Contract Marriage With My Billionaire Boss novel Chapter 5

VENUS

My alarm blared, jolting me awake from the uncomfortable position I had fallen asleep in. My neck ached, my back protested, and my mind was already racing.

I lay still for a moment, staring at the cracked ceiling. Did I really agree to this?

The question looped in my head like a broken record. Did I really make the right choice?

I groaned and rubbed my eyes, forcing myself to sit up. I was doing this for Mom. I'd do anything for her. Anything.

Dragging myself out of bed, I went about my morning routine like a zombie. A quick shower, hair pulled into a messy bun, and makeup kept minimal—just enough to look alive. I slipped into a plain white shirt and an ash-grey skirt—one of the few decent outfits I'd managed to afford since I started working at Sinclair Tech. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was clean and presentable.

I checked the clock. Only five minutes left if I wanted to make it on time. Great.

Grabbing a granola bar from the nearly empty kitchen shelf, I rushed to the door. But when I opened it, I came to an abrupt stop. I was blocked by someone.

Billy.

"Bi—Billy?" I stammered, my heart skipping a beat.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, eyes cold. He owned the casino where my father, Dain, loved to gamble, get drunk, and bury his problems in white powder. This wouldn’t be his first time showing up at our place to collect a debt. And he always made my skin crawl. The way he looked at me? It gave me the creeps.

"Where’s Dain?" he gruffed, rubbing his scruffy beard.

"I don’t know," I replied quickly, stepping slightly back.

"He owes me money."

That can’t be right. He took all my whole savings yesterday. What the hell did he use it for, then?

"Like I said, I don’t know where he is. I kicked his drunken ass out last night."

Billy’s eyes narrowed slightly. "That so?"

"Look, Billy, I have somewhere to be, and I’m already running late."

He gave me a slow once-over, raising a brow before licking his lips in that disgusting way that made me want to gag.

"One day, Venus," he muttered, like a warning—or a promise I wanted nothing to do with—before walking away.

I slammed the door shut and locked it, chest heaving. Disgusting creep.

When I stepped outside and began walking to the main road, a car sped by, splashing a puddle of dirty water all over me.

"Asshole!" I screamed, but the driver didn’t stop or even glance back.

I looked down at my soaked clothes and groaned. I couldn’t walk into Sinclair Tech looking like this. I didn’t even have anything clean to change into. I hadn’t gotten around to doing my laundry this week.

Frustrated and wet, I went back inside and tore through my closet. Finally, I found an old sweater tucked in the back. It was faded, a little baggy, but dry and warm. It would have to do.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify