THE BILLIONAIRE’S PERFECT MATE

“You, …. what are …. you doing …. here?” Sophia asked stammering, surprised to see who was standing in front of her and she began to shiver.

“Me? What am I doing here? I am here to meet my new family. Aren’t you happy to see me? Have we met before? Have I wronged you in any way before, sister-in-law?” Hillary said, feeling sad and confused by Sophia’s accusation.

“Ellie? Is that you?” Daniel asked motionless, with his gaze fixed on Hillary’s face, finding it hard to believe the replica of who was standing in front of him. Hillary was a replica of Ellie. They had the same face structure, the same eyes, the same height and the same voice. No one who had had an encounter with Ellie before she died, wouldn’t have mistaken Hillary for her.

“Ellie? Who is that? Are you mistaking me for someone else? My name is Hillary” Hillary said, looking more confused and trying to clarify the fact that, she was being mistaken for someone else.

“What? You are faking who you are now? Are you pretending to have lost your memory? I know you are Ellie and there is nothing that can dispute that fact. Stop the camouflage and come out clean, you bitch!!!!!” Sophia, who had become anxious and overwhelmed with fear yelled at Hillary, feeling frustrated. Her yelling caught everyone’s attention, which made them wonder what was going on. The guests’ eyes were fixed on the Lion family, and they wondered how a birthday party could have turned into a commotion, within the blink of an eye. Edward just stood still, confused. He saw a different version of his wife countless times that day, which he had never seen over the years they had spent together. His wife he knew, was a calm and gentle woman, whom he had never seen getting worried, flustered and anxious. But that day, his wife was all worried, flustered and anxious, same as his father and Allison. They all looked worried and confused. He watched as Sophia’s hands began to tremble and how she held onto her dress, to subsidize her fear, which was clearly visible.

“What is going on here? Why is everyone scared at the sight of her? Who is she? What am I missing out?” Edward thought, while looking at Hillary’s face and at that moment, his heart skipped. He felt a kind of feeling which he couldn’t explain and somehow, the unknown lady which he was just seeing for the first time, felt familiar to him.

“Who is she? Why is my heart beating so fast at the sight of her? Why do I feel like I have met her before?” Edward thought, while holding onto his chest, with his heart beating fast. In between his thoughts, Hillary broke into tears.

“Why are you doing this to me? I said I am not who you all think I am. Don’t you like me? Don’t you want me to become a part of your family? If that’s it, just let me know instead of accusing me wrongly. It breaks my heart to see my family accuse me wrongly” Hillary said, shedding tears, which showed she was hurt by their false accusation. In no time, whispers began to fly in the room.

“Why are they treating her like that? It’s her first time meeting with them and they are already out for her? I do not think she deserves to marry into a family of such” one of the guests said, rolling her eyes and in which the other guests followed suite.

“I never knew the Lion family are like this. How can they be so mean to her? They disgust me!!” another guest said, showing his concern. This went on and on among the guests and when Daniel realized the guests were getting a wrong perception of them, he knew he had to intervene. But before he could, Richard who had been silent the whole time, intervened.

“Don’t you dare speak rudely to my wife!!!!!” Richard said, yelling at Sophia, who was surprised by his reaction.

“Who are you to talk to her like that? She clearly told you she is not the one you think she is, so what’s the fuss all about? In case you do not know, she has the same right as you in this family. She is my wife-to-be and there is nothing you can do about that. The next time you harass her like you just did, I wouldn’t take it lightly with you. Edward, put your wife under control. Do not mess with her ever again. I hope I am cleared?” Richard said with a stern voice, which showed he really meant what he said. Sophia just stood still, unable to believe Richard had spoken to her in such a manner.

“Does he really not love me anymore? Has he not forgiven me yet?” Sophia had thought, trying to figure out why Richard had ridiculed her like that.

“Let’s discuss this at home” Daniel said, trying to keep agitated Richard calm.

“Babe, it’s fine. Just overlook this. I do not think it was intentional. She might have really mistaken me for someone else” Hillary said, assuring Richard that she was fine.

“I am sorry about what had happened baby. Let’s head home now. You have had a long day” Richard responded, holding Hillary’s hand and kissing her forehead. That got Sophia jealous and angry, and she clenched her fist, to stop herself from exploding from anger.

Just as Hillary and Richard were about stepping down from the stage, Hillary’s eyes fell on Austin. She smiled upon the sight of him and moved close to where he was standing.

“Hello, handsome. It’s nice to finally meet you, after all these years. I hope you feel the same too?” Hillary, who was bending in front of Austin said, with joy in her eyes and stretching her hand forth to shake Austin.

“It’s nice meeting you too, Miss ……..” Austin, who didn’t know what to call her, stammered.

“You can call me Miss Hillary” Hillary said, smiling at his cuteness.

“It’s nice meeting you too, Miss Hillary” Austin said smiling, but just as he was about to shake Hillary’s extended hand, Sophia butted in.

“Austin dear, it’s being a long day. Why don’t we call it a day?” Sophia said, holding his hand and standing in between him and Hillary, with her gaze, which was filled with hatred on Hillary. That act of hers made Hillary smirk.

“I like your son. He is so polite and handsome. But do you know why I like him the more? Because he has the same eyes as me” Hillary said, with a sarcastic smile on her face, before leaving the stage with Richard and headed home.

Sophia was all tensed and worried because of Hillary’s statement. She couldn’t move from the spot she was standing and she tightened her hold around Austin’s hand, which hurt him. The expression on Hillary’s face when she made that statement, confirmed Sophia’s suspicion that she actually was Ellie.

“But she died. How did she come back to life?” Sophia thought, with fear and anguish evident on her face.

“Mom, you are hurting me” Austin said, when he noticed his mother’s hold was getting more tightened. It was Austin’s lamentation that brought Sophia out of her thoughts.

“Sorry baby, I didn’t mean to. Are you hurt?’ Sophia asked, examining her son’s hand.

“Come here, boy. Let’s head home now. Babe, let’s go home” Edward, who was still in the dark said, carrying Austin in his arm and motioning to Sophia for them to head home. Reluctantly, she obliged and they headed home in their ride. All through their journey home, Sophia was quiet and she kept on biting her fingers, which showed she was anxious. Edward took note of this and his suspicion of her hiding something from him grew.

Daniel on the other hand, appealed to the guests and brought the party to an end, before he headed home.

While on their way home, Edward had made up his mind to sit Sophia down upon them getting home and get the truth out of her but he wasn’t able to do that.

“Can we talk?” Edward queried, upon them entering the living room.

“Maybe later. I need to rest my head” Sophia murmured, while walking to her room, without looking back. Getting to her room, she locked the door from behind and angrily flung her bag away.

“I am fucking sure she is the one. I can see through her pretense. But how come she is alive? He told me she was dead. How the fucking hell is she alive!!!!!” she yelled in frustration.

“Did he deceive me into believing that she was dead? I need to call him right away and get the truth out of him” Sophia said, getting her phone and ravaging through her contact to dial a number but before she could, a call came in. She was shocked to see who was calling and didn’t want to pick the call, as she wasn’t in the mood for his talk but she picked it anyways.

“Why are you calling me? I thought I made it clear not to get in touch with me unless I do? Anyways, I am not in the mood for your request right now. I have got a better thing to take care of. Good day” she said, before the caller could talk and was about hanging up when the caller said a disturbing statement.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“She is back” the caller, who seemed to be frightened and running out of breath said. The caller seemed to have been chased after, making him run out of breath.

“What?” Sophia asked, confused.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said she is back!!!” the caller yelled in a low voice, hinting that he was on the run and trying to escape from someone.

“Who is back?” Sophia asked, getting more confused but before the caller could respond, Sophia heard a familiar voice, talking in the caller’s background.

“Hello, husband. It’s nice seeing you again and it’s good to know you resurrected from the dead” the familiar voice, who seemed to be talking to the caller said. Upon hearing this, Sophia’s hand began to tremble and her phone fell off her hand, with a shock and terrified look on her face.