Taming Mr. CEO

“Mommy!” Aisle burst out into my room and hurriedly jumped into my bed as her lips is almost tearing because of her wide smile. “Someone’s here, Mommy!” she announced making me frown as I put down my laptop into my bed.

“Someone?” I asked, totally clueless about whom she is talking to. If it was Helena, this is not her reaction. Helena is normally visiting in our apartment so it wasn’t a surprise but this time, seeing Aisle’s reaction is a different thing.

Instead of answering my question, Aisle jump off the bed and pulled my hand. I don’t have a choice but to follow her and let her drag me outside. My eyes first landed on the fruit basket in the living room and then it traveled to the man in a polo shirt, calmly sitting on the couch as he owns it.

“Good morning, Alice,” Lyndon greeted with a smile on his lips. Aisle abandoned me at my place and then runs towards her uncle. Lyndon on the other hand opened his arms widely and carried my daughter, effortlessly. He sat back on the couch with Aisle on his lap.

“Why are you here, Sir?”

“Just Lyndon, remember,” he reminded. “Anyway, I am here for my pretty niece. Can I borrow her, Alice?” he suddenly asked which I instantly refused to cause both of them showed their sad face.

Oh great! Since the day Aisle met this man, she became a stubborn one. She will always use her sad face just to convince me.

“Fine,” I surrendered. “But like last time, I’ll come with you,” I added and headed back to my room to change my clothes. Aisle followed me as well and I first fix her up and then told her to tell Lyndon to wait.

When I came out ready, I saw the two both cheering in the living room. Aisle is in Lyndon’s arms while giggling at something Lyndon is saying which I could not hear.

“Let’s go. Where are we going this time?” I asked, getting Aisle from him.

“Dada Lyndon told me that we will go to the park, Mommy!” Aisle happily clapped her hands.

I look up Lyndon who’s towering me beside. I leered at him as I gritted my teeth. “I said no spoiling, Lyndon. Last time, you bought her lots of toys that almost filled her room. The first time you saw her, you bought her lots of sweets which I strictly prohibited. And then now–”

“Come on, Alice… she is my baby too. Whatever my niece wants, she will get it. Right, baby Aisle?” He turned to Aisle who was wiggling in my arms. He pinched her tiny nose while Aisle giggles.

I can’t do anything but roll my eyes out because of frustration. “No sweets, no junk food, and no other toys, Lyndon,” I lastly warned before we ride in his car.

Today is Sunday so there is no office work for me, fortunately. I can have bonds with Aisle and I planned to take her to the mall this day but because of Lyndon who suddenly came into the picture, my plan got ruined. It’s been weeks since Lyndon found out about Aisle. I already told him the whole story and he respects my decision of not spilling my secret to Logan. He never bugs me about telling the truth, on confessing my secret and I really, really thanked him for that. He also made sure that my secret is like his secret too and whenever Aisle is asking him about Logan, he will just create excuses so my child won’t be hurt. Fortunately, I could tell that Aisle is happy enough with Lyndon… with her uncle. But despite that, there were still days and nights of me thinking about what Helena kept on advising me. She said that I must tell Logan the truth because it was his right as Aisle’s father. I sometimes agree with her but every time I am trying to, something is stopping me. I can not pinpoint what it is but I know, it was clear to me that there is something hindering me.

“Does Logan still thinks that we are in a relationship?” I suddenly asked Lyndon while we are still on the road, heading to the place he is talking to.

He simply glanced at Aisle who’s currently sleeping in my lap. “Since the day you told me what he thinks of us, it didn’t change.” He laughed while shaking his head.

“Damn that jerk!”

“Just don’t mind him. Let him think that way. Just sit and enjoy the show.”

“The show you are talking about? Are crazy? Your brother is thinking dirty things about us yet you are acting like it doesn’t affect you,” I ranted.

Lyndon chuckled. “It is not affecting me, to be honest, lol. The boss is just jealous, Alice.”

“Jealous?” I laughed humorlessly. “If that is a joke then I must say it is laughable.” Lyndon just shrugged as he turned the car into another street. We remained silent as he drive and I even fell asleep. I just woke up because of Aisle naughtily tickling me under my chin.

“We are here, Mommy!” she announced in joy. When I look outside, the park is the one I am expecting but the view is not a park. Rather, it was a calm sea and the refined white sand.

“Lyndon!” I screamed, finding Lyndon in the car but he was not with us anymore.

***

“A child?!” My eyes turned into the woman who is standing beside me while riding an elevator.

“Exactly,” the other woman beside her confirmed. “I saw him yesterday with a child. They were on the beach yesterday and he looks so happy with the young girl,” the woman continue which pulled my whole attention to them.

I secretly look at their reflection on the elevator wall. The two seem so serious about their discussion as they almost forgot my presence. I just keep on listening to them for the whole ride on the elevator and when the elevator opened at the finance floor, they both came out-leaving me with my unsatisfied curiosity.

“You are late.” I almost jump out when I was welcomed by a hard tone of Logan who is leaning at my office table.

“Apology, Sir. I woke up late this morning and I have to drop–”

“Your child in her school,” he cuts me off.

Shock, I instantly lifted my eyes to him. Stared at him in disbelief with horror as well. Different ideas flooded my mind making me go into a panic while he is just staring at me with his expressionless face.

“Shock? It’s okay, I got shocked as well when I found out from Lyndon,” he told.

“You found out from Lyndon?” Damn that jerk! He told me that I can trust him with my secret!

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “Anyway, proceed to your work. That’s a big revelation, huh. But you know what keeps on bothering me? It is why my brother knew about your child and he is getting close to you? Last time, you admit that you are flirting with him–”

“I didn’t admit your accusation, Sir!” I suddenly raised my voice which made his brow twitch.

He grins afterward and gives me a mocking stare. “Fine, you didn’t admit but it was then confirmed after knowing how close my brother is to my secretary. You got a big fish, Alice. Wow! Really wow!” He clapped as he shook his head. I only stared at him with my eyes slowly watering but I still hold back my tears just so I can hide the pain he is giving me.

I suppose to be used to his treatment. Rudeness. Insults. Mockeries. I suppose to get used to it but why is he still hurting me this way every time he insults me?

When he walked to his office, he is whistling with mockery on it. All I can do was to stare at his back and followed his movement as he closed the blindfold. When I was assured that he can no longer see my state, I broke down in my seat. I silently sobbed with my hands covering my mouth. I just stayed in that state until I get tired of sobbing. When I finally pulled myself together, I began doing my daily work until the door flew open giving me the root of all unpleasant treatment of Logan.

Lyndon strode towards my table while smiling. “Good morning, Alice. How was Aisle?” I avoided his eyes.

“She’s good. She also remind me to say thank you for bringing her to the beach yesterday,” I silently answered.

“No problem… anytime for my pretty niec–”

“Lyndon.” We both turned our heads to the door where Logan is now standing. Glaring on us with his deadly shooting daggers.

Lyndon leave my table and walked to his brother. He was supposed to give him a brother’s punch when Logan rudely avoided it, making Lyndon’s fist hit the door. Before Lyndon could enter to his brother’s office, he turned to me. Giving me his what-happened-to-him look. I just shrugged my shoulders and bring my focus back to my work. Eleven in the morning, I have noticed that Lyndon are still inside. There were no also calls on the intercom from Logan. Usually, at this hour, he would be going to ask for food or at least a cup of his brewed coffee. I just brush off my thoughts and started fixing myself to go to the company’s cafeteria for a break time.

And as soon as I reached the cafeteria, everyone is murmuring on their own tables. Looks like they were busy discussing about something I am clueless. Ignoring the employees who turned out to be like bees, I headed to the counter to pick up my food.

“Alice, here!” I search for the shrill voice of someone who called my name. I jokingly rolled my eyes when I saw Betty together with her boyfriend and the other employees in our department, sitting on the long table at the corner of the room. I walked towards them, holding my food tray.

“You are just in time, girl!” Betty shrieked.

My brows knotted as I sit in front of her. “In time for what?” I opened my salad as I waited for her answer.

“Just in time for a hot sizzling news!”

“What do you mean by hot sizzling news?”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Sizzling means headline of the day. And guess what, the headline is our boss’ younger brother,” Betty told which get my attention.

It just perfectly hit my curiosity so I intend to listen to her. Everyone at our table is also waiting for her mouth to open because it will feed our own curiosity.

“Guess what, an employee in his department just saw him at the beach.”

My heart started to palpitated as soon as I heard her words.

“With a kid with him.”

Her follow-up words threw me off guard. There is a lump that builds up in my throat, hindering me from uttering words. My heart as well pounded hard against my chest which leads me to difficulty in breathing.

“The employee also witnessed how Mr. Lyndon was so fond of the young girl. And the most shocking is that the kid called him ‘Daddy'”

What the f*ck!

Beach? Young girl? Daddy?

She is talking about my daughter who is with Lyndon yesterday together me as well.

“Did she see the kid’s mother?” Linda, one of Betty’s friends, asked curiously.

Betty nodded to answer. “According to the witness, the woman is with Mr. Lyndon as well. They obviously had a family bonding but unfortunately, the witness didn’t see the face of the woman. My gosh! That was so surprising, right?”

I was silent while my grip on my fork gets too tight.

Family bonding? What the heck?!

“Everyone already knows about the secret family of Mr. Lyndon and now, look, they are now talking about him.”

Yes, it was right. Betty was right. Because when I excuse myself to go back into the office, everyone that will walk with us talking about Lyndon.

The headline was Lyndon and the allegedly secret family of him which turned out to be a big mistake because we were not his secret family, dang it! Aisle wasn’t his child but Logan. And I am not Lyndon’s woman, for goddamn’s sake!