The Billionaire’s Bargain Bride

Proposal

SADIE

Since I heard the news weeks ago that my father—the man I thought he was, pleaded guilty on all charges, it kept me awake at night. How wouldn’t I miss when his face was all over the news? And I felt like we had an unfinished business. And I needed that closure.

I had never felt this twist in the pit of my stomach as I sat on the visiting lounge. Even if guards and a glass wall were separating us, I still felt unsafe.

When he walked in, goosebumps erupted all over my skin.

Our eyes met.

He smiled.

Hanslo Greer was still the man I once knew, although he looked different than the last time I saw him. I could feel the difference—I couldn’t find any intimidation, and he looked powerless and less arrogant in his prison uniform.

I picked up the phone, but I didn’t say anything.

“Sadie, what are you doing here? Does your husband know you’re here?” I wasn’t expecting him to care if Cenric knew about my visit.

“No. Cenric wouldn’t allow me to come here alone if I told him.”

I asked myself if I had done the right thing at the back of my mind. Regardless of what Hanslo had done, he still raised me. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for him. I wouldn’t have met the most wonderful person if not because of this man behind the glass wall. Somehow, I still owed him.

“You don’t have to come here. You’ve started a new life.” He sounded calm as if he had accepted his fate, and no hint of violence in his eyes.

“I’m still a Greer.”

“You have to forget me. You know I am not the kind of man you should look up to.”

“You’re not the father of the year, but you still raised me.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” He looked down, somewhat guilty. I didn’t see that coming.

“I know what you did to my real father. Somehow, I wanted to blame you. I wanted to hate you for what you did to my mother, too, but Mom wouldn’t like that. She may have made mistakes in her life, as well.”

“I’m so sorry, Sadie.”

“Save it. I don’t need it. I came here because I needed closure, and I hope you are not planning on your revenge while you are here.” My words just came out as if I had practiced my speech for days. “If… if you ever have a little concern for my well-being, if you still have a heart in that body, then you leave Cenric and me alone. I wanna move on.”

“I pleaded guilty. I wanna pay for what I’ve done, and that includes giving you your freedom.”

“You did not just give me my freedom. You’re the reason for my freedom. Cenric is a good person. And somehow, that was the best thing you’ve ever done in your life.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Have you talked to your brother?”

I shook my head. “Leave him alone, Dad. Leave us alone.”

“Forgive me.”

“Maybe, one of these days. Maybe.”

“Thank you.”

“What’s my father’s name?”

***

Cenric watched Elon Musk’s documentary on Netflix while the guys looked so bored.

I grabbed my phone and started scrolling through Instagram posts.

“You guys have no plans?”

“When the boss is around, we are around,” Devin replied.

“Well, he seemed has no plan to go anywhere. I guess you can have your day off or two.”

“You didn’t just give them off.” Cenric nudged me before dragging me closer to him, his arm on my shoulder.

I looked at my husband. “You don’t need them right now.”

“Huh.”

I elbowed him, and he groaned.

“They like it here. No risk and they’re taking a rest.”

“No one has planned a date tonight?” It was intended to Beck.

Beck just pursed his lips. Cenric warned me with a groan.

“Bored life,” I sang out.

“Leave them alone, babe.”

“Whatever.”

I searched the CYNTH account and clicked follow. I scrolled down photos, primarily promotions. I tapped the like buttons on Cenric’s pictures from events, most taken from a distance.

I was aware he’d been watching me, and I ignored him. I skipped and searched for his personal account—it wasn’t even private. I didn’t click the follow button. I went through his photos. There was one thing I liked the most—he was on the cover page of the business magazine. He was featured this year. As a proud and supportive wife, I tapped the like button.

“You know I can see your reflection on my phone screen, right?”

“Why are you stalking me? You could have just looked at your right.”

I snorted, “First, I am not stalking you. I’m just being supportive, and you look great in this shot. Second, do I need to stalk you? Unless you have another account that I didn’t know of, and if you’re acting suspiciously. But I’m not a jealous type.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Hmm.”

I stared at him. “What’s that hmm supposed to mean?”

“I know what you did?”

I arched a brow. “Cenric, I don’t recall doing something behind your back.”

“Really?” He also arched his brow.

“Yes. If I did something, I know you would know it before I even begin.”

“I know you visited your father.”

I turned to look at Linden. He was my driver that day. He only shrugged at me, telling me that he didn’t have a choice. “Yeah. It’s not even a secret.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I released a deep breath. “You know, he even asked me if you knew that I went there.”

“I won’t tell you no, but I could go with you. How are you feeling?”

“Great. I feel like I’ve lifted off tons of weight on my shoulders. That’s why I wanted to see him. I still owed him for raising me even if he wasn’t the father of the year.”

“You’re a good woman, babe.”

“Thank you for being okay with this.”

“I’m also a supportive husband.” He beamed at me, his eyes sparkling.

“But I’m still not over with the fact that you put a foreign body underneath my skin, and I couldn’t even find it.”

“Oh, she knew?”

I glared at Beck and the two guys looking at my husband and me.

“You knew? Of course, you all knew. I’m always the last person to know. And nobody told me until now? And don’t give another shrug!” I rushed out my last sentence.

Cenric guffawed.

“I always admired your commitment to Cenric, but today, gah! I wanted to kick you all in the shin.”

“How else did we quickly find you?” Linden replied.

“Good question. That makes sense now.”

I yelped in surprise. Cenric just scooped me like I weighed nothing. He lifted me and put me on his lap.

He looked at me with that amazement in his eyes. I knew he cared about me, and he wanted to make this whatever kind of relationship we had work.

Aside from being married to him, I developed a strong bond with him. I learned to trust him despite our rough start. He also became my best friend, supporter, fortitude, rock, and crying shoulder.

He is the love of my life.

“Hey,” he said breathlessly. “Where did you go in seconds?”

“I’m always here with you.”

“Marry me?”

“What did you say?” I froze on his lap. I blinked it off because I thought he had just asked me to marry him.

“I don’t wanna wake up alone again. For the past few months, I knew the feeling of waking up with you and planning our future together. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, babe. Marry me?”

“Aren’t we already married?” I showed him the rings on my finger, which I never took them off again just to say something because, honestly, I was still flabbergasted.

“Marry me again?”

“But why?”

“I want to marry you again, not because you were forced to say yes or I do, or I will. Will you marry me for the second time?” When he looked at me this way—like I was his world, his soul, like he belonged to me and I belonged to him, of course, I wouldn’t say no.

He was still waiting patiently. The anticipation in his eyes was killing me.

“Are you sure?” I was a little breathless.

“I’m always sure when it comes to you. Just us, babe, those idiots over there, Cas, the Corbins. Just intimate wedding. Will you marry me again, Sadie Charmaine Armelle Greer-Wollf?”

“So what would I be, Greer-Wollf-Wollf?”

The guys behind me laughed. I knew they’d been listening. The entire penthouse went silent. I now got it, the reason why these very supportive guys didn’t leave. They knew all along.

“You can ditch the Greer-Wollf. Just Sadie Wollf, or however you like it.”

“I’d love to have Wollf in my name. I will marry you.” I cupped his face and kissed him.

The guys just applauded and cheered behind me.

“So, how soon are we gonna marry again?”

“Very soon.” He smiled and slipped his hand in his pocket.

I gasped. My smile faded as I stared at the ring in awe.

Cenric had a ring. Had he been preparing for this? He took my hand and slipped the ring into the same finger where I had my engagement ring and wedding band. This one was brilliant-cut. He then kissed my hand. “How about this weekend?”

“Just take me to where you want me to say I do, husband? Fiance? Fiance-husband? Soon-to-be-husband twice?”

He chuckled. “Just husband, babe.”

“Husband it is.”