THE BROKEN BILLIONAIRE HEIRESS

Anika’s P.O.V

I sighed as I stepped out of the office building. The tension from the board meeting was still on my mind.

I held my bag tightly as I walked, thinking about everything that had happened in the boardroom.

“Miss Downs, it’s been a month since your father passed away. We gave you time to grieve, but the company needs a leader, and that leader is you,” the chairwoman said, looking at me seriously.

My throat felt tight. “I… I don’t think I’m ready. My father never prepared me for this.”

One of the senior board members spoke. “Ready or not, this is your responsibility. The company is struggling, and the employees are looking to you. It’s time for you to step up and learn how to lead. You’re the one your father left this position to.”

His voice was harsh.

A sound nearby brought me back to reality. I noticed some employees whispering and looking at me as I walked through the lobby. Their stares made me uncomfortable, so I walked faster, wanting to get away.

But the moment I stepped outside, I faced another problem.

The sidewalk was full of reporters and flashing cameras. Questions came from every direction.

“Are you really Mr. Downs’s heir?”

“Do you think you can run the company?”

“Rumors say your father’s company is going bankrupt. Is that true?”

The camera flashes were too bright, and everyone was talking at the same time. I could barely hear anything.

My chest tightened, and my breathing became faster as panic started to take over. But before I could completely break down, the company’s security team rushed over and stood between me and the reporters.

They led me toward my car while trying to keep the crowd away from me.

As soon as I got inside, I closed the doors and rested my forehead against the steering wheel. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

I had never received this much attention before, and I hated it.

The sudden sound of the passenger door opening made my heart jump. I quickly looked up, expecting to see a reporter.

But I relaxed when I saw my father’s assistant getting into the passenger seat.

I didn’t say anything. I started the car, wiped away the tear that had fallen from my eye, and drove away, doing my best to lose the reporters following me.

Once we were safe, he cleared his throat. “Anika, I need to talk to you.”

I pulled over and turned to him. My eyes were still swollen from crying. That was when I noticed the folder in his hands.

“You should see these,” he said as he handed me the documents.

I slowly opened the folder and looked through the papers.

My heart dropped when I saw what was inside. My father’s company was not just struggling. It was close to going bankrupt, and he had a lot of debt.

I remembered what the reporters had said earlier. At first, I thought they were only rumors, but it was actually true.

My hands started shaking as I looked at my father’s assistant.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me about this earlier?”

He let out a deep sigh. “Your father didn’t want to put this burden on you. He always believed he would have more time to fix everything. And besides, you know nothing about the company, so he wanted to keep you away from all of this. But now, you have to fix things, or we will lose everything.”

“But I don’t know how to,” I said, my voice shaking. “You said it yourself. I’m new to the business world. I’m not smart enough to handle all of this. And isn’t there supposed to be a vice CEO who takes over in situations like this?”

“There is,” he replied. “But he quit after finding out about the company’s debts. No one wants to take that position now. Many of the board members are also quitting. So it’s all up to you now. You have to find a way to fix this before everything falls apart.”

“I need to go, but I’ll try to find some solutions for you. I’ll also send you a list of the names and addresses of people your father helped. They might be able to help you.”

With that, he got out of the car.

I was left alone, trying to take in everything that had just happened.

I didn’t know what to do. I felt lost and unprepared, but I also didn’t want to fail.

Desperate for help, I decided to visit one of my father’s oldest friends and business partners, Mr. Roberts. Maybe he could help me find a way out of this mess.

~*~

“I need to see Mr. Roberts. It’s urgent. Tell him Anika Downs is here. He’ll recognize that name,” I said to the young receptionist at Roberts Enterprise.

She hesitated for a moment before making a phone call. A few minutes later, she came back and led me to a large, beautiful office.

Mr. Roberts was sitting behind a large desk when I walked in.

“Anika,” he said with a small smile as he stood up to greet me. “It’s been a while. How are you holding up? I’m really sorry about your father.”

“It’s okay,” I said quietly.

“Mr. Roberts, my father always spoke highly of you and the support you both gave each other. I really admired that. I came here because of my father’s company. It’s struggling, and I—”

He raised his hand, stopping me before I could finish.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t get involved in whatever is going on with your company. The media is already talking about its problems, and I don’t want to put my own business at risk by getting involved.”

My heart dropped.

“But my father helped you when your company was almost bankrupt.”

“And I appreciated everything he did for me,” he replied. “But this is different. I can’t afford to take on your company’s problems. If people find out that I’m helping you, my stocks could fall, and my company could suffer.”

My voice shook with emotion.

“But my father gave you everything when no one else was willing to help you. He gave you loans and even convinced other people to invest in your company. It’s because of him that your company is doing well today. And now that I need your help—”

“Enough,” he snapped.

He pressed a button on his desk, and a few security guards entered the room.

“Escort her out,” he ordered coldly.

“Wait!” I pleaded, tears beginning to run down my face. “Please, you can’t do this. This is so unfair. How can you treat me this way after everything my father did for you?”

The security guards grabbed my arms and started pulling me toward the door.

“Anika, I’m sorry,” Mr. Roberts said, looking away from me. “But I have to look out for my own business.”

I stumbled outside, my chest shaking as I tried to hold back my sobs.

I looked up at the tall building as my heart aching for my father. He had done so much for Mr. Roberts, yet this was the loyalty he received in return.

My phone suddenly dinged, pulling me out of my thoughts.

With trembling hands, I checked the message. It was from my father’s assistant. He had sent me a list of people I could contact for help.

I spent hours that day traveling around to meet them, but every attempt ended in rejection. None of them wanted to help.

My father had spent his life helping others, yet now, when he needed support, they had all turned their backs on him. It felt as if all his sacrifices meant nothing.

My eyes fell on the folder of documents on the passenger seat. The debts were overwhelming. Going to the bank was out of the question. My father had already used up their goodwill, leaving me with no financial options. I felt suffocated and almost cried, but I pushed the tears back. It wasn’t time to cry.

My phone suddenly rang, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was my father’s assistant. I answered.

“Anika, a board member is trying to oppose your appointment as CEO. He’s causing trouble with the board and the media. He wants to take over the company for himself and even change its name.”

My heart sank even further.

“What?”

“They’re already talking to the media. He’s been giving interviews and claiming that you’re not fit to run the company. I’ll send you the video. You have to do something before things get out of hand.”

The call ended, and a few seconds later, a video appeared on my screen.

My hands trembled as I watched it. The man from the board meeting earlier that day, whose name I didn’t even know, was sitting confidently in a large chair and speaking with authority.

“I respect Mr. Downs’s legacy,” he said. “But this company needs experienced leadership to get through these difficult times. Anika is young and inexperienced. She’s simply not ready for this responsibility.”

The interviewer nodded.

“So you believe the board should reconsider her appointment?”

“Absolutely,” he replied. “For the sake of the company and its employees, we need someone with the knowledge and experience to lead us in the right direction, especially now that the company is in such a bad state. Since no one else is willing to take the position, I’m ready to do so.”

I sat motionless after the video ended, my heart pounding in my chest. I felt numb and completely exhausted.

I needed someone to talk to that night. I needed someone who could help me make sense of everything.

My hands shook as I reached for my phone.

One name immediately came to my mind—Richard, my boyfriend. He had always been my anchor, the one person who could calm me whenever everything felt out of control. He had also been there for me after my father’s death. I needed him more than ever now.

I dialed Richard’s number and held my breath as the phone rang. Each second felt like forever, but then the ringing stopped.

No answer.

The line went dead.

I stared at the screen for a moment before deciding to go to his place. He didn’t like me showing up without telling him first, but I needed him badly. So I drove to his place, hoping he could give me the clarity and support I desperately needed.

When I arrived, I pressed the doorbell and waited.

No answer.

I was about to ring the bell again when I noticed that the door was slightly ajar.

My brows furrowed in confusion, and I hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open.

“Richard?” I called as I stepped inside, but there was no answer.

I then heard faint voices coming from down the hallway.

I moved carefully toward the sound, slowing down with every word I heard.

“I enjoy spending time with you. You’re the best girlfriend ever,” Richard’s voice said, soft but clear.

My stomach dropped.

What?

Another voice replied, playful but sharp.

“Shut up. You’re only saying that because you need me for s*x, unlike your girlfriend.”

I froze as I recognized the voice.

It was Victoria, my best friend.

My heart raced as I stepped closer to the room where the voices were coming from.

“No, don’t say that,” Richard replied, his voice full of charm. “You know I love you. You’re irresistible.”

“Then why don’t you break up with that b*tch if you love me?” Victoria snapped. “Her father is dead now, so what’s stopping you?”

“No, I can’t break up with her. You know she’s my cash cow. And now that her father is dead, she’ll take over the company, which means I’ll have access to even more money. It’s only a matter of time. Just wait, sweetheart.”

My world shattered as I heard their conversation. My hands shook with anger, and I could barely believe what I was hearing.

Before I could stop myself, I appeared in front of the open door.

Both Richard and Victoria turned toward me. Their faces froze in shock as they quickly tried to cover themselves.

“Anika!” Richard exclaimed, panic in his voice.

Victoria then smirked, her eyes filled with malice.

“Well, this is awkward,” she said, not even trying to hide her smug expression.

Anika’s P.O.V

My voice shook as I looked at them.

“How could you?” I said quietly, my voice breaking. “Both of you.”

My chest rose and fell with every shaky breath.

Richard quickly pulled on his trousers and tried to say something to me, but he kept stuttering.

“So, Richard, you’ve been using me all this time?” I asked, my voice filled with pain. “You were the last person I thought would betray me. So all this time, I was just your ATM, right?”

Richard finished getting dressed and got out of the bed. He walked toward me, looking desperate.

“Babe, I can explain. It’s not what you think. She seduced me, I swear—”

Before he could finish, my hand flew across his face.

The slap echoed through the room.

He stumbled back, looking shocked, as if he couldn’t believe I had slapped him.

“We’re done,” I said firmly. “And I never want to see you again.”

“Baby, please. It’s not what you think—” he tried again, but I gave him