Billionaire’s Lost Angel

The next morning, Peter awoke to the first rays of dawn peering through the curtains, casting a soft glow on his face. He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It was early yet, but he knew he couldn’t waste another moment.

He couldn’t face Lotus directly, not after what happened last night. He made a mental note to meet George. Peter knew he was up to no good, and Lotus would be set up sooner or later if nothing was done.

He had to leave before Lotus woke up, hoping to avoid any unnecessary questions or confrontations. Not that he didn’t want to answer them, but the fact that he had to pretend to be someone he was not.

Quietly, he tiptoed towards his wardrobe and hastily slipped on his clothes. Peter’s heart raced with sadness as he stole glances at her sleeping figure.

He must leave, he thought, before his peaceful slumber beside Lotus turned into a storm of emotions that he couldn’t hold back. As he neared the door, his heart plummeted, but he willed it to a calm he was doing for Lotus. That was his daily reminder.

Walking out, he sighted Sheila. A frown creased his face as he stepped off the porch.  She was engaged in a heated argument with his gateman. Peter knew that the gateman was merely acting based on command, but knowing Sheila and her ability to push things too far, he knew he had to do something.

Sheila’s perfectly coiffed hair was in disarray, her face flushed with anger. Peter cursed under his breath, fuming that his plans for a quiet escape had already been thwarted. A part of him feared that the noise would awake Lotus.

“Are you crazy? Let me in! I need to speak to him now!” Sheila’s voice carried a distinct edge, her tone laced with venom. The gateman stood his ground, but the pressure was evident in his eyes as he struggled to maintain his calm.

Peter stormed towards them, his temper mounting as he approached.

He grabbed Sheila’s arm roughly, pulling her away from the embattled gateman. “Enough!” he barked, his eyes seething with anger. “I told you not to come here. You’ve crossed the line, Sheila.”

Sheila wrenched her arm free from his grasp, her eyes narrowing with defiance. “Don’t you dare tell me what I can and cannot do!” she retorted, her voice laced with venom. “You don’t call the shots, Peter.”

The tension between them crackled in the air, their gazes locked. Peter knew he couldn’t reason with Sheila; it was an exercise in futility.

Pushing aside any lingering reluctance, Peter marched towards his car, leaving Sheila in his wake. With a silent command, he opened the door, gesturing for her to enter. Sensing his determination to get rid of her,  Sheila hesitated for a moment, her eyes brimming with frustration. Slowly, she slid into the passenger seat, her anger barely contained.

The car roared to life as Peter sped away from his home, the tension between them palpable. Silence engulfed the vehicle for several long, agonizing moments, and each word left unsaid hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Peter’s voice broke through the suffocating atmosphere.

“You need to understand, Sheila, that this is the end. We can’t keep doing this. Why can’t you just let it off?” he said, his tone weary but resolute. “I don’t love you, and it is not fair to you. I can’t love you, Sheila.”

Sheila’s eyes burned with frustration, a mix of anger and sadness dancing within them. She had known he didn’t love her, but counted his love a win? “You think you can just sweep me aside, don’t you?” she replied, her voice laced with bitter resentment and hatred that deep down, he was saying that because of Lotus. “Well, I’ve got news for you, Peter. You can’t erase me from your life so easily. I won’t let you, and if it’s because of her, you can start apologizing to her right away!”

Peter sighed, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. “It’s not about erasing you, Sheila. You are keeping me bound because of a fucking video that was done out of a pure mistake. How cruel can you be?”

Sheila scoffed bitterly, her words dripping with disdain. “Oh, spare me your righteous indignation, Peter. You’re no saint, either. You wanted it; if not, why don’t you let me do what I want to do? And you face the damn consequences?!”

Peter sighed, knowing that it was hopeless to argue with her. “I’ll drop you at the office.”

—

Tears streamed down Lotus’ face as she stood in the doorway, silently observing the scene before her. The sight of Peter grabbing Sheila’s hands and forcefully dragging her out of the house made her heartache. She could feel her anger brewing, her grip on the doorknob tightening as she fought the urge to rush over and give them both a piece of her heart. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she forced herself to turn away.

Her head still ached.

“What happened to me last night?” She muttered lowly, staring at her disheveled self in the mirror.

Hearing the zoom of the car also made her heart bleed, but she turned away and headed to work, burying the pain deep within her.

As she sat at her desk, her eyes red and swollen from crying, Lotus was startled by the sound of her father’s voice. She looked up to find him standing there, a somber expression on his face. Her heart sank at the sight of him, for she wanted nothing to do with him. But she knew she couldn’t be rude, not when he had made the effort to visit her. He was the only family trying to make things right.

“Lotus, my dear,” her father began quietly. “I heard from your step-sister that things aren’t going well with Peter. Is that true?”

Lotus glared at him, her voice laced with anger. “My marriage is none of your business, Father. Just leave it alone.” She paused. “Tell that stepsister of mine to mind her damned business, or she won’t like my rage.”

Her father sighed, his eyes filled with concern. “Lotus, I understand that we may not have the best relationship, but I care about you. I don’t want to see you suffer. You don’t look happy, and there are bags under your eyes..”

Anger flashed in Lotus’ eyes, her fists clenched tightly. “Don’t you dare act like you care about me now! Where were you all those years when I needed you? When I was struggling to make sense of my life? When was I accused? I don’t need your car, Father!”

Her father stood up, his face hardened. “I may have made my mistakes, Lotus, but I’ve changed. And I won’t stand idly by while my daughter goes through a difficult time. I’m going to talk to Peter. Perhaps I can help.”

Fear gripped Lotus’ heart at the thought of her father confronting Peter. She knew the tension between them was already high, and she didn’t want things to escalate further. She didn’t want sympathy from any of them. “Father, please. Promise me you won’t do anything reckless. I don’t want anyone hurt because of me.”

Her father looked at her, his eyes softening. “I promise, Lotus. I only want what’s best for you.”

As he left her office, Lotus slumped in her chair, exhaustion washing over her. Her phone suddenly pinged, alerting her to a message. It was Natasha, James, and Jennie happily playing together. The sight brought tears to her eyes once again, but this time, they were tears of determination.

Seeing those pictures brought a new wave of light to her heart. She still had her children, and she wasn’t going to let any man break that. A nagging thought stayed at the back of her mind: was she going to let Sheila take her marriage away from her?

—

In the dimly lit office, George sat behind his desk, his piercing blue eyes fixed on the cityscape beyond the window. His mind, as always, was plotting. He knew his plan to manipulate Peter and separate him from Lotus needed a perfect move, and he had been pondering it for weeks. The gentle click of heels approached his office as he was lost in his thoughts.

Sheila slipped into the room. Her long, flowing auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her face that held a hint of a sly smile. George looked up and met her eyes, the corners of his lips curling into a smirk. A silent understanding passed between them. He knew that she wasn’t going to fail him. They had been in contact, and he must say, she was a good architect at getting what she wanted.

“What news do you bring me, Sheila?” George asked, his voice low and suggestive.

Sheila leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper, “George, my plan to separate Lotus and Peter is finally complete. I have the perfect scheme that will leave Peter devastated and disconnected from Lotus forever. If only we can do it without mistakes.”

George’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, his interest piqued. “Tell me more,” he urged.

Sheila lowered her voice even further, “We will create a situation where Peter will catch Lotus with another man. We need to plant doubt in his mind so that he accuses her of cheating. It is the perfect plan.”

George’s smirk grew wider. “And how do we achieve this?” he inquired, his voice laced with intrigue.

Sheila, always the puppet master, provided George with the details. “We need you to meet Lotus, George. Forge a kiss with her in a place where Peter can discover it. Once he sees it with his own eyes, he will have no choice but to believe Lotus has betrayed him.”

George nodded, his mind already envisioning the scene. A smirk curled on his lips as he imagined Peter’s face. “A masterplan indeed,” he murmured, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk. “But how do we ensure that Peter stumbles upon the kiss at the right time?”

Sheila grinned, her eyes glinting with mischief. “That’s where I come in. I’ve already arranged for a so-called business meeting between Lotus and Peter. It will take place tomorrow at a remote cafe. You will conveniently arrive while they are engrossed in their conversation, creating the perfect opportunity for a staged encounter between you and Lotus.”

George admired Sheila’s cunning. She had thought of everything as well-planned. He didn’t make the wrong choice. Now Lotus would be his after so long.

“I’ll have to get going. Peter needs my attention.”

George paused, a frown creasing his face. “I don’t want anything to harm Lotus. I know you two have some personal feud, but don’t do anything funny.”

Sheila scoffed internally. Men, they were always supporting Lotus. When she was done with her, she would see what support she would have then.

–

Lotus could feel her heart pounding against her chest as she entered the elegant restaurant. The dimly lit room was filled with the soft hum of voices and the clinking of glasses, creating a very calm atmosphere she loved.

She scanned the room nervously, searching for the person she was supposed to meet. As her eyes darted from table to table, she caught sight of a familiar face – George, her ex-husband.

Surprised and caught off guard, Lotus felt a mix of emotions rush through her. Part of her wanted to turn around and walk out. At work, she received a message from an unknown number asking her to meet at the restaurant for a business deal. But how come it was George? He was making so many unwanted occurrences in her life, and she didn’t want to deal with it any further.

But another part of her was enticed by the idea of revenge against Peter.  With a determined flicker in her eyes, she decided to play along.

As she approached the table, George rose to his feet with a sly smile on his face. “Lotus, my dear, what a pleasant surprise,” he said, his voice dripping with false enthusiasm. “Please, have a seat.”

Lotus studied him for a moment, contemplating her next move. She knew all too well the treachery that lay within George’s heart. In the past, he had deceived her time and time again. Making her believe that he loved her when he was screwing her sister. But now, faced with a crumbling marriage, she couldn’t help but consider the possibilities that this meeting might bring. Maybe it might strike a chord in Peter’s heart.

Suppressing her anger, Lotus took a seat across from George. “Cut the charade, George,” she whispered, her voice laced with a hint of defiance. “What do you want from me?”

George leaned back in his chair, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Oh, my dear Lotus, why are you so in a hurry?” he retorted smugly. “Besides, I have some information that might pique your interest.”

Her curiosity aroused, Lotus raised an eyebrow. “And what might that be?”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“There’s a price, of course,” George snickered, his tone oozing with self-assuredness. “But first, a little gesture of goodwill.” In one swift motion, he leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on her lips, causing her mind to whirl with a mixture of emotions.

Lotus, though stunned, her heart picking up. She played along, allowing the kiss to continue for a moment longer, relishing the thought of Peter walking in and tearing her apart from him. She was unaware of her surroundings and what the kiss was turning the restaurant into.

But all too soon, the sound of cameras clicking, breaking the moment and bringing her back to reality. Lotus abruptly pulled away, her eyes widening in disbelief as she realized the attention drawn by their public display of affection. Panic surged through her veins, and she turned sharply, scanning the room in horror.

The cameras’ flash and the restaurant patrons’ restless murmur confirmed her worst fears. News of her infidelity was spreading like wildfire, causing her once-private life to unravel before her eyes. She felt as though the walls were closing.

As Lotus glanced at George, she saw a twisted grin etched on his face. This had all been a setup – just another ploy to destroy her life and bring her down. Anger surged within her, mingling with the shame and embarrassment that threatened to consume her.

“You did this, didn’t you? George, how could you?” Tears streamed down her face, and she was oblivious to the fact that the news was already flying. Lots of paparazzi had filled the restaurant already.

George merely crossed his arms. “And what is it to you? Your marriage wasn’t working well with Peter anyway.