Mr Billionaires Secret Baby

Chapter 84

“That concludes the last of the documents. | will have it signed and filed away for HR.” Lucy handed me the last page that needed my signature for the paperwork regarding the two employees Hesponsible for yesterday's mess up.

It was definitely a negligent act done continuously and it was only fitting that an official warning be issued before anything else can take place. It didn’t help their cases that the department head had already verbally warned them before about similar errors before this mess up occured.

Lucy gathered the papers and then compiled them in to two saperate folders to be

sent to HR.

“| RSVP’D first thing this morning for the Croxley House Fundraiser. It is a shame. that they didn’t allow a plus one.” She said batting her eye lashes at me and pouring her nude coloured lips.

“The worst shame indeed.” | concured with amusement.

Lucy loved every thing high fashion and consisting of the elite members of society. | knew her well enough by now to know she had already probably known. every name of ever eligible, wealthy, and handsome bachelor that was going to be in attendance and every woman worthy of causing a scandal.

“| would rock that event. Maybe not in actual fund raising, per se, but definitely with style. Just imagine it, me in a fancy floor length dress designed by some famous designed whose name | couldn’t even pronounce. My hair would be pull up in one of those fancy chignons and I’d keep my make up smokey and alluring for the many unfathomably handsome men that would undoubtedly be present.” She looked dazed and like she was no longer in the room with me but had fast. forwarded to the event already and saw herself being the centre of the glits and glamour.

“Sorry to burst your bubble there Cinderella but your desk phone is ringing.” She snapped out of it with a small jerk then rushed to attend to it.

p.m.

Once she was out of my office, | glanced at my watch and saw that it was nearly 3

| did a quick check to my agenda for the day and was pleased to discover that | was clear for the day. Meetings had been taken care of, the issue of yesterday had. been dealt with, and | could easily head out to pick out a dress for the event.

“That was Hannah from H.R checking in on these documents.” Lucy entered my office with a huff and her hands were free of any folders that she held earlier.

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Lucy saw me prepare to head out and she raised a brow at me. “Heading out so soon?” She asked a little disappointed.

| nodded. “I need to go pick out a dress for the Croxley House Fundraiser.” | informed her and | instantly sw forgiveness on her wide smile.

“Oh, yes! That is very important. Pick out something dramatic.” She suggested. “You do not want to be under dressed.” She warned and | didn’t realise when | had hired her as a stylist but | found it adorable.

“Some thing dramatic for what?” Lucy and | snapped up at the sound of the masculine rough voice sounding from the door way. “Mr Crawford, | was not expecting you.” Lucy switched back to her professional side but Dante’s attention was fixed on me.

“| prefer to hold the element of surprise.” She responded to Lucy, tearing his eyes. away from me to offer her a small smile.

| slid my bag over my forearm and rested the strap on the crook of my arm. Dante followed my every movement like a hawk.

“I came here to speak to Sophia but | might be out of luck.” Dante said looking at me once again.

There was some thing different about his eyes or was it the way he fixed them on me. His looked at me from head to toe and suddenly the pencil skirt and blouse | had worn today felt like it was too little clothing.

“It is why it’s preferable to call before hand.” | said to him with narrowed eyes and Lucy nodded in agreement.

Dante shot her a look and she immediately excused herself from the office and scurried away from Dante.

“| would have called if | was certain that you'd attend to it but I’m not.” He called me out not so subtly for the countless of times that | had let his calls go to voicemail.

“What ever business you have to deal would would have to wait until tomorrow or you could brief my assistant on it and I'll get back to you.” | said curtly and his lips. pressed together in disapproval of my tone and demeanor.

“Where are you heading out to?” He pried as he stepped further in to my office and only stopped when he had reached the front of my desk right where | had been

10:51 Mon, 18 Mar UG

standing.

“If you must know, | need a dress for the fundraiser.” | informed him keeping my chin high and defiant.

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“The Croxley House Fundraiser?” He clarified with a doubtful look in his eye and | grit my teeth.

He was just doing it to annoy me, | was sure of ifbut it still got on my nerves. Dante was trying to imply that he was surprised that I had made the cut.

“Which other fundraiser is there?” | questioned him sarcastically and saw him. smirk to himself.

“Are you laughing at me?” | glared at him through narrowed eyes.

“Not at all.” Dante responded too quickly but tried to cover it up with a cough. “I must say that | am impressed that you’ve scored an invite.” Was that a compliment?

“Im assuming you'd be in attendance.” It was such a obvious thing. Wealthy men with deep, deep pockets were the target of their guestlist and Dante was just that.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” | saw him move closer to me and | couldn't tell if it was just an unconscious move or whether it has been intentional.

The smell of his cologne tickled my nose and | made a huge mistake of inhaling deeply. The citrus, woodsy note mixed with a hint of spice was as familiar to me as day. | cleared my throat, snapping out of his mind control before | could get sucked in to it. “I need to get going. Boutiques don’t stay open too late.” | side stepped him and headed straight for the door but | only made it two steps away before Dante spoke again.

“Allow me to accompany you, Sophia.” Dante’s velvety smooth voice asked and pleaded at the same time.

For a moment, | thought that | had heard him incorrectly but when | heard his footsteps close in on me as he met me in the middle of my office, | knew that | didn’t.

“You want to come shopping with me?” | raised a sardonic brow at him wondering what the catch was or if there had been a game afoot..

Dante seemed shocked with himself and shrugged. “It looks like | do.” He

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confirmed.

Shopping with Dante was some thing | had never ever done before and | didn’t know how | felt about him assessing me in different dresses. It just felt like | would be putting in clothes for him look at and possibly offer his judgement.

But then a thought occured to me that would make the experience less stressful and intense and more neutral.

“Fine.” | said with a huff. “But we should pick up Hayley first to accompany us.” | suggested firmly and Dante was more than pleased to oblige.

“Of course.” He bit back a smirk but | caught it before he could hide it and knew that he was aware of exactly why | insisted getting Hayley.

on

We drove in two saperate cars back to my house where | parked my car. | got in to the house with Dante following a little too closely behind me. | greeted Nancy and told her that she was free to leave early today.

“Dad!” Hayley exclaimed as she rounded the corner and spotted Dante standing just outside the living room.

“Come here, little one.” Dante crouched down to catch the already leaping Hayley

in his arms.

It was so fascinating to watch just how his entire demeanor changed around Hayley. The ruthless business man and co cky pain in the a ss that | knew he could be was no longer part of him any more. He was his true self with Hayley and it was almost like she brought out a softer side in him then | bet even he knew he possessed.

“Put on some shoes, Hayley.” | moved closer to then and tip toed to give her a quick kiss on her cheek.

“Where are we going?” She asked but wiggled until Dante had put her down and back on to her feet.

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“| need a dress for this party I’m invited to.” | said to her and she pursed her lips. before batting her eye lashes at Dante.

“Can we go for ice cream after that?” She stuck her lower lip out in a pout and | watched in disbelief.

Hayley never ever did that to get what she wanted but it seemed like she was tugging on Dante’s soft spot for her to get a treat. 10:51 Mon, 18 Mar LG.

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Dante, either unaware of this trick or just letting her get away with it, immediately nodded without sparing it a second thought. “Of course, we can.” Dante agreed in an instant and she immediately rush off to put on her shoes.

| waited until she was out if earshot before | turned around to face Dante. He had been standing much closer than what | had expected catching me by surprise. | took a moment to adjust to his proximity before gently take a step back.

“You do know that she has you wrapped around her finger and she’s using it to her full advantage.” | couldn’t hide my amusement at all and Dante shrugged like he was not a stranger to this news.

“She isn’t as slick as she thinks she is but it's all harmless in my opinion.” He said, waving his hand through the air.

“All ’'m saying is that it's only a matter of time before she bats those eye lashes and asks you for a pony.” He scoffed at that as | moved to leave my car keys on the coffee table.

“Then I'll buy her whichever horse she lays her eyes on. Heck, I’d buy her an entire ranch if she wanted.” His tone was serious and | paused to look at him in disbelief.

“Dante, you can’t be serious.” | waited for him to relieve me of this fear of Hayley being a spoiler child.

“But | am. | don’t see why she should be deprived of what ever she wants.” He crossed his arms over his broad shoulders and leaned his shoulder against the wall.

“Maybe because we risk her being spoilt if we give in to her.” | reasoned and Dante tsked my concern away.

“It's a good thing then that she has you to keep her grounded.” He said with a flex of his brow and | sighed letting it go.

Any further addition to this discussion was cut with Hayley’s approaching footsteps. She stood between Dante and | then looked at us one ata time.

“I'm all ready to go.” She announced and we headed back out of the house and in

to Dante's car.

Dante had driven us back to the city and straight to the boutique that | had mentioned that | wanted to stop at only to find that it had been closed due to

[e)

unforeseen circumstances.

| groaned but then decided to make a stop by myself tomorrow. Hayley felt bad but then quickly got over it because she thought it meant that it was time for ice.

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cream.

Dante drove to what | was assuming was the ice cream place until we took a route that definitely wasn’t in the direction of it. | frowned them looked away from the window at at Dante who merely kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“Where are we going?” | asked craning my neck to take in the surroundings better.

“Just trust me.” He said with a small smile refusing to give any thing up until minutes later it was revealed.

Dante pulled up to another boutique but this was one of those stupendously fancy ones. It was impossible for it not be a known spot with how popular is was but popularity also meant that it was rediculously expensive.

| didn’t make a fuss about it and | was genuinely intrigued about the store and their designs so this wasn’t too bad. Even if | walked out of here with nothing, | would have still gotten the satisfaction of seeing the store for myself.

Dante held Hayley’s hand and talked her through not touching any of the dresses and how we were here to find me a dress but Hayley was too excited by all the sparkly, over the top dresses on the display in front of the glass window.

The door was held open for us by the doorman in uniform and | was greeted by a short hair brunette.

“Welcome to Romano’s. How can i help you?” She asked with a professional smile

on her face.

“lam looking for a dress.” | stated and she immediately began asking me about what styles | was in to as she motioned for us to follow her.

| told her roughly what | was looking for, the nature of the event, and my style preference and she already had this sparkle in her eyes that told me she had a few dresses that fitted my description.

“lam Kelly, by the way.” She introduced herself. “You can head to that dressing room and | will bring in a few pieces for you to try on.” Kelly said to me before. looking at Dante and Hayley.

“You can take a seat here.” Kelly said to Dante and he obliged with Hayley by his

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side.

| waited patiently behind the curtains but it wasn’t a long wait because Kelly brought in like three dresses to try all in different colours yet all equally stunning and breath taking.

“| can’t wait to see mama in a fancy dress. She always looks pretty in them.” | could. hear Hayley speak from the other side of the curtain as | shrugged of my clothes and prepared to try these dresses on one by one.

“She does.” | heard Dante agree with her and even thought | could see him nor could he see me, a small bubble of heat rose to my cheeks in a blush.

No, no. Focus on the dresses, | told myself as | unzipped the turquoise and nude coloured floor length dress.