Chapter 4 Who Is Our Dad?

• Bianca had always craved to be an independent woman, working under a boss was out of her plan. She had always wished to be a boss of her own.
• Before the birth of her babies, she applied for a loan and started her architectural studio since she majored in architectural design right from college. She got to employ Grace, her secretary to ease the burden of the work which was tasking. She paid Grace while she learned from her as an intern.
• With her excellent work, she had been specially invited by several international enterprises to become a special consultant and have enormous influence in foreign construction circles.
• Apart from her kids, nothing more seemed to make her happy other than her architectural studio.
• She was close to signing her first project that month which would give her access to the domestic market. Abruptly, her secretary's call came through that she had to rush to the office, only to get informed that her partners suddenly put an end to their cooperation.
• She did some quick research only to find out that the director was currently in town at the office. She hurried over to talk about the reasons behind them backing out.
• She drives into the work environment, introduces herself to the securities, and hurries into the office of the director of Erox Corporation. She rang the doorbell and sighed slightly, projecting a smile on her face then the door opened.
• She walked in only to notice a handsome man with a decent suit and sharp facial features standing right next to the door. Glaring at her with a sharp and deep countenance more like a hawk.
• She walked past him and soon enough, she found herself sitting before Erox, the director of the almighty Erox corporation. He excused himself to answer an incoming call, striding towards the window that was behind his office chair.
• She made quick use of this opportunity to reexamine the cloth she wore. She never knew what her secretary called her for would warrant her ending up in the Erox corporation. She carefully surveyed her body to know if her outfit was nice enough or at least presentable.
• She had barely finished taking a proper glance at her outfit when her eyes fell on the magnificent office setting.
• The office was really big, painted in cool colors and of course, every single piece of furniture that complemented the room's beauty was not cheapskate furniture. The wall paintings were not left out in complementing the beauty of the office.
• There were a few decorations on the table along with some other necessary office items.
• Behind his mahogany desk was a chair and behind the chair was a transparent sliding door that led to a balcony like a window.
• She silently wondered what he could be doing at the office on a weekend. His Mahogany desk where his laptop lay with some files proved that he had a lot to handle.
• Something to her left caught her attention. A chocolate brown shelf with papers and books neatly arranged there and on it too stood awards in different shapes and sizes.
• All of this made her mouth watery. Unlike her own office which was sparsely made up of furniture, different paintings, and flower decorations. Everything she set her eye on put her in awe.
• She was about to shift focus when her eye fell on something by her right. To her right was a medium-sized fridge and next to it was an adjoining door leading to nothing of her slightest idea.
• Behind her was a different area itself. The visitor's area contained three couches and a sofa with a table in between which had a flower vase on top. Coupled with a TV set hung on the wall with a mini bar close by.
• She kept on admiring until she was cut short by a voice."You seem a lot familiar, have we met before?" He asked Bianca as he took his seat behind his desk giving her a more familiar look.
• "Not in person Mr. Erox but perhaps being a business partner with your company, you could have seen my picture," Bianca replied with a blunt tone.
• "You sure?" Erox mumbled still confused they hadn't met before. He was damn sure he had seen her somewhere but he couldn't tell where exactly.
• "Not at all, Mr. Erox," she assured.
• "Alright, then Miss. Delaney, let's get to business," Erox said in a business tone not trying to sound a creep.
• "Please address me by the name Bianca," she insisted curving a smile across her lips.
• "Alright Bianca, immediately I received your call, I went through your business proposal, although I have no idea why the human resources team put a stop to the contract in working with you as partners.
• But believe me, Miss Delaney, oh sorry Bianca. I would love to work hand in hand with you. You seem to be an independent woman and I'm very much impressed I must say.
• Nevertheless, I would love to know why you feel we should or making it more formal, the Erox corporation can work with you?" He asked after which he sat resting his back against the chair holding his arms and ready to hear what she wanted to say.
• "I am very privileged to have such an opportunity I must say. Nevertheless, it's not my first time handling such a long-term project and I promise not to disappoint you either. I promise my company to serve you the best as partners in business for the success of the project before us." She concluded.
• "Impressive," he nodded after some moments of being quiet.
• She couldn't believe the director himself was so cool and hot at the same time.
• He had these sea-green eyes with thick eyelashes and light pink lips making him seem cuter. She could see the face of her children on him. "Oh, I guess I miss Brant a lot already," she mutters to herself.
• "Congratulations once again and welcome to Erox Corporation," he stretched out his hand out for a handshake.
• 'And please call me Lawrence, Mr. Erox makes me feel much older than I am."
• "Are you sure Mr.Erox? I mean, being the director and CEO of such a huge leading company," Bianca curved a smile.
• "Bianca, I prefer to be on the first name basis and since I'll be calling you by your first name too, I prefer it remains the same way."
• "Congratulations once again." He pronounced, resting back comfortably in his chair. "I persist that we've probably met somewhere Bianca, but since you disagree, I'll tend to conclude people look alike."
• "You can excuse me now Bianca, I've got a lot to sort out today."
• "Good day, Lawrence," Bianca rose from the chair with a full smile curved all over her lips. She couldn't surmise what took place.
• ***
• Bianca returned home late in the night. She needed to sort out plans for the new week with her secretary which took much of her time.
• Opening the door to the living room, she was greeted with yells from her children, every one of them crawling and hugging her begging to be carried. She drops the paper bag with her on the table and lifts just the two girls in her arms.
• Their actions amazed her. "So now tell me, why aren't you all asleep? And where's Amy?" She raised a brow.
• Emma planted a kiss on her cheek immediately. "Mum, we love you. We only decided to stay awake waiting for your arrival. We promised Amy we would be gentle while we wait for you allowing her to take a rest," Emma explained with her small angelic voice.
• "Mum, where's our ice cream you promised?" Debby asked.
• "Mum our caps, our caps…." All others came throwing in.
• She carefully dropped the two girls, took her seat brought out the caps from the paper bag. Callan collected the caps from her immediately and tried fleeing with them, but before he could, Anthony gave him a heavy smack on the head.
• "Will you return those caps to mummy and common stop being too forward?" Bianca laughed her stomach out. She marveled at Anthony's level of maturity.
• "Surely the genes of their father must be so strong with intelligence," she mutters to herself.
• "Now children, this is it. The cap with a male mickey mouse belongs to the boys while that with the female belongs to the girls," she shared the caps among them including the Ice cream.
• Bianca went ahead to get herself a bottle of water, gently sipping from the bottle as she sat in the circle of the kids. All of them gently scooped from their ice cream. Bryant spoke up asking a question that sparked the same reaction in others and left Bianca speechless "Mum where's dad?"
• "Yes, mum where's dad?" All of them raised their voice in unison. Bianca was dumbfounded, she never knew if she should just tell them a lie. She wasn't ready to do that, she knew If she did sooner or later they would find out and that singular action might erase the trust they've long built together as a family.
• The voices continued, and she finally came up with something. "Now everyone come around, come around." From the eldest to the youngest, they all came running around with their plastic cups in their hands.
• "How about we do it this way, you all retire to bed now, I read you a story- -"
• "Achila and the bee," Bernard cut in instigating a smack from Anthony.
• "Next time be calm," Bernard pushed his lower lips forward in a pout, continuously rubbing where he was smacked.
• "Anthony, c'mon you've got to handle your siblings with care ok." Anthony nodded in the assertion.
• "Back to my words, wait, have you all taken a shower?" She asked the question only then did she realize they were all in their pajamas.
• Amy their nanny would never allow them in their pajamas without bathing.
• "Yes mum, we could have a rebath right?" Emma regarded as the youngest spoke up.
• Bianca was happy she was gradually able to shift their focus from the previous question.
• "That's great, you all have a bath then I read the girl's, Cinderella story while the boys Achila and the bee."
• "Yeee," they all yelled in return going for their towels. Bianca curved a smile on her lips, going for the boys first before attending to the girls. She loved spending a long time with the girls.
• Çinderella and the prince lived happily ever after. Their reign became the fairest and nicest season of rule.
• Dreams do come through only if you have courage and you are kind enough to everyone that surrounds you." She said as she finished reading them their bedtime story.
• Closing the book, she soon discovered that her baby girls were fast asleep. She kept the book on the shelf where she arranged all their bedtime stories.
• Covered them properly with the duvet and each planted on their forehead a good night kiss. She could not help but stand there watching over them.
• She wished she could offer them a reliable answer as regards who their father was. How would she tell them she got drunk when she had sex with their dad and since then she hadn't set her eyes on him again?
• She remembered she hadn't put the lights off in the boy's room. She headed towards their room, planting a kiss on their forehead each. "Mummy, I love you," Callan who was used to speaking out of his sleep voiced out. She smiled and replied to him.
• She gently covered all of them properly with their duvets. She dimmed the light and exited the room. She strode towards the living room only to check the wall clock and realized It was past 1:00 AM.
• She strode towards her room and fell on the bed exhausted. She remembered every single word from the kids about their father. Her kids were her world and she would do anything to protect them, but it would have been preferable if Brant were around to take over the duties as a father. "What a happy family we would make," she thought to herself.
• Got carried away as she snored off, forgetting to have her bath.