Latina In Love With a Billionaire

By Angelica Beck

Bruce Diamond, millionaire heir to a wine empire, is about to find out that when love takes root, it springs eternal.
Rita Diamond, mother to Bruce, selfish, pinning; a woman who understands everything about how the world works, and who believes that to keep the rich from falling back into poverty, the rich must purify their lineage from marriage alliances with peasants.
And she would do anything to achieve this. In the middle of a broiling feud between race and economic status, is the pretty, unassuming Mary Cortez, the woman that Bruce will find he can't live without. It begins at the hotel owned by the Diamond family, where Mary works.
An alliance of love written in the stars, as they say. Bruce would meet Mary, be stricken with a love he has never felt before. But sometimes, the same love that makes us want to stay, is the same one that makes us want to protect those that we love from being hurt by us. Bruce leaves one afternoon without saying goodbye.
This sets in motion a story of betrayal, and a murderous plan to keep apart two lovers who will fight to be together. A story of pain, and rain, and dark clouds, and how in due time, everyone often gets what they want, if they try hard enough, even the vilest people among us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: RFC BOOKLAND EDITORIAL
• Release date: Dec 8, 2021

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE.

A YOUNG MAN STEPPED OUT OF A RENTAL CAR in front of the Royal Palace Hotel on Broadway in New York. He looked like a man out of an English play wearing a flat cap, a single breathed jacket, and brown pinstriped trousers. His shirt all white, however, with a black waistcoat. 

He should attract much attention, but he didn't. He was at least six feet tall, with blue eyes and curly brown hair. 

He had a way about him, a nonchalant attitude which made him walk as though he wasn't in a rush to be anywhere. Although his destinations were usually essential for he was a millionaire. 

His name was Bruce Diamond, of Missouri's Diamond family to Idaho, and most of the Midwest. He was a third-generation benefactor of old men who saw the future and invested in it. Bruce was on his way to make his first million by the age of twenty-three. By his twenty-fifth birthday, he had made three times that, and Forbes was already considering his face for a glossy front-page edition of their magazine. 

Bruce was quick to disabuse the publishers of the paper of their intentions. He was Bruce Diamond. That was who he wanted everyone to consider him to be. He did not fancy Bruce, the Young Millionaire, or anything extra peachy. Nothing more; he just wanted to live a simple life. 

He looked up at the step leading into the hotel and smiled. He took his jolly time up the steps, his hands swung easily beside his body, and he hummed a tune, Carpenter's Yesterday Once More.

The bellhop was a Hungarian named Sebastos. 

Hello, welcome back, Mr. Diamond.

Thank you, Sebastos. Bruce takes a moment with the middle-aged man. How's the knee? 

The man pushed his chest out and tapped his shoe on the hard floor. As good as new. No more pain.

Good thing you got it checked, hey.

Yes, Mr. Diamond. Good. Sebastos leans near, he whispered, Mary just got on duty. She's on the third floor by now.

Bruce nodded and made his way to the lobby. The receptionist beamed at him, per hotel regulation first, and because the girl likely found Bruce quite attractive. Bruce came to the hotel often; he now has a penthouse almost permanently to himself. He only had to call ahead, as he had done before coming over. 

Sebastos was one of the few people who knew about Bruce's relationship with Mary and he preferred it to stay a secret. As he went up the winding steps that drove customer traffic to the top floors of the five-story hotel, beautiful memories flashed before his eyes. 

It was Mary Cortez from the beginning. By the time they’d ended their time in high school, it was apparent it would always be her. But his heart was heavy, and for the first time in his life, he experienced early signs of confusion. 

He went past Room 57 and smiled at the fact that he had only entered that room twice out all of the times that he's been coming to check on Mary. Sometimes Bruce would just meet her in the hallway where she was working and carry on a conversation with her. He'd help Mary with her chores, make the beds with her, help her push the cart while she dabs the fine red floors with her mop head. 

Or he could wait by that room as if he expected some delivery from her. When Mary came around, they'd just talk for a few minutes, after which Bruce leaves. He was a busy man himself. 

—

Mary Cortez was in the business of being good to guests without being noticed; consequently, it was difficult for her not to be noticed. She was a beautiful young woman with smooth, olive skin and medium height. Her bright, brown eyes noticed things, even the minutest feelings, although she may not have known what these feelings meant at the time. 

Mary was on cleaning duty that morning, pushing a cleaning cart down the wide hallway while gossiping with her friend Tami when she saw Bruce Diamond step out of the lift. She beamed and waved at him. 

Here comes your knight in shining armor to come to save you from your dreary job, Tami whispered to her. Wish I had one in any armor— 

Shut up, Tami. All you need to do is choose either of the four men in your life right now.

I want all four.

They both giggled. Bruce wanted to share in the joke. 

No Bruce, you don't want to share, Mary said, Unless you want to hear about female stuff like menses, breast lumps, and the men we date. 

Oh gross, Bruce frowned. How do you cope with this woman? he asked Tami.

Tami said she plans on putting Mary up for adoption soon. This light-hearted banter continued for another two minutes before Tami excused the couple and went down the corridor with both of their carts. 

Bruce silently stared at Mary for a moment. He was at least a full foot taller than her. They walked back together the way she’d came. She looked back every ten seconds or so. Mary Cortez was the only one whose lover came to visit her at work in America. Even though almost no one knew this was happening, she still went about it with some apprehension.

Bruce, did you want to tell me something? she asked. When we spoke on the phone it sounded like you did. 

He shrugged. I might be going out of town for a few days. I thought I should see you before catching my flight.

Today? she grimaced. 

Hey, let's not worry about that. I want you to have dinner with me tonight—

At the house? she asked quickly. 

Would you come if we have it there? 

She pursed her lips, as if she wanted to shake her head but bobbed it instead. Bruce grinned at her; she returned the gesture with a wave and a smile too. She's an inspiring woman, your mother, Mary said.

Yeah, I agree.

On the phone, Mary stops walking and turns to Bruce, You wanted to tell me something important. I heard it in your voice.

Bruce took one look at those jet-black eyes, the oval face, and the slightly curved lips. He decided whatever he wanted to say didn't matter anymore. It could wait. Maybe he'd break it to her on a day when it was unlikely for his mother to pop into the conversation. Lately, Bruce and Mary had grown serious with their relationship, and his mother always found her way into it. 

I wanted to ask if dinner at eight tonight appeals to you. 

Bruce? 

On the phone you sounded like someone died, she looked at him dubiously, "Come on, spill it. What's eating you, baby? Cuentame. Tell me." 

He gathered her in his arms and threw her head back gaily. No, baby, I'm living the life. I’ve got you. It's been how many years now, huh? 

Since college? she replied. But you were foolish; you never asked me on a date, you let me think I wasn’t good enough for you.

Yes, I agree. I was a moron. Now you are dating that moron. You are a moron-dater. A moron-lover. 

She elbowed Bruce playfully. You changed the subject. That was immature, what you did! You know you had something on your lip, you were about to drop it.

Chinese or Spanish? he asked, further dodging her probing. 

We had Spanish the last time. Let's get Chinese now. Feng's Place, Third Street? she suggested.

Yeah. I love that one.

—

Rita Diamond was at her salon downtown getting her hair done for a party that night when her mobile phone buzzed. She could not touch it, though, because she gave her beautician her full attention. She had her digits stretched out before her; a girl with eyelashes the size of little dove's wings were clipping and filing it. Rita's head was laid back over a foam headrest shaped like the ones they issued at the hospital for broken necks. She was pampered by another woman —Pamela Brown, who owns the shop. 

Rita's eyes were covered with a special pair of goggles to protect them from all the chemicals. Pamela brushed into her hair. Pamela Brown wore gloves which she took off and glared at Rita's phone because it would not stop vibrating on the table. 

Do you wanna answer that? Pamela asked.

Rita said with an attitude, Pam, I'm incapable, as you can see! 

No, you are not.

Pamela pressed the red button and pushed the phone against Rita Diamond's right ear; Rita asked the phone to be transferred to the left ear. Pam rolled her eyes. When the phone touched her ear, Rita said, Yes, who's speaking? 

She listened. Her body jerked. 

Wait, wait! Rita retrieved her nails from the other beautician; she wriggled her head from Pamela's grip, and she grabbed her phone. Gimme that! 

Some of her wet hair