Since Naomi often went to the office for work, she usually dropped off Alexa at Alex's office. Alexa always looked forward to meeting her "Papa Alex" who was always at the company eagerly awaiting Alexa's visit. Even if he was in a meeting, she stayed there and played games on his computer or watched the tv he had set up for her. Naomi and Zac checked in on her periodically as they worked. But there was nothing for any of them to worry about because Alexa was an extremely well-behaved child.
Alex finished an extra day off work so he could surprise Alexa. He planned a trip to an amusement park just for the two of them. He couldn't hold back his grin as the meeting ended. All his employees loved it when Alexa was around because Alex seemed to be more 'alive.'
Alex quickly strode out of the meeting room and met up with Zac, who was named out a few things on his schedule. Alex stopped and turned to look at Zac. "Zac, clear my schedule for today, I'm taking Alexa out. Oh, and if Mi Sung comes over again and asks for me, don't tell her anything. Just let her know I'm busy," he said as he unbuttoned his suit jacket and continued to walk to his office.
Once he walked through the doors, Alexa looked up from his computer with a huge grin. "Papa, Alex!" Alex smiled and walked over, looking over her shoulder. "What are you doing, Alexa?" he asked while glancing down at the screen. Alexa blinked, then looked up at him with a proud smile before boasting, "It's a learning program Auntie Naomi put on your computer! I'm already at the Second Grade level!" Alex smiled and patted her back. "Good job! I'm so proud of you. You're such a smart girl." Alex returned a warm smile and couldn't help but think back to Kaia. He quickly shook the thought out of his mind. "C'mon we're going out," he said, taking her hand. Alexa smiled happily and took Alex's outstretched hands and jumped down from the chair before following him out the door.
Alex stopped by his house to change his clothes before they headed off to the amusement park. The day went by quickly since they were both having such a good time. Alex had Alexa on his shoulders as they waited in line for the last ride of the day. Alexa was holding onto a stuffed bunny as she looked down and talked to Alex.
One reporter—the same one who uncovered the fact that Alex had married Kaia, named Lisa was out on a hunt for her new scoop. She had followed a celebrity around everywhere until she ended up noticing Alex at the amusement park with Alexa resting on his shoulders. They were both laughing as they chatted, looking every bit like the picturesque father and daughter on an outing together. After noticing Alex again, she was overjoyed as a smile crept across her face with a mischievous glint in her eye. This hadn't been the first time that she had uncovered a big scoop all because of Alex, and as the media-proclaimed "sexiest man in the UK," he would be a more interesting story to write about compared to the celebrity that she had followed the entire day.
Besides, Alex owed her another big scoop. She had planned to release the scoop on Kaia and Alex right after the shooting at Crestfall Industries occurred and Alex had gotten hurt, but Caine forced her to give him "everything" she had. He had advised her not to release the news if she cared for her own safety. Lisa was extremely upset and didn't heed his warning. She had attempted to snoop around the hospital but to no avail. She didn't have a VIP access card so she couldn't get near them.
But then, about a week later on Christmas, the media blew up over the news of Kaia's death due to surgical complications. Everything was so sudden and conspiracy theories were rampant. One or two eyewitnesses had noticed Kaia covered in blood as she got into the ambulance and that was the last they had seen of her. People were confused about why Alex had been there and who the shooter's true target had been. Many reporters had attempted to try their luck at figuring out the truth behind the shooting incident and how the two rival company CEOs fit into all of it.
Lisa could no longer hold herself back from releasing the scoop on her secret USB drive. She also wanted to bathe in the spotlight as she had news that would shake the world. She released the photo she had taken of Alex's wedding ring and even said that Alex had confessed to her about being married and wanting his wife to stay unknown to the public. She also posted the photos she had taken of Alex and Kaia during the art gala. The news spread like wildfire and soon reached to the top of internet searches. Star Weekly, which was the small news outlet that Lisa published for, was berated for more information.
The editor-in-chief was so excited about Star Weekly's exposure and graciously thanked Lisa. He promoted her and even invited her out to dinner. But then, both Sabor Sights and Crestfall Industries made a public statement denying the allegations. They even said that if Star Weekly didn't take down the article, they would sue them. They also said that there was no proof that Alex had said anything about having a wife and that the photo of the ring was photoshopped. Adding oil to the fire, netizens had pointed out that Kaia's smile was too stiff in the photos of the two of them. They also noted that there was a sense of distance between the two of them when they posed together for the picture. Immediately after hearing these things, the editor-in-chief of Star Weekly took down Lisa's article and released a public statement apologizing for the false news. He was extremely pissed about the damage to Star Weekly's credibility and refused to listen to Lisa when she insisted that everything in the article was true. He told her to pack her stuff and leave, which greatly angered and frustrated Lisa.
Lisa had left in a huff. Since her credibility had also been damaged as a result, she knew she couldn't get a job in the news field for a while. She decided to lay low and started her own website under a pen name where she posted a lot of secondhand news, as well as some dirt she begged Caine for when he forgave her for not listening to him. Although it had been four years since then, she still couldn't manage to bounce back from the incident, hence why she was still snooping around for a good scoop whenever she wasn't working at her part-time job as a cashier at a supermarket.
Lisa followed them, sneaking around while taking pictures. She took out her notebook swiftly as she thought of some scoop-worthy titles for her new story. She smiled as she quickly scribbled down: 'Alexander Sabor and the mysterious kid' ; 'What you didn't know about Alexander Sabor…'; 'The sexiest man in the UK has a secret daughter?!?' ; 'The secret daughter of top CEOs in the UK' Lisa looked over her list, her lips twitching with delight. 'I wonder which one to use…' she thought while pulling out her phone from her back pocket. 'I'm sure he'll be delighted to know about this.' She smirked as she pressed speed dial while walking towards the exit of the park, satisfied that her day of hard work had led to something.
Alex and Alexa boarded the last ride, which was the ferris wheel. They sat down across from each other. Alex relaxed into the seat, smiling as he watched Alexa look out of the window with excitement and awe as they slowly ascended toward the sky. While watching Alexa with a tender and soft expression, Alex thought to himself for a moment. "Did you have fun?" he asked after a while. Alexa nodded as she turned around to look at him. "Yea! I had so much fun today! Thank you, Papa Alex! But...I wish momma could come too." Alex tilted his head slightly as he curiously asked, "Alexa, do you mind telling me about your mom? I've never met her before so I've always wanted to ask about her."
Alexa smiled and went over to sit next to him. With help from Alex, she climbed onto the seat. She swung her legs as she pondered. "Hmmm...I usually call her momma." She smiled while she thought about Kaia and continued, "But everyone else calls her Mia. She's super smart which is why I'm smart as well. Oh, and she's also a music teacher." Alex shifted in his seat, hesitating slightly before asking, "And what about your dad? What does he do?" Alexa frowned lightly before shaking her head. "I don't know because I never met him before. My momma says that he's a prince and has a big kingdom. He had to leave us because...umm...I forgot why…" Alex blinked. He never expected Alexa's mom to tell her something like that. He suddenly felt pity and sorrow, as well as a tinge of happiness. He was always worried that he was merely a substitute for Alexa's real father and he never asked Naomi about it because he hadn't been prepared to let go of Alexa if she really did have a father.
Alex pulled her in for a hug. "Well, I'm always here if you need me, okay?" Alexa snuggled into his warm and comforting embrace, smiling as she nodded. They slowly descended down and got off the ride. Alex held onto Alexa's small hands as they exited the amusement park and walked to Alex's car. Alexa sat in the back, hugging her new stuffed bunny which she named Knuffle bunny while Alex got behind the steering wheel, buckling into his seatbelt. He made sure that she had her seatbelt on before driving back to his house.
When they arrived, Alex opened the front door, and Alexa ran inside, jumping on the couch. Alex chuckled before asking, "Alexa, what do you want to eat?" He went into the kitchen, searching through the fridge for ingredients. Alexa finally stopped jumping and sat down, hanging her arms over the back of the couch as she looked at Alex. "I want to eat anything you cook, Papa Alex. Um, when will Auntie Naomi be done with work?" Alex stopped rummaging through the fridge and poked his head out. He looked at her and replied, "She should be done soon. I already told her I was bringing you here, so she's coming over when she's done." He smiled and got the necessary ingredients from the fridge and brought them over to the counter. He washed and prepared everything before he began to cook.
A while later Naomi finally left work. She rummaged through her bag and took out her phone. She smiled when she saw Alex's text telling her that Alexa was at his home. Naomi knew that Alexa had a fun day with her dad and wished she had been there to take pictures of the two of them.
Naomi got in her car and sent Alex a text back, saying she was on the way there. Once Naomi got to the house, she walked up and knocked a few times. When no answer came, she frowned before bending down and getting the spare key out of the false bottom of a potted flower. She put the key into the keyhole and turned it, opening the door. She wiped her shoes on the doormat before walking in. She halted in her footsteps when she saw Alex and Alexa. 'No wonder there was no answer at the door.' A sweet smile grew on her face as her heart melted.
Alex and Alexa were both asleep on the couch with a blanket draped over them as they cuddled up together. It was almost like the first time the father and daughter pair had bonded. Alexa's head was on Alex's chest while Alex held her protectively in his gentle embrace. Naomi smiled and quietly pulled out her phone, taking a picture. Forgetting that her flash was on, the bright light irritated Alex and he woke up with a groan.
Naomi flinched slightly as she quickly shoved her phone back into her bag. "Hi Alex...um...you didn't answer so I let myself in," she said sheepishly with a slight blush. Alex yawned lightly before gently laying Alexa down on the couch and tucking her into the blanket. He carefully maneuvered himself as he stood up. "It's alright." He grinned as he looked down at Alexa and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Alexa had a blast today. She already had dinner, and we watched The Sparkle Ponies together before we fell asleep." Naomi couldn't help but snicker, imagining the evil and cold-hearted CEO of Sabor Sights watching a kids' show with his daughter.
Alex walked into the kitchen and prepared a pot of tea for the both of them. Naomi quietly walked into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. "Thank you for working so hard to clear your schedule so that you could play with her. I can tell she's really attached to you," she said as Alex poured the tea into a porcelain teacup and set it down in front of her. Naomi took the cup and smiled. "Thanks."
Alex sat down at the table, carefully taking a sip of his drink. "So how's your daughter?" Naomi smiled. "Rose is doing well. She's staying with her dad for the summer." Alex nodded slightly before taking another sip. They sat in silence for a bit before Alex said, "I have a question. Why doesn't Alexa's mom ever come here with Alexa?" He traced the rim of the teacup. Naomi froze as her eyes darted around the room nervously. "U--um well her mom doesn't like the city, so she hardly ever comes here..." Alex sighed and looked at her before glancing towards the living room where Alexa slept. "What about her dad? Did he die? Her mom made up one heck of a fairytale about him." This made Naomi blink ." Fairytale?" she asked while staring at Alex curiously. Alex nodded. "Alexa said her mother told her that her father was a prince and has a kingdom or something." Naomi froze up slightly, this time, a small smile played on her lips. "Well, her mother was kind of telling the truth...Alexa's father does have a kingdom...of sorts..." 'Which I work in,' she finished in her thoughts. She stood up before he could question her further and sighed. "As for what happened to him, I can't tell you. It's not my place to," she said with a grimace before walking over and picking up Alexa who was dead asleep."I'll be going now...bye...and thanks again for taking care of her."
Alex watched her pick up Alexa and sighed. He stood up from the table and nodded. "Alright, I'll help you out," he said, motioning for Naomi to hand Alexa over for him to carry. Naomi carefully passed her over to Alex. He carried her as he walked towards the door. Alex helped put Alexa in the car, placing a small kiss on her forehead before looking at Naomi. "See you tomorrow." Naomi nodded with a smile as she backed out of the driveway. Alex stood there for a long time, watching as the car disappeared into the distance. He continued to stand there as he thought about Alexa's dad.