"I mean, Vice President." The man added while flashing a cordial smile. His face brightened with the sight of the woman. She looked completely different from the last time he saw her. He never would have thought that Ms. Laurice Azul also had this side of her. The contrast with her personality was far-fetched. He did not expect she was stunningly gorgeous in the flesh. Well, the woman herself was already a beauty enough in pantsuits and blazers but the swimwear made her appear more feminine and sensous, even he himself could not help but admire her physical a.s.sets but there still remained a semblance of modesty and reservation in her. She was also somehow a bit awkward and uneasy, in fact her face was flushed probably because he caught her in such state. But meeting the woman again which is a rare chance made him quite pleased so he took advantage of it by chatting a bit.Laurice was burning in embarra.s.sment but she tried to hold back her emotions. She was facing a former client and she needed to act like a professional that she had always been. There is certainly no excuse for an uncouth behavior. Her nerves loosened a bit when the man smiled at her politely. An unexpected gleam of understanding appeared in his eyes.
After heaving a sigh she replied calmly, "Mr. Mitsui, i have already resigned from my post two months ago."
Hiro Mitsui, thirty years old, was a j.a.panese entrepreneur who founded his own clothing line was once her client while she was still employed at Suma Wealth and Investment Management Corp., the financial arm of The Suma Group based in the U.S. from which she single-handedly managed his accounts from way back with regards to the funding of his textile retail business.
The man nodded in response and said rather regretfully, "So i"ve heard. However, it was a pity i could no longer request for your services again. Since i"m currently planning on expanding." He responded in nihongo (j.a.panese).
Laurice put on a thrilled expression and greeted the man cheerily. She uttered with a plastered business-like smile on her face, "Congratulations is in order. If Mr. Mitsui is in need for financial advice, i can refer you again with a trusted consultant in the company. My replacement was a business prodigy. He will not disappoint you." She also replied in fluent j.a.panese. She knew for a fact that the man was more comfortable speaking in his own native tongue.
"Please drop the formalities, Just call me Hiro. We are just having a normal conversation." He said and then lightly chuckled.
Laurice responded indulgingly at the man, finally relaxing a bit in his presence. They chatted amicably afterwards.
...
A few meters away from Laurice"s direction was the father and son duo who halted mid-step when they entered the pool area. The two figure stood in place while staring blankly in s.p.a.ce. They both froze to silence, with one face twisted in curiousity while the other in annoyance and jealousy.
Sid, who had only just managed to finished helping his son changed his clothes after receiving an important call from his office was stunned by the sight before him. Laurice was talking rather leisurely with a pale-skinned and lanky looking foreigner. His own woman who appeared graceful while conversing with the stranger was looking so beautiful and enchanting especially so in that daring dress of hers. But what annoyed him the most was that the man in front of her, was obviously attracted to Laurice himself. The stranger"s eyes were shining in sheer delight. He glared at their direction with murderous eyes.
Sid realized that he had underestimated the charms of the woman herself. He was now regretful for having her to wear the clothes by force and was regretting even for taking her to such place. At that moment, he could almost hear the two of them merrily chatting away. Their voices and their laughters sounded sweet and tender in his ears.
His face darkened in an instant.
Little Louie: " ...? "
Sensing the dark aura around his father, Little Louie sneaked a peek at his father"s face and he was shocked with terror.
"Scary. His father was looking so scary again."
At that instant, the child hurriedly released his hand from his own father"s grip and darted towards Laurice"s direction.
"Mommy, help!"
Little Louie cried inwardly, fear in his face, while he run the distance between them.
...
"Mommy!"
Little Louie shouted as he ran towards his "mommy" without looking back at his own father. He pounce right at Laurice and clung unto her legs when he finally reached her. He hid his face from the stranger while squirming to her side.
The man in front of them was left speechless.
His face froze in shock.
Did he hear it right just now? A child had called the woman, his mommy. He furrowed his brows, and was in deep thought. He believed the woman was unmarried and without children. Was he mistaken?
Laurice who was startled by the appearance of the little guy, failed to notice the change in Hiro"s expression. She was pleasantly distracted by the way Little Louie was clinging to her so desperately.
She nudged the child"s head and looking at his adorable face, she was not able to resist herself from cuddling with him.
In a swift gentle motion, she lifted the child in her arms and smiled at him. She said in a joyful tone, "Sweetie, Look at you! You look so cute!" Her eyes roamed around his body and glimmered in excitement.
Little Louie was sporting a sleek and elegant all-black one-piece rashguard complete with a cap. He looked dashing and polished for his young age. The child"s genes are just too amazing. Laurice could tell he would be more handsome when he grows up.
"What an eye-candy!"
Little Louie blushed with her praise while he clung unto her neck for support. He felt so happy whenever Laurice carry him and hug him so warmly.
"My mommy"s beautiful!" His childish voice sounded bashful and cheerful at the same time. Laurice laughed at the child"s remark.
"What a flatterer!"
Laurice was not used to people"s brown nosing but every word that comes out of the child"s mouth sounded so sweet and sincere. It was brightening up her mood all the time.
"Eeh. How can you be so sweet, darling?!" Laurice teased Little Louie while rubbing their cheeks together.
...
The man before them could not utter a single word. He was so stunned to speak. He stared at Laurice unblinkingly. She was smiling, laughing and giggling so happily and wholeheartedly. It was such a rare and beautiful sight. A never before seen event in fact. A miracle, in his own opinion.
Laurice Azul quite had a reputation in the states and possessed a cold disposition with a heart made of stone. But it seems those were only false rumors.
Hiro Mitsui was gaping at them with mouth wide open. The display of affection in front of him was so heartwarming he felt a bit hesitant to disturb them. Just when he almost recovered from the shock of the situation, a tall and dignified man approached the two figures. The words were stuck in his throat.
"What"s this?" Hiro Mitsui wondered, his forehead creased.
A child is already one thing.
But the appearance of the man is another.
...
Laurice noticed Sid"s presence and her face frowned slightly. She pouted and whined, "What took you so long?"
Sid was stunned with her reaction. He was actually pleased by her complaining instead. She looked adorable with that annoyed expression on her face. A glimmer of hope flashed past his eyes. His face softened.
In a gentle tone he said, "I"m sorry. The company called."
Sid laid his hand across Laurice"s back naturally as if embracing her while consoling her. His voice was tender and his eyes were fixed towards Laurice alone. He did not pay attention to the man standing beside them at all.
This amused Hiro Mitsui the most.
The man"s behavior was as expected. It was as if he was marking his territory. His resentment towards him was too obvious it was almost funny. Not to mention, he was completely ignored by the man himself. Hiro Mitsui sneered inwardly. Even Laurice seemed to have forgotten his presence already.
He was somehow vexed by this.
Hiro Mitsui narrowed his eyes in suspicion and asked her straight to the point.
"You"re married?"
His voice laced with doubt and regret.
Laurice: " ...???!!! "
His question put Laurice in a trance. Her jaw dropped.
"Married???!!!"
Failing to realize the point of the question being asked, Laurice blatantly shot the man beside him with an indescribable look on her face that seem to say -
" I am married to this man? "
Laurice shivered vehemently in her thoughts.
Whether she was shivering in delight or terror, she did not know exactly.
At that precise moment, Sid was staring back at her with an expression which belonged to that of a husband. A husband doting on his wife. His lips curled up into a smile.