Ciara knew her son was right with his words, even without wearing any facial expression on him -she knew he was hurt with the way he related his phrase, if not, disappointed. She barely had time since the past few weeks, always occupied with work and meetings.
She had, times without number, promised herself to squeeze out time out of her busy schedule for him, but she was mistaken, work wouldn't stop weighing her down, and it seemed to be getting more complex than the previous.
Ciara walked up to her son with self guilty as she placed her right palms on his shoulder, patting it. "Don't worry, pumpkin..." She said with an assuring smile. "Mom would surely make it up to you soon, okay...？"
"Soon...？ When...？" His voice was quick in demand, expecting something more soothing from his mother. "When this mom planning to make it up to me, I'm tired of waiting until forever."
Ciara sighed. "Soon enough, son. Don't you trust Mommy's word?" She asked him slowly, smiling.
"Ofcourse, I do. I was only-" Herzl was still saying...
The sudden beep that came from the door cut him off abruptly, giving him no chance to complete his words. Gerald went to get the door as he ushered Milan in, who strutted towards Ciara's desk.
"Here, ma'am." She offered as she dropped the files with her before Ciara. "These are the request we've managed to gathered since this week."
"Uh -sure. Just drop them on the desk, I'll have them reviewed before the day runs out." Ciara said in reply. "So the answer to the requests will be sent out before Monday's evening."
"Yes, ma'am." Milan cited simply with a few head nods and turned to leave.
"Take Herzl out for breakfast, Milan." Ciara said, stopping her on her track before she got the chance to take her first step. "I was such in a hurry that we did not have breakfast today. You should take him to his favorite spot."
"Why not uncle Gerald, mom?" Herzl chipped in, as his face crumpled down into a frown.
"Because mom has a few things to discuss with him before your return." That was Ciara's quick response, flashing him a small smile-cajoling him. "Okay...？"
"Okay." Herzl's voice was barely audible as he reluctantly held Milan's hand.
"Don'tworry, little big guy, I'll be here waiting for you. Okay?" Gerald chipped in, trying to assure him. "Now, go with Milan while I have a few talks with mom."
And that was it, Gerald's words were effective enough as a smile crept up Herzl's lips, and he nodded a few times and did as requested, following Milan.
"How was it?" Ciara asked as soon as Milan and Herzl left her office.
"I think they are keeping a low profile this time around. Their outing and meet ups are secretive these days, they barely see one another." Gerald replied in a straight tone, a usual Stoic expression finding it way back on his face.
"Well, yeah." Ciara nodded knowingly. "I'm sure they won't for the main time, that's because uncle Kent is seriously ill and bedridden at the moment -you know, he's the one who mostly heads their petty meetings and without him, they won't be able to have any unusual gathering."
"Ah -yeah, true." Gerald mouthed in a positive response. "What did you intend to do to them, then? Strike them now, since are still barely expecting it?"
Ciara shook her head negatively. "No. That's not it." She replied was quick and short. "It's far from what I'm having on my mind, I have something else in store for them."
"I see. You are letting them off the hook for now, is it not?" He muttered in a drawling tone.
"For now, yeah, but not forever." She lilted in a stern voice. "I'll make it look like they have the whole time with them, leaving them with no suspicion at all."
"What did you intend on doing? Just let them be?" Gerald finds himself interested in whatever plan or idea Ciara might be having up her sleeves. "-and pretend like nothing happened or is going to happen?"
"Ah, yeah! That's it." She clicked her tongue in approval. "I'll have to pay my bedridden uncle a visit tomorrow, maybe I might go with Herzl since it's Sunday tomorrow."
Gerald's face crumpled in disapproval and opened his mouth to speak, but Ciara was quick to beat him to it.
"Don't say it..." She told him -more like she was trying to caution him. "Herzl and I would be fine, you should stop worrying over nothing. They would not dare try anything with us, especially not in public."
"But -"
"No buts, Gerald..." She cut him off. "They dare not try anything with me because if they do, they will not live to tell or regret it."
Gerald could sense Ciara's confidence and that was enough for him, he dreaded if something should happen to them. He's got so attached to them that he knows, definitely, he won't be able to stand it.
The dial telephone on Ciara's desk rang, its beeping noise cutting through the air. Ciara's brows were creased slightly as she reluctantly picked the call.
"What's the news?" She said into the phone immediately she picked the call. "Bring it in-" With that, she cut the call, dropping the receiver at its appropriate place.
"Is it something I'm supposed to be aware of?" Gerald butted in and Ciara said a slight shoulder shrug.
"Maybe? I'm still yet to know what the news is about." Ciara uttered in response, returning to her seat. "But I'm sure it's something that will surely catch my interest, it's company related, I guess."
Gerald wanted to say a word but did say nothing in reply as he rested his back lazily on the wall, his both arms slightly folded across his chest, staring into the empty space.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open, revealing a tall lady in her late twenties. She had an attractive expression on her face, wearing a soft smile in addition.
"Good morning, ma'am." She greeted with a slight bow, strutting towards Ciara. "Here is the newspaper."
Ciara took the papers from the lady, going through the pages immediately, one after the other. "Where in particular did you see it?" She asked, her gaze still fixated on the pages.
"The fifteenth page, ma'am... "Alright, thanks. You can go, I'll look up to it myself." Ciara said with a wave of hand, dismissing the lady, who, in return, bowed slightly again before exiting the office.
Ciara opened to the mentioned page and had barely spent a few seconds on it, her facial countenance changed, her brows were creased with surprise as well as interest. She finds it hard to believe her eyes, as she felt like she was the one seeing things.
"This can't be true." She muttered to herself, shaking her head like she was trying to shake her off illusion from her head. "It can't be Ryan, of all people, why would he need shareholders and investors for his company out of the blues...？"