GIANNA'S POV
I hovered near my boss's desk, keeping a watchful eye on the two kids I'd met in the elevator. They were sprawled comfortably on the sofa, waiting for Francis. My mind was reeling from the day's revelations. I thought Francis was gay? So why the kids? Where's their mother? Maybe they're divorced, and he traded her in for a boyfriend? Seriously, Gianna, mind your own business!
"Miss..." the boy's voice broke through my thoughts. There was something about him, a quiet charm and poise that his father seemed to lack. "Do you need anything?" I asked gently. "Where is Daddy? Why is he taking so long?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. I couldn't answer that, seeing as I'd assumed he was already in his office, which was why I'd been summoned in the first place. Where the heck was Francis hiding? And why would he let these kids ride the elevator alone?
"Just give me a sec, okay? I'll go find Sir. Don't leave or go anywhere, alright? I'll be right back." I hurried out of the office, pulling out my phone to call him, but he didn't answer. I even checked with my cousin and Ms. Gada, but no one had seen him. After a fruitless twenty-minute search, I decided to return to the office.
The scene that greeted me was... unexpected. There was my boss, the elusive Francis, engaged in a lively game with the two children. And he was wearing a pink hair clip! I had to stifle a laugh at the absurdity of it all. Who would have thought?
He must have sensed my presence, because he immediately straightened up, removing the clip from his hair and attempting to smooth his rumpled tie. He cleared his throat, and I fought to keep a straight face.
"Are you guys hungry?" he asked the kids after a moment, his voice a little strained.
"I am, Daddy! I've been hungry for ages," the girl exclaimed, raising her hand enthusiastically. Francis was pointedly avoiding eye contact with me.
"Xai, Chian, Daddy can't have lunch with you today because I have something important to do, is that okay?" He knelt down in front of them, his expression softening. Something in my chest tightened at the sight. "But my secretary will go with you. Is that okay?" He finally met my gaze, and I felt a jolt of surprise. Wait. Me? He wanted me to babysit? No way! Absolutely not!
But it seemed my protests were in vain, because the next thing I knew, I was ordering food for the two kids at a nearby fast-food restaurant.
Great. I've been roped into babysitting. Just my luck!
"Here's the food!" I announced cheerfully, as the waitress began setting down our order. I'd made sure to order healthy options for the kids, but I skipped getting anything for myself, since I'd just finished lunch. I watched them as they ate quietly, their little faces focused on their meals. They were undeniably cute. After a few minutes, they announced that they wanted to go back to the office.
Now, they were back on the sofa, engrossed in their coloring books. I couldn't help but notice how little they resembled Francis. They didn't seem to have any of his features. Were they really his kids? A troubling thought began to form in my mind. Could it be that Francis wasn't their father at all? That his wife had kept it a secret from him? Oh my God! I quickly shook my head, trying to dismiss the crazy idea. Stop it, Gianna. You're getting carried away. I stood up and approached them, kneeling down to meet their gaze. They were completely absorbed in their artwork.
"Hi, Xai," I said, offering a friendly smile, but she didn't even glance up. Guess she gets that from Francis. Tsk. "What are you drawing?" I asked, peering at her creation. It was a family tree, with three men labeled Tito, Kuya, and Daddy, and a girl labeled with her name: Xai Reign. I immediately noticed that someone was missing.
"Why haven't you drawn your mommy yet? Where's mommy?" I asked gently, my voice laced with concern. She froze, her hand hovering over the paper, and then her eyes met mine. In an instant, tears began streaming down her face, accompanied by loud, heart-wrenching sobs. I jumped up in alarm, completely flustered. She was crying so hard that even her brother couldn't console her.
"I-is there a problem?" I stammered, my heart pounding in my chest. "Xia, are you okay? What's wrong?" I repeated, but she just continued to sob uncontrollably. Chian went over to her and wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face in his shoulder, crying even harder. I didn't know what to do. "Xia, please tell me what's wrong. Please stop crying..." I reached out and took her hand, and I was shocked to find it ice cold. What have I done?
Just then, the door burst open, and Francis strode in, sending a fresh wave of panic through me.
"Xia, are you okay? What happened, Gianna?" His voice was calm as he spoke my name, but I could sense the tension simmering beneath the surface. He scooped up the girl and sat down on the sofa, cradling her in his arms. "Get the bag," he ordered, his voice sharp. Despite my confusion, I obeyed, grabbing the bag and handing it to him. "Find the inhaler inside." I rummaged through the bag, and when I found the inhaler, I quickly gave it to him.
Several agonizing minutes passed before Xia finally calmed down, and she eventually drifted off to sleep in Francis's arms. Gently, he lifted her and laid her down on the sofa, making sure she wouldn't fall. Then, he stood up and turned to Chian. "Chian, come here." Chian went to him and sat down next to his sister. I quickly averted my gaze when Francis and I made eye contact. I felt a pang of guilt for what had happened. I didn't know why she'd reacted so strongly, but I knew it was my fault.
Francis perched on the edge of his desk, watching over the two sleeping children. "What happened?" he asked, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "I'm so sorry... I didn't know what I did to upset her. I really didn't mean to," My throat felt tight, and I struggled to speak. "Tell me everything," he pressed. I had no choice but to recount the events that had transpired, but he stopped me when I reached the part where I'd asked Xia about her mother.
He let out a long, weary sigh. Then he stood up and settled into his swivel chair, his gaze fixed on the two children. "Next time, don't ask her about her mother. Don't ever bring up her mom, okay?" he said, his voice firm. "Why?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. He loosened his tie and sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "Their mommy's gone. Lucia died four years ago, and it hit them hard, especially Xia. Every time someone mentions her mom, she has a panic attack. That's why I don't want you to mention her mom again," He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and warning.
"Sorry..." It was all I could manage to say.
"Get their things ready. Their dad will be here to pick them up soon." Those words stopped me cold. "I thought..." I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence. I was so confused.
"What? You thought they were my kids?" he asked, his eyes searching mine. I nodded almost imperceptibly. He let out a hollow laugh, then turned his gaze back to the sleeping children.
"They're not my kids. They're my nephews," He looked back at me, his expression unreadable. I was speechless, unable to process what he'd just told me. I'd been so sure they were his. Why did they call him Daddy?
"And I'm single," he added, almost as an afterthought.
I don't care if you're single. I wanted to say it, but I bit my tongue, deciding it was best to keep my thoughts to myself.