessica's contact. Jessica had always been there for me, through every up and down. I hit the call button. And after it rang for a while she picked up.

"Jessica? It’s Nora. Can you meet me at the park?"

Jessica's concerned voice came through the line. "Of course, Nora. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Just hold on, okay?"

And that's why she's the best, she doesn't need to know what's wrong or what happened she's definitely gonna pull up.

As I waited, I let my mind wander. I thought about the first time I had met Emma, the young girl who had suddenly become my step-sister when both our parents remarried. Emma had always been competitive, always trying to outdo me. But I had never imagined it would come to this.

Jessica arrived, her expression a mix of worry and determination. She hugged me tightly, and for the first time since the ordeal began, I felt a glimmer of comfort. "Tell me everything," Jessica said, sitting down beside me.

Through sobs and broken sentences, I recounted the entire event. Jessica listened quietly, her hand never leaving my shoulder. When I finished, Jessica took a deep breath wiping the tears off my face with her palm. "You don’t deserve this, Nora. Jake is an idiot and has certainly known that all along, and Emma...well, she’s always been trouble. But you’re stronger than this. We’ll get through it together."

I nodded, wiping the new wave of tears rushing down. "I know, but it just hurts so much. I feel so stupid for trusting them."

"No sweetheart, you just have a good heart and they are the fools for taking advantage of that. Truth be told I'm glad you saw their true colors." She said pulling me to rest on her shoulder.

We both sat there enjoying the peace and quiet of the night with no words spoken, and at that moment I lost track of time completely, until I heard Jessica saying.

"Let's get you all tucked up in bed, you've had a really long day and trust me a warm bath and a cozy bed will help."

She pulled me up supporting me all the way to her car and she drove both of us to our apartment.

I went into the house and walked directly to the refrigerator to get a beer. Staggered into my room and locked the door behind me.

I don't know how long it was, hours or days, I honestly have no idea.

Except for the constant ringing of my phone from Jake's calls and continuous messages of how it was the devil's doing, I really didn't care.

Jessica has been really helpful, she kept dropping snacks on my doorstep knowing fully well I didn't want to see or talk to anyone or even do anything.

I ones heard her chasing someone away which I was very much certain was Jake.

" She doesn't want to see you" I heard her say.

"Just let me talk to her and tell her how deeply sorry I am. She hasn't been receiving my calls or replying to any of my texts."

"What part of she doesn't want to see you don't you understand, get out and never come back here." I heard the door slammed pretty hard. And a sense of satisfaction rushed through me.

Unfortunately I didn't have the stamina or courage to come out and say thank you to her.