Become a mother in a night

Chapter 23

Regarding the decision of whether or not to continue funding NexRealm Studios, Alex needed some time to deliberate.
He didn't provide Derek with any instructions or hints, simply asking him to get back to work. Derek, relieved not to receive a reprimand, sensed Alex's foul mood and hastily left to attend to his duties.
Among all the companies under Alex's purview, NexRealm Studios had been the biggest money pit. Alex had considered letting go of the gaming firm for some time. But the decision to ax NexRealm Studios wasn't solely his to make. He had to take into account the wishes of his nostalgic friend, his moody cousin Brandon, who had abandoned the project halfway, and Eleanor, who seemed to take pleasure in seeing him squirm.
Years earlier, Eleanor had acquired an online literature company. With the backing of both the Ye and Su families, she was flush with resources. She then invested heavily, hiring top-tier online novelists to drive traffic to her platform. The once-dying website was resurrected under her guidance and was now flourishing.
The Su family's youngest, Alex's cousin, was named Brandon. He was a revered figure in the online literature circle. When he heard that Eleanor had acquired the literature site, he immediately joined to support her venture. Brandon had a vast reader base and his influence was undeniable. In fact, half of the site's success could be attributed to him.
Coincidentally, as Alex was planning to collaborate with a friend on a game development project, they decided to purchase the rights to some of Brandon's works. The first two games, based on Brandon's earlier works, saw considerable success and turned a profit. However, they hit a snag with the third.
Brandon's then-current novel was only halfway done when Alex acquired the rights. When NexRealm Studios got the project, the novel was still halfway written. When the company recruited international talent, the story remained half-done. And even as the NexRealm Studios team began to discuss the game's storyline and settings, the novel's status was unchanged.
Then, Brandon announced that he was suffering from depression and couldn't continue his writing. The novel remained unfinished.
Alex was at a loss for words. After all, while Brandon was family, he wasn't a direct sibling. Physical or verbal reprimands were out of the question. All Alex could do was hope that Brandon would recover and eventually resume writing.
Brandon's third copyright was a massive project. NexRealm Studios planned to develop associated games upon its release. A significant amount of money was poured into talent acquisition for this venture.
However, stagnation set in, leading to a considerable loss of personnel. Coupled with losses from other games and a delay in launching new ones, NexRealm Studios was facing a downward trajectory over the past two years, bleeding money.
Had it not been for the fact that the project's director was a friend, and that all three copyrights from Brandon were sold to NexRealm Studios, Alex would have long since severed ties with the company.
In truth, NexRealm Studios was striving to salvage the project. With Brandon's consent, they continuously sought plot planners and copy strategists. But most, upon hearing the magnitude of the workload, were intimidated and backed out. Those who weren't scared off by the workload bolted when they learned that the original work was by the renowned Brandon.
"Damn, this is Brandon's work!"
"If the game's plot isn't perfect, we'll be lambasted by Brandon's massive fanbase and will trend for all the wrong reasons. Better to flee while we can."
With plot planners and copy strategists proving elusive, the project director - a former modeling specialist who was more talk than action - had to step up. He took it upon himself to streamline the story, though it didn't lead to much success. Eventually, worn out and with little progress, he retreated to his former role of modeling.
Now, he'd stumbled upon someone who might be suitable for the job. His task was to entice... no, invite them over. As long as the workload wasn't overwhelming and the person was unaware of Brandon being the original author, there should be no issues. If problems did arise, it'd likely be a matter of compensation. And as the saying goes, a problem that can be resolved with money isn't truly a problem - as long as Alex was willing to pay.
But Alex, aware of the significant number of planners and strategists who had abandoned ship, was wary of the project director's assurances. When the director sent Alex the new character designs and story arcs, Alex didn't even review them. Instead, he directly forwarded them to Brandon's inbox. It took Brandon three days to respond.
Recently, Lizzy had been basking in a newfound happiness. This was largely due to the change in Michelle's behavior towards her, which was now filled with warmth and attention, unlike before where Michelle would leave her alone and act indifferent.
Especially after the last incident where Michelle forgot to pick her up from the Kindergarten and Lizzy cried for hours. After that, Michelle had been treating her even better. This made Lizzy wonder if she should find an opportunity to cry again, hoping it might result in even more pampering.
Thus, Lizzy began looking for chances to act extra sweet and playful towards Michelle. She would go to Michelle over every small matter, wanting her mother's attention and consolation. If a day went by without her acting cute, she felt uneasy. It was like ticking off a daily task on her checklist – a mission to act adorable, and she never missed it.
Michelle, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of the little schemes churning in Lizzy's mind. All she noticed was that her child had become more clingy, which sometimes left her a tad exasperated. Fortunately, Michelle wasn't working on any writing assignments at the moment, giving her ample time and patience to pamper her daughter.
With no assignments on her plate, Michelle had become engrossed in video games. The games in this world were pretty similar to those she was familiar with, allowing her to dive right in. Michelle had always enjoyed gaming, and if she didn't have too many ghostwriting tasks, she would even take on some gaming assignments.
However, there was a downside to such assignments; she couldn't vent her frustration on toxic players, as she wasn't using her own game account. So, she had to swallow her anger and soldier on. After a two-hour gaming session, Michelle realized it was almost time to pick up Lizzy from the Kindergarten. Recalling her promise to never be late again, she shut down her game and prepared to leave. The duo decided to dine out that evening, with Lizzy pleading for fried chicken. It had been a while since Michelle indulged in fried chicken, so they headed to a nearby joint.
After wrapping up a client meeting, Alex was about to return to his office when he spotted Michelle and Lizzy at the chicken place. He wondered why Michelle would expose Lizzy to such junk food. Glancing away, he turned to his assistant, Derek, instructing, "You can head back first."
Derek acknowledged with a nod. As he was about to leave, he hesitated, starting, "About NexRealm Studios..."
Alex cast him a nonchalant look, choosing not to respond.
Derek gave a start, holding his tongue and deciding it best not to question further. Without delay, he hailed a cab and headed straight back to the office for overtime.
After seeing his assistant make a hasty exit, Alex turned his attention to the fried chicken shop across the street and entered. With his distinct tall and proportionate figure and his aloof demeanor, Alex quickly drew the attention of many in the shop. Yet, with an indifferent face, he made his way directly to Michelle's table, disregarding the curious stares.
Upon seeing the man settling opposite her, Michelle paused for a moment. Then, in a friendly tone, she inquired, "Shall we order an extra serving of fried chicken?" The chicken at this place was incredibly delicious; two servings were too much for them, but one was not enough. With Alex's arrival, ordering another seemed just right.
Receiving no immediate response, Michelle continued with warmth, "Don't worry, it's on me today."
Lizzy, equally enchanted by the chicken, tilted her little head and said in a sweet, childish voice, "Daddy, Lizzy wants more chicken."
Alex was momentarily lost for words, faced with the identical expectant gazes from mother and daughter. Relenting, he finally said, "Alright, order one more then."
Without hesitation, Michelle summoned the waiter, ordering another chicken dish, a cup of coffee, and two ice creams. Though she found it odd that Alex would appear here during working hours, she felt their relationship wasn't close enough to inquire. After all, what if Mr. Alex had just been on a date with Isabella? Asking could be awkward. Hence, she chose to wait silently for the chicken, refraining from questions.
However, it was Alex who initiated the conversation. "Just wrapped up a client meeting and spotted you two," he explained.
Understanding dawned on Michelle as she replied simply, "I see."
Soon, the fried chicken arrived. Michelle and Lizzy, eager to dig in, didn't notice Alex's disinterest in the dish. Before they realized it, the two had devoured the entire serving. Watching the enthusiastic mother-daughter duo enjoy their meal while sipping his coffee, Alex felt somewhat superfluous.
After their meal, Michelle took Lizzy for a stroll to help digest. Naturally, Alex followed. A newly constructed park plaza was nearby, illuminated by a lighted fountain and lined with vendors selling trinkets. Michelle bought Lizzy a cartoon kite, which she was thrilled about. But her excitement turned to frustration when the kite refused to fly. Lizzy's cute tantrum amused Michelle, who after a while, helped her get the kite airborne.
With the kite finally soaring, Lizzy's glee was evident. She ran about the plaza, proudly showing off her airborne kite to other children. After a bit, she returned to Michelle for their routine affectionate gestures – a head pat, a kiss – before resuming her kite flying.
Alex observed all this, noticing how Lizzy always sought Michelle's affection but never his. He told himself he wasn't the least bit jealous. Really.