WARMING THE BILLIONAIRE COLD HEART

Nicholas glanced momentarily at the cellphone screen in front of him, allowing the device to keep ringing, forcing himself to answer it soon. It wasn’t due to hesitation, but rather to gather his courage. He was certain that something would happen after picking up that call, as it always seemed to be the case.

Taking a slow breath, Nicholas assured himself and swiped the green symbol on the cellphone screen to begin speaking.

“Hello…”

“It’s been a long time, Mama hasn’t heard from you, Nick. Are you too busy over there?” There was a hint of annoyance in each word.

Nicholas took a deep breath first, then replied, “Ma, how are you? I’m sorry if I’ve been too busy lately to contact you.”

“It’s okay, honey. I’ve been better. So, how about you? Have you found a prospective wife over there?”

Nicholas fell silent for a moment, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed. After some thought, he chose the right answer to avoid his mother dwelling on the subject of a potential wife or marriage as usual.

“Ma, I’m here working, and I haven’t had the time to think about that.”

A frustrated sigh was heard from the other side.

“So, how long do you expect me to wait? Until I’m no longer young, Nick? Do you want to get married after I’m gone? Is that what you want?”

“Ma, it’s not like that. I just haven’t thought about taking the next step yet. I’m only thirty years old, after all.”

There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a long sigh and words.

“Alright, it seems I need to be firm with you. Now, you choose: do you want Mama to find a prospect for you, or do you want to find one yourself? Although I’m not sure, considering your previous choices have been disappointing.”

“Ma, can we not discuss arranged marriages or partners this time?” Nicholas pleaded.

“I’ve waited too long, Nicholas Alistair,” the woman said.

“I will get married, Ma. Just not right now,” Nicholas replied.

“There’s no ‘later,’ Nick! Just so you know, at the end of the month, I will accompany your father to Indonesia. When I arrive there, I expect you to have at least a girlfriend. If not, don’t be surprised if I suddenly arrange an engagement with a woman of my choice!”

“Ma!” Nicholas exclaimed on the phone.

“Sorry, this time I won’t accept objections! Good luck finding a girlfriend, my dear. Your deadline is two weeks from now.”

The call was abruptly terminated by the woman on the other end. It was Cassandra Delano, none other than Nicholas’s biological mother.

Cassandra was known for her strong-willed nature. While most billionaire wives spent their time and money socializing with their high-society friends, she was different. Instead of discussing designer bags and luxury items, she had spent nearly half her life collecting and assisting street children. Many of them were adopted and given an education, with hundreds benefiting from her support to this day.

But what was her attitude towards her own children?

In the past, when Nicholas decided to pursue a relationship and marry Briana, the middle-aged woman had initially refused. Her motherly intuition told her that Briana didn’t truly love Nicholas. Her intuition proved right when, just a week before the wedding, Briana was caught having an affair with another man.

Cassandra had made numerous efforts to help her son recover quickly. She introduced him to almost all the eligible daughters of her friends, but none of them captured his heart. She was at a loss about what more she could do to help Nicholas move on and get married.

Nicholas rubbed his frustrated face. Finding a girlfriend within two weeks? Seriously, Ma?

***

Certainly, here’s the provided text translated into American English with correct grammar:

“Edward had now seen Nicholas massage his forehead more than twice. From his facial expression, it was evident that he was contemplating something heavy. But he was quite certain it wasn’t a work-related issue. As far as he knew, there were no major problems currently affecting the company.

Feeling very curious, Edward felt compelled to ask, “Is there a significant issue bothering you?”

Nicholas took a deep breath. Adjusting his sitting position to be more upright, he leaned both of his hands on the sides of the chair he was occupying.

“If you were set up on a blind date, what would you do, Ed?”

Instead of answering, Edward burst into laughter upon hearing Nicholas’s words. He laughed for quite some time, which irritated Nicholas a little.

“Are Aunty Cassandra and Uncle Robert planning to set you up?” Edward asked, sounding mocking.

Nicholas stared sharply at Edward. He thought it might have been a big mistake to ask this friend of his. Edward was never serious on any occasion, which was quite different from Kenzi.

Feeling that Nicholas was giving him an intimidating look, Edward adjusted his sitting position and replied, “Alright, don’t be angry. I’ll answer your question seriously. If I were in your position right now, I would definitely not want to be set up. Instead of being chosen, I’d rather choose my own partner, Nick.”

Nicholas nodded, seemingly agreeing with Edward. “So, if you were given two weeks to find a partner, what would you do?”

“What kind of question is this, Nick? It’s obvious I’d start looking right away. Sitting idle won’t help at all.”

Nicholas was momentarily stunned. “But where would I find a partner in such a short time?”

“Nick, I don’t know if you’re being serious with these questions or joking. But if I were you, I wouldn’t bother looking for women out there. I’ve told you countless times that your secretary has qualities that no one else possesses. How do I prove it to you? Do I need to try being her lover first?”

Nicholas grumbled in frustration. “Don’t be foolish, Ed!”

“If you’re still adamant, then just accept the matchmaking. Let yourself experience it.”

“But Kenzi has been genuinely happy after being matched with Alma.”

Edward laughed. “Are you being naive or pretending to be? Kenzi and Alma are clearly different cases. They’ve liked each other since childhood.”

“So, what should I do?” Nicholas asked, growing frustrated.

“If you really don’t want to have a relationship with Kimberly, you can look for a woman out there who fits your criteria. Once you find her, make her your girlfriend. Problem finished.” Edward reached for the coffee in front of him and sipped it until it was empty.

Nicholas looked at Edward puzzled. “Execution in the field isn’t as easy as your words, Ed!”

Edward shrugged and laughed. “The choice is yours, Nick. The decision is all in your hands. Choose Kimberly or another woman. If you end up getting married, I promise to give you a honeymoon gift.”

Nicholas furrowed his brow. “Oh yeah? You’re too kind.”

“Of course, I am your best friend. That’s why if you happen to marry a woman in the near future, I’ll give you a gift of traveling around the world for a full month,” Edward bragged.

“Are you crazy, a month-long vacation? I have to work. There’s no way I can honeymoon for a whole month,” responded Nicholas.

Edward stood up from his seated position and prepared to leave the room. Before he left, he answered Nicholas’s question once more, “Come on, Nick, everywhere a honeymoon lasts a month, right? If it’s just a week, it’s called a week-long honeymoon.”

Nicholas’s patience had worn thin today. Not wanting to prolong the conversation, he ordered Edward to leave his office immediately.