Chapter 2

Rex’s POV

At the end of the conference table Rex sat, with his black suit and unbuttoned jacket. The executives were still arguing over the partnership, but Rex's attention wasn't with them anymore.

Leaning back, his eyes were on the tablet in his hand. His son had drawn something new.

On the screen stood a crooked stick figure and beside it was a tall one with dark hair and a frown. They were holding hands.

“Is that supposed to be me?”. Rex muttered, still focused on the tablet as his eyes kept wandering over the screen.

“Mr Hale?”, one of the executives asked in confusion.

Rex ignored him. He had made a decision, and they had to deal with it. All he knew was that he was done with the meeting.

He stood to button his jacket. Picking the tablet while sliding one hand into his pocket, he walked out on the executives without saying a word.

Outside the conference room, his assistant, Camilla, was busy on her tablet while waiting for him. Noticing Rex, she stood straight.

Without looking at her, he handed her the tablet as he walked past her, while she followed beside him.

“Where's my son?”. Rex asked, checking his watch like he was late.

“He’s…. in the SUV with tight security”, Camilla said with a little hesitation, but Rex knew she had more to say.

“Security. Not his nanny?”. Rex asked, still looking straight.

Camilla blinked, nervously. “She resigned this morning”.

Rex stopped walking almost immediately.

“I couldn't find a replacement immediately, so I brought him here”. She said, barely looking up.

He stared at her like she had broken his most important rule.

“Next time,” he said with a low voice, “I’d prefer not to find out like this”.

Camilla gave a quick nod, “understood”. She said, before answering her phone that had been ringing.

He walked past her without another word.

Nannies were too soft, and just lazy to follow basic instructions –that was why he never liked them.

They were too incompetent to take care of his precious little Drew. They didn't deserve him anyway.

Hanging up the call, Camilla increased her steps to get closer to Rex. “There's a female journalist in the lobby asking questions about your son”.

This statement made him stop again.

His anger slowly rose, while he clenched his jaw and made a fist –like he was ready to throw a punch.

No one dared ask questions about his son. They only spread rumors and believed what they wanted.

“I’ll handle it”. Camilla said, noticing his mood.

Without responding, Rex got into the elevator, Camilla followed suit.

The journalist had gotten his attention, so he'd handle her himself.

*****

As the elevator parted open and he stepped out, Rex saw a woman –average in height, with straight black hair, standing in the lobby just close to the receptionist's counter.

Rex knew she was the journalist. They always looked the same, restless, nosy and annoying.

“Is there a reason you're interested in things that don't concern you?”. Rex's voice echoed across the lobby. He stood a few meters away from her, with his hand still in his pocket.

The activity around stopped. The staff, and clients all gave sneaky glances at the scene that was about to take place.

Emily stood still, with her hand clenching tightly around her bag. She looked startled.

He wasn't who she had expected to see. At least not as easy as that.

The receptionist ran to him. It seemed he wasn't also the one she had expected to come down.

“I'm sorry sir, she suddenly started asking questions about your son”. She said, slightly bowing.

Rex ignored her and gently moved closer to where Emily stood without breaking eye contacts. Both his hands were in his pocket now.

“Answer me”. He said through gritted teeth.

Camilla moved closer to him, but still maintained her distance. “People are staring”. She whispered.

He blocked her off with one hand slightly raised, as if he wasn't interested in what she said. He actually didn't care, he wasn't a people pleaser.

“It’s just work, Mr Hale”. Emily finally spoke, trying to regain her confidence. “I understand you find it offensive for me to intrude, but that's what my job requires”.

Work? How dare she?. She looked directly in his eyes. He didn't understand the confidence she had gotten.

Rex smirked, “Work? You do know I can make you lose that?”. He said slowly, in a deep voice.

Emily moved, a step backwards. “I do. You're quite famous, anyone would know,” Folding her arms, she went on. “Do other journalists get to this point?. I mean, meeting you physically”.

Rex clenched his jaw. The way she spoke annoyed him. He expected her to be frightened like other journalists, who didn't make it past Camilla.

But she didn't even get to meet just Camilla, she got to meet him too.

He gave her a piercing glare –parting his lips, ready to answer.

“Dad!”.

His son, Drew came running from behind Emily towards him with his arms wide open and a security behind him.

Rex broke his eye contact with Emily. If there was one thing he hated, it was his son seeing him angry.

He immediately switched moods, brightening his face. He bent slightly and opened his arms wide to receive his son's hug.

Wrapped in Rex's arms, his smile widened. “Did you see my new drawing?. I drew us both”.

Rex carried him, then stood upright “Yes, my boy. I loved it”.

He signaled Camilla with a finger to come closer. “Handle this”. He said, almost like he wanted Emily to hear it.

Camilla nodded immediately. He walked past them with Drew still in his arms, as he carried him out of the building.

Outside, he opened the black SUV, letting Drew get in first before he followed.

His son meant everything to him. He'd cancel a board meeting, just to spend a whole day with him.

“Dad, who was that lady?”. Drew asked as the car started moving, with his curious eyes focused on Rex and his little legs swinging from the seat.

Patting his head softly, he smiled. “She's just a friend to the media”.

Drew nodded, as if he was satisfied with the answer. Picking up his tablet, he put on a car race video game.

Rex thought he was done being curious, until he continued.

“Then you don't like friends of the media?”. His eyes still focused on his tablet as he kept tilting it left and right.

Drew was a boss of his own. He expected answers for every question he asked. And he asked them almost every time. Which was why Rex hated when he saw him angry.

Rex tried to avoid the question, so he laughed as he looked down at the video game Drew played. “You know I could beat you right?”.

“You said that last time Dad, but I won”. Drew said in between laughs.

Rex laughed. Only his son could make him laugh effortlessly.

The ride went on quietly. Rex got busy with his phone and Drew got tired of his game, he started looking at the road through the window.

“I didn't see nanny Grace at home, Dad. Do you know where she might be?”. Drew broke the silence.

He had forgotten about that until now. His son needed a new nanny immediately. He wasn't about to let Drew know she resigned. But it was already late.

“Did she leave too?”. He asked with a sad face as he looked deep into Rex's eyes.

“No Drew. She didn't leave you. But you won't be seeing her around anymore”. Rex said, trying not to sound too blunt.

No nanny ever lasted a full year with his son. They all left before the second month.

Nanny Grace was the sixteenth. And now, he had to look for the seventeenth.

He looked at his wristwatch, then tapped on the driver's seat. “Turn around”.