THE BILLIONAIRE'S PAWN

Olivia Bennett let out a sigh for the umpteenth time that morning as she dropped the phone she had just received a call on the dining table.

"What do I do now?" she muttered, rubbing her forehead gently-something she does when she's unsettled-to calm herself down as she stared at the letter on the dining table.

Earlier that morning, the bank had sent her a letter informing her of the impending foreclosure of her family's last remaining asset. She had just called the last family friend they had, the Gordons, informing them about the turn of events. However, she was told that there was nothing else they could do to help retain their remaining family assets.

She couldn't blame them anyway. They were the only ones who had continually stood by her and her sister ever since her father's business collapsed and he lost his life along the way. The Gordons had continually tried to help, but there was only so much they could assist with before it became burdensome.

And that was the issue at hand. It is already burdensome, and they cannot help anymore.

The ringing of her phone jolted her out of her thoughts, and she picked up her phone immediately. Seeing the caller, her heart raced, and with shaky hands, she answered the call.

"Uhm, hello?"

"Miss Bennett, I hope you're doing okay today," a calm male voice responded from the other side of the phone.

"Yes, yes." She cleared her throat. "I'm fine, thank you. You're good too, yes?"

"Never better." There was a short pause before the person began to speak again. "Miss Bennett, I-"

Olivia interrupted, knowing fully well what he was about to update her about. This time, her voice sounded a bit shaky. "How's she?"

"I'm afraid she doesn't have much time left. Everything needs to be done as fast as possible. I don't mean to scare you," he paused, and Olivia could hear him sigh. "But she's in so much pain. She needs this surgery as soon as she can get it."

A tear slipped down Olivia's eyes, and she sniffed a bit. "I'm aware, doc. I'll do everything in my power to gather the money soon. She'll survive it; she has to." The last part of her sentence sounded more like she was in fear, shaken, than hopeful.

"Please, do. If nothing is paid within the next three weeks, the authorities have decided to move people in that category out of the ICU. I believe you know the implications of that for her. She could-"

"It won't happen," she cut in. "Emily won't die. I'll do everything in my power to pay half before the week runs out."

"We'll be expecting."

"Thank you very much, Dr. Styles."

"Anytime, miss." With that, he ended the call from his end.

Almost immediately after the call ended, Olivia dropped her phone on the table and let out an extremely loud scream, both her hands in her hair, scattering them as she screamed.

"Why's this happening to us?" Done screaming, she burst into tears as she questioned herself. "Why is everything happening all at once? Why!" She screamed once more and banged her hands continuously on the wooden dining table. When her hands began to hurt, she stopped and then stood up to go sit in the sitting room.

Her sitting room, a stark contrast to the one in the house she grew up in, was almost as small as a kiosk, with bare walls, second-hand furniture, and a stack of overdue bills on one of the wooden stools. The once-grand Bennett estate is now a distant memory, and all she could afford for survival, for her and her ailing sister, Emily, was this small, sparsely furnished apartment.

A thought crossed her mind briefly, but she tried to wave it off like she had always done. This time, she couldn't. Sitting up on the chair, she revised the thought again as she wiped her tears quickly. "What if it works out?"

Almost immediately, she sprang up from the chair and rushed to the dining room to pick up her phone. From there, she dashed out of her apartment hurriedly.

************

"Good morning, Betty. Is he in?" Olivia, who had just walked into the office of the secretary of Sebastian Cross, CEO of the popular luxurious company Cross Capital Holdings, asked the secretary.

With a smile, Betty replied, "Miss Olivia, it's been a minute. How've you been?"

"I'm fine, Betty," she said, forcing a smile. "Please, is he in?"

"Actually, he's to be in a meeting in a few minutes and-"

"Tell him it's Olivia."

"Yes, ma'am." Betty made a call to the boss's office and then gave Olivia the go-ahead to proceed further in to see him.

Olivia, now standing in front of his office, let out a sigh, preparing herself for what she'd meet there. This was her last resort, and though she hated to return to her past, she had no other choice. She hesitated for a moment at the entrance, feeling out of place, but then steeled herself. Ready, she turned the doorknob and stepped into the office, shutting the door behind her.

The grandeur of the office was stunning and lavish, a stark reminder of the wealth that Sebastian had accumulated over the years. The room was filled with modern art, expensive furniture, and a view of the city skyline through the large and wide glass window, screaming wealth.

Seb, seated on his office chair and leaning casually against his desk, smirked as soon as she walked in, his eyes flickering with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Look who we have here today. What a surprise!"

Olivia could hear the mockery in his voice as she walked further inside and closer to him. She pulled out the chair directly opposite his table and sat. "Hi, Seb," she muttered coldly, staring right at him.

He had always been handsome, and Olivia couldn't help but see it again. That had been one of the things that drew her to him when they first met years ago.

"To what do I owe this surprise visit, Olivia? Or should I call it babe?" He chuckled evilly, making Olivia feel a bit uneasy in her seat. "I can see you've had a rethink. But of course, who dares break things off with me and not regret her actions? Nobody," pride evident in his tone.

"I need your help," Olivia blurted out, her heart suddenly racing.

Seb raised his eyebrow slightly, his mocking face turning to a scornful one. "You returned because you needed my help."

"Look, Seb. What we had is in the past, so let's leave it there. It's not going to work out again. I'm not here to start things over with you; I came to ask for your help. I need your help, Sebastian, and I know you can help me," she said, worry written all over her face. "Unless you choose not to," she added under her breath, not legible enough for him to hear.

Sebastian scoffed and folded his arms. Whether it was the audacity she had to return just to seek his help, or her telling him she was indeed no longer interested in him, he couldn't tell which one annoyed him more. "And what might that be?"

Olivia sat up immediately. "It's Emily. Ever since Daddy's business collapsed and everything else went into ruins, her ailment got worse because we couldn't afford her prevention medicines anymore. She has been in the hospital for weeks now, and if the surgery isn't done, I might lose her. And you know quite well that she's the last family I have had since Daddy died. The money is a lot, and I can't afford even half of it as it stands. So, please, Seb, if you could loan me the money till I'm able to pay it back, I-"

"Loan you money?" He chuckled. "For the same sister who ran her goddamn mouth to me because she saw me at a club with my lady?" He made another short laugh. "You're kidding me, aren't you?"

"You cheated on her sister, me, so it was only right for her to confront you. She might have just done it the rash way." Olivia defended her sister.

"And you still expect me to help someone who disrespected me?" Olivia was about to speak when Seb cut in again. "Through you, my ex-girlfriend?" His eyes scanned her irritatingly.

Olivia swallowed hard. "I'm aware it's shameful; that's why I'm pleading with you. I'll return the loan when-"

"You don't get to decide for me when you're the one who needs favors, Olive." He stood up from his seat and walked around his office, his voice resonating throughout the entire room. "I, Sebastian Cross, decide what I want in return: to help you. It's my money anyway, isn't it?"

"I'll do anything, Seb!" Her voice came out louder than before as she shot up from her seat to face him. Her eyes were a little teary, though she tried to cover it up. "I'll do anything in return.

Just please," she pleaded, her voice desperate.

"Anything?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Anything."

He headed to his table and picked up a brown file. He opened the file to see its contents, nodded his head, and closed it. He then handed it over to her. "Have this."

Olivia collected it and opened it, confusion written all over her face. "What do I do with this?"

"All the information you need is in there. Go through it carefully."

"This contains background information about a business partner of yours, with several pictures of him. How does that concern me?"

Sebastian looked at the time on the expensive wristwatch clasped around his right wrist, then looked back at Olivia with an expressionless face. "In six hours, Adrian Hawke is to host a charity masquerade at his family estate. You're to find a means to get in there and return to me tomorrow by this exact time with the ruby pendant hidden somewhere in that house."

Olivia looked at the file in her hand and looked back at Seb in astonishment. "But it is written here that it is their family heirloom, and nobody knows where it's kept except the Hawkes? So, how do you want me to know? Besides, how does their family heirloom even have to do with you?"

"That!" He exclaimed, slamming his right hand on the table, his face stoic. "Or you step out of my office now without a dime!"

Olivia's breath caught in her throat as she processed his demand. "But that's impossible-"

"Nothing is impossible, Olivia," Sebastian interrupted, his voice cold and unwavering. He leaned in closer, his gaze piercing into hers. "And if you fail... well, let's just say Emily won't be the only Bennett on the brink of losing everything."