Smore was already wide awake. Arianne had, in a sweet gesture, placed the child next to Mark on their bed. When Mark looked, his eyes were met with Smore’s big, watery ones as he muttered, “Mwilk… Want mwilk…”Mark rubbed his face, forced himself to be awake, and carried Smore off the bed with one hand before heading down the stairs to make him some milk. Unfortunately, he had never done this before, and now, he was having trouble figuring out the amount of milk powder alone.He was just about to try filling half of the milk bottle with powder before pouring half a bottle of water when Mary quickly swooped in for the rescue. “Oh, Mr. Tremont! Let me handle this. It will take just a jiffy; you can distract Master Aristotle in the meantime. Now, if you’re in a hurry, you could always go. I’ll help Master Aristotle change first, then.”Mark still looked a little too blue. “I’m not in any hurry. I could go to my office a little while later.”Smore looked around him and started crying o
Alejandro looked up and met Melanie’s gaze. “No, you stay at home and take care of the child. I don’t need you sticking your hand into the business of my company. And the last thing I want is to be dragged into some stupid fight with you while I get all kinds of stress from work. Also, next time? Don’t talk to me with that asinine tone.”Melanie placed their daughter on the couch nearby as though she was ready for a throwdown with Alejandro. “What ‘asinine tone’ did I use? My God, don’t tell me you’re feeling worn out—not when I should be the one who’s sick and tired of all of this first! After all, look at my dear husband being emo over some other woman while neglecting his wife and daughter. How charitable do you expect me to be, huh? Or would you only turn around if I go to Tiffany and tell her to coax you back into your sensibilities?”Alejandro’s expression turned icy. “Enough! Any attempt to get close to her and you’re finished!”The poor baby watched her parents’ altercation
Alejandro drew out a long breath. “I know, alright? But why must Melanie pick a fight with me over a woman I can never have, huh? Sure, it might have been my plan to take back Tiffany for myself, no matter the cost or sacrifice. But I see it so clearly now: everything is moving away and apart. Everything’s developing toward an impossibility. That old scum had cut off my options even before he died, forcing me into this marriage and having a child I didn’t want, and then using them and other things to bind me from doing what I want. Even after death, he traps me with the shares of the company, and now, I can’t cut my ties with the Larks even if I wanted to!” he ranted. “Had it not been for that old bastard, Tiffany and Jackson would not have married! They wouldn’t have a child! And I wouldn’t have been stuck with Melanie! Christ, thanks to him, I’m now trapped into the role of Alejandro Smith…”Jett was surprised to hear something resembling resignation in Alejandro’s diatribe. “Mr. Sm
Alejandro licked the corner of his lips before an indecipherable smile took shape. “Jett, ready the car. We’re heading to the Tremont Enterprise.”He was going to get that contract done—of that, he was certain!Jett thought his ears were deceiving him. “Excuse me, but did you say… Tremont Enterprise? Where Mark Tremont is?” he blurted out. “Aren’t you trying to evade him, sir? Why are you showing up right on his doorstep now?”Alejandro flashed him a sly smile. “There was a legitimate reason in the past to evade him, but now, I have nothing to fear. There’s no need to hide anymore. Let’s go.”Jett glanced at the baby in his arms. “Are we bringing the little miss with us? Is… Is that appropriate?”He waved in dismissal. “Bah, take her with us. It’s not like we have anywhere else to place her.”They reached the Tremont Tower soon enough, and since they did not schedule an appointment beforehand, Alejandro was expectantly barred from entering the premises.Alejandro was not at all perturb
Alejandro understood Mark immediately and chuckled in response. “O-ho, all I know is that Arianne isn’t in the Capital for the time being. Why is the pot, who also spies on me regularly, so mad at the kettle?”He was not wrong. Both Mark and Alejandro had their eyes on each other’s every movement at all times. Mark was not in the mood to refute him or continue giving him attention, so he turned to the document in his hand.Unfortunately, Baby Melissa’s incessant bawls were so shrill and grating that it became a challenge just to stay focused. Frustrated, Mark looked up and snapped, “Can you shut your kid up? I can’t believe someone like you could live long enough to become a father. It’s like God wasn’t watching the world at all!”Alejandro frowned. “Wow, do you kiss your wife with that mouth? What, I can’t be a father too? Even if I don’t deserve to be one, well, I am one now; what are you gonna do about that? Besides, you’re just as ill-deserving of fatherhood, yet here you are!”
After signing the contract and changing the baby’s diapers, Alejandro left. He didn’t stay a minute longer. However, Mark felt a sense of gloom.“Are you sure you want to work with the Smiths?” Davy asked carefully. “Isn’t it a big risk? He’s been going against us ever since his arrival in the capital. He’s fought with us over property countless times. I’m worried that he might have an ulterior motive.”Mark took a deep breath. “I have a plan. That’s all.”Alejandro was in a great mood when he arrived back in the car. Jett felt that it was an early celebration. “Sir, aren’t you worried that Tremont Enterprises might find a different transport company? That wasn’t an exclusive contract. Wouldn’t that contract be wasted then?”Alejandro wasn’t worried at all. “I’d love to see which transport company would have the balls to pick a fight with me. I’ve considered everything that you could think of. Let’s go home.”He knew that at this very moment, Melanie was with Tiffany.It was lunc
Melanie’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I know, I can feel it. That’s why I can’t seem to hate you. But he can’t forget you. What can I do? I knew when he risked his life to save you that I’d lost. Grandfather has passed away anyway, so I’m not afraid of saying this. It was grandfather—he tried to kill you. Grandfather hoped that Alejandro would dedicate himself to me and support the Smith. He was worried that you might become an obstacle, so that’s why he made that decision. At the time, I was the only one who knew about this, aside from grandfather. I didn’t want you to be hurt because of this, and Alejandro would be affected too so I told him about it. I didn’t expect that he would risk everything just to save you… I took care of him, whose legs were inconvenienced by that accident, for so long after that accident, but I was hurting the entire time because it was all for you…”Tiffany felt upset. She was completely unaware of this. She was moved when she found out that Alejandro had ri
Just then, the waitress served the dishes. Melanie nodded. “Please, eat. You have to get back to work later, don’t you? Enjoy your food, then go back to work. I’m going to meet Alex at this office. I hope that we can still be friends.”Tiffany smiled in a carefree manner. “Of course, we’ve always been friends. It’s good that it’s now out in the open. I’m not a petty person. I won’t think the worst of people.”The pair separated after lunch and Melanie drove to Smith Enterprises’ office.She had a very grim look on her face when she left the house, with negative vibes swirling all over her body. Now, she looked radiant.She felt guilty over her quarrel with Alejandro this morning, so she brought some desserts. She wasn’t sure if Alejandro liked desserts, but she believed that something sweet could always put someone in a good mood.She found Jett watching over a sleeping Melissa when she arrived at the office. Alejandro was busy. She strode forward and put down the desserts. “Jett,