Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The restaurant that Alexa appointed was a random choice, not quite as prestigious as the restaurant the two of them had visited before. But the place was quite promising.

The waiter took the menu from her, turned around and left with light steps.

"Is it okay for you to go out with another woman while you already have a girlfriend?" She asked while fixing Fillo's sitting position.

The position; Alexa and Ray faced each other, while Fillo was in the middle of them.

"She's a good. She can't possibly be jealous just because of this, when we are both business partners."

"Isn't our business finished?"

Ray looked at her. "Be honest with me, Alexa, what exactly makes you hate me?"

"I don't hate you." Alexa corrected him. "You think too much."

"You changed your number."

"Ray, I have the right to change my number at any time. There is no obligation to report to you."

"Okay, sorry. That's true." Ray relaxed his back against the back of the chair. "I just tried to contact you but I couldn't. You didn't come to my club's main event after that night. Your staff said you weren't feeling well."

That was her excuse to run away. The real reason, she didn't want to see him for a while since then, seeing him happy with another woman made her blood boil. If she continues, maybe she can do various things.

"Yeah, I feel exhausted after working overtime doing decorations."

Ray took a wet tissue and wiped his fingers thoroughly. No answer. In that short pause, he glanced at Fillo who was resting his chin cutely, he looked sleepy.

"Fillo, give me your hands," Ray asked gently, his outstretched fingers immediately wiped with a new wet tissue, saying, "Before eating, your hands must be clean. Mom taught you that, right?"

Fillo nodded.

Her eyes narrowed, wondering if it was an insinuation aimed at her. What does he know? Regarding taking care of children, she has more experience than him.

Really!

"Your hands are so small and thin," Ray muttered as he rubbed his slender fingers in his. "Do you eat a lot at home?"

Fillo nodded again.

"I eat meat," he said innocently.

"What about vegetables?"

This time the little boy didn't answer, glanced at his mother for help, and already guessed what the answer was. Ray always regretted small children who didn't like eating vegetables, because they were still susceptible to illness, so he felt that vegetables could make them healthier.

"He likes to eat carrots." Alexa replied as if she knew what Ray was thinking.

After making sure the kid's hands were clean, he looked back at her. "He's so skinny, haven't you watched his food?"

"My babysitter did."

"Babysitter?"

Ray almost forgot that she was a busy single mother—also the boss of an event organizer business. He knows how hard it is for someone to manage such a busy company.

"Where did you find a babysitter for him? Is that guaranteed?" He immediately corrected, "Nowadays there are lots of babysitters who don't care about the children they are looking after, and are busy playing on their cell while working. You have to be careful."

"I'm her mother and I know what's best for my son."

Ray thought she was offended, so he added, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"Your orders, sir."

The waiter placed the food on the table, her face flushed as he responded to the sincere thanks that came from his lips. All handsome men conquer women so easily, even though they don't do much.

This is unfair.

He used a spoon to stir the roasted seaweed over the spinach, and spoke slowly, "I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's okay, I look incompetent at taking care of my son because I'm busy."

"It's precisely because you're busy and I feel worried about Fillo." He pressed the caviar between the seaweed and spinach, then scooped it out slowly.

She stared at him while slicing beef for Fillo, feeling that Ray's appetite was too picky and demanding. When ordering he had to double check what he ordered, demanding to use young spinach, roasted not too cooked, lots of butter, a little salt—she wondered what kind of life his servant led at home.

"You don't need to worry about strangers, I assure you this will be the last time you see my son." She averted her eyes. "And I'm not offended, really."

He chewed and swallowed his food carefully, then spoke, "But if you're not sure about that babysitter, I can help you find a new one."

"You don't need to bother."

"Where does Fillo go to school now?"

Fillo had some difficulty spooning food at the high table, so before answering, she fed him first and forgot about the food too.

"I can, Mom."

"Are you sure?"

Fillo nodded.

"Fillo isn't at school yet, but I entrust her to the playground every morning. The nurses look after him well."

At first glance, it was clear that there was a problem with Fillo, he was not as cheerful as other hyperactive children his age. Tends to be quieter and shy. But this time Ray didn't want to interfere. "Kids his age really like to play."

Fillo is not the same as other children. Even though he was deliberately entrusted to the playground so he would have lots of friends, the nurse there said that he preferred to be alone in class. Luckily no one mocked him there.

"You seem to really like children," she said.

"You guessed it, didn't you?"

The sound of laughter escaped his lips, crisp and pleasant to hear. After that, he glanced at Fillo and protested because the little boy had been caught removing broccoli from his plate. He said a lot to persuade Fillo to eat the broccoli, even calling the waiter to ask for mayonnaise.

His concern for Fillo seemed very sincere.

Alexa smiled bitterly.

While waiting for the waiter, Ray continued eating slowly. All caviar grains were chewed before swallowing. He eat very slowly and cleanly, in contrast to her who eat without maintaining her image.

That's the life of being rich.

In his entire life, Ray must have never felt like eating dry rice, or eating vegetables that were warmed up the next day to be eaten again.

"Your way of eating is so elegant," she said suddenly.

"Why are you making a big deal about how I eat?"

"I just feel like you're too picky in your food, if you're so organized why did you go out to buy a hamburger?"

"I ordered a healthy hamburger, according to balanced portions. It was quite healthy and nutritious."

Considering how overly demanding Ray is when it comes to ordering food, that makes sense.

She ultimately did not reply. At the same time, the mayonnaise that Ray asked for arrived at their table.

"I never eat here, so I just want my food to be preserved."

"I'm not inviting you to eat poison." Alexa couldn't take his words. She had already chosen the best restaurant she could remember, ok?

Ray's forehead furrowed deeply until he finally understood why the woman in front of him looked like she was going to be angry.

"You always misunderstand me, even though I don't mean that," he said.

Alexa asked carelessly, "Really?"

His hand which was holding the glass stopped in the middle. He quickly drank back his water before replying, "I have problems with my digestion, so everything I eat has to be carefully regulated. You didn't see demands like this when we ate together last time, because that was my regular restaurant."

"Oh, you said the head chef was your college friend?"

Ray just shrugged, as if almost annoyed too. Talking to her often creates unnecessary misunderstandings, this woman is too fierce and gets emotional easily. Finally he looked at Fillo and helped him skewer the broccoli.

"The mayonnaise is here, Peanut."

Fillo immediately pouted, Ray laughed.

"If you eat it with mayonnaise, the bitter taste will disappear. Want to try it?"

Fillo was hesitant to dip the broccoli in mayonnaise, but he did it anyway.

"How?" Ray asked mischievously.

"It's good."

"I told you. Smart kid." His large hand rubbed Fillo's head, making him blush. Fillo really enjoyed being pampered by him.

Meanwhile she couldn't do anything. Their last conversation also made the situation uncomfortable.

"If you want to finish that broccoli, I will grant all your wishes."

Fillo's blue eyes looked at him in that pause, eyes that were doubtful but full of hope. "Everything I asked for?"

"Yeah, all of them."

Fillo was still staring at him when he finally found something he wanted. "Can I call you Daddy?"

... to be continued ...