Touching the Heart of Ace

I sighed as I looked into the front mirror of the car and saw the girls giggling; Windy and Little Lia. Thankfully she forgot about the prick on her forefinger covered by a unicorn Band-Aid. Told my little trouble maker to leave that cactus alone. She had no business while the workers did their job in the greenhouse.

But Daddy and Princess never listened to me.

I had warned her one last time but she did poke at the 'fuffy thwing' and got her tiny finger pricked.

It was not a big deal but the sudden pain shocked her and the diva threw her head back and wailed.

"DWWWAVEEEY..."

There was a tiny bead of blood on the tip of her forefinger and she screamed harder.

I had a tough time trying to hold my laughter in.

It was funny, come on.

There was nothing to see or a wound per se. I wiped that bead off and she scowled not seeing the proof that the 'meanie thing' had indeed pricked her.

But she lied on my chest, still wailing and glaring at the fingertip.

"Pwicked me Davey... waaaaahhhhhhh... Pwicked me. MEANIEE"

I bit my lips hard, not to laugh out loud.

"Awww... baby, show Davey." I blew on her hand and gave a tiny lick on the finger before kissing it. "All gone now... no boo boo."

"Owiieeee.... Daveeeey... owwwiieeeee..." She opened her small mouth wider and started screaming again.

I stuck Band-Aid on the finger and the drama queen stopped ringing my ears. I gave her a small bowl of ice cream before going to the bathroom and laughed to my heart's content while slapping my thigh. How did I live before she came into my life? She was so precious.

I did not know I was lost in thoughts until I heard my baby answering the phone.

Oh shoot!

She had scared away someone who had called us two days prior. I did not know what she told the person on the other side and Lia did not know what the other person told her. But my Little Baby loved to attend the calls.

"Yooo... Benly resnance!" She screamed at the mouthpiece but I took it right away. "Nu... Davey... Baby taawking..." She jumped on her soles and yanked on my pants.

"Hello, Brantley's Residence... oh... hey... Uncle Andy... Wait a second... Lia, no, it is not Daddy, its Uncle Andy... Lia... stop..."

"Baby twaaak..."

I gave her a glare and she pouted but wandered off to the T.V while glaring back at me.

So spoiled.

I shook my head.

"I am sorry about that, Sir... Lia is just being a baby... no, she loves attending calls... she will be fine..." Lia could never be so mad at me for so long.

Mr. Anderson was calling for some serious matter; I could tell by his voice. He was my mom's good friend and used to be her personal assistant. But then she promoted him as the Senior Superintendent and he handled all the employees of Truscott. Co. With the merge of Truscott Co with Brantley Enterprises, he was posting both of our employees. It was not for idle chit-chat that he called me at office-hours.

My intuition was right, and that was why I was driving to Daddy's office with my girls- Windy and Lia- in tow. I smiled hearing them giggle from the back seat.

Such a small trouble maker could be so sweet if she wanted to.

"Davey... Winny say Lia gwood gal..." She giggled happily and proud of herself.

"Yes, sweetheart, you are a good girl, Lia."

She cackled again and started doing whatever Windy had told her to do.

But her Daddy was being a bad boy.

I sighed!

It was not entirely his fault either... I was accountable too.

I sighed... again.

"Everything will be fine, Davidson, Sir. He will be fine the second he sees your face." There was a slight teasing in her voice which she did not try to hide.

I narrowed my eyes and the girl giggled at my expense.

No wonder Lia and Windy got along just fine. They were both trouble makers. Adorable trouble makers but still trouble makers that made fun of me. But she might be right.

Daddy and I had a huge fight... again... on subject of Janice. In my perspective my anger was warranted.

As usual the tabloids were on our back but this time they came as locusts because they saw me coming out of Uncle Fred's car.

Him being the big-shot film director of Hollywood and long term partner of Jack Kennedy, made all the film and music media after his back too.

Despite Robbie being a multibillionaire, he was not that famous outside the business world. He loved his privacy and all his scandals, issues and troubles that were known to public were related to his business Honestly not many people cared about that.

But Kevin posting the 'cheating' stunt by Janice, live on Facebook and Janice crying and pleading on all known social media platforms, had taken the attention of a lot of people who were outside of business bubble.

Which was not good.

Now with Uncle Fred also involved, the dangerous kind of Paparazzi were also behind us.

So as usual I was going through some tabloid articles with our photos. The conspiracy theories were absolute bullshit and that made it even more funny.

But then an article had got almost everything correct.

'Robbie and I were in love for so long'.

There was a picture of us in an art gallery with the artist Sidney Croman, one of my favourite painters in the world. Robbie and I were standing on the either sides of him.

I remembered it, fondly. Robbie hated art but he came with me when I begged him to go.

Even bought me the painting I liked, too.

That was the next photo by the article; Robbie holding that painting while I was hugging his whole left hand with my body. It was before his marriage and the article did not forget to mention that. 'Robbie, Lia and I were a family'.

There were three images of us cuddling together. Little Lia was only two months old and I was feeding her a bottle while Daddy was sitting next to me holding me close.

Who took these pictures! This was whole another level of creepy.

I would understand if they took our pictures now, given the situation... but this was ridiculous.

But the article was right to a certain extent.

They even told my whole name and I was the heir of Truscott Co and my Uncle Fred was my dad's best friend.

If we overlooked the fact that they had a creepy collection of Robbie and I being together even before 'we' admitted we were together, the article was in our favour.

They concluded stating I was no ordinary man and surely not just an eye candy... but... still creepy.

I shivered.

How the hell did they get the photo of Lia, Robbie and I, in a carnival?

The funny fact was they called Janice a surrogate who got greedy by our wealth and trying to dig up some gold on her way to pathetic life.

The rest of pictures were from my Little Baby's events, birthday parties and outings. And they asked where the mother was.

'Robbie and I are secretly married'.

The image of us coming out of a chapel holding a bouquet. That was not our marriage, but Rupert and Ned's. I was helping Ned, by holding his bouquet while he fixed his hair before they sailed off to their honeymoon.

But Robbie had his face on my neck and it was so romantic from a third person perspective.

So, in gist everything was okay... until...

Until...

Until...

Until...

I had to read it three times before the words made sense in my brain.

'If not for the contract, this overused overplayed plastic doll, would have been thrown to streets long before. If you ask us, someone would run to the hills seeing this face. Is that even a human face? People should sign a contract begging her not to show her face to anyone, to save the whole world. Maybe that was what the contract about. Lol. Just saying. No hate.'

It was a picture of Janice without any make up on, showing the plastic surgery mistakes clearly.

I gulped; not at the very poor quality of Janice's photo or at her boobs that are practically out of her party clothes or someone's hand was on her thighs but...

But...

What contract?

Daddy and the lawyers were discussing over his table when I walked into his home office. Jason was on the couch leafing through some magazine but froze seeing my expression.

"We didn't do anything." Isaac raised both of his hands, Weston looked scared and Simon narrowed his eyes.

"Robbie..." I loved the panic in his eyes. "Baby..."

"Yes, Angel."

I laughed, ignoring the tension in my heart. "A funny thing..."

"Y... Yeah?"

"What is this contract, the stupid article talking about?" He flinched when I threw the IPad over his desk.

So, it was true. He did not have to say anything. I could read him like a book; how his face closed off of any emotions and how he surreptitiously glanced at his lawyers without lifting his face up and most importantly... I heard Jason's muffled 'crap'.

Jason knew it too. "Slave..." I called and he tried chuckling to conceal his real emotions.

I would deal with him later.

"Big Baby, the article is stupid, right? Right? I mean you would tell me if you have signed something like that. I mean according to the article the contract should have been signed before the marriage... and the love of my life, the man who says I am his everything, would not hide something that important from me, right? Of course you wouldn't. I mean... I live with you... I sleep with you...hell, people say we are husbands... and not to know such a ridiculous big thing of your life, huff! Impossible. Right, Babe?"

I smiled with my frozen facial muscles.

Robbie rapidly gulped.

"I mean, we are fighting for this divorce together, right? That is what you told me. So, there is no way I would not know about a 'contract... I mean it had been months and you had a lot of time in your hands, so

you did not tell me about this silly contract that has the power to override the divorce petition, because there is no such contract, right? Right, Love?"

He was not looking at me. Why was he not looking at me?

"AM I RIGHT, SWEETHEART?"

Everyone jumped and I laughed because it was too damn funny.

I meant all these times, he was telling nothing was standing in his way to divorce. That it was easy peasy lemon squeasy.

A contract tying him to her was not at all a problem in divorce!

What did I know; I was a pathetic stupid fool in love but in my idiotic mind it could be a huge problem enough to drag this marriage for years to come, depending on what this jackass had signed.

"Tell me, this article is stupid; I will go back to my Little Baby and make her an apple pie or... you know, we are packing our stuff up and leaving. Tell me."

Robbie opened his mouth but a soft 'do not' from Jason stopped him.

And it pained me even more. He was going to lie, wasn't he?

Robbie wiped his face.

"Please sit down, Angel."

"I will rather stand, Demon. A small 'stupid' and I will go back to kitchen. It would not take much time." I blinked back my tears.

Robbie winced and... "It is true."

"Hahaha... I thought you said it is true."

"Please, Baby. Please listen."

Oh I was listening. I was listening, alright.

He gulped again, seeing me waiting and not interrupting him.

Oh, this was going to be so good.

Robbie squirmed and I pulled back a chair. "Would it make you talk if I sit? I am sitting now and listening." I sat down and crossed my legs.

He looked around for help but no one was going to save him this time.

"... Angel... I uh..."

I raised my left eyebrow.

"She... she did not believe I would not leave her... or the baby... you know... I was not... very welcoming to her and... she thought I would not take the responsibility of the baby after it was born... so..."

"Oh, that baby that was not all in her tummy, right?"

Robbie flinched and I heard Jason saying 'low blow' under his breath.

I DID NOT GIVE A FUCK!

"Yeah... that baby... but I did not know about that then, Angel..." I ignored his attempt to appease me. "Sigh! She wanted me to sign a contract... Terry, my ex-lawyer pulled up a contract stating I would look after Janice and the baby for one whole year after the kid was born and..."

"Your fucking stupid ass did not read that sentence properly and since the kid was not 'born' the contract dragged your fucking life."

I scoffed at the surprised look from Robbie. What, even a stupid idiot like me could see that trap from a mile away.

"Yeah..."

I narrowed my eyes.

"It had been well over a year after our Lia is born. Why are you afraid now, Daddy?"

He winced and rubbed the back of his neck.

Nervous; he was nervous.

I almost wanted to pull his head to my chest but... it was high time he learnt the lesson.

"She brought up the contract, last session. The contract had been signed for five years. I swear, Angel, it was only one year. I would not sign a five-year agreement, you know me. But... then the fucking Terry,

my ex-lawyer, he also claims that I signed five years."

How much I wanted jump across the desk and rub his head until he stopped worrying.

"When was this session where she brought this five-year contract?"

He had the audacity to scratch his head.

You feel, so itchy now? I want to pound your head to the wall.

I closed my eyes when the bastard told me that it was two sessions back. I glared at him.

"And you did not tell me about this... because?"

"I did not want to worry you."

"Aw! How cute! Always the same excuse. So, Big Baby, look at me and tell... do I look worried?"

He mumbled a yes.

"I cannot hear you!"

"Yes. You look worried, Angel."

"Damn right! I look worried because I am fucking worried." Then I started screaming and I could not stop. "When will you learn that hiding things from me will only bring me a thousand times more pain later?

Huh? You hid the reason you married her and do you know how much you suffered? Do you know how much pain it brought me? What kind of nightmares I had?"

He nodded.

"Well it was not hundredth of what I told you."

His eyes filled with guilt and I wanted to poke those off his skull.

"Then this too. I had to fucking learn about this contract... a fucking huge incident of your life... the life of the man I love... the life of the man I want to spent all my lives with... from a dirty cheap article with no

moral grounds whatsoever. And you have the audacity... the fucking audacity... to tell me that it was to save me from pain and worry? Are you kidding me, Asshole Brantley, are you kidding me?"

"I am sorry, Angel."

"No, you fucking are not. You know what? Lia and I are leaving. And don't bother about divorce anymore, because we don't give a fuck anymore."

I stood up and turned to leave.

"BABY! No... I really am sorry. I swear to god; I will never hide anything from you... Anything... Please... Angel... I am so sorry... Please."

He hugged me from my back and I had to resist the urge to melt and cry.

But dammit! This asshole was one mean fucking bastard.

I pushed him away.

I rubbed my itchy teary eyes.

Dammit!

"I am so sorry." He hugged me again.

This time at least he sounded genuinely sorry.

"YOU!" I pointed to the lawyers and they jumped.

"We did not know that he did not tell you. We did not advice it. We had nothing to do with it..." Isaac started rambling and Weston started nodding like a doll.

"No... not that." I sighed. I was tired and sleepy and... tired and... just tired... "You work for me. I want to know what happens in the court. I want to know what your next steps are... I want to know every fucking thing. Do you understand?" They looked and Robert Brantley. "...or Lia and I can just leave... you guys do your stuff and we want nothing to do with it."

"Agree! I agree. You guys work for my Angel now." Robbie wholeheartedly agreed and that was enough for the lawyers.

I rubbed my face.

"Simon, you guys are going silent."

He was confused.

"Whatever Janice says do not bring up any strong defence. Just let her. Let her bring out all her shit; big guns, small guns... If anything let her win for next sessions... I want to know what she has got. Get me?"

"We can do that."

"Robbie relieve Jason of all his duties in France. You can leave for classes, Slave, but I want you all other times here, with Lia. I am going to attend all the proceedings from now on. So, I want you here."

"You got it, Goose." He gave me thumps up.

"A contract should be put up in a legal format, right, Simon?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Al righty then."

So, she forged a document with that fucker Terry and trapping my man again.

I got a stupid man as a lover. I glared at him.

"Sorry, Angel."

"Stop being stupid and then say sorry. MEN!" I spat.

"Uuuhhh, Goose, technically, you are also a man." Jason oh-so-kindly reminded me.

"Nope. I AM FUCKING ANGEL!" I was. I was a fucking angel for not shoving his figurative sorry up his ass!

"Thank God, my Annie is no angel." I heard Weston saying, as I stormed out of Robbie's home office to my kitchen to make these stupid asshats, apple pie.

God, what happened to my life!

I was hurt and mad, which made me give cold shoulder to Daddy and...

...that frustration was showing in his office.

He had already fired three employees by this time... it was not lunch time yet.

In his defence, 'Don't take your frustration of having a cheating wife onto us' warrants a firing.

But he went hard-core on rest of the employees and when Mr. Anderson saw one of the very compatible empl

"Unca Andy!!!" Lia screamed even before she got down from the car.

"He is Mr. Anderson in office, Lia." I snickered, teasing the old man.

Lia tipped her back to look at me; adorable confused.

sniffling in her cubicle, he called me.

"Bully!" He gave me a nooggie before hugging me and picking up Lia. "You call me Unca Andy all the time, kid. Oh, who is this beautiful young lady?"

I introduced Windy to Uncle Andy.

Lia popped her thumb in her mouth and lied on his shoulder and when we reached the elevator he handed my kid to me, before ducking off.

I shook my head at his antics. He did not want Robbie to know that I was here because he called me. I opened the door to the conference room and my man was the king, no, the emperor, with the way he

looked half-bored and half interested at the presentation running in front of him.

"DADA!"

So much for giving him a surprise.

"Babies? What? What are you guys doing here?"

Lia started kicking from my hip to get down and ran to Daddy when I dropped her. "DADA!!!"

He picked her up and dropped a kiss on her forehead, his eyes asking me if anything had happened.

I shrugged but I saw Chance and Matthew taking a visible calming breath while Aaron pouted.

Ever the immature one, I was sure, Aaron was enjoying Robbie's tantrums.

Lia was busy squishing Robbie's face in her tiny hands and giving him kisses. "mmmm... mmmm... Daddy."

Robbie finally blew a raspberry in her neck making her squeal and laugh. "What are you doing, Pretty Princess, what are you doing?"

"Daddy kissie... kissie... kissie..." She cackled throwing her head back. Robbie took pity on my child and let her calm down by patting her back.

"Lia! Do you know what I found?" Windy tried to catch my baby's attention knowing we had work to get back to. "Hi, Mr. Brantley." She waved her hand and Robbie nodded at her smiling.

"Wha? Winny?"

"Fishes!"

"Fishie? Petty fishie, Winny?" Lia already started running in Robbie's hands and I chuckled. It was funny to watch.

"So many pretty fishes. We will be with Mr. Anderson; Mr. Brantley, Davidson Sir."

Lia ran away from us giggling and Windy followed her equally happy. Windy would let my kid run around all she wanted; one of the hundred thousand reasons why Lia was enthralled by her. I, on the other

hand, would pick her up the moment I notice her tiny legs had taken three steps. I could not help it.

I glared at the teasing smile Windy gave me before blushing.

She was right; Robbie was looking much better already. If Lia and Windy was not here, he would have kissed me breathless.

Windy giggled before giving me thumbs up.

Girls!

Robbie yanked me to his chest by my waist. "What are my Angels doing here?"

"Why? Can't we come to Daddy's office?"

"Any particular reason?" He was leaning way too close to be appropriate in office setting.

I giggled and pushed his chest. "Inspecting if you are doing your work properly." I might have leaned to him a bit... a tiny... tiny bit.

"Just kiss already!" Aaron huffed from his seat and I pulled away.

"Hello, people." I waved my hand to his associates who were smiling at us and the poor man who was sweating bullets while doing his presentation.

"You can inspect me all you want, Boss." Robbie flirted as I went to the table. There was no additional chair for me to sit. Robbie took his usual seat and pulled me to his lap.

"Not here." I jumped away; it was not appropriate.

"Oh. come on, Angel."

I shook my head and stayed away from his hand until one of his associates, Ben, got me a chair.

When Daddy's hand found its way above mine under the table, I held it tight, not willing to let go. I was feeling so guilty at how I shouted at him that day. Many of the people around the conference table could

figure out that we were holding hands under the table. I could not care less.

The presentation was just too long and the man was just not into it as I expected.

"May I?" I asked Robbie before taking the file in front of him which had the hard copy of this man's previous presentations.

No wonder Robbie was frustrated. It was not even a mediocre performance.

Ten or fifteen minutes later I interrupted the man. "So, this is basically your previous presentation."

"No, Sir. It is not." The man had nerve to smile condescendingly at me.

Sorry to break it to you, if I had talent in anything that was to figure out patterns really fast. No matter how he jumbled the words, changed the fonts and added colours, this was the same thing.

I was no good in business but this was just plain ol' copy-paste.

"It is. The only change is that, your 'new' plan will bring in a profit of 16.4% instead of 16% from the previous one."

Yeah man, I am a good reader and maths is my language.

I could calculate anything really fast and instead of saying straight up that his plan would bring 16.4%, he gave everyone cumulative data to make it all big and hyped up.

"In this business, 0.4% increase is a big deal."

"Maybe, maybe not... I am not so fond of business but why are you prolonging this presentation when all you could say was, it would bring 0.4% increase in revenue?"

I did not give him a chance to respond because I was not done.

"But... here it says the other company had changes with regulations and they had raised the transportation fee by 0.2%... which is okay I guess... but the warehouse facility is shut down at... I don't know where

it is marked YNZ, here, wherever that is, I don't care... and the YNY is holding all of it for an additional charge of 3%... and also these new security costs... which would make... " I quickly calculated the digits in

my mind. "1.42... right? yeah... 1.42% decrease in whatever we make now. So, not 16.4% profit but... 14.98% profit. Still a profit but your plan is just a waste of time."

The man was astonished; so was the people around me.

They were not stupid. They would not approve any of this plan without crosschecking; and a plan as good for nothing as this, would be thrown away at the third meeting or before... but why?

"Why did you just do all this for that? I don't get it. Everything is just the same. You were given three months to bring up a plan and this is all you could do? Why bother?"

I looked at Robbie confused. Why was everyone just wasting the time?

Robbie looked livid.

This man would bring an outstanding plan when it would have mattered but that did not mean he could make everyone a fool by whatever crap he spewed in name of presentation.

"No wonder you are frustrated all the time." I rubbed my man's head.

Poor baby.

"What is your name?"

"Albert, Sir."

"Albert, I am going to give you an additional four days... no? A week? Okay... A week to bring up another presentation and all I want is a 18% profit. Find a way. That's it. You can leave."

He packed everything up and left; not so happy.

"Why do you guys do this all the time? Three presentations a week, for each Project Head and they just do this?"

I still did not get it. Was this how it was supposed to be?

"Well, not all of us can calculate three pages' worth of numbers in our mind..." Aaron said.

I sighed.

There were three more such 30-minute presentations to go, on one plan. Likewise, they would bring multiple presentations for each projects and Robbie had to pick one.

Dear god!

Hearing it was tiring enough, I could not think I could go through another presentation. Fifteen minutes of that was enough.

"You are so hard working, Robbie. I can't even think of working like this." I shivered and people laughed around me. "Why don't you ask everyone to bring the hardcopies of their work; their new and last two

presentations."

"It is too tiring to read all those, that is why we do presentations. It is easier and productive that way." Chance told me.

"Not for me. I am going to help you. Do you even remember what the last presentation was about?"

No. That was the problem. We were going through presentations after presentations but it was impossible to calculate the digits while they were talking.

In half an hour the giant desk was filled with papers but I did not mind.

I cracked my head and read all the hard copies; like suspected three quarter of the projects and plans were just repetitions.

It was annoying because to bring up a plan, they were given one to three months of time and they would not work until the last minutes.

Incompetency was slapping our faces.

I took an orange pen and started signing the plans that had considerable changes in their values. All I did was make a gist of what they had presented in hard copies and rest of the job was for business men to

figure out.

I did not know what a good deal or a bad deal was. I would show them the numbers in precise short notes and they would decide.

By evening I had done a week worth of presentations and suffice to say it was not much of a job.

We had to call down for an emergency meeting and discuss basic necessities to be fulfilled before every presentation. I gave them a chart which would clearly depict the changes they had done from their

previous presentations. It was so basic and I was annoyed that no one bothered to do this in the first place.

I promised Daddy that I would develop them a software that would do the immediate calculations that would give them a very clear vision of what the digits were.

Many of the project heads were being purposefully disrespectful.

They called out on my lack of experience in business and just the title of being a boss would not make me one, overnight.

It was true.

They said nothing wrong.

"I do not have experience with business; that is true. I completely agree but do you know what I have experience in? Teaching."

I was not backing off.

"And you know what students do? Copy paste their projects and seminars. I can find a copied assignment just by noticing the repeated use of certain words. Came with the experience, sadly for you. Here; I

have done a very compact form of your work."

I showed them, the 'work' they had done.

Why waste time of everyone like that? I didn't get it.

I called down James when we took a short break.

[The chair guy who tried to hit on Ace, remember?]

"James you are the only employee I know. So please be honest with me. I can't believe this was how all the project heads did their work. I meant Brantley Enterprises is a multi-billion-dollar firm with

endeavours all around the globe. How could that happen with all these incompetent workers?"

James was a stuttering mess but at least he was honest and brave. "They really don't want to work here anymore, Boss. Brantley Enterprises lost its name and... of course the money. We know this firm is

rolling on debt to Truscott. Co." Far from truth but none of their business. "In few months, our salaries are going to be cut and promotions are going to be suspended. Of course with Trustees floating around..."

"Trustees?"

He ducked his head. "Truscott employees. We call them Trustees."

This was high school all over. It felt like maturity was thrown out of the windows.

"Continue..." I prompted James.

"They are slowly going to take over all our offices. I am too, Sir; afraid that is. I am looking for a new job but until then I would work for you with all the dedication I have. We are all..."

"Worried about future." I concluded.

I let then man go before pondering about the facts I had learned. Couldn't blame them though.

I notified Robbie and Mr. Anderson about that. I did not know how to run a business or how to handle the wayward employees.

As expected, Robbie's solution was to fire everyone. Mr. Anderson thought giving them a salary increment next month, was a good solution.

I thought both the ideas were good.

So when the recess was over, I handed them the project and dead line. "It doesn't matter how farfetched your ideas are; if they don't dispute with common sense, we would consider it. In a week, I want all of

your presentations done in both soft and hard, with 20% profit gain. Albert, I told you to do 18%, but change that to 20% okay?"

Murmurs rose and some of them called me names behind their files. I had to rub my finger over my Big Baby's knee to keep him from punching some of the douche bags.

"If, in no way you can build a plan for 20% profit then I want clear reasons with digits... on both why and how... and the maximum percent your plan can bring, before submitting. We are running on 16% profit at

present; so anything less than that would be a failure, which goes without saying. Do you have anything to add, Daaa... uhhmmm... Mr. Brantley?"

Dear god, I almost slipped and called him Daddy in front of all these people.

My whole face was fire engine red.

Robbie snickered. "Nothing, Boss." He gave me a playful mischievous wink.

This idiot!

"That is all then... Oh, and this will be added to your CR and it will affect your position in Brantley Enterprises. Thank you, ladies; gentlemen."

They were not happy, but this was it.

The bottom line.

I did not care about how business was running but I cared about my Big Baby and his happiness. If these people were making his life miserable, they were going.

I thought my work here was done.

Robbie for once was silent all through the procedure without losing his cool, according to Mr. Anderson.

He was beaming. Uncle Andy was such a gentle soul and a pacifist. He wanted everyone to get along and be happy. That made him the best senior superintendent ever. His partner Uncle Sull was whole

another story though.

Mr. Sullivan was Uncle Sull when we were alone.

We had a secret life like that.

Mom's P.A and conscience keeper Mr. Anderson, was Uncle Andy to me. Likewise; Mom's lawyer and partner in corporate hullabaloo was Mr Sullivan; Uncle Sull to me.

They were lovers.

Yup, no one knew except my mom and I.

Robbie had his doubts but he never called out on them.

All the world thought they only had a business relationship, but they had been strongly going for seventeen years. Uncle Andy was not out, some really dark experiences from his parents still keeps the fear of

people knowing.

I doubted if Frankie knew. That kind of top level secret.

Mom was really open to LGBTQ community and that kind of gathered many people to her in search of acceptance and love. And she had so much love in her heart to give away.

People always wondered why there were so many gays, lesbians, transgender in my life but I guessed that was because that was how it should be. Sadly, one of the reasons was that, they never had a home

to go except Truscott Co. Then our company expanded so much that no one really cared or remembered about anyone's sexuality or race.

"Your mom would be so proud." Uncle Andy pulled me back to reality. "You were amazing and perfect, kiddo. Who knew! Where were you storing all these tricks?"

"Stooop... Uncle Andy..."

He pressed a kiss on my forehead.

I smiled. He was family. But was he right? Would Mama be proud? What about Aunt Marie?

"My kissie, my kissie." Little Lia was running towards us with her tiny arms stretched; with Windy in tow.

"Oh I have kisses for everyone."

He opened the palms of my baby girl and kissed on both. "I'll see you soon, lovely."

"Okay, Unca Andy." She took off to the reception area to watch the fishes swimming in the aquarium, Windy following behind. Poor girl; she was walking non-stop. But she was always smiling; so I guessed she

was fine with it.

"Don't you dare kiss me." Robbie was trying to pin Mr. Anderson with his stare. But the man stood on his tiptoes and pressed a kiss on Robbie's left cheek. Saying Robbie was surprised would be an

understatement.

"If you were my son I would have spanked your butt for making all of your employees cry. You need to get along with others. I have to go now. Got to make, my boyfriend, some decent dinner for putting up with

me. Thank husbands for keeping us in check, ya?" He walked away after giving me a wink.

I could not stop laughing. Robbie was staring at Mr. Anderson's retreating back like a fish out of water.

"He said he was going to spank me." Robbie squeaked.

"Oh my god!" I covered my mouth with my palm and tried to hold my laughter in.

Key word being 'tried'.

"No, he said, if you were his son... you are not. I think your butt is safe, you, Silly Baby."

"Stop it. Stop laughing. It was not funny."

"Aww...It was. Mr. Anderson is not going to spank you." I gently rubbed his butt and patted. "If you want, I can spank your butt and make you call me Papa." I teased.

"Oh, you come here, you Pretty Devil."

I tried to get away, but he hugged me from behind and swirled me around.

I felt him kiss the back of my neck making me giggle.

When he put me down I felt the eyes of all the employees on us. Some of them even had their mouths open.

"If you are done ogling at him, please return to work." Robbie shouted.

"Shh..." I pinched his arm.

"What!!!"

"Daddyyyy.... Me... Me... Me..." Little Lia jumped to her Dad's hands. I watched him gently swirling her around and listened to her happy giggles.

It must be surprising for them to see Robbie laughing and playing. From what I heard and seen, he was too tough on his employees.

My adding on his stress would have made their life more miserable.

Maybe tonight we could let go of some pent up stress.

I missed him too... so so so much.

When we reached our car, Daddy put Little Princess in her baby seat after kissing her chubby cheeks and gave Windy an affectionate pat on her head and... stalled.

I bit my lips after Windy got in and smirked when Robbie's breath hitched.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Hey." I whispered back and ducked my head when I noticed him looking around.

"See you at home?" He pulled me to his body and I brushed my hand on his shoulder.

"See you at home."

I could see his kiss coming a mile away but still did nothing to my heart when it jumped at the touch of lips on mine.

"You made me so hard today, Angel."

I giggled. "I always make you so hard."

"True."

"Tsk, let go now and go back to your office." But my hands were already looping around his neck.

He kissed both of my cheeks but I hid my lips, laughing, when he chased them with his. People were spying us from the windows; I could clearly see. I did not want them to gossip on us than they already were

But, oh what could we do?‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒