The Setup

  The Dark Billionaire #1

  L.N. Pearl

  By the same author:

  Broken – The Dark Billionaire Book #2

  Copyright © 2013 by L.N. Pearl All rights reserved worldwide.

  No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of the author/publisher or the terms relayed to you herein.

  All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Blog: http://authorlnpearl.blogspot.com/

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/LNPearlAuthor

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter One

  “Jennifer!”

  “Yes Mr. Wilson?”

  “Before you go home, can you tell me again when you're leaving to Thailand? Phuket, right?”

  “Yes Mr. Wilson, I'm taking three weeks off to relax in Phuket. And, I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I told you yesterday already...” Jennifer said, rolling her blue eyes with a little bit of exasperation. “We've been talking about this for two months already. And it was always the worst moment for me to leave, between the launch of your charity to help children in Africa, the polo competition you hosted, your 35th birthday party, the dozen world famous models you requested, the endless exchanges I had with Mike from your insurance who said they won't cover the crash of your Lamborghini considering you were drunk, the...”

  New York billionaire Bruce Wilson interrupted her, raising a hand in the air.

  “Oh oh wait a minute, Jennifer! I wasn't drunk! I'm not that kind... I just had one glass of wine, and it was raining that night. I just lost control!” he said apparently surprised, and a bit upset.

  “Only one glass of wine?” Jennifer asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow.

  “Well, maybe two, I don't know. Anyway, no need to remind me of all this, Jennifer. It was just a question…” Bruce said with a cold and bossy voice.

  Jennifer looked down. “Yes, Mr. Wilson, I’m sorry.”

  “Listen, I know you're working hard. Reliable people are very rare these days, and I can tell you that you're an excellent executive assistant. Maybe the best I ever had. I mean it. But you know I'm quite busy now, with this Japanese deal, right? Sorry I forgot about your vacation. As you can see, I'm definitely lost when you’re not around...”

  Jennifer blushed and looked down again, a bit confused by that statement. Coming from his mouth, it almost sounded unreal. Bruce Wilson was an extremely smart and confident man, who seemed to be successful no matter what business he went into. He was now in the software business, but started as an Internet publisher and quickly built an impressive empire. His company was sold for several hundred million dollars, which he reinvested in real estate and stocks. His investments quickly soared and he became a billionaire before his 33rd birthday.

  The previous year, a famous gossip magazine featured him on their cover, as the winner of their contest “Hottest Bachelor of the Year”. Since then, Bruce had been seen with many gorgeous women, and Jennifer couldn’t help thinking the same man was telling her “I’m definitely lost when you’re not around…”

  “Professionally of course” Bruce said with a mysterious smile.

  “Off... of course, Mr. Wilson.” Jennifer said, a bit disappointed but still a bit confused.

  In five years, it was the first time Bruce had given such a compliment about her. He had always been very nice to her, and very polite, sure. But his high rolling and demanding lifestyle represented an incredible amount of work for Jennifer, who often had to be available late at night and during weekends. And to finally receive a little gratitude from her employer meant a lot to her.

  She had no life outside of her job, and at 28 was still single, living in a small apartment. At $50K a year, she couldn't complain and was able to save, but most of the money was spent taking care of her grandmother. Plus, money wasn't everything and all she wanted now was less stress and more time to take care of herself.

  She was very independent, had a strong personality and had never been afraid of challenging work. However, the line between work and her private life had been crossed many times over the years, and she was now desperate to take a break from her employer's professional and personal demands.

  Ironically, her lifestyle was like a perfect shadow of Bruce’s. Whenever he needed something, Jennifer was never too far, acting like a silent facilitator. She thought that her salary had to be justified, so she was willing to accept a lot of unusual demands and requests. As a consequence, her personal life suffered many times in the past.

  She had been single for eighteen months, and saw her last boyfriend less than ten times in six months. She knew because she had to make appointments with him. And, each time they met, she was interrupted by Bruce calling her, making it almost impossible to enjoy her dates.

  Needless to say, her sexual life was extremely limited but she was too busy to even think about that.

  “You know I have to meet Mr. Sakamura next week to negotiate the terms of our joint venture, right? He's ready to open the Japanese market for me. You know they’re huge in terms of technology. We're talking about half a billion dollars gross revenue per year. He's a big guy and must be received accordingly...”

  “Don't worry, Mr. Wilson, I have arranged everything. I also gave my personal number and email to Benny in case of an emergency. And I made sure I can receive international calls when I'm over there.”

  “Who?”

  “Benjamin Travis, or Benny. He's the new trainee. He's been here for four months only, but he's very sharp and I trust him.”

  “You trust him?” Bruce asked with a hint of skepticism in his voice. “Is it the guy who's always shaking when he comes to my office and spilled some coffee on me the other day?”

  Jennifer laughed. Benny was a 24 year old young man with excellent grades at school, who used to live in the countryside. Landing an internship with international company Wilson Corp. and working directly with its founder and CEO, self-made billionaire Bruce Wilson was the opportunity of a lifetime, one many people would definitely die for.

  “It's him. But I think you exaggerate a little. He’s far from being dumb, and the coffee that day was my fault. Anyway, he's just very nervous around you. I think he's impressed and kind of intimidated. You represent the ultimate success that any young man can only dream about. Honestly, he's very competent and catches on very fast. He’s very responsible and thoughtful, in my opinion. You can count on him.”

  “We'll see!' Bruce said, sweeping the air with his hand. “Fair enough, enjoy your trip Jennifer, and be safe. Good night.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Wilson. See you in three weeks. Good night.”

  ***

  It was 10:00 PM when Jennifer finally got home. Organized as she was, she didn't really need to do any last minute packing. She had already prepared everything a few days ago, so she could take some time for herself before leaving.

  She had a light dinner, a Caesar salad, and decided she deserved to take a nice, warm bath.

  At last, she could really relax and forget about the office. In five years, it was the second time she was taking such a long vacation. And it was the first time she was taking a bath. Yes, her life was that busy, but she enjoyed her job.

  Bruce was sometimes difficult to work with, but Jennifer learned a lot around him, and she knew it was worth the pain. Her dream was to have her own cooking school, but she lacked the confidence to do it, and working with a business savvy leader such as Bruce was an incredible opportunity.

  After 30 minutes in the bathtub, she went back to her room to dry her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror. Jennifer had a very athletic body thanks to the three yoga sessions she took every week, during lunch break.

  She had beautiful long platinum blonde hair, but in the last few months, she had kind of neglected her look. She wanted something different, maybe to change her style or do something but had never found the time to really think about it.

  As she was blow-drying her hair, she looked down and saw that her passport was on the floor, next to her suitcase. It probably fell while she was packing. She picked it up and turned off the hair dryer. She took a look inside of the little hard book, just to see her face on the photograph.

  Ha-ha! Look at that face, I was so young! Jennifer Stuart. Blonde. Blue eyes. 5'7”... What? Wai... wait a minute! Oh my God...

  She quickly grabbed her cellphone, and checked the date. She couldn't believe it. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “I am SO stupid! Oooh my Goood!”

  Her passport was expired.

  “How in the world can I be SO stupid? I can't believe it!” she cried out loud, letting herself fall on her knees, her head in her hands.

  Her cellphone rang. She looked at it. It was Bruce. Come on, not now! She didn't answer. She wasn't in the mood. And she was supposed to be off, damn it!

  Bruce called again, but she didn't pick up. Finally, he sent her a text message: Major acquisition. Call me back, now.

  He wasn't going to leave her alone. She was angry. It was so easy for him to get whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and there was always someone to get things done for him. Like making sure his passport was not expired for example...

  Jennifer sighed. She took a deep breath, and called Bruce.

  “Yes, Mr. Wilson?” she said with a cold voice.

  “Jennifer, am I bothering you?”

  Silence. “I guess I am, but I'll take that for a no. Jennifer, I need your help before you go and it's something that Bernie cannot do for me.”

  “Benny.”

  “Yes, whatever. That's really important, and only you can help me. There's this company in East Europe, and I have heard really good things about them. I need you to help me set up a... let's say major acquisition.”

  “But, Mr. Wilson, it's not something that I can arrange for you overnight, and I...”

  “No no, don't worry” Bruce interrupted, “This is not that type of acquisition. Actually, this is not even a business acquisition.”

  “I'm not sure I understand, Mr. Wilson.”

  “This is simple Jennifer, really. Their service is to offer very high profile mail order brides. You know my taste when it comes to women, don't you? I want you to choose a bride for me, and I want her to be here in three days.”

  Chapter Two

  “What? This is what he calls a “major acquisition”? Who the hell is he kidding? And he really has to call me the night before I'm supposed to leave for my trip?”

  Jennifer was so furious she was thinking out loud.

  She couldn't believe it. Why was everything so wrong? Why couldn't she enjoy her life just a little bit after all these years of hard work? She wasn't the type of girl who complained and whined easily, but this time, she had had enough.

  First, her passport was expired, and it seemed like she couldn't go to Thailand anymore. It was very unlikely that she could get a refund from the luxurious resort that she had booked in Phuket. And on top of that, Bruce wanted her to work more, when she made it clear that she needed a break, fighting for two months to get some time for herself. He clearly didn't respect her. All he cared about was his own interests, his own requests.

  And what a request this time!

  Jennifer was not shocked, nor surprised by the nature of the job she had to accomplish. She was used to look for models to entertain her boss, but it was a very different kind of situation. The women that he usually dated were not in need, or at least they had many other options to make a living. Gold digging with a billionaire was just an option among other choices, and Jennifer didn't feel any sympathy or pity toward them.

  But these brides from East Europe, did they really have a choice? Did they really know what to expect? They were literally sold to rich American men, and it was something Jennifer wasn't comfortable with.

  Plus, how come Bruce wanted to participate in this kind of modern slavery? It was disgusting. Was he really looking for a wife?

  Him, the Hottest Bachelor of the Year? Come on, it doesn’t make sense. He can have whoever he wants right now, why bothering looking somewhere abroad! Oh, I know… he must be bored and probably needs a little change! It’s crazy what a man can do when he has money. That’s ridiculous…

  Jennifer spent the next hour lying on her bed, unable to get focused and think about what to do next. She was completely furious. She was furious at herself for making such a silly mistake with her passport and not being able to enjoy a long vacation on a beautiful exotic beach.

  And most of all, she was furious at her employer for being such a spoiled 35 year old boy who thought he could afford anything he wanted with his money. A mail order bride, are you kidding me? There are things in life that can't be bought, Bruce. Maybe it’s time for you to grow up and realize that! Jennifer thought, looking at the ceiling.

  She turned her head to her bedside table, and saw a book that she had read a few months ago: Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. It was a classic that Bruce had recommended to her, saying it was this book that set him on track for success several years ago.

  In this book, there was a quote that she remembered:

  “Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

  She thought about it for several minutes, trying to apply it to her situation, but struggling to find any solution that seemed to carry the seed of any benefit whatsoever.

  Her phone rang again, interrupting her thoughts. Jennifer was sure it was Bruce.

  “Yes!” said Jennifer dryly.

  “It's me sweetheart, what's going on? Am I calling at the wrong time? I'm just calling to make sure everything is fine before you leave tomorrow.” a woman said with a heavy accent.

  Jennifer sighed.

  “Sorry, Grandma. I thought it was my boss.”

  “Your boss? Aren't you supposed to be on holiday by now?”

  “Yes, I'm supposed to. But my boss is crazy and I'm stupid...”

  “Honey, calm down. Tell me what's going on.”

  “I forgot to check my passport, and it's expired. I can't go abroad anymore. And my boss wants me to find him a bride from East Europe, and he said he wants her to be here in three days. I really don't want to help him with that...”

  “Hum. Don't be too hard on yourself about your passport. Everybody makes mistakes and you've been pushing yourself too much lately. It's no big deal, okay? Now, regarding your boss... you told me he was a playboy, how come he wants to be married?”

  “I have no idea, Grandma. It doesn’t make sense to me to be honest.”

  “Well, you've been close to him for many years, you’re smart and you're very pretty honey.”

  “And?”

  “And… Maybe you should think about it...”

  “Think about what?”

  “Well, getting married too!”

  “Yes, I know, I know, we talked about it Grandma.”

  “Yes but this time, it’s different!”

  “Wait a minute, you mean getting married with him? With my boss? Come on Grandma, this is ridiculous. Do you really know who he is?”

  “When I was young, it was not that ridiculous.”

  “In the 1950's, yes Grandma but we're in the 21th century now. Secretaries and assistants don't go to work to find a husband anymore. And he’s not the owner of the little shop down the street. He’s a very big guy!”

  “This is not about your job position, honey. You're pretty, and he's very handsome. You're available and he's looking for someone serious. It's perfect! He even called you to let you know! That's a sign, believe your old Grandma!”

  Jennifer laughed. Her grandmother, Margareta was a Hungarian refugee who had arrived in the United States during the Hungarian rebellion of 1956. Good natured and optimistic, she had raised Jennifer's mother and Jennifer herself with a positive outlook on life.

  “You should get some sleep, honey. Don't think too much, okay? I love you.”

  “I love you Grandma. Bye.”

  ***

  It was 3:00 PM, and Margareta was preparing some coffee in the kitchen, when someone knocked at the door. She wasn't expecting anyone.

  When she opened the door, a beautiful young woman, with short black hair and sunglasses was standing in front of her.

  “May I help you?” asked Margareta.

  The stranger laughed.

  “It's me, Grandma. Jennifer!”

  “My goodness, what have you done to your hair? Come in.”

  “You don't like it?” Jennifer said, kicking off her shoes and walking towards the sofa.

  “I like it, but I didn't recognize you at all! It really makes you look different... why did you change?”

  “Well, I have wanted to change my hairstyle for a long time already. And our conversation last night made me think. I want to teach a lesson to Bruce, to make him understand that his money cannot buy everything. Yes, he wants someone serious, but there are other ways to find someone. So I'm not going to send anyone from East Europe to trade their freedom for a green card. Instead, I'm going to meet him and pretend I'm the bride he ordered!”

  Margareta joined her hands against her chest.

  “Honey, this is not what I meant! I was talking about getting married for real, about something serious! Not to play games and role playing. This is a very dangerous plan that you have; you cannot fool your employer like that! You'll probably get fired you know?”

 

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