ã€ŠContract With The Billionaireã€‹


 CHAAPTER ONE

    Alexander Ian is a handsome billionaire, 6¡¯5ft tall, Ocean blue eyes, sharp jawline and a perfectly built body structure with abs, Alexander is 27 years who didn¡¯t feel the warmth of a family, a very cold business man who have vowed never to get married after his ex-girlfriend did a terrible thing to him.

    **********

    The noise of pages turning was the only sound heard in the room until there was a sigh. It was a sign of tiredness that had left his lips, unable to take in the situation.

    ¡°So, there is no other way to get the property?¡± he asked, looking at thewyer with a cold expression.

    Thewyer smiled nervously, ncing at the person sitting beside the cold man. ¡°No,¡± he replied meekly, not wanting to upset him because he was very well capable of destroying him.

    ¡°Read that use again,¡± he ordered, leaning back in his chair and staring at him intensely.

    Thewyer fumbled through the pages before getting to that use and reading it out loudly. ¡°Transfer my entire property, which includes mansions, farmhouses, mypanies, 50% of the money in my international ount to Alexander Ian and the remaining 50% to the less privileged, but only after it is made sure that he has a son or daughter of his own,¡± thewyer read out.

    ¡°If at all he remains single, all of my property must be transferred to the orphanage home.¡± Hepleted reading the use, and nced at the man in front of him.

    Alexander stated, ¡°From what I have understood from this use, he nowhere has mentioned that I should get married or have a wife or get settled. So that means he only wished for me to have an heir to the family. Am I right?¡± Thewyer¡¯s eyes widened at how he had interpreted the situation.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    This man was surely crude and evil.

    ¡°But he has mentioned that if you remain single, then you won¡¯t get anything. So doesn¡¯t that mean-¡± thewyer said, but stopped, knowing there was no need to finish the sentence.

    ¡°I won¡¯t obviously be single after I have a son or a daughter. That does not mean I have to get into any rtionship or, worse, get married, right?¡± he raised his eyebrow, daring thewyer to defy him.

    Alex surely knew how to twist the situation to his favour. His friend beside him shook his head and sighed, knowing how stubborn he was.

    ¡°I¡¯ll surely have an heir to this empire, and once that is fulfilled, you will do the needful.¡± he pointed at the papers, his eyes on thewyer who nodded, gulping the saliva stuck in his throat.

    Once thewyer scurried out of the room, Alex smirked, rxing on his chair. His grandfather was smart, but he was smarter because he was his grandson.

    ¡°Alexander, are you sure this is all going to turn out beneficial for you? I mean, do you think you¡¯ll be able to find such a woman who will agree to give you a baby and want nothing in return?¡± his friend asked, and Alex smirked yet again.

    ¡°Mark, I know you are concerned for me, and I appreciate that, but there is no one in this world who would want nothing in return. They will surely want something, maybe money or something else, and as long as she is willing to give me what I want, I will give her whatever she wants in return,¡± he concluded, ying with the cube in his hand.

    ¡°Alright, but I even doubt you will find such a woman who will, firstly, agree to such a thing, and even if she does, then do you think a mother can give away her own child?¡± Mark pointed out the obvious, and Alex¡¯s eyes darted towards him.

    ¡°She will have to, and that is why there will be a written contract which she will be signing so thatter on in the future, I won¡¯t have to deal with such nauseating dramas.¡± He rolled his eyes, and Mark carefully watched his friend, who seemed determined to do what he wanted to.

    He shrugged in defeat, having nothing to say anymore as it was of absolutely no use. Alex was going to have his ways and would never stop for anyone, and that is who Alexander Ian was.

    After Mark left, he also had apany to run, Alex called in his secretary the next instant.

    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± His secretary stood in front of him after being allowed to enter inside.

    Alex said nothing for a few minutes, which made the secretary ufortable. This was him. He had this aura to make people uneasy with just his silence, and his steely eyes would make their skin crawl.

    ¡°I want you to make a contract, the details of which will be dictated to youter. But right now, find a list of girls ready to marry me. And I want it quick.¡± He clicked his fingers, and the next second, his secretary was out of his office with hurried steps.

    Twenty minutester, he was back in his cabin with the list, and he had to say he was impressed because the list was about ten pages long.

    ¡°Start calling them tomorrow. I will meet the suitable ones, and the rest, the next day, that is, if I don¡¯t find the suitable one. Now, the contract. Write it down now and make it fast because I won¡¯t repeat myself. Also, the typed version of this should be on my desk at the end of the day.¡±

    The poor guy fumbled with his notepad and pen because Alexander Ian had already started dictating. Half an hourter, he was done, and as he nced at George, his secretary, he found him grinning at the notepad.

    ¡°If I find a single error in the typed document, needless to say, keep your belongings packed already because the termination letter will be on your desk.¡± At his remark, George¡¯s face paled, and he gulped.

    ¡°There won¡¯t be a single mistake, sir.¡± He tried to be confident but failed, and before he could say more, Alex was already dismissing him with a wave.

    For the second time, George almost sprinted out of there as if saving his life from a monster. It was true; he was a monster to his employees and a devil to the entire world. The only one who could see him as a human was Mark, his best friend.

    Four hourster, the contract was on Alex¡¯s desk, and a nervous-looking George stood before him. Alex nced at him and then picked up the contract. George wanted to run away at that very moment. Although he had checked and rechecked the contract almost ten times, he was still apprehensive.

    ¡°Did you recheck it?¡± Alex asked.

    ¡°Yes, sir, ten times.¡± George kept his mouth shut after that, not wanting to say anything stupid.

    ¡°Good. You can leave.¡± Just four words, and George felt all the tension leaving his body. He had never felt this rxed in his entire life. And somewhere, a little part of him was beaming at the praise.

    He moved out and typed a reminder on his phone about calling about twenty girls tomorrow for the interview to be his boss¡¯s wife. He already prayed for the one who would be the ¡®lucky girl.¡¯

 CHAAPTER TWO

    As the next participant was walking into his office, his workers began to talk and murmur among themselves. That would obviously be called gossiping.

    There were whispers, snickers, and giggles in the office, causing the employees to nce at the girls with pure frustration.

    It was total and utter chaos. Why would the boss even want to marry any of these brats?

    All they did was check their makeup from time to time, eye each other with disgust, push up their breasts, and smirk at one another. It was extremely annoying. But as time passed, every single one of them stormed out of his office with a scowl stered on their faces.

    On one hand, George and all the other staff members were relieved that none of them would be ¡®the wife,¡¯ but it also confused them as to why none of them cried on being rejected and instead left with angry faces.

    George called thest one, and she confidently walked inside, but not before giving him a smug look as if she was sure that she was the one.

    He just shook his head, hiding his smile at her stupidity.

    The woman entered his office and straight away walked towards his desk.

    Alex was watching her every move and was very well aware of the seductive smile she was giving him, along with the extra sway to her hips.

    He gestured for her to sit with his pen, and she purposely sat down, bending a little too much, revealing her cleavage.

    He sat there unaffected, caring less about her advances.

    ¡°Miss Beatrice, let me clear up one thing which you are expecting,¡± he started, and she listened carefully, her eyes fixed on him.

    ¡°I have not called you here for any marriage proposal. So if you want to leave now, you can find your way out,¡± he dered, and her face fell. This was not what she was expecting at all.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. If you don¡¯t want to marry, we can still have fun,¡± she smiled coyly, and leaned on the desk yet again, giving a view of her cleavage.

    ¡°I only need a child from you, and in return, I¡¯ll be giving you anything you want,¡± he said, and her smile dropped as she gave him a nk look.

    ¡°Child? As in you impregnating me and then that¡¯s it? You get the baby, and where do I go? What should I do?¡± she asked, sitting back, and he looked at her curiously.

    She wasn¡¯t the type to get into such a contract, but the way she was questioning him back withoutshing out was something different.

    ¡°As I said, you will be getting as much money as you want in return. But after that, I won¡¯t want you anywhere near me or my child,¡± he looked into her eyes, and she did the same, not backing down.

    ¡°What if I say I want a part of your property?¡± she asked, smirking, and he chuckled darkly, which definitely made her skin crawl.

    ¡°Then you can kiss goodbye to everything you have in your life. You won¡¯t have a house to stay in when you go back and most definitely not a penny in your ount. I can do more if you want to try,¡± his tone was icy cold, and she felt every inch of her body shiver.

    She gulped, and he could very well see the fear swimming in her eyes.

    ¡°Leave,¡± he ordered, not looking away, and she almost fell from her seat as she tried to get up.

    After she scurried off from his office, he sighed and leaned back. He didn¡¯t know how, but he was going to find a suitable woman who would agree to this contract.

    The next few days passed with the same kind of results. Not even a single woman matched his expectations, and now he was slightly frustrated.

    He hade to know that he wouldn¡¯t find such a woman so easily, and even if there is, only her weakness will make her agree to this contract.

    So now he would personally set out to find her.

    With this determination, he got up, buttoned his zer, and moved out of his office.

    As soon as he stepped out, every employee stood up, some in fear, some in respect, while George was bound to follow him.

    ¡°Sir, now that all the candidates have been rejected, do you want me to find some more?¡± George asked, taking hurried steps to follow him.

    ¡°That¡¯s not needed. I¡¯ll find her on my own,¡± Alex replied firmly. For a moment, George stopped but then ran to catch up with him.

    Just as they reached outside the building, the driver was already waiting with the car in front of the entrance.

    He immediately walked towards it and opened the door for the owner to settle in. Alex sat inside, and the driver closed the door, running to sit in the driver¡¯s seat.

    As the car started, Alex motioned the driver to stop and rolled down the window, looking at George.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want this news to spread that I¡¯m looking for a woman for my personal benefits, and if it does, then it¡¯s over for you,¡± he warned, with a stern look, before asking the driver to start driving again, leaving George bbergasted.

    Now, George was supposed to contact all those women back and practically threaten them in such a way that they wouldn¡¯t let this news pass on to anyone. God bless him.

    Alex got a call from Mark when he was on his way to a meeting. He picked it up on the third ring and looked out of the window.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked without any informal greetings, and heard a sigh from the other end.

    ¡°When will I get to hear a ¡®hi¡¯ from your side? This is a question for another time, but right now I have called to ask if you have found ¡®the one¡¯?¡± Mark inquired, a hint of frustration in his voice.

    Rolling his eyes, Alex opened the button of his zer and rxed more into the seat. ¡°Not yet. But I will soon,¡± his reply was short and simple, and he liked it that way.

    ¡°Alex, why don¡¯t you just agree to marriage and then have a kid? It¡¯ll be much easier for you,¡± Mark suggested, really wanting him to see sense in what he was saying.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in rtionships, and you know that. Even if I marry someone, I can assure you that there will be no scope in that marriage. So, now you tell me, are you done with your precious lecture of distributing knowledge?¡± he asked in a bored tone, and heard a curse from the other end before the line went dead.

    He pocketed his phone and looked out only to find that his car was now stuck in traffic.

    He roamed his eyes around and at a distance saw a woman arguing with some buff-looking men.

    He looked on with interest, and although he wasn¡¯t one to get involved in such things, today it was different. The woman was tiny but looked like a fierce warrior, not ready to back down.

    Behind her, there were children who looked on with fear or anger on their faces.

    It was then his eyes fell on the small house behind them and the board upon it which read ¡°Charity.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take him a second to realise that it was an orphanage.

    Before he could see more, the traffic cleared and his car started moving, but then he asked his driver to park it on the side and got down, walking towards where the quarrel was taking ce.

    ¡°If you so much as try to even harm my home, then I swear I won¡¯t spare any of you,¡± the petite woman spat with venom while the goonsughed at her attempt.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even harm a fly if you want to. Enough of this drama, either you empty this orphanage on your own, or we won¡¯t care if anyone is inside before demolishing this house,¡± they warned and left while the woman sighed defeatedly.

    A small boy walked up to her and held her hand, to which she bent down to his level and hugged him.

    Alex observed everything patiently, and then he knew what he had to do. Looks like he finally found what he wanted.

 CHAAPTER THREE

    Mia Liam is a very beautifuldy with brown eyes. She is 23 years old, 5¡¯7¡å tall. She is a slimdy with an attractive shape, normal-sized breasts, and a slightlyrger butt.

    Mia entered thevish building and looked at the interiors nervously. She had never been to such a high-maintenance ce and had no idea why she hadnded here, having merely received a message that the owner of thispany could help save her orphanage. She had been desperate to save her home, her children¡¯s home, and if this was thest hope, then she was ready. She would do anything to save her orphanage.

    Walking inside, she searched for the reception, and once she found it, she directly went up to the receptionist and asked for the boss¡¯s office.

    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± the receptionist asked arrogantly, her tone dripping with condescension. Mia fumbled for an answer.

    She surely didn¡¯t have an appointment, and what would she say? She got a message saying that the owner of thispany would help her get back her orphanage? Or that she had no idea who thispany¡¯s owner was?

    ¡°I-¡± Before she could answer, George arrived and looked at the receptionist, who now stered a sweet smile on her face.

    ¡°Mia, right?¡± George asked, ignoring the receptionist¡¯s flirty looks. Mia just nodded, being tongue-tied.

    ¡°That text was sent by me. Mr. Ian is waiting for you. I¡¯ll take you there,¡± he said politely, and she gave him a grateful smile.

    As they reached outside his cabin, he knocked, and a e in¡¯ was heard from the other side. George smiled and gestured for her to step inside. She smiled nervously at him, and after thanking him, she stepped inside.

    She gasped when she saw his office because, honestly, it was too dreamy for her. But she shouldn¡¯t focus on all this now. Shaking her head, she looked at the man who was now observing her intently. It made her ufortable, but she could not do anything about it.

    ¡°You can sit,¡± he said, his voice steady, and she obliged, looking anywhere but at him. She wasn¡¯t scared of him but intimidated, definitely. He had this aura around him that made it impossible for her to getfortable.

    ¡°So, Ms. Mia, you know that you are here because you want to save your orphanage, and I¡¯m ready to help you,¡± he started in his business-like tone. She looked at him with a serious expression.

    ¡°Just make one call and your orphanage will be saved,¡± he dered confidently, but she didn¡¯t jump in happiness like he had expected. Instead, she just stared at him.

    ¡°But why? Why are you helping me? What do you want in return?¡± she asked, her voice steady butced with suspicion. He was certainly impressed because she looked all naive and innocent, but she was smart.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like beating around the bush, so I¡¯lle straight to the point. I want a child from you without marriage,¡± he announced, gauging her expressions which gave away nothing.

    ¡°So, you want to get me pregnant and then give away my child to you?¡± she asked after two minutes, her gaze not wavering a bit as he leaned forward.

    ¡°My child,¡± he corrected before continuing. ¡°I want an heir for mypany, but I don¡¯t believe in marriage, so this arrangement,¡± he exined while she calcted something in her mind.

    ¡°But what about me?¡± she finally asked the question that had been bugging her.

    He raised one eyebrow, as if asking what about her.

    ¡°You get your child, and I leave, but then what about my reputation, my character which will be questioned once I leave your premises? Needless to say, it will be the end of me,¡± she said calmly, but there was a fire in her eyes using him of such a vile thing.

    ¡°That can be a problem, but I assure you that if you agree to this, not even a word about you will be out in the open. That is my lookout, and I will handle any media that will meddle in my life,¡± he responded, his words strong and stern like him. But she was still sceptical.

    ¡°You can take your time, but remember Mr. Manson will not wait to demolish your ce,¡± he reminded her, and her eyes snapped at him in helplessness.

    For fifteen minutes, they sat there, him staring at her, trying to read her answer while she could feel her heart sinking with every passing second. It was such a big step, and she didn¡¯t even have time to think about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

    With those words, she sold herself to the devil just for her kids.

    Just as soon as she agreed, George was called in with the contract in his hand. He ced it on the desk and nced at Mia.

    Mia knew that this man wouldn¡¯t just take her words as a guarantee; he would need it in writing. She observed everything quietly as he picked up the contract and ced it in front of her.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Read this and sign it,¡± he ordered, and she felt like ring at him but controlled her anger and picked up the papers.

    While she thoroughly went through that document, Alex leaned back leisurely and it was now that he noticed her attire: a simple white dress with a flower design on it. She definitely had no makeup on because it was clearly visible to him. No jewellery, hair left open, and a pair of chappals. Most certainly, she was wife material, but too bad he wasn¡¯t interested.

    ¡°What is this use, Mr. Ian?¡± The anger was clear in her voice, and as he looked in her eyes, he was right. The fire was definitely present.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I meet my child whenever I want to? That¡¯s totally ridiculous,¡± she fumed, and he remained calm.

    ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t want any marriage, and so you will, nowhere, be associated with me or my child after you hand him/her over to me. I know a child needs the mother the most, but that won¡¯t be a problem because I will be arranging a nanny for the same,¡± he said nonchntly, and she curled up her fists.

    The nerve of this man. First, he denies her from meeting her own child, and now he¡¯s talking as if it¡¯s a thing they are trading.

    ¡°I do not agree unless this allows me to meet my child any time I want, without any restrictions. Only then will I sign this contract,¡± she demanded, and he narrowed his eyes at her dangerously.

    ¡°You do not have the right to demand anything from me. These are my rules, and you have to abide by them, or you can kiss goodbye to your orphanage,¡± he threatened, and she gritted her teeth.

    Sure, she was desperate at the moment, but that didn¡¯t mean she was weak. He couldn¡¯t, and she would never allow him to walk all over her.

    ¡°Fine then! You can keep your contract and find some other woman to abide by your rules. I will handle my problem very well,¡± she snapped, standing up with a jerk and turning around to leave.

    He was taken aback by her audacity to refuse him even after his threat.

    But he couldn¡¯t let her leave because he knew that he wouldn¡¯t find another woman like her who would agree to this. He hated to bend down in front of anyone, but this tiny woman forced him to, for the first time.

    ¡°Wait!¡± he said, and she stopped in her tracks but didn¡¯t turn around.

    ¡°I will remove that use,¡± he announced, and she turned around to look at him. Although he looked normal, she could see the dangerous glint in his eyes.

    ¡°But you won¡¯t be allowed to meet my child in the absence of my presence,¡± he added, and she wished she could walk up to him and punch him straight in his jaw.

    ¡°What am I, a kidnapper who will abduct the child in your absence?¡± she gritted out, and he shrugged in response.

    She sighed heavily and went back to the desk. Before picking up a pen, she eyed him suspiciously because there was still something being missed out.

    ¡°You will be staying with me until you deliver the baby,¡± he voiced out the unspoken, and she closed her eyes tightly.

    He was really testing her patience, but she knew he was right. How could she stay at ¡®Charity¡¯ when she was pregnant?

    Without another word, she signed the document, and a satisfying smirk formed on his face. Finally, he would get what he really wanted.

 CHAAPTER FOUR

    After Mia agreed to sign the contract to save her orphanage, she found out that the board of ¡®Mr. Mason¡¯s property was already removed. She was so relieved, but then she remembered that a bigger problem was already waiting. She needed to give him a child. Why did he need just a child? Why didn¡¯t he just get married instead of asking a differentdy to sign a contract with him?

    ¡°Mia,¡± a voice called as soon as she stepped inside. She smiled as the person came and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Our orphanage is now safe,¡± her best friend eximed excitedly. Mia looked around to see the kids dancing andughing happily, which made her eyes misty.

    She definitely made the right decision, but she knew that something was wrong. Not receiving the expected reaction, her best friend looked at her suspiciously, making Mia feel ashamed.

    ¡°Mia, look at me,¡± she ordered, and Mia bit her lip. How will she tell her best friend¡­?

    ¡°What did you do?¡± It was more like an order to tell her the truth.

    She looked at her and then at the kids around before holding her hand and dragging her to the nearby room.

    ¡°I sold myself. I signed a contract with one rich man to be able to save this orphanage. You know I can¡¯t lose it, and there were no other alternatives!¡± she blurted out. Chloe, her best friend, looked at her shocked.

    The next day, Mia found out that Alex had sent some of his men to assist with her luggage to his mansion. She rolled her eyes at that and only allowed the driver to take her to his mansion because, honestly, she didn¡¯t have more than two bags.

    As she sat in the car, she thought about her conversation with Chloe. After exining everything to her, Chloe was downright furious, and who wouldn¡¯t be? Any sane person would never agree to such a contract, that is if they didn¡¯t have a weakness. Chloe refused to let her go to the devil, but Mia couldn¡¯t do anything. She was bound. She could not back out now because he had fulfilled his part of the deal; now it was her turn.

    So yesterday night, after her best friend refused to talk with her or even acknowledge her presence, she cried in her embrace, which was the breaking point, and both women cried hard for what destiny was ying at.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we have reached your destination.¡± The driver was already standing at her side with the door held open. She sighed and got out, looking at the mansion in front of her. It was magnificent.

    ¡°Excuse me, sir, please don¡¯t call me ma¡¯am because I¡¯m quite young for that, and next time if you drive me somewhere, please don¡¯t open the door for me as well. I can do it on my own,¡± she smiled politely at the driver, who looked bbergasted at her request.

    She then picked up her bags and moved towards the entrance where two women were already waiting for her at the doorstep. They tried taking her bags from her hand, but she refused and carried them on her own.

    She looked around to find Alex, but he was nowhere in sight. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t want to entertain her except for the nights. She scoffed in her mind and waited for one of the maids to show her the room.

    ¡°This way, ma¡¯am,¡± the maid said, and Mia made a helpless face at being called ma¡¯am yet again. She had never beenfortable with these words simply because all her life she¡¯s been called by her name.

    Once they reached inside her room, the maid turned to leave but was stopped by her. She put her bags down and faced her.

    ¡°Thank you. And please call me Mia,¡± she smiled, but the maid didn¡¯t and just gaped at her, making her frown.

    What was wrong?

    Without another word, the maid hurriedly bowed before her and left, leaving her confused and surprised as well. She shook her head and looked at the room. It was quite spacious ording to her, andvish was definitely added.

    There was a king-size bed in the middle of the room, at least to her it was king-sized, and to the left, a door, probably the bathroom. Next to the door was the closet, and what she loved the most was on the right of the room. It was a bookshelf and just five steps ahead, a window with a small seating area below it. It was kind of perfect for her, and she absolutely loved it.

    Walking towards the bed, she sat down on it first and then sprawled across it. She almost sighed at the softness of the bed, and the next thing she knew, she was being pulled into the darkness. She was in her dreand already.

    Alex and Mark were on their way to Alex¡¯s mansion, and Mark was truly shocked that he had already found a suitable woman.

    ¡°Are you serious that you found a woman who agreed to give you a baby and asked for no money, nothing in return?¡± Mark asked, not believing his ears. Were there such types of women in this world?

    ¡°For thest time, I did help her by saving her orphanage, so it is a give-and-take situation. Will you shut the fuck up before I kick you out of this car?¡± Alex threatened, but Mark just rolled his eyes in return.

    He wondered if there was another side to this story.

    Soon they reached the mansion, and Alex was informed that she was already in her room. He asked Mark to wait while he had a chat with her. He knocked on the door but got no reply. He tried one more time before twisting the knob and pushing the door open.

    Shey there on the bed, sleeping soundly, and he stared at her for a few seconds before closing the door and going back to the living room.

    ¡°She¡¯s asleep,¡± he informed, and Mark nodded as they sat on the couch.

    Alex was thinking about how he had asked George to cancel that particr use just after Mia left. If he wanted, he could have let it be included because she had already signed it, but he has never yed ugly until the opponent starts the game.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Mark asked as he saw Alex lost in his thoughts.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°She agreed to the contract but not before I agreed to one of her conditions,¡± he revealed, and Mark sat up straight, looking excited suddenly. He rubbed his hands together with an overly smiley face and waited for him to exin further.

    ¡°She wanted me to remove the use where I refused the mother to meet her child after she hands him or her over to me,¡± Alex said, and Mark was impressed with the unknown woman already because who dared oppose Alexander Ian?

    ¡°So did you threaten her?¡± he asked, observing Alex¡¯s reaction.

    Alex just nodded positively while drinking the water that was on the table.

    ¡°I did, but she refused to agree, and I had to oblige,¡± he ended and leaned back on the couch, but Mark was far from rxed.

    ¡°Whoa! So, what you are trying to say is that a woman made Alexander Ian agree to her condition. Did she really?¡± He smiled cheerfully, and Alex gave him a nk look.

    ¡°I have to meet her now. We haven¡¯t talked much, and we need to do it.¡± Alex announced and stood up from the living room, walking in the direction of his room to freshen up.

 CHAAPTER FIVE

    Mia woke up abruptly without any disturbance and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

    For a moment, fear gripped her heart, not knowing where she was. Slowly, she remembered how she entered the contract andnded here in Alex¡¯s mansion. She sighed and got up, moving towards the bathroom to freshen up. Even the bathroom was spacious, and she could just gawk at it after entering inside.

    ¡°God, what have I gotten myself into?¡± she muttered to herself.

    After freshening up, she decided to go into the living room and explore the mansion. As soon as she entered the room, she found Alex there along with an unknown man.

    ¡°Hellooo, sister-inw. I¡¯m so d to finally meet the woman who can make Alexander Ian work ording to her,¡± the man said dramatically. Mia was taken aback. She nced at Alex and found him giving a hard stare to the overexcited man.

    ¡°Mark,¡± Alex¡¯s tone held a warning, but it seemed like Mark was not bothered. He came forward and made her sit on the couch.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s ignore this person and focus on me,¡± Mark eximed. Beside him, Alex took out his phone, clearly uninterested in his nonsense talks.

    ¡°So, let me ask you the one thing that I have been dying to ask: are you really ready to do this?¡± he asked seriously. Mia shifted ufortably.

    Alex¡¯s head snapped in Mark¡¯s direction, his jaw clenched. ¡°She has to be, because if not, I can sue her for breaching the contract,¡± he spoke in a hard tone, somewhat ring at Mark for making her rethink her decision.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Ian, I won¡¯t back out now that you have fulfilled your part of the deal,¡± she spoke for the first time, and Alex looked at her.

    Mark sighed, rubbing his nape. Alex stood up all of a sudden, startling them both.

    ¡°You both can chat all you want, but some other time. Mark, you should leave,¡± he said curtly. Mia gave him a disbelieving look.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± Mark challenged daringly, but Alex paid no heed. Mia was a silent spectator to all the drama.

    ¡°Then I will throw you out,¡± Alex said, standing up and walking in front of Mark.

    ¡°You,¡± Mark poked a finger at Alex, ¡°throw me out?¡± His lower lip wobbled, and Mia couldn¡¯t control it any longer as she burst outughing.

    Both men stared at her, one with a soft smile on his face while the other with a cold expression. Feeling their gazes, she stopped andposed herself.

    After Mark left, performing his small drama, Alex left for his room without another word. Mia decided to do what she hade for: exploring the mansion. She roamed around for more than forty-five minutes, but the exploration was still iplete.

    Exhausted, she decided to eat something first, but the way to the kitchen was unknown. She came back to the living room and looked around for a maid.

    ¡°Ms. Mia,¡± she turned around with a jerk, and found Alex standing there in his casual wear, freshly showered. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at his torso, clearly visible through his t-shirt. She wondered if he was a fan of the colour ck because he was always wearing ck.

    ¡°Shall we discuss some important aspects of this arrangement?¡± He raised his eyebrows, and she made a face because she was hungry.

    ¡°No, we shall not. I¡¯m hungry, I need to feed my stomach,¡± she dered hungrily and tried to walk past him, but he held her hand a bit tightly to stop her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate disobedience in my house,¡± his voice was edgy.

    ¡°And I can¡¯t tolerate my stomach being empty,¡± she retorted, tilting her head to re at him. He stared at her long and hard, making her squirm in his hold.

    ¡°Peter,¡± he called, not looking away. She could feel her heart beating fast. A man came running into the room the next second and bowed in front of them. ¡°Make something healthy and bring it to my study in fifteen minutes,¡± he ordered. Without waiting for a reply, he dragged Mia to his study, leaving her surprised.

    Only when the door was shut did she realise they had reached his study room and he had already released her hand. She looked around at the ck walls and his desk, somewhat simr to his office at thepany.

    ¡°Stare at itter; you¡¯re going to be here for a long time. Right now,e and sit here,¡± he ordered. She red at him, not moving an inch.

    ¡°Stop ordering me. I¡¯m not your servant or your employee. In fact, we are two equal persons in this contract,¡± she snapped. She could see his jaw clenching, but he said nothing.

    ¡°You are given a separate room only for now, even though it wasn¡¯t necessary. But once you get pregnant, you¡¯ll be staying with me in my room,¡± he started. She crossed her arms, staring at him.

    ¡°I hope you know that for having a baby, we are supposed to have sexual intercourse, and I am expecting that you are ready for that because honestly, I wouldn¡¯t want to waste any of my time,¡± he said, looking at her expressions, which gave away nothing. He continued, ¡°You need not worry because once you are pregnant, I won¡¯t touch you in that way.¡±

    He said it coldly, but she was fuming inside. She knew they were supposed to have sex, and although she wasn¡¯t ready, she was trying to prepare herself. This jerk was talking in such a monotone that it felt like a robot was speaking.

    ¡°Are you done listing your essential points?¡± she asked. He gave her a cold stare which she ignored, learning from Mark.

    ¡°First of all, I know we need to have sex. Let me inform you that I am a virgin. So, if you don¡¯t like that, tell me right now because there are other ways to get me pregnant,¡± she shrugged, indicating the IVF solution.

    ¡°And secondly, I¡¯m least bothered about having any kind of rtionship with you, so I don¡¯t expect anything from you,¡± she stated.

    Alex got up from his chair and stalked towards her. ¡°That¡¯s good for you. Virgin or not, I don¡¯t care because I¡¯m not going for the IVF treatment,¡± he whispered huskily in her ear, making her shiver involuntarily.

    There was a knock on the door, and the food trolley was brought in. Mia was staring at the food when she felt him lean close to her, his hot breath fanning her neck.

    ¡°Have your meal because you¡¯ll need a lot of energy for tonight,¡± he whispered. She was already breathing heavily. After he left the study, her eyes widened as she recalled his words.

    ¡°Tonight?¡± she echoed, her heart pounding with anxiety and anticipation.

 CHAAPTER SIX

    It was past eight-thirty already, and they had their dinner in their respective rooms. Mia was now sitting at the window, trying to read a book to distract herself. She was nervous without a doubt. She had never had time for rtionships or love all her life until now; she had only concentrated on her kids and had no time for herself.

    ¡°Chloe was always irritated and fed up, making me understand to take out some time for myself, but I never listened,¡± Mia thought aloud with a chuckle, remembering Chloe¡¯s angry face.

    She looked out of the window, her thoughts drifting to her kids. She had no idea how they were doing, and even if she wanted to know, she controlled herself. Talking to them would make it impossible for her to stay away.

    She hadn¡¯t even informed them about her departure, asking Chloe to make up some story about her absence. It was just too difficult for her.

    ¡°Are you done dreaming with your eyes open?¡± Alex¡¯s voice startled her. She found him standing at the door, his presence imposing.

    He came inside and shut the door, making her shift nervously, looking here and there. ¡°Why is he so eager to do this today? Couldn¡¯t he wait? And why is it necessary to have sex?¡± she wondered.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    He hadn¡¯t mentioned something like that in the contract. He hadn¡¯t mentioned that they would be having sex before they had a baby.

    She stood up then, confidently staring at him. He just raised an eyebrow in return at her nonchnt behaviour.

    ¡°I¡¯m not having sex with you,¡± she dered, waiting for him to burst, but when he didn¡¯t, she looked at him. He was waiting for her to speak further. What more?

    ¡°You have nowhere mentioned in the contract that the baby will be conceived by having sex, so if I don¡¯t want to do it that way, you cannot force me,¡± she stated proudly, mentally patting herself on the back foring up with this solution.

    ¡°You do realise that you have signed a contract with me, right?¡± he asked calmly.

    ¡°Yes, I do, and if you want to sue me, you can, but it won¡¯t be called breach of contract because there are other options to conceive a baby like IVF. But even after trying all the other options, if I don¡¯t get pregnant and then you ask for having sex and I refuse, then that will be considered a breach of your contract, Mr. Ian,¡± she exined. He was already looking at her with his jaw clenched and a dangerous glint in his eyes.

    He was annoyed because this was the second time she had found a loophole in his contract, and he hated every bit of it.

    ¡°What is the problem with having sex? It is the natural way to conceive, and if you are so scared to have sex, then you shouldn¡¯t have signed the contract,¡± he snapped. She narrowed her eyes. This man infuriated her to no end.

    ¡°Well, if you are so desperate to have sex, then you can do it with someone else. I am absolutely not interested,¡± she said arrogantly. He stepped closer, making her nervous.

    He pinned her to the wall without touching her, and she pressed herself more into the wall. Raising his hand, he traced her cheek with his forefinger, and she closed her eyes tight.

    ¡°You are ying with fire, so don¡¯tinter when you get burnt,¡± he whispered dangerously. She opened her eyes to stare into his.

    She never understood why his eyes were so nk, so cold, and so guarded. He never let anyone even peer into him, not even his friend. Why was he so mysterious?

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind being burnt, Mr. Ian, but I do mind losing my self-respect,¡± she muttered sternly yet softly. He stared at her for a few seconds before moving back and leaving the room.

    She sighed in relief and closed her eyes. He had this power to drain her mentally.

    The next morning came quickly, much to her disappointment. She found herself roaming in the mansion again. Alex was nowhere to be found, and she assumed he left for work. She was busy exploring when a maid came to her and handed her something.

    ¡°Sir has ordered me to give this to you,¡± she said, and before Mia could ask anything, she left.

    Mia looked at the box with confusion and opened it, only to gasp in shock. It was a phone, very expensive if she might add, but why the hell was he giving her this?

    As if he heard her question, the phone rang the next second, making her jump. She answered it and pressed it to her ear.

    ¡°So, you got the phone. Now get ready fast and wait in the living room until my driveres to pick you up,¡± Alex¡¯s voice instructed before the line went dead.

    She red at the phone, but nevertheless, she got ready and waited in the living room as instructed. A few minutester, she was in the car, going to God knows where.

    She tried asking the driver, but he just apologised, saying he wasn¡¯t supposed to talk to her. She groaned at Alex¡¯s stupid orders and cursed him in her mind.

    Finally, the car came to a stop, and she looked outside only to find herself in front of a hospital.

    ¡°Why is this man so desperate and impatient to get a baby?¡± she wondered, shaking her head. She knew she was here for the IVF treatment and walked inside the hospital.

    Alex was already present inside, and as soon as his eyes fell on her, he walked towards her. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said inly and turned to leave, but she held his hand.

    ¡°Why did you give me this phone?¡± she asked angrily, showing the phone. He nced at the phone and then at her.

    ¡°This is not for your personal use. I have given it to you so that only I can contact you through it, and it¡¯s only temporary. Take it before you leave,¡± he said coldly, indicating that he never did anything out of feelings. It was pure business for him and nothing else.

    As they walked towards their destination, she looked at him curiously, but his face was as usual nk, devoid of any emotion.

    ¡°How did you agree so easily to this option?¡± she asked the question that had been bugging her the most.

    ¡°I may be a monster and a devil, but I don¡¯t force myself on anyone. I can¡¯t do that,¡± he said, looking at her. She couldn¡¯t look away. His words confused her.

    Soon they reached the doctor¡¯s cabin and entered inside. The doctor smiled and weed them, and Mia reciprocated. As expected, Alex stayed unaffected.

    ¡°Have a seat, Mr. and Mrs¡­?¡± the doctor trailed off, and Mia shifted ufortably.

    Alex sat down straight away, leaving Mia stunned. ¡°Doctor, we are here for the IVF treatment,¡± he said without beating around the bush. Mia palmed her face mentally.

    ¡°Okay, I believe you aren¡¯t able to conceive by sexual intercourse,¡± the doctor nodded to himself. Alex looked at Mia, who just looked away.

    ¡°She is a virgin,¡± Alex stated bluntly. Mia¡¯s eyes widened, and the doctor looked stunned.

    ¡°Oh, well, okay,¡± the doctor said, confused but didn¡¯t question further. Mia red at Alex for being this insensitive, but he cared less.

    ¡°Okay, so IVF is a process where we¡¯ll collect your eggs and his sperm andbine them in ourb until they form an embryo or embryos. After that, we¡¯ll ce the embryos in her uterus, and after two or three weeks, she¡¯ll have to take a pregnancy test.¡±

    ¡°Now, this procedure that I have exined was in short so that you understand what it is. Also, the chances of getting pregnant from this treatment depend on your age as well as where you get this done. I can assure you that we¡¯ll provide you with the best service,¡± the doctor smiled. Mia looked at Alex.

    ¡°How much time does this treatment take? Are you sure she can take this treatment, considering the fact that she is a virgin?¡± Alex asked without looking at her.

    ¡°That is not a problem. We have had cases of such type as well. Also, this process might take a little time,¡± the doctor informed, and Alex nodded while Mia looked nervous.

    ¡°Do you want to ask something, Mrs¡­?¡± the doctor turned to her and sensed her nervousness.

    ¡°There is a specific time when females produce eggs, right?¡± She ignored Alex and looked straight at the doctor.

    ¡°Yes, you are right. If you are not in that period of producing eggs, then we¡¯ll inject you with hormones after which you¡¯ll start producing eggs. Only after they are fully developed, we will retrieve them tobine with his sperm,¡± he answered. She nodded, lost in her thoughts.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry; we¡¯ll take care of everything,¡± he assured, and Mia smiled nervously.

    After they were done with the questions, Mia waited outside while Alex paid for the treatment. So, this was it. She was going to get pregnant through this treatment, and her life would change entirely after it. She just hoped the results woulde positive in the end.

 CHAAPTER SEVEN

    Mia eggs were collected and Alex¡¯s sperm was also collected and was taken to theb. They were asked to wait for a minimum of five days until the embryos were formed. Five dayster they were called over to the hospital and the embryos were nted inside Mia¡¯s uterus after which she was asked to rest because the chances of getting pregnant are minimal. They would nt two ¨C three embryos and Mia was informed about the same.

    After everything was done, Mia and Alex were asked to wait for two weeks and then the pregnancy test would be done by them.

    Amidst all this, Alex appeared to be least bothered and it was somewhere weird for her because it was him who wanted a child, not her.

    But she chucked it off because when did he seem interested.

    Alex left for his work after that and Mia informed him that she¡¯ll be visiting her orphanage (Charity).

    Once she got there, as she had expected all the kids screamed in excitement at her return.

    ¡°Mia, you are back, we missed you so much,¡± they said happily.

    She hugged them all and had a nice chat with them. She also yed with them a little, Chloe just stared at them with a smile.

    This orphanage was solely Mia¡¯s responsibility but now that she had to be at Ian mansion, Chloe had promised her that she will be taking care of them until she returns.

    ¡°Chloe,¡± Mia called, as she walked towards her, smiling.

    They hugged each other before Chloe took her in a room to know about the progress.

    ¡°What is happening?¡± Chloe asked, looking at her face which didn¡¯t show any kind of distress. She just looked kinda nervous.

    ¡°We are going for IVF treatment.¡± She announced nervously, and Chloe¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t going to have s*x?¡± Chloe left the sentence iplete, and waited for her toplete it, but Mia just shocked her head negatively.

    Chloe grinned widely and jumped upon her, startling her.

    ¡°That¡¯s such wonderful news. But how did he agree because as far as I know, he¡¯s never taken a step back for anyone.¡± Chloe asked with a confused face, while Mia frowned as well.

    ¡°You know him?¡± Mia asked back, and Chloe rolled her eyes at her innocent question. She surely was unaware of the world.

    ¡°Mia, he¡¯s ¡®The Alexander Ian¡¯, the Billionaire; the owner of Ian¡¯spany.¡± Chloe exined, and Mia had her mouth hung open. Was he that famous?, she thought.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me before? What if the mediaes to know about this contract? What about me? This orphanage? Everything will be exposed, she panicked and Chloe gave her a helpless look¡±.

    Chloe said, ¡°This is why I was angry in the first ce. You are too naive for this world and talk to him about this. Okay?¡± Mia just nodded, with a worried look on her face.

    Alex was sitting on his chair rxed, and a smirk lingered on his lips as he recalled his conversation with the doctor before they were going to nt the embryos into her uterus.

    He walked inside the doctor¡¯s cabin like he owned it, and sat on the chair.

    ¡°Do you need something Mr. Ian? The embryos are ready and it¡¯ll be quick.¡± The doctor informed him, but he was least interested.

    ¡°Now you tell me honestly, what are the chances that she will get pregnant through this treatment? Can you write it on a stamp paper?¡± he asked, as he raised his eyebrow while the doctor fumbled.

    ¡°We can¡¯t do that sir, because we cannot guarantee that she will get pregnant.¡± he replied truthfully, and Alex stared at him coldly.

    ¡°First things first, if she does get pregnant, that¡¯s good for both of us, but if she doesn¡¯t¡­¡± Alex trailed off, looking at the doctor who now was nervous.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°I will make sure that your career and this hospital ends. And this is my guarantee.¡± he said in a low voice threatening voice, while his cold eyes stayed on the doctor who started sweating.

    ¡°Sir, please you can¡¯t do this. What do you want then?¡± The doctor pleaded to the devil who just sat with a smirk.

    ¡°Either you give me a 100% guarantee that this treatment will be sessful or don¡¯t nt whatever you are going to nt in her.¡± Alex gave him options, and the doctor looked at him shocked.

    ¡®He didn¡¯t want them to ce the embryos in her uterus? Then why did he pay us?¡¯ the doctor thought.

    ¡°But then, it is okay if we don¡¯t nt the embryos.¡± the doctor changed his statement, looking at Alex¡¯s face which held a warning.

    What followed was the doctors pretending to nt the embryos in her and asking her to rest. She was also informed that they¡¯ll do the pregnancy test after two weeks just as per the procedure.

    Now two weeks he could wait right? Of course.

    If the doctor had given him the guarantee that she will get pregnant, then he wouldn¡¯t have done this, but he can not just invest his money into something and get no result out of it.

    He wasn¡¯t a businessman who would incur losses, so he agreed to whatever she demanded and now after two weeks when the results will be negative, she will have to agree to what he will demand because, that¡¯s how you y!

    After Mia got back to the mansion, she couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything.

    She had to talk to Alex, and even though the doctor had asked her not to stress herself, she couldn¡¯t help it. She tried to read books or tried to understand the features of the new phone, but nothing worked, she wanted answers and only he could give her the answer she wanted.

    At ten thirty when he came back from work, she reminded herself to not jump on him the first instant and demand answers. She would wait until he freshened up, and had his dinner.

    After fifteen minutes, she could no longer keep her calm, so she marched out of her room and walked to the direction of his room.

    She knocked once, twice, thrice but got no answer, frustrated she pushed the door open and entered inside, only to find the room empty.

    She frowned and looked around, but he was nowhere. Just then she heard a click, and Alex walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped lowly and dangerously around his waist.

    She gasped loudly, looking at his naked chest which was still dripping with water. She had no idea for how long she stood there gawking at his chest and his abs.

    Alex smirked seeing her gaping at him shamelessly and he could clearly see his effect on her.

    ¡°You need something?¡± he asked when she didn¡¯te out of her trance.

    Mia turned around embarrassed as hell. She thought of running out that instant, but controlled herself andposed herself facing him.

    ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± She said, as she tried hard not to look at his upper body and she saw him smirk, she wanted to just smack him.

    He just gestured to her to go ahead, ¡°You are a Billionaire?¡± she asked dumbly, and he raised his eyebrows as if amused.

    ¡°So?¡±

    She found his response rude but ignoring it she continued, ¡°So what if the mediaes to know about it? About me and the contract between us? I don¡¯t want to be in the limelight Mr. Ian¡± she said sternly, and he continued staring at her.

    He suddenly walked in her direction, making her heart beat against her chest. She couldn¡¯t move an inch from where she stood, even if she wanted to run, she couldn¡¯t.

    He came dangerously close to her, such that she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

    She shivered involuntarily and she looked up at him, ¡°I have already taken care of that this news won¡¯t be going out,¡± he whispered, and she should have felt the relief, instead she could feel her body heating up.

    She gulped, looking into his eyes which felt like digging into her soul, she had to run because she couldn¡¯t afford to get trapped into this devil¡¯s n.

 CHAAPTER EIGHT

    Mia found herself a little bit bothered because of the way Alexander Ian was behaving to her. He was appearing more appealing, sexy and hot to her and the attraction she felt towards him, only physically though, was worrisome.

    Not that it was only because she felt so, but the reason was also something else. He was frequently half naked whenever he was in his mansion.

    He woulde close to her and without even touching her, he would leave her hot and bothered.

    She knew she is physically attracted to Alexander Ian but she med it on the hormones.

    He was attractive, handsome, every girl¡¯s dream but he was rude, insensitive and a jerk. She just prayed and hoped that in the end, the results would be positive because if not then she would have toply with his rules.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    Chloe stepped out of the orphanage when an expensive car stopped in front of her, she frowned and narrowed her eyes to see who it was.

    The door opened and a man stepped out fixing his zer. The shades on his face screamed attitude, and she waited for him to either walk in the opposite direction or towards her.

    Finally, he turned towards her and she immediately recognised him.

    Mark is Alexander Ian¡¯s best friend and also a famous and sessful businessman. He was often seen in pictures with Alex. But right now, she hated anyone rted to Mr Ian for what he had done to her best friend.

    She was sure she could not talk to him without a snide remark.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± She heard him call her just when she turned to leave. Huffing in annoyance, she faced him and red at him.

    ¡°Woah! That look can kill me,¡± he chuckled on his words, while she gave him a weird look.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Mark,¡± he smiled, as he stretched his hand forward for a handshake.

    Chloe looked at his hand and then at him, but she did not move to take his handshake.

    ¡°Okay you don¡¯t want to shake my hands, fair enough I just came here to give something to the kids.¡± He smiled, looking behind at the orphanage home, but Chloe came in between thereby blocking his view.

    ¡°We don¡¯t ept donations, we don¡¯t need anything from you so please leave,¡± Chloe snarled at him, ring hard at him. But it seems like it didn¡¯t affect him because he was looking rather amused.

    ¡°Who said I was donating? And is this your orphanage? Because as far as I know, this is Mia¡¯s orphanage and I¡¯m her brother inw.¡± He grinned, whereas Chloe¡¯s re turned into a scowl.

    ¡°For you to form a rtionship with her, first there needs to be a rtionship between my friend and your friend, which is clearly missing. So, stop trying to get in using that tactic.¡± She retorted, and Mark enjoyed her fiery attitude.

    It was amusing as well as entertaining to him seeing such a personality after so long, because he was used to seeing Alex¡¯s expressionless face and his cold responses.

    But there was a new character in front of him, and he surely enjoyed her angry face which supposedly made her look like an angry kitten. Her eyes sharpened, her nostrils red and her mouth pressed in a thin line.

    At that moment,  Mark knew that he was going to visit this orphanage more often.

    A week passed and Mia got no signs of pregnancy; no morning sickness, no cravings, nothing. She was worried and there was no way she could deny it. She hardly sees Alex these days, and that  kinda made her relieved.

    He had not even once asked about how she was feeling these days, not that she cared but she was his responsibility now.

    It was seven in the evening when she saw Mark walking into the mansion, she smiled at him and he grinned back happily.

    ¡°Hello, Mia How are you?¡± He asked, as he sat on the couch opposite her.

    ¡°Bored.¡± She responded with one word, and he chuckled looking at her pout.

    Mark was so sure these two best friends were pr opposites. One was fiery and ready to pounce on her opponent with her ws itching to scratch, while the other was too innocent and naive to even hurt a soul.

    He wondered how weird yet beautiful this best friend¡¯s rtionship was because he also was no less.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out for some adventure before that boring person arrives and bores you even more.¡± Mark suggested, and she eagerly agreed because truth be told,  she was dying to get out of this mansion.

    They got out of there and only after ten minutes did Alex¡¯s car arrive at the mansion.

    He entered inside and his eyes moved  to the couch where she always sits, but on finding it empty today his eyes towards her bedroom. He was early today so maybe she was inside her room, he thought. Dismissing those thoughts as he left for his room.

    An hourter he walked back to the living room, but she was still not there. Her door was also shut but then, he realised that he was thinking too much.

    He didn¡¯t care where she was or how she was because she was his responsibility only when she would be pregnant with his child, and right now, she was definitely not pregnant.

    Mia was surprised when Mark brought her to her orphanage home (charity). She couldn¡¯t thank him enough but he just brushed it off with a smile.

    So when she stepped inside with Mark beside her, Chloe was pissed off, she just didn¡¯t want to show it on her facial expression.

    She was happy that Mia hade to meet everyone but what was the need to bring that idiot along?

    Little did she know that it was him who brought her along.

    ¡°You! What are you doing here? I warned you not toe here, you don¡¯t have any shame right? Just get out right now!¡± Chloe sted at Mark, and Mia¡¯s eyes widened.

    She held Chloe¡¯s hand and took her to a corner.

    Chloe was still ring at Mark but then Mia made her look at her.

    ¡°Chloe, what are you doing? Why are you talking to him like that?¡± Mia hissed, but Chloe had enough of seeing her best friend supporting that idiot.

    ¡°You are asking me this? He is that monster¡¯s friend and you are siding with him? Why did you even bring him along?¡± She asked in a pissed off tone.

    ¡°Firstly even if he is Mr Ian¡¯s friend you cannot judge him like that and secondly I didn¡¯t bring him here but he did.¡±

    Mia exined and Chloe was surprised with that piece of information. She nced at Mark who was already smirking at her, she scowled back at him because he was mocking her.

    Whatever it was, she did not like this man. Mia saw them exchange looks between each other. And sighed, shaking her head.

    She had no idea what was going on between these two, and she didn¡¯t even want toe in between so she simply decided to leave them and have some time with her kids.

    ¡°Mia,¡± Chloe called, and stomped her foot watching her leave and immediately following her inside.

    Mark smiled to himself and trailed behind her. Inside, the kids jumped with happiness seeing Mia and surrounded her from everywhere.

    It is definitely a pleasant sight to see for Mark because he could see how much the kids loved, respected and adored her.

    ¡°Mia, why did you leave? Pleasee back to stay with us.¡± One of the children pleaded, and the others joined, and she could feel her heart aching at these innocent requests.

    ¡°Mia, are you angry at us? Did we upset you? We promise we won¡¯t irritate you or do any kind of thing to piss you off.¡±

    Those innocent pleading eyes were making it difficult for her to control her tears, but then Chloe came to her rescue.

    ¡°Okay everyone what did I tell you when Mia was gone?¡± Chloe asked, gaining their attention whereas Mark just stood as a silent spectator.

    ¡°That she has some very important work and will be back very soon.¡± One of them replied, and Chloe smiled.

    ¡°Exactly. And see, even if she has work she stilles to visit us, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Chloe questioned, and everyone nodded, while Mia smiled at them.

    ¡°We love you, Mia.¡± They all said in a chorus smiling at her, and then with a force, they all rushed to hug her. She stumbled back but chuckled and hugged them back.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    Chloe smiled folding her hands and staring at them, but unaware someone was doing the same. Mark couldn¡¯t decipher what to feel after he witnessed such a scene.

    He felt overwhelmed seeing the children¡¯s love for Mia, Chloe understood Mia¡¯s unspoken problem and came to her rescue.

    All of this was something which he had only heard but never seen. But today seeing it, and that contented smile on everyone¡¯s face was thrilling.

    He couldn¡¯t understand why he could not take his eyes off of Chloe¡¯s smiling face, or just turn back and leave because it seemed like his feet were stuck there.

    ¡°Mia, who is he?¡± One of the kids asked, and that is when the focus was on Mark and for the first time, he felt nervous seeing so many eyes on him.

 CHAAPTER NINE

    Mark smiled nervously at the kids who were giving him suspicious looks while Chloe just rolled her eyes.

    What was so interesting about the guy that everyone was staring at him?

    Mia smiled in his direction and informed the kids, ¡°He¡¯s my friend, Mark.¡±

    Chloe frowned, and a look of displeasure settled on her face. She saw Mark giving her best friend a grateful look, and Mia blinking her eyes in assurance, and she hated every bit of it.

    Not because she had even a bit of liking towards the guy or didn¡¯t like them together, but simply because he was already stealing her best friend.

    And she would in no way share her with anyone.

    Anyway, he already had his best friend, so why was he keen on befriending Mia? She was still frowning at Mark when a tap on her shoulder, bringing her out of her thoughts.

    She looked at Mia, who was staring at her with raised eyebrows.

    Chloe nodded her head and immediately clutched her hand tightly, pulling her closer, and confusing Mia.

    She then red at Mark, who wasn¡¯t even looking their way and was busy with the kids.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chloe? Why do you keep ring at the poor guy?¡± Mia questioned, and Chloe¡¯s frown deepened.

    ¡°Why do you keep siding with him? Are you his best friend or mine?¡± she scowled, looking at her, and Mia stared at her, amused. What had gotten into her?

    ¡°I hate him!¡± she snapped, just when Mia opened her mouth to speak, Chloe walked out on her, leaving her surprised.

    It was around nine that Mia returned to Alex¡¯s mansion with a smile ying on her lips. She had a good time at her ce, with her people, and if not entirely, Mark is getting included in that list.

    She realised that Chloe was jealous of Mark because she was getting morefortable with him, and it made herugh and love her even more. Because such a best friend was only rare.

    She walked towards her room when a voice called her from behind. She stopped but did not turn around because she didn¡¯t want to spoil her mood.

    ¡°Were you with Mark?¡± he asked, staring at her back, and she could feel his eyes on her.

    She was for once d that he didn¡¯t ask her where she was and why she was sote because that would have surely made her lose her mind.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered simply and waited for him to speak.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be associated with me or be on the news channel first thing in the morning, then I suggest you stop going out with my friend. You can¡¯t be this careless.¡± His voice was cold, and instead, it riled her up.

    She turned around to give him a piece of her mind, but he was already gone.

    She gritted her teeth in anger, as she took deep breaths and calmed herself before leaving for her room.

    Another week passed, and soon they were called in for the pregnancy test.

    Mia was nervous and praying for the results to be positive, whereas he sat unaffected.

    ¡°Mrs. Ian,¡± she was called, and she had a question at the tip of her tongue, but she gulped it down.

    A whileter, the tests were done, and they waited inside the doctor¡¯s office for the results.

    Mia kept fidgeting with her hands and kept ncing at the time now and then.

    She would nce at Alex as well, but he was too immersed in his phone.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Ian, Sorry to keep you waiting, but the results are here.¡± The doctor said with a fake smile and looked at Alex nervously, who was destroying his confidence with his gaze.

    He took out the papers and read it before them, masking the disappointment on his face.

    The doctor looked at Mia¡¯s hopeful face and, with a sad look, dered the result. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the results are negative. She is not pregnant. We¡¯re really sorry, Mr. Ian and Mrs. Ian.¡±

    Finally, it was done, and the doctor felt relieved just because he was going to get rid of Alexander Ian.

    Mia went numb for a second as she stared at the doctor, his words kept ringing in her ears.

    Negative,

    Negative,

    Negative,

    She was not pregnant.

    It felt like a whole bucket of ice was poured over her. She felt her eyes brimming with tears, as she bit her lip to stop the sobs. She heard the distant greetings between the doctor and Alex, but she couldn¡¯t focus on anything.

    She really wanted all this to be a dream and wake up on her bed with the kidsughing and shouting in the background. How has her life taken such a big turn? Was she really this unlucky?

    ¡°Mia?¡± He called, and she blinked twice to clear her vision and looked up at him.

    He had no disappointment in his eyes. No pain, no remorse, nothing. They were still nk. What was he? Did he not have emotions, or was he so cold that he didn¡¯t want to show them? Didn¡¯t he want a child? Then why is he not sad?

    At that moment, he looked like a monster to her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he announced, and the next second, he walked out of there without giving her another nce. She followed behind silently, and they left for the mansion.

    After dropping her at the house, Alex left for his office and called Mark as well.

    ¡°Make sure that the doctor or anyone from that hospital keeps this information confidential. If so much as even a tiny piece of information, like me visiting the hospital, goes out, you¡¯re dead.¡± Alex threatened his secretary, and he nodded, sighing to himself.

    Another one added to the list now. It was nothing new for him, and even his threats felt usual.

    The door opened, and Mark walked in, and his secretary George took his leave.

    He sat on the chair and leaned back, rxing. They stared at each other, not saying anything for almost fifteen minutes.

    ¡°You will fall in love with me if you keep staring at me for another second.¡± Mark snickered, but Alex didn¡¯t stop.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°Okay, now it¡¯s getting creepy. Tell me why you have called me here?¡± Mark asked suddenly, and Alex looked so suspicious.

    ¡°What have you done?¡± Mark questioned, narrowing his eyes as Alex looked every bit of smug.

    ¡°yed a game, and I won,¡± Alex replied, not exining further, and Mark realised he was talking about Mia.

    He grew worried, thinking about what he must have done because he knew that his best friend wouldn¡¯t even exin it to him even if asked.

    Mark stated, ¡°You know, Alex, I wouldn¡¯t have cared about your games had it been anyone else. But this is Mia, and she is every bit naive for you to y these games. So stop before you regret every bit of it.¡± There were only a few asions where Mark was serious, and when it woulde to the close ones he had ever been.

    ¡°Why? You barely know her, and you¡¯re already being protective of her. What¡¯s the catch?¡± Alex asked, looking uninterested, but Mark could see something in his eyes that he had never seen before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but she is unlike other girls out there. She is different and innocent, and I believe she¡¯s even unaware of what kind of devil you are.

    And if you are going to taint her, remember, before anyone else, you won¡¯t be able to forgive yourself.¡± It was the word or a warning in Mark¡¯s eyes, but Alex did not like it even a bit.

    In fact, he hated it, and he knew the reason was because of Mia. Just her mere presence is enough to bring a crack in his years of friendship.

    Mia sat in her room, lost in her thoughts. There was too much going on inside her head, and she didn¡¯t know how to stop it.

    The results came out negative. She is not pregnant, but something was missing. She felt like she was missing out on something.

    What? She had no idea, but it was constantly nagging her.

    Now that she couldn¡¯t conceive through her method, she knew she would have to abide by his rules and she wasn¡¯t even prepared. Of course, it would be with her consent, but only verbal consent.

    She sighed, suddenly exhausted, and dropped herself on the bed.

    It was too much for her.

    Way too much.

    Just as she was about to close her eyes, her phone rang, irritating her. She made an annoying face and saw Alex calling her.

    Without any interest, she picked it up and pressed it to her ear.

    ¡°Pack your things and get out of my mansion.¡± He dered coldly, that she could even sense the rage in his voice.

    She sat up on the bed with a jerk, fully awake, and stared at the wall ahead, dumbfounded.

    ¡°What?¡± she whispered, but she heard nothing, which made her doubt the previous statement she heard.

    Maybe she was hearing things now, she thought.

    ¡°I said, get out of my mansion and don¡¯t show me your face ever again. The contract is terminated, and I¡¯ve got nothing to do with you anymore.¡± He roars, and her eyes widen.

    ¡°Stop ying, Mr. Ian. I don¡¯t trust you even a bit. Who knows, you throw me out of the house now and then file a suit against me the next second for breaching the contract. I¡¯m not that stupid, and I¡¯m not leaving.¡± She snapped back and held the phone tightly.

    ¡°Listen, Mia, don¡¯t test my patience and leave before Ie back. Or else you¡¯ll face the consequences.¡± With that, the line was disconnected, and she was already fuming.

    What the hell!

    She very well understood what he meant by ¡®consequences,¡¯ and if anything, she wasn¡¯t scared this time, but instead, she was ready for it.

 CHAAPTER TEN

    Alex knew it was stupid of him to call her impulsively and ask her to leave because neither had he terminated the contract, nor he intended to do it. And she was right, he would¡¯ve sued her if she had agreed. Call it whatever, he is a devil.

    But after Mark left, he had been frustrated, and in anger, he called her because he didn¡¯t want anyoneing in between their friendship.

    In fact, he couldn¡¯t even remember thest time he had lost his temper like this. But this woman had just entered his life four days ago and was already creating havoc. He needed to be more careful.

    Sighing, he dropped his head back because he still had a long day ahead. There was a knock on the door, and he sat up, allowing the person to enter.

    George entered and looked somehow nervous.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, and George fumbled.

    ¡°Sir, ma¡¯am E is here, and she¡¯s demanding to see you,¡± he informed with a scared look. As expected, a tiny look of irritation was on Alex¡¯s face.

    ¡°Fuck. Send her in,¡± he ordered, and George nodded before leaving. Could this day get any worse?

    E was a well known model and had been a pain in his ass since they met at a business party.

    He hated her clinging to him, and even after his stern warnings, threats, and cold responses, she continued to stick to him like a leech.

    The door was thrown open, and E came sauntering inside with an extra sway to her hips.

    She was beautiful, he would give her that, but he wasn¡¯t sure if she was under all that makeup.

    ¡°Alex, how are you, sweetheart?¡± she said in a sweet voice, taking a seat without his permission.

    He gave her a cold re, but she ignored it.

    ¡°Why the fuck are you here?¡± he asked, obviously pissed off by her presence, and she just gave him a seductive smile.

    ¡°You know I love this side of yours. Youe straight to the point, and it makes you look even sexier.¡± She winked, while he rolled his eyes and rxed in his chair.

    ¡°Then you should learn that too. Now,e to the fucking point.¡± The insult was direct, and she sure hated it because she curled her fists under the desk but thenposed herself.

    She stood up and walked up to his chair seductively, and he watched her every move.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    When he didn¡¯t stop her, she made a move to sit on hisp, but at thest moment, he turned his chair, making her stumble, almost falling, but she prevented herself from falling.

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± she sneered, ring at him, and he shrugged.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t permit you to sit on my chair, yet you did. But I would¡¯ve asked George to pull the chair as well if he had been standing right behind you.¡± Alex snapped.

    The emptiness in his eyes was enough for her to know that he would have done that without another thought.

    She was still fuming but a little shaken as well. Clenching her jaw, she looked away, trying to get her act together.

    ¡°You¡¯re messing with the wrong person, Alex,¡± E warned him, but it had no effect on him.

    Instead, he turned to her and stood up, towering over her, and she was intimidated as she unconsciously took a step back.

    ¡°And you are ying with fire.¡± He challenged her with his eyes, intimidating her to say anything in her defence, but she couldn¡¯t, even if she tried to.

    No one messes with Alexander Ian.

    Mia stabbed the fruit as she sat on her bed, waiting for Alex to return. She is so sure that she isn¡¯t going to sleep without clearing it out with him.

    It was around eleven thirty when she heard himing in, and without waiting for another second, she got off her bed and made her way outside.

    She knocked on his door impatiently, but he still didn¡¯t reply.

    Knowing he must be taking a shower, she pushed the door open and entered inside. She went straight to the bed and sat down grumpily, waiting for him.

    Twenty minutes passed, and she lost count of how many yawns she had by then. Her eyes were droopy, and she felt very sleepy, but she shook her head vigorously to keep herself awake.

    What was taking him so long? Was he dancing in there?

    Another ten minutes, and she found herself slowly lying on his bed. She fought hard to keep her eyes open, but atst, she let the darkness take over.

    Alex came out of the bathroom after another ten minutes, and was taken aback to find Mia on his bed. He kept his towel aside and walked up to her figure.

    What was she doing here when she had her own room? He tried waking her up, but she just whined softly and slept morefortably.

    Closing his eyes, he tried to control his anger and then slept on the other side of the bed. Why would he sleep on the couch when she was the one who came to his room?

    And if she had any problem, then it wouldn¡¯t be his problem.

    Mia opened her eyes and smiled slightly, stretching her hands, but froze when her hand collided with something.

    She slowly turned around and gasped, seeing his face so close to hers.

    Oh well! He has a mole above his lips.

    What? Was she checking him out? Is she crazy? Her eyes then travelled down, and her eyes widened, seeing him naked. Well, not entirely, but still. Who sleeps without a shirt on?

    She sat up with a jerk and recollected why she hade to his room the previous night. She groaned, remembering she had fallen asleep waiting for him and cursed herself in her mind.

    How could she fall asleep on his bed? But wait, even if she had, couldn¡¯t he have picked her up and dropped her in her room?

    Scoffing at herself for even thinking of expecting him to do such a thing, she turned and red at his sleeping figure. Sure, he looked innocent while sleeping, but he was far from it when awake.

    ¡°Can you stop staring at me now?¡± she yelped, hearing his voice and jumping a little in her ce.

    He opened his eyes and looked at her before sitting up as well. She kept a hand on her thudding heart and then red at him.

    Alex ran a hand through his already messy hair, and it certainly caught her attention.

    ¡°Why were you sleeping on my bed?¡± His question brought her out of her staring session, and she gave him a nk look.

    ¡°Because of you!!!¡± she used suddenly, and he said nothing.

    ¡°I was waiting for you, but you were sleeping in the bathroom. Who takes an eternity taking a shower?¡± she asked in an irritated tone, and he was starting to get annoyed.

    ¡°First of all, I didn¡¯t ask you to wait for me, and secondly, this is my mansion and my room. I can take an eternity to even change my clothes.¡± He replied coldly, and she groaned loudly at his behaviour.

    ¡°I need to ask you why you asked me to leave.¡± She demanded, looking straight into his eyes, and he stared right back.

    ¡°That was just a test for you. If you had agreed and left, I would have filed a case against you.¡± He covered up as he stood up from the bed, and her mouth hung open at his answer.

    This man was crazy.

    ¡°You are the most insane person I¡¯ve ever met.¡± She gritted each word, and he stopped in his tracks.

    Turning to her, he walked closer, and she didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Say that again and see what I¡¯ll do.¡± He whispered in her ear, and she shivered at his icy tone. He moved back, and she couldn¡¯t miss the dangerous glint in his eyes.

    ¡°Now, if you¡¯re done with your bbing, let me remind you that your way of having a baby didn¡¯t work, so get ready to do it the way it is done.¡± He announced and left for the bathroom while she sighed, hiding her face in her palms.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± she fumed, seeing his face first thing in the morning. He grinned in return and moved past her inside.

    She stood there with her mouth hung open and then, huffing, followed him inside.

    Much to her annoyance, he was already having the time of his life with the kids, and the kids seemed to enjoy it as well.

    Great! First Mia, and now the kids. Mark had just entered her life to take away everything she had.

    ¡°Hey Mr., You can¡¯t keeping here whenever you wish to,¡± Chloe said in an irritated tone, and he turned to her.

    ¡°Of course I can. I told you this is Mia¡¯s ce, and she has allowed me to.¡± He smirked, and she red at him hard.

    ¡°You look like a kitten when you¡¯re angry.¡± He flicked her nose, and that startled her.

    Her mouth formed an ¡®o¡¯ as she stared at his amused face.

    ¡°You-¡± Before she couldsh out, Mark winked at her and left to spend some time with the kids.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± She groaned, gritting her teeth, and closed her eyes, sighing loudly. He was surely sent just to irritate the life out of her.

 CHAAPTER ELEVEN

    Alex sat in his office, remembering his own words. He had told her to get ready for it, but he wouldn¡¯t, at any cost, force her for this because that wasn¡¯t his fault. Of course, he had his own twisted ways to get the work done, but forcing someone didn¡¯t sit well with him.

    His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He allowed the person to enter, and George came in with a file in his hands.

    ¡°Sir, your signatures are needed on these papers,¡± George informed, keeping the file in front of him and standing patiently.

    Alex nced at the papers, read them first, and then signed before handing them back to George.

    ¡°Is E taken care of?¡± he asked, and George fumbled, trying to form an answer.

    ¡°Sir, she is threatening to pull a publicity stunt. Didn¡¯t give the details but left with a warning and a very pissed-off mood.¡± George kept looking at his boss¡¯s face with nervousness.

    ¡°Such a nuisance,¡± Alex sighed, shaking his head, and dismissed George with a wave of his hand. George sighed in relief and left before Alex could change his mind.

    Alex hated nuisances, and E was turning out to be just that.

    Mia was lying on the couch watching television when she heard somemotion from outside. She sat up and lowered the volume to hear properly. Her eyes widened as she realised who it was rather than what it was. Jumping off the couch, she ran outside and, as expected, saw Chloe arguing with the guard.

    She pped her forehead and ran towards them.

    ¡°How dare you stop me from going inside? And what is this? A president¡¯s mansion? Listen, I¡¯m telling you, let me go inside, or else it won¡¯t be good for you,¡± Chloe warned the guard, who looked tired of making her stay.

    ¡°Chloe,¡± Mia waved from far away, taking hurried steps towards them.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Both Chloe and the guard sighed in relief but for different reasons.

    ¡°Finally. Thank God you¡¯re here. Now tell him to let me in,¡± Chloe red at the guard, who ignored her and looked at Mia.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please ask her to leave. Sir has strictly asked me not to let anyone in except Mr. Mark, and she isn¡¯t understanding,¡± he said. Chloe fumed more, but Mia came to the poor man¡¯s rescue.

    ¡°But she isn¡¯t anyone. She¡¯s my best friend, sir. Please let her in, and I¡¯ll inform your boss about it. I promise you won¡¯t lose your job,¡± Mia requested. The guard looked taken aback as she called him ¡°sir.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t believe that someone had called him with respect in his thirty years of service, and it was this girl who had just met him for the first time.

    ¡°Sir?¡± Mia called him, and he came out of his trance.

    Her hopeful eyes were enough for him to smile warmly and nod his head at her. Mia gleed happily and pulled Chloe in, thanking the guard continuously.

    As they turned back to leave, he called her from behind. ¡°You don¡¯t need to call me sir. Just uncle will do,¡± he said with a smile, and Mia smiled back, nodding her head.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t need to call me ma¡¯am. Just Mia will do,¡± she recited the same thing, giggling and running inside with Chloe while the old man chuckled lightly.

    He was happy that he saw some lifeing to this mansion.

    Inside, Chloe huffed, sitting on the couch, and Mia brought her a ss of water. She nced at Mia with a frown and picked up the ss.

    ¡°Why am I not like you?¡± she whined, and Mia rolled her eyes, knowing this wasing. She was the same back then at the orphanage when she used to converse with any kid, and Chloe used to whine afterward for not having such skills.

    ¡°Because you are different,¡± Mia shrugged with the same answer she usually gave, and both ended up having a goodugh.

    ¡°Okay, on a serious note, what happened about that IVF treatment?¡± Chloe asked, turning serious, and Mia sighed, knowing she had to tell her the truth.

    ¡°The results came out negative,¡± she blurted out with a sigh, and Chloe looked at her with wide eyes.

    ¡°So that means you¡¯ll have to do it?¡± Chloe asked, and Mia just nodded in reply.

    She knew Chloe was on the verge of losing her calm, and saying anything would lead to more disaster.

    ¡°What were you thinking while signing such a contract, Mia? Dammit!¡± Chloe growled in anger, and Mia didn¡¯t dare look up at her.

    ¡°Look at me, Mia,¡± she demanded, and Mia slowly looked at her and smiled meekly, but Chloe wasn¡¯t having it as she red in return, making Mia sigh.

    ¡°Okay, I know I shouldn¡¯t have agreed and signed such a contract, but at that time, I had no other option, Chloe,¡± she began.

    ¡°You know, right? I had been trying to convince the doctor since then, but he wasn¡¯t ready to listen. Mr. Ian made one call, and the doctor hasn¡¯t shown his face ever since.¡±

    ¡°In a way, I am grateful to him for helping me protect my orphanage, and I have to pay the price for it, be it in any way,¡± Miapleted and stared at her for some reaction, but Chloe gave only a nk look.

    All of a sudden, she hugged Mia tightly, which startled her, but she quicklyposed herself and reciprocated the hug.

    ¡°You should know that I¡¯m with you in whatever decision you take, even if it pisses me off,¡± Chloe grumbled in the hug, and Mia just chuckled.

    ¡°I know,¡± was her only reply as she smiled to herself.

    Alex freshened up and walked out of the bathroom when he saw Mia on his bed again, but this time, she was fully awake.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, looking at her, and she stared straight into his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she announced without any hesitation or nervousness in her voice, and Alex couldn¡¯tprehend, even by looking into her eyes, if she was afraid or not.

 CHAAPTER TWELVE

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± She announced without any hesitation or nervousness in her voice and Alex couldn¡¯tprehend even by looking into her eyes if she was afraid or not.

    But who was he to deny when she had agreed?

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop once I start.¡± He warned her onest time to see if she would back out, but she didn¡¯t look like she was going to back out. Instead, she held her head high as she nodded her head positively.

    She was determined

    Determined to get over with it.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± He shrugged, throwing his towel somewhere and hovering over her figure.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    As she was already sitting on the bed, it only took them two seconds to lie down with Alex on top.

    He neared her face and she fisted the bedsheet in her hand, one of his hands travelled down and gently rested on her fisted palm whereas the other rested on her face, caressing her cheek lightly.

    Was he this gentle with every woman he had sex with? A thought crossed her mind, but soon it blurred in the background as his lips covered hers.

    She let out a soft sigh, as his lips moved gently over hers as if massaging them. She didn¡¯t realise when her grip loosened on the bed sheets and her fingers inteced with his.

    A moan escaped her lips, as he peppered kisses all over her neck. It was too much for her because she had never experienced something like this ever before.

    Alex took his own time in exploring her because even though it was just sex, he wouldn¡¯t want to be harsh or quick like it was a one night stand.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t to hurt her feelings or anything because he couldn¡¯t care less about them.

    As he pushed down her night dress, she found out that her nervousness returned in full force, and he knew that she was starting to panic.

    ¡°Mr. Ian¡­ l¡± she stuttered.

    ¡°Shhh I told you I won¡¯t stop once I start.¡± He whispered huskily into her ears, and she shivered unknowingly as his mouth descended on hers again, making her helpless.

    The room was dark and nothing was visible, but she felt him in ces she had not discovered.

    He touched her, kissed her, explored all of her body, and she felt different yet not in the way she had imagined.

    As their desires reached their peak, Alex silently looked into her eyes as if informing her about something, and she nodded telling him she was ready.

    He went back to kissing her mouth, and she immediately opened up kissing him back with the same energy he used in kissing her. The kiss started a little bit  slow before he increased the tempo of the kiss, kissing her  possessively.

    He moved his hand from her neck into her top, she wasn¡¯t putting on any bra, and her n*pples stood erect immediately after he touched them, she moaned into his ear and her moaning made his little man was more hard. He didn¡¯t waste much time on her nipples because he didn¡¯te here to catch feelings, he just needed A child.

    He told her to pull off her shorts which she did reluctantly, and lie back on the bed. Hey on the tip of her, but he didn¡¯t put much of his weight on her.

    His fingers went into her wet p*ssy, it was so warm, tight, wet and slippery, he started fingering her with one finger, she was so tight around his fingers. After his finger was convenient for her, he then increased it to two fingers, pushing his two fingers in and out of her p*ssy, she was moaning so loud while gripping the sheet tightly.

    He thought she was feeling that, after she had gotten used to the size of my fingers, he took off his towel, and his d*ck immediately sprang out facing her.

    He took my dick and rubbed it at the entrance of her pussy, as he pushed the cap of my d*ck into her pussy, her hand immediately went from the bedspread which she was gripping earlier, to my back scratching me with her finger.

    Her nails are too sharp, and he kinda felt the pain she was feeling being her first time having s*x. He waited for her to getfortable with his size before he pushed it again into her p*ssy she screamed for a little while, as tears dropped down from her eyes, he started taking her slowly making her get used to it.

    After she had gotten used to it a little, he then started thrusting in and out faster, and she started moaning.

    He was so overwhelmed with the emotion of  s*x, that the emotions almost took over him, cause it had been a long time since he had sex.

    Immediately she cummed, he cummed too, and he felt relieved after the sex, he thinks he needed this for a long time, hey on his back tired.

    This was good sex indeed, he muttered under his breath.

    She didn¡¯t understand what had happened, as shey on his bed after some time, while their backs faced each other.

    She was sure he was asleep, but sleep was far away from her eyes.

    It was confusing because she had thought that after having s*x with him, she would feel disgusted with herself or would feel dirty but it was nothing that sort of.

    In fact, she didn¡¯t even feel like it was just s*x. Of course, it wasn¡¯t love making, but it wasn¡¯t even just sex, it was something in between.

    But what and why?

    Even after they were done, Alex said nothing to her, he did say she should leave his room and he did tell her if she could spend the night in his room.

    Nothing.

    He said nothing and after cleaning up, he justid at the extreme end of the bed and slept. It somehow frustrated her because he was sleeping peacefully after disrupting hers. She can¡¯t just help but think about the sex they just shared, she¡¯s feeling a kind of a special bond between them..

    ¡°It is just a contract, don¡¯t go too deep into it, my mind told me¡±. She didn¡¯t know when I drifted off to her dreand.

 CHAAPTER THIRTEEN

    Alex stood in front of the mirror and nced at Mia¡¯s sleeping figure through it, for the second time. He had no idea why he didn¡¯t ask her to leave his room when she had her own.

    Another thing, he had no idea what had gotten into him yesterday while having sex with her because he was never this gentle.

    But one thing he knew, she was too innocent and he could make that out just by looking at her face.

    But for him, it was only a physical rtionship until she got pregnant and that was it. He was sure nothing of this sort was going to happen if the IVF would have worked.

    He nced at her sleeping figure again and noticed she was awake and was already wearing her nightie again.

    Sighing, he fixed his zer and buttoned it properly before leaving the room quietly. As soon as he left, Mia plopped on her elbows to see if he was really gone and then sighed dropping on the bed.

    She had been up the moment he had stepped out of the bathroom, but pretended to be asleep to avoid any kind of confrontation.

    She hardly sleptst night because her mind was filled with different questions, and it messed with her head.

    Knowing it was going to be awkward even looking in the eye, she waited till he left and only then opened her eyes.

    She then got up and left for her room to freshen up and spend the rest of the day with her dearest books.

    More than a week passed and in those days, Alex and Mia had been intimate more than once because it wasn¡¯t guaranteed that after one sexual encounter, she would be pregnant.

    It was Sunday and both of them were in their respective rooms, Alex was sitting on his bed going through some important files on hisptop.

    Just then, he got a call from Mark and he answered it by putting it on speaker.

    ¡°Can you for once let yourptop breathe and also take some fresh air yourself?¡± Mark¡¯s mocking voice came through his phone, but Alex ignored it and kept working.

    ¡°You are annoying, now can you have the courtesy to give me Mia¡¯s number?¡± He requested, and Alex looked at the phone amused.

    ¡°You are a businessman, find your ways.¡± Alex shrugged, and got back to working on hisptop, making Mark groan loudly.

    ¡°Dude, I¡¯m not some spy and forget it if you don¡¯t want to give her number, can you just as well ask her if she wants to hang out today?¡± Mark¡¯s voice held hope, and Alex sighed, shutting hisptop.

    ¡°Mark, I¡¯ve told you more than once that it isn¡¯t safe for you, her or even me to expose her in daylight. The media can be anywhere and everywhere, and you won¡¯t even know when a story will be formed by just one picture.  So now use your brain and stop irritating me.¡± Alex said angrily, and he hung up before Mark could reply.

    Last time, they were lucky enough not to get spotted, but it won¡¯t be the same every time.

    Alex looked at his closedptop and then at the door. He then got up and went towards Mia¡¯s room.

    He knocked on her room door but got no reply. What if she is not inside? He slowly pushed the door open and found it empty. He looked around to locate her somewhere, but then he heard some voicesing from the bathroom, which led his feet closer.

    ¡°Mia?¡± He called out knocking on the bathroom door, but instead of replying, he heard her puking her guts out.

    So he stepped back and waited outside till she was done. Five minutester, she walked out of the bathroom looking pale as ever and all drained out.

    She walked past him and sat on the bed with her back pressed against the headrest and eyes closed.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Alex questioned, looking at her current state, but she just shook her head negatively in a no without opening her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve puked more than thrice since morning, and I still feel nauseous.¡± She merely whispered, opening her eyes and looking at him, and he nodded, taking out his phone and ordering someone to get the car ready.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. The driver is waiting.¡± He ordered, and she sighed, sitting up straight to regain her strength.

    As she tried to get up with the support of the bed, she found a hand advanced towards her.

    Looking up, she saw Alex staring at her with his eyes nk.

    She epted his offer and stood up after which he helped her till they went to the car, for which she was grateful.

    They reached the hospital in twenty minutes and Mia was taken for the checkup while Alex sat outside and cleared his office work.

    A few minutester a nurse came out and asked Alex toe inside.

    ¡°Yes, doctor?¡± He asked looking at Mia who was lying on the bed.

    The doctor smiled at Mia and mentioned something to her after which she sat up.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, right?¡± She asked, sitting on the chair, and Alex nodded and sat down as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked your wife a few questions, and I would like to ask you now. Have you noticed any changes in your wife in thest few days?¡± She asked, and Alex nced at Mia clueless.

    How would he know when they would rarely be seeing each other¡¯s faces even in the mansion itself?

    ¡°Well, not that I know of.¡± He answered, because she pretty much looked the same to him.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°Any change in her eating habits?¡± She threw another question at him which he had no clue about, and he didn¡¯t even deem it necessary because why would he keep a check on her? She was with him only till the contract was done.

    ¡°Doctor, I¡¯ve been eating a lot actually and I don¡¯t think I have ever eaten so much, I can eat the size of two people¡¯s food.¡± This time Mia answered, knowing Alex would have no answer.

    The doctor looked between the two and then nodded.

    Alex had wanted to cut the chase ande straight to the point, but he said nothing.

    ¡°Okay well, all these symptoms like missing her periods, eating a lot, feeling nauseous, puking and craving some particr food are indicating only one thing, that she might be pregnant. But I can¡¯t say that being 100% sure because there are chances that it might be because of some stress.¡± The doctor exined.

    ¡°Right now, I¡¯ve taken her blood sample and the test will be out soon. We¡¯ll be informing you about it through an email or a call so then you cane collect your reports.¡± Shepleted, as she looked at the couple who had absolutely no expressions on their faces.

    Mia was looking at Alex who was busy calcting something in his mind. She ced a hand on her stomach and prayed for the test to be positive at least this time.

    ¡°Alright, thank you,¡± Alex said and stood up before indicating Mia to move out.

    Once they were out, the doctor looked at the nurse with a look of disbelief.

    ¡°What sort of couple was that? No one looked excited, surprised or even nervous hearing about having a baby. God knows what type of parents they¡¯re going to be.¡± The doctor uttered, as she shook her head and concentrated on her work rather than thinking about the weird couple.

    Mia walked inside the mansion in a dazed state, whereas Alex looked normal.

    He stopped when he saw Mia moving towards the couch lost in her own world that she didn¡¯t notice a table kept ahead.

    Before she could collide with it and hit the ground, he pulled her arm with force such that she collided with his chest.

    ¡°What is wrong with you Mr. Ian?¡± Mia said angrily, as she moved away from him as fast as possible.

    Alex just looked at her and then pointed at the table. Mia looked at it and she realised what it was, but she was still pissed.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve just called my name.¡± She said in a pissed tone that didn¡¯t sit well with him.

    His eyes went hard, as he took a threatening step towards her and she immediately stepped back.

    ¡°Stop getting too informal with me, Mia because it won¡¯t do you any good.¡± He warned in an icy tone, and she gulped, getting nervous.

    He left without saying another word, and Mia sighed wondering how she is going to spend her nine months with this already moody person, that is, if she is pregnant.

    And this time she had hoped that the results is going to be positive.

 CHAAPTER FOURTEEN

    Mark barged inside Ian¡¯s mansion followed by Chloe who immediately looked around for Mia.

    Just then, Mia emerged to the living room and saw Mark marching towards Alex¡¯s study.

    She tried stopping him, but he was in no mood to listen, pouting she looked away feeling dejected, but then someone hugged her from behind and instantly a smile spread on her face realising who it was.

    ¡°Chloe,¡± Mia gleed happily, and hugged her tightly to which Chloeughed at her childishness but hugged her back.

    ¡°How are you? And the kids?¡± Mia asked as they sat on the couch.

    Chloe was observing her, and she looked somewhat different to her.

    There was a different kind of glow on her face and she looked happy.

    ¡°We all are good. You tell me, why are you glowing so much?¡± She asked curiously, and a grin settled on Mia¡¯s face.

    ¡°Is it visible?¡± Mia asked in return with an excited grin on her face. She had unconsciously kept a hand on her stomach, a gesture Chloe had noticed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± She answered, still scrutinising Mia with her gaze, but thetter waspletely oblivious.

    ¡°I visited the doctor some days back, and she said that all the symptoms are pointing towards pregnancy.  And I don¡¯t know why but I feel this time, I am pregnant.¡± She smiled, caressing her stomach slightly and Chloe was taken aback by this sudden change in her.

    ¡°Mia, you know right you will have no right over this child?¡± Chloe questioned, worried about how attached she was going to be with the child because of course, any mother will not want to get separated from her own child.

    ¡°I know, Chloe, I know at the end I¡¯m going to be left with nothing, and I know it will be more difficult to part with this tiny being. But right now, all I can feel is a child growing inside me and I can¡¯t exin this in words. You don¡¯t know how wonderful this feeling is.¡± Mia concluded, with a warm smile having noints at the moment.

    Chloe sighed at her exnation because it was Mia, and she would find happiness even in a room full of darkness.

    Mark yet again barged into Alex¡¯s study, but it didn¡¯t startle him the slightest. In Fact he looked calm andposed, as he looked at his furious friend.

    ¡°What is the matter, Mark ?¡± Alex asked calmly, but thetter was far from being calm.

    ¡°You tell me, Alex what the fuck is going on? Didn¡¯t you tell me that the result from IVF treatment was negative?¡± Mark was far from being calm, and this time he refused to be the sane one because somewhere he knew it was all Alex¡¯s n.

    ¡°Well, what about that? I know I didn¡¯t inform you, it slipped out of my mind.¡± Alex shrugged, like it wasn¡¯t a big deal for him.

    ¡°Really? Slipped out of your mind? Funny Ian. You can spew this utter bullshit to anyone else because I don¡¯t believe you. You didn¡¯t tell me because you never wanted to.¡± He used Alex, and Alex  stood up walking towards him.

    ¡°Mark, listen, let¡¯s not drag this topic..¡±

    ¡°The topic has already been dragged, Alex and it is you who did it.¡± Another usation which irritated Alex because it wasing from his best friend.

    ¡°What is wrong with you? Why are you so upset over such a tiny matter?¡± Alex asked in a frustrated tone, and he heard him scoff.

    ¡°First of all, Alex this isn¡¯t a tiny matter and secondly, I am getting upset over this because I know you very well to know that the IVF results didn¡¯te out negative because of your luck.¡± He struck the right cord, because Alex¡¯s eyes darkened and his jaw clenched.

    ¡°What did you do, Alex?¡± Mark pressured him, as Alex gave him a cold look.

    Now was the ruthless Ian infront of him and not his best friend.

    ¡°I only did what was benefiting me.¡± He replied without any trace of remorse or guilt in his tone, and Mark said nothing.

    ¡°The process was only half way done because I sought a guarantee from the doctor that she will get pregnant, and he couldn¡¯t give that to me. So I ordered him to not nt the embryos inside her and just y along, which he did.¡±

    ¡°Anyways, that treatment was useless and I won¡¯t ept failure.¡± Alex dered, and Mark could only gape at him in disbelief.

    ¡°This is absolutely ridiculous!¡± Mark shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

    ¡°You fucking tricked that innocent girl into getting what you wanted. I know your ways Alex, but it went overboard this time because it isn¡¯t a business deal.¡±

    ¡°There is a person involved who has feelings, but how will you understand that when you¡¯ve locked your emotions years ago.¡± Mark¡¯s sarcasticment was hisst straw, after which Mark stormed out of his office in anger.

    Alex stared out of the window with a nk look, as Mark¡¯s words rang in his ears.

    No one¡¯s words had ever affected him as much as Mark¡¯s did because he considered only him as his family.

    What a foreign word it was.

    Shaking his head, he walked back to his desk and resumed his pending work ignoring the voices inside his head.

    Mark came into the living room, and saw Mia and Chloe smiling and talking. He stared long at Mia¡¯s face which clearly showed the happiness and glow.

    ¡°When are you ever going to leave us alone?¡± Chloe¡¯s voice brought him out of his trance, and he rolled his eyes at her before walking to Mia¡¯s direction who, much to his surprise, frowned at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked Mia, and she looked away huffing. Mark looked at Chloe worriedly but she only smirked at him.

    ¡°She finally realised how much of an annoying person you are.¡± Chloe bragged, and Mia red at her which she just ignored.

    Mark ignored herment as well and turned to Mia.

    ¡°Mia, did I do something? I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me but don¡¯t ignore me.¡± He made a puppy face, which Mia looked at from the corner of her eyes.

    Chloe scoffed loudly, earning res from both of them.

    ¡°You ignored me.¡± Miained, still not looking at him and Mark looked confused.

    ¡°Rewind and remember how you entered into this mansion like a mad raging bull and straight away walked inside, without looking at her, who was sitting on the couch.¡± Chole mocked, and Mark realised how he had walked inside Alex¡¯s study without even looking around.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really wasn¡¯t looking around at that moment but I swear I would never do it intentionally.¡±  He promised with a pleading face, and a smile crept on Mia¡¯s face much to Chloe¡¯s dislike.

    ¡°Am I forgiven?¡± He asked with hope and this time, Mia turned to him and smiled fully, giving him his answer.

    ¡°Yes! Thank you.¡± He eximed happily, and smirked at Chloe who just made a bad face at him.

    ¡°But why were you angry?¡± Mia asked, confused to which both Mark and Chloe exchanged nces and Chloe indicated to him not to say anything.

    ¡°Nothing, it was just business rted.¡± He lied, and Mia nodded in understanding.

    ¡°By the way, why do you look so happy?¡± He changed the subject, and Mia grinned at him pointing at her stomach.

    He nced down with a confused face and then gave her a questioning look.

    ¡°You dumb, she thinks she¡¯s pregnant.¡± Chloe revealed, and Mia hit her for ruining it.

    ¡°What? Really?¡± He asked astonished, and nced at Alex¡¯s study thinking about his behaviour.

    He was nowhere near happy or even relieved now that she was pregnant. When will he start expressing himself? Sighing, Mark shook his head to himself.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°You¡¯re not happy?¡± Mia asked, seeing his sad face and he immediately nodded a no with his eyes wide.

    ¡°What? No! Of course, I¡¯m happy. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± He grinned, and Mia matched his expression.

    Chloe felt left out seeing the two, but she knew that this bond was going to get stronger with time and it surely won¡¯t affect her rtionship with Mia because she won¡¯t let it.

    Alex watched the scene from his window, with an expressionless face.

    He saw the happiness and admiration on Mark¡¯s face, as he talked with Mia and she also had no problem. In fact, she wasughing and chatting happily.

    But that wasn¡¯t his concern. His only concern was Mark who wasn¡¯t quite happy with him at the moment, and this was probably the first time he was serious about a fight between them because before this, even if they had a silly fight, Mark was the first one to reconcile

    It wasn¡¯t the same anymore.

    He was more than upset this time only because Mia was involved, and he didn¡¯t understand how Mark could attach himself to her emotionally in such a short time.

    What had she done to him?

    Was he going to lose the only family he had, and end up with nothing?

 CHAAPTER FIFTEEN

    The results were positive.

    She is pregnant.

    Even though she had it in her instincts, having it officially dered by the doctor had made her ecstatic.

    As expected, Alex had his cold face on even when the doctor had smiled and congratted them on the news. It didn¡¯t affect her, but the doctor was sure giving them weird looks.

    As they reached home, Alex sought out some work on his phone and Mia was confused as to why he wasn¡¯t leaving for his work.

    Only when he finished the call, he turned to her, she knew something was up because he only talked to her when there was something important to talk about.

    ¡°I¡¯ve appointed a full time caretaker for you, who will be here by tomorrow. She will be with you the whole day, so if you need anything, tell her.¡± He informed her, and she felt a little bit hurt realising she couldn¡¯t even show her mood swings to him because he would not want her to unnecessarily bother him.

    ¡°But what if I want to go out for a walk or some yoga ss? You said I can¡¯t be seen going out of this mansion then what?¡± She questioned, because she surely couldn¡¯t sit all day at home and it wasn¡¯t healthy either.

    ¡°That will be arranged as well, but the yoga ss can be done at home and I¡¯ll arrange for an instructor as well.¡± He said, and she looked at him with disbelief.

    Where was she, in jail?

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to be alone in this haunted mansion. And if I can go for a walk then why can¡¯t I join yoga sses?¡± She said, and he paid no attention to what she was saying, as he turned and left for his room.

    Mia huffed in annoyance, as she walked back to her room as he had sessfully ruined her mood as well.

    The next morning as mentioned the caretaker was present in the mansion, and to her surprise it was an ageddy around sixty years old.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Mrs. August, this is Mia the one you have to take care of, I hope that you won¡¯t make any mistakes or give anyone a chance toin,¡± Alex warned with a stern face, and thedy smiled at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry sir, I will take proper care of your wife. She is in good hands.¡± She assured, and Mia smiled at the warmth in her tone.

    Finally, someone she could talk to the whole day!

    Alex nodded before ncing at Mia and leaving the mansion.

    After he left, Mrs August walked towards Mia, as she introduced herself once again.

    ¡°Hello dear, your husband isn¡¯t much of a talker I see, but let¡¯s just ignore him.¡± She joked, and I chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself again properly. I am Mrs. Rachel August, and I¡¯m your caretaker. Let¡¯s not delve into that¡± She made a funny face, and Mia giggled, already loving her.

    ¡°Mrs. August, I¡¯m so d I got to meet you,¡± Mia said sincerely, and Rachel smiled warmly.

    ¡°Oh, please call me Rachel! I¡¯m not that old because age is just a number.¡± She winked at Mia,  in the end, and Mia couldn¡¯t hold herughter this time.

    Mia for once was so d that Alex had arranged this amazing person to take care of her. For once she didn¡¯t feel like he was a monster.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    For the first time, Alex knew how it felt to be ignored because that was exactly what Mark was doing.

    He had stopped visiting Ian¡¯spany and even ignored his calls and this caused his dearest friend to get highly frustrated and of course, the wrath was to be faced by his employees and his P. A George.

    But to an extent, George was kinda used to it and it didn¡¯t affect him much as others were affected.

    ¡°George, are there any more meetings for today?¡± Alex asked calmly, but inside he was getting impatient.

    George took his time to check his schedule and then answered, ¡°For now, no sir. There are no more meetings but¡±

    ¡°Later!¡± He ordered, and George nodded without another word and left after that.

    Alex stood up and buttoned his zer before taking his phone and walking out of his office.

    He reached Mark¡¯spany in twenty minutes,  as he  walked straight into Mark¡¯s office.

    Mark was startled by the sudden appearance of his friend because he rarely came to his office unless it was work rted.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Ian? To what reason do I owe this sudden visit?¡± Mark asked sarcastically, and Alex pinned him with his regr re which least affected him.

    ¡°You have been ignoring me and my calls.¡± Alex used, and Mark shrugged indifferently.

    ¡°I¡¯m very busy,¡± Mark respondedmely, and Alex gave him a cold look.

    ¡°Doing what? Are you having fun with Mia? What is going on Mark? You¡¯ve been hanging out with her rather than me for just more than a month and you are already attached to her? Why?¡± Alex asked, agitated and Mark red at him.

    ¡°Now you have a problem with that as well? Okay, I agree that I have been with her more than I expected, but because she is a sweet person, Alex.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t see that because you shut out your emotions but at least for once try to be nice to her, talk to her and then you¡¯ll know why I got attached to her so soon.¡± Alex sighed loudly, and Mark could clearly see that he wasn¡¯t interested in whatever he had suggested.

    ¡°I am not creating problems in our friendship and neither is Mia. If it¡¯s anyone then it¡¯s you, Alex!! You need to understand that,¡± Mark exined calmly, and Alex gave him a nk look.

    ¡°You tell me, Mark, we have had disagreements and fights before this. But every time we have kept our friendship above everything else, so why not this time?¡± Alex questioned, and Mark was silent.

    He was right in questioning him about it, and Mark knew it as well. But this time his dirty trick was used on a person who was totally unaware of his games.

    Alex had yed more dirty games with people, but they were nowhere near innocent and that is why he had no objection.

    ¡°I agree, Alex, we have kept our friendship above everything else. But Alex, Mia have agreed to give you what you want, and yet you yed this game with her. Why?¡± Mark asked, and Alex was getting a headache from talking about Mia.

    ¡°Mark, I have told you this before that I wanted 100% results, and the IVF treatment was nowhere near 70% as well, what is the use of that treatment if the results were going to be negative? We would¡¯ve followed the process which should have been done first.¡±

    ¡°She hade up with this treatment and I agreed, but that didn¡¯t mean that I wouldply and believe whatever the doctor says. It was as simple as this Mark, and I haven¡¯t hurt her in any way.¡± He concluded, but Mark chuckled lightly.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t hurt her physically, Alex but mentally? If she knew about this, she would be mentally hurt because she believed that the process was performed and she had hopes about getting pregnant,¡± Mark said, clenching his jaw.

    ¡°Which she did now!¡± Alex retorted immediately.

    ¡°She could¡¯ve gotten pregnant by that treatment as well, Alex and if the reports were going to be negative and in a true way then you could follow the natural way. Tell me what would have been lost if you had let the doctor do his work and still turn out to be negative?¡±

    The argument was getting heated and both were aware of it, but Mark refused to back down because he wanted to show him what he had done was wrong.

    ¡°Why the fuck are we fighting over her?¡± Alex asked, barely controlling his anger.

    He hade here to sort out their problem and not increase it.

    ¡°We are not fighting over her, but your deed.¡± Mark snapped, and Alex clenched his eyes shut.

    ¡°Fuck this!¡± Alex muttered, and stormed out of his office and Mark sighed, rubbing his forehead.

    Are they going to end up like this?

    At night when Alex returned back to his mansion, he found Mia happily chatting with her caretaker and it irritated him more. He took a deep breath and left for his room because he surely didn¡¯t want to see her at the moment.

    Mia saw him barging inside and it confused her because he was alright in the morning, then what happened to him now? But then she shrugged it off because it was none of her business.

    But she had wanted to thank him for appointing Rachel and she would surely do it.

    ¡°Rachel, you should sleep now. I want to have a chat with Mr. Ian so it¡¯ll take time. Please don¡¯t wait up because of me.¡± Mia informed, and Rachel smiled, nodding before she left, but not before keeping a hand on her head and blessing her.

    Mia walked towards his room and knocked on it.

    ¡°Leave!¡± he roared, and she was taken aback. Did he think it was his maid or her?

    ¡°Mr. Ian, I want to say something to you.¡± She said from outside, and he kept quiet which she took as a sign and continued.

    ¡°I just wanted to thank you for appointing Mrs. August, she¡¯s so sweet and friendly so thank you.¡± Mia smiled to herself and waited for him to say something, but when he didn¡¯t, she shrugged.

    ¡°Okay, goodnight Mr. Ian.¡± She turned to leave,  when the door opened and she froze.

 CHAAPTER SIXTEEN

    She stood there with her stiff back facing him, and she waited for him to say something. When he didn¡¯t say anything after a few minutes,  she took a step ahead to leave.

    ¡°Mia,¡± he called, she stopped and frowned in annoyance.

    Why couldn¡¯t he say what he wanted to and then let her go. She slowly turned around and looked at him.

    ¡°Stay away from Mark.¡± He warned, and a chuckle escaped her lips but she immediately pursed her lips.

    ¡°You think this is funny?¡± He asked in a hard tone, and she nodded a no innocently.

    She justughed because of his off topic. She was here thanking him for appointing Rachel as her caretaker, and he was telling her to stay away from his friend?

    What was wrong with him?

    When she nced at him, he was still burning holes through his eyes, so sheposed herself and looked at him and asked him, ¡°Why are you telling me this, Mr. Ian?¡± She asked genuinely curious at his demand or warning whatever he called it.

    Alex looked at her for a few seconds and then walked back inside his room leaving her baffled.

    She red her nostrils and followed him behind.

    He was standing in his room with his back facing her. She opened her mouth to protest but he beat her in it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you, instead I¡¯m warning you to stay away from him. And I won¡¯t give you any exnations as to why I¡¯m saying this.¡± Hepleted his sentence, and she just wondered why he was saying such a weird thing all of a sudden.

    Sure he had told her this before, but it seemed pretty serious right now. She wanted to look at his face and try to figure out why he was saying this, but he wasn¡¯t even looking at her.

    ¡°If you so want this then why can¡¯t you tell Mark to stay away from me? He can do that as well.¡± She pointed out, and Alex clenched his eyes shut. This woman was too difficult.

    He turned around and looked at her, she was now scrutinising him with her eyes but he cared less.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told him as well but if he doesn¡¯t listen then I can¡¯t do anything. But for you, I can add this use in the contract and you¡¯ll face the consequences if you don¡¯tply with it.¡±  He threatened, and she red hard at him

    ¡°You cannot do this.¡± She gritted her teeth at each word he said, and he was nonchnt to her anger.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what all I can do.¡± He said, looking deep into her eyes and it stirred something inside her. Her anger disappeared and she went nk.

    What? Did he mean that? She thought, as she walked back to her room.

    Alex was lying on his bed when his phone rang. He sighed and sat up picking his phone from the side table.

    The phone shed with Mark¡¯s name.

    ¡°I¡¯ve not called you to say sorry or to reconcile because you are at fault this time.¡± Mark spoke before Alex could and he let him.

    ¡°Then what?¡± Alex questioned, and Mark said nothing for a few minutes.

    ¡°If you want me to behave normally with you, like if you want me to reconcile with you, then you will have to do what I say.¡± Mark demanded  and Alex tried to  process his words.

    He knew it would be something rted to Mia but still he replied, ¡°Deal.¡±

    Mia and Rachel are at the breakfast table in the morning, where Rachel hasid a te full of fruits in front of Mia  along with a ss of juice on the side.

    ¡°Rachel, I know I¡¯m pregnant and I also know that I have to eat for two people but is this so necessary?¡± Mia asked, eyeing the te of fruit and Rachel smiled at her.

    ¡°You have to stay healthy, and these nine months are going to be very different for you.¡± Rachel exined, and Mia listened carefully as she picked up one fruit from the te.

    Suddenly, Mia¡¯s eyes widened as she saw Alexing out of his room wearing casual clothes instead of his office wear.

    What was he doing here when he was supposed to be at hispany?

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Ian.¡± Rachel greeted him in a sweet tone, and Alex nodded.

    ¡°Morning, Mrs. August .¡± He replied simply, as he sat down at the table making Mia choke on her fruit.

    Rachel immediately rubbed her back, and handed over a ss of water to her while Alex just stared at her.

    ¡°Are you okay dear?¡± Rachel asked, concerned as her coughing died down and she just nodded.

    Looking up, she saw Alex staring at her and she immediately averted her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be working from home, starting today till you deliver the baby.¡± Saying this, Alex got up and left for his room and Mia sat there stunned.

    ¡°That¡¯s great news, Mia. Now your husband will be there to take care of you as well.¡± Rachel eximed excitedly, as he walked away, but Mia was still trying to process what just happened.

    He was going to be staying at home everyday? So she¡¯ll be seeing him more often now, and going to get nervous more than often?

    But why?

    What had suddenly changed his mind? She sighed, and made a crying face looking at her belly.

    Few hourster, Mia was bored sitting idly in the mansion. She wanted to go out but didn¡¯t know if Alex would not allow her, but she was determined to ask and argue if he refused.

    Knocking on his door, she entered inside his study after he asked her toe.

    He didn¡¯t look up from hisptop, and neither did she want him to.

    It would be much easier if they had a conversation like this.

    ¡°I want to go out for a walk.¡± She stated, instead of asking, and  Alex seemed too busy on hisptop.

    She frowned thinking for how long she was going to stand there, she cleared her throat to gain his attention.

    ¡°You can go, but Rachel and one of the guards will be apanying you. Just wait till I am sure that there¡¯s no media around.¡± He said, and she was so surprised to see him agree so easily.

    She waited as he called someone and sorted out everything, while she chose to look around although there was nothing fascinating to see.

    His study was more or less the same as his office, too boring.

    ¡°You can go, but be back before one.¡± He ordered, and she nced at the clock. The time was ten thirty.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded, as she turned to leave. Alex stared at her retreating figure before getting back to his work.

    He was surely frustrated by working from home, but that is what Mark¡¯s demand was and he had agreed to it.

    Mia walked back to his office, as she asked him when she¡¯s going to start her yoga ss.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get a personal yoga teacher for you, so you will use my gym centre at home,¡± Alex said.

    ¡°What??? I can¡¯t stay at home for the rest of my life. I need to mingle with other pregnant women, so I will register for a yoga ss online.¡± Mia said, looking so angry.

    He looked at her and said, ¡°you know people will be monitoring all your moves, you also know that I¡¯m an elite person in this country. I don¡¯t want scandals so whatever I say is final.¡±

    She looked at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m old enough to make decisions by myself. so I will be attending yoga ss with other pregnant women like me and about the scandal issue. Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t spoil your reputation in the country and I don¡¯t want to be dragged down too.¡±

    She was so pissed off about what he said. Did he think he could order her around or make decisions for her just because she agreed to sign a contract with him? She thought.

    Her personal maid experienced the drama that happened between her and Alex. She won¡¯t just agree to be ordered around or let someone make decisions for her.

    After eating as usual, she decided to take a stroll down the estate, her personal maid Rachel was with her, with the personal bodyguard Alex allocated to her, his name Bryan a very good looking guy too. How will a guy this handsome be a bodyguard. We all gisted as we were taking a stroll out, the maid and the body guard are really fun to be with especially Bryan, he just put on a tough look to make him look tough and scary to people, but he is actually a sweet guy.

    During the stroll she met a guy, he has blue piercing eyes, sharp jawline, broad chest, and a brown hair colour. He looked really, really cute. He introduced himself to her as Ace. They ended up exchanging numbers before she headed back to the mansion to have a good nap.

    Mark wanted to visit ¡®Charity¡¯ badly, but something was stopping him.

    He didn¡¯t understand what, but he just didn¡¯t have the courage to walk in there knowing the wrong thing his friend had done to Mia.

    So he just opted to look at the kids from afar, and chose to stay contended, even though he was nowhere near it.

    He saw Chloeughing and dancing with the kids and automatically, a smile formed on his lips.

    Her smile had that power, and that charm to make anyone happy.

    How he wished he could walk up to her and apologise so that things could go back to how they were.

    Just then he saw Mia entering the orphanage premises followed by ady and a guard whom he definitely recognised as one of Alex¡¯s own.

    The kids saw her and jumped happily making her happy as well.

    He smiled sadly, as he walked back to his car and nced at them onest time before driving away.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    He could have joined them forgetting everything, he could have joined them without thinking about it, but he couldn¡¯t.

    He couldn¡¯t because he knew what his friend had done and despite knowing it, he couldn¡¯t tell her about it and that is what increased his guilt more.

    He could tell her everything and be honest, but he would never betray his best friend.

 CHAAPTER SEVENTEEN

    Six months passed, and Mia was more than happy in these months because she always had Rachel and Chloe by her side.

    Fortunately for her, Alex was staying at home, the reason which is still unknown to her, but he hadn¡¯t made his presence too known even though he was living with her.

    The one thing that made her guilty was avoiding Mark. He used to visit the mansion quite often but every time she would see him, she would either avert her eyes or leave the room.

    It wasn¡¯t as if he tried talking to her as well. He kept his distance from her and she did the same, although unwillingly.

    She tried to concentrate only on herself and the baby, and it was sessful to quite an extent.

    A small yet visible bump was seen now that she was 17 weeks pregnant, and when Chole had seen it she couldn¡¯t stop gushing over it.

    It felt like the tiny being inside her had already wrapped everyone around her/his pinky figure  except the father of course because she doubted that he had even noticed the bump.

    ¡°Mia, let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll bete for the yoga sses.¡± Rachel called out  and Mia sighed, shutting her book and looking up.

    She remembered how Alex had ordered to get a yoga instructor at the mansion itself, but she had refused because she wanted to go out and meet other mothers as well.

    It would be refreshing. and after arguing a lot, he finally agreed. Right now, she had been too drowned in the book to notice the time.

    She was reading a book named ¡®How to stop worrying and start living¡¯ and it was intriguing.

    Although, she found all books interesting because why not, she was a book lover and every time she started one she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop.

    ¡°Coming Rachel,¡± she replied, and carefully got up, cing a hand on her belly.

    In these past months, she had refused Rachel help, because she couldn¡¯t be dependent on anyone.

    She didn¡¯t want anyone supporting her, at least, physically in every step she took because she knew she had to leave, and it might be difficult for her in the future.

    So she did most of her work by herself and where she couldn¡¯t, Rachel woulde into the picture.

    Just as she reached the door, she found Alex standing there. She looked at him and he did the same.

    Slowly, his eyes travelled downwards and he stared at the small visibly bump.

    Mia noticed this, and realised that she had been wrong. He did notice it before, but didn¡¯t show it.

    Another thing she had understood was, Alex deliberately avoided showcasing his emotions or rather he was fine with keeping his emotions in check.

    He is always cold, expressionless and a detached man, but now that he stood in front of her staring at her belly, she swore she had seen a trace of warmth in his eyes which was gone as soon as it came.

    He wasn¡¯t there with her physically or emotionally, but he somehow had made his presence known because, even without her asking, he had arranged everything for her first sonogram test so that she wouldn¡¯t have any difort.

    He surely didn¡¯t apany her to the hospital, Chloe, Rachel and even Mark had been there but he didn¡¯t bothering.

    But since she had no expectations from him it didn¡¯t hurt her that much.

    She would never forget that first experience where she listened to her baby¡¯s heartbeat, and it was the most soothing sound she had ever heard. Chloe had been with her that day.

    ¡°Mia?¡± She came out of her trance when he called her, and she looked at him with a jerk.

    She was taken aback to see worry shining in his eyes, but again it was gone within a blink of her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving for some work so I¡¯ll drop you and Rachel at the yoga sses.¡± He proposed, and left her behind. She chuckled and caressed her belly lightly.

    ¡°You see your father is not really a monster as he pretends to be or is known to be.¡± She talked to her child, as she always does and followed him behind.

    Alex nced at Mia from the rear view mirror because she was sitting behind with Rachel and he was driving the car.

    He felt like a driver, but didn¡¯tment about it.

    She was smiling, looking out of the window and he realised she had been smiling too often.

    He averted his eyes because he realised that consciously or unconsciously, he had been staring at her too much.

    But even then, his eyes would find her and then they would travel down to her little bump.

    He had noticed it and some sort of  happiness had filled him,  but he didn¡¯t share it with anyone because he never did and nobody even asked.

    He had wanted to go to her, and keep his hand on her belly, he wanted to caress it, he wanted to talk to his child and ask her if she wanted anything, but he didn¡¯t have the courage to do so, because he was never nice to her.

    Mia had been too understanding for a pregnant woman, because he had rarely seen her demand something or cry about something.

    He had heard it before that pregnant women tend to show a lot of mood swings. but as far as he had noticed, she didn¡¯t have that bad mood swings or simply she never showed it infront of him.

    Things with Mark were peachy, he wasn¡¯t the same Mark he used to know because now he joked less and faked a smile more often.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, we just crossed the yoga sses.¡± Rachel informed  and it was then he realised that he had been too lost in his thoughts to notice.

    He nced at Mia, and found her looking at him with concern, but unlike him she didn¡¯t hide it or mask her feelings.

    He made a U-turn immediately and drove back to the ce. As he stopped in front of the sses, Rachel was the first person to get out of the car, and he noticed her going to Mia¡¯s side, but one look from Mia and Rachel moved aside, sighing.

    He knew Mia is a strong and independent woman, but every time he saw her doing things on her own, a sense of pride along with guilt filled him and he hated it because handling emotions was not his cup of tea.

    Slowly but carefully, Mia stepped out of the car, all the while a hand protectively resting over her belly.

    She closed the door and then bent slightly to look at him.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ian.¡± She smiled at him, and then turned around and left with Rachel by her side.

    Alex just sat there looking at her retreating figure.

    He didn¡¯t understand why every time she smiled, his heart would beat faster than usual.

    He didn¡¯t understand why every time she struggled to get up on her own his hands itched to hold her and support her.

    He didn¡¯t understand why he wanted her to show her mood swings to him.

    All that he understood was, he was changing without his knowledge.

    *****************

    Mark sighed as he closed the file he had been checking, and leaned back on his chair.

    He was tired of not being himselftely, but he didn¡¯t know how to bring his old self back.

    The past few months have been challenging.

    After Alex¡¯s truth was out, he couldn¡¯t behave with him exactly like he used to. Of course, he tried to act normal, but somehow he knew that Alex could see how fake he was being when he smiled.

    His rtionship with Alex was peachy, but he knew it was nowhere near ending.

    They will get back together like they always do one day.

    About visiting the orphanage he hadpletely stopped going there, but he would see Chloe at Ian¡¯s mansion whenever he wanted to visit Mia. He missed the kids like crazy, but still couldn¡¯t gather the courage to go there.

    A knock on his door startled him, and heposed himself before allowing the person inside.

    His secretary entered and informed him, ¡°Sir, there is ady who says she wants to meet you. She refused to reveal her name and doesn¡¯t have an appointment either. We tried to stop her, but she¡¯s creating a scene in the office.¡± Margaret, his secretary, informed, and he frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let her in.¡± Mark ordered, and she nodded before moving out.

    Two minutester, his door burst open and his eyes widened seeing Chloe at his office.

    He stood up seeing her ring at him and hesitantly said, ¡°Hi, Chloe Please sit.¡± He gestured at the chair, but she ignored him and continued to re at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to sit. Just wanted to ask you a question. Why have you stopped visiting the kids?¡± She crossed her hands and questioned him, while he raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°And why aren¡¯t you happy by this decision of mine?¡± He fired back a  question, which made her fumble.

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not happy? Of course I¡¯m happy but the kids aren¡¯t. Unfortunately they are missing you and they keep asking me why did you stop visiting.¡± She grumbled, and looked away as he smiled looking at her.

    He surely missed arguing with her and now that she was here voluntarily, how could he miss this chance of teasing her.

    ¡°So you could have bought at least one of them with you here, and they could have told me themselves that they missed me. But now it looks like it¡¯s only you who missed me, and you are here making an excuse for the kids.¡± He teased her, and she red at him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve any attention you are getting from my kids. I don¡¯t know what they see in you. You are the most annoying, irritating person I¡¯ve ever met.¡± She stomped her foot in annoyance, and left.

    Mark chuckled and smiled to himself as he felt like his old self after ages, just by her mere presence. What is she doing to him?

 CHAAPTER EIGHTEEN

    The next day, Alex sat in his study working on an important project when his phone rang.

    He adjusted his bluetooth, and answered the call as his eyes remained on hisptop.

    ¡°Yes, George,¡± He said, as his fingers worked on the keyboard.

    He sure was managing all the work from home, but it wasn¡¯t that easy considering he couldn¡¯t keep an eye on what was happening at thepany.

    ¡°Sir, I hope you remember that you have to attend Mr. Peter¡¯s business party today at 8 pm.¡± George reminded, and Alex stopped typing.

    ¡°When did you ever inform me about this?¡± His chilling tone was enough for George to stutter on the other end.

    ¡°Sir, I informed you about it yesterday night, and you asked me to remind you today.¡± George said, as he prayed to God that he would remember about it and spare him.

    Alex vaguely remembered about his call and just hummed, making George sigh in relief.

    ¡°Also, sir, you¡¯ll havee with your partner.¡± George¡¯s nervous voice came  through the phone, and Alex raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°What for?¡± He questioned back, and George cursed Alex a thousand times in his head.

    ¡°Well, sir, that¡¯s the theme of the party, no stag entry allowed. And if you won¡¯t go then, Mr. Peter may get upset.¡± George informed, and Alex sighed at the information and thought about it.

    Mr. Peter had been a good investor in his projects for more than ten years now, and he couldn¡¯t risk his rtionship with him which left him with the only option to attend his party, that too, with a partner.

    ¡°Then arrange a partner for me.¡± He dropped the bomb on George, because George thought that Alex would take Mia along, but was so wrong.

    ¡°Sure sir.¡± He agreed without another word, and Alex disconnected the call.

    He could¡¯ve taken Mia along, but that would be too much risk for her and his reputation altogether.

    They weren¡¯t married, and neither are they in any kind of rtionship to be seen together. Of course, she is going to be the mother of his unborn child, but that information is only for him and not for the rest of the world.

    Mark had taken a stop at Ian¡¯s mansion, since he was invited to Peter¡¯s party as well.

    Alex was all ready when he came downstairs and saw George sitting in the living room.

    He moved towards him, seeing him, George stood up giving him a small smile.

    ¡°All ready to go?¡± George asked, and Alex only nodded in reply.

    ¡°Where is your partner?¡± Mark asked seeing him alone, and Alex only shrugged.

    ¡°Will meet me directly at the party.¡± Alex smirked, knowing Mark had done the same, asking his secretary to arrange a partner for him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Both Alex and Mark turned towards the source of the voice because they surely had not said this.

    It was Mia.

    She came out of her room with an excited look on her face followed by Rachel

    Alex watched her closely, and wondered where she was going at this wee hour of the night.

    She stopped abruptly seeing him in the room, and her eyes then darted towards Mark.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Alex asked directly, and she seemed nervous looking here and there.

    ¡°You¡¯re going somewhere as well.¡± She pointed out, still not looking at him, but he continued staring at her for an answer to his question.

    Rachel came, and stood beside her offering a smile to both of them.

    Mark returned the smile, but Alex surely didn¡¯t as he was busy looking at Mia and making her more nervous.

    ¡°Where are you going with her?¡± This time the question was directed at Rachel who looked at Mia.

    Mis pleaded through her eyes asking Rachel not to answer him, and this was noticed by Alex.

    Before he could question them any further, Mia looked at him with determination shining in her eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, I¡¯m not answering your questions,¡± she said.

    ¡°What I do and where I go should be none of your concern. Please don¡¯t interfere in my life because I surely don¡¯t.¡± She said confidently, and George had a proud look on his face at the way she handled the situation.

    Rachel was smiling as well because these months, as she hade to know the truth from Mia, she had been proud of her for standing so strong.

    But Alex wasn¡¯t too happy with her mini speech. In fact, his eyes went hard as he gave her a sharp look.

    ¡°I am less interested in your life, Mia. I don¡¯t care where you go or what you do, but the fact that you are carrying my child gives me every reason to be concerned. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to him/her.¡± Alex said harshly, and unwantedly tears gathered in her eyes.

    She blinked several times, and looked away cursing her hormones for the stupid tears.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    The four of them turned, and saw a girl wearing a ck dress that reached her mid thigh.

    Mia looked at her with disgust, as her breasts were nearly falling out of her dress, and she couldn¡¯t recognise her face because of the makeup.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Mark was the first one to ask, and the girl walked towards them with.

    She linked her arms with Alex¡¯s hand, and she gave them a smirk.

    ¡°His date for tonight.¡± she announced with smugness in her voice, that was noticed by everyone.

    Alex pushed her hand away, and shook his head at George¡¯s stupidity.

    ¡°Who the fuck let you in?¡± Alex asked in an icy tone, and she looked taken aback, but quicklyposed herself.

    ¡°Your guard allowed me in after I told him you called me here.¡± She said proudly, but her doom was near.

    ¡°Get out.¡± He ordered the next minute, and everyone except Mark looked at Alex with shock written over their faces.

    ¡°What?¡± The girl asked, as if she couldn¡¯t believe he was throwing her out.

    Mia looked at Alex and then at Mark who didn¡¯t seem much interested in the drama.

    ¡°I said get out, don¡¯t make me repeat it again.¡± He warned, and the next second she pursed her lips to stop the tears, running out of there.

    Alex brought out his phone out of his pocket and dialled George ¡®s number. Mia sighed knowing he was going to threaten George again.

    She gestured to Rachel to get going, and as they took a step to leave, Alex saw them and said, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Despite everything, her feet stopped at hismand and she hated it.

    ¡°You are not leaving until you tell me where you are going.¡± He demanded, and Mia gritted her teeth in annoyance.

    ¡°Fine then! You and I will stay back because I¡¯m not telling you, until you tell me where you are going.¡± She said angrily, as crossed her arm against her chest.

    A chuckle left Mark¡¯s lips, but he immediately zipped his mouth when she red at him.

    ¡°Who are you to question me?¡± He asked, and she looked taken aback by his question.

    ¡°You have no right to question me, Mia, and since you are pregnant with my child I have the right to know where you are going.¡± The coldness in his tone made her shiver, and a lone tear escaped her eye which she immediately wiped, but he had noticed it.

    ¡°Alex, that¡¯s enough! You can¡¯t talk to her like that when all she needs at this stage is love and care.¡± Mark spoke.

    ¡°If you cannot give her that then, you have absolutely no right to even talk to her.¡± Mark interfered, when he saw Mia¡¯s face.

    ¡°And if you¡¯re so worried about your child. Then quit going to this party and let¡¯s go with her to wherever she¡¯s going.¡± Mark offered, and Mia looked at Mark who was now ring at Alex.

    Alex nced at Mark, and then at Mia who was staring at him with a smile ying on her lips.

    ¡°If that is what you wish for then, let¡¯s go.¡± Alex said with finality in his voice, and Mia looked at him with shock.

 CHAAPTER NINETEEN

    Mia¡¯s excited mood had been sessfully ruined by Alexander, and that is always confirmed. He will be the only one who can turn her mood from sweet to sour in less than a minute.

    Currently, the four of them were travelling to where Mia was earlier heading to, but with her grumpy mood.

    Rachel and Mia sat at the back seat. Whereas, Mark sat beside Alex who drove the car.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me where you want to go or I have to keep driving aimlessly?¡± Alex¡¯s voice broke the silence in the car, but all of them thought that the silence was better.

    Mia gave him a sharp look before she snapped at him, ¡°Before this, you never asked where I wanted to go.¡± Alex¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened, as he gave her a cold stare through the mirror and Mia saw it but ignoring it, she looked out of the window.

    ¡°Mia, where to?¡± It was Mark this time who had turned around in his seat and asked her softly.

    Mia looked at him and sighed.

    ¡°You know where Mark,¡± She simply said, and Mark frowned thinking what she meant.

    But then it clicked him.

    ¡°The orphanage.¡± He said, and grinned to himself which made Mia smile as well.

    Alex still sat stiff in his seat, but said nothing seeing the exchange between the two.

    Soon they were in front of her orphanage, and Mia felt the excitement building up inside her again, as she pushed open the door and Mark was there to help her.

    She looked at him and he gave her a small smile which she returned.

    He didn¡¯t extend his hand to her for support. Alex stood a little bit away from them, watching Mark and Mia, while Rachel observed him.

    After Mia stood in front of her home, she smiled and looked at Rachel who was smiling as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s Chloe¡¯s birthday.¡± She revealed, and Mark¡¯s eyes widening at the information.

    Mia bit her lip to control herugh seeing his expressions.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    Mark cursed his fate for not knowing about her birthday, and most importantlying here empty handed. He even red at Mia who was enjoying his current state.

    Mia looked at the time, and it was still eleven forty.

    Twenty minutes to go, but the cake was still missing.

    She had asked for it to be delivered by eleven forty five at her orphanage, and thankfully she was there on time.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Mark whispered yelled at Mia who only giggled in response.

    Alex was getting annoyed by just standing there.

    ¡°You never asked.¡± Mia shrugged, and just then the delivery boy reached there with the cake.

    She thanked him and after paying him, she handed the cake to Mark who looked surprised.

    Five minutes were left until 12 am, and all the lights were switched on inside the orphanage which caused a ruckus because Chloe had started shouting.

    ¡°What is going on over here? Why is everyone still awake?¡± She asked loudly, while the kids only giggled and snickered among themselves making her more angry.

    Mark looked at Mia who raised her eyebrows at him.

    He gestured her to open the door with her key, and at exactly twelve they entered inside and the kids yelled,

    ¡°Happy Birthday Chloe !¡± She froze for a minute before she saw Mia and Mark standing with the cake in his hands.

    Mia smiled and walked up to her dazed state. ¡°Happy birthday best friend.¡± She wished her softly, and hugged her which brought her back to her senses.

    Chloe chuckled amidst the tears that gathered in her eyes, as she hugged Mia back.

    ¡°When did you do this?¡± Chloe asked, breaking the hug and Mia grinned mischievously.

    ¡°That is for me to know, and you to never find out.¡± Mia responded, Chloe rolled her eyes. After that, Rachel came forward and wished her to which she smiled and thanked her.

    Her eyesnded on Mark who was already staring at her with a smile on his lips.

    He stepped ahead and ced the cake on the table as he  arranged the candles himself.

    After everything was done, he dramatically bowed down in front of Chloe. ¡°Mydy, please do the honours of blowing the candles and cutting the cake.¡± Despite her attempts to maintain a stern face, a smile formed on her face.

    Mia giggled at Mark¡¯s goofiness, and her eyes met with Alex¡¯s for a brief second.

    While everybody around her sang ¡®happy birthday¡¯ he chose to stare at Mia¡¯s beaming face.

    One gesture that he won¡¯t ever forget was her caressing her belly every two minutes and smiling at it.

    She looked happy in her own world.

    ¡°Mark, who is he?¡± A kid questioned Mark, and Alex¡¯s attention was drawn towards them.

    He looked at Mark amused because it seemed that he didn¡¯te here for the first time.

    ¡°He¡¯s my friend.¡± Mark replied smiling, and a tiny girl pped her forehead grabbing everyone¡¯s attention and said, ¡°Uff, why can¡¯t you big people bring all your friends all at once? First, Mia brings Chloe then she brings Mark and now this very tall person. Do you think we won¡¯t be able to remember you all if youe together?¡± She pouted angrily keeping her tiny hands on her hips.

    Mia chuckled, but immediately shut up because she was ring at her as well.

    Mark, Chloe, Rachel and everyone were smiling, but no one said anything.

    Mia nced at Alex, and an inaudible gasp escaped her lips because there was a tiny but visible smile ying on his lips.

    Alexander Ian was smiling? Is she dreaming? She pinched herself, and she hissed slightly rubbing that area.

    She realised she wasn¡¯t daydreaming and he had actually smiled because as she watched him now, the smile was gone just like a figment of her imagination.

    ¡°Why is everyone smiling?¡± The girl asked frowning, looking around, and just when Mia was going to step ahead to exin to her she found someone else taking the initiative.

    Alex crouched down on his knee, and flicked her nose which made her giggle because it tickled.

    Others gaped at the scene including Mark because this sight is new for him as well.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re a very intelligent little kid¡± He trailed off, and the girl stretched her hand towards him.

    ¡°Lena,¡± she said, as he looked at her tiny hand and gently shook it, making her grin.

    ¡°Lena, I like your name.¡± Heplimented her, making Mia¡¯s eyes go wide.

    What is happening over here?

    ¡°I like you.¡± Lena told him, giving him her toothy smile which made him chuckle, and Mia surely felt like she would faint any moment now.

    What did this tiny girl see in him that she couldn¡¯t?

    After everyone retired to their home, Alex, Mia and Rachel returned to the mansion at around one.

    Mia was already tired and had slept off in the car itself.

    Rachel looked at Mia and proceeded to wake her up, but Alex stopped her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Mrs. August, you go and sleep. I¡¯ll carry her inside.¡± Alex said, and Rachel smiled at him before leaving for her room.

    Alex looked at Mia¡¯s sleeping figure, and then at her hand which was resting on her belly. He bent forward and picked her up in his arms.

    What surprised him was she didn¡¯t wake up instead, she just whined in her sleep and snuggled close to him.

    He carefully ced her on the bed, and he covered her with the quilt properly before standing up.

    He remembered how he had mentioned that after she get pregnant, she¡¯ll be staying with him in his room, but then he arranged a caretaker for her.

    Shaking his head pushing away those thoughts as he turned to leave, a tug on his hand made him freeze on his spot.

    He turned around slowly. and found Mia looking at him in her drowsy state. She was half awake. as she held his hand and stopped him.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She whispered, and he nodded thinking she thanked him for carrying her to her room.

    ¡°Thank you for being nice to my kids Mr. Ian. You are going to be an amazing father.¡± Her hand dropped, and she couldn¡¯t fight the sleep anymore while she slept peacefully, but he stood there frozen.

    Her words rang in his ears as he stared at her.

    Would she have said the same thing if she was fully conscious? Of course not. Why would she?

    Taking a deep breath he took hurried steps to get out of her room, but stopped when he noticed something.

    He walked back in and tucked her hand inside the nket before adjusting the nket, and switching off the lights.

    Alex sat up on his bed, after several failed attempts to sleep.

    Sleep was far away from him, and he didn¡¯t understand why that one statement affected him so much.

    ¡°You are going to be an amazing father.¡± These words tormented him to an extent.

    He turned slightly  and went to the kitchen to pick up a bottle of water, when he noticed the jug at the side of his bed was empty.

    Sighing he moved out of his room to get some water.

    He found the lights of the kitchen on  and Rachel was inside already.

    She looked at him surprised, as she moved away from the refrigerator immediately as he walked towards it.

    ¡°Do you want some water as well?¡± Alex questioned, without looking at her and she nodded even though he couldn¡¯t see her.

    Taking out a bottle he handed it to her and got one for himself. He was about to leave when her words stopped him.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, I know I¡¯m no one to say this. but what you¡¯re feeling is what you will have to understand and ept or it¡¯ll keep tormenting you your whole life.¡± With that, she walked past him leaving him annoyed.

    Why is everyone keen on testing his patience today? He took out his phone and dialled a number.

    ¡°We don¡¯t talk anymore, we don¡¯t really anymore¡­.. oh we don¡¯t talk anymore like we used to¡­¡±  Mark¡¯s sleepy voice faded, as he slept again after singing the song.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up ande to my house right now.¡± Alex ordered, and Mark hummed in his sleep.

    ¡°Mark!¡± He called.

    Mark whined loudly because he had woken up the instant he saw his call, but he is a human and he is bound to sleep.

    He sang that line of the song,  hoping he would get irritated and hang up, but he did much to his dismay.

    ¡°Who the fuck calls someone at 3 am? Alex, let me sleep please.¡± Mark pleaded, but he wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡°Mark now!¡± He demanded, and this time Mark red at the phone.

    ¡°Fuck you, Ian !¡± He yelled, getting up and cut the call ruthlessly.

    Alex sighed, pocketing back his phone and moving towards his room. This is going to be a long night.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY

    Mark stumbled as he stepped inside the Ian mansion. He frowned and looked behind at the step that he just missed.

    Right then he smacked his head into the door which he knew was there before.

    ¡°When was this door fixed here?¡± He cursed, rubbing the part where it hurt and red at the door before moving past it.

    Walking into Alex¡¯s room, he found him sitting on his bed with hisptop.

    ring hard at him, he marched towards him and shut hisptop angrily.

    ¡°Why the fuck did you call me when all you wanted to do was work? And when the hell did you fix that door over there?¡± Mark hissed, and Alex just raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Are you drunk?¡± Alex questioned, purposely to irritate him and as expected Mark narrowed his eyes at him.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve killed you here, at this chance, but I care about your unborn baby, so I¡¯m sparing you.¡± Mark said arrogantly,  and plopped on the bed beside him.

    ¡°Now spill!¡± Mark ordered, and Alex rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Will I be a good father?¡± Alex asked, It was a straight, direct question and Mark knew where this wasing from.

    He sat up straight, and looked at Alex with a serious expression.

    ¡°You will be the best father if you let yourself be.¡± Mark answered, the answer was twisted and Mark made no move to rify himself until Alex asked him.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±Alex asked, and Mark sighed.

    Mark questioned, ¡°Alex, tell me one thing, are you doing all this to get your grandfather¡¯s property?¡± Alex looked nk as he always does, but this time Mark could see him questioning himself.

    ¡°Of course I am.¡± He answered, and Mark nodded because he¡¯d never lie, at least not to him.

    ¡°Now, are you going to ignore your child after you get the property?¡± Mark questioned him again.

    There was something in his eyes, maybe a trace of vulnerability, longing or pain but Mark saw it.

    Although, he didn¡¯tment because he never did as he understood his inner turmoil.

    ¡°You know I will never do that.¡± Alex¡¯s voice was a little bit soft, but he covered it with his hard look.

    ¡°Are you sure, you¡¯d never?¡± Mark pressed on the subject more, and Alex clenched his jaw as well as hands.

    ¡°Mark !¡± He warned, and Mark raised his hand in surrender but his mood was sessfully ruined.

    Alex looked away trying to calm his anger.

    ¡°But what triggered this topic?¡± Mark asked, looking at him curiously while Alex remembered how Mia had mumbled it in her sleepy state.

    ¡°Mia.¡± One word was enough to bring a small smile on Mark¡¯s face.

    He somehow felt that it must¡¯ve been her, but didn¡¯t mention it himself.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve mentioned her, answer one more question. Will you be able to give your child, both, father¡¯s and mother¡¯s love? I mean that is what you¡¯ve stated in the contract right? For the mother to hand over the child to you and leave.¡±

    This was the first time that they discussed this topic calmly.

    Mark watched Alex¡¯s face keenly, and tried to figure out his facial expression although he didn¡¯t show any.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Alex answered, and a sigh left his lips because for the first time, he didn¡¯t know the answer to the question.

    Mark smiled secretly because he didn¡¯t straightaway make an excuse or answer him arrogantly.

    ¡°You need to think from all perspectives, Alex. After the baby is born, you¡¯ll get the property, alright, that¡¯s good but what after that? What about the baby? You¡¯ll get busy with your business and Mia will be gone, busy with her life, but who will look after that kid?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say a nanny because you and I both know that we can¡¯t trust anyone with a newborn in today¡¯s world.¡±Mark said, as  Alex listened to Mark¡¯s words carefully and he seemed right. He had not yet thought about all this because all his focus was on having a kid, he never thought beyond that, but it was time he did that.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you marry Mia?¡± Mark suggested.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in marriages.¡± He snapped immediately, and Mark sighed.

    This man is a tough nut to crack.

    ¡°Then what? Fine, you cane up with a solution yourself. I¡¯ll go to sleep.¡± Mark yawned, as heid on the bed and after adjusting the quilt on himself, he slept off.

    While Alex sat there lost in his thoughts, Mark slept peacefully beside him, on his bed.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    Mia had been munching on her chocte thinking about yesterday night.

    She vaguely remembered Alex carrying her to her room, and then how she stopped him saying he would be a wonderful father. She was half asleep, agreed, but whatever she said, she meant it.

    The way he had behaved with her kids at the orphanage was beyond anyone¡¯s imagination and she was somehow  proud of him.

    It was a new side of him which was revealed yesterday.

    Mark greeted, ¡°Morning, Mia.¡±  She just nodded, lost in her thoughts, but then jerked her head towards him in shock.

    Eyes wide, she stared at Mark who now sat on the couch opposite hers with a cup of coffee in his hands.

    She blinked several times because he was in his nightwear, and his hair was messy as if he¡¯d just woken up.

    When did he start living here?

    ¡°Mia.¡± Alex called, as she startled, she kept a hand on her belly in a reflex action, as she looked behind at Alex who had called her.

    ¡°When did he start living here?¡± She asked what was on her mind, pointing at Mark who stopped drinking his coffee and looked at her in confusion.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t. I called him yesterday for some work.¡± Alex cleared the air, and she muttered an ¡®oh¡¯ going back to munching her chocte

    ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± Alex announced, and she raised her eyebrows at him.

    Mark looked between the two and them and he cleared his throat.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll freshen up and leave for work from here. Alex, I¡¯m using your room and you will bring me a new pair of clothes.¡± Mark ordered, and Alex ignored his words looking into his phone.

    ¡°Hellooo? You called me for work so it¡¯s your responsibility now, I have to go to work looking fresh.¡± Mark said,  and Alex gave him a look, after which he turned serious and left. While Mia stood there in confusion.

    ¡°Why did he leave suddenly?¡± She frowned, and Alex just stared at her.

    ¡°What is it, Mr. Ian? What do you want to talk about?¡± Mia asked in an irritated tone, as they had been in his room for fifteen minutes now, but he hadn¡¯t said a word.

    ¡°Do you have anyplications in your pregnancy?¡± He asked, and she was taken aback by his sudden interest in her condition, and she just gaped at him nkly.

    ¡°Why the sudden interest?¡± She asked, as  she crossed her arms, demanded for an answer and he just eyed her movements.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be apanying you the next time you want to visit the doctor.¡± He stated instead of answering her question, and she red in anger.

    ¡°What the hell? Why are you suddenly so keen on behaving like a good husband? I have taken care of myself until now, Mr. Ian, and will continue to do so. I don¡¯t need any of your help.¡± Mia  said sternly, as he eyed her growing belly not concerned about what she was saying.

    She followed his gaze and looked back at him. Her gaze softened and she realised he wanted to spend some time with this little one as well.

    ¡°You can talk to your child, Mr. Ian, I won¡¯t deny you, but don¡¯t try to help me because I¡¯m capable enough to handle myself.¡± Her tone was soft, yet stern and as he looked at her, he knew she wouldn¡¯t ept his help.

    ¡°Marry me,¡± Alex announced.

    ¡°She gasped loudly and stumbled backward a little,  which made him take two long strides towards her and hold her steady against him.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s myst day tomorrow and I¡¯m feeling so sorry that I couldn¡¯t find a suitable secretary for you at this time.¡± Margaret said, disappointed with herself as she stood in front of her boss.

    Mark smiled fondly, as he looked at the woman standing before him.

    She is smart, intelligent and very well managed in her work, but she is going to get married and is going to reside in London with her husband.

    It was unfortunate for both of them, but it had to be done.

    ¡°But there is one woman who is willing to fill the position, although she doesn¡¯t have the qualifications.¡± Margaret added hesitantly, and Mark frowned.

    ¡°Why are you telling me this when she doesn¡¯t match the qualifications?¡± He asked because it felt absurd to him.

    ¡°Uh sir, because she¡¯s the same woman who hade to meet you a few days before.¡± She exined, as he tried to remember and then his eyes widened in realisation.

    ¡°Chloe?¡± He whispered to himself, and slowly a smile crept on his face.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Margaret, call her and tell her she¡¯s been appointed.¡± He smirked, and Margaret just smiled and shook her head before walking out of his office.

    ¡°I look forward to working with you, Ms. Chloe.¡± He whispered to himself, as he leaned back on his seat and smiled looking at nowhere in particr.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY ONE

    Mia red hard at Alex, as she pushed him away rudely though not harshly because she had to take care of herself as well.

    Alex stumbled back, and nced at her with his steely eyes.

    ¡°How dare you Mr. Ian. Do you think all of this is a joke? Does the world revolve only around you? You think it works ording to yourmands and wishes?¡± Sheshed out angrily, her eyes held the fury as she eyed him with hatred.

    ¡°Get this thing in your twisted mind, Mr. Ian, people do have feelings, they have their own wishes and they won¡¯t work ording to your wishes. I refuse to marry you now and every time you ask me.¡± She blurted out, as she took a deep breath in, as she ended up announcing her decision which is final.

    ¡°Enough, if I don¡¯t say anything doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll go on listening to your rambles. Neither do I hold any interest in you romantically nor do I intend to fulfil any marriage duties if we get married.¡± Alex muttered.

    ¡°I asked you to marry me only for the sake of my child and his/her future. I wouldn¡¯t want him to grow up and be deprived of ¡­..¡± he stopped abruptly, realising what he was saying and giving a quick nce to her, dashed out of her presence.

    Mia stood there perplexed at his sudden exit.

    She couldn¡¯t fathom what was going on his mind, and why was he suddenly so keen on marrying her when he did not believe in rtionships and marriage.

    But she realised one thing which she had predicted even earlier, that he is going to be a great father.

    He is already worried for the unborn child and although he didn¡¯t show it openly, it still reflected in his actions.

    Exhausted, she sat on the bed and found her eyes drooping involuntarily, so sheid down properly on the bed and dozed off, shutting everything else out.

    Alex marched inside his study, and closed his eyes shut topose himself.

    He couldn¡¯t believe he was going to say something in front of Mia, something he never shared with anyone except Mark.

    He knew that was the only way he could put forth his proposal to marry her, is he too abrupt and shocking for her? And that her mood swings added up to her unleashing her anger, but it was the only way he could say what he wanted.

    All that sweet words and cajoling was never his cup of tea.

    He hade up with this decision to marry her after his conversation with Markst night.

    After thinking hard and long, he realised he couldn¡¯t be that cruel to his unborn child.

    His child had every right to get both the parents love and he was sure after the baby¡¯s exposure to the world, people are going to talk nonsense and all sorts of infuriating things.

    Handling the media would be a problem because he couldn¡¯t keep his child in the dark forever. He/She would have to face the world one day .

    Taking out his phone he called George immediately.

    ¡°George, I need you to do one work right now. Terminate the contract between Mia and I. I want it gone, no trace of it.¡± He ordered without a second thought, and George could only blink his eyes, dumbfounded.

    ¡°But sir you need to inform the other party about this termination and give a termination use. What use should I mention?¡± George asked without asking any whys.

    ¡°I¡¯ll inform her about it. And the use, I¡¯m marrying her which totally makes the contract void as she won¡¯t be able to leave.¡± Alex informed, and George agreed before hanging up.

    Now he had to tell Mia about it and somehow convince her for marriage.

    Sighing, he left for his room to have a chat with her yet again. But he was greeted with the same scene yet again, as he saw Mia sleeping on his bed.

    He gazed at her for a few seconds before sitting beside her.

    He stared at her protruding belly for a long time, debating in his mind if he should ce his hand on her belly or not.

    After almost five  minutes passed, he shook his head and was about to get up when her soft hands touched his hand.

    He looked at her hand and then at her face.

    She was awake and staring at him and he did the same. He felt his hand moving, and the next second it was on her stomach.

    ¡°I told you, you can talk with your child whenever you want.¡± She whispered with a small smile, but he didn¡¯t smile back and looked back at her belly.

    He lightly caressed it, and for the first time he felt his eyes softening.

    His eyes lingered there for a few moments before he took his hand away and she sighed.

    She tried to sit up and he was quick in lending her support.

    ¡°Mia, I was serious about the marriage thing.¡± He stared at her after she sat up, and this time Mia didn¡¯t protest or give away any kind of reaction.

    ¡°Also, I¡¯m terminating the contract.¡± At this, her head snapped up and she stared at him with a mixture of disbelief and something else that he couldn¡¯t identify.

    ¡°Why are you suddenly so interested in marrying me, Mr. Ian?¡± Mia asked seemingly curious, and frustrated at his decision.

    ¡°Look, like I told you before, I don¡¯t believe in marriage and I still don¡¯t. But if it is the only way to keep the baby away from all people and calling him/her names, then I¡¯m ready for it.¡± He was straightforward in telling what he thought.

    And seeing her nk expression he continued, ¡°And if you still want to leave then you¡¯re free to do that, I¡¯ll marry someone else who is willing.¡± Her eyes narrowed at his sentence, because no way would she tolerate her child calling someone else as his/her mother.

    ¡°I need some time, Mr. Ian¡± She dered curtly, and he nodded.

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    Chloe entered ¡®Mark enterprises¡¯ with a nervous look on her face.

    She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her to apply for such a job that she isn¡¯t even qualified for.

    And to top it, it was Mark she was talking about who had agreed to appoint her even after knowing she was nowhere near qualified for the post.

    Her boss.

    Biting her lips nervously, she made her way to his office and she took a deep breath before knocking.

    He ushered her in, and she entered inside not looking his way at all.

    ¡°Ah, Ms. Chloe, wee to the Mark enterprises.¡± Mark said with a smirk on his face, which she didn¡¯t notice because isn¡¯t looking his way.

    ¡°Why did you appoint me?¡± she asked frowning, finally looking at him and he raised his eyebrows amused.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy? You had voluntarily applied for it, if I¡¯m not wrong.¡± He said leaning back, and she red at him.

    ¡°I did, but didn¡¯t you see that my qualifications are nowhere matched with this post? Then why? Why did you do it?¡± She demanded furiously and he stood up, strolling towards her.

    ¡°First of all, this is a workce and I¡¯m your boss, so don¡¯t talk to me in that tone. Secondly, I¡¯m not going to answer your question¡±

    ¡°Why choose you for this post is my decision, and if you¡¯re not ready for it then leave now because once you sign the agreement with thispany, you won¡¯t be able to resign for at least for six months. Take it or leave it.¡± Mark uttered, for the first time ever Chloe felt intimidated by him as she stared at him speechless.

    She gulped and yed with the edge of her dress which was noticed by Mark.

    He stared at her nervous act, as his thoughts went overboard, but still kept quiet.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± She announced timidly, as she  turned to leave which caused him to panic.

    ¡°Wait.¡± he stopped, but did not turn around and waited for him to speak.

    ¡°If you wanted to leave, then why did you apply for this job in the first ce?¡± He questioned and she stayed quiet not knowing what to say.

    ¡°I was looking for a job, but didn¡¯t know that I could get this one. I had no hopes of getting a positive response from here but¡­ ¡± She stopped, and Mark felt that something was off.

    ¡°You are qualified for this job, Chole.¡± Mark announced after a few minutes of silence, and she turned with a confused face.

    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, then let me tell you that Margaret, my previous secretary, was also not qualified for the post. But I still appointed her because I knew she deserved it. Likewise you, I feel you deserve this post too.¡± He dered, and her face softened.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, Chloe, because I¡¯m not doing you a favour, I¡¯m also not doing it just because I know you as Mia¡¯s friend. This is work, and I¡¯m all about professionalism here.¡± Mark said, and a  small smile broke out on Chloe¡¯s face, but she quickly hid it and stood straight.

    ¡°I ept this job sir.¡± She said with a nod and Mark grinned.

    ¡°All the formalities will bepleted by Margaret. Please find her outside because she will be updating you about everything that you¡¯ll be handling.¡± Mark said in a professional tone,  although he was jumping happily inside him.

    ¡°Yes sir.¡± She nodded, as she left his office, after which Mark threw his hands in the air celebrating his victory.

    He definitely wasn¡¯t going to bring his personal feelings to work, but even seeing her everyday in front of him was enough for him.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY TWO

    A week passed, and Mia still hadn¡¯t given her answer to Alex while he waited patiently.

    He had not bugged her after their conversation about the marriage, and true to his words had apanied her to the doctor for the regr checkup.

    It surprised Mia and somehow irritated her as well, she wasn¡¯t used to this side of him and it was more confusing.

    Her rtionship with Mark was now a little better than before.

    They were not avoiding each other, at least, and that is the first step.

    The more she thought about the marriage, the more she found his reasoning logical.

    For their own benefits and egos, they couldn¡¯t ruin the life of their child, who had absolutely no mistake in this.

    Yes, she would be ready to do anything for her child to provide her or him with a secured future, but what about her?

    What about her wishes? Didn¡¯t she have a right to find a person who loved her and valued her?

    What was she going to do in this fake, loveless marriage?

    All her life until now, she lived for her children at the orphanage, and now she had to do the same, she was only living for others and not for herself.

    She had to kill her desires and her wishes in order to give them a better tomorrow, and she will have to continue doing that now for her own kid.

    What was her life? Was it even her own?

    She had therefore decided that she was going to visit the orphanage today to have some change in her life and also to distract herself.

    She only hoped that she could talk to Chloe about it ande up with a solution.

    George had too much on his hands, he was too busy to even have his breakfast, lunch, or dinner peacefully.

    He lived only for thepany.

    Though he neverined because he had no idea it was going to be this tough while signing up to work with Alex Ian, sometimes he felt like leaving it all and going far away to live his life without any work pressure.

    The inte buzzed, and George was called in by his boss.

    Alex hade to work this one day because of an emergency.

    He took a deep breath and moved towards his cabin.

    ¡°Yes sir.¡± He reported it to Alex, who was busy looking at something on hisptop.

    ¡°George, have you terminated the contract?¡± Alex asked without looking at him, and he never even wasted his time by looking at him and waiting for his reply.

    ¡°I¡¯m on it, sir.¡± George replied and waited for the next question to be thrown at him.

    ¡°What about the media?¡± George smiled to himself, knowing this was going to be the next question.

    ¡°I¡¯ve handled them so far, but E Kate has sent an invite to her party that is held tomorrow.¡±

    This was something he was hesitating to inform because, even after denying the invitation, she was adamant on getting a ¡®yes¡¯ from him.

    ¡°I even denied it, but she threatened me instead, saying she¡¯d make me lose my job.¡± Alex looked at George, and seeing the coldness in his eyes, George knew no one could snatch his job except the devil himself.

    ¡°Tear it or throw it, I don¡¯t care, but that name shouldn¡¯t be heard in thispany again.¡± Alex ordered, and George nodded at once, following his instructions.

    ¡°And if she creates another problem, then all you have to do is call for a press conference. Be rest assured, I¡¯ll make sure she never shows up in front of me ever again.¡± George shuddered at his tone, and felt pity for E, but she kinda deserved it too.

    ¡°You may leave.¡± Alex instructed.

    Soon after George left, Alex was back to thinking about Mia.

    He had waited for her answer patiently because he knew, in the end, it was going to be positive.

    That wasn¡¯t a problem.

    What was more important was announcing their marriage to the media.

    He wasn¡¯t going to conduct a grand wedding to invite all his business associates, in fact,  it was going to be private with only Mark, Mia¡¯s friend and Mrs. August , that is, if she wanted to be a part of it.

    The media and the world wille to know about it when he will inform them, and that was it.

    He also knew that if they woulde to know about Mia¡¯s condition, they woulde up with the story that he was marrying her because she was pregnant or that she was trapping him for his money by pretending to be pregnant.

    He had weighed all the possibilities, and it was only sensible to not reveal her identity as of now.

    For that, he had to make sure that there was no evidence, like photographs of their marriage, and that the marriage would take ce in a more private ce with higher security.

    Sighing, he concentrated back on his work because those matters could be dealt with back at his mansion.

    Mia reached the orphanage along with Rachel, but was disappointed when she found out that Chole wasn¡¯t around.

    Upon asking, she was informed that she had recently found a job, which made her suspicious.

    ¡°Mia, when are you going toe back and live with us like old times?¡± She looked beside her, and found Richard looking at her with his innocent eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby, I miss you all too.¡± She pouted, but Richard was already scrunching up his face, and Mia thought that he felt bad.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a baby, Lena is.¡± He argued and pointed at Lena, who was busy colouring. She heard him and looked up, frowning at him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you, Richard.¡± She stuck out her tongue and went back to colouring.

    Richard red at her or tried to re at her, but she was unaffected.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you either.¡± He said it loudly and looked away in anger, crossing his little arms.

    Mia looked at the duo with amusement.

    ¡°Richard, Lena, what was that?¡± She asked after a moment, and both of them peeked at each other before going back to ignoring each other.

    Mia shook her head and chuckled to herself.

    ¡°Okay, so now that the two of you are fighting, I might as well give all the hugs and kisses to her.¡± She mentioned the names of the kids in her orphanage. She deliberately slowed down when she found the two of them looking at her in horror.

    ¡°Noooo! We are not fighting.¡±

    ¡°I want hugs and kisses too.¡± Both of them yelled at the same time, and Mia grinned before opening her arms for them.

    Richard hugged her softly as he was sitting beside her, but as Lena ran to them, Mia felt worried about her baby.

    ¡°Stupid, don¡¯t run, you will hurt the baby.¡± Richard called out to Lena, who was ready to crash into Mia.

    Lena slowed down and stared at her belly mysteriously.

    Mia was surprised at how mature Richard was acting, and she didn¡¯t even know how he hade to know about this.

    Lena was still inspecting her belly, and as she came forward and touched it lightly with her tiny hand, she looked up at Mia.

    ¡°You have a baby in here?¡± Her question and the innocence on her face made Mia say, ¡®An¡¯.

    ¡°Yes, she does. Or else, how do you think her belly has grown so big?¡± Richard slightly hit her forehead, to which Lena red at him and hit him back on his arm, but it didn¡¯t affect him at all.

    ¡°Okay, no hitting each other, and Richard, how do you know about this?¡± She turned to look at him, and he smiled rather sheepishly.

    ¡°I asked Chloe the other day after I saw your big belly.¡± He informed her, and she smiled.

    Lena stretched out her arms towards Mia, asking her to pick her up, but Richard gestured for her not to do that.

    ¡°Mia, I want to hug you too, please.¡± She whined, and Richard shook his head as he stood up and picked Lena up in his arms.

    She pped her arms and legs, not wanting to be picked up by him, but he ignored it and ced her beside Mia.

    ¡°Lena, stop irritating Richard, he¡¯s only helping you.¡± Mia said sternly, but Lena just frowned more and clung to her.

    ¡°He annoys me more, he calls me smally, short, and teases me every time he¡¯s bad.¡± Sheined, and Mia looked at Richard only to find him staring at Lena with a sad smile.

    ¡°Richard?¡± She called out his attention, as he focused his attention back to her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go y with the rest of the kids.¡± Saying so, he dashed out of there and Lena snuggled more into Mia while she thought of the matter.

    Something was definitely up with Richard and he wasn¡¯t sharing it with anyone.

    Chloe was happy with her decision of working with Mark, because he had nowhere made her feel ufortable or sad at any time.

    Sure, it was only her fourth day at hispany but she never felt left out.

    ¡°Chloe,e in.¡± She heard his voice through the inte and stood up to go inside.

    ¡°Yes sir?¡± She looked at him, as he flipped through some papers.

    She never thought she would see him in this version, being all serious and professional because he is always joking around when he is not working.

    ¡°Ms. Chloe?¡± He called, as she was brought out of her trance when Mark called her a little loudly.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you sir.¡± She apologised, and a frustrated look appeared on his face.

    ¡°Please stop daydreaming, Ms. Chloe. I won¡¯t be repeating the same things for you twice.¡± He said rather harshly, and she looked down because she knew it was her fault.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir.¡± She said in a low voice, and Mark sighed, closing his eyes.

    It had been a rough morning for him. He had woken up with a headache and even now it seemed to worsen.

    He massaged his temples and Chloe noticed it, but kept quiet.

    She realised he must be having a headache, so she immediately went out and got him the medicine she always kept in her bag.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind sir, please take this medicine. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± She ced the tablet on his desk, and stepped back. Mark looked at the medicine and then at Chloe.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you alone for now sir, I hope you feel better soon.¡± With that, she left his cabin before he could say anything else.

    Sighing, the first thing he did was take the medicine given to him, and then rxed in his chair. He now has to think of how he is going to apologise to her.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY THREE

    It was past eight thirty, and most of the staff had gone home, while some were preparing to go home.

    A few workers were still roaming around, as Chloe packed her things and moved out of the building.

    It wasn¡¯t toote, but she was tired already.

    She didn¡¯t want to walk even a step, but she had to.

    She waited for five minutes to hire a cab, but was frustrated every time the driver refused to take her to the ce or the cab was upied.

    Can she get some peace?

    A honk of a car made her jump on her ce, and she looked sideways only to find Mark¡¯s car there.

    She stared at the car for a few seconds before looking away for a cab.

    A minuteter, he honked again, which irritated her, but she controlled herself to go andsh out at him. But how could he leave her alone? When she continued looking for a cab, he honked yet again, and this time she gritted her teeth in annoyance.

    She marched towards his car and knocked on his window. Mark rolled it down and looked at her while she red at him.

    ¡°What is your problem?¡± She asked agitatedly, while Mark only blinked innocently.

    ¡°What did I do?¡± He tried to act innocent, but she only red harder, which caused him to sigh.

    ¡°Okay fine. Come sit in the car, I¡¯ll drop you.¡± He stated, but she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

    ¡°No, thank you, sir. I¡¯ll manage.¡± She replied, emphasising on ¡®sir¡¯ and turned around to leave.

    Mark knew she was hard-headed and wouldn¡¯t agree so easily, but was he going to give up? Never.

    He got out of his car and closed the door to let her know what he was up to, yet she paid no attention to his doings.

    Only when he walked up to her and stood beside her did she take a deep breath and turn to him.

    ¡°Why are you following me?¡± She suddenly sounded tired, but he wasn¡¯t the one acting stubborn among them.

    ¡°I offered to drop you, and you denied it, so I¡¯ll make sure you get home safely this way or that way.¡± He dered it without any hesitation, and she felt dejected.

    Without another word, she walked up to his car and settled inside.

    Mark smiled to himself and followed her behind, settling in the driver¡¯s seat.

    When, after two minutes, he didn¡¯t start the car, Chloe looked at him with a frown.

    He indicated something with his eyes, but she didn¡¯t understand.

    Sighing, he leaned forward, causing her eyes to widen.

    ¡°W¡­. what are you doing?¡± She stuttered, leaning back, and he ignored it and secured her with the seat belt.

    Embarrassed, she bit her lip and looked out of the window while Mark smiled and ignited the car.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mark confessed looking straight ahead, whereas Chloe turned her attention towards him.

    This might be the first time she was observing him from this close.

    He had a sharp jawline, thick eyebrows, a long nose, and pink lips.

    ¡°Chloe?¡± He called, and her eyes jerked up, and she found his eyes on hers.

    He had chocte brown eyes, and she watched as his lips stretched and dimples formed on both sides.

    ¡°Chloe!¡± He called out loudly this time, and she came out of her staring session.

    Mark very well knew she was keenly observing his face, and it had made him smile.

    Chloe cursed herself as she looked away, embarrassing herself for the second time now.

    She couldn¡¯t even look at him, knowing he would tease her now.

    ¡°So do you ept my apology?¡± He deliberately didn¡¯tment on her staring session, not wanting to make her ufortable.

    Chloe sighed in relief when he didn¡¯t bring it up.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was at fault anyway, so don¡¯t worry.¡± She replied in a normal tone, but he wasn¡¯t quite satisfied.

    ¡°No, you were distracted. I agreed, but I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at you. It was my problem to have a headache, but that didn¡¯t mean I would take out my anger on my employees. So please ept my apology, and I promise, I won¡¯t repeat it again.¡± He sounded sincere, as he kept ncing at her every now and then, and a small smile formed on her face.

    ¡°Okay, I ept your apology.¡± She smiled, and he grinned, finally rxing visibly.

    She wondered why her eptance meant so much to him, or was he the same with his previous secretary as well?

    Mia had been waiting outside Alex¡¯s study for more than ten minutes now.

    She was still debating whether she should go inside his den or not.

    She had taken the decision regarding their marriage, and now she only had to dere it to him. Then why was she nervous?

    She kept a hand on her belly and looked down with a pout.

    ¡°How should I tell your father about my decision? I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so nervous, but I don¡¯t want to go in front of him.¡± She sighed, caressing it lightly and thinking of some other way to inform him.

    ¡°Should I message him? Or mail him? Or could I write a letter and leave it in his room? I think I should go with the third one.¡± She nodded to herself when the door opened, and she froze.

    Alex was surprised to see her in front of his study room, but what surprised him more was the look on her face.

    She looked like a deer caught in headlights.

    ¡°You need something?¡± He questioned her, and she blinked her eyes several times before nodding her head.

    ¡°Wait.¡± He called out as she turned to leave. Mia bit her lower lip in nervousness and prayed to God to save her.

    ¡°What is it? Why were you standing here?¡± He sounded like a strict father as he stood in front of her. Mia nced at him and then around her for any escape, but there was none.

    ¡°II just wanted to tell you something.¡± She finally spoke, and he waited for her to continue.

    She frowned suddenly because he didn¡¯t even care about the fact that she had been standing for too long.     Not that she needed his care, but he at least had some humanity left inside him, right?

    ¡°I want to sit.¡± She dered, and he raised his eyebrows, seemingly amused.

    ¡°You wanted to say this?¡± He seemed like he was teasing her, but again, that would be just her imagination.

    She frowned at him and walked past him inside his study while he followed her.

    After she settled down slowly with his help, he stood there, towering over her figure, waiting for her to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯m ready for marriage.¡± She announced, and his facial expression changed.

    He looked more serious and concentrated.

    ¡°Have you thought through it thoroughly?¡± He had to confirm that she was truly ready and not taking the decision in her emotional state.

    She sighed and then nodded, not looking up at him. Alex stared at her for a few seconds before sitting beside her.

    ¡°Mia, let me tell you that this will be a court wedding only with the necessary witnesses and nobody else. I¡¯ll be keeping the media away and unaware of any of this.¡± He informed her, and she looked at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this only for my child, so I don¡¯t care how the wedding takes ce, but I won¡¯t be fulfilling any of the wifely duties.¡± She had to make herself clear before he assumed anything else.

    ¡°Understood. This wedding is only and only to give this child a secured and deserving future, nothing else.¡± And so they made a deal that day to be only the parents of their child and nothing else.

    Alex had ordered hiswyer to do the needful for the preparations of their wedding and also warned George to keep the media away at any cost.

    He had then been informed by thewyer that it would take approximately a month and a half before they would be called upon for the marriage to take ce.

    Two months more, that would mean that Mia will be seven months pregnant until then.

    He had to make sure nothing wouldplicate her state further.

    He sighed and then moved towards her room to inform her about the same.

    As he reached outside her room, he knocked on the door and heard nothing from the other end.

    Another knock, still nothing. Atst, he pushed the door open and found her seated near the window with a book in her hands.

    She seemed too engrossed in whatever she was reading to even acknowledge his presence.

    He cleared his throat to gain her attention, but to no avail.

    ¡°Mia,¡± Finally, he had to call out her name, and she looked up immediately.

    ¡°I¡¯vee here to inform you that the wedding will take ce in two months time. So we¡¯ll be visiting the doctor tomorrow for a checkup to know if everything¡¯s alright.¡± He dered it, and she could only stare at him.

    ¡°What?¡± He questioned her when he found her staring at him nkly.

    ¡°Nothing. It just feels weird when you act like you care.¡± She blurted out in a trance, and his face hardened.

    ¡°I care about the child, not you. So don¡¯t get the wrong impression.¡± He walked out after that, and she felt like she had said something wrong.

    But what exactly had triggered it?Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY FOUR

    MIA¡¯S POV

    After our visit to the hospital, Alex has been so nice to me, taking care of me in the little way he can.

    I was in the sitting room with Alex surfing through, when we heard noises outside.

    It can¡¯t be me the person wants to visit. I¡¯m very sure because Chole is my only friend and almost all the guards know her now, and she has easy passage into the house now.

    When the noise didn¡¯t die down, Alex stood up to go outside to check what was going on.

    As he reached the entrance and was about to open the door, ady burst into the living room with a little boy with her. The door almost hit Alex.

    I looked at the person strangely and looked back at what I was watching, because I don¡¯t know the person nor have Ie across the person, they must be Alex visitor.

    ¡°What do you want? Reba,¡± Alex asked, he was full of anger. His facial expression has changed, he looks like someone ready to burst.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask the second time. What do you want, E?¡± Alex asked for the second time.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡®Wow, I¡¯m liking this drama,¡¯ I thought, as  I was getting interested. But why is Alex looking so mad? Who is this Reba? And who is the little boy with her? The boy looks like Alex a little, I thought

    Thedy then looked at Alex, giving him puppy eyes. ¡°Lexy, so no baby, no sweetheart, no teddy bear? Don¡¯t you miss me? I¡¯m even with your son,¡± the strangedy said.

    Son?? I heard, and I looked with my mouth wide open.

    ¡°This is your daddy, Ethan.¡± She told the little boy with her, who should be around 4 years old. The boy went to meet Alex, and hugged his legs.

    Alex was so shocked, as he uttered angrily, ¡°Whose child is this, E? I have no child anywhere, so don¡¯t deceive yourself and get out of my house now. I don¡¯t want to see you anywhere close to me or my mansion.¡±

    The Edy then noticed me as she waved and walked up to me.

    ¡°You are going to have a stepson soon and also another wife, and this house isn¡¯t going to be easy for the both of us.¡± She stated.

    ¡°I have something to use against Alex now that he has a son, and I know Alex won¡¯t like to destroy his reputation.¡± She continued.

    ¡°You can talk to your husband, or, what can I call him, because I know you guys aren¡¯t married,¡± E said.

    ¡°Bye Lexy I¡¯m stilling back for you.¡± she pecked Alex, as catwalk out of the house with her son.

    I was still shocked of what she just said, how the fuck did she know that I¡¯m not married to Alex? Apart from Mark, Chole, and I think some of the maids, no one outside knows that I¡¯m not married to Alex.

    Immediately, she left. Alex said I shouldn¡¯t be bothered by her threat that all she said is not going to happen.

    ALEX POV

    I was still looking so mad about what just happened, as I went to his room angrily and called Mark.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, man?¡± Mark said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not good, Mark. E came back after 4 years,¡± I blurted out.

    ¡°What? E?? What does she want???¡± Mark asked at once.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t evene alone, she came with a boy iming he was my son, and the boy did look a bit like me. He had my eyes. I¡¯m confused. I don¡¯t know if I should believe her. Their strange visit really demoralised me,¡± I said.

    ¡°Alex, calm down. Let¡¯s watch her next move. If she ims the child is for you, just ept the child,¡± Mark tried to calm me down over the phone.

    ¡°Did you pour your seed into her before she left you?¡± Mark asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know, I can¡¯t remember. It being four years, man,¡± I said.

    ¡°Just stay calm and don¡¯t do anything out of anger. You won¡¯t want anything to affect your reputation in the country, and you won¡¯t want the high stake of yourpany toe down, so just do things quietly with wisdom, man. Just know that I got your back, man,¡± Mark advised.

    ¡°The funniest part is that she knows that I and Mia aren¡¯t married. I don¡¯t know how she got to know, she even threatened Mia,¡± I exined.

    ¡°Everything will be fine. Alex, let¡¯s just wait for her next arrival and see what she wants to do.¡± Mark urged.

    I ended the call. I had a shback to when me and E started dating, and to the time when she ended things with me.

    **********FLASH BACK***************

    I was in Year 3 when I met E. E is a very beautiful girl with brown eyes. When I saw her, I got attracted to her immediately. I tried to woo her, which I seeded in.

    After a few weeks of wooing her, sheter agreed to be my girlfriend. Our rtionship was so sweet that most people in our college know about it and are always jealous of us. I have always been a private person, but E isn¡¯t. I tried to keep up with her public life to show her how much I love her.

    I introduced her to my grandfather. My grandfather loves her so much that she sometimes spends the night at my grandfather¡¯s ce.

    During ourte year in college, I heard a rumour that E was cheating on me with one of my guys, Leo.

    Leo and I were best friends. Fortunately for me, I caught both of them cheating on me. My best friend and girlfriend broke my trust. I told Reba I was no longer interested, but she was begging me to ept her back.

    Say she wouldn¡¯t do it again, so after much begging and everything, I decided to forgive her and ept her back.

    We started dating back. Our love keeps growing each day. We would go out to dinner, always call each other, and we do literally everything together.

    Until one day I didn¡¯t see her. I tried calling her, but she wouldn¡¯t pick up. After five days, I saw her message. She wrote, ¡°Thanks for showing me love, care, and attention when we were together. I have eloped to someone who my heart loves. I¡¯m sorry for breaking your heart. I hope you have a good life as I¡¯m also having a blissful life.¡±

    I heard from my source that sheter got married to my ex-best friend Leo, so she was still in love with Leo. Then why did she beg for my love back? Since then, you have vowed not to date or marry anydy. I expect anydy can change my heart.

    *********END OF FLASHBACK*********

    So I¡¯m so shocked that she decided to show up in my life after four years with a child, which I¡¯m not sure is mine.

    As she came, old memories were rushing into my head. Upon how my grandfather loved her, cared for her, gave her things, and took her like a daughter, she didn¡¯t attend my grandfather¡¯s burial.

    I was expecting to see her, even if she didn¡¯t want me to see her or have anything to do with me. She should have attended and she could leave early, but she didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t send a message, she didn¡¯t even care at all. I don¡¯t even think she loved me, maybe I was the only one who loved her.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY FIVE

    A month passed by, and it felt like a year to Mia because too many things happened in that month.

    First of all, she got to know that Chloe had started working at the ¡®Ryan Industries¡¯. It was shocking to know how much she disliked Mark, or maybe pretended to.

    About the regr checkups, Alex was there with her, and thankfully there were noplications.

    But after that day, he had been more aloof and cold.

    The court marriage information had been dropped to the press, because it meant letting the news spread everywhere because there was this procedure to allow objections to their marriage from anyone, and that would mean exposure.

    So now it was a normal wedding with all the rituals, they are doing that at Mark¡¯s mansion to avoid unnecessary attention.

    The wedding was just two days ahead, and she had yet to inform Chloe. Oh, how she was going to be killed with just her looks.

    The matter back at the orphanage had been solved as well, and she was d that she had visited them and listened to them.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    She chuckled as she remembered what had happened that day.

    Mia was searching for Richard at the orphanage when Lena came up and held her hand, pulling her somewhere.

    She frowned  but let her guide the way, and when they reached the terrace of ¡®Charity¡¯ she found Richard sitting there on the edge with his legs dangling.

    ¡°Richard!¡± Mia yelled, horrified, and walked fast towards him, but he was quick enough to turn and get down from there, much to her relief.

    That didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t concerned or angry about this careless behaviour.

    ¡°What is all this, Richard? How dare you sit there, knowing how dangerous it is?¡± She asked.

    ¡°And Lena, what if tomorrow she copies you?¡± She scolded him, and he looked at Lena at the side Mia, who had been hiding behind her and peeking at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He looked down, epting his mistake, and Mia sighed. She nced at Lena and then turned towards her.

    ¡°Lina, can you please go down and y with your friends?¡± Sheasked her softly, and she looked at her and then at Richard before running away.

    Sighing, as she turned her attention to Richard, who immediately looked down again.

    She held his hand and took him to her room, closing the door behind her.

    ¡°Now tell me, what is the matter with you?¡± She questioned Richard directly, and Richard was still avoiding any eye contact.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel that nobody loves me or wants to be my friend.¡± His timid voice was enough for Mia to know that he was feeling lonely.

    ¡°But you have so many friends.¡± She said it softly, holding his chin and making him look at her.

    ¡°They¡¯re not my friends. They don¡¯t include me in their games, and even if I ask them to include me, they say I¡¯m too boring and weird. Am I weird?¡± He asked innocently, and she sighed, cupping his face.

    ¡°Richard, no one is weird in this world. Everyone is different, and being different is not a bad thing. You are special in your own way. Maybe you don¡¯t like these games they y, but yet you took the initiative to indulge with them, right?¡± Mia asked, and he nodded immediately, and she smiled.

    ¡°You are a big boy, Richard, and I¡¯m proud of you.¡± She ruffled his hair, and he grinned widely.

    ¡°I¡¯m a big girl too.¡± They heard a voice  and exchanged looks, knowing who it was.

    ¡°Did you hear that, Richard? I think someone is listening to our talks secretly.¡± Mia said it rather loudly and smiled at Richard, who was enjoying it as well.

    ¡°Oh yes, but who can it be?¡± He asked pretended to look around, and they heard her giggle in return.

    ¡°Uff, I give up. I can¡¯t find the person.¡± Mia said it dramatically, and Lena jumped in, giggling all the time.

    ¡°Mia, Richard, you both are so dumb. It was me.¡± Sheughed, and both of them chuckled at her happiness.

    She then stretched her hands towards Richard, taking them both by surprise.

    ¡°I want to sit beside Mia. You picked me upst time, so now do it again.¡± She ordered, and Richard rolled his eyes but did as told. He picked her up in his arms and made her sit beside Mia, whereas Richard sat on her other side.

    ¡°Why was Lena listening to our talks? It¡¯s bad manners, you know.¡± Mia flicked her nose, and she frowned, swatting her hand away.

    ¡°No, only Alex can do that.¡± She dered, and Mia was stunned.

    Alex? As in Alexander Ian? She remembers him.

    ¡°Mia, I am Richard¡¯s friend too. He is not bad.¡± She said it with an innocent face, and Richard stared at her, amused because this was not what she saidst time.

    ¡°Really? Then why did you say that he¡¯s bad thest time I visited?¡± Mia asked, raising her eyebrows, and Lena smiled sheepishly.

    ¡°That is because he was irritating me, so I said it to make him feel bad. Sorry.¡± She exined to Mia, and Mia shook her head in disbelief.

    Without another word, Richard attacked her with tickles, which caused her to scream andugh loudly.

    Mia smiled, looking at the duo, finally feeling rxed.

    The most shocking thing out of the whole ordeal was that Lena remembered Alex, even though she had met him only once, she had even inquired about when he was going to visit again, to which she had no answer to.

    Who knew if he wanted to visit them again or not?

    With a sigh, she waited for Chloe to arrive, as she had asked Mark to give her a day off because she had to drop the news of  her marriage. God save her!

    Alex was tired, because working from home wasn¡¯t his thing.

    Of course, Rachel was there as well, but for now she was on leave, and maybe he wasn¡¯t going to call her back.

    Now that the marriage was to take ce at Alex¡¯s mansion, it had made him more and more worked up because his ce wasn¡¯t that safe either.

    The media and reporters were flocking his ce as well, so he was in search of another ce for the time being.

    He heard some voices from outside, which caused him to stand up and walked into the living room.

    He saw Chloe hugging Mia, and Mia was grinning to her fullest.

    His eyes remained on Mia¡¯s smiling face for more than a few minutes, and he wondered what was so different about her smile that it captivated him.

    She¡¯s never smiled in front of him, not that he gave her any reason to, but he¡¯s always see her smiling with everybody else.

    He was brought out of his thoughts by the ringing of his phone.

    He looked around and found that both thedies were gone. Taking out his phone, he walked back into his study.

    ¡°The legal papers for your penthouse have been sought. The wedding can take ce in his penthouse.¡±

    Finally, he had a ce that was not known to anyone else, not even Mark.

    He typed back a message asking George to arrange everything for the marriage. He had two days in his hand, so there was no chance for a mistake.

    Chloe watched as Mia kept caressing her belly unconsciously, and she  seemed lost in her thoughts.

    She seemed rather nervous and distracted.

    Mark had asked her to be at the Ian mansion out of the blue, but then she knew it was something serious.

    ¡°Mia, what is it? You¡¯ve been lost in your thoughts since thest twenty minutes.¡± Chloe urged, and Mia looked at her with nervousness written all over her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting married.¡± She blurted out finally and felt like it , because before this, she had told her about her contract with Alex in the same manner.

    ¡°What?¡± Chloe yelled, making Mia wince and close her eyes.

    ¡°Do you always call me to give me heart attacks? Or is it only me?¡± Chloe red at her, and Mia found her eyes tearing up.

    Pregnancy hormones were a good shield sometimes, as she saw Chloe¡¯s eyes softening.

    ¡°Okay, rx; I¡¯m not mad. When did this happen, and when are you getting married?¡± She asked calmly, and Mia purposely kept sniffing.

    ¡°In two days.¡± She deliberately answered only the second question, but it still brought her trouble.

    ¡°Are you even serious? And no, don¡¯t start crying.¡± Chloe warned angrily, but it didn¡¯t affect Mia as the waterworks had already started.

    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± The door opened, and Alex appeared out of nowhere, causing Chloe to groan in annoyance.

    She felt like she could strangle him right then.

    Alex¡¯s eyes fell on Mia, and seeing her tears, his eyes immediately went on Chloe, who was ring back at him.

    ¡°Care to exin what you have done?¡± Alex questioned, crossing his arms and staring at Chloe, who stood up and narrowed her eyes at him.

    ¡°I should be the one asking you this. What have you done? Your contract clearly stated that you don¡¯t want any rtionship with her, then why now? What changed? Have you miraculously fallen in love with her?¡± She asked sarcastically, quoting with her hands while Mia watched the duo worriedly.

    ¡°What is between me and her is none of your business. You can keep your nose out of it.¡± His words held a warning, which she refused to back down.

    ¡°You ¡±

    ¡°Mr. Ian!¡± Mia squealed suddenly, and they both turned their heads in her direction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make her understand, don¡¯t worry.¡± She smiled nervously, and Chloe¡¯s mouth hung open while Alex turned and left without another word.

    Chloe looked back only to find him gone, which annoyed even further.

    She red at Mia, who just smiled sheepishly in return.

    ¡°Why the hell are you doing this, Mia? Why are you giving up your life for him?¡± Chloe asked, as she still couldn¡¯t believe that she was ready for this. And for what?

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for him, Chloe, I¡¯m doing this for my baby. I don¡¯t want the world to raise questions about him or her.¡±

    ¡°You know right, being called an orphan is far better than being called an illegitimate child. In this case, neither the fault is mine nor this child¡¯s.¡± She sighed, and Chloe narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s entirely Alexander¡¯s fault. He trapped you in this situation. I won¡¯t spare him.¡± She hissed and got up, only to be pulled back.

    ¡°Okay enough. What kind of aunt are you? Did you even spend some time with this innocent baby of mine?¡± Mia pouted, looking at her belly and peeking at Chloe.

    As expected, Chloe¡¯s anger evaporated in less than a minute, and she was lost in discussing things with the baby, while Mia thanked her stars.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY SIX

    ¡°I want to see a peacock!¡± Mia demanded

    ¡°I showed you one.¡± Alex responded.

    ¡°That was on television.¡± She red at him angrily, and he sighed deeply.

    It was six in the morning when she hade barging inside his room, and tapped on his arm continuously until he woke up and demanded to see a peacock out of nowhere.

    His first reaction was to think of it as a dream, and go back to sleep.

    But then she started crying loudly, which caused him to wake up with a jerk.

    He looked at her crying state and realised that he wasn¡¯t dreaming and that it was happening in reality.

    Taking a deep breath and running a hand through his already messy hair, he stared at her with drowsy eyes.

    ¡°What is it?¡± He whispered hoarsely, and she sniffed, looking at him.

    ¡°I want to see a peacock.¡± She demanded rubbing her nose, and he kept staring at her for a good two minutes until he realised she wasn¡¯t kidding.

    ¡°Mia, we¡¯ll go to the zoo some other time. Now sleep, it isn¡¯t good for the baby.¡± He muttered, and she red at him furiously before snatching his nket from his body, which he was going to use.

    ¡°Your baby is only demanding to see a peacock!¡± She dered naughtily, and he was now annoyed because his sleep was disturbed.

    But knowing her mood swings, if he yelled at her now, she would cry and irritate him again.

    This way or that way, he was bound to get pissed.

    ¡°Okay fine.¡± He mumbled, and got out of bed, causing her to glee in excitement.

    They walked into the living room, and Alex switched on the television, searching for the Discovery channel.

    Luckily for him, they were disying a peacock, so he turned towards her.

    ¡°Here, keep staring at your peacock. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± He sighed and walked back into his room, leaving her fuming there.

    Just when he was about to sit on his bed, she came barging in again and argued with him that she wanted to see it in real life.

    As they sat on his bed, he kept staring at her with a nk look while she gave him a challenging look.

    He nced at the time, and it was already seven forty five.

    They are going to get married today, and here she was demanding to see a live peacock. What was he supposed to do?

    ¡°Mia,¡± He sighed, and she crossed her arms, waiting for him to continue, which he did.

    ¡°Look, I can¡¯t take you to see a peacock now. Today is our wedding, so let¡¯s keep this programme for another day.¡± He exined, and she frowned.

    ¡°But¡±

    ¡°You want something to eat?¡± He changed the topic, and in an instant, her hand went on her belly. Indeed, she was hungry.

    She nodded with a sad look, and he nodded back, getting up and moving out of his room.

    She was frowning, but she still followed him behind.

    They entered the kitchen, and the cook, who was already present, bowed slightly in front of him, which made Mia scowl in Alex¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Cook what thedy wants,¡± he ordered, and the cook obliged.

    He then turned towards her, and she looked at him.

    ¡°Tell him whatever you wish to eat, he will cook for you.¡± He muttered, and she made an angry face after he left and looked at the cook, who was staring at her with wide eyes.

    ¡°So now let me tell you what we wish to eat.¡± She grinned, caressing her belly, and the man slightly chuckled.

    Alex freshened up and called George to check up on the arrangements at the penthouse.

    He trusted George with everything.

    ¡°Is everything arranged?¡± He asked the first thing as George answered the phone.

    ¡°Yes, sir, everything is set. I¡¯ve double checked everything now. It¡¯s just the bride and groom are missing.¡± He informed Alex jokingly, which Alex didn¡¯t find funny at all.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be there soon.¡± The line went dead, and George grumbled on the other end.

    Akex looked at himself in the mirror, and did not find any traces of a man who was going to get married in a few hours.

    There was no adrenaline, no nervousness, no excitement, absolutely nothing. And why would there be? This was just a formality to present his child in front of the world.

    With a sigh, he then dialled Mark¡¯s number, which he picked up in the first call.

    ¡°So, husband to be, are you excited?¡± Mark asked excitedly, as if he was the one getting married.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. So tell me, is there any media in front of your mansion?¡± He asked, and Mark scowled into the phone at the boring man.

    ¡°Yes, there is, and surprisingly, the number has increased today. Thank God you arranged the wedding at your penthouse, or else it would have been a disaster over here.¡± Mark shook his head, and Alex pushed his free hand inside the pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving in twenty minutes time, you bring Mia¡¯s friend and be there.¡± He stated this, and Mark agreed before they hung up the call.

    Soon, Alex left first to distract the media that had been outside his gate, and Mia followed behind in a different car.

    They reached his penthouse, where George, Mark, and Chloe were already present.

    Chloe had been sad because she never wanted this for her best friend, but there was nothing she could do when Mia herself was ready for it.

    Surprisingly for Mia, Rachel was invited too, and that had her thrilled, apart from Chloe. If she had been close to anyone else, then that had to be Rachel.

    In just a few months, they had developed a bond that was different from all.

    With everything ready for the wedding to take ce, they only waited for Rachel to arrive, which she did after a good fifteen minutes.

    She apologised for beingte, but Mia waved it off by hugging her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the wedding,¡± Alex announced, and the four of them witnessed the wedding of the most weird and uninterested couple.

    Alex thought he had nned it as well because, he ordered Mark to do the same.

    Themittee interfered by saying that only a couple had the right to perform this ritual, but it didn¡¯t matter to Alex.

    He insisted that Mark should do it and no one else, and it was then that Mark pulled Chloe forward to perform the ritual with him.

    Shocked, she looked at him with wide eyes while he only stared back, determined.

    Chloe was in shock, but one look at Mia¡¯s face, and she agreed.

    It was an emotional moment for both Chloe and Mia, because never in their wildest dreams had they imagined something like this.

    Finally, after they were done with the little ritual. They were dered husband and wife.

    The wedding was over, and none of them felt anything.

    Alex got up, and Mark came forward to hug him while Chloe stood beside Mia, who only smiled faintly.

    George and Rachel watched them with a smile.

    ¡°George, fulfil the formalities for the registration of the marriage and inform me about it when it¡¯s done.¡± Alex ordered, and George immediately nodded, taking out his phone and getting to work.

    Mark rolled his eyes, while Rachel walked towards Mia, giving her her blessings.

    Mia smiled and asked her about her return, ¡°When are you going to return?¡± She asked with a sad face, but Rachel only smiled and shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be returning, dear. My husband has fallen ill, and I have to be there to take care of him.¡± She exined, and Mia sighed in disappointment, but she understood her situation as well.

    Soon she took their leave, and only the four of them were left.

    George came back and informed him that his car was ready.

    ¡°So we¡¯ll leave as well, congrattions to this weird newlywed couple once again.¡± Mark teased, and earned nothing but a re from Chloe, ignorance from Alex, and a roll of eyes from Mia.

    Chloe hugged Mia onest time before they left in pairs.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    As Alex and Mia entered the mansion, Mia felt a tug on her hand as she took a step towards her room with a frown. She looked back and found Alex holding it.

    ¡°Move your things in my room.¡± He  ordered, and she frowned harder.

    She had rified that she wouldn¡¯t be performing her wifely duties, then why is he asking her to stay with him in his room?

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking this because we got married. It is because of what happened in the morning. I don¡¯t want you running from your room to mine at midnight when you crave something.¡±

    ¡°Stay in my room until you have given birth. I won¡¯t stop you from moving out after that.¡± He dered, and she felt embarrassed for having done what she did in the morning.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll ask one of the servants to shift your things.¡± This time, she nodded and left with him for his room.

    Once inside, he first made her sit on the bed and then went to change his clothes.

    Mia looked around his room, feeling awkward because her room was more lively.

    ¡°Do you need to change?¡± His voice startled her, and she looked at him with a jerk. Calming down, she closed her eyes before opening them again as she nodded her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send your clothes here. Also, if you need help, you can tell me.¡± Without another word, he left the room, leaving her stunned.

    Why is he behaving like a husband already?

    Alright, he is still cold, but he acted like he cared for her, or was it only for her unborn child?

 CHAAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

    Ever since Mia moved to Alex¡¯s room, her cravings increased and her request also increased and for Alex, his headache increased.

    He never imagined a pregnant woman¡¯s mood swings to be this dangerous.

    ¡°Mr. Ian!¡± She yelled, as he shut his eyes tight when he heard her yell his name for the nth time.

    He couldn¡¯t even work in peace for ten minutes straight without her demanding or requesting something or another.

    ¡°What do you need?¡± He asked in a calm tone, as she entered the room.

    He deliberately didn¡¯t look her way because whenever he would do so, she would start with her waterworks, for God knows what reason.

    ¡°I need someone to talk to,¡± sheined more, whining, and he nodded, engrossed in hisptop.

    ¡°You have your best friend, call her.¡± He suggested it, and she gritted her teeth in annoyance.

    Firstly, he is ignoring a pregnant woman, and now saying such nonsense things.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, she isn¡¯t free to sit and chit chat with me. She has a job.¡± she spoke in an angry tone, and it made him sigh.

    She is in her seventh month of pregnancy, and ording to the doctor, she should be given the utmost care and love.

    Giving her stress or behaving rudely would cost herplications, and so Alex had been this patient with her until now.

    He had a high level of tolerance, but not every time he would ept anyone talking to him like she did just now.

    ¡°Mia, if you know she has a job and I have apany to run, then why are you telling me about your problem?¡±

    ¡°You know Mrs. August cannote because of her husband¡¯s health issues, so now don¡¯t make a fuss about everything.¡± His voice was stern but not that harsh, and even though she was used to him being this rude, tears still gathered in her eyes because of the hormones.

    She sniffed and wiped her tears, turning around to leave when he stopped her.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± He asked, and she halted in her tracks, but didn¡¯t turn back.

    She was still sniffing and wiping her tears, which caused him to sigh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me,¡± she dered, and she left the room, leaving him with his work.

    Alex could feel the frustration rise in him, and it would be the first time he felt like pulling his hair.

    ¡°Mia,¡± he called, as he followed her behind, and he found her in her room, sitting by the window. She didn¡¯t look at him and kept staring outside the window with a grumpy face.

    ¡°Okay, listen, I¡¯ll ask Mark to give Chloe a few days off. Then you can chat with her all day long.¡± He suggested it, and she shot him a re.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want people to work ording to my demands when they have their own lives, Mr. Ian.¡± She snapped, and he just gaped at her. What the hell did this woman exactly want?

    ¡°Just drop me off at my orphanage for a few days. I¡¯ll be alright there.¡± She demanded, and he answered immediately, ¡°No,¡± His voice was stern.

    ¡°Why the hell not?¡± She argued, and he  gave her a sharp look, but that didn¡¯t scare her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to reach you there whenever you need something, and there¡¯s no one over there who can take care of you in this state.¡± He pointed it out, and she scoffed.

    ¡°Like you take care of me.¡± She mumbled under her breath, but unfortunately, he heard it.

    ¡°So I don¡¯t?¡± His tone was harsh, and she flinched but didn¡¯t show it to him, but instead red at him.

    ¡°Only physically, you have never even bothered to know my mental state, Mr. Ian, and I don¡¯t even intend to tell you about it.¡± Her voice cracked in the end, and she looked away trying to hide the tears building in her eyes.

    He stood there, watching her for a few minutes, before turning around and leaving the room.

    She let the tears fall, as he left and cried to herself for getting into such a strange rtionship.

    Things on Chloe¡¯s side were going smoothly after Mark apologised for his behaviour.

    She had been more attentive to her work, and Mark could very well see that.

    The only problem was that there is no progress in their rtionship outside of the professional facade.

    She would behave almost as if he was a stranger, and he would try to have a normal conversation with her.

    ¡°Chloe, are there any meetings left for today?¡± Mark asked, looking at her while she checked the schedule.

    Why couldn¡¯t she ept that he liked her?

    ¡°No, sir, no meetings left.¡± She responded to him, and he nodded, getting up and buttoning his zer.

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go,¡± he dered, and she gave him a confused look.

    Let¡¯s go? Why? And where? Why would she go anywhere with him when the working hours were still going on?

    ¡°Sir, I just said that there are no meet ups, so where are we going?¡± She questioned him, and he gestured for her to follow him, which she had to obey because he was still her boss.

    With an annoyed look, she followed him until they reached his car.

    Once they were inside, Mark ordered the driver to drive and ignored the anxious Chloe¡¯s at his side.

    She was literally getting all fidgety, not knowing where they were heading, and Mark was surely enjoying her state as he looked out of the window, trying to hide his smile.

    It was when they reached the Ian mansion that she gave him a questioning look, but he only ignored her and got out of the car.

    She followed suit and stayed quiet, not wanting toin when he had actually brought her to meet her best friend.

    ¡°Mia,¡± Mark called out, and Chloe looked at him.

    There was a smile on his lips, and for the first time, she admired that smile very much.

    He was different.

    Mia came out a few minutester, as she  squealed at the sight in front of her.

    She tried to walk fast, but before that, Mark reached her and held her.

    ¡°Calm down,dy, we are here and not running away.¡± He chuckled, and she red at him yfully before looking at Chloe.

    Chloe grinned and walked towards Mia, pulling her into a hug, and Mia felt her hidden emotions being unleashed.

    Her tears trickled down her face,  as she hugged Chloe close and let her cry, knowing her state as she felt her own eyes moisten.

    She looked at Mark, who had been staring at her intensely.

    She couldn¡¯t look away, even if she badly wanted to avert her eyes. What is this man doing to her? She had no idea.

    After the small reunion, Chloe and Mia sat in her room while Mark went to meet Alex.

    Mia wished for Mark to be with her as well, but she couldn¡¯t be selfish. Alex needed someone too, and Chloe, well, she didn¡¯t know what was going on between the two.

    ¡°Mia, are you alright?¡± Chloe asked with a worried face, and Mia smiled, nodding her head.

    ¡°I just feel lonely at times when there¡¯s no one to talk to. I know I have my baby, but sometimes I wonder how one can live such a silent life.¡± She said, as she was referring to Alex, and Chloe knew that very well.

    Her best friend was worried for him because of who he chose to be, she is in this state because of him. What had gotten into her?

    ¡°Alright, leave all that. How did yound up here? Did Mr. Ian ask you to?¡± Mia asked, and Chloe shrugged, being clueless as well.

    ¡°I have no idea. Mark brought me here without informing me. I was surprised as well.¡± She answered, as she thought about how strange he had been behaving since the morning.

    Of course, he was all professional like always, but something was missing, and she had no idea what.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Mia trailed off with a teasing look on her face, as she watched Chloe get lost in her thoughts.

    ¡°Were you thinking about it, Mark?¡± Mia asked, as smirked, and Chloe red at her but found her cheeks growing warm as well.

    She quickly avoided any eye contact and looked here and there. ¡°You see that, baby? Now your aunt is hiding things from your mother. How unfair.¡± Mia pouted at her belly, but her attention was also on Chloe¡¯s movements.

    She suddenly seemed nervous, panicky, and anxious all at once.

    She knew Chloe would never ept her own feelings that easily, and that made her sigh. Mark had a long way to go.

    ¡°Alex, can you stop working for once?¡± Mark groaned, as he entered his room and spotted him with hisptop. Alex neither nced at him nor acknowledged his presence.

    ¡°Sometimes I wonder if you love yourptop so much, then why did you marry Mia? You should¡¯ve married yourptop only.¡± Mark shot at him, as Alex looked at his friend and rolled his eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t scare me, Mr. Ian. Instead, you should be thanking me foring here because I still have lots of pending work.¡± Mark said arrogantly, and finally Alex shut hisptop and looked at him.

    ¡°Is it? Then you can leave because you clearly weren¡¯t invited here to stay. I called Chloe, not you.¡± Alex responded bluntly, and  Mark fumed in anger because, the next second, he threw a pillow at Alex.

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± Alex shouted, and Mark snickered, looking at his face.

    ¡°Stop behaving like a kid.¡± Alex¡¯s cold voice would¡¯ve brought shivers down anyone¡¯s spine, but it wasn¡¯t just anyone.

    It was Mark who couldn¡¯t stopughing, looking at his best friend¡¯s dishevelled hair.

    ¡°You are such a boring man despite having a beautiful wife, all you do is bury your nose into this stupidptop. Sometimes I think you¡¯re gay, and you try to hide this fact, that¡¯s why you married her.¡± Mark wondered, and Alex shook his head at the stupid assumption, but someone else who stood outside the door heard this as well, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she had been punched in the gut.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

    ¡®Gay? He¡¯s gay? Oh my God, that is why he married me. Because he didn¡¯t want toe out as gay in front of the whole world? Oh my God!¡¯ Mia thought, as she started to breathe abnormally as she heard Mark¡¯s words and silence from the other side.

    She didn¡¯t hear Alex epting it, but neither did he deny it.

    ¡°Mia? Mia, rx.¡± Chloe tried to calm her down, but she wasn¡¯t listening. Her breaths turned harsh, and she started gasping for air.

    Hearing Chloe¡¯s panicked voice, both Alex and Mark moved outside and saw Mia¡¯s condition.

    Alex moved forward and tried to hold her shoulders, but she kept pushing him away.

    ¡°Mia, what¡¯s wrong? Breathe, just breathe.¡± Mark breathed deeply, asking her to do the same, and she tried to concentrate.

    He held her shoulders, and she let him, which made Alex look at her and Mark.

    A few minutester, she was back to normal and sitting on the bed with Chloe by her side and the two men standing a little far apart.

    She drank some water, because Chloe insisted she do, as she sighed.

    ¡°But what happened all of a sudden?¡± Mark¡¯s voice cut through the tension in the room, and all eyes were on Mia.

    ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± She sighed, closing her eyes, and tried to forget what she had heard, even though she knew she couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°I need to talk to her alone.¡± Alex announced, staring straight at Mia.

    Mark shared a look with Chloe, who was ready to argue, but he shook his head.

    Huffing, she looked away before both of them made their way out of the room.

    Alex closed the door, and walked back to the bed, as Mia was pretending to be asleep.

    ¡°Drop the act, I know you¡¯re not sleeping.¡± He stated bluntly, and she muttered some curses under her breath.

    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked her, the question was direct, and it made her ufortable.

    She shifted slightly, while Alex watched her every move with his eyes gawking at her.

    ¡°I heard what he said. I know the truth.¡± She stuttered and immediately closed her eyes after that to avoid seeing his angry face.

    As for Alex, he grew confused as to what she was saying.

    What truth was she talking about? And why does she look so flustered?

    ¡°Which truth exactly are you talking about?¡± He asked, and she shook her head in disbelief.

    Was he seriously asking her to say it out loud?

    ¡°You know it. Why should I say that?¡± She asked ridiculously, and he just looked as calm as ever.

    Did this man ever show any emotions? She tried to take a deep breath, not wanting to think about it anymore.

    ¡°You need to speak clearly, Mia, so that we can talk it out like adults.¡± He spoke after seeing her trying to calm herself, and she shot him an annoyed look.

    ¡°Adults? You¡¯re talking about being adults when you hide this thing like a scared person. I mean, I know it must be difficult for you to get out of your shell, but you didn¡¯t have to use me for that.¡± She used Alex, who narrowed his eyes in his direction, as he was looking so confused.

    Either she was crazy or her mood swings were taking a toll on her. Alex concluded as he watched her fiery re directed at him.

    ¡°What happened to her suddenly?¡± Mark asked Chloe, as they walked out of the room, to give them some privacy.

    Chloe was already annoyed, because she didn¡¯t want to leave Mia alone.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t let me ask her.¡± Chloe grumbled because she had just arrived a few minutes ago before Mia started panicking.

    She didn¡¯t know what Mia heard,  but had wanted to ask about it.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t know? Well okay.¡± Mark  shrugged, and she shot him an annoyed nce. What is wrong with him?

    ¡°Why are you behaving so weird?¡± She snapped out of nowhere, and he looked amused at her outburst.

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡­ you are not behaving like yourself.¡± She stuttered, and he smirked inwardly, seeing that his indifferent behaviour towards her did affect her.

    Before he could open his mouth to say something in return, they heard a yell from Alex¡¯s room.

    ¡°You are the problem!¡± It was Mia¡¯s voice, they gave each other a look, as they ran towards the room.

    Without knocking, they entered and noticed her furiously staring at Alex, who looked every bit annoyed.

    ¡°Alex, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mark asked, and both their eyes snapped at Mark.

    A breeze of relief washed over Alex¡¯s face, and he sighed.

    ¡°I have absolutely no idea. Ask her if she tells you.¡± His voice was sharp, and Mia winced.

    Chloe went towards her and sat beside her, trying to calm her down.

    ¡°Mia, will you tell us what has happened and why you are so angry?¡± Mark pleaded with her with his eyes, and Mia huffed, looking away.

    ¡°Mia,¡± Chloe called out softly, and she looked at her with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°My husband is gay!¡± She cried out, and they gasped in the room.

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± Alex yelled out, looking pissed, while Mia sniffed to herself.

    Chloe sat there shocked, whereas Mark, who had been blinking, suddenly erupted intoughter.

    The three of them stared at him dumbfounded, while he continuedughing until his stomach hurt.

    ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so sorry, but this is hrious.¡± He said, and finallyposed himself.

    Taking a deep breath, he looked at Alex, who was looking at him with a cold expression.

    ¡°Mia, I¡¯m so sorry you had to know about this in this way.¡± Mark faked sympathy, and Alex balled his fists.

    Mia looked at him teary eyed and then at Chloe, who red at him.

    ¡°You knew? You knew, yet you didn¡¯t tell us.¡± Chole used him, and Mark raised his hands in surrender.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my secret to tell.¡± He snickered, and pursed his lips to stop theugh.

    ¡°You???¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Alex yelled, and they immediately shut up.

    Mark gulped down on nothing, and without another word, pulled Chloe out of the room despite her protests.

    Mia frowned and looked away, as Alex locked the door and walked towards her.

    Her eyes grew wide when he leaned in and she carefully leaned back keeping a hand on her bump.

    ¡°So you think I¡¯m gay?¡± He whispered, and she nodded a no, then a yes before repeating the same.

    He smirked and pulled her forward gently making her breathe unevenly.

    ¡°Do you think I would¡¯ve done that with you for this result if I was gay?¡± She was confused at first, but when he pointed at her belly she understood what he was talking about.

    ¡°I¡­you¡­this¡­¡± She stuttered, and he raised his brows staring straight into her eyes.

    First his proximity was creating havoc in her heart, and she couldn¡¯t even think properly.

    Seeing her state he moved back and made her sit in a normal position but didn¡¯t back down.

    He had to make sure she knew the truth, but he didn¡¯t even know why he was doing this.

    For all he could care, she would believe he was gay and stay away from him for the rest of her life now that he already had his heir growing in her belly.

    But he didn¡¯t, he didn¡¯t want her to think that he was gay, not her.

    ¡°Tell me Mia, should I kiss you so that you¡¯ll know the reality?¡± He asked,  threatening her, but seeing her eyes darkening a bit, he felt his own desires increased.

    He moved his head close to hers, watching her reaction carefully.

    He was slow, giving her enough time to pull back or push him away, but  even after their lips brushed, she didn¡¯t back down, his control snapped and he ced his lips on hers.

    Her chest heaved up and down, and her hands instantly went around his neck as his lips worked his magic on hers.

    It was like a dream, yet it was only lust, she knew it were the hormones which didn¡¯t stop her from backing out but she couldn¡¯t help it.

    His lips were soft yet demanding, and she felt like a ss doll which could break any moment if he applied more pressure.

    They parted in need of oxygen, and reality soon crashed upon her.

    He was not even close to being gay, warmth flooded her cheeks as she pursed her now swollen lips and looked away from him.

    He looked at her flushed cheeks and smirked before moving back.

    ¡°So now, do you still believe that your husband is gay?¡± He asked in a  mocking tone, as she looked at him and her eyes widened seeing his state.

    His hair was dishevelled from the artwork her hands performed, lips a bit swollen and eyes darkened.

    The lust in his eyes was clear, and he made no move to hide it and she was sure he would¡¯ve seen the same in her eyes a moment before they kissed.

    ¡°Alex? Mia?¡± Mark called, as he knocked on their door brought them back to reality.

    Alex cleared his throat and stood up from the bed, while Mia looked away nibbling on her lower lip.

    ¡°Alex, Mr. Ian.¡± She called out, just as he was about to open the door.

    He nced at her with a questioning look, and she gestured towards his hair which looked messy.

    He touched his hair and adjusted them well before opening the door.

    ¡°Oh thank God! What the hell were you two doing for so long?¡± Mark barged inside, followed by Chloe who worriedly stood by Mia¡¯s side.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chloe asked her with a concerned look, and she just nodded in return not trusting her voice.

    ¡°So Mia, what did he say?¡± Mark asked suspiciously, looking back and forth between the duo.

    Mia¡¯s eyes widened as she remembered their kiss and her cheeks reddened yet again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, let¡¯s go¡± Alex announced, and Mark chuckled nervously looking at the challenge in his eyes, he was so dead!N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°Uh, well Chloe let¡¯s go, our free time is over we still have lots of pending work.¡± Mark announced, as he jumped to her side and held her hand Chloe gave him a confused look and spoke, ¡°But I checked your schedule and there¡¯s no..¡± she stopped mid way.

    ¡°No, no need to worry, we¡¯ll handle our work and let Alex handle his wife.¡± He forced a smile to Mia, and gestured for Chloe to keep quiet before they scurried out of the room.

    Alex watched the drama unfolding before him with a bored look. He will surely have his hands on Mark sooner orter.

 CHAAPTER TWENTY NINE

    Two months flew by with constant bickering, horrifying mood swings, a little tears here and there, some yfulness from Mark¡¯s side, some shopping spree with Chloe, and so much more.

    After the kiss Alex and Mia had shared on the gay issue, Alex was back to being cold, but he wasn¡¯t that distant.

    He was typically the Alexander Ian she once knew.

    Mia was in herst month of pregnancy, and she could deliver the baby at any time, so she was advised to be extra careful, which Alex, Maek, and Chloe took care of.

    ¡°Mr. Ian,¡± Mia called out, sitting on the bed, while a sigh was heard the next moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m right beside you, Mia.¡± Alex stated, and she smiled sheepishly.

    It seems like it has be a habit to call out his name without acknowledging whether he is near or far.

    ¡°I just need to use yourptop.¡± She demanded, and he stared at her.

    When he made no movement to pass her theptop, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips set in a thin line.

    ¡°Why do you need it?¡± He questioned her, and it irked her more; she rather red at him before she looked away, huffing.

    ¡°I want it; why can¡¯t you give it to me?¡± She retorted, and he just stared at her with a questioning gaze.

    ¡°What is so important about yourptop that you don¡¯t want to give it? Do you think I¡¯m going to invade your privacy? Or do you think I¡¯m going to mess up your important files? Do you think I¡¯m a kid?¡± She gasped, suddenly keeping a hand on her bump, and Alex sat up straight.

    ¡°What happened? Are you fine? Should we go to the hospital?¡± He asked in a concerned tone, and she wasn¡¯t surprised at his concern because, although he didn¡¯t show any of his emotions for her, he surely did for his child.

    ¡°The baby just kicked.¡± She sighed and caressed her belly with a smile.

    This was the first time that their baby had reacted to something, and it was overwhelming.

    ¡°Really?¡± Alex asked, staring at her bump, and she shook her head, knowing he was keen on experiencing it but wouldn¡¯t take a step ahead by himself.

    So she took his hand and kept it on her belly.

    ¡°Alex Ian, you¡¯re such an arrogant person, but you¡¯re going to be an amazing father.¡± She spoke, and the baby kicked.

    Alex¡¯s surprised eyes met her smiling ones, and he lowered his head some more towards her bump.

    ¡°I hope to be a good father.¡± He whispered so softly that if she wasn¡¯t listening closely, she wouldn¡¯t have known it as well, or maybe he didn¡¯t want her to listen, but she knew he pretended that she didn¡¯t hear it and moved back.

    ¡°Here.¡± She watched, as he gave her hisptop and moved out of the room after that.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    As she sat there staring at hisptop, all she could think about were his words.

    Why didn¡¯t he believe every time she said he would be an amazing father?

    Chloe sighed , and rested her head on the desk. She was tired.

    Tired of running away from him and his feelings?

    But more than that, she was running away from her own feelings.

    Mark had been nothing but good to her, and she was just acting stubborn.

    He had, of course, been acting distant the past few weeks, but he was not to be med. It was hers.

    It had been a few weeks ago that Mark had proposed to her without beating around the bush, and it had stupefied her.

    She clearly remembered his words.

    ¡°Chloe, I know you¡¯re not that oblivious, and neither are you naive to not notice my feelings towards you.¡±

    ¡°Today I¡¯m telling you this directly: I like you, Chloe. I¡¯ve liked you from the first moment I met you, and trust me, I cannot forget my feelings because I tried to stay away, but I can¡¯t.¡± After that, she had just gaped at him with her mouth hung open.

    Yes, she knew that he felt something for her but wasn¡¯t prepared for a direct confession, and so the reply flew out of her mouth the next second.

    ¡°Mark, I don¡¯t know how or why you developed feelings for me, but you and I can never be together for many reasons. One is that you are my boss, and the other is that I¡¯m not looking for a rtionship at this moment. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words sounded weird and harsh to her own ears, but it had been done, and she didn¡¯t look back after that.

    She didn¡¯t look back, for she couldn¡¯t gather up the courage to see the expression on his face. It would add to her guilt.

    The next day, she got to see apletely new Mark.

    He wasn¡¯t the same jovial Mark anymore, but it was only for her.

    Only around her would he be a closed shell and bore a serious attitude, but with others, he behaved the same.

    It somehow annoyed her and hurt her at the same time, so much that she wished to march up to him andsh out for behaving so indifferent towards her.

    But she couldn¡¯t because he wasn¡¯tpelled to be nice to her.

    ¡°Ms. Chloe!¡± Mark called, as she sat up with a jerk and looked at her boss with a wide eye.

    Mark gave her a stern expression, and she gave him a guilty look.

    ¡°This is your workce, so please stop sleeping during working hours.¡± He warned her, and she nodded, looking down. She was at fault, so she wasn¡¯t going to argue.

    After he left, she groaned in annoyance and sought her work with a grumpy face.

    She was definitely not enjoying anything around her these days like she had assumed she would after getting Mark off of her back.

    Mia bit her lip as she nced around quickly and sneaked into the kitchen.

    The monster wasn¡¯t going to catch her this time, she thought with a smirk.

    As she opened the refrigerator and took out the ice cream tub, her eyes twinkled, and a grin formed on her face.

    Just as she opened the lid and dipped her finger in the ice cream,

    ¡°Here we go again.¡± Her hand froze, and so did she.

    Making a crying face, she watched the poor ice cream melt and drip from her fingers.

    ¡°You are not allowed to eat that, Mia, and I¡¯ve told you that about a thousand times now.¡± Alex dered seriously, and he took the ice cream from her hand.

    She pouted, trying to make an innocent face so that he would allow her, but how could she forget that he was not sensitive to all those emotions?

    ¡°Mr. Ian, please just one scoop. See, your baby wants it badly.¡± She pleaded, eyeing the tub hungrily, but he was adamant as he pushed it back into the refrigerator.

    ¡°Thest time I allowed you to have one scoop, you ended up having the whole tub, after which wended in the hospital.¡± His tone was using, but it wasn¡¯t in either.

    ¡°That was just one time.¡± She snapped, and he raised his eyebrow at her.

    ¡°Okay, twice, but it won¡¯t happen this time. Pleaseee!¡± She whined, and he gave her a bored expression before looking away.

    ¡°Mr. Ian!!! ¡± She yelled, but stopped as she felt something, and Alex¡¯s head snapped in her direction.

    He watched her nk expression and her hand on her belly.

    ¡°What? Is it kicking again?¡± He questioned her, and she looked at him in a daze.

    ¡°My water broke.¡± She whispered, and he went nk for a second as well before her words registered in his mind.

    ¡°Now?¡± His eyes slightly widened, and she gulped, nodding hurriedly.

    ¡°Now!¡± She breathed deeply, and the next second, he dashed out to arrange for the car.

    Mia stood there, breathing in and out, even though she was close to panicking. She reminded herself to stay calm.

    Alex came back a minuteter and held her hand, which she tightened.

    ¡°You can walk, right?¡± He asked carefully, and she nodded as he escorted her to the car.

    Once inside, he ordered the driver to drive them to the hospital.

    ¡°Chloe, we need to go to the hospital now. It¡¯s Mia.¡± Mark rushed out, and informed Chloe while she only nodded, and both of them were off to the hospital.

    When they reached the hospital, Mia was already inbour, and Alex stood outside with a restless face.

    Mark walked up to him and rested his hand on Alex¡¯s shoulder.

    Alex looked at Mark and found some relief in having his best friend by his side, and Chloe stared at the closed door with a nervous look on her face.

    ¡°Alex Ian, you idiot! I hate you! Ugh!¡± Mia¡¯s scream was heard, and Mark chuckled, but immediately sobbed up seeing Alex¡¯s deadly look.

    Two and a half hourster, a cry from the baby was heard, and both men sighed in relief while Chloe was nearly in happy tears.

    Mark hugged Alex, congratting him, and Chloe looked at him with a smile.

    The doctor came out with a smile, and all three went up to her.

    ¡°Congrattions, it¡¯s a boy. He¡¯s all healthy and fine, and don¡¯t worry, the mother is fine as well.¡± She announced, as she smiled once again, and walked away after they thanked her.

    Mark pushed Alex towards the room and gestured for him to go ahead. He walked inside with a nk look, but his eyes were desperate this time.

    Mia watched as he stepped inside, and his eyes stuck on her tired face.

    She smiled at him faintly before looking at the little bundle of joy beside her.

    Following her gaze, Alex¡¯s eyesnded on the tiny human, and without his knowledge, his eyes softened.

    His gaze was full of admiration and warmth, and Mia could only stare at him in astonishment.

    This was the first time she was seeing any kind of emotion in his eyes apart from coldness.

    She didn¡¯t say anything to break the moment, but when he made no movement to pick up their baby, she sighed.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, it¡¯s your child, take him in your arms.¡± She spoke, and he looked at her with a jerk.

    ¡°What if I drop him?¡± His gaze was so serious, that she couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Holding their baby in her arms, she gestured for him to step ahead, and he did until he was beside them.

    ¡°Here,¡± she said, and he was still hesitant, but when she ced the baby in his arms, something unexpected happened.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY

    Alex¡¯s lips twitched and he smiled at the feeling of his baby in his arms and seeing him up so close.

    It was difficult for Mia to control the gasp that escaped her mouth because she saw him smile for the very first time, and the monster truly had a beautiful smile.

    ¡°He¡¯s tiny, just like you,¡± he whispered, and she should¡¯ve taken offence at being called tiny, but in that moment she didn¡¯t even register his words.

    The door opened, and Mia looked at Mark and Chloe stepping in.

    When her eyesnded back on the father and son duo, she frowned because the smile he had earlier had vanished. What did she expect? For him to keep smiling the whole day?

    Chloe came beside her and hugged her, before looking at the baby in Alex¡¯s arm, while Mark stood beside him.

    ¡°I want to hold him.¡± Mark dered, and Chloe frowned at him.

    ¡°I will hold him first, I¡¯m his aunt.¡± Chloe argued with Mark, and he made a pity face at her.

    ¡°So what am I? A stranger?¡± Mark asked as he scoffed, and Chloe wanted to hit him.

    Mia looked at them with a smile and shook her head, whereas Alex cared less and kept staring at their baby in his arms with love.

    ¡°No one is going  to hold him, he¡¯s mine, so both of you shut up.¡± Alex dered, and Mia pursed her lips to stop theugh that threatened to escape her lip.

    Chloe and Mark red at Alex, who didn¡¯t even notice it.

    The door opened, and the nurse walked in, grabbing all their attention. She stood before Alex and smiled at him.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Can I please take the baby for some regr tests?¡± She asked politely, and Alex nodded, handing over the baby to her.

    After she left, the four of them looked here and there, making the atmosphere awkward.

    ¡°Okay, until hees back, has anyone thought of a name?¡± Mark asked, breaking the tension in the air.

    Chloe sat beside Mia¡¯s bed and asked her through her eyes, to which Mia just blinked.

    ¡°I have.¡± Mia whispered, and Alex looked at her, as did Mark and Chloe.

    ¡°Bryan Ian.¡± She announced with a smile, and Alex could feel a smile forming on his lips yet again.

    He couldn¡¯t stop it, even if he tried, or maybe he couldn¡¯t stop the emotions that attacked him all of a sudden.

    ¡°And why, Bryan?¡± Mark asked with a grin, and Mia smiled at him.

    ¡°Bryan means strong and virtuous. From here marks the new beginning of our lives, and I can¡¯t be more thankful to have him by my side.¡± She answered, as she looked away immediately and Alex stared at her. Her teary eyes didn¡¯t go unnoticed by anyone, but no onemented about it.

    The nurse walked in with their baby, and looked at the four faces that were staring at her.

    ¡°Well, everything¡¯s alright. The baby is healthy and fine, so don¡¯t worry.¡± The nurse informed them, and all of them sighed in relief.

    Shocked by their reaction, the nurse shook her head before looking at Mia.

    ¡°The baby needs breastfeeding, so¡­¡± She trailed off, and Mark and Chloe immediately nodded, moving out of the room, as Alex got up to leave, the nurse stopped him.

    ¡°The father of the child can stay.¡± She said, but when Alex looked at Mia, she looked away, feeling ufortable, and so he chose to stay out.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have some things toplete.¡± He walked out after that, making Mia sigh in relief.

    The nurse walked over to her and ced the baby in her arms, adjusting her position.

    ¡°Your husband seemed flustered, but he loves you both.¡± She chuckled, and Mia could only stare at her if she knew.

    Eight hourster, they went back to the penthouse because, ording to Alex, he did not want any nuisance from anybody for his son.

    They decided to stay there for a few weeks, until it was safe to go back to the mansion.

    Mark and Chloe apanied them the whole time they were at the hospital, but after that, Alex asked them to go back, saying it wasn¡¯t needed, and just then Mark had received a call from his office, so they had to leave.

    ¡°Mr. Ian.¡± Mia called Alex, holding Bryan in her arms.

    The next moment, he was beside her, looking at Bryan.

    ¡°Can you hold him, please?¡± She requested, and he nodded, taking Bryan in his arms.

    Just then, Bryan opened his eyes and stared at Alex, while Mia nced at Alex¡¯s expressions.

    A little yawn escaped Bryan¡¯s lips before he started crying.

    A panicked look passed through Alex¡¯s face, but he immediately sucked it up, as he turned towards Mia, who chuckled.

    ¡°Why is he crying?¡± He asked, as she took Bryan from his arms.

    The next moment, he settled into her arms, he stopped crying, getting familiar with his mother¡¯s warmth.

    ¡°Because he will take some time to get familiar with his father. He recognises his mother¡¯s warmth and seeksfort from it.¡± She exined, while he seemed to not like the information.

    ¡°How much time?¡± He asked almost impatiently, and she gave him a questioning look.

    ¡°How much time will he take to recognise me?¡± He questioned again, and Mia¡¯s eyes widened withughter because he looked desperate, and at the same time, it was cute.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask your son.¡± She shrugged, and walked towards the bed.

    Adjusting herself with Bryan in her arms, she then looked up to see Alex still staring at Bryan.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, he will get to know you, trust me.¡± She blinked her eyes, and his eyes thennded on her.

    She looked tired, but yet there was this warmth in her eyes when she looked at their son.

    ¡°Alright, you both rest, I¡¯ll just finish some work ande to sleep¡± He informed her, and she nodded before he left the room.

    ¡°Are we done for today?¡± Mark asked  probably for the nth time, and Chloe rolled her eyes.

    He was so impatient to go to the penthouse, and so was she.

    ¡°No, sir, we still have some pending work.¡± She replied sweetly, and he groaned, falling back into his seat.

    ¡°You¡¯re so slow,¡± heined, and her mouth hung open.

    She was slow. She was practically doing all the work running here and there, and at the end, she was slow. Wow!

    She didn¡¯t realise she had been ring at him, clenching the paper in her hand, until he narrowed his eyes back at her.

    ¡°That might be an important document.¡± He pointed at the now crumbled paper in her hand, and her eyes widened. She gasped, releasing papers.

    She picked it up then and checked it, only to sigh in relief because it was empty.

    He chuckled at her state and smirked.

    ¡°You¡¯re so gullible.¡± He said, this time she didn¡¯t feel annoyed, in fact, she was d he was behaving like his usual self in front of her.

    Smiling to herself like a fool, she looked at the paper in her hand, and Mark gave her a weird look before banging on the desk, causing her to jump.

    ¡°Back to reality!¡± He shouted, as she shook with fear and left his cabin, and he just chuckled to himself.

    Damn, when is she going to acknowledge his feelings?

    ¡°Bryan¡¯s uncle is here!¡± Mark grinned, as he stepped inside the room, only to find both of them sleeping.

    He pouted and gave Alex a sad look, as he entered behind him.

    Chloe suppressed herugh and ignored Mark¡¯s re.

    Just as they turned to leave, Mark noticed Bryan moving in his sleep. He was wrapped in a blue cloth but still looked  cute

    He slowly opened his eyes and looked around, while Mark was close to squealing like a girl.

    ¡°He¡¯s awake,¡± Mark whispered excitedly, as Bryan watched Mark from afar, as he looked back at his mother.

    As if sensing his eyes on her, Mia woke up and brought him closer to herself, unaware of the people present in the room.

    ¡°Is my baby hungry? It¡¯s feedy, feedy time.¡± She cooed, and the next second, Mark was dragged out by Chloe.

    Alex stood there watching them, and although he could see only Mia¡¯s back, it was still enough.

    What has changed in his life after Mia and Bryan¡¯s arrival? Everything.

    The hidden emotions weren¡¯t so hidden anymore, and as much he tried to hide them, they definitely poured out.

    With a sigh, he closed the door and left the room.

    The living room was like a drama show, as Mark was ring at Chloe while sheughed at his state.

    ¡°Aww, Bryan¡¯s uncle was so eager to meet him, but it seems like he¡¯s not interested in this meeting.¡± Chloe mocked him as she giggled again, whereas Mark huffed in anger and looked away.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be meeting my son until I say so.¡± Alex dered, walking towards them, and once again Chloe startedughing, to which Alex turned to her and added, ¡°You too.¡±

    She stoppedughing at once and looked at him in disbelief, and then it was Mark¡¯s turn tough at her, but he stopped when he just realised what Alex meant.

    ¡°But why? Why can¡¯t we meet him?¡± He demanded, narrowing his eyes, and Chloe joined him.

    ¡°Because he will take time to recognise me. So until he bes familiar with me, you two are not allowed here.¡± Alex dered, and Mark whined, stomping his feet.

    ¡°This is so unfair!¡± Mark cried out, as he  sat on the floor, while Chloe and Alex just stared at the big baby.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY ONE

    (ONE MONTH AFTER THE BIRTH OF BRYAN).

    ALEX POV

    We were preparing Bryan¡¯s bath. Although there are maids that can assist Mia, I chose to do it to be part of their lives, and I wanted to create a fatherly bond with my son

    While I was still bathing him, one of the maids came to inform me that someone wanted to see me.

    ¡°Who??¡± I asked.

    ¡°Mrs. E, sir,¡± the maid answered.

    What does she want again? I thought, ¡°I will be down in a few minutes,¡± I dered.

    After assisting Mia with bathing Bryan, I went to the living room, where E and her son Ethan were seated.

    ¡°To what do I owe you this visit?¡± I uttered.

    ¡°Hello Lexy, I¡¯m here again with your son,¡± E said.

    ¡°Son you say, how am I sure that I am a biological father?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sure, he is your son, you can do a DNA test if you like.¡± E spoke with confidence.

    ¡°If you want to do the DNA test, make sure I¡¯m informed,¡± she added.

    ¡°Iughed, so what do you want now, E?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything much from you, I just want to inform you that I will be moving into your house tomorrow. Please send one of your drivers to pick me up at my ce. I¡¯m going to drop my house address,¡± she announced, and I was shocked.

    ¡°E!!!!¡± I yelled my name, as she shook slightly in fear.

    I continue, ¡°You don¡¯t have right over my house, and your stay in my mansion is not wee here.¡±

    ¡°Really?? My stay is not wee here. Do you know I can tarnish your image and that of your baby mama? Because that is the only suitable thing to call her, I know all her secrets, I have done research, and I know you guys signed a contract for her to give you a child. So she does not have much rightpared to me, since your contract wille to an end,¡± E uttered, spilling all the secrets I have no idea she knows about.

    ¡°If you want to take it the hard way, I¡¯m surely ready for you, you know I¡¯m always ready,¡± she added, as she scoffed in anger.

    I was dumbfounded because I didn¡¯t know what to say. The information is too much to process. How the fuck did she know that we both signed a contract?

    I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard my baby crying. I looked towards where the cry wasing from, and I saw Bryan in Mia¡¯s arms.

    Mia looked at me, then looked at E, she then asked, ¡°What is she doing here again??¡±

    ¡°Ooohhh, it¡¯s our baby mama and our little shameless bitch,¡± E mocked.

    ¡°Did you just call me baby mama and a bitch?¡± Mia asked, getting pissed off.

    ¡°Yes, I did, and I will call you a bitch a million times,¡± E uttered.

    ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m also his baby mama. I mean, Alex¡¯s baby mama, because we both have a child for him and we both have the same right in this house,¡± E announced, and Mia looked uninterested.

    ¡°I also want to tell you that I will be moving into this house tomorrow, so get prepared for me,¡± E said.

    ¡°Lexy, tell one of you maids to clean up a room for me. I want the room very close to yours, she requested as she turned to her son.

    ¡°Ethan, baby, let¡¯s go,¡± E muttered, walking out of my house.

    I had to go upstairs to call Mark because I didn¡¯t know what to do at this point. I was annoyed.

    ¡°Hey man, what¡¯s up?¡± Mark asked at the other end of the phone.

    ¡°I¡¯m not good, man. I don¡¯t know what to do. Can youe down to my house? I need to see you urgently. It is very urgent, please, man,¡± I told him, as I ruffled my hair in anger.

    ¡°Ok, sure, I¡¯m on my way. I hope it is nothing serious.¡± Mark asked in concern.

    ¡°It is serious, juste down here,¡± Imanded.

    After a few minutes, Mark got to my house.

    ¡°What¡¯s up, man?¡± Mark asked, and he walked into my room.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my office,¡± I suggested, heading upstairs.

    ¡°So shoot, what happened that made you call me?¡± Mark asked immediately we got seated in my office.

    ¡°E was here again this morning,¡± I blurted out, as Mark sighed.

    ¡°Did you say E?? I thought she wasn¡¯t going toe back, so she was nning something huge, which is why she didn¡¯t make any moves,¡± Mark said in shock.

    ¡°So what does she want from you now?¡± Mark asked, searching my eyes for an answer.

    ¡°She wants to move in here,¡± I said, dropping the bomb.

    ¡°Like move into your mansion, this ce where you, Mia, and the kid are staying?? Is she that dumb??¡± Mark questioned again, to be sure of what he just heard.

    ¡°Yes, she wants to move here. In fact, she asked me to prepare a room for her and her son, and she asked me to send my driver to pick her up from her house. She really meant this, man,¡± I muttered, obviously tired of everything.

    ¡°In fact, I wonder how she knew about the contract between me and Mia, no one knew about that contract apart from you, George, Mia, Chloe, and I. I trust George, he is not someone that can spy on me, he has been working with me for more than 15 years. He is just like my family.¡± I voiced out.

    ¡°I also trust you and Mia. I can¡¯t say much about Chloe, and I don¡¯t think Chloe is talkative.¡±

    ¡°Hummmm,¡± Mark mumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to vouch for Chloe, but one thing I know is that she can¡¯t betray her friend, one of your maids might be a spy,¡± Alex pointed out, and Mark seems to be in deep thought.

    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about the spy for now, we are going to catch the spyter. The main thing is, what are we going to do about E¡¯s case on the ground?¡± Mark asked.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to ept E and her son for the meantime, even though Mia is not going to ept that. I¡¯m going to try talking to her till I find a solution to this issue because I know that if I don¡¯t ept, she is fully ready to bring me down.¡±.

    ¡°I will try to talk to Mia about it, even though Mia won¡¯t like it,¡± I uttered.

    ¡°So after that, I will go for a DNA test, and if the test is positive that Ethan is my son, I¡¯m going to buy a house for E and her son to stay in because I don¡¯t want to be settling fights every day because I know how troublesome E can be, and Mia won¡¯t agree to her because Mia is very stubborn and strong headed.¡±

    ¡°Ok, if the result is negative?¡± Mark asked.

    ¡°If the result is negative, I¡¯m going to bring her down, her career, everything she gathers that she is going to regret for every try that she makes with me,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Ok, good ideas.¡± Mark said.

    ¡°Just keep me posted on how it goes. I want to go and see Mia and my godson, because when I wasing in, I didn¡¯t greet them well.¡± Mark said Jokingly.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Ok, then let¡¯s go downstairs together, so I will use the opportunity to tell Mia about all we have talked about.¡± I muttered as we walked out of my office together, talking about a different topic rted to E.

    When we got downstairs, I told Mia that I wanted to see her, but her response shocked me.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY TWO

    MIA¡¯S POV

    After breastfeeding my baby, I was heading downstairs to have a fresh breath because I had been sitting inside the room for a whole month.

    When I got to the sitting room, I saw Alex and his ex-girlfriend arguing. I stood on the stairs listening to all they were saying until Bryan started crying, which made them look in my direction.

    E called me baby mama and a bitch, she doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m married to Alex because we had a small wedding.

    I also heard she wasing to stay in the mansion. I¡¯m going to avoid her the best I can, because I¡¯m very sure she is here for trouble.

    While I was still breastfeeding Bryan, Mark came into the house. He didn¡¯t bother to greet me or my baby, he just followed Alex to his office. After a while, they came downstairs, and Alex told me that he wanted to see me.

    ¡°Mia, I want to see you. Let¡¯s go to my office to talk better,¡± Alex said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything, I heard everything, and I¡¯m ok with it as long as she doesn¡¯t cross her line and she doesn¡¯t look for my trouble, because if she does, I¡¯m ready to give her back at any fuckin time,¡± I uttered, with my lips a little bit upturned, as Alex just opened his mouth, unable to talk.

    Mark noticed the tension in the room and decided to ease the tension.

    After ying with Bryan Little, Mark bid me goodbye.

    After that incident that happened earlier today, Alex has been giving me the silent treatment, which I don¡¯t really care about, all I care about is my little bunnies.

    NEXT DAY

    I was breastfeeding Bryan when I heard amotion going on in the passage to our room. I stood up from the rocky chair to check on what was going on.

    ¡°Alex didn¡¯t tell any of you to clean up a room for me.¡± I heard the most annoying voice that I didn¡¯t wish to hear early in the morning.

    ¡°So what is the work of a maid in the house when I can¡¯t order you around? You can clean an ordinary room for me,¡± E said.

    ¡°You are not our boss. I don¡¯t recognise you as the boss¡¯s wife, the boss¡¯s friend, or even the boss himself. So you won¡¯t listen to anything you are telling us because we don¡¯t know you and you aren¡¯t paying our sry.¡± One of the maids announced, obviously angry by her statement.

    Eughed like a witch andnded a p on the maid¡¯s face. After she did that, I was forced to talk.

    ¡°Do you have to do that, E? You should have just called your baby daddy and informed him that no room was cleaned up for you instead of physically abusing the poor maid who wasn¡¯t given any instructions by her boss,¡± I intervened.

    ¡°Wow!!! Hello. So you are also talking, you don¡¯t have the right to tell me what to do, I can do anything I like. So far, I¡¯m in my man¡¯s house,¡± she responded sarcastically. I scoffed and entered my room.

    I don¡¯t even want to know what happened next, for all I care, she is not my visitor, she is Alex¡¯s visitor, so that is none of my business.

    After an hour, I heard Alex¡¯s voice. She must have called him, I thought.

    He came into our room, greeted us, and carried Bryan before sending for the head maid.

    ¡°You don¡¯t speak rudely to any of my visitors, do you understand?¡± He cautioned the maid.

    ¡°So far as you work for me, you should respect my visitors, whether you know them or not. Do you understand? Alex asked, as we were correcting the maid who talked rudely to E earlier.

    He then instructed her to clean one of the master bathrooms for her and her son downstairs. The maid bowed and went out to do what she was sent to do.

    Not quite long after the maid left, we heard a knock on the door. Alex stood up to check who was at the entrance and saw that it was E again.

    ¡°E, What else do you want? I have instructed one of the maids to clean up the master bedroom downstairs for you and your son,¡± Alex informed her, and she smirked.

    ¡°That is why I am here. You have the master bedroom upstairs, so why do you choose to give me the one downstairs? Is it because of this thing she pointed in my direction?¡± She questioned him.

    This E of ady is stepping on my toes, I thought.

    ¡°E, please respect my woman. I won¡¯t let you rain insults on her while I am here,¡± Alex warned her with a stern look.

    And he continued, ¡°And for the other master room, the master room is allocated to Mia. That is Mia¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°Since she is not staying there now and she is staying in your room, why do you move her there and make the room vacant for me to stay in?¡± E made her stupid suggestion as I shook my head.

    Alex looked at her and closed the door against her face, not responding to what she was saying.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    He walked to me and said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to anything she is saying, I¡¯m not going to let her affect your mental health.¡±

    ¡°Just put your mind at rest. She is going to leave her soonest because I¡¯m very sure I¡¯m not the owner of the child.¡± He reassured me, and I nodded.

    ¡°I wonder why she came back after she left me for more than a year. She left me and went with another man four years ago, and now she hase back after four years, iming that she has a child for me. I don¡¯t know what happened to her husband or why she came back to California with this unnecessary drama.¡± He exined the incident to me, looking so sad.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do a DNA test to be sure if the child is for me. If the child is truly mine, I¡¯m just going to get a house for her and her son. I know it is going to be difficult to convince her, but I will try to do it,¡± he said. I nodded my head.

    ¡°You will get to the root of this and address the issue properly,¡± I told Alex.

    He was ying with his child when his phone rang. I saw the caller named a private investigator. He excused himself outside to receive the phone call, not wanting to disturb Bryan.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY THREE

    MIA¡¯S POV

    While I was surfing through the inte, I saw a message from a strange number.

    The message was: ¡°I have your sex tape. Don¡¯t think you can hide forever. I¡¯m going to release the video online tomorrow by 12:00 pm. If only you can do what I say, then I might consider you, and I will not release it.¡±

    I was shocked. A sex tape? The person said I¡¯m not the type ofdy that sleeps around. If the person thinks he/she can get me with this little thing, it is not possible. I¡¯m not going to fall for this.

    Alex is the person that deflowered me, and I haven¡¯t slept with any other person apart from Alex, so I just ignored the message and continued with what I was doing.

    ALEX POV

    Hello, Mr. Ian,¡± my private investigator said.

    ¡°Yes? Any information?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, sir. Miss E and her husband got divorced seven months ago,¡± The Private Investigator told me.

    ¡°What caused the divorce?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What I researched is that she was cheating on him, and her son isn¡¯t for her ex-husband,¡± he said.

    When he dropped the bomb, my head turned. ¡°Her ex-husband isn¡¯t the father of the child?¡± I asked again.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I said.

    If the child isn¡¯t his, that means the child is either mine, or she cheated on her husband when they were together. After hanging up, I was so determined to do a DNA test to be sure if the child is mine.

    ONE MONTH LATER

    I was in my office working on a particr project when my PA, George, informed me that someone is here to see me. ¡°She has been causing a problem, and she does have an appointment with you,¡± he said.

    ¡°Who is that? What is her name?¡± I said.

    ¡°Miss E, sir,¡± he said.

    ¡°Let her in,¡± I said. ¡°What the fuck is she looking for in my office? Isn¡¯t the mansion enough for her?¡± She walked into my office like the slut she is.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Lexy, can you imagine how your staff were so rude to me? You didn¡¯t teach them customer service. They need to learn well because if I be their boss¡¯s wife, I¡¯m gonna show them what I¡¯m made of,¡± she said.

    I just looked at her and shook my head. She should keep daydreaming. Because I haven¡¯t made any attempts, doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know the truth now. I just want to stall her a little to see her next move.

    ¡°So, what do you want? Why are you in mypany?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I just wanted to greet you because I miss you. When you are at home, you don¡¯t have my time. You act like I don¡¯t exist. You are only focused on your child and your baby mama. You didn¡¯t even bother to bond with Ethan, and that is unfair,¡± she said, giving a pitiful face, which I wasn¡¯t moved by.

    ¡°I am also bored at home. No one talks to me or hangs out with me, so I¡¯m here to hang out with you.¡± She concluded.

    ¡°Do you know this is apany and not a location for hanging out?¡± I informed her.

    ¡°I know, right. We can go out for lunch. I know a nice location  not too far from here,¡± E said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested, and you can see I¡¯m very busy,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Okay, since you say you are not interested and you are so busy, I will leave you with your work and head out for lunch myself,¡± she said.

    I just hummed, and she walked out of my office, not without shaking her ass.

    When I came back from work, Mia told me about a particr message saying someone wants to release her sex tape, and I asked her some questions, which she did tell me the truth. Mia is not someone who sleeps around or goes out, so I kind of trust her that she can¡¯t do something like that.

    I¡¯m even thinking of taking this rtionship to the final stage. I want to get to know Mia better and create a little bond, not  love her because I don¡¯t do love anymore. It¡¯s just because of Bryan. It won¡¯t be easy on me if we both treat each other like strangers if our kid grows up and doesn¡¯t feel the love of both parents. I don¡¯t want what happened to me to happen to my kid, too. I want them to feel all the love they can ever have.

    Time continued to pass, and the threat of the sex tape message seemed to vanish into the background because we didn¡¯t know who sent the message, and the person never sent another message after that particr one. We never found out who sent it.

    E, my ex-girlfriend, has be a constant pressure in my life, and it doesn¡¯t look like she is relenting from it anytime soon.

    She seemed determined to cause a fight between Mia and I, using her son Ethan as a pawn in her game.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of emotions towards E. We had history together, agreed, but she had affected my family enough..

    One evening, as Mia and I sat in our room with Bryan, we decided it was time to address E¡¯s issue. It was getting out of hand. She is always looking for a way to frustrate Mia, and I didn¡¯t like that.

    I already knew the truth about her son, if she thinks I don¡¯t, but I¡¯m waiting for her to do what is right for her before it is toote. I don¡¯t want to affect her innocent son¡¯s future because he knows nothing and understands nothing about what his mum is doing. We had to take action to protect our family and ensure Ethan¡¯s well being.

    ¡°E,¡± I began, trying to be calm, ¡°we need to have a serious conversation about Ethan.¡±

    E¡¯s reaction was filled with fear. Still, she nodded reluctantly.

    ¡°So, what do you want to talk about, Alex?¡± E asked.

    ¡°Actually, my wife and I are the ones that want to talk to you,¡± I said.

    ¡°WIFE, you say?¡± Eughed.

    ¡°Where is your ring? You are both deceiving yourselves. Let her watch how I¡¯m gonna win your heart,¡± she said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a space in my heart, E. That was before when I was so foolish not to see your true character. So don¡¯t give yourself high hopes,¡± I said.

    We arranged a meeting at my office. Mia and I sat across from E. Everywhere was silent, with tension in the air

 CHAAPTER THIRTY FOUR

    MIA¡¯S POV

    There was tension in the room, and Alex¡¯s expression hardened as he confronted E.

    He was determined to ensure Ethan¡¯s safety. The boy was innocent and did not understand what his mother was doing. I really pitied him. I just wished he had a better mum.

    ¡°E,¡± I called.

    ¡°We want what¡¯s best for Ethan, and we believe it¡¯s important for all of us to be happy,¡± I said, since Alex was not ready to speak first.

    ¡°Wow, his baby mama wants to give me advice. Alex, can you see what you have caused?¡± E said sarcastically.

    ¡°Will you keep quiet and let her finish what she is saying?¡± Alex shouted at E.

    E¡¯s eyes shifted between us, her emotions clear. She had her own ns, and she was ready to bring anyone down.

    As the conversation continued, it became clear that E had more on her mind than just co-parenting.

    ¡°E, we already know the truth about Ethan,¡± I said, watching her reaction.

    Sheughed, but I knew it was fake, the kind ofughter that hides fear.

    ¡°What do you know about Ethan? You have no right to say anything about my son, do you understand me?¡± E said.

    Alex brought out an envelope and passed it to her.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°Open it and check it, E,¡± Alex said in a cold voice.

    She took the envelope with a shaking hand and opened it. After she read it, shock was written all over her face.

    ¡°What you saw written on that paper is the DNA test results. As you can see, it shows that Ethan is not my son,¡± Alex said in a cold, angry voice.

    ¡°So why did you lie? Why did you say he is my son? Why do you want to make the innocent boy¡¯s life miserable because of your selfish desire?¡± Alex asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to move out of your house by tomorrow. I just want you to know that I do not regret what I did, and just watch your back. I¡¯m going to bring you down with me. I can¡¯t just go down alone,¡± E said.

    Alex stood up, whispered in her ear, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t make mistakes that will cost you your life, because I won¡¯t take it easy with you. Have a great life, E.¡±

    After that, E walked out of the office.

    Alex and I walked out of the room to talk to Ethan. At least the little boy deserved to know the truth.

    We decided to sit down with Ethan that evening, choosing a quiet moment after dinner. Ethan looked up at us with his bright, curious eyes.

    I looked at Ethan and ruffled his hair. ¡°You are so cute and innocent,¡± I said.

    ¡°Ethan,¡± Alex began, his voice gentle but firm, ¡°we need to talk to you about something important.¡±

    His brow furrowed with curiosity as he nodded. ¡°Okay, Dad. Mom, what is it?¡±

    I took a deep breath, reaching out to hold Ethan¡¯s hand. ¡°Ethan, we love you very much, and nothing will change that. But there¡¯s something we need to tell you.¡±

    Alex watched as I exined the situation, carefully choosing my words to tell him the truth without causing unnecessary pain for the little boy. Ethan¡¯s expression shifted from curiosity to confusion, his emotions that were hard to read.

    ¡°Dad,¡± he finally said, his voice shaking, ¡°does this mean you¡¯re not my real dad? But my mum told me that you are my real daddy,¡± the little boy asked, confused.

    Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him. ¡°Ethan, biology doesn¡¯t define family. You are our son in every way that matters. We love you, and I just want you to know that.¡±

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Ethan stood up and hugged Alex. He was about to hug me when E walked into the living room.

    ¡°Ethan, baby, it is bedtime,¡± she said.

    ¡°Ok, mum,¡± Ethan said, saying goodnight to Alex and me.

    ALEX¡¯S POV

    The next day, E and her son left my mansion. The mansion felt different, a peaceful kind of different.

    When I got to my office this morning, I was relieved because of E¡¯s case. It had been a problem since she came around, but now everything had been sorted out.

    After doing some work in my office, I decided to visit my friend because I hadn¡¯t given him feedback about the whole issue. I had been busy with the case.

    When I got to hispany, I entered his office, because that¡¯s what he does when hees to my office too.

    ¡°Hey man,¡± Mark greeted me, looking surprised. ¡°This one that you visited me today, I hope there is no problem,¡± he asked.

    ¡°No man, can Ie to see you again? I want to take you out for lunch,¡± I said.

    Mark stood up from his seat and walked up to me, putting his palm on my forehead to check my temperature. ¡°Is this Alex? I¡¯m not sure this is my friend. Someone must be impersonating you,¡± Mark said.

    ¡°Will you go out for lunch or not?¡± I asked him, ignoring all his antics.

    ¡°You know I can never reject that kind of offer. Hold on, let me finish up with this stuff,¡± he said.

    After he was done, we headed out for lunch. Once we settled down, one of the attendants came to our table to take our order.

    ¡°E has left my mansion,¡± I dropped the bombshell.

    ¡°When? What happened? Why did she leave?¡± Mark asked.

    ¡°I found out the truth. Ethan is not my son. I did a DNA test, and it shows that I¡¯m not his father,¡± I said.

    ¡°This is unfair, Alex. You didn¡¯t even tell me. I¡¯m mad at you for this, and I won¡¯t talk to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You know I have a lot of things to attend to, and she is not making things easy for me,¡± I said.

    Mark looked at me, shock written all over his face.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Did the great Alexander Ian just say ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ or are my ears just hearing things?¡±

    I just looked at him without saying anything. I exined to Mark how E cheated on her husband before they got married, and heter found out that the boy wasn¡¯t his. He also caught her cheating again, I exined.

    ¡°That E is a bitch,¡± Mark said.

    While we were still discussing, the waiter came to serve us our food.

    When we were done eating and were walking out of the restaurant, I saw the worst person I didn¡¯t want to see anytime soon.

    ¡°Alexander Ian, we meet again. I didn¡¯t know that we would see each other so soon,¡± E said.

    ¡°Oh, Mark, long time. I haven¡¯t seen you in a very long time. How are you doing?¡± Mark nodded to her greeting, and we walked past her.

    When we got into the car, Mark said, ¡°She is still as bitchy as I can remember. Nothing changed about her, except that her bust and boobs are much fuller.¡±

    ¡°Mark, you are still a bad boy. I don¡¯t think you can change. Your woman is going to try,¡± I said.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY FIVE

    Alex didn¡¯t allow his friend and Chloe to visit them, he kept them out of his penthouse and tried to spend his time with Bryan, who seemed to be slowly recognising him.

    Two weeks had passed, and although most of the time Bryan would be asleep, that didn¡¯t quite sit well with his father.

    ¡°Why is he sleeping so much? In fact, all he does is sleep.¡± That was theint made by Bryan¡¯s father, which made Miaugh aloud.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, babies tend to sleep the most at this stage because they need it, and if you¡¯re so irritated, please be his nanny so that I can rest well.¡± She had teased him, and surprisingly, he just gave her a bored look instead of a cold face.

    Bryan would p his hands whenever free, or roll on his stomach and sleep.

    He was closer to his mother, but of course he recognises his father now as well.

    He would stare at Alex¡¯s face for as long as he was trying to memorise it, and Alex would stare back.

    The staring game always had Mia rolling inughter because both of their faces would be worth watching.

    Alex was an amazing father, as Mia had predicted, because he voluntarily helped her by changing his nappies, bathing him, or carrying him in his arms when he was awake.

    All of a sudden, he didn¡¯t seem cold. Alexander Ian It was just the father who cared for his son the most.

    Alex was working on hisptop when his phone rang. He nced at it and sighed at the disy.

    ¡°Hello? Does he recognise you now?¡± Mark asked impatiently, and Alex rolled his eyes.

    He had been calling almost every day to know about the progress between the father-son duo so that he could introduce himself as well.

    And Alex, even though Bryan now knew who his father was, didn¡¯t want to inform Mark about the same.

    He¡¯s never been this possessive of anything or anyone in his entire life up until now.

    ¡°No,¡± He lied and was going to hang up when Mark yelled, ¡°You liar! He does recognise you, doesn¡¯t he? I can hear it in your voice. The tone was using as Mark yelled into the phone, which was already kept aside with speaker mode on.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± Alex asked, concentrating back on his work, while Mark scoffed on the other hand.

    ¡°Yes, I do, and that is meeting Bryan. I¡¯ming there right now.¡± He dered it and cut the call without letting Alex reply to him.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you allowing him to meet Bryan?¡± He looked up to see Mia at the door, holding Bryan close to her chest.

    She slowly swayed back and forth, trying to make him sleep.

    ¡°He¡¯sing anyway.¡± He dismissed the topic with a roll of his eyes, and Mia chuckled. He watched as she patted Bryan¡¯s back and hummed softly.

    ¡°Is he asleep?¡± He asked, and her eyes wandered to his.

    Yet again, they weren¡¯t cold, like she remembered as she watched him staring at Bryan¡¯s back.

    ¡°He will be there in some time,¡± she informed him, and he nodded, sighing and going back to hisptop.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, you can go back to your office if you want. It¡¯s fine.¡± Mia suggested, as his fingers halted on the keyboard.

    He knew she was right, but was he ready to leave Bryan and go?

    ¡°Where is Bryan?¡± They heard a yell from the living room, and as he got closer to the room, Alex muttered something under his breath, which she couldn¡¯t hear well.

    ¡°I will surely meet Bryan today!¡± Mark was still yelling, and this time, because he was near, Bryan stirred in his almost sleepy state.

    ¡°This fucker,¡± Alex¡¯s curse, was heard by Mia this time, and she winced, ring at Alex and covering her son¡¯s ears.

    Just as Mark halted near the door, his eyesnded on Bryan, who was blinking his eyeszily in his half-sleepy state.

    ncing at Alex, he found him giving a cold re, to which he smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered, but Mia just smiled and blinked her eyes.

    ¡°Why is he always sleeping?¡± There came the whine again and the look on his face.

    Mia pursed her lips to prevent theughter and scare Bryan. Alex got up and pulled Mark outside, but not before shutting the door behind him.

    Mia shook her head and continued with her humming. Five minutester, she looked at him, and he was sleeping soundly.

    With a smile, she kissed his head and ced him in the crib before covering him properly and moving out of the room.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you keep quiet?¡± Alex¡¯s tone was hard, and Mia hurried her steps.

    ¡°How would I know he would be sleeping?¡± Mark grumbled, sitting on the couch with a frown on his face.

    ¡°Even though he was not sleeping, you can¡¯te barging inside, yelling like a madman. There¡¯s a kid in this house now, so you need to stop behaving like one.¡± Thest line was filled with humour, and she could sense it, but Mark just huffed and looked away.

    The poor man was always excited to meet Bryan, and every time something or the other would stop him.

    ¡°Mark,¡± Mia called out, walking towards him, and he just nced at her once before going back to sulking.

    ¡°Where is Chloe?¡± She asked to change the topic, and he stood up in a jerk at once, startling her.

    His eyes widened, and his mouth hung open as he covered it with his palm hurriedly.

    ¡°I forgot her,¡± he said, horrified, and Mia¡¯s eyes widened as well.

    ¡°I was trying to recall throughout the journey what I was forgetting, and it was her. Shit!¡± He cursed, and Mia blinked her eyes at him.

    ¡°God bless you.¡± She said so, and he gave her a confused look.

    ¡°What?¡± Alex asked instead of Mark, and she sighed.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to be pissed, like really pissed.¡± She informed me, and Mark felt like killing himself. He was so gone!

    ¡°Where were you?¡± That was the first thing Chloe asked as he reached back to his office.

    He refused to look her way, but she still stopped him.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Uh, work?¡± It came out as a question rather than a statement. Chloe narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

    ¡°Which work? I have your schedule.¡± He gulped and pressed his lips into a thin line.

    ¡°Well, I am the boss, you can¡¯t question me.¡± He protested weakly, and she gave him a fake smile in return.

    ¡°And I am your secretary, so I need to keep track of everything rted to work.¡± She stated that, and he gave up, sagging his shoulders.

    ¡°I went to see Bryan,¡± he mumbled, hoping she wouldn¡¯t hear, but he was not so lucky. She did, and her mouth hung open.

    ¡°You went out? How could you?¡± She red at him, and he made a sorry face, but she wasn¡¯t having it.

    How dare he go without her?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just angry at Alex for not letting me meet him, so I forgot to tell you in my state of anger.¡± He pouted, and she huffed, looking away.

    Did he look cute when he pouted? This is not right. You met Bryan and didn¡¯t even tell me.

    Now how will I meet him when that monster isn¡¯t allowing anyone to even look at his son¡¯s way?

    ¡°What?¡± She kept on rambling, while Mark crossed his hands and stared at her with a smile.

    She was a rare beauty, the way her nose would scrunch up in distaste, her hands iling to exin something, her lips pressing in a thin line, and her eyes were the best part.

    He loved her eyes the most because they were the most expressive.

    ¡°Mark? Mark? Are you even listening to me?¡± Chloe waved her hand in front of him, and he came out of his admiring session and straightened up.

    ¡°Okay, you need to calm down. I surely went to meet Bryan, but I couldn¡¯t because he was sleeping. So maybe tomorrow.¡± He shrugged, and she stared at him, amused.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t meet him?¡± She asked, and he nodded, to which a giggle escaped her mouth.

    He gave her an offended look, and she palmed her mouth.

    ¡°Sorry, it just seems that Bryan doesn¡¯t want to meet his uncle.¡± She teased, and he red at her.

    ¡°Ha ha, so funny! In that case, he doesn¡¯t want to meet you too because Alex isn¡¯t allowing anyone near his son.¡± He smirked as her smile dropped, and she red back at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of your friend.¡± She said it haughtily, and he narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Definitely.¡± And with that, both marched away in opposite directions.

    Alex entered hispany, and everyone stood up in shock. They probably weren¡¯t expecting him toe to work anytime soon.

    George came and walked beside him till he reached his office.

    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s a problem, E Kate is demanding to see you. I don¡¯t know from where she got the news that you¡¯reing to thepany starting today.¡± He informed Alex, and Alex said nothing as he entered his office and settled on his chair.

    ¡°Escort her outside either politely or by using force, I don¡¯t care. I want her out now.¡± He ordered, and George nodded, moving out immediately.

    Ten minutester, he heard her screams outside, but when, even after ignoring her for another five minutes, she didn¡¯t stop, he stood up and went outside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare touch me! I will sue all of you.¡± She screamed as soon as the guards took a step towards her.

    George seemed to be having a headache, and so did the entire staff as the drama unfolded.

    ¡°Ms. E!¡± Alex called out, and she stopped screaming like a banshee.

    Something akin to relief passed on her face as she visibly rxed upon seeing him.

    ¡°Alex¡­..¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡± He ordered without letting herplete it, and she looked taken aback.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± She gritted, as she bawled her fists and red at him, but he cared less.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t hear, then mypany can send you a free hearing aid. Now out.¡± He said bluntly, and her nostrils red as her eyes turned into slits. She almost looked crazy.

    ¡°How dare you, Alex Ian? How dare you!¡± She screamed, while he slid his hands into the pockets and stared at her with a cold look.

    ¡°You have insulted, E Kate, and I will make sure you pay back for it. Just wait and watch!¡± She threatened, and red at everyone around her who snickered at her threat.

    ¡°Very well then,¡± Alex replied, and he showed her the exit. She gritted her teeth and stomped out of his office the next instant

    ¡°Get back to work, everyone.¡± He ordered as he heard hushed whispers, and everyone obeyed while he turned around and left.

    George stood there, staring at the exit, thinking about E¡¯s words.

    Why did he feel she was more dangerous than she looked?

 CHAAPTER THIRTY SIX

    ¡°Mark¡­..¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t, Chloe, just leave me alone now.¡± He ordered, and she retracted her hand but didn¡¯t budge from her spot.

    She wasn¡¯t going to leave him like that.

    ¡°I won¡¯t, Mark. You need to calm down; it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Mark spun around and red at her, which made her halt in her sentence. She watched as a muscle in his jaw ticked and the fire in his eyes as he red at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay? You weren¡¯t even going to tell me if I hadn¡¯t forced it out of you. Why didn¡¯t you call me yesterday, Chloe? It could have been dangerous.¡± His voice raised at her, and she felt her temper rising.

    ¡°But I managed, and anyway, you were busy.¡± She snapped, and Mark¡¯s eyes went to hers.

    She sounded like a jealous girlfriend, but she couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°I was busy, huh? So you didn¡¯t want to disturb me, or you were angry because I left with her?¡± He took a step towards her, and she looked away, immediately taking a step back.

    It continued until her back hit the wall, and she had nowhere to go.

    ¡°Tell me, Chloe, why are you so angry at the thought of me with some other woman? Why does it affect you?¡± He whispered, and she red at him, but that was when she realised their proximity and felt nervous.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t affect me.¡± She tried to sound stern, but the voice was foreign to her own ears.

    Mark chuckled, but there was nothing humorous in it. It was a wry chuckle.

    ¡°Still stubborn, so it won¡¯t affect you if I flirt with any woman?¡± He questioned her, and she nodded hurriedly, looking down, but his eyes stayed on her.

    ¡°It won¡¯t affect you if I hug someone else.¡± He asked her again, and she gulped and nodded without looking at him.

    ¡°It won¡¯t affect you if I kiss someone else.¡± He kept asking, and he noticed her clenching her jaw and shutting her eyes tight, but in the end, her head moved sideways as she denied it all.

    ¡°Alright, Chloe.¡± He said loudly and moved behind while her eyes snapped open as she watched him move away from her, creating much distance between them.

    ¡°So from today on, I, Mark, won¡¯te after you ever. I promise our rtionship will only be work-rted, and outside this ce, you¡¯ll only know me as a stranger.¡± And with that, he walked out from there, while Chloe kept staring at nothing particr.

    Why did her heart suddenly feel heavy all of a sudden?

    ¡°And now Bryan is ready to meet his father.¡± Mia grinned at Bryan, who had just yed with his hands, blinking up at her.

    She picked him up, and he nibbled on his hand while humming something. Mia wanted to visit Alex at his office, and from there, she would leave for her orphanage.

    She left the penthouse and hired a cab, not wanting to go in any of Alex¡¯s cars.

    One hour and thirty minutester, she reached her destination and thanked the driver before moving inside.

    ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m here to see Mr. Alexander Ian.¡± Mia informed the receptionist at the desk, and thedy looked up.

    Bryan chose to y with his mother¡¯s hair while she sought their way to meet his father.

    ¡°Do you have an appointment, ma¡¯am?¡± The receptionist asked politely, and Mia pursed her lips.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t,¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but you can¡¯t meet him without an appointment.¡± She apologised, and Mia sighed, nodding her head.

    She understood that the receptionist was only doing her job, but how was she supposed to go inside then?

    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± She turned around and saw a simr face, but couldn¡¯t quite remember him.

    Seeing her confused face, George knew she didn¡¯t remember him.

    ¡°I¡¯m Alex¡¯s secretary; pleasee; I¡¯ll take you to him.¡± He smiled at her, and she realised where she had seen him.

    With a smile, she followed him to Alex¡¯s cabin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just inform him.¡± George said as they reached outside his cabin, but Mia stopped him.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I think he¡¯ll like this as a surprise.¡± Mia indicated at Bryan, and George¡¯s eyes widened with a smile and a nod. He went away, but not before lightly pinching Bryan¡¯s cheek.

    Mia was about to knock on his door when she heard his voice.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°Mr. Paul (thewyer), now that my grandfather¡¯s condition mentioned in the will has been fulfilled either way, can we finish the formalities so that I can acquire the property?¡± The authority in his voice was clear, even though he was asking a question.

    Mia frowned in confusion, wondering what condition he was talking about.

    ¡°Yes, of course, Mr. Ian. I will just need proof of your marriage, and we will go ahead.¡± Thewyer was already terrified, as he stammered because of the cold look that was directed at him when Alex cut him off.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to give you proof of my marriage because that wasn¡¯t on the paper. As for having an heir, my son is already four months old, and that alone is enough for you to be convinced that I have fulfilled the old man¡¯s condition. Anything else?¡± The warning was clear, and Mr. Paul wasn¡¯t a fool to dig a grave for himself.

    He immediately nodded and passed him the documents that needed his signature toplete the formalities.

    Mia felt as if she had been pped across the face. The reality was in front of her, and she couldn¡¯t turn away from it even if she wanted to.

    Bryan was born not because he wanted an heir for hispany but because he needed to acquire his grandfather¡¯s property. And she was used to achieving his goal.

    ¡°Ba ba ba ba¡­¡± Bryan babbled, looking at his mother, who seemed frozen on her spot. He hummed, touching her face, and Mia looked at him finally, which got him grinning. He squealed, and that is when she came back to reality.

    Taking a step back from the door, she shook her head before marching out of there with Bryan in her arms. She couldn¡¯t go back to the penthouse, and she didn¡¯t want to.

    All she could think about was his words and his motives. Alexander Ian is a dangerous man, and she never wanted to be associated with him.

    Mia sat in her room at the orphanage home, staring at the wall in front of her.

    Bryan was fast asleep beside her, and she had time to think about what she was going to do.

    Can she just hide herself and Bryan from him forever?

    She knew she had made a deal with him for selfish reasons, and he evenpleted his part of the deal, but so did she.

    She gave him Bryan, even though she never questioned him why he wanted a baby because that was not her concern in the first ce. She had epted all his conditions, but now she was terrified.

    He had gotten what he wanted, and practically, she wasn¡¯t even in the picture. It is always about him and Bryan.

    What if he decided to divorce her? What if he decided that she wasn¡¯t needed now and threw her out of Bryan¡¯s life? She cannot live without her son. Is she strong enough to fight for her rights? So many questions ran through her mind, but all she could do was cry in silence.

    She stared at her son andid down beside him, pulling him close to her.

    Bryan clutched her cor in his tiny fist, and she melted at his touch. She will fight for his happiness, because he isn¡¯t her weakness but her strength.

    At night, when Alex reached his penthouse, he found his room empty. Neither Mia nor Bryan were present in the room, and it made him unsettled.

    He searched for them everywhere and even asked the servants, but no one knew.

    In the end, he called George, asking him to conduct a search operation for the two of them.

    ¡°But sir, ma¡¯am had visited you in the office earlier today. Why will she disappear all of a sudden?¡± George¡¯s question rmed Alex, and he repeated his words.

    ¡°She came to visit me? When? And why wasn¡¯t I informed about it?¡± His icy tone made George gulp his saliva as he clutched his phone a little tightly.

    ¡°Around five, sir, and she refused to inform you because she wanted it to be a surprise.¡± He stammered, and Alex racked his brain for the missing link.

    Meeting with thewyer.

    That¡¯s right, she was there; she might have heard everything.

    ¡°Next time, you inform me about everything because you work for me and no one else.¡± He hung up without waiting for any reply and picked up his keys, dashing out of the penthouse.

    It took him thirty minutes to reach the orphanage, and he took hurried steps to reach inside.

    One of the caretakers opened the door, and he entered inside, ignoring her.

    ¡°Where is Mia¡¯s room?¡± He turned to the woman, and she just pointed towards the room before scurrying away from there.

    Alex opened the door and found the duo sleeping peacefully.

    Unknowingly, a sigh of relief escaped his mouth, and he was rxed. They were safe.

    He walked closer and stared at Bryan, who was almost hidden in Mia¡¯s arms, but it seemed like the little guy didn¡¯t mind it because he snuggled more into her.

    Mia¡¯s head shifted down in her sleep as she breathed unevenly. She is a wonderful mother, and he never doubted it, but she was also too naive and impulsive.

    He had never imagined that he would be married to someone.

    Rtionships weren¡¯t his cup of tea, but here he was, married and now a father. It was all for Bryan and always for Bryan.

    Yes, he had wanted him first because he wanted to acquire the property, but he never understood the emotions that built up in him because of the little guy.

    It was because of him that he married her, and it was because of him that he would never try to separate a child from his mother.

    Mia stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes to check on Bryan, but he was sleeping peacefully. Her eyes then fell on him, and her eyes widened slowly.

    Alex covered her mouth before she could make any noise and disturb Bryan¡¯s sleep. He stared deep into her eyes, and she couldn¡¯t help but stare back, stunned.

    But his efforts went in vain when Bryan stirred and rolled on his back in his sleep.

    They stared at him in shock as Mia tried to push his hand away. When he didn¡¯t budge, she stopped and red at him, but he only stared at her, amused.

    Removing his hand, he stood up straight and watched as she too sat up and looked away in anger.

    ¡°We need to talk,¡± he whispered, and her head snapped in his direction. She narrowed her eyes and red at him, but he stared right back, as if challenging her.

    Then he did something that made her gasp in shock.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

    Alex kept a pillow on Bryan¡¯s side so that he wouldn¡¯t roll over and fall, and the next minute he was by Mia¡¯s side, as he scooped her in his arms.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, what are you doing? Put me down!¡± Mia whispered yelled, dangling her legs but Alex paid no attention as he walked towards the door.

    Just as he reached the door, it opened and Chloe walked in. She stared at Mia in Alex¡¯s arms and gave a nk look, ¡°what was going on?¡± She asked, confused.

    ¡°Good that you¡¯re here, I¡¯m taking her out to have a chat, till then, stay with Bryan.¡± he ordered, as he walked out without waiting for her reply.

    Chloe was still standing there clueless when Bryan stirred and turned to the other side, which caused her to sprint towards the bed.

    She carefully settled down on the bed and adjusted the pillow properly before smiling down at him.

    Outside, as Alex reached his car, he set her down and she immediately stepped away from him ring all the time.

    ¡°What do you want, Mr. Ian?¡± She hissed, and he sighed looking calm as ever.

    ¡°You heard everything.¡± It was a statement, and Mia could only stare at him dumbfounded, how blunt this man can be?

    ¡°Yes, I did. And thank God I did or else I would have never known that you wanted Bryan only for some property.¡± She spat, and he crossed his arms only staring at her.

    ¡°So? What wrong did I do, to you and him?¡± He questioned, and she opened her mouth to say something but then closed it when she couldn¡¯t find anything.

    ¡°I¡­ you could now that you¡¯ve acquired the property.¡± She stuttered, and he raised his eyebrows looking amused.

    ¡°What could I do?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You can throw me out of Bryan¡¯s life.¡± She answered, and the man didn¡¯t even change any expression. She couldn¡¯t understand how he remained so nk.

    ¡°Then why did I marry you?¡± he asked, this time she sighed tiredly and leaned on his car.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared, Mr. Ian. I don¡¯t know why you have included me in your life and I don¡¯t care about myself. But now that I have Bryan, I am always terrified that one day you¡¯ll have enough of my presence and kick me out.¡±

    ¡°I know you married me for Bryan¡¯s future and your reputation in front of the whole world, but no one knows about me as of yet. You can easily ask me to leave because you don¡¯t find me fit to be Bryan¡¯s mother.¡±

    ¡°I can fight for my baby but you and I, we both know that in the end, you¡¯ll win because you have the money and power.¡± she continued staring ahead with a lost look, and Alex watched as her eyes brimmed with tears.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, Mr. Ian,¡± she whispered shakily, and she looked at him only to find him staring at her.

    It was an intimate moment because the deeper they looked into each other¡¯s eyes, the more puzzled she got and the more pain he could see.

    ¡°I am not going to take Bryan away from you, Mia. If I had to do that, I would have never married you in the first ce.¡± He began.

    ¡°Yes, I agree that I needed a child because my grandfather¡¯s will held a condition for me to acquire his property but the more I would look at your protruding belly, the more attached I would feel to him.¡± He continuedConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°It is only because of Bryan that today I am married to you. For me, he will alwayse first. My first priority will always be Bryan and his happiness, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡± the sincerity in his eyes startled Mia, but she knew how much Bryan meant to him.

    ¡°Now are we going back to the penthouse?¡± He asked, and she contemted whether she should agree or not.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± She questioned back, and he sighed before shrugging his shoulders.

    ¡°Then I take Bryan with me, you can return whenever you wish to,¡± he said, she knew he was going to take Bryan back with him.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle.¡± She agreed, and he nodded just as she turned to leave, Chloe walked outside with Bryan in her arms.

    He was already awake and looking around for his mummy.

    ¡°Look who is here? Mummy and Daddy are both waiting for Bryan.¡± Chloe smiled, as Bryan looked at Mia and gave her a toothless smile.

    He leaned forward, and Mia smiled before taking him in her arms.

    ¡°Aww my baby is awake, did Chloe scare you?¡± She teased, looking at Chloe who red at her in return.

    Bryan giggled and all three stared at him amused.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Alex announced, and Mia nodded before giving a nod to Chloe.

    They left in his car and Chloe walked back inside. Once they reached the penthouse, Mia looked at Bryan who had no ns of sleeping.

    In fact, he seemed to be in a yful mood.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± Mia winced, as Bryan pulled her hair and Alex looked at her. She pouted at him and he touched her pout with his tiny fingers.

    ¡°Ba.. Ba.. Ba.. Ba¡± He babbled, and both of them looked at him surprised.

    It was the second time he was speaking, though gibberish but at least both of them were present when he spoke.

    ¡°Here, give him to me so that you can freshen up.¡± Alex came forward, and Bryan automatically leaned towards his father.

    After he took him in his arms, Bryan continued to babble, rubbing his hand on Alex¡¯s stubble. It tickled him and Alex giggled, but didn¡¯t stop his movements.

    He was enjoying it and Alex only smiled at his son. Mia stared at Alex¡¯s smile and felt her lips curving into a smile, his smile had that effect on her.

    It was beautiful, though he didn¡¯t show it often but it was only for Bryan and she didn¡¯t mind that.

    When she came out of the bathroom, Alex had already changed Bryan¡¯s clothes along with his diaper.

    He looked tired but that didn¡¯t stop him from spending some time with his son.

    ¡°You know bud, you¡¯re the first one to be this precious in my life. I¡¯m going to give you everything that I couldn¡¯t get when I was a kid.¡±

    His promise seemed to have a deep meaning, which made Mia wonder.

    Why did he live alone? Where are his parents? Did he have any siblings? Too many questions, but she knew she had no right to ask them.

    ¡°Mr. Ian,¡± She called out, and he looked at her.

    ¡°You can go freshen up now.¡± She informed, and he nodded looking back at Bryan and kissing his small fist which was wrapped around his forefinger.

    He didn¡¯t leave until she was beside Bryan and once the bathroom door closed, she sighed and turned to him.

    Bryan hummed with his hand in his mouth while looking up at his mother.

    ¡°Why is your father so cold? Why can¡¯t he open up? Should I ask him?¡± As thest question, Bryan smiled and Mia chuckled.

    ¡°Why are you so cute?¡± She cooed, taking both his tiny hands in hers and leaning down to peck his nose.

    He blinked as she did that and kept his hands on both her cheeks. She kept her face close, as he kept kicking his legs.

    Pulling her face closer, his lipsnded on her nose and he nibbled on it making her giggle.

    She moved back, staring at him with all the love, ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°Do you have to feed him?¡± Her head snapped in his direction, and a blush appeared on her face seeing him half naked.

    What the hell? Why was she blushing? Bryan was rubbing his eyes tiredly. She had fed him at the orphanage, but it had been more than three hours to that.

    She just nodded at him and he simply slipped on his t-shirt before walking out and closing the door behind.

    She stared at the door for a few seconds before Bryan¡¯s cry took her attention. She quickly picked him up and settled on the bed to feed him.

    Two months passed with the same routine.

    Everyone¡¯s bond with Bryan had been strengthening but not their rtionships.

    Mia had been seeing apletely different side of Alex and it intrigued her more as to why he was so cold and aloof with her and the others.

    His emotions would only pour out for Bryan and he made no attempts to hide them.

    He was a good man, she had concluded just the one who didn¡¯t know or didn¡¯t want to disy his emotions. Maybe he was afraid? Maybe he had been hurt before which caused him to be this closed off.

    There were too many maybes, and she would only know if she asked.

    As for Chloe and Mark, things wereplicated and the only person responsible for it was Chloe herself.

    Mark was every bit professional with her and outside work, he wouldn¡¯t even spare her a single nce. It hurt her too much, but it was what she had chosen for herself.

    Bryan is now six months old, and he would crawl around everywhere.

    The first time he had crawled, Mia had been busy reading a book and Alex surprisingly was at home but in the bathroom.

    Bryan got on all fours and located his toy which was a little away. He would wobble, but determined to reach his toy he let out a squeal gaining Mia¡¯s attention.

    Her eyes widened seeing him and she immediately ran to him in case he wanted to fall.

    Just as he was about to crawl ahead, Alex stepped out, and his eyes fell on Bryan. Bryan looked at his father before returning his attention to his toy.

    Alex watched as Mia stayed behind to hold him, but she wasn¡¯t going to stop him.

    Bryan gurgled and crawled a little, making Mia shocked, as she looked up at Alex, she found him staring at his son in awe.

    But the moment turned into a scary one for Bryan, as he took his toy and gleed happily sitting on the floor as he directed the toy towards his mouth.

    ¡°No!¡± they both yelled, scaring him, and he looked at his mother with big innocent eyes.

    His lips trembled, and his chin wobbled as his eyes filled with tears.

    ¡°Aww baby, don¡¯t cry.¡± she chuckled, and picked him up, and Alex came closer as well.

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, bud.¡± Alex wiped his eyes, smiling down at him.

    Seeing his father smiling, Bryan smiled back amidst his tears, which caused both of them to chuckle.

    It seemed like a happy world for Alex when he was with his son, but how long is this happiness going tost?

 CHAAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

    The next few weeks were hectic for Alex, and he had only so much time to spend with Bryan.

    He would leave early and be back at midnight. Most times, Bryan would be asleep, and he would never disturb his son¡¯s sleeping hours for selfish reasons.

    George walked into his cabin after receiving permission. He stood in front of Alex.

    Alexander, who had been busy reading some documents, looked up when the room remained silent even after a few minutes.

    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked, and George blinked before taking a deep breath and cing an envelope on his desk.

    Alexander nced at him and then at the envelope on his desk before he picked it up.

    As he investigated the content inside the envelope, his face remained glued to the letter.

    After staring long and hard, his eyes went to George, who still stood before him.

    ¡°Who gave you this?¡± He asked

    ¡°It was already on my desk when I arrived, sir. I also asked the receptionist if she allowed any outsider inside without an appointment, but she only refused. The search has already begun, sir.¡± George was informed, and Alex didn¡¯t react to it. He seemed to be thinking about something, and it surely wasn¡¯t nice.

    ¡°Gather all the employees outside now! I¡¯ll have a chat with them.¡± Alex ordered, and without further argument, George nodded and walked out.

    He stared at the pictures in his hand and felt anger building inside him. It was Mia and Bryan¡¯s picture from the day when she hade to his office to meet him.

    So someone had indeed found out about his secret, and now they are ckmailing him.

    ¡°Sir, everyone has gathered outside,¡± George informed Alex, and Alex strode out of his cabin, buttoning his zer, followed by George.

    As Alex stood in front of them with George beside him, all the employees looked down, not able to take his strong gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask this only once. Who kept the letter on George¡¯s desk?¡± His voice was icy cold, and most of them looked confused except one.

    George noticed the same, as the person looked here and there in fear and wiped his sweat now and then.

    ¡°Dismiss.¡± He ordered, and everyone immediately left for their ces.

    ¡°Not you, Clement.¡± His warning was clear in his voice, and Clement¡¯s breath hitched.

    He was shaking in fear, knowing he was caught, but running away wasn¡¯t an option because Alexander Ian would find him anyway.

    ¡°George, bring him to my cabin now.¡± George nodded and walked towards Clement, who never once looked up.

    ¡°Who asked you to do this?¡± Alex asked asClement closed his eyes in fear and gave away the name without putting up a fight.

    ¡°ElE Kate¡±

    ¡°And why did you do this?¡± This time, he looked in, his eyes filled with fear and desperation.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, sir. Please believe me, I didn¡¯t want to, but she threatened me and said that if I didn¡¯t follow her instructions, she¡¯d make sure that my mother¡¯s treatment was stopped at the hospital.¡± He voiced out.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please forgive me. I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± Clement pleaded, and Alex just kept staring at him.

    ¡°You should know that a traitor is a traitor. I¡¯m going to make an inquiry about your mother¡¯s health and to which hospital she¡¯s admitted, and if I find out that you are lying, I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t get a job anywhere. Now get out of my office,¡± Alex ordered, and Clement moved out of his cabin with his head hung low.

    ¡°George¡±

    ¡°On it, sir. I¡¯ll look into it.¡± George nodded, and just as George was about to step out, he was called again.

    ¡°If his mother is seriously ill, make sure she¡¯s provided with the best facility, and the expenses will be on thepany.¡± George hid his smile and just obeyed his orders.

    ¡°E Kate, I have had enough of your games. Now Alexander Ian will show you who you¡¯ve messed with.¡± Alex muttered as he stared at the picture.

    Just then, his phone rang, and he nced at the unknown number.

    ¡°How was the surprise, Alex?¡± E smirked, and Alex said nothing.

    He would give her the chance toplete her bullsh*t before he started talking about business.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was good. She must be very special to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± She chuckled, and anyone knowing the reality would¡¯veughed at her now.

    ¡°Now, if you want her and your child to be safe, then you¡¯ll have to do as I say because I know you don¡¯t want the media to know about your secret contract.¡± She lowered her voice, and she surely sounded like a crazy woman.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Alex asked uninterestedly, and it fueled her anger because he still seemed calm.

    ¡°You, I want you, Alexander Ian. Marry me and save your baby mama and her child.¡± She requested, and Alex chuckled darkly, and she frowned on the other side.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised, E Kate, that there¡¯s no one so precious to me that I¡¯ll follow anyone¡¯s orders or be scared by anyone¡¯s threats. Do whatever you want, and think whatever you want. I don¡¯t give two fucks about it, and yes, I love ying games, right? Now I¡¯ll show you the grave mistake you¡¯vemitted by threatening Alexander Ian.¡± He hung up without waiting for another round of her bullshit.

    The next thing he called Mia right up, because the crazy bitch could do anything and he wasn¡¯t taking chances.

    ¡°Hello?¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Where are you?¡± He asked straight away. Mia frowned but answered

    ¡°At your penthouse?¡± It came out more as a question than a statement, and Alex sighed in relief, but there were more things to focus on.

    ¡°Listen to me, do not leave the penthouse at any cost. Do you hear me? Even if there¡¯s some extreme emergency, I want you and Bryan to stay inside.¡± He ordered in a stern voice, and he didn¡¯t even realise that he was including her in his concern as well.

    ¡°What is the matter, Mr. Ian?¡± Mia asked because he was sounding so concerned for the first time.

    ¡°Nothing. All you need to do is stay in with Bryan.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± he hung up the call, and she huffed in annoyance, staring at the phone.

    It was something serious, or else he wouldn¡¯t have called and restrained her from going outside, but what was it?

    Mark stared at Alex as he called some people while he waited patiently.

    Alex had called him and asked him to visit him urgently, which had him worried. Mark left all his work andnded at his office within twenty minutes.

    Now, as he stared at his best friend, he could tell that there was something wrong-something that was bothering him.

    ¡°Alex, what is it?¡± Mark asked when Alex was done with his work.

    ¡°E Kate, she¡¯s been a fucking pain in my ass, and I¡¯ve been ignoring her and her so-called stupid actions, but she¡¯s gone too far this time.¡± Alex uttered, as he clenched his jaw in anger. Mark hated it when Mia and Bryan were involved.

    ¡°Such a crazy bitch.¡± Mark muttered angrily, and Alex just shrugged, not really caring about it.

    ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Alex asked, looking at Alex, who smirked in return.

    ¡°End her career, as simple as that.¡± A smirk formed on Mark¡¯s lips, and both of them discussed their n to destroy E Kate.

    Exactly two hourster, Alex and Mark sat in the office, waiting for George to inform them about their n, and just as they expected, he walked in.

    ¡°Sir, everything is ready. They are waiting for you.¡± George informed him, and Alex smirked, getting up and buttoning his zer.

    Mark stood up as well and grinned at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s showtime. Kill it, man! Actually, kill her,¡± Mark joked, and Alex gave him a bored look.

    ¡°Shut up, Mark.¡± With that, he walked out of his office as Mark red at him.

    As he strode in the room, shes and clicks were everywhere, but he ignored it all and walked straight to where he was needed.

    As he sat down in front of them, the media gathered around and started firing their questions.

    ¡°Mr. Alexander Ian, why have you suddenly called for a press conference? Is there a specific reason?¡± One of the reporters asked, raising his hand, and Alex looked at him.

    ¡°Of course there¡¯s a reason, or else I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my time here. The reason for this press conference is rted to E Kate.¡± He disclosed, and even though he was rude earlier, they ignored his rude remark and continued.

    ¡°So, are you telling us that you¡¯ve been secretly dating the model, E Kate?¡± Another one asked, and he chuckled sarcastically.

    ¡°You just want some spicy news to make your channel popr, right? So I¡¯m giving you one. There is no need to make a story of your own because that¡¯s going to be boring.¡± Alex said he was neither caring nor worried about his reputation in front of the media, and that is why he was able to live as he wanted until now.

    ¡°Then what do you want to tell us, sir?¡±

    ¡°E Kate has been threatening and ckmailing me to marry her for quite some time now.¡± He spoke, and there were whispers and murmurs, and it satisfied him a lot.

    ¡°Well, of course, there is nothing valid without proof or evidence, here it is.¡± Alex said this as he took out his phone and yed the recording of their call.

    ¡°You, I want you, Alexander Ian. Marry me and save your baby mama and her child.¡± The voice was definitely E¡¯s, and once again, the whispers started.

    ¡°Sir, why is she threatening you? And do you have a baby mama and child the media knows nothing about? Where are they right now?¡± Another person asked

    ¡°As for why she is threatening me, you can ask her for yourself. About having a baby mama, I do not have a baby mama, neither do I have a child. I don¡¯t know where she came up with something like that.¡± Alex uttered, and he shrugged, whereas Mark grinned as he stood in a corner, hiding from the media.

    ¡°Alexander Ian!¡± A loud voice erupted through the crowd, grabbing people¡¯s attention.

    Alex smirked, knowing things were going exactly as he had nned.

    Now, thest straw was left, and then he would smile in victory.

 CHAAPTER THIRTY NINE

    How dare you, Alexander?¡± E screamed, ignoring how the cameras were turned towards her, and the shes never stopped. She is going to turn this game in her favour.

    ¡°You were the one who proposed to me first and then left me, saying you got bored of me. I always loved you.¡± She said it dramatically, walking towards Alex.

    Mark frowned at her, and he felt like killing the witch.

    ¡°This bitch, no witch, no, she¡¯s a bloody ah! Forget it, I¡¯m not spewing nonsense from my mouth for her.¡± Mark grumbled under his breath, and then his phone rang.

    ¡°Chloe?¡± He frowned, seeing the caller ID, and moved away from the noise.

    ¡°Mark, what the hell is going on? What is Alex doing in a press conference?¡± Chloe sounded pissed, and Mark pursed his lips. What was he supposed to say?

    Chloe asked, ¡°Do you even realise Mia must be watching this as well?¡± That is when his eyes widened, and he cursed for forgetting such an important thing.

    How could they forget?

    ¡°Listen, Chloe, just go to the penthouse and stay with her. We¡¯ll exin it when it¡¯s all over.¡± He stated this, and he hung up, moving towards where the drama was still unfolding.

    ¡°That is a lie!¡± E screamed and looked ready to kill someone.

    Alex looked as calm as ever as he sat conveniently.

    ¡°Ms. E, if he is lying, then why didn¡¯t we spot him at any of your parties? You were always enjoying yourself with someone else.¡± A reporter asked, and she bawled her fists to control her anger.

    ¡°Tell them E, or wait, I¡¯ll tell them she¡¯s been nning to seduce me for a long time now, sending me party invitations, visiting my office, and trying to find my weakness. But s, all her ns failed. And in the end, she resorted to ckmailing. Am I right?¡± Alex asked as he smirked, and she gritted her teeth, feeling annoyed.

    Everything was going wrong, fucking everything.

    ¡°This is outrageous! What proof do you have?¡± She clenched her jaw as she asked him, which made him raise his eyebrows.

    ¡°I already gave them the proof.¡± He stared straight at her, and she did the same.

    ¡°That is not enough proof. For all I know, you could¡¯ve edited that audio, and how can you even prove that is my voice or that number is mine?¡± E questioned, and Alex remained silent, which made her smirk.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s prove it now.¡± He picked up his phone and dialled the unknown number, and for a minute she panicked before she calmed down.

    The ring went on, but no one answered, which made her smirk in victory.

    ¡°See? He is only doing all this because he wants to ruin my life. All he wants is revenge, and¡­¡± she suddenly stopped her speech as the cops entered the ce.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, we found this phone at Ms. E¡¯s residence, and it rang once with your name disyed on it. Is this the same number you received the call from?¡± The cop questioned Alex, showing him the phone, and Alex looked at E, who went white as a sheet.

    ¡°I believe so.¡± Alex responded to the cops as he faced E and said, ¡°E, you should¡¯ve been more careful. Which ckmailer doesn¡¯t destroy a SIM card after they¡¯ve made the call? And I have warned you and given you a huge chance to reflect on your past mistakes, but you aren¡¯t ready.¡± He mocked her, and she breathed heavily, ring at him.

    ¡°You! I will kill you, Alexander Ian! I will destroy youpletely!¡± She screamed like a mad person, struggling in the cop hold while she was being taken away.

    ¡°So I think that was enough proof of who E Kate is. This press conference ends here.¡± Alex announced and left, while the media tried to question him about many other things, but he ignored them all.

    ¡°Model E Kate is taken into police custody after business tycoon Alexander Ian makes allegations against her of ckmailing him.¡±

    ¡°She seemed to be screaming and behaving like she was mentally ill, but we still don¡¯t know if the allegations are right because she never confessed the crime.¡±

    ¡°Did she ckmail Alexander Ian, or is there some hidden motive behind this drama?¡±

    After all the drama was over, Alex and Mark reached the penthouse.

    Mia and Chloe were already present in the living room, and as both men walked in, they stood up.

    ¡°What was all that about?¡± Mia questioned, looking at Alex for an answer, whereas Chloe stared at Mark, who ignored her.

    ¡°Just one of her dirty games, she wanted more money and fame and had been trying to get me, but when it didn¡¯t work, she ckmailed me using you and Bryan.¡± Alex exined, and she looked worried.

    ¡°How did she know about us?¡± Mia asked.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t. The day you visited my office, an employee of mine clicked a picture of you two and sent it to her. She threatened to harm you two if I didn¡¯t marry her.¡± Alex shrugged nonchntly and sat down on the couch.

    Mia¡¯s face had already scrunched up in disgust. Seriously?

    ¡°Such psychos you have around you, I¡¯m nevering to your office again.¡± Mia huffed in anger, crossing her hands, and Alex stared at her, amused.

    Mark chuckled, and Chloe looked at him with a smile. She missed the way he used to irritate her, but now he wouldn¡¯t even look at her.

    Suddenly they heard Bryan crying, which made Mia run to the room. She came out with him two minutester, and he clung onto her, looking nowhere in particr.

    ¡°Aww, look who is awake.¡± Mark gushed and moved towards him.

    Bryan frowned and wailed, looking away, which had Chloe giggling and Mark pouting.

    ¡°He¡¯s grumpy.¡± Mark made a sad face, and Alex got up to take his son, who immediately went into his father¡¯s arms, resting his head on Alex¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°He¡¯s not grumpy now!¡± Alex yelled dramatically, throwing his hands in the air, which had Chloe and Miaughing.

    Bryan, too, giggled, looking at his mother and then at his father.

    ¡°He is so cunning, even for a seven month old toddler.¡± Mark narrowed his eyes at Bryan, who seemed busy ying with his father.

    ¡°He is smart, unlike you.¡± Alex snorted and rolled his eyes, while Mark red at him.

    Suddenly Bryan wiggled in his arms, and Alex put him down, knowing that was what he wanted. Mia brought his toys and ced them before him.

    ¡°I wanted to ask you, what if the mediaes to know about us?¡± Mia asked, diverting their attention from Bryan.

    ¡°They will one day, but not now, the media will onlye to know if I let them. So you need not worry because, as long as I am there, I won¡¯t let anyone harm you both.¡± Alex dered, and she nodded absentmindedly, not noticing that he didn¡¯t just mention Bryan¡¯s name, he said both of them.

    Chloe looked surprised at Mark, this time he did look at her with the same look.

    ¡°Ba¡­ ba.. ba.. ba¡± Their attention went back to Bryan, who was now standing with the support of the couch.

    They smiled looking at him as he gleed happily.

    But the next second, Mia and Chloe gasped as Alex and Mark looked shocked because Bryan left the couch and took two steps towards Mia before falling t on his bum.

    Both Alex and Mia were beside him as Bryan giggled without caring.

    Mia stared at Alex with a teary smile, and he stared right back with his lips turned upward.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°His first steps were witnessed by us.¡± He voiced out her thoughts, and she nodded, chuckling amidst her tears.

    ¡°By us too,¡± Mark added happily, and Alex shook his head, concentrating on his son, who was staring at Mia.

    Mia had been expecting his first steps soon because she had watched him walk with the support of the couch, table, or bed, and she just wished that Alex would be there too to witness his first steps.

    It seems like her wish had been granted more willingly because Mark and Chloe were also present.

    Alex watched as Bryan crawled towards Mia and stood up by holding her dress. His hand reached out to hold her.

    Mia inhaled sharply as well, but she ignored it and smiled at Bryan, who climbed on herp with her support and started speaking gibberish.

    His tiny hands yed with her hair, and he tugged them harshly, making her wince.

    ¡°Bryan,¡± Alex called immediately, as he made him remove his hand from her hair, but as he watched her pouting and Bryan giving her sloppy kiss on pouty lips, he couldn¡¯t stop the smile that spread on his face.

    ¡°Alex, can you sit a little closer to Mia? It¡¯ll be nice if your face is seen, or if you don¡¯t want to be seen, then get away from them.¡± Mark ordered as he captured the pictures of the duo.

    He couldn¡¯t resist looking at the cute mother and son moment and ended up clicking on their pictures.

    ¡°How about I join them?¡± Chloe spoke for the first time, and he stopped to look at her.

    ¡°Only mother and father, please.¡± He said it coldly, and she nodded with a sad smile.

    His heart clenched at the sight, but he ignored it and resumed his work as Alex moved closer to Mia.

    It caught Bryan¡¯s attention, and he abruptly turned to move into his father¡¯sp, which caused Mia to fall towards him because Bryan had been holding her ne.

    On reflex, Alex¡¯s arm went around Mia to steady her, and she looked up at him.

    Bryan sat in between and turned his head to look at Mark, who stood there in shock, but not wanting to miss it, he immediately captured the moment without their knowledge.

    ¡°Uh, sorry.¡± Mia hurriedlyposed herself, moving away from him, and Alex just nodded, not looking at her.

    Bryan was grinning, nibbling on his hand, and looking at Mark, who seemed to be chuckling at the little devil¡¯s act as well.

    It seems like their son is going to be the subject of their love story.

 CHAAPTER FORTY

    It had been more than two months since Bryan took his first steps. Now he would be seen walking around the house with his little squeals and screams.

    After that awkward encounter between Alex and Mia, they both avoided each other, but eventually, because of Bryan, they had to face each other.

    Time had been flying, it seemed, as Bryan was already nine months old. He is growing up way too fast, and it didn¡¯t quite sit well with his dad as well.

    Mia once overheard him talking to Bryan when he thought she was not around.

    ¡°You are growing up way too fast, buddy. Can you stop? I mean, I know you have to grow up and stuff, but honestly, growing up is such a trap. I wish I could stop this.¡± Alex grumbled, and Bryan giggled at his father, who smiled in return.

    She knew he was just having fun with their son, but something was missing. His words had left her in deep thought, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder about his family.

    Another day, when Alex was ying with Bryan, she couldn¡¯t stop herughter because of his goofiness.

    She had also noticed the rtionship between Mark and Chloe had not been going well, but she did not have the time to ask any of them about it.

    She sighed and looked at the time. It was past ten at night, and Alex still wasn¡¯t home. Bryan was sleeping in his crib, but she didn¡¯t understand why she was waiting for him. Is she starting to behave like a wife already?

    She heard the door open and knew he was home.

    A few minutester, he entered the room, and his eyes firstnded on Bryan¡¯s crib. A small smile formed on his face, and he looked at her, but soon his poker face was back.

    Mia made a sad face and said nothing as he proceeded towards the bathroom to freshen up.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, can I ask you something?¡± She spoke as he walked out of the bathroom after twenty minutes.

    Alex looked at her as he raised his eyebrows before settling beside her on the bed.

    Oh yes, she was still staying in his room with him, but it was mainly because of Bryan. She couldn¡¯t just take him away from his father, and she couldn¡¯t even keep him in a separate room.

    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked, looking at her, and she nervously nced around the room before her eyesnded on him.

    ¡°Where are your parents?¡± She stuttered, and his face remained stoic.

    She swallowed as he didn¡¯t reply even after a few minutes.

    ¡°Have I ever asked you about your life or your parents? Have I ever interfered in your life?¡± He asked, and as she didn¡¯t know what to say, she was

    ¡°I haven¡¯t, so I expect the same from you.¡± The bluntness in his tone made her flinch, and she looked away, not saying a word.

    It hurt. Truth be told, he was right, he had never asked her personal questions about his life.

    No one said anything after that, and both of them slept with their backs against each other.

    It was around three at midnight when Mia woke up, hearing Bryan¡¯s cries. She hurriedly moved towards his crib and picked him up, patting his back and rocking him to calm him down.

    It didn¡¯t work, and he wasn¡¯t hungry either.

    Alex woke up too and walked towards them. Mia eyed him worriedly as she kept rocking Bryan, whose face had turned red from all the crying.

    Alex took him from her arms and walked around the room.

    Almost ten minutes passed, but Bryan was still crying, and it worried both of them. Mia walked towards him and kept her hand on Alex¡¯s hand, which rested on Bryan¡¯s back.

    On the other hand, she caressed his face, wiping his tears as he stared at his mother with teary eyes.

    A few minutes passed, and they stayed in the same position.

    Bryan sniffed and rested his head on Alex¡¯s shoulder, still staring at his mother, who hummed softly with a smile on her face.

    Unconsciously, Mia leaned in and rested her head on Alex¡¯s shoulder, concentrating on her son, who had his tiny hand around his father¡¯s neck and the other hand rested on his mother¡¯s face.

    Alex was very well aware of her resting her head on his shoulder, and he had tensed up the minute she touched him butter rxed when Bryan¡¯s hand went around his neck.

    The warmth that suddenly spread throughout his body was nice, and he couldn¡¯t help but rx.

    Slowly, Bryan¡¯s eyes closed, and he slept soundly in his father¡¯s arms.

    Mia smiled and kissed his hand before moving back, realising what she had done.

    Embarrassed, she avoided looking at Alex, whomented nothing, and just walked towards their bed with Bryan.

    ¡°Let him sleep on the bed today, between us,¡± Alex said, cing Bryan on the bed, whereas Mia, who wanted the same, just quietly walked towards the bed and settled on her side.

    This time they slept facing each other, but their eyes rested on the tiny bundle of joy between them.

    Mia smiled as she held his tiny hand in hers before closing her eyes. Alex stared at her, and she held on to Bryan before doing the same with his other hand.

    That is how the Ian family slept that night, with Bryan in between his parents and his hands.

    The next morning, Alex was the first one to open his eyes when he found his hand enclosed in someone¡¯s warmth.

    Blinking his eyes, he looked clearly and found Mia¡¯s hand resting over his as he rested his hand on top of Bryan¡¯s stomach.

    He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but her touch wasforting and warm.

    He found himself liking it, and that was the reason he immediately withdrew his hand, but cautiously to not wake them up.

    Unfortunately, Mia opened her eyes and stared at him with a frown.

    She looked like a lost kitten as she blinked her eyes faster. Her eyes then fell on Bryan, who was sleeping peacefully, and the next second, she snuggled closer to him.

    Alex stared at her intensely, wondering why he couldn¡¯t avoid or ignore her like he did to other women-is it because she is his wife already? Or because she was his son¡¯s mother? Or maybe because he¡¯s been intimate with her?

    The feelings poured out, but he couldn¡¯t deal with them. Sighing, he got out of bed and kept some pillows on his side for Bryan¡¯s safety before heading to the bathroom.

    By the time he freshened up and walked out, Mia was awake, and she cedBryan in his crib.

    She then tied her hair in a bun and gazed at their son for a few minutes with a smile before turning around.

    Alex stood there watching her every move, and as she turned, he noticed that her smile dropped, and she looked around nervously.

    Did he make her nervous?

    He took a step towards her in a daze, and she fumbled more, avoiding his stare.

    When he stood in front of her, she still didn¡¯t look at him. His fingers grabbed her chin and made her look at him, which made her gasp.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked, and she just stared at him wide eyed before shaking her head with force.

    ¡°Do I make you nervous?¡± He was curious, her eyes narrowed, and she pushed his hand away, scoffing.

    ¡°I know you wish,¡± she said, but she didn¡¯t meet his gaze, and it almost made him smirk.

    When he said nothing, she stole a nce at him, only to find him smirking, which made her furious.

    ¡°Stop smiling.¡± She snapped, and his smirk only widened.

    Clenching her jaw, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself, but her eyes snapped open when she felt his presence too close to her.

    Her breath hitched as he leaned down and brushed his lips against her ear. ¡°You are affected by my presence,¡± he said, and then left, leaving her breathless.

    What was that? Why is he behaving so differently, unlike his usual cold, aloof self?

    She didn¡¯t realise she had been standing in the same ce and staring at the door for more than five minutes until she heard Bryan¡¯s whimper.

    Snapping out of her daze, she quickly walked towards Bryan and patted him back to sleep with her thoughts still stuck on Alex.

    On the other hand, Alex was sure that whatever he was feeling was mere physical attraction towards her and nothing else. He will soon be able to get his feelings under control, and everything will be back to normal.

    But is it that simple?

    Mark had been discussing a deal with his client when he spotted Chloe outside his cabin, chatting with some guy. She was smiling andughing asionally, as if she were having her best time, and it made him clench his jaw in anger as he looked away.

    He couldn¡¯t even concentrate on what the person before him was saying. All he could see was Chloeughing with some other guy, which made him mad with fury.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡± He gritted and stood up abruptly, marching towards her.

    Chloe felt her breath hitching as she noticed Mark storming towards her with a pissed off look. She gulped and prayed that he spared her, but it seemed like the prayers were unheard.

    ¡°Are you done chit chatting, Ms. Chloe?¡± She heard his angry voice, which made her curse under her breath.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Sir,¡± she stuttered nervously.

    ¡°If not, then you are allowed to continue by all means, but not here. Get out of here, both of you, and chit chat all you want. I don¡¯t pay you for this  nonsense.¡± Mark spat harshly, and she visibly flinched. He ignored the tightness in his chest and red at them onest time before walking away.

    Chloe watched him leave, and a small tear slipped from her eye, which she wiped hurriedly before getting back to her work.

    The rest of the day, he didn¡¯t bother checking on her, and she didn¡¯t mind going in front of him.

    Avoiding each other seemed easier to both of them.

    At the end of the day, when she left the office premises, her colleague with whom she had been chatting came towards her.

    ¡°Hey Chloe, if you don¡¯t mind, I can drop you home.¡± He offered politely, and she smiled, shaking her head.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright, sir. I¡¯ll manage. Thank you.¡± She declined him politely, but he insisted until she heard his voice, which made her stiff.

    ¡°She said she¡¯d manage, Mr. Damien.¡± Mark roared, and without another word, Mr. Damien scurried away, and Chloe looked around for a cab, ignoring his presence.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He dered and held her hand, dragging her to his car before shoving her inside.

    Chloe fumed and tried to get out, but he settled in and locked the car before she could leave.

    ¡°What the hell is your problem?¡± She gritted, and his hold on the steering tightened until his knuckles turned white, but he said nothing and started driving.

    During the entire ride, none of them said anything. When they reached him, Chloe looked at him onest time before moving out of his car with a sigh.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know why you are pushing me away?¡± He questioned her, and she froze. She couldn¡¯t take another step further. Did he know?

 CHAAPTER FORTY ONE

    Chloe stood rooted in her ce and waited for him to speak with bated breath. What was he thinking? And did he know why she was denying her feelings all this time?

    Mark stared at Chloe¡¯s back for a minute before he got down and stood behind her. She was nervous, and he could notice it.

    As he leaned forward, she tensed, but she didn¡¯t push him away or say anything.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t want to acknowledge my feelings or even yours just because of our differences, right?¡± He whispered in her ear, and she gasped lowly because he was right.

    That was one point as well, among the others, but now what was he going to do?

    ¡°Turn around, Chloe.¡± His voice wasmanding, and she slowly turned around before looking at his eyes, which were stern at the moment.

    He looked merciless and different from the funny, jovial guy she had known.

    It felt as if the man standing in front of her right now was someone else.

    ¡°Am I right?¡± He questioned, raising his eyebrows and slipping his hands into his pockets as he waited for an answer.

    She swallowed hard and looked here and there nervously because, honestly, his behaviour was starting to scare her off.

    Annoyed by her silence, Mark gripped her chin and made her look at him, catching her off guard.

    His eyes bored into hers, and she couldn¡¯t even look away because of his grip.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Mar.. Mark, you don¡¯t understand that this¡­¡± she stuttered.

    ¡°So, I am indeed right.¡± He scoffed, leaving her chin and moving away. He clenched his jaw before giving her a long look, which made her flinch.

    ¡°That is such a pathetic excuse, Chloe.¡± He hissed, and now this made her angry as she red back at him.

    ¡°Well then, leave me alone.¡± She spat angrily and took one step further to leave, but the next second her arm was gripped by him, and she was spun around to face him.

    She felt herself go breathless because of their close proximity, their noses almost touching.

    ¡°Mark,¡± she called nervously, but he wasn¡¯t having it as his hands went around to grip her waist, which caused her to gasp.

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to leave you alone, Chloe. Keep that in mind. You¡¯ll find me everywhere you go, be it around you or in your mind, but I¡¯ll be there.¡± The way he spoke caused her to have goosebumps all over her body as she shivered slightly in his hold.

    She breathed heavily as he leaned closer, brushing his lips on her jaw and up to her ear before he whispered, ¡°Chloe, this time, you are going to ask me to be yours, but guess what?¡± He stopped purposely, causing her to lean in for his touch, as he blew air over her neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m already yours,¡± he announced as he smirked, but seeing her shocked face, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    As he left for his car, she still stood rooted in her seat for another two minutes.

    ¡°He¡¯s mine?¡± She questioned herself in shock as she blinked, but it still felt unreal to her, so she pinched herself and hissed, immediately rubbing the part before grinning to herself.

    ¡°He¡¯s mine!¡± She muttered slowly, and she felt all the happiness, but then the reason why she was avoiding him came into her mind, and all her excitement died down.

    Alex had been feeling restless for the first time in so many years. Why? He had no damn idea, and he couldn¡¯t even concentrate on his work.

    He had asked George to leave him alone for a while, and now, when the feeling didn¡¯t go away, he picked up his phone and dialled her number.

    ¡°Hello?¡± She voiced out, and he sat up straight, unconsciously being more attentive.

    ¡°Mr. Ian?¡± She called out again, snapping him out of his daze.

    She started coughing, and he sprang out of his seat, grabbing his zer and moving out of his cabin.

    George stood up immediately as he watched Alexe out of his cabin in a rush.

    ¡°Cancel all my meetings for today and reschedule them for another day,¡± Alex ordered him, keeping his phone in his pocket, and George only nodded before he was out of his sight.

    His boss had changed in a short time, and he knew it was all because of the two new people present in his life.

    He only prayed for him to get all that he deserved.

    When Alex got in his car, he resumed his call with Mia, who had gone silent as well and coughed asionally.

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± He questioned, wondering why he was rushing home all of a sudden.

    Was it because of her? No, he¡¯s only concerned about Bryan. Yes, that is what it is.

    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just the flu.¡± She informed me with her croaky voice, lying on the bed.

    Soon she felt small fingers on her arm, and she opened her eyes only to find Bryan beside the bed, staring at her with his big eyes.

    He mmed his hands on the bed as he tried to get on the bed but failed, which caused him to let out a cry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is he crying?¡± Alex asked, as she forgot he was still on the line. She smiled, sensing the panic in his voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s just upset that he can¡¯t get on the bed on his own.¡± She chuckled at Bryan, who was still trying hard.

    ¡°Bryan, baby, don¡¯te near Mummy right now, or you¡¯ll get sick as well.¡± He heard her saying it sweetly, and just then the car stopped, making him realise that he had his house.

    He hung up the call and marched inside. As he got near the bedroom, he heard Bryan¡¯s cries and Mia¡¯sughter.

    When they were in his view, he leaned on the door and watched as Bryan kept his left leg on the bed and pulled the bed sheet with both his hands to get up, but instead of getting on the bed, he slid down because the bed sheet woulde undone and he would let out a scream.

    His eyes then went on Mia, who was smiling, looking at their son lying on the bed.

    She was on the other side, away from his reach. So he then walked inside and pushed Bryan¡¯s bum so he was on the bed.

    Mia watched him in shock, whereas Bryan, after getting on the bed, turned around and smiled at seeing his father.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She asked with her eyes wide as he sat on the bed and took Bryan in his arms, who was more than ready to be with his father.

    ¡°Did you take any medication?¡± He asked, avoided her question deliberately, and smiled at his son, who grinned back, showing off his four teeth.

    Soon he got busy ying with his father¡¯s tie, and Alex nced at Mia¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°I did.¡± She coughed again and then froze when a handnded on her forehead. Her heart started beating crazily, and she cursed herself for behaving like a teenager.

    ¡°You¡¯re still warm, I¡¯ll call the doctor.¡± He said that, and before she could say anything, he was already on his phone.

    When he was done, he set the phone aside and looked back at Bryan, who was already crawling towards Mia.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, please keep him away, I don¡¯t want him getting sick as well.¡± He heard her panicked voice and sighed before picking up Bryan, who started wiggling in his arms and wailing loudly.

    Mia sighed tiredly, closing her eyes, knowing he would get cranky.

    ¡°Why is he behaving like this?¡± Alex questioned with a frown, as Bryan was still struggling in his hold, so he put him on the floor.

    This caused him to wail more loudly, and he immediately stood, walking to the side where Mia was.

    Mia quickly got up and shifted away to where Alex was, and he watched her in amusement.

    ¡°Mia, stop running away from your son.¡± He teased, and she red at him before looking at Bryan, who was now crying with his hands forward in her direction.

    He wanted her to pick him up, he wanted to be close to his mother, but what could she do? She was helpless as well.

    ¡°Just pick him up,¡± Alex said impatiently, watching his son cry so much. Even Mia was dying to pick him up, but she was more worried about his health.

    She hesitated and looked at Alex with a helpless face.

    ¡°He won¡¯t get sick, Mia,  just take him in your arms.¡± He said, and she sighed, moving towards a crying Bryan who was now huping as she took him in her arms.

    Almost immediately, Bryan curled into her, resting his head on her chest and hugging her close. She sighed, hugging him back, and Alex stared at them for a long time.

    The way Bryan cuddled himself in his mother¡¯s arm, the way she hummed to him, the way she softly patted his back-everything was beautiful, and he couldn¡¯t keep his eyes away from them even if he wanted to.

    A child¡¯s rtionship with her or his mother is the most special one, but he never got to experience that.

    ¡°Mr. Ian?¡± Mia called, and as he looked at her, he realised Bryan had already fallen asleep, so he carefully picked him up and ced him in the crib.

    At the same moment, a knock on the door disturbed them, and he allowed the person in, knowing it must be the doctor.

    Ten minutester, the doctor prescribed some medicines to her and told them that it was amon flu. She gave him a look, saying I told you so, and he just rolled his eyes.

    After the doctor was gone, Mia turned towards Alex and started, ¡°Mr. Ian¡­¡±

    ¡°Alex.¡± He corrected her.

    ¡°Huh?¡± She looked confused.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me, Mr. Ian, it¡¯s annoying.¡± He dered , and she could only stare at him in shock. What is up with himtely?

 CHAAPTER FORTY TWO

    Mia had been going crazy because of someone who was behaving a lot weirder as each day passed, and she felt like the old, cold guy was better.

    At least he never confused her.

    ¡°Mia, I forgot to inform you. I have a meeting in Paris next week, so we¡¯ll be leaving on Sunday. I¡¯m not going to leave you both here, so get your bags ready.¡± This was two days ago, he ordered her, and there was no room for any further discussion.

    Today was Friday, and she still wasn¡¯t sure if he was being serious.

    ¡°Bryan, baby, what do we do? Should we pack our bags or not?¡± She asked Bryan, who was busy ying with his toys.

    Huffing she sat on the bed and wondered why she was hesitant about going with him. She was thankful that he wasn¡¯t around, or else she would¡¯ve been a mess.

    After he had asked her to call him by his name, she could only stare at him, dumbfounded. If he has never objected before when she was used to calling him Mr. Ian, then why now? What changed? And she is notfortable with the first name basis.

    Her phone rang, disturbing her chain of thoughts.

    ¡°Hello?¡± His voice came through.

    ¡°Are you done packing?¡± He asked, and she sighed as she massaged her temple.

    ¡°Mr. Ian, do you want us toe?¡± She asked and heard nothing from the other end.

    ¡°Mia, I told you to call me Alex. And if you don¡¯t want toe, then I can only take Bryan with me.¡± He sounded annoyed, and Mia scoffed on the phone. He is such a monster!

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pack our bags.¡± She said it angrily, and he smiled.

    ¡°And by our, I meant mine and Bryan¡¯s, not yours.¡± She said as she hung up after that, and he smirked slightly, keeping his phone aside.

    Why is he doing this? He had no idea, but he couldn¡¯t just leave them behind. Even when there are no known threats right now, he can¡¯t take chances.

    He knew it was going to be a lot more difficult once he exposed them to the world, but he knew he had to. Sighing, he shook his head before going back to his work. He would take care of all that when he was home.

    When he got home at around eight, he found Mia reading a book and Bryan watching the song ¡®Baby Shark Do Do¡¯ on her phone.

    He also noticed the bags kept on one side of the room.

    He freshened up and sat beside Bryan, who was still engrossed in the phone.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Alex called Bryan, who didn¡¯t pay attention to him and continued to watch his favourite song. Alex called twice, but Bryan became angry and let out a scream, shoving his father away.

    He heard a chuckle and turned to Mia, who pretended to be reading, but the smile was still visible on her face.

    He narrowed his eyes, and she sat straight up, staring at her.

    Mia knew he was purposely doing this to make her ufortable, and after some time, when she couldn¡¯t take it, she shut her book and gave him a pointed look.

    ¡°Will you stop staring?¡± She demanded, and he raised his eyebrows in question.

    ¡°Well, when my wife and my son aren¡¯t ready to give me attention, then what else can I do?¡± He shrugged, but in a teasing tone, which made her stare at him.

    Without another thought, she shifted closer to him as she touched his forehead and then sniffed him.

    ¡°Are you sick? Or maybe drunk?¡± She asked in a confused tone, and he gave her a bored look.

    ¡°And why do you think that?¡± He asked back, and she stared at him with a weird look.

    He was asking me that. Why is he behaving so differently and weirdly?

    ¡°Mr. Ian¡­..¡± she called by mistake, he gave her a mistaken look, and she stopped immediately before clearing her throat.

    ¡°Alex,¡± It sounded foreign to her ears as his name rolled off her tongue.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any work? You are usually busy,¡± she said, and he sighed, looking back at Bryan, who was jumping excitedly on his ce, looking at the screen.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to spend time with my family.¡± He said that, and she scoffed the next second.

    ¡°What family, Alex? Did you forget we had agreed to this marriage only for Bryan? Neither you nor I were willing to fulfil your husband¡¯s duties, nor did I agree to fulfil my wife¡¯s duties. Then why now? What changed?¡± She said, as she didn¡¯t intend to sound so harsh, but if he was acting bipr at that moment because they¡¯ve never even had a proper conversation since the time she¡¯s known him, then how can she believe him so easily?

    ¡°My family includes Bryan only, so don¡¯t get any ideas, Mia. Just because I asked you to call me Alex doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m getting attracted to you. You can never be my type.¡± He concluded icily and stormed out of there, leaving her in tears.

    Of course, she wasn¡¯t his type, and she knew it.

    Bryan,pletely ignorant of his parent¡¯s fight, turned to Mia, rubbing, indicating that he wanted to sleep. She took him in her arms and fed him until he was fast asleep.

    As she ced him in his crib and walked back towards the bed, she stopped abruptly, not wanting to be in the same room as him.

    She got out and walked towards her room. She knew she had left Bryan alone, but Alex will be back in a few minutes, and they will sleep peacefully.

    Laying on her bed, she kept tossing and turning, remembering his words.

    Sleep was far away, but just when she heard footsteps, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

    Alex opened the door and found her sleeping soundly. With a sigh, he moved towards her and observed her for a few seconds.

    ¡°Stubborn woman.¡± He mumbled under his breath before scooping her into his arms and carrying her to his room.

    He didn¡¯t know why he was doing this, but when he found the room empty, something didn¡¯t feel right. He tried to sleep, but when, after a few minutes, he couldn¡¯t, he straight away came to her room.

    Mia panicked as soon as he picked her up, but she couldn¡¯t or maybe didn¡¯t have it in her to wake up at that moment and ruin it all.

    So she kept pretending until he ced her on the bed and covered her with the nket.

    Why is he doing this now after he clearly said she wasn¡¯t his type? What is he trying to prove?

    The bed dipped, and she felt him beside her as his fingerszily pushed her hair away from her face. Her heart started beating crazily, and she just prayed that he didn¡¯t notice that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what is happening to me, nor am I able to understand these emotions, but I know it¡¯s all your fault. You¡¯re the only one responsible for this mess.¡± He spoke softly, although he wasn¡¯t ming her, but his voice was so soft that anybody could have melted right there, and she definitely did before she slipped into darkness.

    Sunday came by quickly, and they were all set to leave for Paris. With lots of security and precautions, they reached his private ne, where Mark and Chloe were already present.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna miss you.¡± Chloe pouted, hugging Mia along with Bryan, who giggled between them.

    Mark hugged Alex before moving towards Mia and Bryan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t miss me too much.¡± He grinned, flicking Bryan¡¯s nose, which scrunched up immediately.

    ¡°Please tame this monster.¡±Mark said, jokingly looking at Mia, who smiled and shook her head.

    After bidding bye to them, they were ready to take off while Alex looked at Mia, who seemed nervous. She held Bryan tightly against her and shut her eyes as the ne took off.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take Bryan.¡± He uttered, and her eyes snapped open as he moved forward to take him from herp, but she just pushed his hands away and red at him.

    ¡°He¡¯ll stay with me.¡± She frowned before hugging Bryan, who seemed busy ying with Mia¡¯s hair and making noises.

    ¡°Well, excuse me, he¡¯s my son too.¡± He said it dryly, and she gritted her teeth to control herself.

    Alex smiled to himself, seeing her getting distracted.

    ¡°Ba.. Ba.. Baa.¡± Bryan babbled, trying to move towards Mia, and Mia stared at her son in disbelief while Alex smirked, fueling her anger.

    That tiny traitor!

    When theynded in Paris, the car was already waiting for them. Mia was kind of excited because she has never been out of her state, much less her country.

    She was just d that her son was there with her. She was staring at the ce they were going to stay. It was a freaking mansion. Does he own this?

    ¡°I do.¡± He replied, and she realised that she said that aloud and looked away, embarrassed.

    Bryan had fallen asleep in Alex¡¯s arms as they entered their room. He ced him on the bed carefully and looked at Mia.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°You can sleep now if you want. I¡¯ll be leaving for some work and will be back by evening.¡±He informed her, and she nodded quickly.

    Later that evening, when he came back, he wasn¡¯t expecting to see what he saw.

 CHAAPTER FORTY THREE

    It had been two weeks since Mia shared her past with Alex, she had never felt so light and at peace before, and it felt different.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    (MIA¡¯S PAST: Mr. and Mrs. Derek gave birth to two kids, one boy and one girl, the girl is Mia, and the boy she can¡¯t remember his name.

    One day, her parents are going to a park. On their way, they are trying to press on the break, but it does not work. As Mr. Derek kept trying and trying to control the car, he didn¡¯t know that a truck wasing in his direction. He just turned the steering to the other side to avoid hitting the truck as he turned, and he lost control of the car. The car started to move towards the bush, then suddenly hit a big tree. Mrs. Derektold Mia to jump out of the car before it exploded. When she jumped out of the car, it exploded right in front of her, and she started crying when she saw adying in her direction.

    She injected her with something before she nked out, so since then she hasn¡¯t remembered anything. She just stared and remembered what happened a few months ago, because she has been having nightmares since that incident.

    (And she is also looking for her lost brother.)

    A huge part of her was satisfied with how life was going, but somewhere, a tiny part was still trying to find her lost brother.

    Chloe and Mark were already married, so they decided to have a private wedding.

    Also, Bryan¡¯s first birthday was near. She couldn¡¯t believe that her baby was going to be one year old already. Why was he growing up so fast?

    ¡°Mia,¡± Alex called as she moved out of the kitchen and walked into the living room where Alex and Bryan were present.

    ¡°Yes?¡± She raised her eyebrows as she crossed her arms, waiting for him to speak.

    ¡°Do you have any ns for Bryan¡¯s birthday?¡± Alex asked, and she grinned at him.

    Their rtionship had changed, and she could feel it. He wasn¡¯t cold towards her anymore, but at least he was civil, and it surely wasn¡¯t because of pity.

    It felt like he was finally seeing himself as a human who had feelings as well.

    ¡°Nothing great, just the four of us celebrating his birthday here?¡± She suggested it with a hopeful look in her eyes.

    It wasn¡¯t like they could go out to celebrate like a normal couple, but she only wanted to make it memorable for them all.

    Alex nodded in acknowledgement and walked out.

    Ever since she shared her past with him, he had a lot of thoughts running through his mind. How is she still so cheerful and positive after what she has gone through? She didn¡¯t know her real identity and has been living like it doesn¡¯t bother her.

    At least, one would think so by looking at her.

    His thoughts were disrupted, and for the first time in his life, he couldn¡¯t keep them to himself.

    He needed to tell someone, anyone, before he went crazy.

    As he reached his office, he sat on his chair as his thoughts wandered back to the day he heard her talking to the stars on the terrace.

    Mia was standing on the terrace, staring at the stars with a smile on her lips.

    Bryan was sleeping soundly, and Alex was workingte.

    It seemed like the terrace had be her hideout after she had emptied her heart in front of him. She stared at the stars in the sky with a smile on her lips.

    The slight breeze touched her face and made her hair dance in the air.

    She sighed heavily and pursed her lips, the smile never leaving her lips.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I could be this happy.¡± She said, talking to no one particr.

    Alex, who had been leaning on the door and staring at her for the past few minutes, slightly shifted himself as if making himselffortable to hear her talk.

    ¡°I mean, I was happy before this as well, but having Bryan in my life made me realise that I could be content as well. He ignites different emotions in me that I have never experienced, and there¡¯s this feeling that I get just by looking at him.¡± She stated.

    ¡°It¡¯s as if there could be nothing more beautiful than him for me in this world.¡± She chuckled, looking down at her hands.

    ¡°Now that I think of it, I couldn¡¯t have had him without Alex. He¡¯s rude, annoying, and emotionless, but maybe that¡¯s how it is.¡± Alex¡¯s ears are now attentive as she mentions him.

    ¡°Seeing him smile was itself a miracle.¡± She joked, and he rolled his eyes, but yet a smile spread on his face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the past is about or why he is like he is, and honestly speaking, I do want to know, but I¡¯ll wait till he himself tells me. I don¡¯t have patience, and I might also snap sometimes, but it¡¯ll be alright unless he doesn¡¯t separate me from my son.¡± She pressed her lips into a thin line and tucked her hair behind her ear.

    Alex knew she was still unsure about him and didn¡¯t trust him well, but when he said that he wouldn¡¯t separate them, then he never would.

    ¡°I just wish for everyone to be happy, including Alex, even though he hurts me sometimes.¡± Sheined with a frown on her face, while Alex stood straight before turning around to leave.

    The memory was stuck in his head, and it disturbed him most of the time.

    ¡°Sir?¡± George waited for him to respond after he called him for the third time.

    He seemed lost, and knowing something was bothering him, George didn¡¯t want to disturb him, but work was important as well.

    ¡°Sir?¡± He called again, and his voice was a little loud, which brought Alex out of his thoughts.

    He shook his head slightly to discard the thoughts and looked at George.

    ¡°You have a meeting with Mr. Ken in about thirty minutes.¡± George informed him.

 CHAAPTER FORTY FOUR

    ¡°You have a meeting with Mr. Ken in about thirty minutes.¡± George said, and Alex nodded, and they went about discussing other projects and schedules for the day.

    The rest of the day, Alex was immersed in work, which kept him from thinking anything about Mia.

    The only time he was reminded of her was when he would nce at his phone. It was strange, but he felt like messaging her.

    Mia was thrilled and excited that Bryan¡¯s birthday was not far away. Her baby¡¯s first birthday was going to be memorable, if not the best.

    She was somehow content with how her life was going.

    Of course, she had her share ofints and frustrations from time to time, but they would be long forgotten by just a smile of someone¡¯s.

    ¡°Mama¡± Bryan called.

    She knew exactly what she was talking about, she smiled and turned to look at him.

    He was essing her phone, and when she looked at him, he grinned and showed the phone.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Dadda.¡± He spoke while keeping the phone in his ear, imitating calling, and she chuckled.

    Crouching down, she collected the phone from him and dialled Alex¡¯s number before adjusting it to his ear.

    Bryan squealed and started babbling even before the call was answered, which made herugh.

    ¡°Hello,¡± She heard his gruff voice and sighed.

    No matter how many times she convinced herself that she epted reality and that their rtionship would never be that of a normal couple, she would sometimes wish for the same.

    ¡°Ah, buddy! How are you doing?¡± Alex asked with a smile as he walked towards the elevator.

    He knew people were staring at him with shock, but ignoring the onlookers, he kept walking.

    He heard Bryan speaking gibberish on the other end, and it made him chuckle. George palmed his face as one of the employees fainted, and he gestured to take her away.

    That¡¯s what happens when the cold, emotionless boss starts smiling andughing all of a sudden.

    Bryan put away the phone after a few minutes and crawled away, leaving his mother to finish up the call.

    Mia eyed the phone and wondered if he had already hung up, but when she picked it up, she realised he was still on the line.

    ¡°Uh, Alex, he¡¯s ying.¡± She gave him the hint, waiting for him to hang up.

    ¡°I know.¡± Was all he said before both grew silent.

    Mia was growing ufortable, but she also didn¡¯t want to seem rude by hanging up first.

    ¡°I¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be home early today.¡± He informed her and finally hung up, leaving her dumbfounded.

    She blinked her eyes and then stared at the screen in a dazed state.

    What was that? Why did he tell her that?

    He¡¯s never been informed about getting early orte before.

    Then why now?

    She exhaled shakily and closed her eyes, trying to calm her pounding heart. Something was definitely wrong with her heart.

    Mia nced at her husband, who seemed quite busy on hisptop. It had been two weeks since they were married, and she was still staying in the orphanage.

    She needed some time for herself, and she couldn¡¯t just leave the kids with someone who had just been appointed there. It was not easy for her to trust just anyone.

    Mark was still patient with her and never forced her to move in with him, and she was growing more and more fond of this man.

    Their rtionship wasn¡¯t yet officially announced to the whole world, and it was again at her insistence.

    She feared the media would create a ruckus and everything would go out of hand.

    ¡°Chloe,¡± her colleague called, which made her look up, and she found Mark staring at her with his mouth agape.

    ¡°Hey, Mr. Damien.¡± She smiled nervously, but he was still staring at her, making her ufortable.

    ¡°Did you get married?¡± He stammered, and she bit her lip.

    Why couldn¡¯t people just mind their own business?

    ¡°Yes.¡± She forced the word out of her mouth, and she gave him a small smile.

    ¡°How? When? With whom?¡± The questions were fired at her, and she felt irritated.

    ¡°That is none of your business, Damien.¡± She gritted out, and he shrugged in response.

    ¡°It was just shocking to see you suddenly married. Anyways congrattions.¡± He said it nonchntly before walking away. Chloe curled her fists and clenched her jaw before closing her eyes.

    A soft touch on her hand made her open her eyes, and she looked up at Mark, who was staring at her intensely.

    She immediately looked around in panic and tried to take her hand away, but he didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Come to my cabin.¡± He ordered and left, and she sighed helplessly.

    As she entered his cabin, he locked the door from behind and walked towards her. She didn¡¯t object when he hugged her from the back because it felt nice and she was too tired to move.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you allow me to tell everyone about our rtionship?¡± He asked, looking at her, and she sighed softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard. I don¡¯t want to ruin your reputation.¡± She replied timidly, and Mark remained calm, wanting her to finish.

    ¡°There are going to be rumours, Mark. They¡¯ll think you married me out of pity or that I trapped you for money. I don¡¯t want any of that.¡± She exined, and he stepped back and turned her around.

    ¡°So you care about the world and not me?¡± One question was, and she felt as if a bucket of ice water was thrown at her.

    ¡°Chloe, rumours are going to be there even now when I¡¯m talking to you in this cabin, but it¡¯s up to you whether you choose to ignore them or not. I¡¯m not saying it is easy, but we can start somewhere, right?¡± Mark cupped her face and made her understand.

    She nodded, and he smiled before he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. The moment was ruined when her phone rang, and they pulled apart.

    She took a deep breath as she answered the call and kept it on speaker. ¡°Chloe! What the hell do you think you are doing? I told you that you¡¯re going to get married to this man on Friday, and you didn¡¯t bother turning up or answering your phone. What the hell is this behaviour?¡± Her father¡¯s voice boomed, and she winced.

    ¡°Father, I told you I won¡¯t get married to any person you or Mommy chooses for me.¡± She stated it firmly and looked at Mark, who smiled at her proudly.

    ¡°You¡¯re such an ungrateful brat! Wait till I find you and¡±

    ¡°I suggest you not to threaten my wife, sir.¡± Mark cut in, and the line went silent.

    ¡°Who was that?¡± Her father asked, and she bit her lip in worry.

    ¡°My husband.¡± She answered just as Mark was going to, and he looked at her surprised.

    She gave him a small smile before turning to look at the phone in her hand.

    ¡°Husband? HUSBAND? Are you fucking kidding me right now? How dare you get married without my permission, Chloe? Alright now. Wait and see what happens to that waste of an orphanage now. Just wait.¡± Chloe¡¯s father was raging in anger before he hung up, and Chloe staggered as Mark held her protectively in his arms.

    ¡°Nothing will happen to the orphanage, Chloe, I promise.¡± Mark assured her as she rested her head on his shoulder, tired, as she closed her eyes.

    ¡°I trust you.¡± She whispered as Mark smiled and pulled her closer.

 CHAAPTER FORTY FIVE

    It was seven forty, and there was still no sign of Alex. Mia sighed as she nced at the entrance for the nth time and then chuckled to herself.

    What exactly was she doing? Keeping hopes? Expectations? Just because he said he would be early didn¡¯t mean he was asking her to wait for him.

    With another sigh leaving her lips, she got up and checked on Bryan, who seemed to be sleeping soundly.

    A smile formed on her lips, knowing he was going to be upter in the night and give her a hard time.

    But that¡¯s how babies are innocent and carefree. Growing up was sure messed up.

    A few momentster, as she stood on the terrace watching the bright city lights, the breeze flowing through created a sense of calmness inside her.

    ¡°I guess you like the terrace more than any ce in the house.¡± She was startled as she turned around and found him leaning on the wall as he stared at her.

    ¡°How long have you been here?¡± She questioned him, and he shrugged as he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her.

    ¡°Not too long.¡± Alex stuffed his hands inside his pockets and stood by her side as she continued staring at him.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m pretty handsome, but try not to stare at me for too long.¡± Hemented, and Mia grew red from embarrassment.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring at your face.¡± She cleared her throat, trying to cover her embarrassment.

    ¡°Sure, you weren¡¯t. Have you eaten yet?¡± He turned to look at her, and she did the same, only that her face held a big question mark.

    ¡°What are you doing? Are you sick? Did you hurt your head somewhere?¡± She questioned him as she continued to stare at him in disbelief.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Why? Is it unusual for me to act like this? Does it make you ufortable?¡± He questioned her back, and she shivered deliberately.

    ¡°Of course you¡¯re giving me chills, so please stop behaving so nicely towards me.¡± She looked away, and he chuckled softly.

    ¡°What exactly do you want? If I am cold towards you, youin of me being rude and a jerk. Now when I¡¯m being a little nice, you don¡¯t want that either.¡± His stare made her squirm, but she didn¡¯t show it to him, instead, she looked back into his eyes and answered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to change because you have to, do that if you really want to. And about treating me, I¡¯m fine unless you don¡¯t take away the only important thing in my life.¡± She said it sincerely, and they continued to stare at each other for a few more minutes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to separate you from Bryan.¡± He stated this as she searched his eyes for something.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± She smiled and turned to the front again.

    Both grew silent, but it was afortable one before she decided to break it.

    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± She asked

    ¡°I did, with a client.¡± He answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, I did as well.¡±

    ¡°Well, I thought you would prepare something for me since I mentioneding early today.¡± He joked, and she scoffed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself, I was just going to sleep early today.¡± She lied, and he nodded with a hint of a smirk on his face.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe me?¡± She said it defensively, watching his smile.

    ¡°Also, can you stop being like this? Gosh, I feel like you¡¯re not the Alexander Ian I know.

    Perhaps you are his twin brother? Or his clone?¡± She asked, and Alex just ignored it all as he stared at the city lights ahead.

    It was noisy and annoying, yes, but somehow he had started liking the noise.

    After a while, they went to sleep. Mia frowned as she opened her eyes and sat up when she heard Bryan crying.

    She got up, moved towards Bryan¡¯s crib, and picked him up. But something was not right. Her sleep flew away at once when she felt Bryan¡¯s body burning up. He seemed to be crying more than usual, and it worried her.

    ¡°Alex,¡± She shook him lightly, but that was enough for him to wake up.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked in a groggy voice as he stared at her and then at Bryan, who was crying in her arms.

    ¡°He¡¯s burning up and has a cold as well. It¡¯s three in the morning, no doctor will be avable, but I¡¯m worried. He won¡¯t stop crying.¡± She exined as she kept rubbing Bryan¡¯s back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor, don¡¯t worry. Just stay with him.¡± He said that and picked up his phone as he moved out of the room.

    Half an hourter, the doctor was there and checked Bryan¡¯s health while Mia looked at him in worry.

    Alex stood there waiting for the results, but he was anxious as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just amon cold, which led to the fever. Just make him drink lots of water, and make sure you give him a bath with lukewarm water. He¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± The doctor assured her, and Mia let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thank you, doctor, foring at this hour.¡± She thanked him, and he smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s no problem, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± He got up, and Alex led him out while Mia adjusted the quilt over Bryan¡¯s small body.

    She waited until Alex came back and asked him to sit beside Bryan before she went out to prepare for the wet strips.

    ¡°Alex, you can go to sleep. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Mia said as she came back with the bowl of water in her hand.

    She sat on the other side and dipped the cloth in the water before squeezing it and cing it on his tiny forehead.

    Instead of saying anything, Alex sat there with her and watched as she repeated the procedure without being tired.

    When it was more than an hour, he asked her to rest and took her ce instead, despite her protests.

    Almost four hourster, taking turns and being worried, Bryan¡¯s fever had almost vanished.

    It was a huge relief for both of them, and then Mia noticed that it was almost nine in the morning.

    ¡°Alex, it¡¯s nine already, you¡¯re not going to work?¡± She questioned him as he walked out of the bathroom in his casual clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay at home today.¡± He dered, and she nodded, even though she wanted to say something.

    Half the day passed with both of them taking care of Bryan, who was much better and ying around.

    Alex worked from home but would check on Bryan from time to time.

    Mia mostly stayed by Bryan, not wanting to take his health lightly.

    ¡°Mia, stop worrying so much, or else you¡¯ll get sick as well.¡±

    Alex said as he noticed her getting worked up even when Bryan would cough a little.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She said, but her tired eyes said otherwise.

    Alex sighed and took Bryan in his arms before he turned towards her.

    ¡°Go sleep, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± He ordered, and she opened her mouth to protest, but his cold look was already present, which made her shut her mouth and do as he said.

    Honestly, she felt much better as soon as shey down on the bed and was asleep in no time.

    A few hourster, as Alex came in with Bryan asleep in his arms, he ced him in his crib before he settled himself beside Mia.

    The three of them slept until it was dinner time, and Mia was the first one to be awake, not because she wanted to but because she felt some weight on her waist.

    When she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was Alex¡¯s face, which was extremely close to hers, and it made her heart stop.

    She tried to get away, but his left arm, which was around her waist, prevented her from going anywhere.

    She pressed her lips tightly and held his hand to take it away, but much to her surprise or shock, he pulled her closer and snuggled closer.

    For a minute, she couldn¡¯t understand what had happened until he moved again and she got her senses back.

    Without thinking anything else, she pushed him away and got off the bed, running into the bathroom.

    Her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest any second as she stood leaning on the door.

    Alex opened his eyes when he felt a push and looked at Mia¡¯s side of the bed, confused.

    Who the hell pushed him? With a frown, he went back to sleep after pulling the quilt over his head.

    Mia peeked out and felt relief when she found him still sleeping. She checked Bryan¡¯s temperature and was thankful when it was normal.

    She quietly moved out of the room and decided to prepare for their dinner.

    At around eight, Alex walked out of the room and found Mia reading a book on the couch. He thought of something and moved towards her, catching her attention.

    ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± She stated it with a smile, and he nodded as he sat opposite her.

    ¡°Did you, by any chance, push me while I was sleeping?¡± At his question, her eyes widened slightly before sheposed herself.

    ¡°No, why would I?¡± She lied through her teeth, and he narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Strange. I¡¯m sure I wasn¡¯t dreaming.¡± He was deliberately eyeing her with a suspicious look, and it annoyed her.

    It wasn¡¯t her fault to begin with! He was holding her in the first ce.

    ¡°Whatever! I¡¯m going to wake up Bryan because it¡¯s dinner time.¡±

    She frowned and closed the book with force as she got up and left from there. Alex was surprised at the change of events.

    What did he do now?

    After dinner, as if it were their routine, both of them were on the terrace, but this time, Bryan was there as well.

    He was quietly watching the view while in his father¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Is my baby sleepy?¡± Mia cooed as she watched him rub his eyes twice after a while.

    Bryan just rested his head on Alex¡¯s shoulder and watched his mother, who did the same with a smile on her face.

    When he closed his eyes, Mia mouthed to Alex about it, who nodded and left the terrace.

    When he came back and stood beside her, she said nothing, and neither did he, but when ten minutes passed, Alex decided to break the silence.

    ¡°I was four years old when my parents passed away.¡± It felt as if she was frozen on her spot when she heard him.

    She didn¡¯t move, nor did she make a move to say anything, afraid that she would make a mistake and he would return to his shell.

    ¡°It is something I can never forget, even if I wish to.¡± Alex sighed, and this time she turned to look at him.

    He was staring straight ahead, but there was this coldness on his face, which scared her.

    ¡°Do you have your memories of when you were four years old?¡± He asked her.

    ¡°I do. Clearly.¡±

 CHAAPTER FORTY SIX

    Alex seemed like he was reying the scene in his mind as his jaw clenched and his body tensed.

    ********FLASHBACKS*******

    Martin Ian and Leah Ian were tied in an arranged knot by her father, who thought it was for the best.

    Her father, themander-in-chief of the army, was a strict man with principles and ethics.

    He needed things to be done his way, and that was what happened when he chose a man for his daughter.

    Leah didn¡¯t want to marry Martin, but she was afraid of her father. She didn¡¯t oppose him and followed his instructions until she was married to the guy she knew nothing about.

    Martin was a calm and cool guy, and since he trusted his senior, who was like a father to him, he agreed immediately, failing to realise that he should¡¯ve at least talked to the person he was marrying.

    Things went smoothly for a while, then Martin and Leah were happily married, or it was just how it seemed.

    Five years into the marriage, now with a child, Martin felt like he had achieved everything in his life, with his position in the army being promoted as well.

    Just when everything was going well, one day when Martin returned home from his duty with a smile on his face and excitement of meeting his wife and his son, he didn¡¯t know it was going to be the worst day of his life.

    When he entered their room, Leah wasn¡¯t there, whereas Alex, their son, was in his crib ying with his toys.

    ¡°Aww, champ, why are you alone here? Where is your  mom?¡± He picked Alex up in his arms, who seemed excited to see his father, squealing with joy.

    ¡°Did you miss your papa? Did you?¡± Martin kissed his son¡¯s head before he headed inside to search for his wife.

    He reached the living room, and just then Leah stepped in the living room as well, adjusting her rough dress.

    Martin froze in his ce, as he saw his wife¡¯s dishevelled state and the man behind her setting his hair.

    Leah, who was totally unaware of his presence, turned towards the unknown man and smiled.

    ¡°You should leave now, I¡¯ll go and check on Alex.¡± She was going to leave, but the man held her waist and pulled her close.

    ¡°Why do you want me to leave? Your husband is anyway not here. I can hang around for a while, you know.¡± He smirked, and she giggled as he nuzzled her neck.

    Martin felt his rage building as he watched the scene before him. He stepped ahead while Alex continued to y with his father¡¯s cor, babbling quietly.

    ¡°Well, what a surprise, Mrs. Ian.¡± Leah and the man froze in fear upon hearing the voice.

    She turned around slowly and stared at him as if he were a ghost.

    ¡°I must say you are  surprised to have see me here? I can¡¯t bet on that.¡± The icy, cold tone sent chills down her spine because, in their five years of marriage, she had only heard him talk sweetly and politely.

    ¡°Martin¡±

    ¡°Not a word.¡± He roared as he clenched his teeth, and she took a step back, seeing his rage filled eyes.

    He set Alex free on the floor before he advanced towards her and held her by her arms in a tight grip. Leah hissed in pain and tried to remove his grip, but all her attempts were futile.

    ¡°Why? Why the fuck did you do this? What did I ever do to you? Did I force you into this marriage? Did I force you to sleep with me? Did I?¡± Martin gulped harshly as he watched her squirm in pain, but it was nothingpared to what he was going through.

    ¡°Martin, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± She whimpered, and he chuckled dryly.

    ¡°Do you even know what pain is? You are sleeping with your lover behind my back, and you have the audacity to look this innocent.¡± He scoffed as he pushed her, and she staggered back, almost falling down.

    Suddenly, his eyes fell on Alex, who was watching them with his big, innocent eyes. His throat felt clogged, and he found it difficult to breathe.

    ¡°Is he mine?¡± He questioned him, not once looking away from his son.

    Leah followed his gaze and looked down in shame. ¡°He is¡±

    ¡°Just fucking answer, dammit!¡± Martin yelled, which caused her to jump, and the man behind her took two steps back as well.

    Alex started crying as he got scared by his father¡¯s shout.

    Martin screwed his eyes shut and clenched his fists at the sound of his cries.

    Leah took a step towards her son but stopped when Martin marched towards him and picked him up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care whose son he is, I raised him as mine, and damn if I would allow you to touch him.¡± He gritted lowly as he rocked Alex back and forth to stop him from crying.

    ¡°Martin, please let me.¡±

    ¡°Stop right there, Leah!¡± She gasped as he took out his gun and aimed it at her.

    The man tried to run, but before he could make it, he wailed in pain as he was shot in the back.

    Martin¡¯s eyes widened in horror as he watched him fall down with a thud. Bullets were fired, but no sound was heard, neither of the firing nor of the cries.

    Everything was destroyed. Everything turned into ashes.

    END OF FLASHBACKS

    ¡°I clearly remember crying beside their bodies, covered in their blood. I was just four then, but the memory of that day can never be erased.¡± Alex clenched his jaw and shut his eyes as he took deep breaths to calm himself.

    Mia could only stare at him in shock. He didn¡¯t deserve this; no one did. Not able to say anything, she only ced her hand above his, providing him with much-neededfort.

    Alex opened his eyes, feeling her soft touch, and as he looked into hers, he found himself calming down.

    ¡°My grandfather took me in after that. I was provided with everything, everything I needed but only materialistic things.¡± Alex continued

    ¡°The emotional bonding, love, warmth, I knew nothing about it. He was a cold man, and with him, I grew up to be like him. I don¡¯t hate him for that, because at least he didn¡¯t abandon me like my parents. In fact, I¡¯m d he was my grandfather, and I got to grow up with him.¡± Alex sighed, feeling relieved that she hadn¡¯t taken her hand back because it felt nice.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Alex.¡± She whispered into the night, and he looked surprised.

    ¡°Cold, emotionless, rude, but a good man nheless.¡± She smiled, and he smirked.

    ¡°Are youforting me right now or insulting me?¡± She chuckled and took her hand back as she faced to the front while Alex could only stare at his hand, which felt cold all of a sudden.

    ¡°Some people killed my parents; you don¡¯t remember yours. Why are people selfish enough to have a baby when they¡¯re not even ready yet?¡± Mia sighed, yet there was this pain etched on her face.

    She felt her hand being enclosed in his big, warm ones, and they stayed there like that for some more time.

    It had been days since that threatening call from her father. He made no advances, but that didn¡¯t make Chloe any less worried.

    She was still anxious about what he was going to do, and in spite of Mark¡¯s assurance, she was still scared. Her phone buzzed, and she immediately answered the call.

    ¡°Chloe, I just called to inform you that some minutes ago, two men visited the orphanage, threatening us to vacate it by tomorrow. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± The caretaker said it in a panicked voice, and Chloe felt the dreading.

    ¡°Juliet, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do something about it.¡± She could only say so much before she hung up and went to find Mark in the office.

    When she reached his cabin, she directly entered without knocking and rushed to his desk.

    ¡°Mark¡­..¡± Chloe called.

    ¡°Chloe, what¡¯s the matter? Why do you look so scared?¡± Mark asked, as he got up from his seat and walked up to her before making her sit on his chair.

    ¡°Now rx and tell me what happened.¡± He asked softly, and she looked at him, worried.

    ¡°Father sent some goons to the orphanage, threatening to vacate it by tomorrow. He¡¯s doing it again, Mark. I won¡¯t be able to face Mia if something really happens this time.¡± She looked really worried and scared, and Mark knew how much Mia meant to her.

    ¡°Okay, first of all, you need to calm down. And we can discuss this all with Mia and Alex so that it won¡¯t be a surprise if they know it by themselves. Alright?¡± Mark made her understand calmly, and she nodded, trying to calm down.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call Alex.¡± Mark said that and got up, but Chloe held his hand.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said it sincerely, and he smiled, bending down to kiss her forehead, which surprisingly gave her peace.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Saying so, he left the cabin to have a talk with Alex.

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that her father is doing the same thing again just to prove that he¡¯ll always win?¡± Alex asked, and Chloe nodded meekly.

    ¡°As if he won the first time.¡± He scoffed, and Mark rolled his eyes.

    ¡°The point here is that we have to think of something that will stop him from interfering in Chloe¡¯s life.¡± Mark stressed, and Mia squeezed Chloe¡¯s hand in assurance.

    ¡°And that is?¡± Alex trailed off, and Mark had him. We have to think about that look.

    ¡°What if we threaten him with his goons? He sent them, and we paid those guys double to threaten him back. It¡¯s only fair.¡± Alex shrugged, and Mia gave him a pissed off look.

    ¡°Real mature.¡± Mark murmured under his breath.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s very egoistic about his position. What if we leave him with nothing to brag about?¡± Mark hinted, and Chloe looked at him.

    ¡°You mean¡±

    ¡°I buy most of hispany¡¯s shares and have the upper hand.¡± Alex smirked at Mark¡¯s idea, whereas Mia and Chloe could only stare at them.

    ¡°Will this work?¡± Chloe asked hesitantly, and Mark shrugged in response.

    ¡°He¡¯s never seen me, your husband, so I can offer him a deal that he won¡¯t be able to refuse. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll fall for it.¡± Mark exined, and Chloe sighed.

    ¡°Just trust me.¡± He held her hand, and she gave him a small smile in return.

    ¡°I do.¡± Mia cleared her throat and gave them a teasing smile, to which Chloe rolled her eyes but blushed, whereas Mark only grinned.

    Alex looked at Mia and wondered just one thing, Did she trust me?

    After buying a bigger share from Chloe¡¯s father¡¯spany, he wasn¡¯t unable to buy the orphanage, the orphanage was saved.

 CHAAPTER FORTY SEVEN

    After the issue that happened at the orphanage, I was resting in my room when my phone beeped. I checked my phone and checked the message.

    ¡°I have some news for you, your IVF treatment was not done. You were fooled by your husband.¡± This message had been driving Mia crazy.

    She received a message from an unknown number this morning, and at first she was confused, butter, it scared her. Who the hell sent it? And how did the person know about all this?

    No one knows about their son, or her, for that matter. Is this some kind of trap?

    She was terrified, and informing Alex about it is the only thing she coulde up with, or she could go to the hospital to confirm it.

    She looked at Bryan, who was busy ying, and her heart clenched. Shutting her eyes shut, she calmed herself before she came to a conclusion.

    She is going to the hospital.

    So she got ready and left with Bryan to find her answers.

    She is so sure it was all fake and it might be to destroy Alex¡¯s image, but she wouldn¡¯t allow that, not in her watch.

    As she reached the hospital, she looked for the doctor who had done the treatment and was asked to wait for twenty minutes.

    ¡°Mrs. Ian, you can go in.¡± one of the nurses informed her.

    With a shaky breath, she got up and moved towards the cabin as Bryan continued ying with her hair.

    As she entered inside, the doctor looked up, and instantly his face went pale.

    ¡°Mrs. Ian?¡± He gulped, remembering her case clearly, because not every day someone threatens you to fake an IVF treatment.

    ¡°Hello, doctor, you might not remember me, but I was one of your patients a few months ago.

    ¡°My IVF results had been negative, if you recall.¡± Mia said, as she looked closely at his expressions, and he seemed nervous and scared all of a sudden.

    It made her suspicious.

    ¡°UhI I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t remember. Do you have any specific reason for visiting?¡± The doctor asked, he desperately wanted her to leave, one because his reputation was at stake, and two because her husband is scary and crazy, and he clearly didn¡¯t want to get involved with the same man again.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re hiding something about my case. So you better tell me what it is, or I¡¯ll have to get it in another way.¡± She warned him, but the truth was, she had no other way. She was just bluffing, but it worked as he started sweating profusely.

    ¡°Stop please!¡± he urged, holding his head.

    ¡°Your husband has already threatened me. Now it¡¯s you. What have I done to both of you? I shouldn¡¯t have taken your case in the first ce.¡± The doctor said , regretting every bit of it, but she sat there frozen. Even when Bryan tried to gain her attention, she couldn¡¯t even look at him.

    ¡®Your husband has already threatened me.¡¯ These words kept ringing in her ears, and she found it difficult to breathe.

    She hugged Bryan closer to her, who giggled innocently.

    ¡°Why did he threaten you?¡± She mustered up the courage to ask him, but she didn¡¯t know if she could hear the answer.

    He sighed, defeated, and looked straight at her. ¡°Mr. Ian asked me to give him a 100% guarantee that after the procedure, the result woulde out positive, which was not possible, and I couldn¡¯t do that. So,¡± he paused, and Mia could only hold her breath before he continued.

    ¡°He threatened me, saying that either I give him the guarantee or he¡¯ll destroy my career and this hospital. I panicked and asked him what he wanted, and he asked me not to nt the embryos inside you. And so I did.¡± Hepleted, and Mia felt numb.

    She painfully gulped the lump in her throat before she opened her mouth.

    ¡°So you mean I didn¡¯t go through the IVF procedure?¡± Her voice was barely audible, and she felt like she would crumble at any moment, but the only thing that kept her was those tiny hands that kept ying with her ne.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Was the only thing he could say. He felt guilty, but he wasn¡¯t at fault either. He was threatened, and how could he risk his career, which he built after so many years of hard work?

    Mia nodded and got up. Bryan babbled in her arms, but she couldn¡¯t register anything.

    The world around her seemed to disappear, as the pain in her chest kept increasing. She didn¡¯t know how or when she reached home.

    She didn¡¯t know when she kept Bryan down, and he started ying with his toys. All she could remember was the betrayal she received from her husband.

    The one for whom she was falling. The one whom she had started to trust. She entered the bathroom and stood under the shower, letting her tears out.

    She wanted to scream and cry out loud, but she couldn¡¯t. With Bryan outside, she would scare him.

    So she silently cried under the shower with her hand tightly pressed against her mouth as she sober, the pain didn¡¯t lessen. It was suffocating her.

    Thirty minutester, when she walked out fully drenched, her eyes fell on her son, who was happily chewing on his toy. She smiled painfully as she crouched down and caressed his face.

    She was so d he was a child, as he looked up and gave her a toothless smile despite her dishevelled state.

    Her throat clogged, and tears poured out despite her trying to control herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. I¡¯m sorry. Mama loves you the most.¡± She whispered in a broken voice, as she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She muttered.

    Alex returned home a little earlier because he couldn¡¯t concentrate and felt uneasy. He didn¡¯t know why he was feeling so restless, but he knew he needed to go home.

    When he entered, the house seemed strangely quiet, and he wondered where Mia and Bryan were.

    Frowning, he walked towards their room and smiled as he found Bryan sleeping in his crib.

    He looked so cute as he slept, and Alex could watch him for hours.

    He quickly kissed his forehead and searched for Mia, but he did find her in the room. Much to his disappointment, she wasn¡¯t even on the terrace, in the kitchen, or in the whole penthouse.

    Where is she?

    Alex pulled out his phone and called her, but he heard a vibrating sound, which made him turn. He found her phone lying on the side table, and that is when his eyes fell on the papers that kept going along with it.

    It was a letter.

    His heart thudded violently in his chest as he bent down and picked it up.

    ¡®I am leaving, Alex.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Our deal had ended long ago, and I should¡¯ve left at that instant, but my greed for my son¡¯s love didn¡¯t let me. Now that you have your son, your heir, and you¡¯ve alreadypleted your part of the deal, I should leave. Don¡¯t try to find me, because you¡¯ll only be able to find those who want to be found. I hope we never meet again.¡¯ he crushed the paper, as his jaw clenched in anger.

    How the fuck can she leave? Who the fuck gave her permission? He was scared because the reason for her sudden departure was still unknown to him.

    Just when he was about to throw his phone in anger, he stopped as his eyes fell on his sleeping son. His heart clenched, and he feared that he might wake up and look for his mother.

    Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself before his usual cold look overtook his features. He dialled a number and walked out of the room.

    ¡°Chloe, has Mia visited you?¡± He asked as soon as she answered the call.

    ¡°Uh, no? She¡¯s not at home.¡± She asked, confused, but he had already hung up. She cursed and red at the phone before throwing it on the bed.

    Alex then dialled George¡¯s number, which was answered in the second ring.

    ¡°Go to Mia¡¯s orphanage and check if she¡¯s there. Now.¡± he ordered him, and George immediately muttered a ¡®yes, sir¡¯ before he cut the call.

    ¡°Fuck! I swear, Mia, if I don¡¯t find you until tomorrow morning, then I won¡¯t ever let you near Bryan.¡± He muttered angrily to himself, as gritted his teeth.

    A minuteter, he got a call, and thinking it was George, he answered it immediately without looking at the name.

    ¡°Is she there?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Alex? Where is Mia?¡± He heard a very serious mark voice, as he cursed loudly.

    Mark and Chloe arrived at Alex¡¯s mansion,  as Mark stared at Alex, who sat across from him, whereas Chloe sat there with a worried look on her face.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Mark repeated it, and it snapped Alex¡¯s control. He red at him, but it didn¡¯t bother him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know.¡± Alex gritted out, and earned a sharp look from his best friend.

    ¡°Then who the fuck knows? Aren¡¯t you supposed to know where your wife is?¡± Mark snapped, and Alex looked ready to punch him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience right now, Mark.¡± Alex sneered back, and Chloe was worried they would start a physical fight at any moment.

    ¡°Of course, your patience is very important right now.¡± Mark scoffed, and before Alex could do anything, his phone rang.

    It was George.

    Ignoring Mark, he got up, answered the call, and moved away.

    ¡°Is she there?¡± He questioned, as he waited for Mark¡¯s reply.

    ¡°She¡¯s not here, sir.¡± George replied apologetically. His grip on the phone tightened to the point where his knuckles turned white.

    Looking at his face, Mark was sure something was not right.

    ¡°She¡¯s not at the orphanage.¡± He uttered it, and Chloe¡¯s eyes widened in fear.

    Mark clenched his jaw before he pushed past him and marched into his room.. He was cautious enough to not wake Bryan, but he did find the clue he was looking for, ¡°the letter¡±.

    Mark¡¯s blood boiled in anger as he clutched the paper tightly and stormed out, straight towards the person who was the sole reason for the problem.

    Roughly turning him around, Mark threw the paper on his face before he asked.

    ¡°What is this? What the fuck is this, Alexander Ian? What did you do?¡± Mark asked, his patience was running low, and he was close to yelling on top of his voice, but only kept it low for Bryan.

    Chloe picked up the paper, going through the lines as her eyes teared up. What is her best friend going through? Why wasn¡¯t she there when she needed her?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I fucking know. I don¡¯t know.¡± Alex replied in equal anger, but somehow he was more frustrated because he didn¡¯t know the damn reason for her disappearance.

    Running his hand through his already messy hair, Alex sat down on the couch with his phone in his hand.

    He opened it to find something but froze when his eyesnded on the message.

    She knows.

 CHAAPTER FORTY EIGHT

    Mia had no idea where she was going because her mind was nk, and all she wanted was for the pain to go away.

    She aimlessly walked on the road in the middle of the night, not bothered about the danger of the night.

    As soon as she is born, she must fulfil her duty as a daughter, then her duty as a wife, her duty as a daughter inw, her duty as a mother, and it doesn¡¯t stop there. Isn¡¯t she a human too?

    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± A voice came from behind her, and that was when she realised her surroundings.

    She had no idea where she was, and there was no one around.

    With her heart thudding rapidly, she clutched the sides of her dress as she thought of running, but whatever direction she would take, She didn¡¯t even know what danger awaited her.

    So she slowly turned around and froze, looking at the person.

    ¡°Hey.¡± The person smirked, and even though she remembered him, that didn¡¯t make her feel any good.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She asked, trying to be strong, but her shaky voice says otherwise.

    ¡°What do you think? Man, I had some real work to do these few months. Stalking you and digging up your past wasn¡¯t easy, you know. It took some real effort.¡± the man said.

    ¡°By the way, won¡¯t you thank me for helping you with the truth about your husband?¡± He chuckled, but the look in his eyes made her take a step back.

    He noticed it and shot a dark look at her, making her freeze.

    ¡°Stop running away from me, I have had enough of watching you with that fucker.¡± He sneered in anger, taking a step towards her while she continued stepping back, making him more angry.

    Finally annoyed, he held her arms and jerked her towards him, making her cry out.

    ¡°Stop that, stop crying for fuck¡¯s sake, ande with me. Also, I didn¡¯t know it would be so easy to get you. I thought you would be here with that little bastard child of yours, but good that he isn¡¯t here, or I would¡¯ve thrown him away anyway.¡± He spat venomously, and this time Mia stopped struggling, as she heard him talking about Bryan like that.

    She red at him hard, and without another thought, she raised her knee and kicked him hard. He groaned in pain and gritted his teeth before he raised his head and red at her.

    But she wasn¡¯t scared this time. ¡°How dare you talk about my son like that? I will kill you if you even think of harming my son.¡± Mia said, as there was this fire in her eyes, as she snarled at the man in front of her.

    ¡°Your son, huh? That son who was born after your so called husband used your body. Then why don¡¯t I give you a son as well?¡± he uttered, and his words were disgusted to her ears, as she clenched her jaw.

    She was about to walk away when he  pulled her close to him again. She tried to push him away, but he was stronger. She tried to kick him again, but he blocked it, and she smirked evilly.

    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat my mistakes, baby.¡± He ordered, and she felt sick and helpless, feeling his hot breath on her face.

    But was she going to give up? No.

    ¡°Let me go, you asshole.¡± She spat on his face, which caused him to tighten his grip on her.

    His eyes turned dark as he looked at her, while she could only wince in pain.

    ¡°Let go of thedy.¡± she heard another unknown voice, Mia felt hope in her chest, hearing the voice.

    She tried to get out of his grip again, but he didn¡¯t let her. ¡°Stay the fuck out of this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll only repeat it one more time. Let her go.¡± The unknown man said it again.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± He challenged, and Mia gulped.

    ¡°Then you give me no option.¡± I¡¯ll have to use this.¡± Since Mia was facing the other side, she couldn¡¯t see who was helping her, but when she felt his grip on her loosening, she immediately stepped away from him before turning to the other side.

    Her eyes widened when she noticed a gun in the stranger¡¯s hand. He looked oddly familiar, but she couldn¡¯t remember.

    ¡°Now, stay there until the cops arrive.¡± Just as hepleted his sentence, a police car arrived, and Mia watched as the man was put into the car, but he shot her a murderous look before he was taken away.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± The unknown man asked, and Mia nodded, suddenly feeling emotional.

    She couldn¡¯t believe she had actually left her baby, Bryan, who was sleeping peacefully.

    A sob left her mouth, and she shut her eyes.

    She was about to get kidnapped or raped because of her own stupidity, hadn¡¯t it been this man who helped her?ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Th-Thank you.¡± She whispered, and she felt his hand on her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe, but don¡¯t go wandering around at times like these.¡± His voice was soft yet stern, and she felt herself nodding.

    ¡°Let me drop you home.¡± the man proposed, and Mia stared at the man as she fidgeted with her fingers nervously. She just didn¡¯t want to face Alex right now.

    Mia and the man got home, as she took out the secret key and opened the door, she quickly checked around and found no one in the living room.

    ¡°Are we breaking into someone else¡¯s house?¡± A voice whispered into her ear, and she yelled in fear.

    She red at the man, who grinned sheepishly at her. The man was in his sixties but still looked charming.

    ¡°Mia, I¡¯ll leave then.¡± He smiled and patted her head in a fatherly manner, but she stopped him.

    ¡°Wait, just please wait for a few minutes.¡± Saying so, she quickly ran towards her room to check on Bryan but rather froze on finding the cradle empty.

    Before she could panic, her eyes fell on the bed, and she sighed in relief at finding her baby sleeping there with Chloe.

    Swallowing the lump in her throat, she moved towards the bed and picked up Bryan in her arms, who stirred in his sleep but went back to sleep in his mother¡¯s arms.

    She nced at Chloe, who slept peacefully, and then walked out.

    ¡°Can you drop me off at an orphanage?¡± She pleaded with him, and the man looked at her as if thinking something.

    Alex and Mark set out to find Mia. Where? They had no idea. But they couldn¡¯t just sit at home.

    ¡°I swear, Alex, if we don¡¯t find her soon, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Mark warned Alex, who was driving at the moment.

    Alex ignored him and kept looking around because he couldn¡¯t tell his best friend the reason behind his wife¡¯s sudden disappearance.

    It was his fault, he agreed, but why couldn¡¯t she just talk it out with him?

    ¡°You really aren¡¯t going to tell me what you saw on her phone?¡± Mark chipped in again, because Alex wouldn¡¯t tell him what made him so restless and impatient after he read something on Mia¡¯s phone.

    ¡°Alex, you need to tell me! What the fuck is going on? We can¡¯t even go to the police because she hasn¡¯t been missing for up to twelve hours. For fuck¡¯s sake, if something happens to her,¡± Mark sudden stopped talking, as the car came to a sudden halt.

    ¡°She found out that I fucking fooled her.¡± Alex spat harshly, his grip on the steering made his knuckles turn white, while Mark froze.

    ¡°She knows?¡± He asked with a nk face, and Alex nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± Mark said in a serious tone, to which Alex red at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going back until I find her.¡± He growled in anger.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want you to find her, Alex.¡± Mark stated.

    ¡°So fucking move your car and head back home, because if Bryan wakes up in the middle of the night, he won¡¯t find his mother or even his father. Do you want that?¡± Mark yelled furiously, and as much as Alex wanted to kick someone or something, he knew Mark was right.

    So without another word, he started the car and headed back home.

    The ride back was silent, the tension in the air wasn¡¯t going to be lessened anytime soon, but Alex only wished he could stop his heart from beating that rapidly.

    He needed to find her.

    Mark was the first one to get out of the car, mming the door shut as he marched inside with a furious face.

    He was fucking mad at Alex for ying such a dirty game.

    Not looking at where he was going, he suddenly bumped into someone, which made him more angry.

    ¡°Watch where you are¡­.¡± He froze when he looked up, not because of the man but because he saw the person behind him.

    ¡°Mia,¡± He swallowed the lump in his throat, as his eyes softened, seeing her state.

    ¡°Mark, listen.¡± Alex followed behind, and stopped on his tracks.

    His mind turned nk when his eyesnded on the person in front of him. His eyes widened, and he suddenly felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe. He took a step behind, but staggered as his legs couldn¡¯t support him.

    ¡°Da¡­. Dad.¡± Alex whispered, and three shocking faces stared at him.

 CHAAPTER FORTY NINE

    Martin Ian felt his eyes filling up, and a lump formed in his throat. He stared at his son in front of him, who looked shaken to the core.

    He never thought of meeting his son in such circumstances. In fact, he never intended to cross paths with him.

    Chloe came running outside with a panicked look, not finding Bryan beside her. She froze as she saw the scenario disying in front of her.

    Her best friend was here, and relief washed through her body upon seeing her.

    She simply narrowed her eyes at Mia, who seemed to be staring somewhere else.

    That is when she noticed an unknown man standing ahead, and apletely dazed Alex was staring at the man.

    Frowning, she stood beside Mark, gaining his attention.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Mark announced and held Chloe¡¯s hand, but before they could leave, Mia interrupted.

    ¡°Can Ie with you guys?¡± Mia asked,  She didn¡¯t want to stay here, so she didn¡¯t even nce at Alex when she uttered those words.

    This seemed to snap Alex out of his daze as his eyes were on his wife, who stood there with their son in her arms. He panic, at the thought of being alone with the man in front of him.

    ¡°Stay.¡± He whispered, and Mia tensed.

    She looked at him with a re, but her eyes softened, seeing the vulnerability in his eyes. He wasn¡¯t ordering her, he was begging her to stay with him. Her heart clenched at his state, but what about her? How could she stay with a man who used her? Why would shefort him when he did nothing but make her feel like a nobody?

    Taking a deep breath, she decided what she was going to do. She isn¡¯t selfish like him, so she was going to stay.

    Turning on her heels, she walked inside, and Mark and Chloe too left as Alex followed Mia inside.

    ¡°Mia ¡­.¡± He called.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything, Alex, not a word.¡± She said it sternly, as she safely tucked Bryan in his crib.

    As she tried to move past him, he held her hand and stopped her. She didn¡¯t react, she just stayed in the same position.

    ¡°I know you hate me right now, and I don¡¯t me you.¡± He swallowed painfully, as his voice shook.

    ¡°Just stay with me till that man leaves here, please.¡± He pleaded, as she looked at him, stunned, because he isn¡¯t a man who begged anyone.

    So she nodded, and he left her hand, nodding as well.

    When they walked out, Martin was already waiting for them in the living room. He saw theming out and knew it was time for some revtions.

    As the father son duo sat in front of each other, no one spoke a word as Alex continued to stare at his hands, he was tense.

    Whereas Martin chose to stare at his son, Mia sighed beside Alex.

    ¡°You are alive.¡± It was a whisper, but the usation and pain in the sentence could also be heard.

    He still didn¡¯t look up, as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

    ¡°Did your grandfather tell you anything?¡± Martin asked in a calm voice, and it made him more angry.

    ¡°Not a word. I don¡¯t fucking know why I was found crying covered in blood. Till this date, that memory haunts me, and I don¡¯t even fucking know the reason behind it.¡± He snapped furiously, and Mia felt her hands itching to hold his.

    Martin took a deep breath before he started exining what had happened back then.

    Alex could only hear him with a nk face, which is why Mia couldn¡¯t evenprehend what he was thinking.

    The truth was too much to take, and so without another thought, she slipped her hand in his, gripping it tightly even though Alex felt emotionless.

    ¡°After I killed your mother and her lover, I confessed about it to the police, they sentenced me to imprisonment for ten years, and you were handed over to your grandfather.¡± Martin began, as he looked down, whereas Alex finally tightened his hold on Mia¡¯s hand.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m not your son? I¡¯m an illegitimate child of your wife and her boyfriend. Is that how it is?¡± Alex asked in a cold voice, but the pain in his eyes said otherwise.

    ¡°No! You are my son!¡± Martin forced himself out, and Alex let out a sadugh, which scared Mia.

    ¡°Funny, how you still call me your son when in reality you do not even want to look at my face, which reminds you of your wife¡¯s betrayal. That is why you didn¡¯t even try to meet me once in all these years, right, Mr. Ian?¡± Alex asked, as Martin closed his eyes in pain because he had no excuse.

    He didn¡¯t try to contact his son all these years. It was true because he didn¡¯t have the courage to. What will he tell him? That he killed his mother? That he isn¡¯t his son?

    Even though he had imed to be his father despite knowing the reality, he could never fulfil his duties as one, and although he had a chance, he failed his son. He failed his son, who had trusted him.

    ¡°You can leave now, and do not try to contact me just like you didn¡¯t all these years.¡± Alex dered, as he looked straight into his eyes, and Martin could only feel the guilt.

    He slowly got up and turned to leave when Alex stopped him.

    ¡°Wait, what were you doing with Mia?¡± his question made Mia go tense, and Alex held her hand more tightly, feeling her trying to withdraw it.

    ¡°She was walking alone on a deserted road in the middle of the night. A man attacked her, and maybe your wife knows him. I just happened to be there at the same time, so I helped her. And don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s in jail now.¡± he finished, as he left after that, not looking back.

    Alex turned to look at Mia with a worried gaze.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

    ¡°Are you fine? Why the fuck would you leave in the middle of the night, Mia? It¡¯s fucking dangerous, it is my fault, so you could¡¯ve confronted me and pped me,¡± he uttered, and so a p wasnded on his right cheek.

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t even a tiny percent of what you did to me, Alex.¡± Mia said she was furious when he started lecturing her about it when he had no right to.

    ¡°Who was he, Mia?¡± He sneered in anger

    ¡°Dickson Levi.¡±

    ¡°That fucking bastard.¡± He cursed out loudly, making her flinch.

    ¡°Why did you use me, Alex?¡± Her voice broke as she asked him, and her eyes filled with pain and hurt. He froze for a minute before his jaw clenched, as he couldn¡¯t even look at her.

    He had no answer, he had nothing to say because it was the truth. He had used her for selfish reasons. And now he regrets it. He regretted it so bad, but he couldn¡¯t even apologise because a mere ¡®sorry¡¯ would mean nothing. He had to do something else, he had to gain her trust back.

    ¡°I want a divorce.¡± She blurted out, and Alex¡¯s eyes snapped in her direction.. She looked broken yet determined, and it scared him for the first time.

    For the first time in his life, Alexander Ian was scared. Scared to lose the person who was slowly bing his everything.

    Mia was back to her old room, with Bryan, of course.

    She couldn¡¯t live with that man in the same room, and she couldn¡¯t leave her son after what he had done. She sat on her bed and stared at her son, who slept peacefully.

    Biting her lower lip, she bent down and kissed his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mama is very sorry, baby. Mummy is very bad. She left her baby alone.¡± She gulped her tears, which threatened to fall.

    ¡°But I promise, I¡¯ll never leave you ever again.. Wherever Mummy goes, Bryan goes with her.¡± She cooed her baby in her arms, and she kept kissing his head from time to time.

    Alex, who stood at the door, watching her, he felt his heart get heavy at her words.

    She had suffered enough because of him, and a cold, ruthless monster like him didn¡¯t deserve her. But fuck that, he needed her, he needed her in his life, and he won¡¯t at any cost let her go.

    With this thought, he turned around and left for his room.

    The next morning was a gloomy one, because when Mia got up, she realised that she was still in the same house. She wanted to leave, but she wasn¡¯t going to run away anymore.

    Bryan stirred in his sleep before he opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He stretched his arms, looking like a cute kitten, to Mia, who chuckled.

    ¡°Good morning, baby.¡± she held his tiny hand and kissed it.

    Bryan rolled on his stomach and raised his head, looking around. Mia knew who he was looking for but ignored it.

    ¡°Da-da-da-da.¡± he kept mumbling and calling for his dad, resting his head on the bed.

    His right hand stretched out, looking at the door. Mia clenched her jaw and looked away, feeling the pain in her chest.

    Bryan suddenly squealed, making Mia¡¯s head snap in his direction. She then followed where he was looking,  and found Alex standing there, staring at Bryan with a smile.

    ¡°Good morning, buddy.¡± He chuckled when Bryan opened and closed his tiny fist, gesturing for his dad toe to him.

    Alex walked toward the bed, as he sat near him before scooping his little boy into his arms.

    Bryan giggled loudly in his father¡¯s arms, and Mia gulped, feeling her emotions all over the ce.

    She hurriedly got up and walked towards the door, but a voice stopped her.

    ¡°Mammaaa,¡±  Bryan mumbled, making his mother freeze in her tracks. He kept looking at her, but she couldn¡¯t turn around.

    Alex watched her, and sighed. He got up and stood beside her with Bryan, who now tried to reach out to his mother.

    Mia winced when Bryan pulled her hair a little harshly, and Alex immediately rubbed the spot.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked with concern in his voice, it was  something new for her, and she narrowed her eyes at Bryan, who was grinning.

    That little devil, she thought.

    ¡°I asked something from you yesterday.¡± She mentioned in a cold voice, and he stopped his movements, taking his hand back.

    Bryan stared at his parents, who seemed to have forgotten him at that moment. Alex looked into her eyes directly before he answered her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you a divorce.¡±

    ¡°And why the hell not?¡± She asked furiously.

    ¡°Because after all these years, when I¡¯ve finally found someone who is now bing the most important person in my life,¡± he stopped, seeing her eyes filling up with tears,  before he gathered up the courage and continued.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to lose her because of my stupidity. I will win her trust back by every means.¡±

    ¡°And that is a promise, Mia.¡± he dered, and he was being sincere. She could see it in his eyes, but she still didn¡¯t want to believe it.

    Or maybe she was too afraid to believe him.

 CHAAPTER FIFTY

    After the issue of the divorce, Mia decided not to file a divorce again because she couldn¡¯t deny that she wasn¡¯t in love with Alex.

    ¡°You need to take her away for a few hours and distract her so that I can n my surprise here.¡± He said, and Chloe looked confused. She thought he would ask her about Mia¡¯s likes, dislikes, and all that, when he said he wanted to talk to her but he did nothing like that.

    ¡°Also, don¡¯t take her to the orphanage. Take her somewhere else.¡± He added, and on getting no reply from her, he looked at Mark, who only shrugged.

    Annoyed, he clicked his fingers in front of her face, bringing her out of her trance.

    ¡°I hope I don¡¯t need to repeat myself.¡± Alex said it in a pissed tone, and Chloe rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Whatever. But what are you nning? At least let us know.¡± Chloe asked curiously, but he isn¡¯t going to let her know.

    He only gave her a smirk, and she scoffed.

    Mark was enjoying the show until Alex asked him to apany thedies.

    ¡°What the hell! Why should I go with them? No, I¡¯ll stay here and help you.¡± He said it stubbornly and crossed his hands.

    Alex curled his fists and was ready to punch him, but they heard Mia¡¯s voice.

    Alex froze as he sensed her behind him but didn¡¯t turn around.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± She asked, looking at Chloe in particr. Chloe immediately red at Alex and walked towards Mia.

    ¡°I was getting done with what was left iplete earlier. Warning your husband to stay away from you.¡± Chloe spoke with such hatred that Alex and Mark believed her words as well.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s leave.¡± Chloe said, and Mia frowned.

    ¡°What? Where?¡±

    ¡°Mia, I know you want to be away from here, but it¡¯s only because of Bryan that you are hesitating. Trust me, he¡¯ll be fine for a few hours.¡± Chloe tried to convince Mia.

    ¡°Till then, Mark and I can take you somewhere where you can spend a little time with yourself.¡± She said softly, and even though Alex knew she was saying all of this to take her away, every word she spoke was like an arrow piercing his heart.

    Mia looked hesitant as she fidgeted with her hands.

    It was true she wanted to get away from this ce, or rather, from the man who right now didn¡¯t even have the courage to look at her, but she was still skeptical about Bryan.

    After she had left him that night, she didn¡¯t have the heart to do it again, even though it was only for a few hours.

    ¡°Stop thinking too much, Mia, Bryan will be fine. In fact, he¡¯ll be getting more time to spend with his dad, who is at home today, so don¡¯t worry and let¡¯s go.¡± Mark chipped in, assuring her, and she looked at him.

    Mark blinked his eyes, and she slowly nodded, biting her lower lip, causing Chloe to gasp dramatically.

    ¡°You are my best friend, not his. Stop stealing her away¡± Chloe narrowed her eyes at Mark, pulling Mia close to her, whereas he only smirked in response.

    Mia chuckled at seeing the duo, and it made Alex feel all the more guilty. He couldn¡¯t do that, even if he tried to make herugh.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then.¡±

    It had been four hours, and Mia wanted to go back to her baby, but the two idiots weren¡¯t allowing her, and she was growing suspicious and annoyed.

    ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m leaving.¡± she announced, and stood up to leave when Mark panicked and nudged Chloe to stop her.

    ¡°Mia, listen¡± Chloe tried, but one look from her, and she zipped her mouth shut.

    Luckily, Mark¡¯s phone pinged, and he sighed in relief when Alex said they could let here back.

    ¡°Okay, bye, Mia.¡± Mark said it happily, and Chloe looked at him in disbelief, whereas Mia narrowed her eyes at him.

    ¡°What are you guys hiding?¡± She asked, and they froze.

    ¡°Bryan must be waiting for you, please go.¡± Mark begged, and as much as she wanted to stay and find out, he was right.

    So she thought of dealing with themter.

    Once she reached, she heard somemotion going on inside, which made her frown.

    She opened the door and heard a shout.

    ¡°No, wait, not like that.¡± Alex froze seeing her at the door, whereas Mia stared around, dumbfounded.

    Her eyesnded on Alex, and a minuteter she burst outughing.

    Although it annoyed him, herugh was enough to let it go.

    Everybody else joined her in theughing spree, whereas Alex grumbled under his breath, trying to get rid of the confetti that now covered him.

    She felt a tug on her dress and looked down, only to find Lena grinning up at her. There was a letter in her hand, which made her frown as she took it from her.

    Lina once again tugged on her dress and asked her to bend down, which she did, and a kissnded on her cheek, which made her smile.

    ¡°This kiss was not from me.¡± She giggled and ran away before Mia could say anything.

    She stood up and opened the letter.

    I know I don¡¯t deserve you, but I promise I¡¯ll keep trying to earn your forgiveness, even if it takes years.

    Her eyes met his, and she could see the anticipation in them clearly.

    Crushing the paper in her hand, she threw it away and watched as his face fell. She ignored the pain and looked around with a smile.

    All her orphanage kids were here, and they looked happy, and she knew it was all his doing.

    ¡°Mia, your house is so big.¡± One of themmented excitedly, and she chuckled.

    Watching the kids run and y around was fascinating, but what was more attractive was watching him get surrounded by kids and trying to pay attention to all of them patiently.

    Her heart warmed at the sight, and she sighed.

    She looked for Bryan and found him sitting on the couch, beside Alex.

    He was leaning on his dadda with his concentration on wait, what?? is that a phone?

    She gasped and quickly walked towards him, and without a second thought, she hit Alex on his shoulder.

    ¡°Alex, what is this? Why did you give him your phone?¡± She hissed angrily, and he stared at her dumbfounded.

    ¡°What? When did I¡­¡± He turned and found Bryan fidgeting with his phone, which made him frown.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    When did he give him his phone?

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Now you have to figure out how to take it from him.¡± She sent him a warning look, and he rolled his eyes before he turned to Bryan and tapped his little arm.

    Bryan looked at his dad, who kept his palm in front of him. Staring at his palm for two seconds, he went back to the device in his hand, making his mom re at his father.

    ¡°Bryan, buddy, give it to Dadda.¡± Alex tried once again and pulled the phone from his hand, which caused him to let out a cry.

    He tried to reach for it, but Alex had already pocketed it before he could take it.

    Bryan stared at Alex with his big, innocent eyes, now filled with tears, before he crawled away from him and cried.

    Mia picked him up immediately, and he hid his face in her shoulder. Alex let out a helpless sigh at the turn of events.

    Great! First Mia, and now Bryan, just what he needed.

    ¡°Party without me?¡± Everybody screamed upon seeing Mark and Chloe at the entrance, and Alex felt a lot relieved because he could finally focus on the two people who were upset with him without worrying about the kids.

    Mark found Mia and Bryan in a corner, and Alex stared at the two with a helpless face.

    He snickered before walking towards him and tapping him on the shoulder.

    ¡°What did you do now?¡± He pointed at the duo, as he held back theughter that threatened toe out, and Alex red at him.

    ¡°Nothing, take care of the kids.¡± He gritted out, before standing up and moving away from there.

    Alex took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for what was about toe. He took a step in Mia¡¯s direction but stopped when someone held his hand.

    Frowning, he turned to find a small boy staring up at him with a frown on his face.

    He was amazed as the boy raised his hands, asking him to pick him up. Hiding his smile, he did as he was  told and picked him up in his arms.

    ¡°Are you upset?¡± The boy asked him, and he smiled at how innocent the question was.

    ¡°I¡¯m not, but she is.¡± He pointed at Mia, to which the boy¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°Mia ? Do you love her?¡± He asked, and Alex froze at the question.

    ¡°You know,¡± he started again, forgetting about the previous question, which relieved Alex as he rxed and continued to listen.

    ¡°Whenever any of us is upset, Mia would give us a lot of hugs and kisses. It always worked, you should do the same.¡± Alex chuckled at his innocent suggestion, and he ruffled his hair.

    ¡°That is a very helpful suggestion, thank you.¡± Alex said, but stopped, realising he never knew his name.

    ¡°Richard.¡± He grinned.

    ¡°Thank you, Richard. I will surely try that.¡± He smiled and gave him a hi-five before setting him down.

    Richard ran away immediately, and Alex couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off his face.

    ¡°Who are you? What did you do to my best friend?¡± Of course, the moment had to be ruined by the one and only Mark.

    ¡°Fuck off.¡± Alex said bluntly, and they heard a gasp, his eyes widened when he realised it was Mia and not Mark who gasped.

    This time, Mark didn¡¯t control himself, he burst outughing, looking like a maniac. Mia gave a longsting re, before walking away.

    He groaned loudly and felt like pulling his hair because nothing seemed to go his way.

    With a murderous look, he charged at Mark, who screamed like a girl and ran away.

    The kids cheered as the two yed Tom and Jerry, whereas Chloe gave them a disapproving look.

    ¡°These two are worse than the kids.¡± She thought.

    When the kids finally left, and thankfully along with Mark and Chloe, Alex fell on the couch, tired and feeling annoyed. The whole purpose of bringing the kids here was to make Mia happy, but instead he made her more mad, with Bryan being upset like a cherry on top.

    He wasn¡¯t liking this at all, so he got up and left for his room.

    He found Mia nowhere and realised that she must be in her room, so he made a run in that direction.

    The sight there made him smile, but at the same time, he clenched, knowing he couldn¡¯t be a part of the moment.

    Bryan was sitting on Mia¡¯s knees. She held him by his waist and moved her legs sideways, making himugh.

    It was like a ride for him, and hisugh made herugh as well, and she continued to do the same until he wasughing crazily.

    Not wanting to disturb them, he turned around to leave when her voice stopped him.

    ¡°You cane in, if you want.¡± She said, as her attention was still on Bryan, but he did enter inside anyway.

    ¡°I just came to say sorry.¡± Alex apologised, if it was before, she would¡¯ve gasped because Alexander is saying sorry,  but now she just doesn¡¯t care.

    ¡°For what?¡± She still didn¡¯t look at him, and it frustrated him.

    ¡°For cursing in front of kids,¡± he mumbled, and now this was surprising for her.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And for upsetting you.¡± he answered, and she stared at him, but he did not look away, wanting her to see the sincerity in his eyes.

    ¡°And?¡± She challenged him.

    He took slow steps in her direction, never breaking eye contact. Bryan was now distracted by the button on her top as he yed with it, not interested in his parent¡¯s talks.

    ¡°For being a jerk.¡± Mia clenched the bedsheet in her right fist, as he stood at an arm¡¯s distance from her.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°For failing to be a good father.¡± That caused her to freeze and re at him.

    He looked away this time and refused to ept anything else.

    ¡°Alexander.¡± She gritted, and he immediately looked at her when she used his full name.

    ¡°No parent is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. So don¡¯t give me that bullshit just because of what happened today.¡± She ordered him, and he chuckled, making her more angry.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± She snapped low, not wanting to scare Bryan.

    ¡°Well, you just cursed in front of our son.¡± He smirked, and she flushed in embarrassment upon realising that he was right.

    Bryan finally noticed his father¡¯s presence and leaned towards him, babbling something as Alex took him into his arms.

    ¡°He¡¯s not upset?¡± Alex uttered surprisingly, as Mia rolled her eyes at his stupid question.

    ¡°He¡¯s a year old, Alex. Do you expect him to remember everything and hold grudges?¡± She gave him a sarcastic smile.

    ¡°I wish you were like our son as well.¡± He mumbled under his breath, and Bryan giggled as if he understood his father.

    Mia narrowed her eyes at the father and son duo, who were now grinning at each other.

 CHAAPTER FIFTY ONE

    A week flew by, and Alex was still trying to find ways to repent for his mistake. Of course, he tried, but it wasn¡¯t all those mushy, romantic things like sending flowers or giving cards.

    Nope. He just wasn¡¯t going to do that.

    Instead, he tried to spend time with her and Bryan, getting to know what she likes and dislikes, and from what he gathered, he knew she definitely hates it when he tries to ask her if she needs his help.

    This one time he asked her if she needed any help in rearranging Bryan¡¯s toys. She gave him a sharp look first before smiling sweetly.

    Honestly, he would¡¯ve preferred her re over her smile because that smile was more deadly.

    ¡°Of course I need your help.¡± She said it in an extra sweet voice, and he eyed her doubtfully.

    ¡°I need you to stay away from me.¡± She spat, he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be an easy task getting her to forgive him.

    Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t brought up the topic of divorce again, and it somehow relieved him, but that didn¡¯t mean he was fully rxed.

    Mia is unpredictable, and Alex is always alerted whenever she looks deep into her thoughts.

    His only option to distract her from her thoughts is Bryan. Bryan is another copy of his mother¡¯s mini version.

    He enjoyed his mother¡¯spany more than his father¡¯s, and that is somehow offensive to Mr. Ian.

    He would try to take Bryan from Mia or lure him with toys, but the stubborn kid would ignore him with his mother around.

    Not to forget, he is now sleeping in his room all alone again, and for some reason, he never had a peaceful sleep since the two left the room.

    Tossing and turning around all night had be his new pastime.

    Once, just once, he took Bryan with him into his room when he was asleep, and Mia only shrugged because she knew how that is going to end.

    Not a minuteter, he put Bryan on the bed. He woke up and frowned, looking around.

    Alex then realised he was an awkward person when it came to distracting kids.

    He ended up bringing Bryan back to his mother, who smirked at him, causing him to grumble under his breath.

    ¡°Mia, I need to ask you about something.¡± Alex stated, as he saw how busy she was in the kitchen, but he had to have  talk with her; this was important.

    ¡°What?¡± She simply asked, continuing her work and never looking at him.

    He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s about the media.¡± That caught her attention, and she stopped. Turning around, she looked at him with fear in her eyes.

    ¡°What? Do they know about Bryan and me?¡± She desperately wanted the answer to be no because it was going to be a lot moreplicated if they found out.

    ¡°Not yet, but they are surely suspicious.¡± He revealed this, and she nibbled on her lower lip with a worried look on her face.

    Alex observed her before he spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this in the room.¡± Mia nodded and followed him quietly behind.

    Once they reached inside, Alex found Bryan sleeping in the crib, which surprised him.

    ¡°He slept early.¡± He muttered.

    ¡°He was waiting for you.¡± Mia smiled, remembering how he kept babbling ¡®Dadda¡¯ the whole time but couldn¡¯t fight the sleep and ended up falling asleep.

    Alex smiled as well, staring at his son before he turned his attention back on Mia. He contemted making his next move, but then, throwing all thoseplicated thoughts out the window, he grabbed her hand.

    She looked at him surprised, but he avoided looking at her and pulled her out, leading them towards the terrace. Once they reached it, he immediately left her hand, and she hid her smile, seeing him so ufortable.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of announcing our marriage to the media.¡± Alex blurted out, and Mia stiffened.

    ¡°What? No! I don¡¯t want anyone to know about Bryan. I don¡¯t want those people loitering around and invading my privacy every time I step out. Just no.¡± She interjected immediately, even though she somehow knew that being with a famous businessman is surely going to bring the media¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Mia, listen, I know you don¡¯t like it, but it would be better to announce it myself than let them find out on their own. Trust me, if that happens, things are going to take an ugly turn.¡± He exined, and she knew he was right, but it still didn¡¯t settle well with her.

    Just the thought of not being able to step out and wander around freely made her heart sink, and what about Bryan? He was just one year old and won¡¯t be able to live a normal life without the media trying to snoop on every little thing he does.

    Her thoughts were making her insane, and Alex knew she was thinking a lot, so he held her by her shoulders and turned her towards him.

    ¡°Stop thinking too much, Mia. I know this is not what you want, and if you really don¡¯t want toe out, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± He assured her, and her eyes softened.

    She sighed, closing her eyes, and just when he took his hands back, she spoke, ¡°Why are you being so nice to me, Alex?¡± He tensed at her question. as she opened her eyes and stared at him. His face was nk as he faced her, and she knew he had no answer.

    Just as she started to leave, he pulled her to him, holding her hand, and she gasped. His hand travelled up her arm and her neck, making her breath hitch.

    ¡°You really think I¡¯m a heartless person, don¡¯t you?¡± He chuckled. She found her face being lifted until she was staring straight into his vulnerable eyes.

    ¡°I am a changed man, Mia, and even if you don¡¯t want to see it, I will keep making you see exactly that.¡± He whispered as his thumb caressed her cheeks, making her breath abnormal. Her lips parted unconsciously, and his eyesnded on them.

    ¡°One chance, one chance is all I ask for.¡± He breathed out, and Mia closed her eyes as he rested his forehead on hers.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± She whispered, her voice shaking, and he held her close. Alex moved back just a bit to look at her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared of trusting you again, Alex.¡± She opened her eyes, and the tears shining in her eyes were enough for him to release his hold on her.

    ¡°I get it.¡± He nodded stiffly and moved back, but this only caused her to cry more.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± She yelled.

    ¡°We were never meant to be together, Alex. This rtionship was formed on a contract. You and I never nned for a child, we had him because you needed him for your property, and I only agreed because I was desperate for help.¡± She never wanted to say these hurtful words, yet they were true.

    Alex stood there with a hard face but said nothing. She was crying, but he couldn¡¯t move a muscle to go andfort her.

    ¡°I should¡¯ve just walked away after Bryan was born.¡± Mia choked on a sob, and that was thest straw for him.

    He clenched his jaw and jerked her towards him by her waist. She tried to get out of his grip but didn¡¯t have enough energy left.

    ¡°Enough. I know mistakes were made in the past, Mia, but that doesn¡¯t mean I would repeat them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we came together because of a contract. Yes, we had Bryan because I needed him. But that nowhere concludes that we can¡¯t be together. Do you get it?¡± He snapped harshly, and she only felt her tears flowing.

    ¡°Mia, we didn¡¯t abandon Bryan, nor did we treat him like an object. You and I are performing our duties as his parents.¡± He gritted out, and she tried hard to stop herself from crying.

    ¡°Yes, I made a mistake. I lied to you and broke your trust, but I¡¯m trying here. I am not running away nor denying these feelings towards you.¡± His voice turned soft, as he gazed down at her and lovingly wiped her tears.

    ¡°So please, don¡¯t try to control your feelings because I¡¯m not going to hurt you again.¡± he dered, and she looked up and there was this raw pain in his eyes as he stared at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, if you don¡¯t believe me but at least let me be there. That¡¯s all I ask for.¡± He pleaded and closed his eyes, feeling tired all of a sudden.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    The truth is, he didn¡¯t want to see the rejection in her eyes. Mia reached up and rested her palm on his cheek, making him sigh and lean more towards it. He held her hand and opened his eyes, making her heart thud.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to regret this, Alex.¡± She whispered, and hope bloomed in his eyes.

    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± He whispered back, gripping her hand more tightly.

    Mark squinted his eyes at the little guy in front of him. He then red at the woman, who was nowughing at him.

    ¡°For thest time, she is not yours.¡± Mark warned, trying to look intimidating, but the boy only rolled his eyes.

    ¡°You are no match for her, how did she even end up with you?¡± That little brat asked, and Mark fumed in anger as Chloeughed loudly and the boy grinned at her.

    They were at a park, and Mark wanted to spend some time with her, but it went down the drain as this little guy came out of nowhere and started iming his woman.

    He pulled her to him in one swift move, shocking her as he smirked at the boy who red at him.

    He tried to reach out to Chloe, but Mark blocked him until he huffed and started crying loudly.

    Mark¡¯s eyes widened in panic while Chloe pushed him and hugged the boy. His mouth then hung open when he smirked at him.

    ¡°That little fu¡±

    ¡°Chloe!¡± Mark yelled, startling her as she gave him a puzzled look.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± Mark announced, ring at the boy, who narrowed his eyes at him in return.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Chloe asked the boy, ignoring Mark, who felt like crying. No one listened to him.

    ¡°Leo.¡± He grinned at her, and she pinched her cheeks.

    ¡°So, Leo, where are your parents? Why are you roaming alone?¡± She raised her eyebrows, and he shrugged.

    ¡°I came with my brother; he must be somewhere around, busy reading.¡± Leo looked around, trying to locate his brother and smiled when he spotted him walking towards them.

    ¡°Leo, I told you to stay close.¡± the man scolded in a stern voice, as his eyesnded on Mark and Chloe.

    ¡°Sorry, I hope he didn¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± The man apologised, and Mark jumped right then.

    ¡°Not any, he caused me a lot of ¡­.. Ow! What?¡± He hissed when Chloe pped his arm to shut him up.

    She gave a fake smile to the man before ring at Mark, who had an angry face.

    ¡°I¡¯m Michael, by the way.¡± The man offered his hand, and Mark shook it unintentionally, mumbling his name in return.

    ¡°Michael, isn¡¯t she beautiful? I wish she would¡¯ve been with you.¡± Leo jumped excitedly, pointing at Chloe, and the three adults tensed at his words.

    Michael shuffled awkwardly, whereas Mark looked close to having a mental breakdown.

    Chloe didn¡¯t know what to say so she held Mark¡¯s hand and moved closer to him.

    ¡°It was nice meeting you, but I think we should get going.¡± Chloe said, hurriedly pulling Mark away from there, ignoring Leo¡¯s whining behind her.

    ¡°But why? I like her.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Leo, that was rude of you. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Michael pulled his brother away, and Mark turned around before yelling.

    ¡°Not rude, very rude.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Mia questioned, pointing at Mark, who wore a gloomy look. He refused to talk to anyone and only stayed by Bryan¡¯s side.

    ¡°He¡¯s behaving like a kid.¡± Chloe rolled her eyes and Mark red at her.

    ¡°Like? He is an immature kid, why did you even marry him?¡± Alex joined in, and Mark was this close to beating the shit out of him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he might have threatened me.¡± Chloe yed along, surprising Mia because she thought they didn¡¯t get along.

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Mark yelled as he sprang up, startling Bryan yet again. His lower lip wobbled as he stared at his mother before he let out a cry.

    Alex gave a murderous look to Mark, who panicked and picked Bryan up in his arms, trying to calm him down.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t scare you again. Please stop crying. Look, I know your father has a problem with me, but please don¡¯t make him murder me. I swear I will be the best uncle and help you get a girlfriend.¡± Mark kept rambling, and Bryan stopped crying, staring at him with tears in his eyes.

    Alex, Mia, and Chloe gaped at the duo in astonishment.

    ¡°He wants a girlfriend, Bryan, you¡¯re such a naughty boy.¡±. Mark grinned, tickling him, and he giggled, making othersugh at the scene as well.

    Mia looked at Alex and found his eyes on her, already making her blush, but she quicklyposed herself. Alex chuckled by seeing that, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

    ¡°Too much sexual tension. We have a kid in this room.¡± Mark yelled, this time covering Bryan¡¯s ears.

    Mia flushed, and Alex rolled his eyes. Chloe chuckled, causing Mia to re at her.

 CHAAPTER FIFTY TWO

    ¡°What are we doing now?¡± Mia asked in a bored tone.     She knew something childish was going toe her way, and she didn¡¯t have to wait for long, as Mark yelled, ¡°Let¡¯s y dumb charades.¡±     ¡°Seriously?¡± She gave him a look, and he nodded eagerly.     In times like these, she wished she could p Mark left and right. It was fucking 1 am at night, and this guy wanted to y games. Figuring out why Alex ignored him most of the time.     Chloe yawned. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, Mark.¡± She said as her eyes were drooping, and he was immediately concerned.     ¡°I¡¯ll take you to our room, let¡¯s go.¡± He stood up, and Mia could only stare at them in disbelief. Why was she here then?     Shaking her head and mumbling something under her breath, she got up when she felt his presence behind her. She turned around and looked at him usingly.     ¡°Where were you?¡± Alex asked, as smirked at her angry face.     ¡°You know where I was?¡± She huffed, knowing exactly where he was and what he was doing.     ¡°What¡¯s got you so annoyed?¡± He questioned her when she kept frowning.     ¡°Your best friend.¡± She snapped, and he blinked. What did he do now?     ¡°He woke me up because he said Chloe wanted to y games, and now they both are sleeping.¡± She was pissed because sleep was far away from her eyes. What the hell was she supposed to do? Alex sighed.     ¡°Let¡¯s go to the terrace.¡± He suggested it, and her eyes lit up.     She stood up, and he stretched his hand out to her. She ced hers in his, just as they took a step towards the stairs, a voice called out.     ¡°Mama,¡± Alex froze, as Mia¡¯s eyes narrowed at him.     She turned around and found her baby standing there, rubbing his eyes cutely. She went up to him and picked him up in her arms.     ¡°What happened, Bryan?¡± She questioned him, as he quickly hid his face in her neck and his hands around her neck. Mia caressed his back as she swayed slowly.     ¡°Dadda left.¡± he mumbled into her neck, and her eyes immediately went to Alex. He sighed, knowing very well the reason, as he went towards them.     Alex gave a guilty look. ¡°Sorry, bud, I won¡¯t leave again, promise.¡± He held out his pinky finger, and Bryan grabbed it with his tiny palm.     Mia smiled at their way of promising and shook her head. Alex gave her a questioning look, but she just smiled and said nothing.     It was Alex¡¯s way of promising, and he did that only with Bryan and no one else.     ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Mia said, and Bryan looked at her. He was curious, and his mom grinned at him.     ¡°Terrace,¡± she replied, and he was excited all of a sudden. Just like his parents, Bryan loved terraces.     Alex chuckled, looking at their excited faces, and followed them behind.     While the trio spent some quality time on the terrace, downstairs, Chloe woke up from her sleep, feeling the urge to pee. She didn¡¯t wake Mark, knowing he was already tired, and he slowly got up from the bed.     After she did her business in the washroom, she stepped out to go back to the bed.     Just as she was about to sit, she felt a gush of water between her legs. Chloe¡¯s eyes widened, and her hand went on her belly.     ¡°Mark,¡± she called him, taking a deep breath, but he just kept snoring.     What the fuck? They were having a baby, and he was sleeping like an elephant.     ¡°Mark!¡± She yelled, throwing a pillow on his face.     He got up with a gasp and looked around. ¡°What happened?¡±     Chloe gritted her teeth and said, ¡°This happened.¡± She pointed down, and he followed her gaze.     For a minute, he couldn¡¯t understand what Chloe was trying to say until she yelled again, ¡°Mark, it¡¯s time.¡±     ¡°Oh fuck!¡± He sprang up and ran towards her. ¡°Take deep breaths in and out.¡± Chloe cut his bbering in between.     ¡°I¡¯m doing that, you get the car.¡± She hissed, and he realised that he was behaving dumb.     As he ran out, he called Alex with his phone  because going to his room and waking him up would waste a lot of time.     ¡°What? Now, no one is going to y your stupid game.¡± Alex stated.     ¡°It¡¯s time!¡± Mark blurted out, and Alex went silent. ¡°Now?¡± He questioned him, and Mark rolled his eyes.     ¡°No, after I pass out. Get your ass here and help me.¡± Alex hung up the call, leaving Mark confused.     Two minutester, he found the three of them walking down.     ¡°You were on the terrace?¡± Mark questioned Alex, and he looked around.     ¡°Where is Chloe?¡± With a panicked face, Mark ran inside.     ¡°Mia, you stay home with Bryan. I¡¯ll drive them.¡± Alex ordered, and Mia frowned.     ¡°What? Why can¡¯t Ie?¡± She pouted and looked at Bryan, who had no idea what was going on. He was about to reply, but just then Mark and Chloe walked out.     Mia looked at her in concern and said, ¡°Will you be alright? Should Ie?¡± Chloe pursed her lips and nodded.     ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You stay with Bryan.¡± She smiled at Bryan, who was staring at her with his big, innocent eyes.     Alex had already left to get the car, while Bryan finally asked, ¡°Mumma, where is Chlo¡­. gone?¡±     As they drove away, Mia made Bryan sit on the couch and tried to distract him, but the kid was either too stubborn or too smart.     She sighed. ¡°Bryan, baby, Chlo has gone to get you a present. Do you want a present?¡± she asked, and he nodded and grinned eagerly.     ¡°Then you need to sleep because if you don¡¯t, then your chlo will be angry and she won¡¯t bring anything.¡± Mia said, and he pouted because he didn¡¯t want to sleep.     When they learned about Chloe¡¯s pregnancy, Mia¡¯s and Alex insisted that they shift with them to their new home.     After a lot of bickering, emotional ckmail, and exnations, both of them agreed.     Mia couldn¡¯t be more happy as every day with her best friend was, well, entertaining.     They nned everything, from guessing the gender of the baby to what names they would give the baby.     Now, as she paced in the living room with Bryan sleeping on the couch, she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. She wanted to be with her best friend, but knowing it would bring a lot of attention, she knew she had to stay at home.     Hourster, Mia heard the door opening, and she immediately got up from the couch.     Alex entered with a tired look on his face, and she walked up to him.     ¡°What happened? Is Chloe okay? The baby? Everything went fine, right?¡± Mia mumbled, causing him to sigh and drop his head on her shoulder. She stopped, holding him close as he pulled her by her waist.     She instantly felt guilty. ¡°Alex, I¡¯m sorry. Are you¡­¡± He mumbled something against her skin, but she didn¡¯t quite understand.     ¡°What?¡± Her face scrunched up. Alex moved a little back and repeated, ¡°It¡¯s a girl.¡± He watched her expression change from nk, to realisation, to happiness and finally settled on crying.     He sighed, ¡°I knew you would cry.¡± He grunted, not really liking her tears, but she just ignored hisment and hugged him back.     He smiled into the hug, feeling content.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°When are theying home?¡± She sniffed, rubbing her nose onto his shirt.     ¡°Maybe by tonight.¡± He replied, as it was already six thirty in the morning.     All he wanted was to drop dead on the bed.     ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep, I¡¯m tired.¡± He could barely keep his eyes open, and Mia nodded as she bent to pick Bryan up.     The two of them slept until the afternoon and could have slept more if Bryan hadn¡¯t ruined their sleep.     ¡°Mumma, wake up. I¡¯m hungly.¡± He whined,  as he climbed on top of her and hugged her.     Mia opened her eyes and hugged her baby back, squishing him in her arms. Bryan giggled, trying to get out of her hold, and Mia smiled with her eyes closed.     ¡°Dadda,¡± He called for help. Alex turned in his sleep and pulled Mia towards him, causing her to gasp. ¡°Now, nobody can escape.¡± He muttered sleepily, and Bryan pouted angrily. Mia tried to wiggle out of his arms, and so did Bryan, but he was too strong, even in his sleep.     Suddenly Bryan grinned evilly, and without waiting for another second, he poked Alex in the side. The suddenness caused him to move suddenly, and his grip loosened.     Mia stared, amused, as Alex narrowed his eyes at Bryan, who was still giggling.     ¡°You little¡­¡± With a scream, Bryan managed to rush out of bed and run before his dad tickled the hell out of him.     Alex flung the covers and followed him, leaving Mia chuckling behind.     *****************************     The thing that concerned Mia more was Bryan¡¯s behaviour towards people.     He hated interacting with anyone who wasn¡¯t his Mamma, Dadda, Mark, or Chloe.     Alex, on the other hand, didn¡¯t find this worrying because he was the same, so he just shrugged it off much to Mia¡¯s annoyance.     Later that night, Mia impatiently waited for the three of them to return home.     Bryan would look at his mother, then at the door, which she would nce at every two minutes.     ¡°Mamma, who ising?¡± Alex nced up at Mia and rolled his eyes.     ¡°You can sit and wait, you know?¡± She narrowed her eyes at him and said, ¡°You have already seen her.¡± She used him, and he smirked.     Seeing him smirk, she so wanted to punch him in the face, but considering Bryan was in the same room, she controlled herself.     It was eleven thirty at night when Mark and Chloe returned. Mia¡¯s eyes widened as she saw the little bundle in Chloe¡¯s arms.     Chloe chuckled. ¡°Are you going to just stand there like an idiot?¡± Mia snapped out of her frozen state and excitedly went towards them.     Her eyes fell on the little angel, and she couldn¡¯t control the ¡®aww¡¯ that slipped out of her mouth.     ¡°She¡¯s so cute and beautiful.¡± Mia gazed down at her with adoration in her eyes.     ¡°I know, she got charms from her father.¡± Mark boasted, and Alex smacked his head, wincing. He red at him and said, ¡°Stop hitting me in front of my daughter.¡±     He glowered, and Alex rolled his eyes. ¡°Exactly. Start behaving like a father.¡±     ¡°Mamma,¡± Bryan said, frowning because everybody seemed to have forgotten him.     Mia asked Chloe to sit on the couch, after which she sat beside her with Bryan on herp.     Bryan¡¯s eyes fell on the new, tiny person, and he just stared. ¡°Who is he?¡± His eyes never left her face, and Mia chuckled. ¡°Not a he, baby, and she is a girl.¡±     ¡°What is her name?¡± Mia raised her eyes at Chloe, who only grinned.     Mark smiled, staring at his daughter, before uttering, ¡°Danie.¡±     ¡°Dan¡­¡± Bryan sped his hands, seemingly excited, and the four of them shared a smallugh at his mispronunciation.     Danie opened her eyes for a second, looking at Bryan, before she closed them again and went to sleep.     Bryan grew more excited. ¡°Mamma, she is cute.¡±     ¡°Is she mine?¡± His question was innocent, but it left all four of them baffled.     THE END

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