Eleven

Nick's POV 

Sleeping was a dilemma. All Nick could think of was the look on Nita’s face. The last time he had seen her was five years ago, when he had shattered her heart while she was pregnant. Back then, he had thought death would be an escape, but even death refused him. 

He sat up, working again. 

He tried studying his competitors, but he couldn’t help but study Nicro Industries. 

Why there of all places?

At the end of his research, he was able to discover that Nicro Industries was also going through brand theft. It seemed to be what employees loved to do now. 

If they were having the same issues, surely it meant they were also in search of Cyborg. Maybe if he kept an eye on them, he would be able to get Cyborg. 

By the time he checked his watch, it was five a.m. Nick stood up and walked into the adjoining room in his office. He took a bath and changed into a newer outfit, then brewed a fresh coffee to help him awake. 

At five minutes to six, the door to his office was knocked on.

“Come in,” Nick ordered. 

Jeff came in, dressed in his usual suit with a file in his hand. He dropped the file on Nick's table, then stepped back with his hand folded behind him. 

Excited to finally see what his son looked like; him or Nita, Nick picked the file up. A black and white picture stared back at him. He could see the bodies of the mother and the son, but could barely make out what they looked like.  If it wasn't for the fact that he knew what Nita looked like, he could have had trouble identifying her in the picture. 

He closed it with a slam and turned to Jeff. “What's this?

Jeff blinked, the expression on his face intact. “The picture you asked for, sir.”

Nick scowled at him. “What sort of picture is this? How am I supposed to recognize them in this black and white, orderless picture?”

Jeff's gaze moved slowly to the closed file on the table. “This was the best we could get from the CCTV at the airport. No one had thought to take their picture the moment they saw them.”

“So, is there no other way to source a clear and better picture?”

Jeff shifted on his feet.  “I'm sorry, sir. But there's no information or picture about your wife and son online.”

Confidential, again?

His hand formed into a small fist beside him. The look on his son's face was something that had kept him awake all night. To think, after all that, he still wouldn't know what he looked like. There was no way he would accept that. 

He stood up, pulling his chair back noisily. “Get my car ready, I am going to the hotel.”

Jeff opened, only to close his mouth back immediately. “Yes, sir.”

Nick's heart raced. If he wasn't allowed to see his son's pictures, he was ready to see him physically. 

Missing five years out of his life was more than enough. He wasn't ready to miss a single day anymore. 

Jeff left, and in a few minutes, he was back to inform him that the car was ready. He picked up the photocopied picture, even though it wasn't clear, it was still his family picture. 

The office was in contrast to last night. Noises and footsteps could be heard everywhere as everyone was busy with work. They hardly spared him a glance, not after he had fired staff repeatedly for being idle and having the time to gossip. 

His footsteps echoed on the marble floor until he got to his car. 

Jeff opened the door before him. He stepped in. And Jeff moved to the front door. This car he used was different from the one he had used to track Nita the previous day. This one had a partition that gave him more privacy. 

He picked the picture again, trailing his hand over it. Although it wasn't clear, he was still trying to see what he looked like. He knocked on the partition, and Jeff opened it. 

“Sir?”

He turned towards the driver who was seated beside Jeff. 

“Take me to the nearest kid store.”

Jeff's eyes widened, but he didn’t say a word, and then the partition was closed back. His focus returned to the picture; this time, he trailed his hand over the woman next to the boy. 

If he was going to win the boy's affection, he could do that with toys. He just needed to buy things that the boys loved to play with. But he had no idea how he was supposed to win back the woman. 

It was now that he just realized how little he knew the woman he called his wife. It was as if he had lived with a stranger for those six months they lived together. It was when he started falling for her that he was diagnosed and thrown into this calamity of making the biggest mistake of his life. 

The car dropped to a stop in front of Toy's corner. Before Jeff could come to open the door, Nick had already come out. He left the file secured on his car seat. His leg left a sound step as he moved into the store. Jeff moved behind him swiftly. 

Immediately he stepped into the store, a salesgirl fell beside him. The store was empty as it was way too early and it was during the day of the week. They were just opening and already had a customer. 

“Good morning, Sir.” The salesgirl bowed. “How can we be of service to you?”

The store was full. Nick's eyes moved from left to right. He barely knows what to buy, and he doubts Jeff knew what to get a five-year-old. They were both too engrossed in work that they had no idea what children love. 

He turned to the salesgirl, “I want the most expensive toy in your store.”