YOKED TO A BILLIONAIRE BY VENNEH LISAH

"It must be because of you," Leila lamented. "Only you can make him so adamant about divorcing me."

"What can I say for you to understand this?" By now, Violla was exasperated. "He and I are done, It's all in the past now. Even if he's not married to you, even if he's single, I still won't go back to him."

"Of course I understand. You've let go of him long ago, but he hasn't." A bitter smile crept upon Leila's lips. "He's a fool. He thought by divorcing me, he'll be able to court you again, but you've already set your eyes on someone else, didn't you? You're thinking of seducing Mr. Roman."

"That's right." In order to make Leila stop pestering her, Violla made a false admittance. "I'm thinking of going after Mr. Roman. He's better than Franklin in virtually everything."

"You sure are full of yourself, aren't you?" Leila said with disdain. "Mr. Roman has a fiance, you know? He's just toying with you. He won't actually fall in love with you."

"What?" Violla's heart skipped a beat. 'Davon has a fiancee? Why don't I know about this?'

"The reason for Franklin's persistence is because he knows it's impossible for you and Mr. Roman to be in a relationship," Leila sneered. "On that note, I actually know someone who's a perfect match for you."

"Huh?" Violla was confounded.

"Come on out." Leila clapped.

With that, Amira came out from the private room with a towering man following behind her.

The man looked around six-foot-two with a similar build as Davon. However, the way he held himself differed vastly from Davon.

When Violla looked at his face, she noticed he was a man from East Nation by the tribal marks.

"Do you remember him?" Amira pointed at the man as she sneered, "He's Kevin He was the man that slept with you at Empire Night."

Kevin gave Violla a once-over, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

"You were his first client, and you've left a deep impression on him," Leila added. "I hired him for you for twenty thousand back then, and I even sent the two of you to the hotel. It was that night that made you have that three damn kids."

"That's impossible…" Violla frowned as her eyes widened in shock before she shook her head fervently. "It can't be him. How can it be him?"

Although she had drunk much that night, and she could not remember the man's face, when she woke up in a daze, she saw the man's back and his tattoo.

It was impossible for her to have recognized the wrong person.

"Who else could it be if not him?" Amira mocked. "Kevin won't remember the wrong person. He takes a photo of every client he has."

With that, she gestured at the tall man.

Kevin then took out several photos from the pocket of his flowery shirt and carefully placed them on the table.

When Violla focused on it, her jaw dropped.

In the photo was a drunk Violla who only had a black bra on her top. Her face was flushed, and she was sound asleep on a white, large bed.

The man had also taken multiple close and intimate shots of her with him.

Goosebumps rose on her arm, and at that moment, Violla felt nauseated.

She could not believe the man who she slept with four years ago was this man from East Nation.

She could not believe that he was the father of her children.

"Do you still not believe in me?" Leila took out her phone and played a video. "You will when you look at this."

Violla twisted around to look at the video playing on the screen of the phone.

In the video, she was in a drunken stupor as she cursed at Franklin for betraying her.

While Leila supported her, she picked the only foreigner from a line of male models—Kevin. With an evil grin, she said, "You'll be the one. Do serve my dear friend here well tonight."

"Okay, got it.". Kevin helped Violla leave the room.

That was when Leila called out from behind, "I booked you guys a hotel just across the road. I'll take you there."

Then, the woman kept her phone and sneered, "I rushed to meet Franklin that night when he dropped by Empire Night and even placed a mini camera on top of the vase. I don't know what happened afterward, but the camera didn't capture anything. Otherwise, we'd be enjoying some great content by now."

"You're disgusting!" Violla yelled. "I've treated you kindly all this while, Leila, but why are you doing this to me? Why?"

"You treated me kindly?" Leila scoffed. "I followed you around and served you like a slave ever since I was young. You call that treating me kindly? We're all human, and both our fathers are Milans. Yet, you're seen as a princess while I'm nothing but your little subordinate. Why is that?"

Violla retorted, "Everything I have was given to me by my father. What does this have to do with you?"

She couldn't understand Leila's reasoning.

"Yeah, that's why your dad died at such a young age," the other woman enunciated. "You drove him to his death."

"Shut your nonsense!" Trembling with anger, Violla wanted to strike Leila only to be held back by Amira.

"You dare lay a finger on Leila?" Amira gave Violla a shove and shot her a warning. "Now that we've got some dirt on you, shouldn't you be pleading to us like a dog by now? Instead, you're still acting all high and mighty? Should I post all these pictures and videos on the Internet, then? Maybe I should get Kevin to give the media a detailed account of what happened that night too."

"You…" Violla couldn't utter a word. She turned to Kevin and shook her head fervently. "No. It wasn't him. There's no way....."

"It was me. It really was." The man gazed at her weakly. "I know you have a scar on your waist."

Violla froze in shock and slumped on the couch.She did have a scar on her waist.

'Could it be…No!'

Something important suddenly sprang up in her mind. She hastily pressed Kevin against the wall and tugged at his shirt.

"Ughh!" Amira immediately turned around and covered her eyes. "How shameless can you be to do something like this right in front of us? You're disgusting!"

"What a lunatic." Leila frowned with contempt.

Violla lifted Kevin's shirt, searching for a tattoo on the back of his waist.

'It's not him.I'm sure of it!'

"I don't have time for a psycho like you, Violla," Leila warned haughtily. "I'm giving you an order right now. Marry this man, or I'll release all the pictures, videos, and information I have on you, your East Nation escort, as well as the three kids you had with him."

"I won't marry him," Violla declared, slowly calming down. "He's not the man from that night, nor is he the father of my children. You're obviously trying to set me up."

"Are you out of your mind?" The other woman tossed the explicit photos over. "I have all the proof right here, and you're still trying to deny it? Are you making any sense?"

"I'm sure it wasn't him," Violla insisted. "But if you dare spread nonsense to the public, I'll never let you off."

"You…"Amira merely smirked. "I'd like to see how you can do that. Do you think we'd be afraid of you just because you have Mr. Roman backing you up now? Do you honestly think he'd still protect you if he finds out about all your nasty deeds and the fact that you have three kids? He might even kill you instead!"

Upon hearing that, Violla began to worry. 'She's right. It'd be trouble if Davon finds out…Still, none of these threats would mean anything if he were the escort from back then.'

'But I'm sure if it really was him.She dared not take a gamble.Besides, even if it were him, what if he has something to do with Dad's death?I can't acknowledge him, and I can't ever let him find out about the kids.Otherwise, he might take them from me…'

Violla was distraught as these thoughts crossed her mind. 'Even so… I can't marry this East Nation man to cover my tracks, can I?'

"You don't have a choice," Leila threatened. "I don't have that much patience either. Kevin's already brought the agreement. Head to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register your marriage, and I'll talk to the press. As long we get these two steps done, I'll never bother you again."

"Give me some time." Violla didn't dare turn Leila down, but she certainly wasn't going to readily agree either. "I'll think about it...."

"Think about what? I want it done now." Leila obviously couldn't wait any longer.

"But..." Suddenly, Violla's phone rang. Having the name 'escort' appear on her screen was as though she had met her savior. "Don't you want me to get married to make Franklin give up? Well, it's not like I have to marry this East Nation man; I can marry someone else, right?"

"Who else do you think would marry you within this hour and a half?" Amira scoffed. "Do you think you're some goddess everyone wants to marry?"

"I do have a candidate," Violla answered while holding her phone. "But he can't find out about my kids."

"Fine. Whatever." Leila waved impatiently. "It doesn't matter who you marry. Just get it done by today and announce it to the press."

"Leila…" Amira tried to stop her daughter from saying something rash, but Leila had already spoken.

"Okay. Let me pick up a call." Violla walked toward a corner and answered her phone. "Save me, escort."

"What's wrong? Is someone after you again?" Davon asked hastily.He was so frantic that he forgot to suppress his voice.

"No, I…" Violla paused for a moment and began to fill him out. "I have to head to the Civil Affairs Bureau right now and get married. Can you help me?"

"What's going on?" the man asked in shock.

"I can't explain it all now. In any case, I have to get married today. Just answer this. Are you able to help me or not?" Violla was trying to connect the dots.' If he really is Davon, he'd be in North Nation now. He won't be able to come back right away.'

"I'm out of town at the moment. Can it wait a few days?" Davon answered.

'I knew it. It's exactly as I expected.'

'Are you in North Nation now?" she continued asking.

The man over the line paused for two seconds before answering, "I'm in South Nation."

"Oh…" Violla was eighty percent sure the man was Davon. "The two million you gave me isn't enough," she probed.

"Two million?" Escort sounded confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Just admit it already. You're....." Violla started .

"Are you done yet? I'm not in the mood to watch you dilly-dally!" Leila's impatient voice cut Violla off.

Davon narrowed his eyes. "Is someone threatening you?"

"It's all good. I'll talk to you later." She hung up and turned to Leila. "I can't get it done within an hour and a half. Give me a few days. If you can't wait, just do as you please."

"Do you really think you call the shots here?" Amira growled. "Keep playing games with me, and I'll release everything to the public!"

"Be my guest, then." Violla was pretty much done with them. "Davon may not want me if he finds out about the kids, but Franklin won't think that way. If you drive me to the edge, I'll have no choice but to rely on Franklin."

"You b*tch!" Leila rushed over and gave her a vicious slap across the face, trembling with fury. "Touch my husband, and I'll kill you!"

The woman wanted to continue attacking Violla, but her mother held her back.

"We should be trying to solve the problem. There's no point hitting her," Amira advised. "If she can't get it done by today, we may as well give her two days."

Violla's cheek stung in pain. However, instead of returning the favor, she silently took note of what Leila had just done to her.

Despite feeling extremely reluctant, Leila gave in to her mother's advice. "Fine. I'll give you two days. But if you don't do as I say by then, you know what will happen. I'll release everything piece of news I have about your children if you ever tell Franklin anything about this."

"I understand." After Violla left the café, a group of paparazzi began to follow her. The woman ran as fast as she could and finally shook them off after crossing several streets and alleys.

She didn't understand it. She had never gotten back at Leila for the things the woman had done to her back then. Yet, not only did the latter not feel guilty at all, but she was even more ruthless toward Violla now.

At present, Violla had lost her job – her life was a mess.

She was on the verge of breaking down upon arriving home. Her phone had been ringing all the while; it was Franklin calling.

The mere sight of this man's caller ID gave her a headache. She immediately rejected the call and blocked his number.

The world fell silent.

Clutching her burning forehead, she leaned against the couch to rest, only to hear her phone ring again. It was the news outlets calling this time. Irritated, the woman hurriedly blocked one number after another.

Suddenly, a familiar-looking number appeared on her screen.Violla couldn't help but freeze seeing the digits.

This phone number was practically the same as Franklin's, except for the last digit. Franklin's number ended with a 9, but this one was a 6.

She quickly recalled how Barbra had gotten herself a number similar to Franklin's while she was frantically pursuing him.

"Hello?" Violla answered the phone.

"You're so hard to reach, Violla! It's me, Barbra ."She sounds the same as before.

"Hey, Barbra What can I do for you?" she asked politely.

"Oh, I'm fine. It's someone else who wants to talk to you…"

Barbra handed the phone to someone else.

A gentle voice immediately came through the line. "Hey, Violla . Do you know who I am?"

Violla instantly froze; she only returned to her senses after a long while. "Martin!"

"Thank God you remember me. I just made a bet with Barbra and I would have had to buy her a year's worth of heels if you didn't remember me."

The man's voice sounded as warm and playful as the sun.

"How could I not remember you?" Violla instantly felt glum. Apart from her father and Franklin, Martin was one of the few people who treated her extremely well.

Because of an accident back in university, that man had his finger chopped off by a machine just to save her.

At that time, she had sobbed uncontrollably as she watched him lying in a pool of blood.

Martin had been in so much pain that he turned pale and was practically drenched in sweat. Even so, he had merely let out a smile and said to her, "You feel bad? If you do, you should marry me."

Martin and Franklin had fought over her for many years. They both had done so much just to win the girl's heart.

But in the end, however, she still chose the graceful and elegant Franklin. He was the first one to capture her heart, after all.

Martin, on the other hand, was more like an elder brother or close relative to her.

After news of Violla's and Franklin's engagement broke out, Martin left the country on his own and cut off all contact with the woman.

"Are you free? How about a drink?" Martin asked gently.

"Okay," Violla replied casually before immediately thinking twice. Those reporters follow me wherever I go, don't they? Won't that spell trouble for him?

As if he had read her mind, he said, "Don't worry. I'll protect you. Just tell me where I can pick you up, and I'll head over."

Martin had always been a thoughtful man.