“I won't be able to head Jason’s company anymore and for that, I will officially appoint my granddaughter Avery as the new CEO.” his words resonate in my ear.
I was thrilled that he believed in me to pass down this huge responsibility to me. The cheering from the guests boomed. I squatted down and placed a kiss on his forehead, whispering to his ear that I wouldn't disappoint him. Smiling at the guest, I made a strong promise to drive the company to a greater height, not wanting to let him down now. When I glanced at my uncle's direction, the look on his face was murderous before he zoomed out but I didn't fidget a bit. I noticed that Jeffery who stood beside him was no longer there.
Coward, he couldn't even stand my gut. He might have thought I was still that lonely orphan with no identity. I smiled to myself waving at Tobias whose face was glinting in glee.
The party was finally over and the whole mansion was silent as everyone reclined to their various rooms. You would never guess it was the same mansion that minutes ago had held the laughter and joy of different people. I had to stay back and ensure that everything went well. When it was finally time to leave, I dashed to my kids’ room in my grandfather's mansion to get them.
“Hello buddies, it's time to go.”
“But mummy, I want to spend time with grandfather,” David grumbled.
“Baby that should be on weekends,” I persuaded him, as he tried to drag his request.
I glanced around but couldn't find Daniel. They were both always together, never leaving each other's sight for minutes.
“Where is Daniel?” my voice tinged with a hint of panic.
David stared at me confused.
“Baby! Where is your brother?" I didn't want to believe whatever my heart was telling me, so I stood up and scoured the room looking for him.
My heart thumped even louder and my palms became numb and cold as I searched the whole room and found no trace of him
.
*******
Jeffery POV
I stormed out of the party in a rage, I couldn't just believe that she denied knowing who I was, I knew she was pretending. The moment I set my eye on her a chill creeped up my spine. I froze the minute I saw her, she was draped in a silky gossamer dress, sprinkled with sparkles, she looked like a fairy. The look was completed with the wings spread behind, and a crown made with flowers, twisted together with silver jewelry but her expression shrieked fury, her gaze filled with disgust the minute our gaze met. I knew I had hurt her feelings in the past but denying knowing me was absurd. I wasn't expecting her to welcome me with her hand wide open after what happened in the past.
“But embracing that man in my present to spite me, show off,” I bluffed.
I was restless, the urge to walk back to the party and confront her welled in me. But on second thought I messed up. For the past four years, I have been searching for her, it is all my fault our relationship ended the way it did. I accepted my parents' proposal to go into a contract marriage with Danielle to form an ally with her father's company but Avery ended up attending the wedding and ruined everything. How would I have known that Danielle's Father was her boss? The marriage was supposed to be hidden from her. I would just get what my family wanted and walk back to her.
Simple!
On that very day when I hurried back to the mansion to talk things through with her, not even her shadow was seen. I underestimated her, I thought she was infatuated and I didn't expect her to rise to her feet so quickly. Not only was she now the CEO of Jason’s company, but held the approval of the only company that held the ticket to my company's expansion. I groaned in agony tossing my phone on the car seat but it came down on a heap of the leather jacket, where a howl of a tiny voice came out. Frightened, I raised the Jacket but was stunned to see a little boy under it.
“What the hell!” The word came out of my lip and he hastily gripped the jacket from my hand to shield his face.
“Why would you let a child into my car?” I yelled at my chauffeur.
“Sir, I did not let a child into the car.”
“Are you joking with me? Do you want to lose your Job?”
“Sir, believe me, I did not allow any child into the car. I don't know how he got in,” He pleaded almost to the point of tears. I could feel the sincerity in his response.
“How did he get into the car?” I wondered, Gently I raised the jacket and quickly tossed it to the other side of the car, revealing the cute face of a little boy but I was baffled seeing the miniature of me. It was as if I was staring at my younger self.
What!
“How did you get in here little boy?” I held his hands trying to soothe him as his face pouted. I wasn't good at putting up with children but I was drowned by this little boy. I could feel a strange connection between us. Still gazing at him, he had the same gray eyes as I do.
Jess!
“What is your name and where are your parents?”
Jeffery POVI got no response from him, he just grinned at me in the cutest manner. I stared at him perplexed, Whose child was this? I thought inwardly.He held his rumbling stomach pouting his lips as I stared at a face that was small and cute like a cherub from a medieval painting “I’m hungry" he looked at me with those gray eyes identical to mine as he whimpered as if in pain. His voice softened my heart and I moved closer to him, rubbing his back, as I couldn’t stand the pain he was going through.I looked down at my watch wondering if any restaurant would be open, it was a few minutes past ten pm, and none would be open at that time. “Don't worry I'll get you something to eat, we will be going to my house and I’ll tell the chef to make you a meal when we get there" I said to the little boy, he nodded his head in agreement, and wrapped his hand around my waist. I hesitate a bit before taking him into a warm embrace. I felt a spark in my heart as though I was holding a missin
Avery's POVMy hands couldn’t stop shaking as I paced around the room, my boy had been gone for three hours to God knows where. My heart was beating so loud I bet someone miles away could hear it. My face was red and blotchy from all the crying earlier. I clasped my hands together and muttered a prayer, at that point, it felt like a mantra.I had left my boys for just two hours and this happened. I couldn’t stop blaming myself, if only I had left them with a grown-up. I had felt the boys wouldn’t leave the room but how wrong I was. I felt like a terrible mother.I looked around the living room to where my grandfather and other workers were Seated, everyone was wearing a gloomy look on their faces. I checked for Tobias, but he hadn’t returned, he had gone out with the staff to look around the compound for Daniel. At that moment I was really grateful to him, I wouldn’t know what to do if I were alone, I was so overpowered by emotions that I didn’t know where to start.He was making
Avery POVI couldn’t believe my ears, what was Daniel saying, I thought to myself, as I tried to comprehend his words.“You saw your who?" I asked as I looked at Tobias Panicked, he looked tensed as well “I was with this nice uncle, I wished he was my daddy" he replied with a cheerful smile Everyone breathes a sigh of relief as the tension dissipates from the room. How would he have known who his father was? I made sure I kept that away from them.Relieved, I said, “Come on baby, let’s get you showered," I looked at everyone with an appreciative smile as I walked to my room with him.“Dani!!” David screams as he hugs his brother, it was so nice seeing my babies together again.I ran their bath and bathed David before DanielWhile bathing Daniel, I checked again for injuries or any sign of abuse, when I didn’t see any, I relaxed and continued bathing him.“Tell me more about this nice uncle baby," I asked him as I toweled his body“He's really tall, Mummy, and he looks like Batman, h
Jeffery's POVI looked at myself in the mirror, to make sure my hair was perfect, I adjusted my tie and checked my wristwatch, I had a few minutes left before I left for the office. I decided to have breakfast, I walked to the dining table to the meal Monica already prepared. As I sat down at the table, my mind wandered back to the little boy who had been here earlier, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. It felt as though I was missing my flesh and blood like he was my son.I couldn’t help but wonder how he was doing. I wished I knew who his parents were but it was probably for the best that I didn’t know. My phone rang and I sighed as soon as I saw the caller ID, it was Danielle. I picked up the call to her usual sweet voice.“Hey baby, how are you doing?” She asked“I’m good about leaving for the office,” I replied as I got up from the dining chair and walked straight to my car, I just lost my appetite. The Chauffeur opens the back door and I glide in.“Baby I was wondering if we
Avery's POV It had been a really stressful weekend, with what happened at my grandfather’s house and settling back into the house. I was as exhausted as I could get. I couldn’t stop thinking about Daniel's mystery uncle, that has been all he talked about. I wish I could meet him to see why Daniel was so entranced with him.On getting home, I had instructed their nannies to be with them at all times, since Daniel could leave on his own. I didn’t want a repeat of what happened during the weekend.I stepped out of the car and had to put my sunglasses on, to hide the dark circles under my eye. I got to my office floor and my Secretary Anna informed me about someone waiting for me in the office.“Who?” I asked her.“He said he’s an old friend, ma,” she said.“And you let this old friend into my office without knowing his identity, Anna," I asked her.“I’m sorry ma," she apologized, “it won’t happen again."I was skeptical about having a stranger in my office, especially someone who claim
Avery's POV My head was banging as I closed my laptop and packed it into my bag, it had been one hell of a day. I had been a nervous wreck throughout the entire day. Jeffery’s visit to my office had really destabilized me. I had lost focus more than once during a presentation and lost my temper with one of my staff. I would have to apologize to the poor girl, she had been so close to tears, I really had to leave before something worse happened. I called Anna on my way out. “I'll be leaving earlier than usual, I have a headache," I said to her as I entered the elevator. “Okay ma,” she replied, “bye."I got home to see Tobias with the kids and my heart was instantly full of euphoria. I smiled to myself and felt the tension leave my body a little. David was the first to see me and I wished I had a camera with me, I would have captured the moment his face lit up. It was really beautiful. “Mummy is back," he shouted as he left their little group and ran toward me. Daniel swung his hea
Jeffery’s POVI clutched my fist to suppress the jealousy burning down my spine.I stared at the sight before me as a waiter led them to their table which was directly opposite ours.I continued to stare as the man pushed a chair out for Avery to sit, she gave him a sweet smile before she sat down.Who was this guy and what was Avery doing with him, I thought to myself. I had to keep reminding myself that Avery wasn’t mine any longer.Danielle clears her throat and I turn my head in her direction, I had completely forgotten that we were together.“Is everything alright?” She asked “Yes,” I replied quickly, “how is the new fashion line coming along?" I asked, trying to get my mind off Avery and the man.“Oh, everything is falling into place, if all things work out we should be launching in the next two weeks," she said as her eyes shone with excitement.Danielle owned a fashion brand that was really thriving, she had released many successful fashion lines and was about to launch the n
Avery's POV I fumed as I walked back to my seat next to Tobias, he noticed the change in my demeanor and reached out to hold my hands.“Is everything okay?” He asked, a concerned look on his face.I thought about telling him that Jeffrey was in the restaurant with us, but decided against it. I didn’t want any drama and I knew telling Tobias about him would cause a lot of it.“Can we just go home, I’m really exhausted,” I finally replied, I was indeed tired, it had really been an eventful day. I couldn’t believe I had run into Jeffrey twice on the same day when I had barely seen him in the last four years.“Okay, I’ll grab the bill," Tobias replied, not arguing “But, do you want me to pack up anything for you? You barely touched your food,” He said as he got up to go sort the bill.“Yes, please,” I replied.He came over to where I was seated and kissed my cheek before walking away. I sighed before getting up to leave the restaurant.I was almost in the parking lot when I heard someone