Chapter 008

Savannah:

After the annoying encounter with that monster, Maggie and the cheating fool, Dane, I just wanted to blow off some steam at a mall. It was the least I could do to keep myself from going over to Walker's Fashion and cause a big fucking scene.

I had Finn drive me to Beautique Mall, my favorite, and here I am.

I slipped on my sunglasses the moment I got out of my White Rolls Royce, before muttering a ‘Thanks’ to Finn, my driver.

I didn't wait for his response before walking out of sight and straight into the mall.

I got everything I needed within thirty minutes then went to the counter for the paybill. After the payment was made, I headed out, only to bump into a tiny little boy. I gasped in shock, thinking he was going to fall but he clung to my leg tight.

As an adult, particularly someone of my nature, I hated when someone bumps into me and I've always done my best to avoid bumping into people but I just hadn't seen this little boy coming.

My previously dead gaze softened as I stared into his pretty blue eyes, similar to mine. His eyes were big and adorable, I just couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, little one," I murmured, bending to his level and stroking his hair.

"Mama" he purred and I smiled sadly.

"I'm not your mama, did you not find her?" I asked and he nodded twice.

"Aw. Should we go wait for mama?" I asked and he nodded again. “Come here” I muttered, widening my arms for him and he ran into my embrace. I lifted him in my arms and took him to the bench up front.

"What's your name, sweetie?" I asked after we settled at the bench.

"Oliver" he replied and I smiled again.

"How old are you, Oliver?" I inquired.

"One, two, three… Three years old" he responded and I felt my heart queezed with a familiar stinging feeling and my eyes brim with tears. My baby would be the same age if I hadn't lost him, that day four years ago—

"Mama, are you crying?" Little Oliver asked and I shook my head quickly, sniffing back my tears as much as I could.

'Get your shit together, Savvy. You can't break down in front of a child!' I scolded myself as I fanned my face with my hands before facing him again.

"Aunt Savvy is a strong person. She doesn't cry" I told him and he blinked.

"Are you Aunt Savvy?" He asked innocently.

"Yes, sweetie. This mama here is Aunt Savvy. We'll find your mama together, alright?" I told him and he nodded with an adorable smile.

I had fun talking to Oliver and we already spent two hours without realizing.

The shade above the bench was slowly wearing off and Finn must have noticed because he came running towards us, asking if he could escort me back to the car.

"Yes, please" I replied and lifted Oliver in my arms while handing over the shopping bags I purchased to Finn.

I didn't miss the surprised look Finn kept sending in my way but she couldn't blame him. I went into the mall with only my purse and I came back out with a child that I already spent more than two hours with.

"Miss... Who is the little boy?" He finally asked, killing his curiosity and I smiled.

"Just a boy I found? I think he slipped off his mother's grasp and I offered to stay with him until his mom comes to find him" I explained and Finn nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry to ask, Miss" he mutters but I said nothing and only focused on Oliver.

I got him ice cream. The chocolate flavor seemed to be his favorite so I got him lots of it. He ate three plates before falling asleep.

I positioned him to lie over the seat with his head in my lap while I ask Finn to get Pringles and juices. Lots of them. During our little conversation, he mentioned that he only ate it once and his friends would always bring it to school and laugh at him because he's the only one who doesn't bring them.

I told him to punch them in the face next time. Though, I didn't mean that literally but if a child of mine gets reported for being a bully due to self defense, their teacher would explain where they were when the entire fight was going on in the first place.

Oliver was such a smart boy. Smarter than his age and those mini conversations were proof. Boys his age are usually too uptight, silent and mostly cry babies but he was different, observant and straightforward in things he understood.

Finn did the errand job and right now he's off to get three replacement for the ice creams Oliver consumed. When he returned, it was already six hours of waiting and there was no report of a missing child or a scene caused by a woman looking for her child.

"Oliver?" I called.

"Hmmm" he murmured in his sleep, opening his eyes halfway to peer up at me.

"Would you go with me until we find your mama?" She asked and he nodded once. It didn't take another minute before he drifted right back to sleep.

"Take me to the office, Finn" I ordered and he bowed slightly before driving off the clear road towards The Hayes Group, where I have worked secretly, under a different identity for the past one year.

When we got to the company, Oliver was already wide awake. Though his eyes still looked a little dreamy and utterly cute. I lifted him in my arms all the way to the second floor of the seven-storey building, through the elevator.

I didn't mind the several questionable looks I got from the workers and simply did my own thing, smiling at Oliver every now and then. I even saw clicking flashes of cameras but I didn't mind any of them.

Gossips would surely spread I must say. But hell, I really didn't mind a child scandal as long as he was this adorable. Everyone would see he is close to a powerful woman and not dare to mess with him... Perhaps?

I strode through the main entrance and further through many doors until I got to my office.

Standing there was none other than Dashiell, who was facing the transparent glass walls with his hands in his pocket. Hell, I can already see the huge frown on his face without even seeing his face yet.

"Hey, Dashiell. Would you quit coming to my office unannounced? What if I kept something very embarrassing on my desk or somewhere open and you had to see it?" I asked and I saw him tense.

"Hi, uncle Dashiell" Oliver's tiny voice rang through the walls and Dashiell immediately faced us with a frown, exactly as I expected.

Dashiell Shawn Hayes. The president of the biggest fashion company in White Lotus Pack. The one person who saved me four years ago and helped me regain my will to live by letting me fulfill my dream of becoming a designer.

'Who knows? I could take it as a way you can repay me for saving your life if you do a good job' I recalled his words four years ago and I smiled.

The mean dude never smiles. If he hadn't saved me four years ago I would definitely refer to him as the devil himself.

"Hello Oliver" he responded sternly and the latter giggled.

That runny mouth, Finn! It hasn't been thirty minutes and Dashiell already knows the poor boy's name.

"If only you would stop picking up troubles wherever you go" he added and I rolled my eyes at him before placing Oliver on the mini sofa across my desk.

"The launching ceremony is a few hours. Are you even ready?" He seemed pissed but I knew better. He was simply worried that I would ruin my first launching ceremony since we came back to the city.

"It's tomorrow okay?, there's still time to be fully prepared, Dashiell. Rest assured" I told him and he gave me this look of uncertainty before his gaze settled on Oliver.

"What would you do about him?" He asked and I scratched the tip of my nose, an idea popping up and I smiled inwardly.

"We could use him to launch the mini suit instead of a human statue" I told him and he squinted his eyes.

"Are you sure, Savvy?" He asked and I nodded again.

"What if his mother doesn't approve? What if she suddenly comes back and throws a fit? File a lawsuit? Cause a scene at the launch?" He asked and I shook my head.

"It will be a means of announcing a missing boy too, Dashiell. If his mom sees the ceremony playbacks and she finds her son in anyone, she would know where to come find him. Plus no mother wouldn't want their child to be an instant celebrity except she is on a run with her son" I explained and he shrugged before turning to leave.

"Just wanted to let you know that nothing would be delayed at the ceremony, so get everything in order before the day ends" He said before shutting the door behind him.

“Grumpy Devil”