GETTING THE HEART OF THE CEO

"They provide support to the children; the place doesn't have much staff or resources. Those four young people are their guardian angels; on weekends, they assist us with recreation and teaching", pointing with a finger, she continued. "That young man is Luan, and that young lady is Stefany. They created a foundation in the name of these little ones to raise funds for food. The other two young ladies, Lindsey and Janna, support us with their designs for the children's clothing. Sometimes, the resources from the public entity arrive late or only cover a portion of the expenses. These angels have come to support me with these little ones. Now, will you tell me why he's here?"

"I am Lindsey's husband," Kyle blurted out, not taking his eyes off the young woman who had him distracted. His heart was pounding, and he felt embarrassed for acting in that way.

Jimena softened; her fears had disappeared. She noticed how this man couldn't take his eyes off the blonde. Without knowing the men's reactions, she approached and with a huge smile, grabbed each one by the arm and pulled them towards the patio.

"Let's go so you can share this beautiful day that God has given us."

Freed and Kyle looked at each other, embarrassed to be discovered.

"Don't worry about us; we won't withdraw!"

"Now that you're here, you should share with these little ones," the lady didn't let them escape her grip and encouraged them to walk.

The resigned men let themselves be guided.

"Kids! Look who came to visit you? They are new friends."

Lindsey, looking at her husband, turned pale. She felt as if the air had been sucked out of her. She was upset, murmuring to herself, 'What is he doing here? Is he spying on me? I can't believe the audacity of this man.' "What are you doing here?" she managed to articulate with a thread of voice.

Luan and Stefany looked at her, puzzled about who he was. Janna knew him from photos Lindsey had shown her on the internet.

Kyle didn't know what excuse to give; he was caught red-handed spying.

"Do you know Lin? Who is he?" a 6-year-old asked.

"I'm her husband," Kyle spat out bluntly.

Lindsey swallowed hard. Very few knew she was married, only Jimena and Janna. She exclaimed in her mind, "Swallow me, Earth."

"When were you planning to tell me you were married, Lin?" Luan expressed with confusion.

"Who are you? Why are you talking to my wife like that?" a deep voice was heard.

Luan choked on his own saliva; the man intimidated him.

"I'm Lin's friend," he stammered.

Freed, seeing the terror in the boy's eyes and to break the tension, intervened.

"Don't be afraid of this big guy."

Stefany and Janna looked at each other and smiled. They noticed their friend was panicking, not eyeing that man as he usually did when they encountered a man of similar appearance. "Are you the Prince of Darkness?" one of the children said.

Kyle, bewildered, softened his tone.

"No! Why would you say that?"

"If you're Lin's husband, then you're the Prince of Darkness," another child jumped in.

Lindsey was as red as a tomato, remembering that a month ago, Luan and Stefany left early, and Janna and she stayed talking with Jimena. She told them she had married a cold and despotic man. "Did you marry the prince charming?" a little voice dreamt.

The three women hadn't noticed the presence of three girls listening to the conversation.

"What have I told you about not eavesdropping on adult conversations?" scolded Jimena.

The embarrassed girls lowered their heads.

"No, Lucia! He's not the prince charming, he looks more like the prince of darkness who wants to keep me locked in his castle," she joked in a playful voice.

The girls apologized and ran off to tell the other kids that Lin was married to a prince.

Janna, seeing the desperation on her friend's face, intervened.

"Hey, guys, let's have cookies and drinks. Luan and Stefany, can you organize the kids to come into the dining room?"

Kyle glanced at Lindsey, who was blushing and uneasy, sparking his curiosity. With a relaxed and amused voice, he looked at the boy who spoke, crouched down to his level, and asked, "What's your name?"

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"Liam, sir," he said, trembling, a blond boy clasping his little hands.

"From today, we're friends, so call me Kyle," he tousled the boy's hair with a half-smile.

The other kids, witnessing the scene, left the line and approached him.

"I'm Lucia, can I also call you Kyle?" a 5-year-old brunette jumped in.

"Yes, princess, everyone can call me Kyle," and the children started laughing.

"Now, tell me, why am I the prince of darkness?"

"Because Lin is Snow White, and we are her dwarfs. One day, I heard she got married, and I thought it was with the prince charming. But she told us it was with the prince of darkness who wants to keep her locked in his castle," Lucia recounted innocently.

"Why don't you want her to leave the castle?" This time it was Liam.

Jimena enjoyed the antics of her little ones. Understanding how Kyle interacted with the kids, she knew that beneath that tough exterior was a noble heart. Seeing her beloved Lin blushing like a tomato and emanating embarrassment, she decided to intervene. She clapped her hands to get the kids' attention.

"Children, to the dining room! Snacks are waiting for you."

Freed couldn't stop laughing. He was sure that this young lady had sparked an interest in his friend. He now understood why Kyle investigated her himself instead of hiring a private investigator. 'He's a fool if he lets that girl slip away from his grasp,' he whispered in his mind.

Freed had been Kyle's friend for six years since he worked as a security guard in a restaurant. Kyle was leaving the place with two bodyguards when a black van intercepted him. Five men got out and shot his bodyguards, leaving them lying on the ground. One pointed a gun at Kyle to make him get into the van. Freed noticed what was happening, stealthily positioned himself behind the van, disarmed one of the men, took his weapon, and twisted his neck. With another, he engaged in hand-to-hand combat, knowing martial arts and self-defense. The remaining three started shooting at him, and Freed ran behind the van and shot them, killing two. The third, seeing the situation, ran to get in the car and drove off, colliding with another car passing by at that moment. Freed was agile and immobilized the man on foot before he could escape. Kyle witnessed how this young man saved his life. Shortly after, he proposed to be his bodyguard, and their friendship was born from that moment. Now, Freed is his assistant and right-hand man.