Chapter 1 Unexpected Proposal

"I'm sorry but there is no more job for any of you here." My heart raced and a thousand thoughts flew into my mind but none were making sense right that minute. I licked my dry, trembling lips and turned to stare at Lexie. She was quiet. Too quiet. "If I may ask, what's the reason, Mrs. Chevali?" The third worker asked the woman who was our manager. Or about to be ex-manager. "Business is not doing well, Samantha." Oh God! Where would I start from? What do I do? I had no idea where to go from here? My life had been full of ups and downs — mostly downs. Now that I had this little job, life would not let me have it. I struggled to hold back tears. I was squatting with Lexie. Without her, I would still be homeless. It was not going to be hard for her to get a job. But me? Not a chance. Who was willing to employ a high school dropout? Who would even listen to my predicament and give me a job? Unfortunately for me, predicament did not give jobs, degrees did. Lexie rubbed my back comfortingly, I raised my head from its somber state to look at her, that was when I noticed two other pairs of eyes were on me. Mrs. Chevali and Samantha, the third salesperson. "I'm... I'm sorry." I wiped my eyes with the hem of my shirt and sniffled. Mrs. Chevali stared in pity. She was a nice woman but I guess this was out of her hands. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Riana. The business has not been doing well in the past few months. I can not keep running it. How will I pay you three?" I nodded. "I understand Mrs. Chevali." But it was a lie. I did not understand anything. I did not understand why my life was always on the wrong track. I did not understand why I could not be allowed to remain on the 'okay' zone. I was not asking for much. I was not asking to be superbly wealthy. I just wanted to be fine. To have food in my belly and a roof I could pay for. Being homeless was not a life I wanted to go back to. I had been there, done that and it was the worst time of my life. If I had no job, I would not be able to pay my part of the bill and if I could not, I would be out on the streets before I knew it. "I'm really sorry. Let's just pack up and go." Mrs. Chevali concluded. I silently walked out of her office and went to the counter where I usually dropped the small leather purse, the only leather purse I had, and strapped it on. "Riana, wait." Lexie was calling after me. But I did not stop. I did not want her to see that I was crying again. I could not help it. Her hand came on my shoulder to halt my progress out of the thrift store I used to work. Used to. Barely a month and my fate was back to... nothing. My life was back to zero. I had nothing. No job. No life. Nothing! Not even a degree to get a job! I was practically screaming in my head. Screaming in desolation. "What is it, Lexie?" I clutched the strap of my bag. Sniffling and blinking my eyes, I turned on my heel to face her. "I'm sorry. We'll get another job, I promise." She sympathized with me. "Where? How? Lexie, I'm not going to get another job elsewhere. Mrs. Chevali was nice enough to give me this job. Not because I merited it but because she took pity on me. Now, it's all gone." My voice broke. She pulled me closer into a hug. "I'm sorry, I..." "You know I'm saying the truth, Lex. Who would employ a high school dropout, Lex? Who?" I was crying now. She was speechless. Even she knew I was right. "Let's just go home, Lex." I turned to continue my journey. Thump! I hit a hard wall. A hard moving wall. I raised my eyes to see who I had collided with. Holy molly! It's...wait! Was I seeing clearly? Or my sight had been impaired by too many tears? I blinked. Once. Twice. "Oh, you're here Mr. Bertram." Mrs. Chevali's heels could be heard clicking briskly across the floor of the store. The famous playboy businessman was also staring back at me, slight humor raised his brow. But he averted his gaze to focus it on Mrs. Chevali who was close to us. "Yes, I am. I am a businessman who likes to see what he is spending his money on." He reached out a hand for a polite handshake. Mrs. Chevali received it. "I've just laid off the workers. Today's the last day you'll be seeing them and me." He turned to roam stormy grey eyes on me. Was that amusement and interest I saw in his eyes? "Is she among the workers?" Mrs. Chevali nodded seriously. "Yes, she is." She offered a small sympathetic smile at me. I saw Lexie coming with her own stuff. No wonder I had not seen her behind me, she had gone to get her things. She merely glanced at the youngest Trillionaire in the country and beyond. She came to me and hooked her hand in mine. "Let's go, Riri." "A word, young lady." That deep voice sounded behind us. That voice commanded Lex and I to a halt. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Chevali. I hope by the end of today, I'll have this place as mine." "No problem, Mr. Bertram. Thank you." Mrs. Chevali was yet to finish her statement when he walked away from her and towards us. "What is your name?" He asked. Was the famous Triple B talking to me? Fans and just everyone in general called him Triple B because of his name — Blake B. Betram. It sounded like a pop singing hipster's stage name to me but then again, it was not his fault. Obsessed fans. Lex nudged me. I licked my lips and quickly answered. "Riana. Riana Tanning." Oh my goodness, I had been staring at him like an idiot! "Riana Tanning." He repeated as though he was testing the name on his lips. "I have a proposal for you, Riana?" I passed a furrowed glance at Lex who was quiet. "What...uhmm...what proposal, Mr. Bertram?" "A marriage proposal."