Become a mother in a night

Chapter 29

Alex, in a rare moment, found himself lost in a deep, contemplative silence.
After what felt like an eternity, he gave a faint acknowledgment to Derek, signaling his understanding of the situation. Without even sparing a glance in Derek's direction, he simply said, "That's all for now. You can leave."
Relieved that Alex hadn't expressed any grievances toward NexRealm Studios, Derek took advantage of his boss's seemingly calm demeanor and quickly exited the office.
However, not ten minutes had passed when Derek was summoned back. On the outside, he maintained a composed appearance, but internally, his heart raced with apprehension as he entered Alex's office.
"Damn," Derek thought, "I haven't been with NexRealm Studios for years. Don't pin their spending on me."
With a nervous stride, Derek approached Alex's desk, eyes darting towards the man seated behind it. Alex looked up, his instructions concise. "Get the documentation from Leonard regarding the work of the new strategist."
Derek hesitated for a split second before understanding the request. Soon after, he procured the latest documentation from Leonard and forwarded it to Alex's professional email. Anxious about Alex's potential displeasure with the new strategist, he added a note in the email: "This is a fresh document from the new strategist. Some content might still need revisions."
Alex wasn't genuinely surprised to learn that the new narrative and copy strategist NexRealm Studios had employed was the mother of his child. He knew Michelle used to write, but he had assumed her work revolved around softer content for Facebook official accounts and marketing articles, given her previous engagement in those areas.
He had once considered offering her a position in new media operations, where her main tasks would include reviewing articles and occasional writing. It would have been a relaxed role, but Michelle had declined. Little did he know, she would end up in one of his companies through a different route.
Alex had personally acquired the copyrights for a particular project from Brandon and was well-acquainted with its intricacies. He was aware of why the project had initially stalled and understood its current challenges. Therefore, seeing Michelle's name associated with it was a bit unexpected, and he couldn't help but harbor some doubts.
"Is this the same Michelle living in my house?" he pondered.
He decided to check the bank details and the identity documents attached.
Ah, he realized, it's indeed the Michelle he knew all too well.
Alex felt that his perception of Michelle was being subtly challenged.
Upon reflection, there was an undeniable confidence in Michelle every time she faced him, which made him feel that maybe his perception had been right after all. While Michelle initially tried to portray herself as a vulnerable and distressed woman, her performance in this role was far from convincing. The fact that she continually rejected his well-intended offers was a testament to that.
Michelle always declined his generosity, as well as that from the Ye family. She was fiercely independent, determined to steer her life on her terms without needing charity or help from anyone.
After going through the documents Derek had sent, Alex silently forwarded them to the original author who had abandoned the project midway. He surmised that Michelle might be unaware that the largest shareholder of NexRealm Studios was him. After pondering for a while, he decided against revealing this fact to her, fearing that it might lead to unnecessary speculations on her part.
Although he hadn't spent much time with Michelle, he knew she was the kind to overthink situations. She was the type who would spiral into feelings of insecurity the more she ruminated on something. Alex had no doubt that if Michelle knew he was the primary stakeholder of NexRealm Studios, she might consider fleeing the scene. To ensure the project's continuation and to provide Michelle with stable employment, he chose to keep this information from her.
...
Derek requested the latest narrative and character settings from Leonard. Leonard, with a shaking hand, almost hesitantly sent the documents. Anticipating criticism from the big boss, Leonard waited in anxiety. Just as he began to relax, a message from his good friend Derek popped up, causing him to tense up all over again.
"The inevitable has come!"
Leonard exclaimed. He felt like he was losing his hair, named playfully as 'Jennifer,' 'Jessica,' and 'Morgan' in his thoughts.
With a sense of trepidation, Leonard opened Derek's message.
Derek wrote, "Buddy, I've got some good news and some not-so-good news. Which do you want to hear first?"
Leonard doubted there was any good news.
The last time Derek claimed to have "good news", it was after NexRealm Studios had been singled out by Alex. As a consolation, Derek had invited Leonard for a late-night snack. Oh, and it was the kind where Leonard paid for it himself.
Leonard guessed what the "good news" might be and directly asked Derek, "So, where do you want to go for a late-night snack tonight?"
Upon hearing that Leonard was treating him, Derek, without any hesitation, picked an upscale club for their night out.
After some playful banter, Derek revealed, "The good news is that Mr. Ye will be allocating an additional sum to NexRealm Studios tomorrow."
Leonard paused, "..."
Leonard exclaimed, "What?!?!"
Derek responded, "Yep, exactly as it sounds."
Leonard was taken aback. The surprise was so abrupt that he felt he was on the verge of a heart attack. But Derek continued, "There's some not-so-great news as well. Brandon is making a comeback."
Leonard's face fell. "...Oh."
Just the mention of the name "Brandon" made Leonard lose his urge to converse. He had an inkling that Michelle could positively influence the project. In contrast, the so-called popular online writer Brandon—who had previously faked depression, abandoned the project midway, and was known for his incessant chatter—was bound to be a disruptive force.
Michelle aimlessly browsed through boutiques, thinking of a gift for her little one. She pondered deeply: What would a child, slightly over three years old, like?
Candies were out of the question as they already had plenty at home, and too much sugar wasn't good for children. Eleanor had recently gifted hairpins and hair ties, so that was off the list too. As for plush toys and other playthings, Alex ensured new ones were delivered every week...
After walking through the entire mall, Michelle couldn't find an appropriate gift for Lizzy. With a sigh, she decided to seek advice from her friends in the digital realm.
awerfadf typed: "Just send money."
awerfadf added: "Oh, it's for a child? Why not build her a playground then?"
fafa suggested: "Cartoon stickers? Cartoon character clothes? Animated DVDs?"
BossX chimed in: "Cute accessories, cute clothes, cute hats... Anything cute will do."
In the end, Michelle bought Lizzy a fluffy rabbit-eared hat. The hat's drooping ears were utterly adorable, precisely the kind Lizzy would love. Michelle had also considered purchasing a rabbit-themed backpack, but the preschool had uniform backpacks. She reluctantly decided against it. However, she did buy a large rabbit charm, almost as big as an adult's fist, which could be attached to any bag and stood out due to its cuteness.
Michelle felt she had done her best. If Lizzy didn't like the rabbit-eared hat and charm, she'd... find a way to persuade her to love them. Having completed her shopping, Michelle's enthusiasm for browsing waned, and she quickly headed home to play her video games.
In the afternoon, as Michelle went to pick up Lizzy from school, she noticed Lizzy proudly showing off her new hair clip to Sophie. Sophie was a bit envious of Lizzy's new accessory. Still, she sincerely complimented her friend, "Lizzy, your hair clip is so pretty! When I get home, I'll ask my dad to buy me one too. Then we can wear new clips together!" The two children were inseparable and shared a strong bond.
Seeing Michelle arrive, Aria prepared to leave with her daughter Sophie, who had a dance class that afternoon. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Michelle, Aria departed with a reluctant Sophie in tow.
Lizzy, remembering Michelle's promise of a gift, tilted her head and looked up with her sparkling, round eyes. Michelle chuckled, ruffling the child's hair, saying, "I'll give Lizzy her gift when we get home."
Upon hearing this, Lizzy nodded in understanding. Just as she was about to urge Michelle to hurry home, she remembered her earlier conversation with Sophie and decided it was time for a bit of charm. Grinning sweetly, she told Michelle, "Lizzy was very good today! The teacher even gave me two big red stars!"
Michelle, accustomed to Lizzy's charming ways, played along, "Wow, Lizzy is amazing."
Once home, Michelle presented the rabbit-eared hat. Lizzy's eyes lit up at the sight. The already adorable Lizzy, wearing the cute hat, would undoubtedly be twice as cute. Lizzy tilted her head, prompting Michelle to help her wear it. As the hat settled, Michelle complimented her warmly, causing the bashful child to scamper away.
In her room, Lizzy stared at her reflection, her new hat perched perfectly. She felt a rush of pride.
Ah, Lizzy really was the cutest!