Falling For The Billionaire Heir

Grant sat in his favorite recliner chair by the window on Tuesday late evening immediately after he returned from the office. He brought out his phone and called Marisa’s phone number.

She answered on the second ring. “Hey, Gee,” she called out cheerfully.

“Hello,” Grant replied. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine,” she replied. “I’m getting dressed to go to Dad’s to meet the investor.”

“Oh okay,” his interest piqued up. “Is he coming over to the house?”

“Yes,” she sighed. “Dad said he’d invited him for dinner.”

“Okay, I see, just keep an open mind for the sake of your old man.” He advised, “let me know how it goes.”

“No problem, I will.”

“Hmmm,” Grant started. “I actually called to invite you on my fiance’s behalf to her sister’s wedding on Saturday.”

“This week Saturday?” she asked to be sure.”

“Yes. Sorry for the late invite. If you are less busy. We’d like to have you join us.”

“Wow,” she said with interest. “I will be there. You know what? I will call you later when I return from dinner to discuss the details. Dad is already calling me.”

“Sure, I will be expecting your call,” he told her. “Bye, enjoy your dinner.”

“Thanks,” she said and disconnected the line to take her father’s call.

“Princess, Ethan is here,” the old man’s anxious voice filtered into Marissa’s ear. “Are you on your way already?”

“Yes Dad,” was her curt reply. “I will be there soon.”

She disconnected the line and walked outside to her car.

Marissa stopped in her tracks fifty- two minutes later when she walked into her father’s living room. She dashed a look at the man sitting beside her father again.

The man’s eyes grew wide, he too was surprised to see Marissa..

“Dad,” she blinked slowly and pointed at the visitor. “Is this the investor?”

“Yes, of course,” her father beamed at her. “Come, come, come and meet Ethan…Ethan Clinton, the investor I told you about.”

“I don’t want to meet him,” she put a hand on her hip, not even trying to hide her disdain for the man.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Hi, Miss. Caldwell,” Ethan stood up and extended a hand towards her.

It infuriated her even more as he was acting as if they’d never met before.

Marissa folded her hands in front of her and refused to acknowledge his greeting.

“Princess,” Sir. Alan Caldwell called out softly. “Remember we’ve talked about this, please be nice to our visitor.”

“Hi, Miss. Caldwell,” Ethan said again with a hint of amusement in his voice this time. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from your dad.”

“He is greeting you,” her father said.

“Hi,” Marissa shook his hand in a hurry. “Look here Ethan, you know as well as I know that this cannot work. You and I can’t work together.”

“Is that what you think?” Ethan put his hands in his slack pockets. “Ms. Caldwell?”

“What has come over you?” Sir Caldwell looked sharply into his daughter’s eyes. “Be nice, we are going to talk about business after dinner.”

“I don’t think that will be possible tonight, Sir.” He looked away from the older man’s pained look and turned to Marissa.

He gave her a lingering piercing look. She locked gaze with him too, it felt more like a challenge until he cleared his throat and looked away.

“Sir Caldwell,” he stood up and said, “you give me a call when you reach an agreement with your daughter. I don’t think she’s ready yet.” He said and he left without another word.

“Why did you do that, princess?” Her father asked angrily after Ethan shut left. “You agreed to cooperate with me on this.”

“Dad, I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t think I can work with Ethan. He’s an asshole, he called me an old little witch.” She flared her nose in anger, “he said I will die a lonely old maid.”

“Ethan seems to be a nice man to me,” her father said. “He’s been so respectful and helpful since I met him five months ago.”

“I don’t care, Dad,” she retorted. “It’s fine if you don’t want to sell off your hotel completely.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose and out her mouth. “But you will have to find someone else to manage it for you. I can’t work with Ethan.”

“And how did the two of you know each other?” Sir. Alan asked in confusion. “When did he call you all of those names?”

“Dad,” she took a deep breath. “It’s a long story, we were neighbors in Dallas. I don’t think I want to talk about it now.”

“Yeah, I remember, he told me his base is Dallas.” He raised furrowed brows at his daughter, “We are going to lose this opportunity if we keep stalling. And we are going to lose everything, I am almost bankrupt. It may become worse…”

With that, he walked away into his bedroom.

Confused and angry at the same time, Marissa slumped into the nearest sofa.

“You have to be considerate to your father,” Ramsey, her father’s housekeeper and confidant’s voice jolted into her jumbled thoughts from behind.

“But what about how I feel about all of these,” she whispered. “I have told him time without number to sell off the hotel completely, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“You should understand that he can’t,” the older man came to sit beside Marissa. “Your father is too proud to do that. The hotel is a family legacy, he doesn’t want to be the one that will throw it all away.”

“This is going to be very difficult for me,” she leaned back on the sofa. “I hate that Ethan guy, I can’t stand to be in the same room with him.”

“Your father is struggling to keep the business aloof,” Ramsey said. “This deal with Ethan is the best he has gotten so far. He stands to be a partner with him if the deal comes through. In that way, he won’t be selling everything off.”

“I can’t do this,” Marissa muttered gently. “I don’t want to do this.”

“Think very well my daughter,” he patted her hand and stood up. “I know your father already told you much more than I have said to you.

Please don’t let him down. This is the time he needs you most.”

Marissa didn’t say anything again, she just looked on as Ramsey left the living room.

She opened her purse and brought out her phone to call Grant. She needed to talk to someone neutral desperately.