The Billionaire's Wife

Chapter 1

After I gave birth to my son who I named Luke, I was all alone; I had no money, no where to go and no one to turn to.  During the pregnancy my mom was supportive; well whenever Carl wasn't home she would give me my vitamins, make sure I was on time for my appointments - EVERYTHING.

But that was only for the first two months of my pregnancy. Then it all ended. One day I was home, I had just gotten home from the doctor and everything was going ok. My mom went with me and since she found out I was pregnant, she hasn't been drinking or smoking. She really cleaned herself up. When we got home I went to my room to get some sleep. I wasn't even there for fifteen minutes when I heard Carl, barging through the front door swearing and sluring. I listened from my room as he called my mom the worst things  you could think of. Then I heard his heavy footsteps as he made his way upstairs and I knew what was coming but I couldn't let it happen not while I was carrying the baby. I ran to the closet and opened it leaving a crease just so it would look like I was in there, then I ran and his under the bed.

I watched as Carl came in and went straight to the closet and when he didn't find me, he was engulfed with rage and even started trashing my room. After five minutes of him swearing at the top of his lungs, the house went silent. I waited a while and then crawled out from under the bed.
I made my way downstairs to find my mom standing by the door crying. She wouldn't face me.

She turned and headed upstairs. That's when I knew I had to leave because whenever she got like this she would never let anyone get between the two of them. While she was in the bedroom I took the opportunity to run upstairs and pack my suitcase as fast as possible with any sort of clothes I had. Then after that, I emptied my piggy bank of its contents which was a mere $20 bucks, shoved it in my pocket and went on my way leaving a quick note for my mom on the way out.

I went straight to the bus station since it was the quickest and cheapest way to get around. I had no idea where I was going but I knew that I had a lot on my plate once I got there.

I spent most of my time at my best friends house she was three years older than me, which made staying at her house a wholelot easier. I stayed there until my eighteenth birthday.

Then I took what I had saved from my three jobs and rented a one bedroom apartment, well it wasn't really an apartment but a room in a hotel which I had convinced the manager to rent to me for a while.

It's been a year since I gave birth to my son and right now I was struggling to find someone to keep him. I had fallen asleep with Luke in my arms and when I woke up it was 7:25 p.m and my shift starts at 8:00. Once I had finished getting dressed and bathed my son it was 7:50 p.m. I know you must be thinking what the hell was I doing all that time but for me that's a world record because whenever its bathtime for Luke we usually take way longer.

Luke was now outfitted in his rubber-duck onesie, playing with his toes while his mother... me, paced around the house like a maniac. I had ten minutes left till my shift started and no one to babysit my son. I spent the next three minutes pacing when I stumped my big toe on my dresser and that when it hit me Emily she was the only person I could think off at that point in time. She wasn't working tonight's shifts so she could take him well if she was available.

*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*
"Hello?"
"Hi, Emma, its me Vanessa from work."
"Hey Vanessa, what's up? "
"Uhh, I need you to do me a favour?"
"Uhh, sure, what is it?"
"Could you come over to my place and watch Luke for a while? I have a late shift tonight and no one to take care of him."
"Ok. No problem I love a chance to take care of that little guy."
"Great. I'll see soon. I assume you still know my address."
"Yup see ya. "
"Bye!"

After she hung up I got some sheets from the closet and placed them on the couch for her just in case she got tired. I waited for another ten minutes till she arrived and gave her a fews pointer.

"Bye Luke, I'll see you soon ok."
I kissed him goodbye and left.
I walked to the bus stop that was just across the street from my hotel and as I crossed the street I saw that a bus was coming.

"Thank God."

************************************************************
 
The bus ride was calming even though it was 8:15 p.m and I was fifteen minutes late for work and my boss was going to kill me.
I looked out the window of the bus as it zoomed past the many vehicles, houses and restaurants on the streets I passed. I felt calm as the breeze filled with the smell of chilli dogs and burgers filled the air.

I saw a couple walking, I think that they were going to the Italian Restaurant that was a couple of blocks away from them. It was nice to see how happy they were but it troubled me to know that it wouldn't last if something went wrong, if something unexpected happened. It enraged me to see that that was all life was about. Pain. Anger. Suffering. Loneliness.

The bus got near to the restaurant where I worked. Where I earned a honest living for my son and I. I didn't have any fancy job or anything and I didn't make much. I washed the dishes in this fancy Italian Restaurant. It's not the bet job or one I would want to be doing if it were up to preference. But it was it was up to responsibility responsibility to take care of my son. 

Tonight though my job was waitress and dishwasher double the jobs double the money. I walked in through the back hoping that Gregory wouldn't see me. Unfortunately, I didn't have such luck.

"Vanessa Ferguson!! Where the fuck have you been?"
"Your thirty minutes late for work. The rush started and were already short staff. You know this." 
"Where the fuck were you?"

There was no use telling him about being unable to find a nanny because he would just not give a shit and call me a lazy, unorganized bitch. So I just settled with saying.

"Sorry sir, I won't happen again sir."
"It better not, now get out of here and start taking orders."
"Yes sir."

With that I began to take the orders. I was about twenty-five minutes into my shift when I felt a sharp pain in my back along my spine. I went up to the counter to ask my colleague  Sharon to cover for me. Once she agreed to I decided to take a break. I went outside in the alley behind the restaurant and rested on the wall. The fresh air brushing against my face sent a chill down my entire body.

I took a cigarette from the pack and contemplated whether I should smoke it or not. The stress was getting to me, I mean I loved my son more than I could love anything ever but being a single mother with no one to help me was hard.

I put the cigarette back in the box and just stared up at the stars.

"Hey,you gonna smoke that or just stare at it."
"Uhh,no,you can have it if you want."
"Thanks."

I could barely see him but from the smell of his cologne I knew he didn't work at the restaurant.

"Hey, uhh, I'm guessing you work here."
"Yeah, who knighted you Captain Obvious?"
"Haha, cute."
"Shouldn't you be in there waiting tables or something."

I didn't like the tone of his voice I had no idea who this guy was but whoever he was he was starting to sound like a real dick.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to sound like a snob but I see that your wearing an apron its a lot like the ones the people in this restaurant wear."
"Not that its any of your business but yes I do work here and if you'll excuse me I should be getting back to it!"

"Have fun!!"

I shot him a nasty look before disappearing into the restaurant. I don't know what it was but something about that guy made my blood boil and I didn't even talk to for more than five minutes.

"Nessa! Order up, table 4."
That was Joseph the chef he had just finished the order from the ticket I had given him earlier before I asked Sharon to cover for me. You'd think that that order would have been finished a while ago. But whatever.

I took the order to its designated table and as I walked up to the table I got a whiff of something familiar and as I looked at the table I was approaching at the four guys who's eyes were ogling my every move I felt a bit of unease. I didn't know which guy it was but I knew one thing for sure; one of them was that guy from the alley.