A SON FOR A BILLIONAIRE

Bethany woke up alone

EPISODE TWENTY THREE

Theme: Bethany woke up alone

(FLASHBACK TO TEN YEARS AGO)

WINSLOW, ARIZONA.

(INSIDE THE BEACH HOUSE)

Bethany heaved a sigh, her eyes still sleepy but satisfied and more than half in love with Ace. Bethany reached across the bed to where she expected Ace to be, only to find the space empty. He was probably in the bathroom or in the sitting room watching television. Bethany thought as she rolled over, luxuriating in the stretch to well used, slightly sore muscles.

Bethany buried her face in the pillow Ace had used, absorbing the sexy scent of him. She could wake up like this with Ace forever. The thought had her eyes flying open, had her sitting up in the bed and clutching the sheet to her chest as an unfamiliar feelings of vulnerability walked it way through her.

The thought was absurd! She was young, way too young to be thinking of waking up by Ace's side for the rest of her life. Bethany knew she was being ridiculous. Telling herself that one night, doesn't mean a life time.

Everything between them was just aa one night thing and nothing more. But the way Ace had held her and made love to her, the way he had wrapped himself around her with her head pressed to his heart, it must have meant something to him too because it certainly meant a lot to her. She crawled out of bed and after a quick shower in the bathroom, she put on her clothes and went in search of Ace.

It was better to know what he was thinking, but as she walked her way around the house and couldn't find him made her worried. Ace wasn't in the bathrooms, rooms, kitchen, not on the front porch.

So she stood on the porch, taking in scent and sound of the ocean slowly rolling in. Ace was gone, no where to be found. Different questions flooded her mind, what if he wasn't the owner of the beach house? What if he just deceived her just to get her in his bed for the night? Where could he be? Why did he leave her alone in this big house? Had he been nice to her just to get down with her? Or did someone call him up and say bad stuffs about her which had made him leave? But Bethany kicked against the questions that ran a marathon in her head.

"No. No. No." she kicked against the thoughts.

Probably he had gone to work not wanting to disturb her sweet sleep. Yes that was the reason. He went to work. Bethany concluded and decided to wait for him.

**************************************************

GOLDEN HOTEL

(MR CLARK OFFICE)

Mr Clark cleared his throat before speaking up to his son who sat facing him directly with a serious look on his face.

"How have you been?" Mr Clark asked.

Ace looked up at his dad. "Well..I am fine." Ace Clark replied.

"I can see that you have been doing a great job here at the hotel. The manager told me that you have been diligent with the works assigned to you." Mr Clark added with smug look on his face.

Ace shook his head slowly with a forced smile on his face.

"Well I am hoping that you have turned a new leaf now and you have been able to stop your wayward lifestyle. Listen son, I love you very much and I want the best for you. Everything I am working so hard so get will be all yours some day and that's why I need you to prove to me that you are worthy to take over my position when I am too old to handle things." Mr Clark pointed out with a sincere look on his face.

"I am ready to study," Ace said, keeping a close eye contact with his dad.

Mr Clark could see the sincerity in his son's eyes and it made him happy that his son has changed.

"So what made you change all of a sudden? Seriously Ace, I sent you here to experience the life of those who have nothing. But I wasn't expecting this change to be this fast." Mr Clark admitted.

"In the last few weeks I have spent here, I realized that I am very lucky to be born into a rich home. I want to live a good life so I will never lose that opportunity. I want to be a good son that is capable of running all your businesses. And again, I want to be a better man to someone." Ace remembered Bethany and a smile quirked up on his lips.

He hoped to see her soon. She must be awake now and might be worried about him since he had left without a word.

"A better man? Perhaps you want to be a better man to Camila right?" Mr Clark asked interrupting Ace's thoughts.

Ace glanced up at his dad with a screwed up face. "Camila?" He repeated.

"Ace, that's so thoughtful of you!" Mr Clark chuckled.

"No...No..Dad..this is not about -"

Mr Ace interjected sharply. "Anderson agrees get Camilla married to you....which means you are returning home to see your bride to be."

Ace was disappointed. "Get married? But dad I just told you that I want to focus on studying so why talk about getting married so soon?" Ace argued.

Mr Clark laughed at his son's words. "You are not getting married right away but you will after you become the director of my businesses. We are returning home together tomorrow." He announced.

Ace eyes widened in sheer surprise. "Tomorrow? But you said after two months." Ace retorted.

Mr Clark shook his head in disapproval. "Plans changed son, I want you to go back to studying as soon as possible. Your mom misses you so much and Anderson wants to see you too." He stood up from the swivel chair, walked round it to his son and place his hand on Ace's shoulder.

"But -"

"Go and get dressed son, we are meeting some investors soon. I want you to meet some of my business partners so you won't find it strange when you meet them in few years time." Mr Clark pat his son's right shoulder gently.

"Dad, do I really have to attend the meeting with you now?" Ace asked, thinking about Bethany.

"Yes, it is a must I introduce them to you today. And they are all anxious to see you too." Mr Clark moved away to pick a blue print document on the table.

"Perhaps long will it take?" Ace asked.

"Well it is going to take a while because we have a lot to discuss at the meeting." Mr Clark answered.

Ace shifted uncomfortably on the chair. He would be late in meeting up with Bethany at the beach house.

"Let us go son." Mr Clark passed the blue print file to Ace.

"Right now?" Ace asked.

"Yes son." Mr Clark replied.

"Alright." Ace stood up and followed his dad.