“Good morning Mr. Ayden,”
“Good morning Sophia,” Ayden smiles at the receptionist who had a pretty smile on her face when she saw Ayden walk in.
“You are here quite early! I thought you said you were going back home,” Sofia asked frankly, Unlike Micah, Ayden was an easy-going boss so his subordinates were frank with him.
“I didn’t go…” a sudden wave of sadness took over him but he stretched his lips and gave a warm smile before changing the subject.
“Is Joseph in his office?”
“No, the Director hasn’t—oh there he is,” she spoke when she saw Levi Joseph the branch Director walk in with a dashing smile on his face.
“Hah! You never get tired of doing that, do you?” Ayden chuckled as he saw his overly attractive gestures.
“It’s just I am born with so much charisma, I can’t just hide it.” Levi chuckled and flipped his hair to the other side.
“We have to visit the local market today,” Ayden spoke.
“Yeah I remember, I even made a list of things we have to do,” Levi pulled out a long piece of paper from his pocket.
“I haven’t had breakfast yet so let’s go out after that,”
“Pfft...it’s 11:30 and you are still starving?” Levi chuckled.
“What can I do? I live alone,” he responded with a chuckle.
“Come, I will bring you to a great place, you will fall in love with it,” Levi patted his back and walked him out.
“Goodbye Sofia! “ Levi waved his hand at Sofia and went outside.
Ayden got seated in the side seat while Levi was driving.
“Let’s get going,” Levi muttered and started the engine, and drove away.
“So where is that place that I will be falling in love with?”
“Have patience, you will find out soon!” His corner of the lip curled up as if he had deep meaning behind his words.
“How is your love story going by the way?” Levi asked.
“Love story? Don’t call it that, it’s just a fantasy of my heart, she is my brother’s wife now,” Ayden breathed in deeply.
“Hah! Yeah, but what about your love story...I am talking about your love, not your brother’s.” Levi added and smirked at him.
“What are you talking about, I just told you she is married to my brother, there is no way we can be together,” Ayden replied with an angry tone.
“Why is it so fun?” Levi chuckled and stepped on the gas.
“You are such a nasty person! You make fun of people that have broken hearts I bet you won’t have a happy ending,” Ayden spoke sarcastically.
“I already don’t have a happy ending,” his voice had a deep emotion in it.
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean it that way,” Ayden apologized because he knew about the pain Levi was hiding behind his smile.
“No worries, I just want to see you have a happy ending, and I am going to make it possible by bringing you here,” he stopped the car before a small cafe, Ayden recognized it immediately, it was the place where he had met Renya for the first time.
“Are you joking with me?” Ayden was shaking.
“Come on, I will show you something I love,” Levi gave him an assuring expression and got out of the car. He looked down at his watch and then mumbled. “We still have fifteen minutes, let’s sit inside and wait,” Levi lead him inside, Ayden reluctantly followed him inside,
It was a cozy place, with chocolate brown seats and small wooden tables. Ayden silently walked behind Levi and took a seat beside the window, Ayden sat too.
“Waiter!” Levi called out.
A short man with curled mustache ran over with a smile,
“Mr. Levi, you have a guest today?” He asked.
“Yea, I brought a friend,” he smiled.
“What would you like Sir?” He asked.
“Bring me anything, I just want something to fill my stomach,” Ayden replied.
“Then I will bring the usual,” he chuckled and walked away.
“It seems like you are a regular customer here,” Ayden asked.
“Oh yes! I come here every day,” Levi glanced out of the window while replying.
“Are you waiting for someone?” Ayden looked at me. The direction where he was looking.
“Yes! He will be here soon,” Levi replied.
“I guess he is someone very important,” Ayden asked.
“Indeed he is!” Levi assured him. “There he comes,” Levi’s face formed into a fatherly smile and he looked tenderly out of the window, Ayden too looked around but suddenly the door of the cafe opened, and a small kid ran over to the table, he was holding onto a few rocks,
“Daddy!! I am back!” Simba chuckled and landed his face into Levi’s stomach,
Ayden was shocked, he had no idea that his friend had a son.
“Daddy I brought you a gift,” Simba held out his hands and placed the pebbles on the table before him.
“Thank you so much, I will keep them safely in my room,” Levi collected the stones and placed them in his pocket, and then picked up Simba and said him up in his lap.
“Who is this?” Simba asked.
“This is my friend,” he replied.
“Hi, Friend! I am Simba,” He spoke in a soft voice and held out his muddy hand for Ayden. He shook his tiny hands and then asked Levi.
“I didn’t know you had a son,” he questioned.
“I did,” he looked down at Simba, “ Simba? Go and wash your hands, I will be waiting for you here,” Levi asked.
“Okay,” Simba hopped off his lap and ran away.
Levi glanced back at Ayden and parted his lips.
“I was never a good husband but when Mia died, I broke...I wasn’t ready to take responsibility for a child because I was too struck by her death. I knew Simba would suffer with me. I gave up on him,” his expressions were like that of a criminal, “ A family adopted him and they took him away, they gave him a life I could never have given him,” he suddenly laughed, “ the guy who was his adoptive father sent me every detail about him, and a few months ago he came back to the country with his adoptive mother…”
“So he has another family now?” Ayden asked.
“It’s funny that I was scared he wouldn’t get the love of a mother and father but I was wrong, he has so many people that love him, he had a total of three days and two mums,” Levi chuckled.
“That many?” Ayden asked in surprise.
“Yes, and one of his mothers is—“ he looked outside the window once more, “ she will be here by now,” Levi smirked.
The door of the cafe opened and Renya walked in.