Jenni Gray Books
?MY BILLIONAIRE ENEMY (not)?
CHAPTER 1: LAURENE
I was in high spirits when our family driver, Gray, dropped me off in front of the four-story avant-garde building of Chicago’s top booming digital company, Creatify.
With a broad smile on my face and an exhilarated glimmer radiating through my soft blue eyes, I confidently strode toward the entrance, unaware of the glances that were being thrown my way.
“Good morning, Ms. Astor,” the security guard greeted me as he opened the door for me.
“Thank you, John,” I said brightly, flashing him a friendly smile.
He grinned even more when I called him by name, surprised that I could remember. I was fond of doing that in my parents’ company and over the past month that I had been an intern here at Creatify, I guess the habit just stuck with me.
Some of the other employees that I passed on my way to the third floor greeted me too, though I caught a few of them whispering with each other afterwards.
Seeing my reflection in the elevator’s glass interior made me wonder if I was too dolled up for my meeting today. My long blonde hair was in loose beach waves instead of my usual ponytail. I was also wearing more makeup. Clad in a white satin tank top under a stylish blue blazer and matching pants while carrying one of my favorite luxury bags, I could understand why people seemed to be intrigued by who I could be. Perhaps some of them even assumed I was an executive or one of the owners. Many didn’t know me because I usually kept a low profile, just coming in daily in simple ensembles and trying to blend in with everyone else.
I’ve been an intern here for a month now, and even my supervisor had no idea that I was related to the Astors of the Astor Wellness Company.
“Oh, my gosh, Laurene!” my boss Trish, the head of the marketing department, exclaimed when she saw me. She was just a little older than me and we hit it off from the moment we met each other. She’s also given me nothing but praise since I started working here.
“Hi, Trish,” I greeted a little self-consciously. “I’m sorry. Is this too much?”
“No, it’s fine, really!” she said, shaking her head and smiling widely. “Maybe it’s just because we don’t usually see you like this.”
I gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry, maybe I did get a little carried away. I’m just so excited to meet the CEO of Creatify!”
She grinned. “I think you might just blow him away — with your beauty and your brains!”
We both laughed hysterically. She excused herself, and I went to my desk to plough through the extensive research I’ve done on the company — how it started, its achievements and struggles, its sales history, its products and services, its customers and competitors, expansion plans, and more.
“Julian Barclay,” I whispered to myself as I came across his photo again in the documents I was reviewing. I must say he’s definitely hot and gorgeous.
Touching his face in the image, I traced the outline of his cheek and jaw. He had a slightly angular face that suited his short brown hair, muscular shoulders, and overall well-built physique.
No wonder women are swooning all over you.
I’ve seen him featured on TV before but I never really got to learn his story until now. More than his physiognomy, I was fascinated by his talent and grit and how he started small and made his company into a giant digital media conglomerate. And now, at only 35 years old, he was already a self-made billionaire.
A knock on my table made me jump and look up. It was Emma, one of the employees I really looked up to and who instantly became a good friend of mine.
“Earth to Laurene!” she said in a joking tone. “Let’s go. It’s time.”
For some reason, despite my preparedness and my normally confident disposition, I felt my heart skip a beat. I was admittedly a bit nervous.
Trish had chosen Emma and me from her department to be participants in this month’s special session with the company’s founder and CEO. I knew that a few others were envious and perhaps bitter about the fact that I’d been given the opportunity even though I was fairly new here and was only an intern. Nonetheless, Trish had reiterated how much she believed in my intellect and abilities and that Mr. Barclay actually requested for them to choose interns to participate too.
“Is it your first time participating?” I asked Emma as we headed to the top floor.
She nodded with a grin. “Yes, and I’m actually excited to see him up close too!”
I laughed. “So a lot of women must be feeling the same way, huh?”
“Well, yes,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Some female employees even make excuses to see him or go up to the top floor, hoping they’d run into him. Including me!”
That made us both hoot with laughter.
“I read that he’s been listed as one of the hottest bachelors now in the city,” I remarked. “And that he’s never had a serious relationship?”
“Nope,” Emma said. “As far as I know, there’s never been anyone he has dated exclusively for over two months.”
“Hhmmm…” I said. “I wonder why…” Then out of curiosity, I asked, “Has he ever dated anyone in the office?”
“I don’t think so,” Emma answered. Then, with a mischievous grin, she added, “I hope I’m the first!”
I laughed. “Oh, wow. What would your boyfriend say?”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s all just wishful thinking, anyway.”
In a few minutes, we were led by Mr. Barclay’s executive assistant into a huge, elegant conference room with a glass wall that gave us a spectacular vista of the city. There were only twelve of us, and only two of us were interns.
At first, the room was bustling with small talk among the employees. I was busy rummaging through my bag to look for my cell phone when I noticed that everyone had suddenly fallen silent. I immediately stopped what I was doing, sat up straight, and looked up.
Our eyes met. I felt my heart jump to my throat. His hazel eyes were intently staring right at me as he slowly walked toward the chair at the edge of the table.
He’d just entered the room, looking slick, intimidating, and very handsome in a cream-colored business suit that harmonized his brown hair and showed off his muscular build in a subtle, professional way.
He sat down on a very expensive-looking black leather swivel chair while an assistant handed him some documents. Everyone was quiet and still, waiting for him to speak.
Even without saying anything and probably even if no one here knew he was the CEO, he had this imposing presence that seemed to command full attention and respect.
After ruffling through some papers and checking something on his tablet, he put down his things, crossed his arms across his chest, and leaned back on the chair with an impassive look on his face.
“Good morning,” he greeted everyone. There was still no smile.
There was an awkward murmur of “good mornings” in the air. I uttered mine politely and simply waited for him to go on.
“Congratulations to everyone,” he said, his authoritative, serious voice penetrating into our souls.
Well, at least that’s how I felt.
“You’re here because it means that your department head thinks highly of you,” he continued. “And you’ve been an asset to the company in some way. So… make sure you keep it that way.”
He was certainly stern, which I believe was necessary for running a big company. But it doesn’t mean you can’t smile or try to balance it with some humor or fun.
Nevertheless, I found myself greatly attracted to his enigmatic air. What was going on inside that head of his behind this facade? What was truly in his heart that made him who he was?
Up close, he was even more good-looking. I guess his attitude and how he spoke and acted also contributed to his overall appeal.
I was even more captivated when he began to speak about the current projects of the company and the expansion plans. He sounded very knowledgeable and experienced and was quite passionate about the business he was running. That was, of course, another good quality of a CEO.
Trish had told me that these sessions were meant to give employees an overview of how the company was currently doing and what was in store for the future. It’s also a great opportunity for them to get to know the CEO and vice versa while learning from him as well.
“What do you think?” Julian Barclay suddenly asked us. “Any ideas on how we can launch or market our new software for creative professionals?”
The room was silent at first. I could almost hear everyone’s heartbeats pounding hard.
Then someone raised his hand and shared, “We can do an actual physical event with a live stream where people all over the world can watch too. We can maybe invite celebrities, have online contests… uh… raffle off software subscriptions…”
Mr. Barclay nodded his head, seemingly contemplating the idea. “Yes, I think we’ve done something like that in the past,” he said. “And I believe it was effective.”
His eyes scanned the room. I saw some employees avoiding his eyes or bowing their heads, pretending to be writing down in their notebooks. Then his eyes rested on me. I sat up straighter and bravely met his gaze.
My heart was doing somersaults out of nervousness and… was it physical attraction? I needed to impress this man.
“You,” he said directly at me. “I’ve never seen you before. Are you new here?”
”Yes, Mr. Barclay,” I answered, making my voice sound confident. “I’m Laurene Astor and I’ve been an intern here for about a month now.”
“Why?”
I was taken aback by his question. “Excuse me?”
“Why did you apply to be an intern here?” he asked. He was certainly quite menacing, like a terror professor. I could vividly recall one of my professors grilling me just a year ago when I was about to graduate.
“I wanted to… uhm… I wanted to learn the ropes of running a digital business,” I said slowly, thinking very carefully and trying to choose the right words to say. “And also to gain experience in the business world, especially in marketing, which was one of my majors.”
From the corner of my eye, I could see Emma’s anxious face and her crossed fingers on top of the table!
I went on to describe why I thought the company was amazing and why it was the one I chose.
Mr. Barclay looked amused. He was so goddamn handsome that I sometimes found my mind drifting toward a different perspective of him, which was greatly distracting.
“You’ve certainly done your homework, Ms. Astor,” he said, though he did not sound impressed. “Are you, by any chance, related to the owners of Astor Wellness?”
I gulped. There it was. Everyone was looking at me with probing eyes. Emma’s expression had turned to one of shock. They were most likely all familiar with our family’s huge enterprise.
Oh, shit! As much as possible, I did not want anyone to know and surely did not need any distinct attention. What’s worse, I can’t have people changing their expectations of me because of my family name!
“Yes, Sir,” I answered truthfully.
I thought that would be enough, but then he leaned forward and said, “I’m just curious. How are you related?”
“Uhm… I’m their daughter.”
I heard a gasp. I could see Trish looking at me in disbelief. Emma’s mouth hung open.
A small smile was playing on Mr. Barclay’s lips. The beginning hints of a smile! That must count for something, right?
“Their only child, right?” he said. “The sole heir of Astor Wellness?”
I did not reply. I couldn’t perceive where he was going with all this. Surely, we’ve gone astray from the topic at hand and wasted much time on all this useless information about me and my family.
It was getting uncomfortable for me. I began to sweat under my makeup.
Julian Barclay was not one to beat around the bush. He’s trying to make a point, and I have a bad feeling about it.
My feisty, defensive self was screaming to get out. I was even more determined to show him that I wasn’t just some little rich girl playing around here.
CHAPTER 2: JULIAN
From the moment I laid eyes on her, I felt a weird spark that I’d never felt before.
She wasn’t just beautiful — much more than most young women I’ve met. She exuded charm and confidence that made her stand out among the rest of the participants in the room.
At first, I couldn’t quite pinpoint where I had seen her. She looked so familiar.
But when she mentioned her complete name, I already knew. She’s the daughter of billionaires Andrew and Lisa Astor of the Astor Wellness enterprise. I’ve read up about them in the past and even met them on one or two occasions.
“So tell me, Laurene Astor,” I began, exerting a little emphasis on her family name. “What do you think we can do to promote our new software?”
I immediately deemed her as the typical spoiled brat — Daddy’s little rich girl who doesn’t have to work her way up. She’s got everything laid out for her. She didn’t have to start from scratch as I did.
I’ve met a lot of women like her, some of them I even dated. They always annoyed me, though I’ve given them a chance to prove themselves worthy of more than just their inheritance and family name.
But Laurene… Looking at her, she struck me as atypical. I was naturally piqued after having confirmed her identity, but at the same time, she intrigued me immensely.
“Uh, maybe… we should start by studying our prospective customers…” Laurene began cautiously. She looked quite tense, which gave me some satisfaction.
She continued, “I believe this software was developed for creative professionals, most likely freelancers and those running small businesses. We’re not talking about hobbyists here anymore...”
I simply listened without showing any emotion. But deep within me, I was kind of impressed. This was no ordinary intern or university graduate.
As she went on to describe her marketing ideas, her words became more certain, and her body language showed that she knew her stuff and was way ahead of others in the field — even some of my long-time employees. Trish was beaming at her, and I couldn’t blame her.
But I wanted to prevail on her further. And for some reason, I yearned to mock her and make her squirm in her seat.
“So you’re saying we ought to incorporate business accounts in our social media platform…” I said slowly as I was digesting her suggestion. “Then we’ll offer a feature wherein creative freelancers, entrepreneurs, or content creators could find and connect with clients and followers?”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied with a smile, looking ecstatic. Her bright blue eyes were unfeigned and eager. And with her long, wavy blonde locks framing her fresh, lovely face, she looked like a real live Barbie doll in the flesh. She obviously got her good looks from her mother, and her intense passion for business must come from her father.
“I think that’s going to be a different product… or rather service…” I told her pointedly. She looked disappointed but did not give up. I wanted to chuckle, but of course, I didn’t.
“You’re right, Mr. Barclay,” she said. “But it will surely bring about more profit in the long run and it won’t cost much to add that feature to the platform. In the first place, hundreds of thousands or even millions of your social media users are freelancers or small entrepreneurs offering their creative products and services.”
She went on to outline more specific marketing strategies. I just listened with amusement. This young lady was not your typical dumb blonde or spoiled brat. Far from it, actually.
After all that she suggested, I simply thanked her and asked the others their thoughts on the presented ideas.
I found myself glancing at Laurene from time to time, wanting to see her reaction. She was trying hard to remain emotionless, but I could see she was irritated. Perhaps at me. Perhaps at being put on the spot. Or perhaps at not getting the reaction she was hoping for.
I felt an urge inside of me — the urge to spend more time with her, to get to know her more. I haven’t felt that in a long time, and certainly not at this level.
The session took longer than usual. I was having fun with the discussion and I also sort of wanted to prolong being in the same room with this very beguiling woman. So then, when I dismissed them all, I asked her and my marketing department head, Trish, to stay behind.
I strolled toward the glass wall, looking out at the bustling street below the building, thinking of how to phrase what I was about to say.
“Trish, I think Laurene has learned a lot from your department at this point,” I said as I turned around to face them. “Do you agree?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said. “She has exhibited excellent skills and great work ethics.”
“Hhmmm…” was all I said, nodding. Laurene seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for what was to come.
“Laurene, I want to do justice to what you intend to get from here,” I told her straight, trying to keep my eyes on hers, though I kept noticing how she was biting her lower lip every now and then. It was utterly distracting. “Your parents’ company has actually supported some of our projects in the past, and I think it’s only right that I give you the experience and learning you desire.”
“Thank you, Mr. Barclay,” she answered, though she was looking a little confused.
“I believe you should now be moved to my personal team so you can have a feel of the top management and how we operate on a daily basis…” I said, voicing out the thought that had been toying in my mind earlier. “I’m sure it will come in handy when you move on to take charge of such a huge company like Astor Wellness.”
For a short while, she just stared at me in disbelief. It was Trish who spoke first. “That would be awesome for you, Laurene.”
“Yes, of course,” Laurene seconded. “I would love that. Thank you for the opportunity.”
I talked to Trish privately outside the conference room for a while, then dismissed her afterward.
When I came into the room again, I saw Laurene still sitting down like a well-behaved student — which she probably was throughout her life. Trish had also just informed me that this intern had graduated with honors from Chicago’s top university with a double degree in Entrepreneurship and Marketing.
Beauty and brains. I’ve always loved that combination.
I literally shook my head, silently reprimanding myself for musing about that thought. We’re here for business, not for anything else.
“Laurene,” I said her name rolling off my tongue very smoothly as if I’d been saying it for a long time. The truth is… I’ve never known anyone else with that name. It was indeed a beautiful name, as beautiful as the owner.
“Yes, Sir?” she asked courteously, looking up at me with those innocent blue eyes.
I discussed some matters with her, and she immediately opened her notebook to a fresh page and started taking down notes.
So sweet and innocent-looking, I thought. I wonder what naughty things she’s done already.
Because I was standing and she was at a lower position than me, I had a good view of her cleavage peeking from the top of her inner blouse. She had on a diamond pendant hanging in the middle of those two perky mountains of flesh. It made me wonder if it had been given by her parents or a boyfriend.
I took my eyes off her, resisting the temptation, and instead gazed out the window. Get a hold of yourself, I adjured myself silently.
“Where will my new workplace be?” she suddenly asked.
I turned toward her. “My assistant will show you later. You’ll be working with some others in my executive team.”
“Okay.”
I leaned forward a little too close as she stood up without warning. My lips brushed against her cheek, alarming both of us. I felt a strange shiver spread across my body, heating it up and turning me on.
“I’m sorry,” I condoned immediately, straightening up.
She looked as if she could hardly breathe. “It’s alright,” she murmured awkwardly.
“Your first assignment, Laurene, is to interview about ten freelancers and ten entrepreneurs from Creatify’s social media members,” I told her in a serious tone. “Make a full report about your findings and be ready to discuss it with me…”
“Yes, Mr. Barclay,” she said, looking eager.
“...tomorrow,” I finished.
“Tomorrow?!” she repeated in an incredulous tone.
I simply nodded, holding up my hand when she began to protest. “Let me know if you can’t handle the assignment.”
She pulled back her shoulders and looked me straight in the eye with a slightly defiant expression on her pretty face. “Of course I can,” she said indignantly. “You can expect my report tomorrow.”
“Good,” I said, already looking forward to the following day.
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