Paige's POV
I tucked Alex into bed, kissing his cheeks and forehead before turning off the lights and leaving the door open, just in case he woke up later on. As I walked out, I sighed tiredly, running my hand through my hair. Today was really hectic, and I am very grateful to have actually made it through if the pounding of my head doesn't count as anything. After a quick shower, I put on a comfortable black shirt and loose shorts, the perfect fit for bed. I reviewed the work I had left unfinished since I had to pick Alex up from school, reminding me that I needed to hire a nanny to help me both physically and emotionally, it would reduce the eyes on me a little, I just hope she doesn't charge much. I don't think I can handle that right now, but at the same time, I can't keep enduring the harsh comments from people who were growing suspicious of my denial about my son. I woke up really late, realizing I was running behind schedule. I quickly showered and dressed in a professional pink blouse and black pencil skirt, I could try to look presentable at least. I checked on Alex, who, gratefully, was already dressed and waiting for me, his big blue eyes reminded me so much of his father gazing up at me with a mixture of curiosity and concern. We stopped by McDonald's to get him something for breakfast since we were already too late, and I decided to get lunch at once before dropping him off at school and heading to work, feeling guilty for not having enough time to prepare a homemade meal. As I arrived at the office, Grayson spoke up, "Miss Moretti, you're lucky you made it just in time." Vanessa stood beside him, smirking, which I found suspicious, the look on her face already gave me the confirmation I needed, she had done something she knows will only add pressure to my workload, She stared at me like I was some dirt under her show but I couldn't care less, I have worse problems than her pained self, "Were you able to finish up the work yesterday?" Grayson asked as he gathered a few files on his desk, "Yes sir" I answered quickly, trying to sound confident despite my exhaustion. I can't even remember the last time I slept properly without the pressure of work pushing down on me "That's good because I have more for you, Vanessa couldn't finish up her work yesterday so I want you to help her finish up. She has to go to the hospital and check herself, she is having a fever. We can't have a sick employee doing anything around here, it is not good for the employee or the company, I am sure you know that" he said turning to glance at Vanessa who quickly morphed a sick and pitiable face which I can never fall for, how on earth can he even believe such a pathetic lie, "I am so sorry, Sir, I didn't know it would get this bad, I would have given prior notice but I just have to go and check whatever this is before it becomes worse," she said feigning tiredness as she clutched her stomach like she wanted to puke but I knew better, Vanessa's fake sick leave was a familiar tactic, and I am tired of covering for her or even trying to make Grayson see her for who she is, "I understand, don't worry you are free to go," he said to Vanessa and she nodded slowly before walking out but not without hitting me on purpose and the stupid blind boss couldn't even see it, I won't blame him though Vanessa has her charms, why on earth will anyone even want to favor me not to even think of looking at me with how messed up I am, I couldn't even keep my high school boyfriend. ~~~~~ Before Vanessa left, she stopped by my office, "Thank you so much, Paige, it's so nice of you to volunteer to finish up my share of the work" Vanessa started as she walked into my office smirking, the fakeness in her voice irritating to the ears, it took a lot not to throw something at her just to see how she would react to a bruise on her so-called pretty face, "My pleasure, you are supposed to be resting, why are you here, you will not get better if you don't treat yourself" I replied with an obvious fake smile, two fakes might make it real right? "Oh please we both know nothing is wrong with me," she said flinging her hands in the air as she expressed what I would like to call stupidity, "But it would have been nice, don't you think so?"I smiled sweetly at her flooding my arms in front of me, "Ugh, Bitch" she shot angrily before storming off, "How ironic" I muttered to myself with a slight chuckle facing the work in front of me. ~~~~ At lunchtime, I prepared myself for a break, relieved to have a call from a potential nanny for Alex, although I prefer not to go out for lunch but why not use the opportunity? I scheduled a meeting at the cafe down the street since it wouldn't be so far away from the company in case of emergencies. I knocked twice in Grayson's down before opening the door after a faint 'come in' from him, "I will be going for my lunch break now"I informed him from the door, not entering the office totally, "Be back in 15 minutes there is a lot to be done, I just got a call from R&J Technologies, they finally accepted our proposal to work with them, and fortunately for us the meeting will be held here so we have to out in our best to impress them" he said with a sly smirk on his face probably because he is proud that he is finally going to be working with one of the greatest company in the whole of New York, it is great news actually but I know better than to be happy for a company that is likely to throw me out someday like I didn't matter, "That's enough time, thanks"I appreciated rushing off without remembering to ask him the date for the meeting, well guess I'll find out later. I met with the woman at the café and we discussed the details. She was a simple woman in her mid-forties and, luckily, she actually didn't charge much, saying she wasn't doing it for the money, that it was more like a hobby to her than a job, and she wouldn't mind it. I headed back feeling a sense of hope that I might finally find someone to help me balance my work and motherhood.Paige's POVGood news is I finally found a nanny, turns out the lady from the cafe actually took the job and she seems nice enough so I think Alex will love herNow that's off my list I have to find a way to finish the extra work I was given because Vanessa practically ditched work today I have to do everything all alone, it's already past 9, and I still have a lot to do, why on earth can't he just assign someone to help me, he is definitely doing this on purpose and it isn't fair.The office phone rang bringing me back to reality with a sigh I picked the call,"Can you bring me a cup of coffee, Miss Moretti" Grayson said through the phone, sounding just as tired as I am?"On my way" I said simply, as much as Grayson doesn't treat me so well I still tend to pity him or should I say care for him as an employee, he works his ass off day and night just to make sure his family is comfortable and happy, I found out few months ago that his wife is a cancer patient and is somewhere off in It
Jace's POV "Sir your meeting starts in 30 minutes" I heard someone say from the door, making me sit up from my seat as the bimbo on my laps fell to the ground due to her lack of warning,"Ok then, inform Jay and Brandon we will be leaving in 10 minutes" I said in a gruff voice, and she nodded before hurrying out, and now she just killed my mood,"Get up and get out" I told the bimbo that I don't know her name, no surprise there it's difficult remembering any of their names,"Wait, what?" She asked looking all confused and by the way, still on the ground, is she waiting for me to help her up or something because if she is, then she should get ready to clean the floors then,"You heard me" I said, facing the files in my table that needed my attention,"We haven't completed what we started" she said trying to sound sexy, but it just pissed me off the more,"Don't let me repeat myself, Janet" I said trying to keep my cool, though I was getting really impatient with her,"My name is Britt
Jace’s POV"You guys go ahead I am right behind you" I said to Brandon and Jay as we got to our destination,"Are you good?" Brandon asked noticing my new profound foul mood,"Yea" I shrugged him off, I sat in the car for a few minutes talking deep breaths while trying to clear my head before walking into the company,"Time to get this over with" I muttered as I got to the receptionist, she quickly directed to where the elevator was saying someone will be there to take me to the conference room, but I didn't miss the once over she gave me, well, most females look at me like walking sex god so nothing new there,"I'm Vanessa Sir, nice to meet you" an overly excited woman said as soon as the elevator door opened, I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her and just nodded saying she should lead the way,"Mr. Grayson will be with you shortly" I heard someone say from where I guess is the conference room, but that voice, it sounds.... familiar, the door opened before I could ask the lady in
Paige's POV"Paige, my office now" Grayson said over the phone, making me sigh, what's the problem now,"You called?" I said as I got to Grayson's office,"Take a seat" he said with a gloomy look that confirmed my suspicions, something was definitely wrong,I stared at the ground waiting for Grayson to say something, anything but instead the tension in the air just increased and so did my curiosity,"Uhm... Is something wrong?" I asked when I realized Grayson wasn't going to say anything,"You're fired" he finally whispered, not looking at me, but I didn't need him to speak any louder I heard him very loud and clear, I couldn't say anything, so I just stared, this can't be happening to me......not now just when I thought things were starting to get better,"I am sorry Paige, I really am, but my hands are tied" he said, making me scoff angrily,"Last I checked, the company was yours, your hands can't be tied you just want me out so badly" I said with so much bitterness in my tone, but
Paige's POV"What's the time?" I asked no one in particular as I stretched on my bed, but then I was hit with a large pounding in my head, making me groan as I laid back down,"This is worse than any headache I have ever had, note to self never drink again" I said holding my head as the throbbing increased,I glanced at my bedside clock trying to read the time,"Shit it's noon ....... where's my baby" I panicked, ignoring the pain in my head as I managed to get up and walk to Alex's room, when I walked in I couldn't find him there,"well of course it's noon, I'm sure he tried waking me up" I muttered heading downstairs with my head still in my hands, I feel so heavy I could literally drop at any time,"Alex ... Alex" I called out as I got to the last stairs,"Mummy" I heard him shout from the kitchen before he came in sight running to me,"Oh my baby, I am so sorry" I said, bending to his level so he could hug me,"Why are you apologizing, Mrs. Rivers said you got home so late from wo
Jace's POV"Any updates?"I asked over the phone,"This seems to be harder than I thought but I was able to get a little information I hope it can help tho"Bryan replied from the other side of the line,"I am listening"I said calmly,"She was arrested this morning"he said making shoot up from my seat,"Wait....... what,why?"I asked as panick set in,"She had a fight with the wife of Theodore Henz, CEO of the Henz industries""When did this happen?"I asked,"The fight happened yesterday evening at the Fair that was organized at the park but she was arrested this morning "he said ,"Thank you,I will contact you again soon"I said ending the call swiftly,I don't care what she did but they must pay for even putting her in handcuffs,"Jamie clear my schedule for the day"I said to my secretary as I walked out of my office,"But Sir you have a very important meeting in 20 minutes "she said lowly probably scared I will lash out on her or something,"Brandon will handle whatever it is"I said di
Jace's POV"Ugh"I groaned for the umpteenth time today but I couldn't help it, everything seems to either frustrate me,irritate me or annoy me, although it's a usual occurrence but today's own is just at its peak. I haven't heard anything from or about you know who since the day at the police station and I am not finding it funny at all, Grayson assured me that he had sacked Paige as I had requested him to but not without expressing the regret he had after doing it, he was confused as to why I would ask for such an outrageous thing but I don't know I never do sane things this days, but what frustrates me the most is the fact that she isn't even trying to look for a job when she clearly needs one, incase your wondering how I know that I have someone watching her,not as a stalker just some sort of protection but definitely not stalking, right? I don't even know but don't judge me it's the only way I can keep tabs on her and be assured she's safe cause she didn't even want to seat in the
Paige's POV"Alex has not come out from his room since he got back from school, he won't eat anything,he won't speak to me,I can't even get a reaction from him even if it's tears, just something "I said sobbing on Grace, apparently he realized I lied to him about his father, now he believes what everyone has been saying is the truth not lies like I told him, I know his father denied him and all but I didn't tell him that guess people really don't know how to mind their business,"Let me try"Grace said walking away to Alex's room leaving I and the devil himself all alone, I was about to walk away to look for something to busy my mind with other than sitting here with the devil when he stopped me,"Remove your filthy hands from me"I screeched like his hands just burned me as I pulled my hands away forcefully,he flinched a little but no it wasn't so noticeable but I noticed it,"Can we talk, please?"he asked,"What on earth do you have to say now that won't make me hate you more than I
Paige's Pov. "Come on, I will be right beside you through out, you will be surprised if his perspective of you may have changed over the years, it has been 10 years, he must have had a change of heart somehow" I said softly drawing small circles on her palm as we stared at the hospital building, I could feel Lisa fidgeting beside me either because of her fear for hospitals or her fear of rejection or even both. "I guess so" She said with a light Shrug. "Remember just be calm and be yourself, Okay?" I said softly. "Okay" she nodded. "Here goes nothing" I cheered as we walked into the hospital hand in hand. The strong distinctive smell of antiseptics, disinfectants and drugs struck me hard making me pause in my tracks, my gaze moving to Lisa's. "You Okay?" I asked. "I have to get over it someday, I will be fine, I need a few minutes to adjust " She replied gripping my hand tighter. "I get it, take all the time you want, we could sit and wait if you want" I offered. "I am good
Paige's POV. Three days later."We should go and see Brandon's dad on our way back" I suggested to Lisa as we prepared to leave. It took alot of convincing to get Lisa to agree to go out with me, She was hell bent on staying right beside Brandon till he wakes up. I had to promise her that we wouldn't be out for long in case he wakes up, and also had to make her understand that Brandon will not be happy if he hears that she put her life on hold to wait for him to wake up and that seemed to have done the work."You know he never approved of me since high school" Lisa replied with fear coating her voice."That doesn't mean you shouldn't visit him at the hospital, at least for Brandon's sake, he wouldn't be happy when he wakes up and finds out that his father was hospitalised and you didn't go to see him" I advised."Yeah, I guess so" Lisa replied with a light sigh."With enthusiasm, we should get moving if we aim to be home early," I cheerfully suggested, reaching
Jace's POVAs I stood under the shower, I replayed the events of the day over and over again in my head, watching the blood on my skin go down the drainage.The lifeless look on Mr. Hanson's face when the ambulance took him away will most likely haunt me for a while.We should never have gone there, whoevershot him was probably after us. How will Brandon feel if he wakes to his father battling for his life in the hospital and then there is the stunt Paige pulled this afternoon, she never listens, we shouldn't be trusting anyone right now but no, she had to go ahead to let a stranger into the house."Jace" She called out from inside the room, I knew I should have locked the door ."Jace, please I know you are in there, please come out let's talk",She pleaded knocking on the bathroom door."Jace" She called out again after few minutes."Please go away,Paige, we have nothing to talk about, you should go and attend to your visitor" I finally replied."He ha
Paige's POV"What are you doing here?" I asked Leon, trying to mask my shock."I came to see you, you have been ignoring all my calls and texts since the burial, I wanted to be sure everything is okay" He replied a bright smile on his face."I have not been ignoring your calls and texts and even if I was isn't that more reason why you wouldn't want to find me?" I questioned refraining from banging the door in his face so I could prepare myself more for this."I don't think that way, I have known you for over five years now, and even though we are not as close as I would loved us to be, but you never just go blank on me like this, on days when you can't text or call, you call when you can, to apologize, so my first thought was definitely something had gone wrong, you can't really blame me" he shrugged so casually me but I just kept screaming in my head. Jace or the kids better not come home anytime soon, it would be a disaster, Paige this is what you get for enabling this guy for so lo
Jace's POVHer words kept replaying in my head over and over again as we drove, I guess even my in wildest dreams I never thought she would say something like that to me. It made perfect sense anyway. It was really a hypocritical thing to say after all, l am here judging a man for doing the same thing I did, he didn't deny his son at least. I deserve all she said."Are you okay?" Jay asked snapping me outof my thoughts making me realize we had already stopped."Yes, I am" I lied taking off my seatbelt. "No, you are not. We got here over five minutes ago and I have been talking to you since we left the office and your half-ass replies and zoning out are enough to know you are definitely not оkау" Jay replied seeing straight past my pathetic lie."Can we do what we came here for already"I said evading his question."This is not over trust me" Jay replied before unlocking the car doors, | nodded before alighting from the car."I will do the talking,
Paige's POV It's been a week, one full week, and still nothing from Brandon, not even a small move of his finger to at least assure us that he is recovering. All the doctors we have brought keep saying the same thing, that he will wake up soon but that's the problem, no one is being specific and everyone is growing impatient. Lisa most especially, she is losing it and I can't seem to be able to do anything about it. We have all decided he would be brought back home and treated from here so we could all keep our eyes on him and so that Lisa will at least leave the hospital since that is the only way she has agreed to leave."You are not going to the office today?" I asked Jace as l served breakfast. The silence at the dining table was starting to make me uncomfortable so anything to get the table talking."There is no time for that. I have to go to the hospital to help with Brandon's move and also Jay and I need to have a word with Brandon's Da
Unknown POV"Boss, the police are here" Albert, my newest recruit informed me."Handle them, they shouldn't be much of a problem if you tell them exactly what they want to hear" I instructed my gaze fixed on the TV screen."Right away sir" he replied before walking away.Sighing to myself, I smiled, the long-awaited day was slowly drawing close, and I would finally get all I had ever wanted.Knock.Knock.Knock."I would like to believe he is dead now" I stated."Yes sir, he is" Authur answered immediately although there was something off about him like he refrained from telling me something I should know."He better be or you will take his place and trust me he had a really nicer death compared to what I will do to you" I threatened lighting the cigarette between my lips."I understand, Sir" he quivered, something is definitely up with him and I will find out."Good, go and help Albert out with the police and if they insist on anything at all finish them off" I instructed dismissing hi
Paige's POV One day LaterI finally understood what a true miracle felt like. According to the doctors Brandon was dead for a complete thirty minutes, they had claimed they had already exhausted all the resuscitation methods they could think of and had declared him dead but after running another checkup on him they found out he had a faint heartbeat that was why they couldn't detect it, apparently, if he hadn't moved when he did, they wouldn't have known, he would have died "How is he now?" I asked Jace once he walked out of the doctor's office, I needed positive information for Lisa as she had decided she wasn't to going leave Brandon's side till he was out of the hospital but he didn't seem to look like he was waking up anytime soon. The doctors were able to stabilize him but he hasn't said anything since then, no reaction either, he just lay so still, if not for the now beeping heart machine in the ward I wouldn't have believed he was actually
Brandon's POV"Jay knew too?" I asked in disbelief."He had to come looking for me on the wrong day" he replied."Please help me tell him, it isn't his fault either, he promised" he continued."Fuck all of this" I cursed my anger growing."I know you don't understand a thing but promise you will understand soon but now right now, you have to go or else you wouldn't be able to leave again" he warned but I was feeling too much all of a sudden."I fucking can't, don't you get it. I have no control over myself at the moment, I can't feel a damn thing" I shot angrily."All you have to do is push yourself immediately you feel anything at all, you will know exactly what to do right after that" he replied his voice growing faint."You have to explain things to me Caleb, I am losing it" I said."I really want to but there is no time, you need to leave now brother" he answered."Caleb" I called but my voice seemed to have grown mute as the white light from earlier flashed and then loud sirens n