My Heartless Billionaire Husband

They say storms are only temporary, but the lives they cross never remain the same. You either perish or grow so inured that even the mighty storm is enamored by you.

Ember's POV

I blew out a long sigh and turned to park my dad's car in our front yard. Another day of job hunting in vain. My previous workplace had shut down due to bankruptcy, and new places didn't want an employee with less than a year of experience. If they wouldn't let me have the opportunity how was I supposed to gain experience?

My parents ran a bakery shop. After my dad had an accident while working in the King's factory as a mechanical engineer, he couldn't work anymore. They started a small bakery, but it wasn't enough. So, I needed a job to support them.

My foot slammed on the brakes as a black limo parked in our driveway caught my eye. My brows furrowed, and I racked my brain for any possible relative who would hire a limo, but nah, none came to mind. Curiosity gnawed at my tummy as I parked the car by the side of the road, ignoring the protests of our aged neighbor. Speeding inside the house, I tip-toed near the drawing room and peeked in from behind the door frame.

Oh, blast manners! This girl needs to know!

A man in a white suit sat on the main sofa. The gray roots of his hair and beard were beginning to peek through his dyed hair. “Let's cut to the chase, shall we, Joseph?” he said, authority lacing his tone.

“Err...sure, Mr. King, sir,” Dad replied, sitting across from him, accompanied by mom.

Mr. King? As in Mr. Bryan William King? The billionaire businessman and Dad's former boss? But what was he doing here?

“Splendid! I want your daughter to be my daughter-in-law.”

The gaps in my parents' mouths could fit a whale. As for mine, well, that whale with its baby and baby's dad, and many more babies could fit, and they wouldn't even have to squirm.

I know, I know. I exaggerated, but that's how it actually felt.

The King’s wanted me to be their daughter-in-law by marrying their son Hunter William King, the most eligible, most handsome bachelor of New York? But why me when there were so many prettier women on earth dying to be his? Heck, he could even marry a princess.

Mr. King laughed at their expressions. “Now, now, no need to give me that look, Joseph. I just want a fair, decent girl to be our daughter-in-law, not one of those—” his face contorted into a grimace, “gold-diggers my son dates.”

“B-but sir...Y-your son...He doesn't really have a good reput—oomph!” Mom nudged Dad, which stopped him from completing his sentence.

“Oh, come on, Joseph! All this time we've been acquaintances; don't you want to make my wish come true?” His lips stretched into a sweet smile, but his eyes glinted with tacit demand.

For the next few minutes, Mr. King kept pestering dad. It seemed he made up his mind and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

My stretched brows creased to a frown. The reason he gave for choosing me didn't seem harmful, but the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach didn't thought otherwise. Marriage was a big step of someone's life, and I needed to think.

Inhaling deep, I sauntered inside. “I appreciate your proposal, Mr. King, but I need time.”

All heads turned towards me. With a sweet smile on his face, Mr. King got up. My parents looked concerned and stood up too.

“You have a beautiful daughter, Joseph, and intelligent too,” he stated striding towards me, power radiating off of him. “I hope you'll make the right decision, darling.”

Then he was gone.

To marry Hunter King would be a dream come true for most girls, including me, but getting married like this was never my plan. What about my responsibilities? I couldn't just leave my parents to be on their own when they needed me the most. I had always wanted to build my own identity, get a decent job, move into a bigger home. But most of all, I wanted a better shop where my mom could bake as much as she wanted, and dad could mess the batter up trying to help.

I looked at my parents; there was a visible tinge of hesitation etched on their foreheads.

What if I said no?

“Be safe, Dad!” I stood on our porch and waved Dad off. We were out of groceries, so Dad decided to go shopping. He waved at me and started walking down the street. Dad didn't want to bother his recently polished baby car since the shop wasn't far from home.

I smiled at our neighbor's dog playing in their yard. Turning on my heels, I took a step to head inside, but stopped as I heard alarmed barks. Whirling around, my eyes landed on the bulky figure in all black on the street. The man glared at the animal, and cowering, it ran away. He directed his gaze ahead and resumed walking while pulling something out of his jacket. The bright glint the object reflected hit my eyes causing them to close and open two times wider. I followed the direction of his gaze, and my heart almost jumped out of my chest.

“Dad...”

Without any delay, I dashed towards my father.

“Ember! Where are you going?” Dad asked upon seeing me.

“I just remembered I-uh...I need to buy some things as well,” I replied, breathing hard. Gazing behind us, I found no trace of the man anymore and let out a sigh of relief.

Phew! Always overthinking, aren't you?

After buying all the necessary stuff, we got back home with dad cracking jokes and me laughing, not because they were funny, but because they were just so terrible one had to laugh. Our laughing ceased as we entered the house and saw mom with her phone, a crease in her forehead.

“What's the matter, Sofia? Who was it?” Dad inquired, leaving the shopping bags on the floor and walking to mom.

“I just...got an email from the IRS. They said...we have three years of bills due,” hesitation laced mom's voice.

“What? We already paid it all!”

My heartbeat accelerated. What was going on? First the strange man and now the IRS?

“Maybe...it’s a prank?” I offered, hoping to lighten the tension.

“Could be.” Dad nodded. “Fucking jobless morons got nothing better to do.”

“Joseph! No cursing in the house.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.” Dad pecked mom's cheek quickly as all the creases vanished from her face, and a blush appeared.

I chuckled at them. Their relationship was something I always dreamed of having when I got married. At the thought of the word, my mind wandered to Hunter; I doubted I would happen to have something similar with him considering his reputation.

Shooing the thoughts away, I picked up the groceries and headed to the kitchen. Maybe someone was indeed pranking us.

I only had to be proven wrong.

A couple of days later, I sat in the public library going through job circulars and filling in applications. A sudden discomfort in the stomach stirred me in my seat. Pulling out the emergency granola bar, I looked around at the few other people present, all minding their own businesses. Shrugging, I munched on the bar, sighing in content.

Happy tummy, happy mind.

My happy mind was disturbed when the bench beneath me dipped. I turned my head to the side. A tremor ran down my spine as I observed the bulky man in black from the other day sitting right beside me. I shot to my feet, ready to run.

“Sit,” he ordered.

“Wh-what do you want?”

He slid a black envelope across the table and got up. “Mr. King says hello.”

At the mention of the name, my eyes widened, and I picked the envelope up sliding the paper out. Unfolding it, I scanned my eyes over the letter, and my stomach churned. This could make me lose jobs before I even got one—a negative reference letter.

“What the hell! He can't do that.” I looked up but the bench was empty.

I flopped back down, my mind a swirl of questions and confusions. Why?

In the following days, similar things kept happening. I started seeing the strange man following my parents, phone calls and emails for bills kept flooding us, even my job applications were being refused. I couldn't bear seeing the line of permanent worry on my parents' foreheads. I couldn't sleep at night, the constant fear that the dangerous man would end up doing something horrible to them.

So, at last, I made a decision.

Beady black eyes stared back as I tilted my head to inspect them more. One eye briefly closed and opened again. Frowning, I shook my head and looked again, but they were still there. My cheeks puffed out a mouthful of air as I glanced out the café window. That's what happened when you stared at a teddy bear mug for half an hour.

Hunter-fucking-King was supposed to meet me here, yet there was no sign of him. Two days ago, I called Mr. King senior to meet his son before I finalized anything. I had to know if things would work between us. Now, with this conduct, I was afraid the conclusion would not be in their favor.

Just when I stood up from my seat, huffing, a shiny black Aston Martin Rapide pulled over right outside the café, and a tall, slender figure in a black Armani suit stepped out. In a matter of seconds he was swarmed by girls like a herd of female bees around their male queen, err...male king? Just then, the door on the other side of the car opened and a short, petite woman with grey hair in a tight bun got out. Two men stretched their arms out in an attempt to block the crowd from getting to them, and another man led them inside.

The elegant, powerful aura they emitted seized the customers' attention as half the cafe staff led them to a table. The bald man, who I assumed was the head bodyguard, looked around until his eyes fell on me. He whispered something in the male king's ear, who then turned his shaded eyes to me. Fixing his coat, he strutted forward. His 6’3” height looked down at my 5’5” frame like an arrogant giraffe before a flabbergasted zebra.

I stared. The guy I had been secretly crushing on since the day I first saw him on a magazine cover stood before me. Yes, that was true. So, why I didn't say yes to the marriage then? Even though he had the looks of a Greek god, his attitude, according to some articles, was more like a movie villain. I was certain he wouldn't be able to make me my dream love come true.

"Are you Ember? Ember Collins?" the woman asked, breaking me from my thoughts. My cheeks reddened having realized I had been staring.

I'd be lying if I said their dominating vibes didn't make me nervous. My heart was racing, and my tongue felt heavy. I nodded, extending my hand, but before I could blink she threw her hands around me pulling me into an embrace. I stood there stupefied. A King was hugging me despite all the news I kept hearing of them being the big bad wolves. Pulling back, she tugged her slightly wrinkled lips into a hearty smile.

"Pardon me, I got carried away. I'm Karen King."

"Hello." I smiled; my mind was boggled. She was the eldest member of the Kings, and she certainly didn't seem like a bad wolf to me. What was all that news then? Mere rumors? My eyes gazed at the male king who was now sitting at my table. Would that mean he was not the dark and dangerous devil everyone said he was?

"Here. Sit, darling. Talk to each other. I'll be around." She trotted away and found herself a table in another corner.

Licking my lips, I sat down and gazed at the man before me. He was as handsome as the magazines portrayed him to be, maybe even more so, with a square face, hard features and a sharp jawline adorned with slight stubble. He seemed to have a perpetual frown.

My heart pounded in my chest, and the script I prepared was long forgotten. I cleared my throat and stretched my lips into an awkward, toothy smile. "H-Hello! It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" I closed my eyes face-palming internally. Did I have to stutter? I couldn't help it though since his eyes seemed to watch my every move from behind his tinted glasses.

He looked down at his wristwatch. "Yes."

The rich, velvety texture of his voice made my breath hitch, and I gulped. Perhaps I should stop beating around the bush. "Well, I wanted to know your thoughts on…um, our marriage?" It came out more as a question since I still couldn't believe I was going be the famous Hunter King’s bride, even though it was a forceful marriage. I wondered if he knew about the threats.

He didn't move, neither did his mouth, only his eyes bored into me. Diverting my eyes elsewhere, I stirred in my seat. From the other corner of the cafe the granny's eyes, illuminated with excitement, caught mine, and I smiled.

Was he going to answer or not?

"Wil—"

A waitress placed a menu on the table, cutting me off. "Mr. King, what would you like to have?" The waitress leaned over, her boobs almost falling out of her tight uniform as she batted her eyelashes.

My jaw clenched, annoyed, but then Hunter raised his hand, dismissing her without a glance. The way the color drained from her face only heightened my crush on him. Biting the laugh in, I glanced back at him.

Perhaps the marriage wouldn't be a bad thing after all.

"So, I’ve been having doubts about the proposition since the beginning, of course, and the threats were a big red light—" I threw the quick hint in to observe his reaction.

Silence and an impassive expression were all he gave me.

"But…now I am thinking about giving my consent. I mean, you guys are good people. What could happen, right?"

Again, silence.

At this point, I wondered if he could actually talk, or was the first response a mere hallucination?

Just when I was almost convinced that the great Hunter King was dumb, his hand lifted to his right ear. "Adequate. Finalize it, Denver."

"What?" My brows knitted together.

"Yes, I'm coming." He clicked the dark device, a.k.a. Bluetooth, attached to his ear. "You were saying?"

I sat there, my mouth agape. That son of a bloody tampon! He was having a darn meeting while I was blabbering in vain.

He lifted his hand, glancing at the watch once again. "Good talk." Then he got up and walked away like he regretted nothing.

The granny rushed to me. "Hope to meet you soon, darling," she said and followed behind her jerk of a grandson.

I hate to disappoint the fair lady, but I would never marry that bastard.

Drawing out my phone, I dialed a number and held it against my ear. After five rings, the call was answered.

"Hello, Ember."

I inhaled deep. "We need to meet."

"Come to the office. Fifteenth floor, chief conference hall."

Cutting the call, I started for the Kings' office in Midtown Manhattan and reached it in no time. I craned my neck in a ninety-degree angle until I could see the end of the skyscraper before me. 'THE KING'S CORP' was emblazoned in bold golden letters on a black board.

My jaw tightened. Filthy money. It corrupted people, made them feel they could do whatever they wanted, but I wouldn't give in to them. Never.

After ascending the stairs, a man in a black uniform opened the door for me. Thanking him, I hopped in the elevator to the 15th floor and waited outside the conference hall until the last employee walked out. Then I barged into the room, too angry to maintain decorum.

The offense on Mr. King's face vaporized as soon as it appeared. "Welcome, Ember. Liked my son? Of course, you did. Who doesn't?" He laughed.

"No."

He cut his laughter short, and his eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, girl?"

"I say no to your proposition. Your son is a jerk, and I'm not wasting my life with him."

His lips thinned. "Oh, silly girl. I'm sure you want a job really bad."

I frowned. "Are you threatening me, Mr. King?"

"No, of course, not. I'm only pushing you in the right direction."

"Right direction? Oh, please! Your son didn't even act like he was interested."

"Of course he is interested. He is just a tough man."

I closed my eyes and asked the question that had been bothering me the most. "Why? Why me?"

Diverting his gaze, Mr. King stirred in his seat. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Why are you so desperate to make me marry your son?"

"Can't a father want a good wife for his son?"

"There's a thousand more girls like me."

"You never know who's planning what." He stood up from his seat and rounded the desk, a smile taking over his lips. "I have known you since childhood, my girl, and I trust you."

If anything, the crease between my brows only deepened. Was he really a concerned father, or was there another motive?

"Still, Mr. King. I can't, I'm sorry. I request that you stop bothering my family and me." I turned on my heels.

"Do think again, Ember. I can help you get a job."

My movement ceased. As alluring an offer as it was, I was not giving in; the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach wouldn't let me anyway. Shaking my head, I walked out of King's Corp. hoping to never set foot in there again.

Getting in a cab, I let out a long sigh. An arrowy pain penetrated my chest. Turning my phone on, I tapped the search bar and typed: How to hate your crush?

My mind was fully motivated and buzzing with ideas for the future by the time I got home. You have to love the internet; it was always there when you needed it. I stretched my hand to reach the doorknob when voices halted me.

"They emailed again from the IRS. This was the last warning. If we don't pay the taxes, we'll lose our house. You might even have to go to prison, Joseph," Mom said, her voice thick with worry. "Do you still think it's a prank? Maybe there has been some misunderstanding?"

"Don't worry. I'll go talk to the officials tomorrow." Dad's voice sounded dead.

"What's wrong? Are you okay, Joseph?"

"I don't know what's going on, Sof. They refused to give me my allowance for the month."

"What? Why?"

I took two steps back as the air felt too heavy to inhale, and the world was closing in on me.

'You're trapped, Ember,' Mr. King's voice mocked me in my head, 'There's only one way out of it.'

My hand shook as I drew my phone out and dialed the same number for the second time that day.

"Listening."

"Yes. I say yes."