Billionaire's Inheritance Bride(16)

"I'd like to hire you to be my wife." He'd said it. It sounded  preposterous when he heard it out loud, but if it was what his father  wanted, then he had to give it a shot.

"Are you crazy?" Suzanne laughed because she didn't know what else to do.



"No, I'm not crazy. I'm serious. You'd come and live with me for 24  months, that's all. I'll make sure you have everything you ever wanted.  Afterwards, when we divorce quietly, I'll ensure that you never need to  worry about money again. You get off the streets, I salvage some of my  family name, and the press won't be quite as bad so perhaps any ban I'm  given won't be too long … "

"I don't know … " She really didn't. Suzanne was at the end of her tether,  but she hated being dishonest, especially about something as important  as marriage.

"Suzie …  Can I call you that?" Claudio knew he had to work harder with Suzanne.

Suzanne nodded and smiled. It felt nice.

"Suzie …  What other option do you have?"



Suzanne knew he was right. She didn't have any other option. It was  either get married for a couple of years and live a comfortable life, or  be back on the streets, forced to have sex with men for money.

"Also, I'm pretty good company even if I do say so myself," said Claudio.

Suzanne laughed, and in that moment she hugged him and said ‘yes'; and  just like that, in the space of a couple of hours, everything seemed to  be okay again.

Claudio and Suzanne met the public for the first time as a couple that  evening. They walked out of the hotel, without any need for disguises,  and held hands as Claudio addressed the press.

"It's been a rough couple of days," said Claudio loudly. "But I think  it's time that you all met Suzanne here, the love of my life. The photos  you all saw yesterday were not what they seemed. I understand that the  NFL will be concerned, but all will be made clear in the coming days.  Thank you."

Suzanne waved nervously at the press. They followed them as Claudio and  Suzanne walked together smiling around the corner. There, Suzanne sat in  Claudio's Lamborghini, and they drove away to their next destination.

It was all happening so fast. Claudio welcomed Suzanne to his penthouse  apartment. She'd never seen such a big place before - a TV that big, an  apartment with a personal gym and pool. The whole place was incredible.

That night they opened a bottle of champagne and toasted their new  beginning. The next day they would go clothes shopping. Buy in an entire  walk in closet's worth of clothes and shoes. After that, they would  tour some of the cities most prestigious and expensive jewelry shops to  buy an engagement ring. It was all for the media to believe that they  were a real couple.

In those first few days it was all a blur to Suzanne. Going from an  anonymous face in the city to one of the most talked about women in the  country was difficult enough, but the culture shock of living the life  of someone who was rich was the most exhilarating experience she'd ever  had.         

     



 

Sure, life had been tough on Suzanne, but finally it felt as though all  that bad luck had changed, and it was all because of Claudio.

In the first few months everything seemed to be going according to plan.  The press turned a scandal into a love story. A crazy, rags to riches  tale of two people from opposite ends of the spectrum. This seemed to  have turned public opinion. At first many were outraged that their idol  Claudio Vega could be caught up in such a sordid event, but that turned  to sympathy. Claudio's people were working overtime to get the story out  to the world. Claudio had scooped up this fragile beauty, he'd  momentarily fallen into her world but their love for each other had  pulled them both back from the precipice. This brought the public on  side, and even the authorities backed out of a lengthy ban. He was to  miss one season, and then he'd be back playing, doing what he loved.

The first hint of something sour came shortly after. At a small private  wedding, both Suzanne and Claudio were married. Suzanne was wearing a  stunning white wedding dress with intricate patterns and diamonds  glistening on the material. Her hair was beautifully made up, and  everyone agreed that she was one of the most incredible looking brides  they'd ever seen.



But there was just one problem. Suzanne had spent a good deal of time  with Claudio. She was developing feelings for him. Of course, she knew  that the arrangement was to be a temporary one, but she just could not  help herself. Any time she looked into those big kind eyes, or felt his  embrace in front of the cameras, she fell further. `

Worse still, while she smiled as they married and read out the vows, she  felt deep in her heart that the entire ceremony was a betrayal. How she  wanted it to be real. It wasn't that she thought she and Claudio should  be getting married there and then, ‘till death do us part. No, it was  that she always imagined that when she did get married it would be for  keeps. This wasn't it. Claudio could easily have become her one true  love, but he wasn't that there and then. He was a business arrangement.



After a meal with Claudio's family, celebrating, Suzanne stepped outside  for some air. As she looked out at the city from a balcony, she heard a  voice behind her.

"It is difficult, is it not, child?"

Suzanne turned around; it was Claudio's father, Maxwell.

"Oh, hello Maxwell," she said, still feeling bad about the entire day.

"You smile my dear, but your eyes tell a different story. You long for  something. Tell me, what is it?" Maxwell said, smiling kindly.

"I …  I just …  I value marriage, that's all. It always seemed like such a  special thing to me. I didn't have much of a family, but I always  thought I'd only get married once and that it would be for love."



Maxwell stepped closer and held Suzanne's hand. "I know all of this  seems strange. But you have given yourself a chance for a better life,  and you have saved my family name. Marriage is important, but living  well must come first. You have done a great thing here today, and if  this were to remain, I would be honored to call you my daughter in law."

Maxwell kissed Suzanne on the cheek. They embraced, but as they did so an unseen tear rolled down Suzanne's face.





***


It was just before Thanksgiving and Suzanne had gotten use to being a  fake wife. Claudio would go about his day and Suzanne would entertain  herself with daytime television. And yet, deep down she was thinking  about what she would do when it was all over. Go to college perhaps, get  a career - yes, that's exactly what she'd do.



Claudio had been good and kind. They had developed a close relationship,  but at all times it had been kept as a friendship. That was, until that  night.

Claudio had been helping Suzanne look through some college prospectuses  and so she wanted to do something nice for him in return. While Claudio  was out, Suzanne ordered in some steaks and some vegetables. She set the  table, not the one in the dining room, it was too big; the smaller one  in the lounge so they could watch TV and chat easily while they ate.

It was a complete surprise to Claudio, but a welcome one. When he returned home he could smell meat cooking in a pan.

"Suzanne?" He said, walking into the kitchen.         

     



 

"You're early!"



"Terribly sorry."

They both laughed together.

"I'm not even dressed properly yet!" said Suzanne as she sealed the  steaks in a frying pan, standing there in some slacks, a hooded top and  an apron.

Claudio smiled, looking through the doorway and seeing the table set in the lounge. "What's this all in aid of?"

"For helping me look for a college place. And …  well …  I guess you don't know but it's"

"One year to the day since we met." Claudio looked down at a bag he had in his hand.

"I thought you might be wierded out if I did something as a kind of anniversary for us."

"Suzie, not at all. You saved me. I'm very lucky to know you, so I got  you this … " Claudio pulled out a small red jewelry box from the bag he  was carrying and handed it to Suzanne.

She opened it. Inside there was a necklace, silver and sparkling, with a large diamond set pendant hanging from it.

"I love it!" Suzanne squealed, throwing her arms around Claudio.

Claudio returned the favor and wrapped his arms around her, but there  was something different than before. Each time they had ever embraced  they had always pulled apart. Not so this time. Claudio held Suzanne  close, and breathed in the perfumed smell from her hair.

Suzanne held on, feeling the muscles and chiseled physique beneath his  clothes. Then, she looked up at him. She couldn't help herself, she bit  her bottom lip to try and stop it from happening; that's when Claudio  took over. He leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips.

She had waited for that throughout the 12 long months they had known  each other. Their mouths opened, their tongues caressing each other.