The Billionaire’s Fake Marriage

But at the moment, it felt like the right thing to do. However, she looked at Kitty for her approval —

“I think it’s a great idea. I can look for some small scale startups with nice concepts and we can figure out which one we want to buy out.”

“Awesome!” Rebecca exclaimed. “Get on it, today!”

Janet did not want to get into an argument today. She was feeling on top of the world, and did not want anybody or anything to change that. But to her it seemed like Rebecca was hell bent on ruining her day.

“Hello ladies!” A deep male voice came to Janet’s rescue.

Brandon McCarthy, a middle aged man entered the room with a team of lawyers behind him.

“How are you doing today?” he glanced at Janet with a warm smile and she grabbed his hand like a lifeline. “I am doing great Brandon, how about you?” she asked shaking his hand.

“Well, I am here to take your company, and make you even richer!” the man was both honest and funny.

“Lets do it then!” Janet did not want to waste any time.

The lawyers took their seat and the procedure began. Sitting together, Janet and Brandon signed papers after papers, listening and nodding to all the voices that explained the paperwork to them. It took around five minutes for them to sign every paper that was required and then finally Brandon offered his hand to Janet.

“It was a pleasure, Janet!” he said with a smile on his handsome face.

Janet confidently took his hand and said, “Likewise!” She was now 9.8 million dollars richer.

And then, the conference room turned into a small party venue. Champagne was served and people talked and laughed. Everybody was happy.

*****

“You should be happy! Why don’t you seem happy?”

Kitty could not understand why Janet did not seem happy. “You now have enough money to live a luxurious life without doing a thing.”

But Janet did not want to spend her life without doing anything. She liked creating things and it gave her immense pleasure when her ideas grew big and popular. Yes, she had sold another one of her ideas today, but now she was out of them. Her mind was not able to come up with another great idea that was not already out there. And what Rebecca suggested to her today seemed like sacrilege. For Janet, originality was something she held very dear and pious.

“Do you really think we should buy somebody else’s idea?” she opened herself before Kitty.

“Why not? Somebody just bought your idea.”

“Yeah! I sold it to him. I did not take somebody’s idea with my money.”

“What difference does it make? It’s just like buying anything else. You find one that you really like and you pay for it.”

Janet saw the logic in Kitty’s argument but she was not ready to accept that she now had to buy an idea. It made her feel like a lesser person.

“I don’t want to do it. I want to come up with my own idea.” She made herself clear.

“Then do it.” Kitty replied. “Who is stopping you?”

Confused, Janet kept staring at Kitty.

“Listen, you can still come up with a great idea.” Kitty was able to read her face. “But we need to have a plan B.”

Janet agreed with Kitty and so she decided not to punish herself over this issue anymore, at least not for today.

“And right now you deserve a holiday. Maybe it will help you in coming up with something.”

Janet could see herself bathing in the sun at a beach. “I agree! Lets book a flight, right now!” Jumping at the idea like an excited child.

“Alright!” Kitty replied, “Where do you want to go?”

“Surprise me!” Janet replied with a smile. “And don’t forget to include yourself. Both of us will be there together.”

“As you say Boss!” Kitty smiled.

Janet was suddenly feeling relaxed — she was trying to think where Kitty is going to take her for this holiday.

*****

Janet was in for a shock when she found out that they were going to India. They were at the airport and Janet had just found out about her destination by seeing their tickets.

“What were you thinking?” she rhetorically asked Kitty. “I thought you would pick some place where we would be alone.”

“Trust me, we will be alone.”

“Have you forgotten what it was like when we went there two years ago?” Janet reminded Kitty who seemed surprisingly calm and confident. “It was like a never ending festival. There were so many people. I need reclusiveness to think — I cannot think with so many people all around me.”

“Would you shut up and just trust me on this?” Kitty stopped Janet. “I know what you need, and you will love me for this.”

Janet had no clue what Kitty was talking about. She checked their tickets making sure that she did not have the wrong ticket by any accident. Both of them were for Chennai.

“Just relax, alright? I got this!” Kitty said with a mysterious smile.

Janet decided not to argue with her anymore and so just stopped talking altogether. Both of them boarded the flight and took off to the land of call centers and spices.

*****

Janet was surprised to see the Chennai Airport — it was much bigger and fancier than she had remembered. The last time she was here, the airport seemed like it was stuck in the 90s. But now it was completely changed. It looked like any other major American airport.

“It has changed so much. I don’t remember it like this at all.” Janet was totally impressed.

Together, they got out of the airport and found their escort waiting for them. A beautiful town car took them to a lavish hotel with a scenic background.

“Really? You brought us to a hotel in India? What was wrong with the hotels back at home?” Janet had an idea that this was not their real destination. She could sense that Kitty’s real plan was yet to unfold before her.

And Kitty remained mysteriously quiet. They checked into the hotel and entered their beautiful room. But when Janet started to settle in, Kitty broke the news — “Don’t unpack, we have another flight at 1AM.”

“Where are we going now?” Janet asked curiously.

“You will see.” Kitty replied while getting into a bath.

“You are not taking me to a snowy mountain, are you? To meet a mystic and unlocking my mind and spirit.”

“Trust me.” Kitty replied with her eyes closed. “This will be better than that, much better!”

Janet tried to ask Kitty another set of questions, but then she thought it was better to spend her time sleeping instead.

“I am going to sleep,” she declared and crashed into her bed.

At around 11PM they both left the hotel and reached the airport.

“Come on, tell me!” Janet asked, this time being impatient. “Where are we going? I cannot take this scavenger hunt anymore.”

“Here!” Kitty handed Janet their tickets.

Janet quickly took the tickets from her hands and started reading — “Port Blair.. what is this place?”

“A small city in the islands. Away from civilization. So much, that the British used it as a prison for the most dreaded political prisoners during the Indian freedom struggle.”