Lessie's POV "Ma'am," the nanny greeted me first, easing my frustration."Why weren’t you here earlier?" I asked again, but this time my voice was calmer."We went home to cook porridge for James. He needs something solid to eat," she explained, holding out the lunch box, which I hadn’t noticed until now.The nanny I hired for my kids was in her thirties. I could have chosen an older one, but I wanted someone younger and more energetic, someone my children could play with."Oh, give it to me." I took the lunch box from her and began feeding James the hot porridge until he finished every bit.Afterward, we stayed with him until the next morning before leaving the hospital. Once again, the doctor reminded me to keep a close eye on James.When we got home, I settled James in their room to rest, while Jasmine and I stayed in the living room."Mommy, your phone is ringing," Jasmine said, picking it up and bringing it over to me."Who’s calling?" I asked, my attention still on the televisio
Lessie's POV Syracuse Airport~The plane touched down smoothly, and soon the passengers began getting down. We followed suit, and I held both my children's hands tightly as we made our way out. I pushed our luggage out of the security checkpoint.“Mommy we are in Syracuse already!” Jasmine cheerfully said, almost jumping.“Yes we are here already.” I looked at her and smiled.I noticed James was just as curious, quietly taking in the surroundings. I hadn't told them much about this place, only that I used to live here.“Your city is nice, Mommy,” James murmured, still glancing around in quiet wonder.I nodded and remained silent.As we moved through the bustling crowd, I could feel eyes on us. My long hair swayed gently, complementing my fair, porcelain-like skin and slender figure.Some people even took out their phones, sneaking pictures like I was some kind of celebrity. But I wasn’t surprised by the attention. I knew what I'd achieved in the past five years. After overcoming ear
Lessie's POV "Heh, look who's here. It's the former Mrs. Green. I can't believe I'm actually seeing her after all this time," a voice called out.I stopped in my tracks but didn't turn around right away. I stood still until the voice's owner moved in front of me."What? Are you too ashamed to face me?" she sneered. It was Sylvia, an old schoolmate. Back when news of my marriage to Freddie had spread, it had stirred up a lot of bitterness and jealousy among them.I wouldn't have thought much of Sylvia, except she made her bullying towards me painfully obvious—and all because of... sigh.I could imagine how thrilled many of them must have been when they heard about my divorce five years ago."What do you want?" I asked, straight to the point."Nothing much, just happy to see how you got dumped in the end. It’s quite satisfying, actually.""Is that all?" I responded, unfazed."Lessie!" Sylvia snapped, clearly irritated by my indifference, but I didn’t care."What?""You're acting like y
Lessie's POV After showering them with hugs and kisses, I still found James and Jasmine clinging tightly to me."Alright, that's enough," I said, gently peeling them off as I stood up."Are you hungry?" I asked, knowing it had been hours since their morning meal, and after all their play, they must be feeling hungry by now."Yes, Mommy," they both nodded, and I glanced around. Thankfully, the spacious room had a small kitchen; otherwise, relying on hotel meals all the time would have been a bother."Okay, Mommy will make us something to eat," I said, heading towards the kitchen. But James suddenly spoke up."Mommy, you're going to cook?" he asked, and I casually nodded without turning around."But where are the groceries?" he added.I quickly turned back, clicking my tongue in realization. "Oops! I can't believe I remembered to buy my dress and other goodies but forgot the groceries," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed. The kids burst out laughing at my forgetfulness."You're laughing
Lessie's POV I blinked to regain my composure before heading to our table. How did I let that slip into my thoughts? It must be a different Freddie—or even if it’s the same one, it shouldn’t matter to me.“Oh my, Lessie, you look stunning today!” Lucy exclaimed, standing up to hug me. Even Charlotte and David joined in.“Thank you,” I replied, admiring Lucy's wine-colored dress. “You look gorgeous too, Lucy.” She blushed, and I greeted Charlotte, David, and the others before taking my seat.A server passed by with a tray of drinks, and I grabbed a glass, sipping slowly while checking my phone.Suddenly, someone snatched the phone out of my hand. I looked up, almost annoyed.“Benjamin? You took my phone?” I asked, confused as I stared at his frowning face.“Yes, I did,” he replied without hesitation.“Why?” I questioned, still puzzled.With that, my other colleagues, who had been chatting amongst themselves, turned to watch us.“Do you really not know?” Benjamin asked, sounding a bit
Lessie's POV “Freddie!”It was really him… standing right in front of me. Our eyes locked for a moment.I forced myself to stay calm, even as my head throbbed with pain. Slowly, I stepped back, keeping my gaze lowered, then turned and started to walk away as if I hadn't seen him at all.Running into him like this was unexpected and irritating, but I knew I needed to leave immediately.Just as I was about to walk away, relieved that I hadn’t been stopped, I felt a hand grab my arm.“Lessie,” he said, blocking my path.I sighed but kept my eyes down. I just wanted to get out of there, as if our paths had never crossed.“Lessie,” he repeated, his voice insistent.“Excuse me, can you step aside, please?” I asked, glancing at the door he was blocking with his body.After speaking, I suddenly felt the temperature drop. Was it because of him? I was curious but resisted the urge to look up.I fiddled with my hands, waiting for him to move, but he stayed rooted, like an immovable object.I wa
Lessie's POV “Mr. Rodriguez, could there be a misunderstanding?” I asked suddenly, disrupting the stunned silence around me.I could see the surprise on my colleagues' faces, they were shocked that a billionaire like Freddie, owner of an entire conglomerate, had decided to partner with us. But for me, it was more than surprise; I was in a state of panic.How… how could he have partnered with us? No, this can’t be happening.“No, there’s no mistake,” Mr. Rodriguez replied calmly.“I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken. Adding new companies wasn’t part of our original plan,” I continued, my words spilling out in a rush as anxiety tightened my chest.“You’re right; we hadn’t discussed this before. But Mr. Green approached me just a few minutes ago, and we agreed to the partnership today,” Mr. Rodriguez explained, but I could barely focus, frustration building inside me.“But you… you can’t just add someone in like this,” I said softly, a headache beginning to throb at my temples.All I wa
Freddies POV“Why are you standing? Come and sit with me,” Mom said.“Uh, is that okay?” Judie’s voice followed, and I could hear them as I approached the living room.I sighed, a headache forming at the sound of their voices. I wanted to turn around and quietly leave, but Mom had already seen me.“Ah, my son, you’re back already,” she said, stopping me in my tracks.I couldn’t slip away unnoticed anymore, so I stepped inside, handing my suitcase to the servant.I sat down on the sofa, deliberately keeping some distance from them, and loosened my tie. “Water,” I instructed.The servant had just gone to drop my suitcase in my room, so I expected her to bring me water after that.“I’ll get it for you,” Judie suddenly said, springing up before I could stop her, and she hurried off to the kitchen.I sighed in frustration. Mom noticed and tried to soothe me.“Son, I know you’re upset, but Judie just wants to bring you water.”“Please, Mom, not this again,” I said, rubbing my throat, unwill
Lessie's POV“What?” the kids exclaimed in unison, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.James even jumped to his feet. “Mommy, what are you saying?”I stood frozen, my mind spinning. I wanted to speak, to say something—anything, but my lips refused to move.“Answer James, Mommy! What did you say? He’s our daddy? Who is that?” Jasmine rushed toward me, grabbing my arms and shaking me urgently.Her expression was a mix of anticipation and fear, as if she were terrified that she had misheard me.“Mommy, what do you mean? What daddy?” James pressed, growing more impatient with my silence.I looked down at him, an emptiness settling inside me.James had never acted like this before. He was always the calm one, yet now he was reacting so strongly. Just the mention of his father had ignited something in him. Was this how much they longed for their dad?“Mommy! Mommyyy! Mommyyyy!” The kids kept shaking me, desperate for an answer, but my body wouldn’t respond.I felt numb, wishing I
Lessie's POV “Are you even listening to me? I’m telling you to leave the club right now and go home. And make sure you eat properly,” I said, raising my voice slightly to emphasize the seriousness of my words.Freddie didn’t respond, not to my earlier words or this latest demand. The silence was frustrating.“Freddie, are you there? Don’t just sit there acting dumb!” I snapped, my patience slipping as I raised my voice even more.I could hear his faint breathing on the other end, so I knew he was still there, listening. He just wasn’t saying a word—or maybe he didn’t want to.“Fine. Since you don’t want to say anything, I’ll just hang up now,” I said sharply, my thumb hovering over the end-call button.But just as I was about to hang up, his voice came through, hoarse, low, and unexpectedly electrifying.“What?”The sound of that one word sent an odd jolt through me. I froze.“Goodness, Lessie, get a grip!” I mentally scolded myself, smacking my forehead. “Don’t tell me you’re losing
Lessie's POVAfter the meal, I sat on the balcony with the kids and their nanny. The fresh air felt refreshing, the perfect way to relax after eating.“Mommy, are you serious?” James asked, his curious eyes fixed on me.I nodded with a small smile. “Yes, son. We’ll be heading back in two days.”It was already a new day, and I hadn’t shared the outcome of the meeting with them yesterday. Now seemed like the right time.A quick glance at my phone told me it was already afternoon.“We’re going back, James!” Jasmine’s slower, childlike mind took its time processing the news, but once it clicked, she shot up and started bouncing around excitedly.I couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling lighter as I watched her joyful expression.“Sweetheart, are you happy we’re going back?” I turned to James, curious about his reaction.“I don’t mind,” he said with a casual shrug.It was exactly what I expected from him. No matter where we were headed, as long as Jasmine and I were with him, he was content.F
Freddie's POV “It's nothing. Just want to free my head.” I remained tight-lipped. “But-” Tyla wanted to persuade but Collin quickly spoke.“Let's Freddie be. If truly he's in trouble he won't keep it from us.” He said."I'll be in another room," I said, standing up abruptly. Before anyone could question me, I walked out.Once outside, I instructed the manager to arrange a private room for me. He quickly obliged, and as I approached the room, I turned to Zenith."Go and explain to them why I left," I said, hoping he’d come up with a reasonable excuse for my sudden departure. I just couldn’t face them myself."Understood, boss," Zenith replied, bowing slightly before heading toward their room.Without lingering, I entered the private room the manager had prepared. Inside, a staff member stood by, waiting for instructions."Bring me three bottles of alcohol," I ordered, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me.The staff member quickly complied, and within two minutes, three bottles w
Freddie's POV "Boss, it's almost evening," Zenith said, standing to the side while I remained completely engrossed in my laptop.I didn’t even bother looking up at him.“Boss,” he called again, more insistent this time.Reluctantly, I raised my head. “What?” I asked curtly.“It’s evening already,” he repeated.“And so?” I snapped, my irritation bubbling over.Zenith had been on my case since morning, and my patience was wearing thin. He knew it, yet he wouldn’t let me be.“You should eat something,” he said softly.I glared at him before turning my attention back to the laptop. Anyone with half a brain could tell I was upset and wanted to be left alone, but Zenith? He had a knack for doing the exact opposite.“Boss.”“Zenith, can you just leave my office? It’s almost evening, not evening yet. I’m busy and have a mountain of work to deal with. Do you understand?” My tone was sharp, laced with frustration.“Yes, I understand, Boss,” he replied. “But you’ve been working late for days no
Lessie's POV He didn’t even wait to hear anyone else’s words before clicking the end button.“Phew!” I leaned back into the chair, exasperated.I didn’t even have the strength to call the kids and their nanny back inside. I was both too tired and relieved at the same time.Feeling uncomfortable in the chair, I forced myself to stand and headed for the bed.Today had been overwhelming, from waking up early to visiting Ella’s house, taking the kids out for some fun, panicking when I couldn’t find them, finally bringing them home, and then rushing into a conference meeting.Now, I was utterly drained, sleep tugging at me. I sank into the soft bed, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, sleep claimed me. I had no idea how long I slept.When I woke up, I looked around and saw through the window that it was still bright outside.Frowning in confusion, I muttered, “Did I only sleep for a few minutes?” I couldn’t quite make sense of it.I was still lost in thought when I suddenly felt a soft
Lessie's POV The sudden voice startled all of us.I glanced at the screen and saw a new space light up. Benjamin had joined the call.I couldn’t help but smile. His timing was perfect, even though I knew I couldn’t always rely on him to save me like this.“Everyone, Mr. Rodriguez will be online in one minute. Be ready,” Benjamin said calmly.His words seemed to snap everyone back to reality. They quickly straightened their outfits and flashed polite smiles at him, concealing the awkwardness from moments before.“Yes, boss,” they responded in unison, suddenly serious.Just as Benjamin predicted, the last blank screen lit up a minute later. Mr. Rodriguez was now online, dressed sharply in corporate attire.“Hello, sir,” we all greeted him professionally.“How’s everyone doing? Are you all fine?” he asked with a warm smile, and we nodded in response.“That’s good to hear. Alright then, let’s get down to business,” he said, his tone now more formal.“Yes, yes.” “Mr Benjamin, will you ta
Lessie's POV “Lessie, you—” Ella started but sighed midway. Before she could continue, I cut her off immediately.“You don’t need to say more. Let’s head inside.” Without waiting for her reply, I quickened my steps back into the house.“Hey, Lessie! I’m not done talking!” Ella shouted after me, but I didn’t slow down. In fact, I walked even faster.“Sweethearts, we should get going already,” I said as I entered the house, noticing James and Jasmine standing by the door, clearly waiting for me.“Yes, Mommy.” James grabbed Jasmine’s hand, and together, we quickly left.“Argh, Lessie, you’re so stubborn! Bye, my darling Jasmine and James! Godmother will visit you again soon,” Ella called out, waving after us, finally giving up as we reached the bus stop.When we returned to the hotel, I didn’t even have a moment to rest before my phone buzzed. Benjamin’s name flashed on the screen.“Hi, Benjamin,” I greeted with a smile, even though he couldn’t see it.“How are you doing?”“I’m fine.”“
Lessie's POV Before I knew it, the men had already disappeared from sight. They must have had ridiculously long strides.I lowered my head, trying to relax. Not even a minute had passed when a figure appeared in front of me.I looked up, confused.“You may use one of the free rooms now. Here’s the key,” the guard said, handing me a key.“Huh?” I blinked, momentarily lost.“The boss has approved that the free rooms can be rented out. While the standard rooms are occupied, the VIP rooms are still available. This key is for one of them,” he explained patiently, likely noticing my bewildered expression.Before I could say a word, he turned and walked away.“Hey—” I called after him, but he was already gone.Excited, I got up and hummed to myself. A proper rest was just what I needed. Not wasting a second, I hurried upstairs, hoping he wouldn’t change his mind. With directions from someone, I quickly found my room.When I opened the door, I was stunned by the size of the VIP room. It was