The Billionaire's Accidental Bride (15 page)

This week, billionaire playboy Jack Casali showed off his latest flame, Annaya Towler, at the annual Casali Charity Gala. Shown kissing, left, the two lovebirds seemed smitten at the event, but Casali's former lover, Hannah Sawyer, left, warns the new woman in Jack's life that the billionaire has his dark side.

Annaya's mouth fell open as she began to read extracts from the article.

Sawyer described how she and the former bachelor used to spend wild nights enjoying Vegas nightlife and claims that although the playboy seems to have broken his bad habits of late, that he was always a ‘bad boy’.

Hannah had the following to say about her relationship with Jack Casali: "It was wild. Every night it was a different club, a different drug, a different bedroom. Jack must have slept with half the women in Vegas, but we always had a particular spark. He was adventurous in all aspects of life, but especially between the sheets. If he's planning on settling down, I'm happy for him, but I'd warn the new woman in his life to go in with her eyes open. Jack is not a good role model and I suspect it won't be long before he plays away."

The article went on, just more and more of the same. The feature described Jack's wild antics over the last ten years and had comments from more than one woman he'd slept with. According to the article he'd taken all kinds of drugs, slept with all kinds of women and been involved with all kinds of scandals.

Annaya felt repulsed as she read through the tell-all feature and felt the tears beginning to rise as she read all about the sordid history of the man she loved. Tearfully, she paid for the magazine and returned to the mansion.

It was a torturous day waiting for Jack to return so that she could confront him about Hannah's reveal all, but when Jack did at last arrive, he was the first to tackle the issue. He found her in the nursery with Alice on her lap and he half-ran in, falling to his knees in front of her and taking hold of her spare hand desperately. One look at her tear-stained face told him that she'd definitely seen the article.

"You'll read a lot of things about me if you do a little digging," he told her in a quiet, ashamed voice. "I'm ashamed to say that half of them are true. I've slept with my fair share of women and had a go at my fair share of vices. I've been reckless and foolish and wild. There are people in my past who'd tear me down for the cost of an article, but I swear to you, Annie, that I am a changed man and that I love you."

Annaya laid her hand on top of his and although the tears were falling again, she accepted what he had to say and nodded.

"I don't care what you've done," she told him. "I just need to know that what Hannah says isn't true. All of this, all you've done, is that what you really want? Will you grow tired of me and Alice? Is this who you are?"

"I've spent my whole life trying to feel the way you make me feel," Jack told her earnestly. "I've searched for it in sex and drugs and gambling, but that feeling I was searching for, that
elation
, that
satisfaction
, I found it with you. You're all I need, Annie. You're everything I want. There is nobody else and never will be. You could never bore me."

"How can you be sure?" Annaya said tearfully. "Hannah's right. I'm a mother now and Alice will always come first. There will be school runs and piano recitals and doctor's appointments. My party days are over. I'm never going to be like those girls again."

"You beat those girls hands down, Annie. You're incredible."

Annie looked down at him from where she sat in the nursery rocking chair. His eyes were so earnest and full of love that she believed him completely and it filled her heart with joy to think that their passion for each other had turned to love; the spark had turned into a relationship; their parenthood had turned into a life together.

Jack lifted himself slightly, just enough to reach her lips over the head of their sleeping daughter and the little family held each other close for a while, knowing that everything had changed, but it had changed for the better.

*****

Alice was eighteen months old when Brandon passed away and it was a time that was filled with great sadness and great change. After Jack had introduced Annie to the world at the gala, she'd finally felt secure enough to take a risk on him and she'd packed up her life in Bakersfield and moved to Vegas. She'd never in her life thought that she'd find herself amongst the city lights of such a wild and unpredictable place, but, strangely enough, it suited their adventurous little family.

Inheriting his father's fortune, Jack's future was sealed as a businessman and an entrepreneur. Yet, no matter how busy he found himself with work and PR meetings, Jack always found time to come back to Annaya and his little girl.

Having an endless income made the distance from Annaya's family much easier to deal with. She regularly flew out with Alice to see them and regularly flew them out to see her. Natalie loved Vegas and she also loved Jack, once she got to know them. Annie's quiet little friend was quite the gossip addict and she loved to act as Annaya's personal researcher when it came to finding out what the press had to say about them.

After that reveal-all article from Hannah, which Annaya had defiantly put behind them, the media attention eventually died down and whenever Jack and Annaya did come across their names in the papers, it was always in reference to how they were role models as parents and to how well Jack was doing following in his father's footsteps.

True to his word, he bought them a house outside of the city center, and that's where Annaya spent most of her time, giving Alice a normal upbringing in a building that was notably devoid of chandeliers, although from time to time she would let her daughter play in granddad's house, even though granddad was gone.

Annaya was proud to see her daughter growing into a sweet and patient little girl with her mother's determination and strong will and her father's spontaneity. It made her quite the handful sometimes, but Annie and Jack wouldn't have her any other way. They knew better than anybody that life was more fun with a wild streak.

Life was drastically different to what it had been, but Annaya found that the changed suited her well. She didn't work in an office anymore, but she rose to the unique challenges that came with being the partner of a rich man and showed her face at all the right corporate events and invested her time in charity work and the school boards. She was a full-time mom to Alice and it was the greatest joy she had ever known.

To make her happiness even more perfect was the fact that Jack was there with her. Annaya loved him more every single day and was so glad that they'd finally overcome all the fear and nonsense that had been keeping them apart and had confessed their love to one another. As soon as it was out in the open, and recognized for what it was, it grew and grew into something quite remarkable.

Three years later, when Alice was a toddler and Jack a respected CEO, when Natalie's child had been born and Annie was making waves in the community, the timing was finally right for a question that had been asked long ago to be asked again.

"You look beautiful," Jack told Annie when he saw her dressed in that very navy dress she'd been wearing the night they'd first met.

Annie laughed and gave him a soft kiss. "Really? Why did you want me to put this old thing on, Jack? Aren't you worried
Vogue
will come knocking on our door complaining that I'm doing a terrible job of representing women's fashion?"

"What are you on about?" Jack chuckled. "You look sensational. That's the dress you were wearing the night we met."

"I remember."

Annie smiled at him fondly and took his hand as he led her to the car. They were heading to the casino for another corporate event. Although it was chaotic inside the venue, Annaya had a soft spot for the roulette wheels and card tables, knowing that everything she had now all started here, when she took the first real gamble of her life. It seemed that Jack was keen for her to remember that time too. He held her hand as they entered through that revolving door and pointed out the poker table where he'd first seen her laying out her chips.

"That's where I first laid eyes on you. You were flirting with me."

Annaya laughed at how he told the story and gave him a playful nudge. "You were staring."

"You were wearing that dress and I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."

"I thought you were gorgeous the moment I laid eyes on you."

Jack steered her over to the bar and helped her step up onto the stool where she'd been sitting that night.

"This is where you were sitting when I first spoke to you."

"I remember. You asked if you could steal me away from my friends for the night."

"That's right. I knew we were in for an adventure. There was something about you that I just couldn't walk away from." The billionaire took her hand again and Annaya was confused when he lead her back out of the casino.

"Jack, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

Jack led her a little while down the street, past a few bars along the way. "This is where it all gets a little hazy, but I think we went in this bar and then that one."

"Yes, I remember that one!" Annaya giggled. "We played pool, didn't we?"

"Yes, I think we did. And that's the one where we did the shots."

"Oh wow! I'd forgotten about those."

Jack continued to lead her down the street and then stopped on the corner of the avenue. All around them, the neon lights were glowing and a giant screen was flashing advertisements above their heads. It was dazzling, disorientating and invigorating all at once so be surrounded by so many blinking lights and so much activity.

"The church is down the street, so I'm imagining that this is the spot where I drunkenly proposed to you that night."

Annaya giggled again and looked around bewilderedly as though something might job her memory. "I just don't remember, Jack."

"It's no matter," the billionaire said suavely. "We'll recreate the memory."

Annie turned back from looking around to see that Jack was now down on one knee and she felt her heart skip a beat. The charming billionaire was grinning up at her and holding open a ring box that contained the most dazzling diamond engagement ring that Annaya had ever seen in her life.

She gasped and her eyes grew wider when she saw that that advertisement screen above them was now playing out Jack's proposal right there and then, with the words ‘Annie, will you marry me?’ flashing. Annaya began to laugh in surprise and excitement and her hands flew over her mouth in astonishment.

"Annie, the first time I proposed to you, I was completely drunk and I don't remember a thing, but I'm pretty sure that even in that state, I knew that there was something special between us. A spark. The second time I proposed, I thought that the spark was enough and that the rest would come, but you were smart enough to know that a marriage needs more than chemistry to work. It needs commitment and memories and companionship and a whole load of other things to make it work and make it last.

Now, I'm proposing again. I'm sober, I'm ready to commit and I am madly in love with you. Since I've met you, Annie, I've seen our spark grow into a flame and our lives come together in so many different ways. You're a beautiful woman, an amazing partner and an incredible mother. You and Alice make me happier than I ever thought I could be. You mean the world to me and I think it's finally time to do it right. Annaya Towler, will you marry me?"

Happy laughter rose up in Annaya's throat and she threw her arms around Jack's neck elatedly, showering him with kisses. The billionaire laughed at her reaction and picked her up as he stood, spinning her under the neon Vegas lights and kissing her passionately in front of the crowd that had gathered. He slipped the ring onto her finger and Annaya trembled with excitement and joy.

Three and a half years ago, when Jack had proposed in a room full of roses, Annaya had turned him down because she was afraid that he didn't know her well enough to make a real commitment and she was afraid of settling down out of panic rather than love. Now, no doubts remained.

She loved Jack madly and over the years a deep and lasting bond had grown between them. Jack was loyal and supportive and an incredible father. He had shown her how much he loved her in public and behind closed doors. He had changed her world for the better and Annaya didn't want to live a day without him.

"Yes!" she cried out joyously. "Yes! Yes! I'll marry you!"

When Annaya walked down the aisle six months later, she remembered how her wild affair with Jack had all begun because she'd been worrying that she'd never find true love. Her best friend was getting married and Annaya was still searching for that spark that everyone else seemed to find so easily. That's when Jack walked through the door of that casino and turned her world upside down.

Looking at him waiting for her at the head of the aisle on her wedding day, Annaya felt herself being swept off her feet all over again. He was as handsome as the first time she'd ever laid eyes on him, but there was so much more between them now; not just a spark, but a history. They knew each other's secrets and had survived their first few rows and still the spark remained.

Annaya looked up at her groom and saw how much he loved her as her own heart lifted at the sight of him. Whatever happened next, she knew her future was secure. She'd finally found someone to love madly. As unexpected and wild as it had begun, her life with Jack had somehow settled into the life she'd always dreamed she'd have.