Stella was still lost in thought when a sweet, childish voice suddenly fell in her ears...
“Daddy... Daddy! Baby is here!”
Stella looked at the little girl around four years running towards the man standing in front of the car.
Alia was come out of the school, surrounded by several bodyguards. When the little girl saw the man standing in front of the car, she shouted and ran over...
RK noticed his daughter running toward him and quickly took big steps forward and picked up the little girl in his arms...
The bodyguards and cars followed closely behind. He had only come to pick up his child, yet it felt like a play, attracting the attention of many onlookers.
“Why are you running? You know daddy will be worried.”
Alia nodded and said,
“I know. Don’t worry, Daddy... I won’t run next time.”
Stella watched the interaction between father and daughter when a familiar, crisp voice came from behind, drawing her attention.
“Darling?”
Adrian, always attuned to Stella’s emotions, had noticed the sadness in her expression. Concerned, he looked up at her and said, “Darling, if you’re not happy, then I can give you a big hug!”
As he said he opened both his arms wide...
Stella looked at her son's little face and hid the dim emotions in her eyes. She picked up the little chubby boy and hug him tightly and kissed on his pink cheeks...
“Darling isn’t unhappy,” she reassured him, “but yes, your hugs are so warm... I love them a lot.”
After looking at her son, Stella forgot about all other things or she didn't care about anything. In her life, nothing mattered more than her son...
“If my Darling likes it, then you can hug me like this forever,” Adrian said with a serious nod, hugging Stella’s neck. “And when you get old, I’ll hug you and take care of you.”
"Okay then don't forget... I am counting on you to carry me back and take care of me..."
Stella teased, playfully pinching his chubby cheeks.
With that, Stella began walking in the opposite direction from RK and his his group of people.
Time seemed to be stopped. The moment was so precious, mother and son were chatting and laughing, it's like they were alone in this world and no one around.
******
At home...
It's been not long since Stella had come back and she didn't have any place to live here except the RK mansion where she had lived for three years after her marriage with RK.
But of course, she couldn't go there and even she could... She was not willing to go...
So, Right now where she lived in an apartment that she had rented with her best friend Emily.
Emily and Stella both worked together in France and because both of them were from the same country in the company, they got along well with each other.
Last year, Emily was sent there from headquarters So after that both of them didn't work together in France.
“Stella, you’re here!”
Emily who was busy in the kitchen, heard the sound in the living room and came out to see. When she saw Stella, she greeted her happily...
Because she was working in the kitchen and just came out, she still had an apron around her body...
As she talked with Stella her eyes fell on the little boy standing beside her and her face filled with excitement...
“Look who’s here! My little darling! You have no idea how much your aunt missed you,”
Emily exclaimed, rushing over to hug Adrian tightly and kissed his cheeks.
Adrian frowned because expect from her mother, he didn't like to be kissed by anyone, but of course, he couldn't do anything because he knew that her Aunt was always like this...
Unbothered by his reaction, Emily continued, “Today, Auntie made your favorite grilled sandwich and corn soup. You want to eat, right?” She asked while picking him in her arms...
As she carried him, Emily went on, “I wasn’t home yesterday, so I was not able to see you. Look It’s been almost a year since I last saw you. You don’t know how much I missed my little baby.”
After that, she put him on the sofa and said, "But I can tell in this one year my baby get more cute and fat..."
“Fat?”
Adrian hear her words and jumped down from the sofa...
“I think Auntie’s getting old and eyesight’s gone bad. How can she say I’m fat? I’m just cute and handsome!”
Adrian said with an angry look and turned his head away from Emily...
Emily saw his cute reaction and laughed...
“He...he... Have you ever seen an Auntie this beautiful who can even cook delicious food?” she teased.
Adrian, still sulking, didn’t say anything, keeping his head turned away.
Emily looked at Stella and complained,
“It’s only been a year since we last met, and look at this little guy... How ungrateful he is?”
Stella didn't say anything and just smiled.
Because both of them were always like this.
She gently ruffled her son’s fluffy hair and said, “Baby, go wash your hands. It’s time to eat.”
Adrian heard her mother's words and replied...
“Okay, Darling,”
As he said he ran toward the bathroom to wash his hands.
Emily complained again, "Look at this little fellow he only knows how to listen to his mother! Stella, how long are you going to stay in the country this time?"
Stella sat down on the sofa, her expression thoughtful. “I’ve already done what Mr. Paul asked me to do. I first thought this project would take at least two months, but everything went faster and smoother than expected...”
She paused, then added, “Now that everything’s done, I’m thinking about going back as soon as possible.”
She didn't want him to be her boss. She didn't want to work for him...
She didn’t want her son and his daughter attending the same school. Most of all, Stella was afraid he would find out about Adrian.
After their divorce six years ago, she had cut all ties with him. They were already separated, and she didn't want to see him again...
Never!
“Then go back... But...” Emily hesitated,“I heard that Rene Kingston bought the company.”
She had already known about her situation So she also knew about her concern and worries. But No matter what she would always stay by her side.
“But the problem is...
Now that Mr. Paul’s company has been bought by the RK Group, if you want to go back to France, you’ll have to get his approval.”
Stella frowned...
Because this was the very situation she had been worrying about.
She had been thinking about this for a whole day but she still didn’t have the courage to face him.
What's more, she didn't want to look at him let alone say a single word to him...
Every time she thought about this, she felt some kind of psychological burden to meet him.
