chapter 6

Bastian branched somewhere after the funeral ceremony, followed by an emergency meeting with the shareholders about the revelation of the new president, so he let a cab take Patricia and Williams home earlier.

The meeting didn't end well, causing Bastian to be in a dull mood, but Williams and Patricia were his priority, so he had to look happy for them. And since Williams requested for a chocolate earlier, he stopped by at a mini supermarket to get it for him.

Bastian entered the living room, holding a chocolate parcel, and Williams immediately ran to meet him.

He carried Williams and dropped him at the living room center. “Here is your chocolate.”

He handed the chocolate to Williams and instantly noticed how dulled Williams looked. “Did anything happen?” He investigated.

Williams looked down and sighed deeply. “Dad, I think I hurt mum,” He confessed. “You told me to always make her happy always, I am sorry I disappoint you.”

Bastian looked confused, asking, “what happened? Did you walk around again?”

“No,” Williams gave a simple reply, and further explained. “I just requested to see the guy from the funeral ceremony, but mom insisted I can’t meet him.”

“Which man?” Bastian inquired.

“Mr. Cohen. He seems like a nice pitiful guy and I pleaded with mom to take me to him,” Williams poured out. “I just want to encourage him to not give up, and cheer him up, but mom said he is not a nice guy…”

Williams looked down. “Mom shouted at me and ran upstairs,” he narrated in a low, guilty tone.

“I'm sorry I let you down, dad.” 

Bastian smiled and pat Williams’s head. “It’s fine. You never let me down, and I am still proud of you.”

Bastian’s words made Williams feel at ease, and he lifted his face to look at him. “Dad, why do you think mom is like that? Something is wrong. The guy called her by her name, so I think they know each other,”

“Is mom hiding something from us?” Williams raised suspicious questions.

“No, mom isn’t hiding anything. Mom’s heart is fragile and she can’t get over the chairman’s death yet.” Bastian convinced with a grin.

“Okay, I just wish she will be fine,” Williams expressed. “Dad, let’s go to see her together. I was afraid to go alone.”

“Don’t worry, it’s late. You should go to bed. I will talk to mom.” Bastian said.

Williams hugged Bastian. “Good night, dad.”

Bastian embraced him. “Good night. Sleep well.

Williams separated his body from Bastian and walked to his room.

After watching Williams close his room’s door, Bastian took off his jacket and threw it on the sofa.

He walked to Patricia's room and knocked on the door. “Patricia.”

Patricia wiped her tears and roughly cleaned her face with her hands. She stood from the bed and walked to the door, forcing a smile on her face. “Welcome,” she said immediately as she opened the door. “How’s the meeting?”

Bastian would have smiled back, as always, but he didn't. Instead, he walked to the bed and sat on its edge.

“Is this the right thing to do?” He flung a question immediately as his bottom touched the bed.

She turned to him, and an unclear tone escaped her mouth. “Hun?”

“Patricia, where is the version of you who had been living a great life? You promised the old man to always be happy, are you now?”

Hearing those questions, Patricia’s wounded heart reopened and the tears she was holding back because of Bastian’s present, uncontrollably flooded out. 

He stood and walked closer to her. He held her hand and gently walked her to the bed and sat her down.

He bent before her and held her hand in his. “Tears are natural, they're unstoppable. Cry all you want and let your sadness come out with the tears.”

After watching her cry for a moment, he wiped her tears with his hand. “Enough…” he implored, but the tears were out of Patricia's control, and she couldn't stop them from flowing.

“If this continues, you are wasting your time and tears and you will hurt your eyes. But when you do that, ask yourself if those people are worth it.”

His words worked like magic and her tears instantly stopped even before her mind could process his statement. 

He held her tighter and looked straight into her eyes. “You need to be happy for Williams. He needs you more than anyone in this world,”

“Patricia, I understand it’s difficult to forget, but it will be better if you can take your mind off their existence and be happy, especially when you are back to stay,” he encouraged. “There's no way you won’t cross part with them. You can’t let them see you sad or weak.”

“Back to stay?” She repeated, amazed. “I am not staying here. I will go back once the funeral is over.”

“You will stay except if you want to lose your position,” he proclaimed. “Today’s meeting with the shareholders didn’t go well. They requested to see the new president, not me, a representative.”

“Why?” 

“Because they are afraid everything will be a mess now that the old man has passed away,” he pointed out. “The old man runs the company smoothly, so they have to meet the new president to know what the next plan is.”

“But…” she wanted to give an excuse, but he gave her no space. 

“No but… you're the president. You're a star that needs to shine. Why hide yourself? Will you hide forever?” He put efforts into convincing her.

“You can’t hide forever. It's time you show them the real you, so you gotta get up and show them what you’ve got. Prove yourself and your worth to them.”

“I don't think I can do this, Bastian.” She voiced out.

“You can. You get me. I will never leave you. I will guide and protect you. I will never turn against you.” He promised.

“What about Williams? I don’t want him to know what's going on?” She stated.

“He can stay here, but if you don’t want that, I will send him back and enroll him in a boarding school.” He assured.

Patricia smiled and nodded with a bold look on her face. “Fine, I will stay and fight against all odds with you besides me.”