My Baby’s Father

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 40

Yayyyy…..we finally hit chapter 40…we got a headstart tho, Kim’s and Ashton’s story is gradually coming to an end. Not kidding tho. But it have not been an easy ride and I am extremely thankful for everyone that stayed through the ride. From chapter 1_40??

? Ashton’s p.o.v ?

“Sir” someone called and I looked up to see a lady.

Did she even knock.

“Yes” I said raising an eyebrow.

“The meeting is in few minutes” she said and I nodded immediately.

“I would be there in a minute” i told her gesturing for her to leave. “Wait” I called and she turned back. “Is everything ready? Like did you guys do a good job in the conference room…like I mean a really good job” I asked her and she nodded.

“Yes sir. Excuse me please” she told me.

The meeting!

This meeting was really important and surprisingly both companies had something to offer to one another with unbelievable high profit. I think this particular company is a good company to strike a partnership deal not to talk of the fact that they have been applying for many years now and I didn’t just look into it because I thought it was just another regular company.

No this company was not just regular. I believe the striking of the partnership deal is the beginning of many incredible things ahead. Incredible like really incredible things.

The CEO heading the company was very easy to talk to and he was polite too something I was still working on myself. He was probably a year or two years older than me but who cares? No one. I was hot and we both needed the money!

I spranged up Immediately,taking the essentials things I needed for the meeting, not before I called my personal assistant to get everything we need.

She wouldn’t f–k up like Kim did that day right?

Yes,I guess that was when everything changed but I didn’t just realize that.

I thought of her alot,like a whole lot and for the first year I actually tried my best to shoo her out of my mind but it didn’t help at all,it was like she rented a permanent residence in my head and I couldn’t just help but think about her even though I tried not to.

If given the chance again,I would do everything right. Probably walk up to her like a gentleman and ask her out not blackmailing her with her dead man’s problem or anything and most importantly I wouldn’t have treated her like the jerk I was. I would have most importantly worked on my character and every other jerky attitude I have.

Spacing out again huh!

The door to the conference room slid open and I entered immediately. The workers present greeted me cheerfully and I just grumbled an awkward reply.

Don’t blame me,I was not in the mood for this cheerfulness this early in the morning.

When was I ever in the mood?

I looked around,they did a really good job and I instantly felt relaxed. I was worried they would mess things up,the designs on the walls of the room were a bit…can I say much? It didn’t look professional,this was a freaking company for Pete’s sake not a wedding hall.

I looked at my wrist watch before sighing,we still had about ten more minutes. “Take that down” I ordered gesturing to the ‘sick’ designs and they all turned to look at me with confused expressions.

This wasn’t Looking professional at all.

“Huh?” A man with a curly hair soaked in gel asked. What the hell was this?

I raised an eyebrow “are you talking to me” I paused before sitting down at the edge of the table. “Huh?” I smirked looking at the guy who looked like he was about to have a panic attack.

Was I that scary?

Psst. That little Diego doesn’t even find me scary. The little guy once called me cute and I smacked the back of his head much to the dismay of his parents and my ‘lovely’ mom.

Who the f–k call their uncle cute?

“N_no…I just..” the guy was stuttering until I cut him off.

Not my fault we had no time left and I definitely didn’t want this to be here during the meeting. It made me sick because the design was plainly sick.

“Cut it buddy” I glared at him. “Cut the crap and get to work. I don’t want this here, for Pete’s sake this is a f—–g office and not some kind of wedding halls or something. I want those designs off the wall of my building” I instructed more like ordered before glancing at my watch again. “You have seven minutes and twenty five seconds to do that…” I looked again. “Psst,you have twenty three, twenty two…”

And then the next thing I heard was shuffling of feets and high pitched orders. This was like the hunger games,do this or get fired. It was as simple as that.

The orders were getting louder each seconds and it was deafening even though we were all aware that the sounds here couldn’t travel out of this room.

Why huh?

Because the freaking company was sound proofed,that made it more unbearable because the noise was confined within the room.

Don’t stress me please,I don’t like unnecessary noise and this noise was unnecessary.

Unnecessary Ashton… unnecessary huh?

Their jobs and most importantly how they feed their families are on the line here.

“Keep the f—–g orders down Jason” I told the team leader and he gaped before nodding abruptly.

This guy was a wussy not a p—y tho,the guy got a d–k right?.

You are wondering how I knew his name.

News flash,I don’t know how I remembered his name.

Psst. Probably because I was frustrated.

Yes I was.

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“Great job guys” I said and they grinned at me and I forced a smile before returning my face to the normal expression.

Me forcing a smile was not an easy task to do this days.

Wanna try?

They are really hardworking,they spent approximately six minutes in removing the designs on the wall. They did great,really great so I gave them a minute to catch their breathes.

I am really nice.

“Sir,mr Tyler and his associates have arrived in the building” my secretary announced.

“Lead the way” I told her before turning back to look at the planning committee. “Behave well please” I paused “or you might as well be on your way out” I told them before following my secretary.

Great,she wore normal clothes today. I was no creep, but the lady was so annoying and I already banned her from entering my office,she gets through to me by using the telephone. She wore skimpy clothes that can make you puke and that’s not professional when most of her male colleagues want to see what’s underneath her dress or whatever she was putting on.

“Sir you look good today…as always”. She complimented looking at me straight in the eyes. She was definitely going to fall if she doesn’t look at where she was going.

“Thank you. You can look ahead now” I told her flatly and she winked.

Winked seriously?

Was she tryna flirt with me.

Female has big problems.

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?

“She would be here in a few minutes” the Tyler guy said for the umpteenth time.

I wanted to snap, believe me I wanted to because we have been sitting here for about thirty minutes waiting for his partner. He had literally made it clear that we wouldn’t be starting anything here today if his so called partner didn’t arrive. He clearly left important documents concerning the partnership with the lady. This was really unprofessional,her keeping everyone waiting,the other shareholders were here and they were growing impatient too.

The guy was surprisingly calm and wasn’t freaking out like an employer should. He might have placed enough trust in her to know she would not fumble. And it really sucks because I don’t have all day here.

“You have been saying that for the last thirty minutes” I reminded him and he flashed me an apologetic smile.

“I am sorry about that. She has urgent errands to run this morning. Give her ten minutes” he said again and i sighed.

The guy was too apologetic and polite but I was still mad.

This wasn’t a joke. Ten freaking minutes again that makes it forty minutes.

“Ten more minutes and if she isn’t here yet,we are gonna go on without her” I told him and the others nodded reaffirming what I said. He nodded after a while but he didn’t look so pleased.

I wasn’t pleased either dude.

No one keeps me waiting.

After ten minutes,the lady didn’t still show up and we had no choice. No other choice.

“We would start the meeting since your partner haven’t shown…” I was saying until the door slid open and a voice I knew by heart interrupted me.

“I am here now” she said stepping into the room gracefully.

Kim!!!

Was this really Kim?

I heard gasps from my surrounding,of course they were surprised too if this was the Kim that once worked here.

It was still Kim,the same face,long hair and cute smile…no there was no smile on her face now,she maintained a neutral expression.

“I am sorry for keeping you all waiting” I heard her say again before bowing her head slightly.

She didn’t look scared and she wasn’t squirming under the curious gaze of most people present,she looked bold.

I was tongue tied,I already prepared a speech I was going to say if Tyler’s late partner enters into the room but I wasn’t expecting the partner to be Kim. Kim?

After all this years she was still beautiful but she was not the same. She was not the lady of five years ago,the innocent one because everything she was putting on now screamed money and elegance and she was Tyler’s co partner.

I wasn’t prepared for this.

She took a seat beside Tyler who was looking confused and completely oblivious of whatever was happening. Was the guy really clueless?

“I apologise for the lateness of my partner. We can start the meeting now” he said and I cleared my throat.

Yes there was a meeting.

But the truth is that I can’t recall much of what I wanted to say.

The lady who entered already took my mind away again.

Was this really Kim?

?????????

The meeting was in full swing, presentations was pretty well.

Pretty well?

I wasn’t even concentrating on whatever they were saying. I was looking at Kim but she didn’t spare me a glance,she and the Tyler guy were pretty engrossed in whatever they were discussing and they both smiled at some point.

Okay this wasn’t professional,we were in a meeting not a get together friendship party.

I almost snapped,yes I almost did. Why should the guy be smiling at her that way like a love sick dude.

This sucks.

Ashton the meeting is important focus on it

No,I can’t. This really sucks.

Okay let’s do this, enough of the banters.

“So Mr Tyler,did you go through the selling range of the goods?” I asked him wearing my flat facial expression.

Kim you aren’t affecting me.

Lies. Lies. Lies.

“Yes I did”.

He did?

Don’t get me wrong,I don’t hate the guy but I dislike him because…. because I don’t know.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if you present it to us?” I asked again.

“Of course,i was about to do that” he said before standing up.

Great,I am in power now.

He stood up,there was an empty seat beside Kimberly now. Would she look at me now or not? There is no one to whisper words too so you have no choice than to acknowledge everyone’s presence now… including me.

I grinned inwardly, Tyler kept on talking, everyone paid attention but we didn’t of course.

What do I mean by us?

Kim and I were on a full glaring match. She finally looked at me and she would as long as the Tyler guy wasn’t on his seat.

It was obvious she wasn’t happy to see me because she kept on adverting her eyes or ignoring my stare on her completely.

I didn’t blame her,she has every right to be angry after all that happened between us. Heck,I was still mad at myself for treating her that way. I would make everything right if she gives me the chance.

The meeting went on for few more hours and we were yet to come to a conclusion then we went on a break.

I wanted to approach her as everyone stood up to leave the room for a break but I got engaged with work again and look I couldn’t have followed her outside because there was the Tyler guy who stood beside her like a bug and the press outside.

I couldn’t take that risk,what if she embarrasses me? She wasn’t the same Kim anymore and I couldn’t take that risk at all. Maybe a more private area.

? Kim’s p.o.v?

“Are you okay?” Tyler asked me for the uptheenth time and I nodded immediately.

I was not okay. I really wasn’t.

I sincerely thought I have gotten over this but it’s really hard to behave like nothing Happened when everyone and everything here still reminds me of what happened.

There was Ashton and everything else.

I didn’t mean to make an entrance that way,if anything I needed a quiet entrance but I got late because of the heavy traffic and I had to drop Charlotte at school. I couldn’t just drop her in a new surrounding without making sure she was okay and she didn’t want me to leave either,she even rejected the chocolates I gave her which made me know that she was serious about not wanting me to leave but I had to.

She was a kid and getting scared on your first day is normal. Adults still get scared on their first day in a new place before they get used to it. She was definitely scared today but she would get used to it.

During the meeting I kept on distracting myself by making small talks with Tyler and it went pretty well. I wasn’t afraid of anyone there even though most of them recognized me because I once worked here and I attended most meetings with Ashton so I was not a new face here. I was just different.

I wasn’t prepared to talk to Ashton and I don’t think I would ever be ready. I couldn’t just take the risk, that’s why I was treading softly and i couldn’t wait for this to be over so we can return to where we came from.

I looked at my watch,it was three in the afternoon and I gasped.

Charlotte!

“Tyler, Charlotte is still at school” I told him standing up. I was already calculating how many minutes I would use on the road. I would definitely be late for the meeting again but I couldn’t just leave my child at school.

“Easy,someone already went to pick her up” he told me munching on something. Was that chocolates?

“Really? When?” I asked sitting down back.

“About thirty minutes ago” he paused. “My mom got a nanny for her already,she reasoned you would be pretty busy” he informed me.

Okay,that was so sweet of Lucy.

“Really? That’s so sweet of her”I Said.

“She is someone you know,she was working with mom when you were there so we reasoned that Charlotte is safe with her. They should be on their way here now” he said and I should my head immediately.

“Here?” I asked and he nodded.

“We would be here till around evening”

“Why here? Tell the her to drop her off in Lucy’s place” I told him and he shook his head.

“My mom isn’t at home right now. She went for an outing and I don’t think leaving Charlotte with only the workers is a good idea” he said again.

“But she would be alone if she comes here too” I argued.

“Of course not,there is a room where kids stays with their nannies down the hall. So she would have someone to look after her and you guys would just go straight home immediately after the meeting. No need to branch somewhere else” he explained.

But that was not what I was thinking of, Charlotte being in the same building as Ashton isn’t a good idea. That would be taking too much risk.

“Hey,you are already over thinking this. She would be alright here and they are other kids there too and she has her nanny so nothing can go wrong” he assured and I nodded absentmindedly.

“How do you know all this?” I asked him.

“I made my researches and this is not my first time here unlike you” he said.

Only if he knew that this wasn’t my first time here either.

When I was working here there was no place where children can stay so this new development baffled me. Things definitely changed over the years. I did change too.

“Let’s get back. It’s time already” Tyler said tapping my shoulder.

?Ashton’s p.o.v?

We came back after the break and most people looked pretty refreshed and relaxed,of course they got something to eat except me. I was busy with work for the thirty minutes break and I definitely had a headache now.

When does I not have headaches?

I was thinking too. Thinking about Kim and it wasn’t helping at all,I gulped a water before focusing on the presentation one of my staffs was doing presently.

We were two hours into the meeting when the door slid open to reveal my secretary with the documents she went to print out. I sighed,this was really tiring.

“My ball” I heard a kid squeal and we all turned towards the person that made that sound.

A little girl ran in immediately after my secretary entered and the room was silent now.

She was less bothered about how she just interrupted a meeting,she was looking around the room probably searching for the ball.

I knew having a room for workers children in my company wasn’t a good idea. Of course it was mom’s idea after I increased the working hours and they couldn’t squeeze in time to pick their children up.

I definitely didn’t want a child’s problem after all that have happened today.

I sighed again rubbing my temple,I was about to call for someone to take the kid out when I felt something nudging my leg. I looked down to see the little girl bending down and tapping my leg gently. Taking a closer look at her,the girl was really cute and not weird looking like most children and why does she looks so….

I found myself looking intently at the girl and the girl starring at me too. She was beautiful and all what she wore screamed wealth,was she an employees child?.

“Mister,can you please shift your leg,my ball is there” she said quietly pointing to the ball between my legs.

How did the f—–g ball roll here.

“Your ball?” I asked dumbly and I berated myself mentally. Was I that stupid?

“Yes,my grandma gave it to me. Can you please let me have it?” She asked again and I nodded immediately before shifting my legs.

She went closer to get the ball revealing a little part of her bare shoulder. There was a mark,a very familiar one for that matter because a very similar one was on my body too.

Whose child is this?

I stared at the girl as she took her ball before adjusting her jacket. “Thank you” she said too loudly and I found myself smiling at the little girl.

I didn’t smile at kids,they Terrified me but I smiled at this one. When did I start finding kids cute?

She turned around and let out a squeal when her eyes connected with someone.

“Mommy” she squealed loudly again before running as fast as she could.

My eyes traced the position of where she was running to,I wasn’t planning to scold the child’s mom or anything I just wanted to see who the child’s mom was.

I was surprised when she stopped at where Kim sat and jumped into her arms.

Okay,I definitely made a mistake. My mouth was open wide that I had to cover it immediately when I noticed I was in public,but that didn’t settle my amusement.

Kim was the child’s mommy?

No it can’t be.

She couldn’t have remarried so fast and have a child right? I guess I was too late.

I watched as she snuggled into Kim’s neck.

I shook my head still not believing that Kim was already a parent.

Is there no chance for us again.

Who is the father? Is it this Tyler guy?

No it wasn’t him because she could have shouted daddy too because he was sitting beside Kim. They were close no doubt but I highly doubt if he is the father of the kid.

Who is the father of the kid then?