THE BILLIONAIRE PARADISE: LOVE AMIST TROUBLE

The softly flickering morning sun on Houston, Texas's streets signaled a flurry of activity.

"Beep! Beep!" He was reminded of the adventures that lay ahead by Kelly's alarm. Despite not drinking coffee, the issues he was having last night kept him from falling asleep.

Kelly recently lost his job as a gatekeeper in an exquisite restaurant after he showed up late at work on many occasions. Living in the slums of America, he found it difficult to show up early at work.

It is my reckoning day. He let out another sigh of exasperation and looked at his wall clock, which showed 8:30 a.m.

A semi-detached bungalow with cracked walls and worn-out blue paint where he resides with his daughter, Ciara, after he lost his beloved wife.

Kelly was already at peace with his fate and prepared for whatever lay ahead. His wife passed away too soon because he was unable to cover her medical expenses with even the pennies he had previously made from the restaurant.

"I am aware that you are currently in a better place. I promise to make you proud. "I will be strong for Ciara, our daughter," Kelly said, tossing off the bed and kissing the photo of his late wife with his lips. To provide for his family, he wanted to go out and get a job, but he had no idea where he was going.

Despite graduating with good grades, he found it a bit difficult to get a better job, and now his daughter Ciara is about to suffer the same fate. No company was ready to employ her. While some complained about her good grades, other employees just wanna shift her panties in exchange for an employment letter.

After bathing, Kelly was dressed in his rumpled suit and over-starched pair of trousers. Narrowing his gaze at the dusty and over-patched faded pair of shoes, he nodded his head in self-pity and dashed to the living room to find Ciara awake, setting the dining for breakfast.

"Breakfast is served already? You are so filled with wonders," Kelly was pleasantly surprised to see Ciara setting the table.

"Good morning, Dad. Where are you going to wear this outfit? Attending a new interview for a job? How many more interviews must you go to? I am going to assume that this is the fifth one for the month. Oh my! I could not remember! Ciara wailed in agony, her hands beneath her jaw. The pain of watching her father at his age go to interviews that would never be positive is too much for her to bear.

"Seeing you act in this way pains me. It should be me, not you, who is looking for a job. I feel so let down by myself. "I have let you and Mom down," Ciara sobbed and gestured softly to the couch to tend to her hurting heart.

"I take the blame for the misfortune. If I were successful, none of this would be happening. Your mother might still be alive. You are aware of the challenges you have faced in finding employment. Tell me about your former employment.

"My boss dismissed me because I refused to have sex with him," Ciara replied, wondering why her father reminded her of the past. At 25, she has already experienced the hurdles in life.

"Exactly my point," Kelly replied, wrapping his hands around her shoulder.

"I stand a better chance of getting a job. Hopefully, I'll get a job today and fix our mess. Remember, we've got less than 4 weeks to renew the rent. Do we fold our arms while we get kicked out? Of course, not. Allow me to do this for us. Just trust me," Kelly assured his daughter.

"Okay, Dad. Just be careful out there. I don't want you to get hurt," Ciara gave her father a passionate hug and a forehead kiss. She suppressed her tears as he strode to the exit door.

Shortly after her father's departure, Ciara heard a loud knock on the door. Immediately, she came out of her room to check who it was.

"Dad, you back home so early? I guess you forgot something..." She halted after seeing her boyfriend, Walters, standing at the door entrance, looking so excited.

"What are you doing here? Isn't it too early? I wasn't aware you were coming. What if my father sees you here?" Ciara whispered silently and blocked the entrance.

"Your Dad? I knew he wasn't home. I just saw him get in a cab heading to some destination. So you see, I'm safe," Walters teased and gestured inside. 28, skinny, caramel skin, tall and dark-haired. He's muscular built and extremely handsome.

"You're such a joke. Wait right here while I go get you something to eat," Ciara conceded and departed for the kitchen.

"Where are we going? This isn't the route we talked about." Panicking like a toddler, Kelly questioned the cab driver after he discerned foul play.

"I'm fucking talking to you. Say something. You are not deaf, are you? Where are we going? This isn't the address I showed you. Stop this cab immediately, or I'll be forced to phone the cops to have you arrested. I wanna alight. You can keep the balance. I don't fucking need it anymore," Kelly screamed his lungs out, yet the cab driver was muted and unmoved. He kept driving at speed and pretended as though Kelly never existed.

Kelly was frightened. Anxiety has enclosed his mind. Without being told, he already knew his life was in great danger.

"I plead for your mercy. I'm a poor man trying to survive. My daughter is just 25. She can't handle the trauma of losing both parents in a year." Kelly begged. Knowing that it might just be an attempted kidnapping or assassination, his voice had become weaker.

"Get the fuck out of my cab and give me everything you have," the cabbie said authoritatively as he pulled over.

"Say wh..at?" Kelly stuttered at the command.

"You heard me right. Just pass the damn phone and cash. I see you wanna get killed. Stay away from me. If you continue to ask stupid questions, I am going to blow your fucking brain off. I was just released from prison. I have no fear of returning there. I've got nothing to lose, but you?" Pointing a gun at Kelly, the cab driver threatened. With immediate effect, Kelly obeyed and handed the cab driver everything he had, including his documents. Opening his wallet, the cab driver smiled. "$400? You are roke. I should have you killed for wasting my time. But I won't, for your daughter's sake. Now leave while you still can,"

Stepping out of the cab, Kelly was dumbfounded and peed in his panties. He watched helplessly as the cab driver zoomed off with his phones and valuables.

"Where do I go from here?" Bewildered, he asked rhetorically.