The Billionaire's Secret Identity

Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE 

“Technically, yes. I'm the CEO,” he said, looking tiredly at her, letting her last question slip by.

He had no energy to explain himself to a woman ready to bicker at every given chance.

He indeed recognized her.

Who else but that lady in distress? Who else would pull such a near-stunt on him? 

In fact, who else in the world would begin a meeting with an insult?

Who else but that brown haired pretty girl? He sighed again feeling a nagging headache's preparation as she got ready to speak again.

“Then I'm asking, why are you left to wander the street like a mentally deranged sheep when you have such a wonderful company building over there?” She pursed her lips, her cheeks struggling to hide the bulging laughter.

“I mean, if you're the CEO of this great company,” her hands went to the direction of the building he had taken steps away from.

“You really should have a chauffeur. No, that's too grand. At least, a car,” she eyed his torn sneakers and made a face.

“Yuk” she made to throw up. But then, immediately steadied herself.

“Or even a better fashion style,” she went on, pitifully, creasing her brows and her nose and letting the amusement slip into her voice.

“You look,” she looked down as much as her car's window could allow again, tightening her lips and sniffing the air.

“Tattered and Homeless. You look like you've been in prison with the same clothes for decades,” she scrunched her nose.

Tony widened his eyes, and bent his head. “Excuse me—”

“Come on, hop in. Let me take you shopping,” she gestured to him in the car, shaking her bouncy brown hair as he motioned for him to take a turn.

“Or should we go to the spa, first?” She grinned mischievously.

“You need to have your…” she scrutinized him from head to toe again. “Hair, your everything cut and nicely fit.”

“What?” He seemed to have burped it out.

“Yeah, take it as a ‘thank you gift from me’” she smiled.

“You must be mistaken,” Tony changed his stance to support his left foot”. 

“I have no intention of going shopping or even accepting your offer for a ride. I don't need all those things. I'll be better off in a taxi”.

She snorted a laugh again.

“Seriously? CEO, take a taxi?” She laughed, covering her mouth with her right palm. “Surely dogs can fly”. She laughed even more, her body shaking with the harmony of her laughter.

Tony shifted from his left foot to the right, harbouring the thought of leaving the conversation.

“What do you mean? Mr. CEO, you're going to actually take a taxi?” 

Her voice resonated loud enough for the whole ordeal of the day to get to him, especially the way she spoke in between fits of laughter.

What was she doing? Trying to disgrace him? He felt the weight of all the humiliation press down hard in his weakly-beating heart. 

He was on his way to getting very breathless. If not for what little sense he had, he would've sworn he had broken his ribs somehow.

“I assume you have nothing better to say.” He tightened his lips and put his jaws straight. “Have a good day”.

“Oh, come off it,” she drove forward to meet his stride, hands out to wave an apology. 

“I was just kidding,” she blushed and swallowed the brimming laughter in her chest.

“I understand that these days, CEOs prefer to hide their wealth and behave like common people. Isn't that right?” She met his eyes, hoping for a glint of change.

Tony's heart pressed forward, forward enough to burst into her face. He could read the mockery in her eyes and could sniff the underlying insult.

His chest tightened and his breathing grew shallow.

He chose not to respond, not when he could faint with fury at any moment.

There were better things ahead. Better things that needed a good walk’s pondering.

“Yes, I'm serious,” her voice cut through his self control.

At that moment, he was sure to have broken into a run; a run that would hit the nail on everyone's ideology of him being insane.

“You don't want the world to know that you're the rich guy,” with one hand on the steering wheel, she let her left hand go to her chest to demonstrate her support and understanding.

I get it,” she pushed her car forward, allowing it to mirror his walk steps while she tried to make her face look the same.

“What do you get?” He reduced his speed and came to a stop, wondering if she was truly more than an airhead; maybe someone worth listening to.

“I get that you're hiding; a billionaire trying to blend in with the masses to understand their pain,” she placed her hands on her chest empathetically.

“I totally understand,” she continued, tilting her hair to the left to prove her empathy quicker.

“You do?” His eyes suddenly brightened and he looked almost ready to smile. The heaviness in his heart lightened.

He was now ready to listen; to appreciate his coming out.

At least one person believed him. One person in the world. If his parents were alive, he was certain they would've easily believed him.

But since their absence was the worst reality he had to accept, he could make do with hers.

She believed him!

Wasn't that enough? Gratitude grew like a shrub in his heart. He could forgo all the humiliations if at least someone could believe his story.

Make him understand that he wasn't someone who had gone insane. And that his story was woven from the faeces of wild animals.

“You do believe that I'm the CEO of the company, right?” the corner of his lips cracked. He was getting there. 

The light at the end of the tunnel was closer than he had thought. 

Maybe, just maybe, if one person believed him after a second meeting, it was possible others would if he met them the second time.

“No, I don’t believe you,” she replied drily. 

“But I believe that your hallucinations and delusions are stellar enough for a movie”.