Her Forbidden Billionaire

“I told you! He accepted the award and everyone went crazy!” Raina said peeling an orange.

“But later? What happened the rest of the night? Don’t tell me that you remained leaning on the pillar the whole time.” Veronica pushed on and Raina chuckled.

“Of course not, V! We went on the roof!”

“And? Raina, you’re killing me!” Veronica bit her lips in excitement.

“We celebrated!” Raina answered, her cheeks burning. She rose to fetch some water from the kitchen but the buzzing of her phone brought her back.

“Saved by the call!” Veronica teased her, eating some more of the apple.

Raina smiled and picked up the phone from the table. In the second she spotted the name blinking on the screen, her lips curved in an unpleasant grimace. What did she want now?

She doubted whether to pick up or not but in the end opened the line. “Mom?”

“Raina, dear! What do you think you are doing, hmm? Why are you ruining my relationship?”

“What?” Raina listened confused. Her mother hadn’t called for years and now when she did, she instantly began insulting her. “What do you want to say, Mom?”

“I know everything! About you and Dean! Stop pretending, Raina! I know you are doing this to harm me. To separate me from his father. Because you don’t want me to be happy, Raina. You don’t want your mother to be happy!” Her mother spoke upsettingly.

Raina froze in her armchair and for a few moments she didn’t know what to reply. What the hell was her mother talking about? And how did she find out about her relationship with Dean?

“Mom, look…”

“No, Raina! I don’t want to hear you. Leave the man alone and don’t ruin their family!”

“Ruin their family? Stop right there and tell me exactly what you are accusing me of!” Raina nervously said standing up. With the corner of her eye she saw Veronica standing behind her confused.

“Raymond, Dean’s father warned him. He told him how bad your relationship is for the family. But, no. Dean stubbornly holds on to you. Like you are the only woman in the whole world. But it’s enough, Raina. If he doesn’t want to leave you then you will leave him. That’s an order!”

“Oh really? An order? From who, Mom? An order from the woman who hadn’t seen me for years? Who hadn’t asked how I was doing and what I was doing all this time? No, Mom! You lost all the rights to control me now!” Raina angrily hung up and ran for her purse. She ignored Veronica’s questions, rushing out of the house and running down the sidewalk.

She caught a cab a few steps ahead and urged the driver to take her faster downtown. In silence, she stared out of the windows while her thoughts were flying in all sides and back. She was trying to contemplate what she had just heard. Dean’s father had apparently called him to pressure him to leave her. The future of the family, her mother had mentioned. She threatened the future of the Franklin family. On the other hand, there was Dean. Her love toward him and his toward her. That was stronger than her mom and his father’s foul words. Or at least she hoped so.

The cab stopped before a tall hotel building in the center of the city and after she paid the driver, she entered it.  Impatiently, she waited for the elevator to reach the right floor so once it did she ran to Dean’s room at the end of the corridor. A ring. Two.

“Honey?” His smiling face appeared at the door. However, she could notice that something was hiding behind that smile. “I didn’t think you missed me so much!” He made an attempt at a joke, but Raina knew better. Something was troubling him, too. And she finally could guess what.

“Can I come in?” She asked seriously and he moved aside surprised. It hurt her to act like that, but then again, it hurt her just as much to find out from her mother what had been cooking behind her back.

“What happened, dear? Did I do anything wrong?” Dean closed the door stepping in the living room.

Raina looked around at the nicely decorated room with high walls, sighing. She observed as he came to her, placing his strong hands on her shoulders. “You know you can tell me everything.”

“My mother just called, Dean,” she said dryly. “Your father… He…”

“I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to worry you. Yes, my dad called me to… To make me separate from you, but I said no of course. Never, my dear Raina!” He interrupted pleadingly staring at her eyes.

She focused her own eyes on his lips feeling his grip on her shoulders getting tighter. Like he truly didn’t want to let her go.

“I would do anything for you. Do you believe me?” He asked softly.

“I do, Dean. I… I know that you refused your father, but what…” She began as he sighed in relief and interfered her speech.

“I was afraid that you didn’t trust me. Nothing else matters when you are with me. We will sort this out together, sweetheart.” He leaned in closer to her, his breath warm on her face. That reminded her so much of the previous night and her whole body shivered in an answer. She was afraid for no reason. Dean truly loved her and wouldn’t let anyone get in their way. However, the thought that she was some kind of an impostor in the family, who could ruin its reputation didn’t leave her at peace.

“Dean, I… I don’t want to be a burden for your family…”

“Shhh… I’ll pretend that I never heard those words and you will never ever repeat them! You hear me? You are everything to me, Raina! Everything!” He kissed her on the lips fiercely, holding her tight against him. She fondled the back of his head as her heart fluttered at the sound of his words. They were so strong and reassuring that she could easily forget everything. Or not.

“Now I know why you talked to me like that!” A female voice came from behind them and as if hit from a bolt they jumped far away from each other.

A woman dressed in a cream jacket and jeans stood before them, her brown skin shimmering in the light and her gorgeous silhouette occupying the room’s hall. Who was she?

“What are you doing here?” Dean spoke confidently. It was clear that he knew her.

“Now, now pumpkin! Is this how you welcome old friends?” She spoke throwing Raina curious glances. Pumpkin? Who was she to call her man that? Raina’s hands turned into fists by themselves.

“Sally! Get out of here! I don’t even know how you entered!” Dean approached her angrily.

“Don’t leave the door unlocked next time, pumpkin. Besides… Why do I get the feeling that it is I who will set the rules from now on?” She grinned in the most annoying way, sarcastically monitoring Raina from head to heels.