The Billionaire's Daughter

5 - Roman

"Daniel, you just want to take me out so you can get drunk and pick up a date." I sighed, relaxing deeper into my bed the more he tried to persuade me to go out.

It was my special day, yet he talks as if it was his birthday instead of mine.

"Your ass has been home since you got engaged. Live a little."

"I have a job interview tomorrow. I can't afford to fuck up. The future Mrs. won't like it either."

Daniel cocked his head to the side, looking at me foreignly. He was plotting for sure.

"I'll pay for our drinks-."

"Don't change shit."

"And I'll never ask you to go out again."

I looked at him with another sigh, this one more exasperated than the last, finally giving in.

Daniel had already gotten my outfit ready so I wouldn't 'make myself look like a wreck'. It was club attire so I didn't hate it, but it looked better on him than me.

~~~~~~~~~

"Tequila."

"Whiskey."

"The heavy shit. Hope you can handle it." Daniel looked at me.

"I'll survive."

We clinked our glasses, dedicating our drinks to my birthday, and taking the shots. I may have overdone it. My vision blurred within the half-hour, but I couldn't bring myself to stop.

Shit's been crazy, so why shouldn't I drink myself to a blackout.

An hour in and I was fucked.

Laila would be mad at me, per usual. I was probably destined to fail the job interview.

But I stopped, only knowing the hangover would be a pain in the ass.

I stumbled my way to the middle of the dance floor to find Daniel, the heat from everyone only fueling my incoming nausea.

"Look man, I'm gonna get some air..."

"Save me some!" Daniel yelled out as he continued to dance, only responding to what he thought he heard.

I shook my head, not in the mood to explain shit, but the closer I got to the door, the weaker I felt.

The ring in my ears grew louder and the air from outside somehow made it worse.

The world went dark.

And that was the last thing I felt that night.

~~~~~~~~~~

"What the fuck?" I said to myself the pound in my head driving me insane by the minute. I blinked back the pain, looking around the room I was in.

It wasn't mine.

Not the bedsheets. Not the decor. Nothing looked familiar to me.

Except the Advil and the water on the bedside table.

"Can I come in?" A soft voice spoke on the other side of the door as I hesitantly swallowed the pill.

"Yeah..yeah of course." I sat up, trying to look presentable.

The doorknob turned with a short, beautiful woman walking through. Her skin was clear and she wore her hair in braids. She had looked more groomed and put together than I was.

"I made breakfast." She placed a small tray on my lap, a familiar breakfast staring back at me. Pancakes and parfaits.

"You really didn't have to." I looked down at the tray, then back at her as her dimples flashed subtly.

"You'd be fucking dying if you stood up without breakfast. So eat." She paced around the room, supposedly organizing things the way they were before me.

I was about to speak but hesitated knowing I wasn't going to win. I took a bite out of one of the pancakes, my eyes widening in surprise.

"Shit, that's really good." I mumbled, "Fucking heavenly."

"It could've been better. I was kinda in a rush."

"How so?" My curiosity got the better of me.

The woman went on to explain the mistakes she made with the pancakes and parfait I was eating. How the pancakes could've been softer. How the layers could've been smoother. Even how she wished she had bought strawberry glaze or made her own. It was interesting how she was so passionate, talking about her baking and cooking to a complete stranger.

Somehow I didn't mind listening.

"They're perfect the way they are. Sometimes it's better not to overthink it."

She let out a small laugh, taking a seat next to me on the bed, "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

I looked around, my brows raising in question.

"You don't remember do you?"

I shook my head.

"Does the name 'fiori' ring a bell?"

My fork almost fell onto the tray with my shock. The memories came rushing back in a second and I was finally able to realize who it was.

"Renée?"

~~~~~~~~~~

"Holy fucking shit."

"It's me." Renée smiled, her dimples deeper than before. 

I tossed the bedsheets aside, leaning in to hug her. The familiar warmth and smell of vanilla hit me and I had never felt so comfortable.

"Take it easy, you're still hungover," she said, gently hugging me back.

"Who the fuck cares? I finally get to see you." I laid my head down on the pillow, taking in her features, "I like the nose piercing."

"It was kinda random. Shit happens." She smiled to herself, "I love the drinking yourself to where I almost hit you with my car."

My face dropped in slight surprise. I knew I was drunk but not that drunk.

"You could've been ran the fuck over, Roman."

"It was my birthday. I kinda needed it."

She glared at me, "Happy birthday but did you really have to drink yourself to death..?"

"I needed it before the-"

"The?"

"Before the job interview..."

Shit.