The Billion Dollar Game: Am I Just the CEO's Pawn?

Sophia's POV

The rain tapped persistently on the cab's window as I embarked on my journey to my former CEO's family's house, flying from the bustling streets of New York to the vibrant heart of Los Angeles. This was my first time in the city of angels, and my anticipation was a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

The Stones were a name synonymous with wealth and influence, not just in the circles of New York's elite, but also in the world of news media and journalism. Their media empire, the Wexa Media Group, had carved a colossal path through the industry, a multi-billion-dollar behemoth renowned for its news coverage and its reach across the globe.

Tonight, the company was hosting a grand retirement party for its ex-CEO, Simon Stone, retiring at the ripe age of 68. Simon's tenure had seen remarkable growth and transformation within the company, earning him the respect and admiration of all its members and employees.

Invitations had been extended to all members and employees for the luxurious event at the Stone family's LA residence. But as I sat in the cab, rain pouring outside, I found myself engrossed in a text from my mother. Her message, concerned and caring, made me feel a pang of guilt for not being more communicative. "Hey, hon, called you several times in the past few days, wanting to check up on you, but it keeps going to voicemail. Give me a call as soon as you see this. I'm beginning to get worried. Love you."

Just as I was about to draft a response, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Helen, a colleague and a dear friend from work. She was also a fellow reporter at Wexa Media News, and her voice cut through the din of the ex-CEO's retirement party.

"Hey, what's up?" I answered, struggling to hear her over the loud music.

"Where are you?" Helen's voice came through with more urgency.

"What?! I can't hear you!" I shouted back.

Helen raised her voice above the music, "Where! Are! You!"

"I'm on my way," I assured her, dropping my phone from my ear to address the Uber driver. "How much further is it?"

The driver replied, "Just a couple of minutes, ma'am."

Turning my attention back to Helen, I conveyed, "I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

Excitement crept into her voice. "Alright, hurry up! You're missing all the fun!"

As the music and party sounds enveloped the phone, I was left with little choice but to ask again, "What?!"

"Just hurry up!" Helen's voice rang out with insistence.

"Okay!" I replied before ending the call.

As i arrived at the Stone's residence, i was greeted by a captivating garden that beckoned with its beauty. The mansion, standing tall and majestic, was a testament to opulence, a grand structure that exuded wealth and refinement.

"Thank you," i expressed my gratitude to the Uber driver with a nod of appreciation.

The driver responded with a polite smile. "You're welcome, ma'am. Please don't forget to give me a good rating."

With my small traveling bag securely fastened to my back, i made a dash from the cab to the main building entrance. Rain falling heavily, and as i put some distance between me and the cab, i raised my voice to ensure it carried over the downpour.

"I will!"

Soaked and breathing heavily from my brief run, i arrived at the entrance where two security personnel, dressed in black suits, and sporting earpieces, stood vigilant. One of the security men stepped forward, his demeanor serious. "Show us your invite."

I swiftly rummaged through my bag, retrieving a slightly crumpled invite card. "Here, sir."

The security man accepted the invite and inspected it carefully. After a moment, he returned it to me, offering a nod. "Welcome, Miss Sophia."

He gestured with a slight bulge of his hand towards the door behind him. Without hesitation, i moved past the security personnel and stepped into the grand building.

As I entered the living room, I was awestruck by the array of prominent figures among the guests. I spotted individuals holding influential political positions worldwide, along with renowned entertainers, from actors and actresses to sports stars and music artists. I couldn't help but murmur to myself.

"Ah, now I understand the reason for the heavy security."

Lost in my contemplation, I snapped back to reality when a server at the party approached me, offering a tray of drinks and asking, "Hey there, would you like a drink?" I promptly selected a glass from the tray, replying, "Thank you, I would." As I took a sip, the exquisite taste engulfed my senses, compelling me to savor each drop of the heavenly wine.

Balancing the glass in one hand and my phone in the other, I messaged Helen to inform her of my arrival. "Hey, I'm here. Where can I find you?" Within moments, a response from Helen illuminated my phone screen, guiding me to her location. "I and Selena are at the bar area." Selena, who's also a friend and colleague, was with her.

With this information in hand, I left my spot and made my way to the bar. After a brief search, I finally spotted my friends. A delighted smile graced my face as I greeted them, saying, "Hey, guys."

Helen playfully quipped with a smile, "Took you long enough." Selena also joined in with a cheerful smile, adding, "But hey, at least she made it."

Seated with my friends at the bar area, I signaled to the bartender, requesting a soda with ice. The bartender prepared a lemon-lime soda for me. While he was making it, I turned to Helen and said, "I'm starving." Helen offered a solution, "There's food in the dining area. Let me get you some." She promptly got up and headed to the dining area to fetch a meal.

A few minutes later, Helen returned with a steaming, well-cooked meal. She seemed uncertain and asked, "Are you a vegetarian? I wasn't sure about the meat." I smiled and, my mouth watering in anticipation of the delicious meal, replied, "Girl, I'm not a vegetarian."

As I enjoyed my meal, we engaged in lively conversation, discussing various topics, including journalism and the daily challenges we faced as reporters. During our talk, Selena excused herself to use the restroom. When she returned, she brought along a bottle of wine.

Selena presented the bottle before us, and in a playful tone, I remarked, "I bet I could finish this entire thing."

A look of surprise crossed Selena's face, and she responded, "Come on, girl, stop tripping."

I turned to Selena and reaffirmed, "I swear I can."

Seeing the seriousness in my eyes, Helen couldn't help but burst into laughter. She proposed, "Okay then, try it. If you can finish it as you said, I'm going to give you five hundred dollars."

Selena added humorously, "Make it a thousand dollars. I'll also pitch in five hundred. But if you lose, you'll cover all our work next week. Deal?"

Contemplating the offer, I weighed the financial benefit against the risk, especially considering my student loan debt.

Musing to myself, "What do you have to lose, "I finally said. "Deal."

Sealing the agreement with an handshake, a decision I would later come to regret deeply.

I emerged victorious in the bet, but the victory came at a high price. I ended up getting significantly intoxicated, reaching a point where everything around me seemed motionless. Turning to my friends, I mumbled, "Well, I'm definitely going to be sick."

Nausea gripped me, and I staggered out of my seat, desperately attempting to reach the restroom, my senses indicating an impending need to vomit. However, I had only taken a few unsteady steps before collapsing to the floor. Helen couldn't contain her laughter, and Selena rushed to my aid, assisting me while sharing in the amusement. She teasingly quipped, "I warned you."

Back on my feet, we managed to take a few more steps before an unfortunate collision with a man interrupted our journey. I tumbled to the floor, and as I looked up, I could only hear Selena apologizing to the handsome young man. "We're so sorry, sir," she said. Then, everything went dark as I passed out.

I regained consciousness a few minutes later, finding myself in one of the many rooms of the sprawling mansion. The same man, with his mesmerizing blue eyes, chiseled jawline, appealing lips, and lustrous black hair, sat by my side. He resembled a character out of a movie, and in my intoxicated state, I uttered, "Are you an angel?"

With a smile, he responded, "No, I'm not. I'm Harry. Your friends went to fetch you a glass of water."

Blushing slightly, I replied, "Well, Harry, you certainly look like one."

At that moment, Helen and Selena entered the room, both wearing expressions of concern.

"Are you all right?" Helen asked.

I reassured her, "I'm fine. Everything is just spinning slowly."

Then, I turned to Harry once more and humorously quipped, "Hey, handsome, can I lick your face?"

With a grin, he excused himself and departed from the room.

Helen leaned in closer to me, her worry evident, and disclosed, "By the way, that's Harry Stone, the acting CEO."