Chapter 4: See The Doctor With My Beauty

The next day, Kaleb was busy at work, listening to a new investment proposal from inside a conference room at the Wright Diamond Corporation. 

He noticed his phone vibrating inside the pocket of his trousers, but considering how important the meeting was, he ignored the calls. After some time, however, the trunk line to the conference rang, disturbing the presentation. 

Kaleb’s eyes narrowed, wondering how important it was for his assistant to forward the call. No one else knew about the meeting, except for his assistant, and of course, the CEO, his brother.

One of the managers took the call, and then he turned to Kaleb. "Mister Wright, it’s an emergency from the Third Diamond Hotel.”

'Emergency?’ Kaleb took a second to grab the handset and another moment to scan the team of employees who were equally curious about the emergency. “Hello."

"Mister Wright. I’m very sorry to disturb you, but we have a situation.” Kaleb was familiar with the voice of the hotel’s General Manager, Mister Stevens. 

"What is it, Mister Stevens?” Kaleb said in his deep voice. 

There was a sudden dead air, making Kaleb frown. The next thing he knew, he heard his son on the other line. "Daddy."

Kaleb’s eyes grew wide. He marveled at how his General Manager became powerless over his six-year-old son. He asked, "Liam? Why did you use the emergency trunk line of the hotel?"

"Daddy, I’m not going to the doctor,” Liam revealed. "I ran to Mister Steven’s office because you did not answer uncle Boris' calls. If you want me to go see my doctor, meet my demand.”

Kaleb groaned in annoyance. He did not need this right now, but his son’s vaccination had been postponed five times already. He shook his head and asked, "What is your demand?”

"I will only see the Doctor with my Beauty,” Liam finally said.

Silenced stretched between the father and son before enlightenment came into Kaleb. It was a perfect excuse to see Scarlett.

"Wait for me.” He answered.

After ending the call, he instructed his assistant to delay his son’s doctor’s appointment for another hour. Only after wrapping up his meeting did he leave to pick up Liam and then. Both left for the Herbal Twist Restaurant, with Boris driving them there.

***

Outside the restaurant where Scarlett was working, two frames could be seen in a serious conversation. 

"What? Two hundred dollars?” Scarlett let out a sigh of disbelief. She shook her head as she ran her slender fingers through her dark hair. "You know clients pay you more than ten times the amount, right? You should give me more.”

“Unfortunately for you, Scarlett, I’m the licensed attorney here. You are just technically an undeclared clerk. And mind you, if Luca ever finds out that I am giving you a side-job, he would get me fired from my office too!” The girl named Ciera said, handing Scarlett the money. “Take or leave it!”

Scarlett grumbled, but she had no choice. She accepted the money, for she needed it badly. Her apartment rent was due, and she was five hundred dollars short. 

She worked for three nights, writing those legal documents for Ciera, a classmate of hers back in law school. Yet, she was only paid so little.

“What a scum. They take advantage of me a lot,” she muttered under her breath, seeing as Ciera drove away in her car.

Since the struggle to find a stable job, Scarlett occasionally accepted writing jobs from her classmates or anyone who was too lazy to write their own legal document. 

She really hated it. She hated Luca more for it was he, his influence, and his father’s firm that had blocked her from taking the board exams, suggesting that she broke last year’s honor code. 

They threw on her face the pending assault lawsuit, one that Luca never really pursued. There were also pieces of evidence that suggested Scarlett had leaked answer keys from an examiner. 

Thinking of this, Scarlett wondered when her life would change. 

Beep!

A loud horn interrupted her thoughts as if answering her silent call to the heavens. She then saw a luxury black car, making her lips form into a big “O." A whistle left her lips too.

A Knight XV. Her dream armored car. It has got to be the biggest, baddest beast on four wheels!

Who could afford a nearly million-dollar car? The vehicle’s car window rolled down, revealing her adorable young suitor. 'Awwww. Cutie.'

“Hello my Beauty!” Liam smiled from ear to ear. His green eyes sparkled at the sight of Scarlett, and his hand eagerly waved at her.

"Liam?” She said with eyes expanding, her head gazing up to level with the vehicle’s height.

Scarlett’s eyes easily found Kaleb, who was sitting next to Liam in the backseat of the really expensive car. He greeted, "Good afternoon, Scarlett. Are you done with work?”

"Ah, yes. In fact, I just finished my shift. I took the earlier one today,” she explained. “Wow, nice car.”

"Thank you,” said Kaleb. "It was my father’s gift. Each of us, his children, has one.”

"Amazing,” Scarlett said, her mouth remaining open in awe. She snorted while thinking inwardly, 'I’d like to join your family.’

As if reading her thoughts, Liam intercepted, “Just so you know, my Beauty, I am the only heir of my father’s richness.”

Kaleb and Scarlett wound up looking at the boy, perplexed at his words. When Liam winked at Scarlett, she laughed thoroughly, finally understanding what this little boy meant. "Okay, Liam. I got it. I got it. You are the actual gold.”

Her face turned a shade darker as she went at it, giggling. Then, she pointed out, “But I thought we already clarified this. My name is Scarlett, not Beauty.”

"Oh, I know,” Liam answered. "But I like calling you Beauty. Dad made a poor excuse to call you Beauty, but I want to be the first to tell you that the name fits you well. You are... really beautiful, Miss Scarlett."

While Scarlett was trying to calm her wild heart, Kaleb was throwing daggers with his eyes at his own son. He could not believe how Liam betrayed him so brazenly!

A good few seconds of silence followed, with both Kaleb and Scarlett, trying to recover from how Liam dropped the bomb on his father.

To end the strange awkwardness, Scarlett peered down at the road and attempted to divert the discussion. She asked, "What - what brings you here, Liam, Mister Wright?”

"Scarlett, my son has a request,” Kaleb replied in his deep and sexy voice.

Scarlett glanced at Liam. Then she heard the boy say, "I want to see the doctor with my Beauty.” His chest heaved before he suggested, “I think I am more courageous with you around.”

"If you are free. I hope you don’t mind.” Kaleb exhaled deeply before he pleaded, "I would really appreciate it, especially since we have missed his prior appointments. This would be our fifth attempt to get his booster shot.”

Seeing Scarlett having second thoughts, Kaleb added, "Then, after the doctor’s visit, we would love to treat you for dinner.”

"Only at the five-star buffet restaurant of the Third Diamond Hotel,” Liam added. 

Scarlett pursed her lips at the offer. Considering how she needed some rent money, she could really use a free dinner. Clearing her throat, she replied, “I suppose I could help Liam get his shot.”

***

Heartbeats later, Scarlett found herself inside a private clinic of the Wright’s family doctor. Since they arrived, she had been encouraging Liam to follow the physician's instructions. From each of her advice, he said yes to all of them. 

“Liam, I’m going to give you your shot now in the count of ten  -”

“I’m ready!” Liam cut off the doctor, stunning Kaleb at his newfound courage. Even the physician was surprised at how readily Liam raised his arm. 

Liam turned to his arm, watching as the needle came close to him, but as soon as it pierced through his flesh, he shut his eyes. Everyone could see how he took a deep breath. 

“Well, that wasn’t painful at all,” Liam said, turning to Scarlett. “Did you see that, my Beauty?”

“Yes, I saw and I am so proud of you.” Scarlett offered her arms for him, and Liam jumped into her arms quickly. 

“I did it because of you, my Beauty. Because I want you to be proud of me,” Liam said, savoring Scarlett’s embrace. While he lingered in her arms, the boy turned to her father, giving him that smug look, as if he had already won.

Kaleb hissed in silence. He did not even know he was competing with his son.

Watching the two, Kaleb could not help but feel envious. He found Scarlett first, but how come his son was already in her arms?

An idea suddenly crept into his head. He said, “Son, I am the proudest father.” He was sitting in front of Scarlett and Liam when he rose from his seat and resumed, “I want to hug you, too.”

Scarlett, “???”

Liam, “!!!”

Before Liam could free himself from the embrace, Kaleb leaned over, his long and capable arms gently securing both Scarlett and Liam.

He pressed his frame against Liam’s back, his lips landing on the boy’s head, but his blue eyes secretly studied Scarlett’s red face. Kaleb's and Scarlett’s faces were practically inches apart.

When he let go, he casually explained to Scarlett, “I was… embracing Liam.”

Scarlett’s face was still heating up, following the unexpected hug. She slowly let go of Liam, nodding her head. She smiled and replied reluctantly, “Of course. I understand.”

Liam groaned.

Kaleb smirked.