Always next to you

Chapter Eighteen

AIDEN

Today's meeting with the team made me realise how much work was coming to us. I started making games because I got bored with the ones that existed. If I was going to do this, I had to clear all paperwork drama. I managed to convince the board of the possible success of this project but they would need a demo game soon.

I read through the second to the last file and signed it when Jonas rushed into my office without knocking. He was a rude bastard, but he always knocked at least once.

"Aiden, we have a problem!" He marched toward my desk.

I put my tablet down to glare at him. This was the second time today he was doing this, and I was hoping this wasn't another of his Oliver problems. Since when was he such a man-child? He used to have Oliver under his thumb, but now it was the other way round.

"This better not be about Oliver," I warned him.

"It's not I swear,"

Jonas dropped his phone in front of me, and I reluctantly picked it up. There was a news article opened on his phone and I was scared it was about Zen, but it was about me. My heart sank when I scrolled past the cheesy headline to see a photo of me and Nicole coming out of the fast food store the day we went to the hospital.

I felt my insides boil with rage. I normally would ignore these tabloids, but this was Nicole. She was afraid this would happen, and I had to protect her before things got worse. What was wrong with these people? Did not have a celebrity to follow around?

I gave Jonas' phone back to him and got up, picking my own phone and suit jacket.

"Where's Nicole? Did she see it yet?" I asked.

"I lost her, but I think she knows about it," Jonas replied.

"Explain," I demanded.

I knew I sounded angry but who wouldn't be in this situation? Jonas was sceptical about telling me. Was she afraid of what I would do? I didn't blame him; I was afraid of what I would do to the person that took that picture.

"Just tell me I don't have time for this!" I shouted.

"I heard some employees talking about it, so it's possible the entire office knows she works here,"

I gritted my teeth in anger. I knew life was like this, but I expected better from my own employees. If I ever find out who there were, I would kill them for spreading rumours.

"We need to find her and get her out of here," I told Jonas, heading out of my office.

"Sir," Lizzy stops me. "The client in Dubai requested an immediate call to explain their needs,"

"Why am I just finding out about this?!" I yelled, sacring Lizzy.

"Their representative just sent me the link to the call. They say it won't take long," Lizzy replied.

She was already used to my tantrums, so she did not react to my anger. I thought about how to solve this problem. I couldn't be by her side when she needed me most because of work. I hated this, but I had responsibilities. If I cancelled the call, I would get in trouble with the board for neglecting my duties.

Zen had been in back-and-forth discussions with this client for six months and it was nearing the time they would sign a contract with us to develop the security for his personal vault.

"Jonas, can you take this for me?" I asked him.

He smiled and nodded.

"Go find her, I've got this," he said.