Liam's visit to Roseville town was to work on a project. The plan was to get everything done in two months: the construction of a wellness center. What Liam didn't expect was to get swindled by a con artist upon his arrival in Roseville. It was a deliberate approach. Delilah needed the money to pay off a debt, and he seemed to be the perfect candidate for her plan. As the saying goes, 'Ninety-nine days for the thief, one day for the owner.' Will Delilah mend her ways after defrauding the billionaire, or will Liam get conned again, or perhaps even have his heart scammed? ** "Have we met somewhere before?" He asked, his brows creasing in curiosity. "No. I don't think so," I replied, trying my best to keep my composure. There was no way I would allow him to recognize me. He stared at me intently. "Well, I was conned by a young woman two days ago, and she looked just like you." I swallowed hard. "People nowadays tend to look alike. Let's get back to business. Am I hired?" I cracked out, forcing a smile. His eyes went calculating for a while before he met my gaze once again. "You're hired." Billionaire series book 2
Delilah
"Get ready. He's heading towards the café," My father's voice crackled in my ear through the headphones. I scanned the almost empty café, my heart racing.
"Keep a close eye. I will leave after the count of three. From there you charge," I whispered into the phone, my fingers clutching the cold coffee cup.
"Start moving! His steps are fast," My father's urgent voice came through again. I took a deep breath and grabbed my notebook, taking one last sip of the lukewarm coffee.
"One," My father counted down in my ear.
"Two. Get ready," He hushed out, his words pushing me into action.
"Three," I heard, and I pushed the café door open with a deliberate force, letting my notebook and bag drop to the floor as I crouched down.
"Oh my god! My foot!" I cried out, feigning pain as the young man hurried to my side. "Are you okay, Miss?" His voice was filled with genuine concern.
I signaled my father from behind with a subtle nod. He had already accomplished his mission, and now it was my turn to play my part.
"I think I sprained my ankle," I muffled out, rubbing my foot and keeping up the act to ensure our plan's success.
The young man's worried expression deepened, and he knelt down beside me. "Don't worry, I'll help you up. Let's get you somewhere to sit," he said, gently supporting me.
As he tried to lift me, I winced in pain, making sure to keep up the charade. "It really hurts. Thank you so much for helping me." My voice trembled as I leaned on his shoulder for support.
He guided me to a nearby table, and I continued to act as if my ankle were injured. Meanwhile, I kept an eye on my father, who was now discreetly exiting the café. Our mission had gone off without a hitch, and it was time for me to maintain the diversion.
"I'm so clumsy," I muttered, trying to draw the young man's attention away from the café's entrance. "I can't believe I tripped like that."
He was still looking concerned but offered a reassuring smile. "Accidents happen to everyone. Just take it easy, and we'll make sure you're okay."
I nodded appreciatively and watched as my father disappeared from view, carrying out the mission we had been meticulously planning for days.
"What would you like to drink?" the young man asked, concern still etched on his face.
I knew I needed to leave the café now that our mission was accomplished. "I'm fine. I think I can handle walking," I replied, forcing a smile and pretending to limp as I stood up.
"Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital?" he asked, rising from his seat.
I maintained the act. "I'm fine. I can manage. Thank you for your help," I assured him, my gratitude genuine for his assistance in our plan.
He nodded, but his gaze remained on my legs. "On that note, can I-" He patted his pocket, realizing something was amiss.
"Wait... I think I dropped my wallet," He said, searching around the table in mild panic.
I seized the opportunity to divert his attention further. "Oh my. How did that happen?" I pushed, trying to help him look for his wallet.
"Never mind, can I get your number at least?" he asked, attempting to salvage something from this situation.
Even after losing his wallet, he was trying to flirt with me. I scribbled a random number on a piece of paper and handed it to him. He accessed it with a hopeful smile. "I will give you a call. Your-"
But I cut him off, pulling out my phone and pretending to make a call. "Hello, sir, yes, I'm on my way. Give me a call," I said aloud, turning to leave with my feigned limp.
Once I was out of the café, safely away from the prying eyes, I let out a sigh of relief and walked normally. I couldn't help but do a little victory dance. "Yes! I did it!"
**
I stepped inside the familiar laundry shop that my father owned. "Mission accomplished, father!" I cheered as I grabbed a seat, thrilled that everything had gone according to plan. My father was busy counting money behind the counter.
I quickly scanned the surroundings before turning to my father. "Keep it down, father. What if someone barged in?" I whispered, reminding him of the need for caution.
He didn't say anything, his focus on the cash in front of him. "Here. For you," he said, pushing a small stack of bills across the counter.
My eyes traveled down to his outstretched hands, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're giving me this small amount after all the planning we did."
"Buy yourself a new pair of shoes," he suggested, nodding towards the worn-out Converse sneakers I had been wearing for weeks.
"Nothing is wrong with these shoes, Father. They were Mom's. You gifted them to her yourself. I'm helping you keep memories of her. Give me more cash, please," I insisted, pushing my palms forward.
He reluctantly dropped one more bill into my hands, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his stinginess. "Seriously, Father. I'm the one who does the hard work, but you don't give me enough. And why are you wearing that jacket? What if the owner sees it?"
A smile crept onto his face as he looked down at the jacket he was wearing. "This? I fell in love with it the moment the customer brought it in. It had been a couple of weeks already, and I'm sure he had forgotten he owns such a jacket."
I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What about his calls? What did you tell him?"
"I told him his jacket isn't here, of course. That he didn't bring it along. As simple as that," My father explained, his expression untroubled.
I shook my head, bemused by my father's peculiar actions. "So... what have you found in his wallet, apart from the cash? And how did you know he was heading to the cafe?" we had spent some time in this covert business with my father, yet sometimes I couldn't help but question his intelligence. I often wondered how he ended up as a laundry man instead of working in a tech company.
My father leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper. "In his wallet, I found a business card, a photo of a woman, and a few notes with some coded information. As for the cafe, I had been monitoring his routine for a while, and his recent activities pointed in that direction. He's not as discreet as he thinks."
I nodded, impressed by my father's sleuthing skills, even if his career path hadn't taken him down a more conventional route. It was moments like this that made me appreciate his unique approach to our line of work.
"Go make us some noodles. I'm starving," Father suggested, his mind more on a meal than the money.
I couldn't help but tease him, "Oh, Father, after swindling a poor man, you still aren't going to take your one and only daughter to a fancy restaurant? Remember, we're in this together. If we're getting dragged down, we're going down together."
My father shot me a disapproving glance. "Find us more clients, and who knows, you might get to go to a fancy restaurant," He retorted.
I sighed dramatically, pushing the bills I'd taken from the counter into my jeans pocket. "Now go. Before I faint from hunger." He dismissed.
"I can't believe I have such a stingy father."
"I heard you!" He seethed.
I smirked. "Yes, Father, I didn't say it for you not to hear," I quipped before heading off to make some noodles for our meal.
Kate Walter sought out to seek justice for her parents' death, and Dante Romano, who ran a club during the day and led a mafia at night, was a suspect. To dig into the truth, she took a job as a nanny for Dante's daughter. Little did she know that Dante was more than just a boss; he was known for his pleasurable lifestyle. The merciless mafia boss whose aura neither sized nor decreased. Now, Kate faces the challenge of staying focused on her mission without getting caught up in Dante's enticing world. Can Kate fulfill her mission without succumbing to the allure of the seductive mafia boss?
Alessia had been given an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy as a reward for her outstanding contribution in her workplace. It was like a life-changing experience for her. However, Alessia encountered a devastating turn of events upon her arrival in the country when she was abducted by unknown men and found herself being auctioned in a bidding event. Not only that, she was bid on by the ruthless mafia lord, Angelo Santoro. ~~ "Ten million," I heard someone say from the crowd. The lights from the ceiling were blinding my eyes, and the handcuffs secured around me weren't making the panic inside me any better. I had no idea why I was at an auction event. "Fifteen million," another voice came through, making me more confused than ever. "Twenty million," another followed, and then someone raised the bid to "Thirty million." "Two hundred million," this time, the voice was sharp and carried danger as he spoke. The whole room fell into dead silence. In that moment, my eyes met his. Dark and penetrating, they instantly sent shivers down my spine.
Logan had everything he could ever want: a vast fortune, luxury cars, and a private jet to whisk him away to any destination he desired. But his heart remained empty, until one fateful night when he met a mysterious stranger named Olivia. Olivia had just been dumped by her boyfriend and was feeling lost and alone. Seeking solace in the arms of a stranger, she found herself drawn to the enigmatic Logan. What began as a one night stand soon became something more as Logan and Olivia embarked on a whirlwind romance, filled with passion and excitement. But as their worlds collided, they soon realized that their love was not without its challenges. With Logan past threatening to destroy their future, Olivia must decide whether to trust the billionaire with her heart, or walk away from the man she loves.
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
"The entire wealthy circle in Seattle knew how much Stella Carlson loved Aaron Malone. People watched the childhood sweethearts grow from inexperience to maturity, finally getting married in a grand wedding ceremony. On the day of the wedding, despite the alliance between the Carlson and Malone families, the groom ran away. Stella knew that Aaron had rushed to L.A. to take care of his ex-girlfriend, who had attempted suicide. Unwilling to become the laughingstock of all Seattle, she gritted her teeth and dialed the number of her adversary, her tone almost commanding, "Ethan, come and marry me now. This is your only chance for revenge." On the other end, Ethan Powers raised an eyebrow as he gripped his phone, staring at the floor littered with cigarette butts. "Did the groom run away?" he asked. "My darling."
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.