The CEO's Favorite

Chapter Seventeen

"Do you have everything you need?"

"Yup," Lucas replies to me, hanging his backpack as I pack our lunch.

I'd taken up Gabriel's offer on taking Lucas to work since I don't have any other choice. It's the first day of going back to work after my suspension. I am sure Nessa won't be too thrilled about my comeback. Even if the suspension was unpaid, I admitted that I needed the break and it was nice to spend time with my son without having to worry about work.

During the past week, Gabriel dropped by almost every day, claiming he wanted to check up on Lucas. It was a sweet gesture and it made Lucas smitten with him because he always came with a new book for him, but it was also confusing for me because why was my boss willing to spend time with my son?

When I finally asked Lucas to explain what happened to me, he admitted that the boy that got hurt was initially bullying him and saying hurtful things about Lucas' father not being around. Lucas had pushed him, wanting him to go away, but unfortunately, the boy hit his head on a desk and started bleeding.

After hearing the story, I couldn't even punish Lucas, but I had to advise him not to mind people's words and not let them get to him. Gabriel was still around and pitched in a bit, hence the checking up on my boy every day.

We are almost ready. I finish packing our lunch and I go inside to get my bag when I hear the doorbell ring. I wonder who it could be since it's quite early. "Lucas! Get the door!"

"Okay!"

I take my bag and after making sure I have everything I need, I walk out of my room, hearing Lucas make conversation with someone in the living room. "Who is it?" I ask, taking out the house keys from my purse. "Heather." I breathe out, surprised at the figure sitting on my couch. It has been a while since we spoke, but it's a Monday morning and she has a job.

"Hey." She says casually.

"What are you doing here so early in the morning?"

"I just came to see how you were doing."

I blink slowly, looking at my watch. "At 7:24 am?"

She sighed heavily. "Apparently."

"Oh. Okay. I don't have to be at work until 8:30." I shoot a look at Lucas and he gets the message, running into his room.

I give her a glass of water when she asks for one and sit down next to her. It seems quite serious for her to be at my house this early. "You know things have gone to hell at Landon and co since you left."

"Really?" I'm intrigued.

"I'm not even motivated to go anymore, hence why I'm here right now. Many investors have pulled out and at the rate they are, we're going bankrupt soon. Shawn isn't happy about it."

I frown. "Is there any reason?" I ask. "I mean, they can't just start pulling out unless something happens right?"

"Man, I don't know, but Shawn has been going berserk. He has already fired three people this week. I'm thinking of finding a new job at this point."

I'm mentally grateful I left before all these started, and even more grateful I met Gabriel that night because I actually love my present job and the pay is generous. "Karma really is a bitch," I mutter to myself. He must be paying for all he's done because I'm certain I'm not the first woman he went after.

"What did he ever do to you? You never did tell me."

"Let's just say he's a scumbag." I glance at my watch. It's the first time in history I'm not rushing because I don't have to drop Lucas off at school first. "You know what? Why don't you come over tonight? We're long overdue for a chat."

"Girl's night?" She asks. "It has been a while."

I know she means inviting our other friends as well, which is why after thinking about it, I say. "No alcohol. It's a Monday night."

"Right." Heather groans. "Some of you still have great jobs."

I smile sympathetically as we both stand up. "Do you mind watching Lucas for me?" For some reason, I didn't want him and Gabriel to spend too much time together

"Oh hell yes. I'm going job hunting."

I make a face at her. "I had it covered anyway."

"Sure you did."

"Lucas! Let's go."

In a few seconds, I hear his light footsteps approach us, a comic in his hand. He has been taking his suspension as a holiday and was enjoying every bit of it. I didn't have the heart to prevent that, especially after finding out why he got in trouble.

"Are you taking him to work?" Heather asks as we all exit the door and they stand by while I lock it.

"Yup. My boss said I could bring him?"

We start walking down the stairs, Lucas ahead of us. "Mr. Hernsburg? I heard he was bossy and cold."

Of course, there will be rumors about him, whether true or not, and I'm about to refute Heather's statement when Lucas speaks instead. "Gabriel? He's not cold. He's actually very nice."

I release a sigh because this means more questions from my friend that I don't have the time to entertain. "Lucas has met him?"

"Yup!" Lucas answers chirpily, his face bright as he most likely remembers the times he's spent with Gabriel. "He got me some good books. I like him."

Heather wiggles her eyebrows at me suggestively. "He likes him."

"That doesn't mean anything," I grumble, happy as we get to the parking lot because it means I'll soon get away from the questioning. I didn't like any questions concerning Gabriel or anything concerning my work because I didn't understand the answers myself.

"No, it doesn't," she nudges me. "What means something though is the fact that Lucas met him and he calls him by his first name."

"That's what he told me to call him!" Lucas defends himself, adding fuel to the fire because she smiles at me mischievously.

I'm more than relieved when I get to my car. I give Heather a triumphant smile and say, "See you later." She tries to say something else, but I don't listen and focus on buckling Lucas up in the backseat and then taking my spot in the driver's seat. I bid her an overenthusiastic bye before I found myself driving off.

There is no doubt our hang-out today will be worse because I don't trust Heather to keep her mouth shut. She will surely blab to the others that I have somehow found myself in a close relationship with the boss of DH Tech. Knowing her, she will exaggerate and make them think I am dating him.

The idea doesn't sound half bad though. I mean, he is attractive and happens to be very nice to me. For some reason, he cares about how Lucas is doing which is my priority. He is all shades of green flags, but the biggest obstacle is the fact that he is my boss.

"I'm kind of excited," Lucas announces on the way.

"Yeah?"

"Yes! I get to see where you work. I never got to see the last one."

I smile. Shawn had a strict rule of not allowing children into the building, even though it was an emergency. I wonder how I ever tolerated working for him to be honest. "Well, you're in luck. My workplace is pretty cool."

It doesn't take long before I'm driving in and heading for the underground parking lot. "Wow, it's so big."

"I know right?" Every day, I also marvel at the size of the building. Gabriel must be filthy rich, considering how he was always in business; how every floor was always working.

I find a parking space in no time and pull over, coming out of the car to open Lucas' side. He gets down, eyes everywhere at once, and I shake my head, carrying his backpack in one hand and my handbag in the other.

We haven't even taken up to five steps when we hear a voice say, "How come no one told me it's 'bring your child to work' day?"