The CEO's Favorite

Chapter Twenty one

"Aria Jennings, do you have anything prepared for us?"

At first, I don't register the fact that my name is being called because we only started the meeting and I'm usually called on by the end, but a tap from Belle beside me has me looking up. I look around the table, at the eight people that make our small crew, then my eyes meet with Nessa's and she nods, encouraging me to go on.

I clear my throat. "I don't have a pitch for this, but I have an idea for a pitch. Is that okay?" I ask unsurely, still taken aback by the fact that Nessa called on me so early in the meeting.

"Go ahead."

The reason I haven't prepared a pitch for the recent ad we were given to work on isn't that Nessa never lets the others hear it — that has never deterred me — but because my mind has been caught up with my dinner with Patrick Hernsburg and what he said to me.

I try to forget everything about him and go on with telling everybody about my idea for the social app. In a way, I was nervous because apart from the first day I came in, I'd never had the opportunity to share my ideas with them. However, I try not to let it show and present it in the most confident way I can.

When I'm done, I stand in front of them, all vulnerable, waiting for their feedback. I lock eyes with Belle, who gives me a thumbs up, making me take a deep relieved breath.

Nessa gives me a small smile, then turns to the rest of the team. "What do you guys think?"

Nessa's sudden change of heart was still a bit surprising, but I was going to take it. Was it because of the last conversation we had? The one where I told her to give me a chance to prove myself.

Randall, the man who tried to go through my laptop, is the first to speak. "It's great."

I don't know if he means it or he is just saying that to appease me, but others start agreeing with him and after hearing ideas from some of the others, we come to a conclusion that we will be using mine.

It makes me happy as it'll be my first official project after more than two months working at DH Tech and it'll also give me something to completely focus on other than Patrick's words.

But as I go back to my cubicle, I don't stop thinking about them. It sounded like a threat. He sounded like he could make something happen to me and Lucas; like he would make something bad happen to us if I didn't listen to him. Was this a risk I was willing to take? Would I be able to face the consequences?

I sigh heavily as I stare at the contact below my thumb. It is a long shot, but if he is willing to hear me out, he may be able to help. He is a lawyer after all. One I haven't been in contact with for eight years, but one nonetheless.

In my head, I say, 'fuck it' and dial it. He's easier to talk to than my mom. I tell myself I am doing it for Lucas' safety, but I know I've been looking for an excuse to get in touch with them.

"Hello?"

The voice makes me stop breathing for a second. It has been too long since I heard it. Hell, I thought I would never hear it again. I'm tongue-tied. I don't know what to say. I don't know how to say anything I have to say. It feels like I'm in a trance.

"Hello?" My father prompts and I find myself rushing out of my cubicle to the restroom. My coworkers look at me like I'm crazy, but I don't care. "Is anyone there?" He asks as soon as I lock the door to the stall I'm in.

I didn't know that hearing his voice would make me feel so nostalgic. All the memories of them I've locked in the back of my mind open up and I start remembering the few times we spent together. I also know that he will hang up soon if I don't start speaking, which is why I find my voice. "Dad."

Silence. Pin-drop silence. I can't even hear the sound of him breathing. I start to fear that he has hung up. He hasn't.

"Dad," I repeat, my voice firmer.

"Peach?"

I want to cry. I really do. But I don't. "Yes, dad, it's me."

"Oh, my God!" My father exclaims, making me chuckle. "Aria, how are you? How have you been? Are you okay?"

Why did I ever think that I couldn't call him? He was strict, but also caring and down to earth and it showed in our conversation. He asks about my career, my son, and my husband. When I reveal to him that I divorced him and he died, he admits he knew because he has been keeping tabs on me.

He had been hoping I'd come back after college. When I didn't, he hoped I'd come back when I and Matt got divorced. When that didn't happen as well he hoped I would when Matt died. After that, he lost hope and couldn't reach out to me because of his pride and the fact that I may want nothing to do with them.

It was crazy. I was also scared to reach out to them because of the same thing.

"What about mom?" I ask. Out of the two of them, she was more stubborn and insisted things be done her way. I don't know if she still wants to see me and that's my way of asking.

"She's currently not in the country for a surgery. Why don't we all meet up when she gets back?"

A grin finds its way onto my face. If I knew it would be this easy, I would've called years back. "Sure. I called you for a reason though."

"Aw," my father said with mock dejection in his tone. "Here I thought you missed your old man."

"I did, I do."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Why don't we talk about it when mom is back?"

He agrees and we say our byes because we both have to work. I'm in a better mood as I go back to my cubicle and I have totally forgotten all about Gabriel's father until I see something that makes me stop in my tracks; Lucas in Belle's cubicle.

I change my direction immediately. "What are you doing here?"

Both Belle and Lucas look up from her desktop. "He came to find you, but you were in the restroom. Are you good?"

"Yeah, sure," I answer Belle and face Lucas. "I thought we agreed you'd stay in Gabriel's office?"

"Gabriel sent me to get you!" He defends.

A few people hear this and I'm sure they've already started making up ideas in their heads. I shake mine. At this rate, the rumors will never end.

Belle wiggles her eyebrows at me and I scowl, which makes her laugh. "Come on, let's go," I tell Lucas and as we go up to Gabriel's floor, I wonder what the fuck he wants from me today.