Hiding the Son of Gray Anderson [R-18]

Prologue

Asteria

You can hear the sound of my fingers pressing on the keyboard of my laptop from afar, every time that my fingers touch the keys, such weight of my hands are felt as I read the sentences that I typed in.

I stopped for a while to touch my temple and gently rub it around. It seems like my head would explode because of the papers written in my schedule chart in this day.

My sigh is the only thing that could be heard in the room. At the same time, my coffee that was on my table for quite a while looked like it was in Antarctica because of its coldness, I don't know how many hours I've been typing, my hands and eyes seemed like it's giving up on the things I'm doing and as for my brain, it looks like it'll explode from thinking on what's the right stuff I'll show to the whole board members.

I was just about to sigh when I heard a familiar sound, it's like a melody to my ears when I hear this song, I don't want to stop it from playing— Canon D.

"Poks!" A familiar voice sounded, I heard the music from the other line and the sound of a bar that we mostly go to.

Before she could say a thing, I spoke before she could, for she would probably ask me out to party with her, "I'm sorry, I can't leave my job right now, and you know what's the worst part? It's already my presentation later on!"

I told her in a calm voice, which I know he/she felt because of how long we've been friends.

Just like what I expected, she suddenly shouts like she just got out of a cage,

"That's why I don't like to become a CEO, good thing they chose Blaire for that."

She said jokingly, but I heard her voice that expressed how sad she was about it, it had been years since that thing happened and I think she hasn't truly recovered from it yet.

"Don't say that I know that you deserve to be the CEO, just like our dreams before. Alright, stay there, and I would come soon, for now, find someone handsome!" I joked with my face still looking serious as I stared at the screen of my laptop, the smell of the vase filled with roses indeed does strongly attract, it's at the top of a cabinet, still familiar to me even though the past ten years.

I didn't hesitate to end the call when I heard a continuous knock on my door, the horrified look on my face couldn't be hidden because of me being disturbed from the things I'm doing. I slowly opened my mouth and started to talk with just enough volume for me to be heard outside, "Come in."

I heard the loud clicking of heels on the marbled floor of my office while the cold air from the aircon brushed against my skin as her perfume reached my nose which I would say that it's somehow alike with almond chocolates.

My secretary, Selena, came in, wearing her favourite pencil skirt, her waist-length hair matched it, which also sways whenever she walks.

"Ma'am Asteria, your Mom, wants to meet you in her office downstairs, she said that it's an important matter to discuss, so be there in exactly ten minutes before now." She said without her poise leaving her, my attention then shifted to her new blouse that she's wearing and it isn't familiar to me, "I will go, after I'm down finishing my make-up. You can take your leave now." I answered, and when she started to turn around, I spoke once again, "Nice blouse, by the way. It suits you." I praised and straightly sat at my flowery chair.

"Thank you for the compliment, Ma'am. Your outfit suits you perfectly too!" She said with a prominent expression that she's just forced to say it, I immediately rolled my eyes and didn't pay attention to her leaving.

Well, most of the girls are just like that. They compliment each other even though they are so jealous of them, what's new with that?

A loud sound echoed in the entire room when I closed my laptop, and I quickly opened the cabinet that was filled with office attires in case of emergency, they're beneficial to me because I'm lazy to go home and change.

I changed my coat to a new one because the previous one got coffee stains when I was typing stuff on the laptop. After that, I stored them in a place where I put all my dirty office clothes and started heading to my favourite part of this office, the powder room.

It was loudly heard from the room when I pulled the wrap of my' blush on' while looking for the brush that should be rightly used for this.

As I was busy doing blushing my cheeks, I thought of my mother who is suddenly summoning me to her office, and the thing is, she did it right on time when I was busy doing the presentation.

I searched for my MAC lipstick inside my purse in the powder room that's part of my office. They made it on purpose, which added for the ambience of the office.

I looked at my whole look while putting a colour named Viva Glam on my lips, and it seems like this lipstick is made for my plumped lips. After that, I hid it inside my purse for it to be used again soon, one of the many things that changed me with those ten years passing. I learned that some things can still be used, not just using it once and throwing it away. It makes me laugh ever since I realized how spoiled I was before.

Presentations are one of the things that are making my life hard now, I don't even do such theses before when I was in college, but now it's required so that I'll get used to it and learn more to manage this business that they'll pass onto me.

Once I was thought, I took my Hermes Bag and slung it on my shoulder, it's one of the favourite gifts that I received from Dad when he went to France with Mom to see the Eiffel Tower.

Just like what I've been used to doing whenever I go down the company building is to sing the song "A thousand years".

Once I reached the last part of the ha, I immediately saw the silver door, and I quickly pressed the sign pointing down, and it started to open.

By just entering, I smiled straightaway when I saw that no other person but me is here, it's because I don't want to have anyone around because of the suffocating smell that would mix here.

As the elevator got down, people started to come in with staff greeting me slowly, and I only nodded my head at them.

Once the elevator doors opened, I quickly walked away because I can't measure all those mixed smells from different people, once I saw the sign with "Bellamy's Office" written on it, I immediately rushed when I saw that two guards are guarding it, they greeted me with a smile that terrified me for it was evident that they are only forced to do it.

When I nodded my head, the two of them held each knob and opened both doors like I was entering a castle, a smiling woman welcomed me and was about to hug me when I suddenly stopped her.

"Mom, what do you think you're doing?" I asked her, and it made her roll her eyes since it has always been the stuff I always say before.

"I just missed you, my dear." She answered me while turning her back at me and handed me an aromatic cup of her favourite expensive coffee— none other than, Starbucks.

"Oh? Why don't you go home earlier?" I frankly asked because they had a vacation with a duration of three days in Australia, they didn't bring me because I was busy with the upcoming meeting the next day.

"Oh, you know your Dad, and I need time for our relationship." She answered me while heading to her seat and then sat straight.

Is this my Mom's way to make me jealous of her relationship goals with Dad?

"Nevermind, Mom. What do you want?" I asked her while looking at my watch because in only a few hours, my presentation would start and I haven't even put that much on my work.

"Oh, honey, why are you in a rush?" She answered me with a question which I can't tell if she's annoying me on purpose like she doesn't know what's going to happen today.

"I'm busy, Mom. Can't you see that I have no time for this?" I casually answered her and searched for the smell of Gumamela that I have been sniffing for a while now.

"If you're in a rush on having a child, then your father and I wouldn't have to have such problems." She sadly said while her eyes seemed like she's seeking pity from me, adverting my gaze from her, I then started to defend myself, "I'm just 29 years old for Pete's sake, I have no time to carry a child."

"But, you're not a teenager anymore. You're growing older so, think like an adult because you're one of them now." She said again, standing up as if she's explaining.

I then covered my ears to not listen to her because I know that I won't win against Mom. I know her, if she wants something, then it needs to happen immediately.

Her long preach suddenly got interrupted when we heard a knock on the door; Mom excitedly stood up to open the door which I know who exactly is behind it. Who? Then no other than Dad, since Mom only acts like that for him.

"Honey, you're here!" Mom exclaimed with such romantic excitement as I observed them hugging each other.

I looked away from them and put my attention on other things. I know that feeling from 10 years ago.

I was just about to stand up when I heard Mom speak which made me fall from the chair, "And you're here too, Mr Gray."

The name that I cursed to not hear anymore in my life. If this is a nightmare, then I don't want to wake up anymore.

I couldn't look, only the cold air from aircon wrapped my body, the beat of my heart on my chest felt like it had stuff running around and playing tag inside.

"Asteria, where are your manners? We have a visitor, why don't you greet him? You should know how to be polite with a person, soon you will handle the whole company and there are lots of people you need to talk to in order, to get their side." Dad said, I don't know if I should follow his orders or follow what my mind is telling me, and that's not to do what Dad wants right now.

In the end, I just saw myself greeting Gray, "Good day, Sir."

It was a greeting filled with many hidden feelings that I had been concealing for the past ten years.

"Don't be so formal; you can just call me Gray like we used to." He said like it was just natural for him to talk to me formally, that I didn't expect.

I raised my gaze to see his whole face. There are so many things that changed from him, just like his voice, it used to be sweet and caring when he's coaxing me.

Mom stopped the silence with a cough, and she immediately made us sit on chairs.

I hope that my foundation could hide the embarrassment that I'm feeling right now and my blush to hide the burning of my face.

"We called the both of you because...." Mom paused like in a K-Drama that the following chapter is needed to watch to know what's going to happen next.

I fixed the way I sat so nobody would notice that I'm nervous, I set my gaze upon Gray, he is now different compared to his fair coloured skin before, and now it's white, matching him more with his body that had gone through a hardcore work-out.

"We think this is a good idea for both of you to travel the world because you have known each other for a long time." Mom said, and as for my face, a painter can't re-paint it because of what she said. I know that I can't bear to be in a place with nobody else but us.

"No, Mom. I can't entirely agree." I firmly answered her with my teeth pressed hard as I responded back, if they're doing this on purpose then I'm not happy with it.

"Wait, my dear!" Mom shouted as I heavily shut the door behind me, I know that they'll tell me that I'm acting disrespectful, but I can't think of any other way for this thing not to happen. This is mania!

I got startled when a cold hand reached for my wrist, and I immediately looked over, it's Gray. His eyes didn't have emotion as he looked at me.

"If Mom ordered you to follow me, you don't have to. You can go home now, and I'll be the one that'll explain things to them." I said bravely while avoiding his eyes, avoid to fall to those eyes that once captivated me.

"Why don't you want to work with me?" A straightforward question is what I received, obviously not paying attention to what I just said.

"I just don't want to; it doesn't matter!" I shouted at him so that I could hide what my body desires, and that is to hug him once again.

"So, you still can't move on from me in the past ten years?" He asked me which made my lips curve; he had such courage to tell me that. He isn't the Gray that I knew anymore.

"Or maybe it's because of Terrence?" He said with him looking angered, I sighed, until now, he's still thinking of that.

"What will you do if I said yes?" I asked him while his grip on my wrist tightened, he then let go of me and turned around, which shocked me.

"I will not accept your decision, work with me. No strings attached, besides, I'm engaged too, it's fair." He said, and started to walk away. I guess no other thing would hurt like what I heard as I watched him walk away.

'I have a fiancee too.' A line that was marked in my mind like it was slowly messing my system, perhaps this is Gray's revenge, but nothing else would hurt than the truth that he doesn't feel anything for me anymore.

Why am I still so fragile when it's about him? Am I the only one who'd be hoping for the things that we promised each other before?

I don't know how to shout and tell him the words that say, "I still love you", if he already forgot the things that we buried inside our hearts.

I thought that once we see each other, then we're ready, but he's already prepared for another girl.

Like, who am I for him to love? I'm and would only be his ex-wife...