Taming Mr. CEO

[“Alice, calm down, okay? They didn’t see you and as long as Aisle will be kept away from their eyes, there will be no problem. Just calm down, I got to work with that.”] Lyndon assured from the other line.

I pressed my palm on my forehead followed by massaging the bridge of my nose. “I told you, going to that beach is not a good idea. There is someone who sees us and now the secret family of yours rumors spread like a wildfire in the company. What if this would be the end of hiding my secret. Sooner or later, Logan will hear the rumors. So, what are you going to do? Deny the rumors to your brother which I completely know that he will not believe on?!” I gritted my teeth. I even walked back in forth inside my room because of mixed emotions flaring inside me.

I heard him sigh from the other line which just added to my annoyance. I told him… for goodness’ sake, I already warned him about being careful too but he didn’t listen. I am not prohibiting him to see Aisle but at least, follow my instruction. Now, we are facing a scandal that turns out to be a mistake.

[“Don’t worry, Alice. For Aisle, I will fix everything. Go ahead, you can sleep now. Don’t worry too much.”]

I didn’t answer, instead, I hang up the call and shove myself to my bed. With my both legs drooping at the edge of my bed, I cried my heart out silently. Different emotions are filling me, causing my mind not to function well. I can’t even think properly since the moment I found out who is the headline in the company now. Different questions are running inside me that I could not answer. Full of ‘what if’ and ‘how’.

But after all, what happened, I should have blamed myself too. He should not know about my secret, I shouldn’t let him know. I should deny it from Lyndon since the day he found out. I should have lied to him after all, lying is my expertise. I even lied to my own child many times, countless times to be exact. So, what is the matter in lying again? If it will going to prevent my secret from spilling, I should have done that. But I know, it was too late… too late for my lies. Maybe, I really have to think of the right solution by now, or else, Aisle will suffer from the nonsense and false speculation of the others.

“It’s now or never, Alice.” I breathe out, thinking of Logan as I close my eyes.

The following day, I decided to call Logan for my urgent absence. Just like before, he interrogated me. Fired me up with his questions which I answered with another lie. I just can’t come to the office right now. At least for one day, I wanted to evade those rumors spreading around.

Secret family.

Lyndon’s hidden child when it was supposed to be the CEO’s name that is being used.

Lyndon’s mistress. Oh, God! I don’t even know Lyndon in the very first place.

“Mommy, you look like a zombie,” Aisle commented before chewing her bacon.

I slipped a smile before leaning towards her and pinched her nose. “Silly! Do I look like a zombie to you, huh?” She nodded. “So, it means that you look like a zombie too? Remember, you came from me.”

“Nah,” she strongly disagrees. “Dada Lyndon told me that I do not look like you but I look like my Daddy.”

My lips twitched as I grimaced. That Lyndon is really getting into my nerves! How dare he to spoil my child’s mind? She should believe me that she looks like me even though it wasn’t true.

“Finish your food, baby. We are going somewhere. Mommy didn’t go to work just to be with you alone. No one will disturb us, you want that?” I asked. Aisle nodded while smiling wide at me and then energetically eating up all the foods on her plates.

Minutes after, she is now ready with her new purple dress and shoes bought by Lyndon for him. Actually, I choose the pink outfit for her but she shove it back into her closet and personally picked her uncle’s gift. See, that is how she changed since the day she met her annoying uncle. Usually, she will not listen to me anymore. No sweets are my strict rules but because of Lyndon, she got support to break it. Plus the additional support of her Mama Helena. It was now three versus me now.

***

The mall was not so crowded, unlike the last time we went here. As soon as we entered the mall, all I have got to do is to follow Aisle from running, walking fast. Sometimes, she will ask for other toys which I disagree with. The heck! I don’t even know where else to put her entire toys. Lyndon just made her bedroom a total mess because of those heavy stuffed toys and boxes of dolls he bought. Even the storage meant for her toys wasn’t enough to hold them all.

“Mommy, I want ice cream… pretty please?” Aisle blinked her eyes at me like a cute puppy.

Heaving a deep sigh, I agree at the end. We both walked to the second floor of the building where her favorite ice cream stool is. When we reach the place, she hurriedly run towards the stool-not minding those people on the line. That made me shake my head as I followed her.

“What flavor do you want?” I asked, looking down at her while holding her left hand.

“Uhm…” she trailed, backing and forth her eyes from the different ice cream flavors in front of her. “I want this, Mommy… and this and this.” She cheerfully said, pointing out the strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors.

I rolled my eyes as I lifted my stare. “One cup of ice cream, Miss.” The vendor smiled at us before scooping ice cream from each flavor Aisle pointed out.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

When we have already gotten the order, I roamed my eyes around the food court to find a table in where Aisle could finish her snack. But Aisle being so energetic, as my full attention wasn’t on her, she pulled out her hand from me and run to the nearest arcade games station. I even called her to be back but she didn’t listen nor look me back. Leaving with no choice, I followed her to the arcade games and search for her in the whole place but to my horror, after searching all the corners, I couldn’t find her anymore.

My heart instantly thumped harshly against my chest when I completely couldn’t find her. I started to ask each person on the arcade games station but their answers were all the same. They didn’t see her which threw me into an uncontrollable panic. Thinking that Aisle had just run towards the nearest toy store, I also search for her there with my hands sweating and heart aching. And yes, I was right in thinking that she was there. As soon as I entered the store, I saw her at the end part, holding her ice cream which slowly dripped down to her tiny hand.

“Aisle, baby!” I called as I walked in her direction. She quickly looks at me and then let out a smile. “I’ve been searching for you in the arcade station. Why are you here? You made Mommy go worried sick. I thought I have lost you. And look at your hand, it’s now dirty. Your ice cream is already melting–”

“Sorry for making you worried, then.” My heart hitched as soon as I heard the man’s voice coming from behind. Restraining myself from looking back, I immediately brought Aisle in my arms and run away from the store. I even heard the familiar man’s voice calling me but the hell I will look him back.

No way! No f*cking way, Logan! You will not be going to know about Aisle.

“Mommy, slow down,” Aisle complained as we walked towards the mall’s exit. I was holding her little hand and almost dragging her so we can leave the mall fast.

“We need to be quick, baby. The bad guy might catch us.”

“But he is not a bad guy. He even promised me that he will buy me the doll I want,” Aisle reasoned out which made me roll my eyes. Damn this! Of all the places Logan, why here? Why now?!

I rolled my eyes once again as we reached the parking lot. We stop for seconds and kneeled in front of her. Holding her shoulders, making sure that her eyes are on me, I spoke, “Didn’t I tell you that you should not talk to a stranger? You didn’t know if that guy is really a good person or not. We always remind you of that, right baby?”

She pouted. “But Mommy, for me… Uhm… I always remember what you and Mama Helena keep on reminding me but that guy, he looks like Dada Lyndon. I even thought that he is my father because of our same eyes.”

I heaved a deep sigh before standing up and settling her on the passenger seat. “Still, he is a stranger so next time you encounter a stranger, don’t talk to them. Did you get me, Aisle?” She nodded as an answer.

I turned to the driver’s seat and breath out once again before maneuvering away. My gosh, that was close, really really close. Logan just saw Aisle and I know, even it was just for a short time, he will notice something. I know that after all, Aisle is right. Lyndon looks like Logan, and Aisle almost gets her features from her father. Of course, Logan will notice Aisle’s face just by a single glance. She undeniably looks like her father, from any angle.

After a not-so-long driveway home, I instantly called Lyndon about what happened when Aisle is busy watching a cartoon movie in the living room. Two rings, Lyndon immediately answered.

“Hey, Miss Secretary, what is it? How was Aisle?” he asked from the other line.

I sat at the edge of my bed and stared at my nails, still feeling nervous even though we are already home. “She’s fine, she’s enjoying a cartoon movie. By the way, I called you because of something that is really urgent. God, this is making me anxious, Lyndon!”

“Anxious? Wait, why? Is there’s happened wrong?” he asked, worried.

“He saw us… he f*cking saw us, Lyndon. He even talked to Aisle–”

“Who? Wait, I’ll be back. Someone’s disturbing the hell out of me, I’ll be right back.” He didn’t end the call, so I can freely hear him from the background. At first, my attention was taken away from the line but when I heard something that came from a broken thing, I got alerted.

Thinking that there is something happened to him, I yelled from the line. Keep on calling him even though I know, he would not hear me. After several minutes, Lyndon came back, gasping for air.

“What happened to you?” I asked.

“F*ck!” he cursed. “Why didn’t you tell me that he saw you and Aisle at the mall? Now, he burst out here mad and I wasn’t prepared. Damn that, asshole! He punched my pretty face, Alice!” He complained.

“I was about to tell you that’s why I called you. Logan saw Aisle at the mall and I was left with no choice but to elude from him so he won’t think that Aisle is his child. Everything happened unexpectedly, Lyndon. Please help me… help me so he wouldn’t know the truth.” I almost cried.

“Fortunately, he didn’t think that Aisle is his but unfortunately, he thinks that Aisle is our daughter. Damn him! Doesn’t he have any father’s feelings? He even visits me in my peaceful room so he can punch the hell out of me thinking that I impregnate you a long time ago and I didn’t even inform him. F*ck?”