Page 2 of Marrying a Billionaire

The fresh air helped settle her stomach during the fifteen-minute drive into New York City. It wasn’t until she was stepping out of the cab that the nausea hit again. Williamson Plaza stretched up toward the sky like a beacon. Lillian felt tiny, standing in its shadow.

“Are you going, lady?” the cab driver’s New York accent snapped her back to reality.

“Yeah,” she said as she reached into her purse and pulled out a twenty. After she slammed the door, the cab driver took off, leaving her alone. She took in an uneasy breath and turned to face the steps in front of her.

You can do this, she chanted in her head.Reed Williamson is going to hire you.Her foster mom was always talking about positive self-talk and how amazing it was. Even though Lillian always wrote it off as hippy talk, at this moment, she was willing to try anything.

She pulled open the tall, tinted-glass doors and stepped into the lobby. Men and women in tailored suits moved around her. She was grateful that she borrowed Tamara’s clothes. She would have felt completely out of place in her clay-stained ones.

Lillian made it past the security guard and over to the elevators without tripping or doing something equally embarrassing. She was not used to wearing heels, and she hoped that it wasn’t evident to everyone around her. She reached out and pressed the up button of the elevator. The doors opened, and she boarded.

The ride up to the thirtieth floor felt like an eternity. Lillian kept her gaze on her shoes as she counted each chime that sounded as the elevator passed each floor.

Finally, it stopped, and the doors slid open. Lillian peered out to see a woman with a tight bun and a plunging leopard-print dress, sitting at a desk in front of her. She had a phone’s receiver pressed between her shoulder and ear. Every so often, she’d sigh and then mumble something.

The floor was made of white marble and a couch with a matching set of armchairs were positioned on the far wall. The whole room felt so sterile. So formal. This was not where Lillian belonged.

Comprehensive health insurance, Lillian repeated as she plastered on a smile and approached the receptionist. The doors of the elevator closed behind her, stranding her on the thirtieth floor.

When she approached the desk, the woman didn’t look up. It wasn’t until Lillian cleared her throat that the woman’s gaze flicked over to her. She raised one perfectly manicured eyebrow as it to replace actually asking,what are you doing here?

“I have a meeting with Mr. Williamson,” Lillian said.

The receptionist ran her gaze over Lillian and then turned her attention to the computer in front of her. She said a few “uh huhs” as she clicked on the keyboard.

Before the receptionist said anything, a side door opened, and a woman stepped out. Her white hair was cut in a short, a-line bob. She had speckled glasses perched on the tip of her nose and a red scarf that accented her dark suit.

A relieved expression passed over her face as she approached Lillian. “I’m so happy you’re here. I was worried that you weren’t going to come.”

Lillian parted her lips. Who was this woman? And they’d been expecting specifically her? That seemed strange. The job as personal assistant to a billionaire had to be an in-demand job. Surely, there had been a ton of applicants.

“Bonnie Williamson,” she said, extending her hand.

Lillian studied it for a moment before she reached out and shook Bonnie’s hand. Williamson. Was this a relation to Reed?

Before Lillian could ask, Bonnie dropped her hand and waved for her to follow. “Did the agency fill you in on what we need?” she asked, peering over her shoulder as she led Lillian past the receptionist and through the glass door that said Williamson Investments.

Lillian leaned forward. “Agency?”

Bonnie nodded. “The person who sent you.”

Did she mean Tamara?

Before she could answer, Bonnie waved her hand. “Never mind. Client confidentiality. We told them to keep it hush hush so I’m sure they didn’t tell you everything.” Bonnie paused outside of a glass door that led to a conference room.

A man in a dark blue suit sat at the far end of the table. He had round glasses and greying hair. He was rifling through some papers in front of him. Lillian felt Bonnie’s gaze on her as she rested her hand on Lillian’s shoulder.

“I know this is all crazy, but it’s for the best. I just can’t wait until this is all over,” she said as she reached out and pulled on the large brass door handle.

As they stepped into the room, the man at the table glanced up. He dropped his pen down on the table and stood.

“Mrs. Williamson,” he said, buttoning his suit coat. When his gaze fell on Lillian, he nodded. “Ma’am.”

“This is Orson Coswell. He’ll be dealing with the contract,” Bonnie said as she motioned toward a chair and then sat in the one next to it.

“Contract?” Wow, they got serious about their employees here at Williamson’s Investments. Wait. Did this mean she got the job? “I’m hired?” Lillian asked. Her heart began to race. Was this a dream? She reached out and pinched her leg. A searing pain raced through her. Well, she was awake.

“Hired?” Bonnie chuckled. “Well, I guess you could say that. Although we’d like to classify it more as, you’re joining our family.” She patted the tabletop in front of her. “It’s all for Reed and the betterment of this company.”

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