Chapter 8

GEORGE POV

The meeting was going on smoothly. I was getting so close to sealing up this deal after three months then our attention was taken off-guard by the same little boy I saw this morning.

Greg knew what I was going to do next so he sighed and said, "Kick him out." Greg is hardly cool with kids.

Everyone stayed quiet as they waited for me – their overall president to make a say.

I kept looking down at him. He was fidgeting with his fingers and waiting for me to carry him. His white t-shirt was stained. I believe as a result of his bubble tea.

A smile crest across my lips and I lift him up and made him sit on my lap.

Everyone present in the conference room gave me an 'Is George alright?' Look.

Gregory was fuming constantly, I could see it in his red face and thin lips.

I don't know why this kid keeps running to me for twice today but I hope whatever attracts him to me better be a good thing.

I thought of something to keep him busy. I took my latest iPad pro from the table and scroll over to my Netflix app. I search for the newly updated animations.

They recommended one named KILO. I tap on the play arrow and put it on a medium volume before handing it to him.

I witnessed the bright smile on his face like it's was his first time to watch something from Netflix.

While he was so engrossed in the cartoon he was watching, I continued my meeting. It took the rest time to zip up their agape mouths. Many of them wish they were in the position to ask me why I allowed a kid into the middle of our discussion.

The only person on that ground to question me that way was Greg and he was tongue-tied after what I did. He couldn't say anything or question my madness. He remained quiet until the meeting ended.

I was happy I succeeded in closing the deal. It wasn't just an ordinary deal. It was a tough one. Because of this deal, I had to fly here all the way from Romania.

"Dude, please tell me you've been initiated by this little boy." Greg asked the moment we were alone in the room. "That was supposed to be a private business meeting. There was something you should have done to back him out of here but you chose to entertain him."

I glance at the boy soundly sleeping in my arms. The cartoon was almost finished but he slept before the credits went up.

I paused the video and carried him on my shoulder as I stood up. He adjusted on me and wrap his arms around my neck. "He is somebody's child and not some kind of animal."

"And that should have gave you more reasons to ignore him when he first came."

"Get a grip of yourself, Greg. You need fresh release." I said and left.

His eyes bugged.

He couldn't say anything after that. He knew I was right.

...

DIAMOND POV

God.

Holy spirit please bring my son back to me, please.

I'm no longer myself.

I was roaming around the entire floor like a mad woman. I didn't know what to do. My son hasn't return after three hours. He didn't spend so much time when he left with my boss for shopping earlier.

But now, am having a urge that he has been stolen.

Oh God, please help me find him. I promise I won't bring him with me to work again.

I spoke to Nadia and she's at the ground floor searching for him. This is the thirtieth floor am standing on so far. And Mrs. Patricks said it is the presidential floor. I've been hovering everywhere since, from one elevator to another, from one escalator to the other.

My son is missing but nobody agrees to see him or recognize him. They all are just bunch of dumbasses. Am not even sure if they have children in their houses.

There's no way I'm going back home without him. I'll rather kill myself or beg someone to bury me alive than go home empty.

"Relax, we'll find him." Mrs. Patricks soothes me but my mind is still not at peace.

I don't even have a tiny little bit of hope in my heart right now.

"For how long, Mrs. Patricks?" The tears I've been controlling since began to run down my cheeks. "He doesn't know anywhere here, he doesn't know anybody except for I and Nadia. Where would he be? Oh God, just take my life if so be it."

"Hush!" Mrs. Patricks frowned. "Stop talking nonsense. It's not like something bad happened to him. He is safe and sound somewhere and I believe he'll come back to you soon."

I sniffed my nose and wiped my eyes. But still, I couldn't withstand it. I peek my head in every hallway at the corners, "Corey?!" I called out his name. "Corey, dear, it's mommy. Please come out. Hide and seek is over. Okay am sorry. I promise to bring you with me everyday to work, please come to me, please."

Suddenly, the elevator behind us Dings! Open.

And I heard a strong deep familiar voice behind me, saying, "Are you looking for him?" When I turned around, I couldn't believe who I saw and he smiled at me. "You already promised."

I passed out immediately.

....

When I woke up, a white plain ceiling greeted my eyes. I felt my head hurt a bit and my neck cracked from the fall.

I wonder if I hit my head so hard on the tiled ground.

My head turn to my side, it was a wall. And my eyes glance through my body. I notice that I was lying upwards on a bed facing the ceiling. But there was no drips or syringe connected to my veins.

Was this a hospital?

I never asked too far when my eyes landed on the set of people standing in the same room I was in.

Mrs. Patricks, one guy I remember his name to be Gregory and the retarded bastard that cheated on me and abandoned me for four years.

I immediately sat up, my eyes so big and wide open. My heart pounding faster than I could count.

I moved backwards on the bed until my back felt the coldness of the wall.

I faced Mrs. Patricks, "You set me up, didn't you?"

Her brows creased into confusion. As she was about to say something, the coward dismissed her with a slight wave of his hand like a King.

His eyes were keen on me and his expression showed that he was happy about something.

Well, I don't give a fuck what that thing might be. All I want is that, I want to see my son and get out of here immediately.

He reached for my hand but I quickly retrieve my hands to myself and snapped at him. "Don't touch me!"

He raised his hands briefly in the air and his twin brother left us. Now, it was just the both of us left in the big room.

"I won't touch you if you don't want me to." This is the first time in four years I've heard his deep strong voice.

He wasn't wearing his reading glasses which made him more handsome than the last time I had seen him. He looks stronger in appearance and brawly.

But I control my urge not to fall for his tantalizing looks.

I still hate him.

With passion.

"Currently, you're in the company's sickbay." He informed me in a calm tone and I just sat there against the wall, busy staring at him with eyes of rage. "You passed out a while ago." He took a chair and place it in front of the bed and there, he sat looking straight into my eyes. "The physician said you have hypoglycemia."

"Where is my son?" I gritted my teeth.

Heaven help me I don't break this man's head. If I was offered a gun right now, I'd shoot him a hundred times with pleasure.

"Our son." He corrected first. Then, he let out a deep breath and his face became serious like hell. "For fuck sake, Diamond. You knew you were pregnant and you hid it away from me. You ran away from me with our child for almost four years. That was not fair."

"Fair?" I stormed. "Are you talking about who's unfair here? You are the one who caused the chaos. Yes you! You expected me to dwell in the same house you infected with your lies."

He let out a deep sigh to calm down, "Let's talk about it."

I laughed nastily, "Ha! I don't want to have any conversation with you, all I want to know is my son's whereabouts."

"Our son, Diamond." He corrected again like a warning. No joy in his expression. "He's with your cousin. He is safe and sound. You don't have to worry about him."

Tears welled in my eyes. I pointed out his flaws. "You still have zero rights to claim him, George. I won't let you take him away from me." I shook my head vigorously. "Never."

He seems like he was already tired of seeing me cry. "He is my sperm. You can't hide him from me forever. I'll do everything and anything in my strength to protect him. I swear on it." He simply said.

And that's when I remembered what my mother said one time. I can't hide Corey forever, his father will definitely come to find him. And Nadia also said similar thing. That he would come back when he needs his son.

No!

Never!

He can't have him. He won't have him.

I smirk and wiped my eyes, "So, after the divorcement, you still want to protect him?" I laughed nastily. "I have him now, George. Quote me in court or anywhere, I'll still win. Fuck your money if you think you can win the law."

He just stare at me for a while like am a confused portrait. "What divorcement are you talking about?"

My brows furrowed, "Why are you pretending?"

"Am not pretending, Diamond. What divorcement are you talking about? We never signed a divorce paper before we separated so where is that coming from?"

I don't understand.

The divorcement the attorney brought four weeks ago. It was in his name and signature and it demands that we go our separate ways.

I sighed it and it was approved that we're divorced.

"Diamond?" He called me out of my daze. "What divorce are you talking about?"

My lips trembled for a hundred times before something came out. "I….I…I don't know…you send me a divorce paper to sign…the attorney brought it to my place and..." I ran out of words.

His brows arched, "And you sighed it?" When I didn't say anything, he got provoked and stood up abruptly. "What is wrong with you, Diamond? A guy from nowhere dressed in black and white gives you a fake document and you gladly place in your signature? Have you gone nuts?"

"Don't talk to me that way." I lashed out at him. Despite my condition. "If you hadn't cheated on me with your Italian mistress, all that wouldn't have happened."

"Melissa broke my phone when I wanted to call you after you left. Was it my fault that you never introduced me to your family members or took me to your place?"

"But it was your fault that you lied to me, George." I retorted aggressively. "You told me it was just going to be an act so your parents would stop bothering our lives. But you went ahead to fuck her for real. Now tell me it was just an act like the sex scenes we used to see in movies."

He was quiet for a very long time and my heart was beating fast from shouting too much. I'm very allergic to screaming and yelling. It's not good for me.

He sat back on the chair and wanted to take my hand but I pull it back.

He left out a frustrating sigh and bail himself, "Okay, yes, I cheated on you and am sorry. It shouldn't have happened."

I stare at him intently when something crest in my head. I was forced to ask….. "Did you use protection?"

He raised his hands briefly in the air, "I swear on my life, I never touched her skin to skin. She wasn't even as good as you. She tastes watery and sour."

"And me?" Don't blame me, I want to know.

He smiled lightly, "You're indescribable."

I smirk. Feeling proud.

Nice one but that won't pull me back to you, asshole. As far as you slept with her, you slept with her.

And that means, you mark your territory.

When I didn't say anything for a while, he succeeded to capture my hand in his. And in the lowest voice, he requested, "Diamond, please I want you back. I want you and our son back into my life."

I wanted to retrieve my hand but he tighten his grasp.

"I promise to be a good husband this time."

Good husband?

What about his mistress? What will happen to her?

Isn't he married to her since I left?

And his parents who doesn't value me too?

"Am sorry I can't…."

"Is it because of the fake divorce? I promise you, in less than one week I'll fish out the person that did that and I won't spare whoever it is."

No. Not that actually. "The thing is...I just can't come back to your life, George."

He looks at me suspiciously. "Is there another guy? Tell me if there's someone else."

I know he is ready to pay that person if his mind rings right.

"There's no one, George." I sighed, telling him the sincere truth. And I heard him heaved out a deep breath of relief. "I've been single as you have left me, in the last four years. Not that I don't usually see other guys attacking me but….. I'm not just ready to give into a relationship yet."

The truth is that...am still scared to fall in love again. I don't want to end up making the same mistake twice.

And with George in my life again, I feel everything will become normal again but…. It'll tarnish my reputation and his too.

People will talk.

So many rumors and gossip will link everywhere.

Dad already called him so many names because of how we ended in the past.

In fact, Dad said he doesn't want to see him around me ever again or else he'll break his leg.

Our lives won't be settled with the background behind us. His parents will come back fighting me and his mistress won't want to share her man with his ex too.

You see?

So many chaos would be involve. And with my little heart, I don't want anything that'll hurt me again. I don't think I'll be able to withstand another heartbreak.

He shook his head like he understood my point. I took the opportunity to take back my hand. "I'll give you time to think about it. But I want you to know that I won't stop running to you."

"George…."

"Shh." He hushed me and I kept quiet like a puppet. "You're only scared about what would come after us if we reunite. But am not. I don't care. Let them say, think or do what they want. You're still my wife."

"You don't understand." I used to be a lovesick bird and am falling for him already.

Weren't I furious earlier and now, am calm and harmless like a dove.

"What don't I understand? Explain to me."

"Um…."

"Let's go out for dinner. We can talk over it."

Huh? Is he mad?

No, I can't. It hasn't gotten to that level of foolishness yet.

I know he is playing me into his goal net. It won't score.

I rejected, "I can't. Am busy."

"Tomorrow night?"

"I…"

"Please."

Before I could find an answer, the door pushed open and Nadia came in, fuming in anger with a red stiletto in her hand. "Ah! You maggot! You ruined my cousin's life and you still had guts to ask her out? What a nerve!"

The next thing that happened, Nadia attacked him with her stiletto. She hit him hard on his head and he bleeds.

He groaned heavily covering his forehead, his palm covered in blood.

Before I could process the situation, Nadia grabbed my wrist and pull me out with her.

Today is the day I surely knew the cause of her Ex-boyfriend's bruised neck.