Touching the Heart of Ace
Chapter 85

I ignored the green demon in my heart as long as I could.

I conducted the inspection and was not so surprised to replace Vivian was in the firm because Mr. White was her mom's cousin. Firing her would not be easy but I could turn tables on her.

I assigned her as a project head like she wanted but was given marketing associates as her subordinates.

Her project was simple. Make a code and they would sell it.

A programmer as efficient as her did not need another programmer in her bunch!

Mr. White himself would have to forward her termination letter to me for approval.

That girl would be a good sales girl, that was it.

No, that was not my jealousy speaking.

But she would not work in my sales team.

Yes, that as my jealousy speaking.

Daddy figured I was going through my anger episodes in three days.

"Don't touch me!" I pushed his hand away before slamming his cucumber watermelon juice on his table.

Bastard had chapped lips again!

"Then who else would I touch?"

"You tell me!!!"

I stomped to my office and tapped away on my keyboard. I felt a kiss on my neck and I huffed before closing my laptop.

"Kitten..." He pinched my waist on my way out and I pushed him away. "What did Daddy do? Careful!" He pulled me back before I would slam my knee on an open shelf. Lia learned how to open child lock on kitchen shelves; to steal my cookies, no doubt.

He flirted with her.

He had not but he made me think that he was.

My anger made him kiss my cheeks with a smile.

"Tell me, you needy slut..." He whispered to my ear.

I punched his shoulder before going to close our windows and doors. I secured our digital locks and manual ones before switching on cctv's and alarms.

I was annoyed and I did not know why.

I didn't want to see his face.

I grumbled when he kissed the back of my hand.

I sighed when I saw Little Lia sprawled out in the middle of our bed taking up all the space. She was so tiny but the postures she had, tooke up every inch of the bed without giving us any space to lie down straight was so cute.

I rubbed her tiny back and picked her up before properly situating her on the bed.

Robbie pulled me back to his arms before I could lie down though.

I glared and wiggled out of his hold but damn it my man was so persistent. Where was this persistence when I wanted it the most?

"What did I do?"

"Nothing." I climbed back on the bed and curled around my baby girl pressing a kiss on her forehead.

He nibbled along the back of my neck. "I did not get my good night kiss."

I scowled before quickly pressing a kiss on the side of his mouth.

"That is not a kiss." He scowled back.

"Not my problem."

"You want to play it that way? Fine." His hand curled around my stomach, squeezing and kneading, and his teeth started to leave marks on my skin. "Stop it right now. Lia is right here."

Did he listen? No.

"It hurts..." I whispered before pushing on his shoulders. It felt good though; his pinches.

"Not my problem."

"Tsk. Stop it..."

"Are you ready to tell me what I did wrong?"

"You did nothing... shhh... it really hurts... I will bite your tongue off if you don't stop it right now!" God, it was not easy to whisper when I wanted to shout.

He poked his tongue and placed it on my lips. "wwu wy a"

I did not mean to smile but he saw it anyways. He started pulling and pulling until I was on his chest before kissing me again.

"You were awfully cuddly with that girl."

"Girl? What girl?"

"Tsk. Vivian."

"Who?" He was honestly had no idea and I was ashamed to admit that it made me happy and proud.

"The girl who sat next to you in the party."

"Award ceremony?"

I got a hard between my butt for that. Maybe I deserved it too but... what did he know of what I felt at that time?

"You are really replaceing excuses to stay mad at me, aren't you?" He glared.

I did not know what he saw in my eyes but he looked so surprised and rolled me to my back.

"That girl? She is a nobody, Brat. You know it."

"You did not even look at me."

"When! Yesterday you were mad that I would not take my eyes off you."

I whined. How could I explain to him that I was mad because he did not see me standing a mile away in a dark corner surrounded by hundreds of million people?

But I did... and he did not laugh at my complaint and I felt bad already.

"Dear God! Sweetheart, she is... your employee. When she talked to me about her boss being all-in-all... I thought she was talking about you. I was just being nice... She was annoying but... if she worked for my Angel I can't scare her away."

Then came a words after words of his adoration and I felt so small for throwing a tantrum in the first place.

He kept on kissing my cheeks and I loved that... too much... though I did not take my pout off.

"I did not tell you to stop kissing me!" I snapped and he jerked before starting to kiss me again.

Good.

"What? Sick of kissing me already?"

He gave my butt a tight spank.

"You have fucking wrapped me around your tiny finger and you know it. You know nobody gets to do anything with me except you. Fuck? Is this the annoyance you feel when I come to you rambling about othe people?"

That made me giggle so bad that I was worried Lia would wake up.

"Don't cuss." I flicked his lips. "Lia is here."

"You trouble; you always mess up my mind!" He growled and started to leave hard bites on my neck and chest.

"Daddy... stop..."

But soon my fingers curled on his shoulders loosened; my breaths came out as soft pants and my whole body started to slowly relax ready to...

I muffled up a moan and I felt Daddy's weight crushing me to the bed...

Oh... yes...

"Fuck... Baby... What do you do to me?" He whimpered to my ears and I wanted to...

"DAEYYY..." Lia sat up and we both jumped a mile apart.

I quickly wiped my lips and I saw Daddy adjusting blankets on his lap.

He had one track mind! Our child was right here!

Well, Ace, you also...

SHUT UP, CONSCIENCE, now is not the time to talk back to me!

Sowwy!

"I am right here, Lia. Shhh... Little Baby you are sleeping..."

"Davey..." Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was patting the bed searching for me.

"Yes, Lia... I am right here... AW... come here baby... Lie down..." I pulled her to my chest and rocked her until she stopped frowning in her sleep.

She had been doing this occasionally when she napped ever since that bitch caused a scene at mom's home.

"Shhh... Davey and Daddy are right here."

I squished her to my chest and she sighed.

I smiled at Daddy who was worriedly looking down at Lia. He put his elbow under my head and cuddled us closer.

"No one... no one ever gets to cuddle with me... except you. No one gets to sleep on my chest... that is all you..." He whispered to my ear and pecked my forehead.

"And my baby." I adjusted Lia comfortably on my chest again...

"Yes... and your baby." Daddy smiled and I smiled back.

"I love you." He kissed my cheek once more.

I tried not to smile and did not say it back.

"Brat!" He chuckled. "God, I love you so much. You make me so happy..."

Even when I drifted off to sleep I could still feel him kissing me all over my face.

I love this man.

But Daddy did not like how Lia did not let him thoroughly prove me that I was the only one in his life to... do the other things with him... so Lia had to sleep in her bedroom the next day and the other day... and the other...

And let us just say that I had no reasons to be jealous in the first place.

Or not to be happy...

Until of course my whole life was tipped off its pivot on one fateful night.

How amazing was it really, when life rocks you, upside down only because you were happy?

Lia had stopped going to care-centre, she tagged along with me whenever I went to my office, with our millions of bodyguards in tow... There was not a time when she was left alone; either her grand pa's, uncles or Frankie would always be with her and Winny.

And Winny; she was the best.

So where could everything go wrong?

Of course where we least expected it; our former home, beach house.

Daddy had to go to New York because he had crossed the twenty-five billion mark this year. He was the youngest self-made billionaire to hit it, so it was a big deal for him to go.

He hated it, I loved it.

And our business partners and friends needed a party.

Philip, our good neighbour, his wife Tatiana completely took control of getting the whole place child proof for Lia.

They loved her too much to get to see her hurt.

Tatiana had been wheelchair-ridden for so many years. They were both in their early forties and they had accepted that they might not be able to conceive a baby.

Philip was ex-military and he was once diagnosed with PTSD and with Tatiana depending on wheelchair, adoption agencies had turned them down until they stopped hoping.

Then Little Lia barged into them demanding a seat in Tatiana's 'throne', because she was a Princess, and Tatiana looked like a queen.

Oh God, Tatiana had started sniffling before I could even open my mouth to apologize and I could only watch as she lifted my baby girl up on her lap.

I pushed her wheelchair even though it was an automated one, hearing my Lia cackle and chatter to the Queen.

Well, Lia got another two bodyguards for life too.

Everyone... I was not even kidding... everyone around her loved her so much in her life except some people who did not deserve love at all.

One being, Lia's biological mother.

"Alright, all set and moving. We only need the man of the hour to come home." Lia's Flip, aka Philip told to a mouth piece and I frowned.

"Really Philip?"

Then I heard a cackle on the other side. "Oger oger! Tweam mooying... thee, fo, two, thee..."

I laughed at Lia's failed attempts at counting. If it was ascending my baby girl can count till twenty but descending always got her so bad.

Philip looked like a proud Commander in Chief.

"Girls are getting ready... Tristian and Winny is with them." Philip quickly added at my worried look.

Right on cue a very happy Tatiana came in with Lia on her lap and Winny, Gia, Naomi, Miss Amber and Liz behind.

"Ah!" I squatted down so I would be in level with Tati's throne. "Who is this Pretty Princess?"

"Not petty, Davey... Fyter Pincess." Lia swirled her cardboard sword in one hand and mouth piece on other.

"Oh, you are a Fighter Princess?"

"Uhuuhh Davey, Pincess say Queen."

"Yes, Baby Love, you save Queen..."

I plucked my baby girl up and showered her with kisses until she kicked out of my hold to play with Tyron, Andrew and Raphael.

Did she have enough female friends?

Should she have girlfriends her age??

I had to ask Dr. Adam.

When she was frequently going to care-centre she had Jolly as friend but that was it.

Hmm...

"I have never seen her this happy." Philip mumbled and I saw him looking at his wife with adoration in

his eyes. "Little Lia is our god send gift. Tati has been slowly fading... I could tell but... it is like she glowing now. Right, Dave?"

"Well, she better be glowing. Last night we heard some..." I fake coughed to my fist and Philip blushed before laughing.

"Hey, I am a husband and I have duties..."

I smiled and waited impatiently for my man to come home.

I hadn't seen that handsome face in two days, hadn't kiss those thin lips, hadn't heard that heartbeats while sleeping.

I missed him a lot.

I sighed again.

"Where has he reached?" Philip asked.

"Had left the airport; phone is switched off now."

Less than half an hour later, Tristian started switching off the lights.

He was near; I smiled.

I waited impatiently on the drive way when his car rolled in.

"Hey..." I shyly waved when he was near but the bastard, plucked me up by my thighs and slammed his lips on mine.

"Missed you so fucking much..."

"Wait... Robbie we ha... mmmpph... listen..."

"SURPRISE!!!"

I groaned and ducked behind him when all the lights went off and confetti started to float around.

"Well, ain't surprise on us?" Philip teased as I punched my man's back.

Robbie was not one bit embarrassed. "What is going on here?" He laughed.

Then he noticed all the people behind us with teasing smirks and he laughed again.

"Looks like the love birds need a moment to themselves." Philip took it from there, then pointedly looked at our crotch. "Make it an hour. Speed it up." He tapped his watch.

My face flamed.

But it was even more embarrassing when Robbie dragged me upstairs without a care... and less than half an hour, I was panting along with him.

"I am not coming down." I whined.

"Good, let us go another round." I slapped his face away.

"Come on!" I pushed him to the shower to get us both ready.

But people understood my face would blow off if I blushed any harder. So, they left me alone... mostly...

What could go wrong?

Everything.

Daddy, Philip, Tristian and I were

standing on the beach side were

video calling Gabe and Jason;.

u'l

making fun of them but mostly just

congratulating them for coming out

to us as a couple.

Took them long enough to accept that they were a done and sealed deal.

Winny came in with a frozen Lia and mumbled the word that shattered my world. "She is here."

Right on cue, a handsome man came in with that person in tow...

"Mr. Brantley, congrats on another few billions." He good naturedly laughed.

I noticed Philip, Tristian and Winny leaving with Lia and Nick standing right next to us.

How could she be here? We had handed out the invitation cards and had made sure there was no way for her to get in.

"Meet my girlfriend, Josephine. Darling, this is the power couple I told you about."

Josephine?

I noticed her smirk, so beautiful under carefully done make up.

She looked like a living doll, if only she washed her face and showed people her true character.

"Oh dear, we know each other, right? 'Power couple' you say."

The man had no idea what monster he had let loose.

"You... know each other?" The man looked between us.

"Yes, of course. I am this man's sister and this man's wife."

"You are not my sister..." I spat.

She? My sister? In what universe.

"Ex... wife." Robbie added.

The man finally got the idea what was going on. Who was he anyways?

"Both of you leave." Robbie spat and I noticed our bodyguards closing in.

"Is that the way Mama Marie taught us to treat the guests, Ace?"

I swallowed my gag.

"Leave now. We have the restraining order with us. We are going to call cops. Nick?" My voice came out strong as I prayed to be.

"On it, Boss."

"Come on dear, we are leaving. I told you rich people are not what they seem like."

The man shook her hold away. "You filthy bitch! You lied to me! I had no... no idea... Mr. Brantley... She..."

"Leave!" Robbie shouted and the silence followed his command made the crashing waves feel haunted.

I dropped to the floor when the man and the monster were escorted out.

"LIA!" I scrambled up fast, running to my girl.

Why else would Janice leave that easily?

I frantically ran past everyone and looked for my baby... who was hugging Tati so hard.

I peppered her face with kisses and she let me.

As if she was afraid too.

I did not leave our room or let anyone inside except Daddy. Tati and I, just sat on the either sides of her watching her play and climb on us.

"Philip, Robert and others are talking to the cops." Tati told me after dropping the call. "She is nowhere to be seen."

"Good."

I did not want to see that face ever again.

Lia forgot the incident as easy as it had come. She happily laughed, giggled and ran around when Daddy was back home.

So we also swooped everything under the figurative rug of denial.

Until of course late at night when I could not sleep and was twitching and turning around next to Robbie who was passed out.

I could not rest properly.

It is nothing; I tried to ease up my anxiety. Nothing Ace.

Philip and Tati was in the cabana on the beach. We could always call them in if she came back.

Should have...

I lied back down.

It is okay, Ace.

Nick and Tristian were a phone call away.

Nothing to worry about.

No.

No.

No.

Something was wrong.

"Davey?"

I jumped and saw Little Lia standing next to our door clutching her Crocky.

"Hey... Baby... cannot sleep?"

"Nu... Baby..." She trailed off.

I could not sleep either.

"Want some hot chocolate?"

She nodded and I got off the bed. "Everything is okay, Lia. Nothing to worry about."

"Okey..."

Was I telling her or telling myself?

We both stared at the microwave in silence for it to chime.

"Want marshmallow?"

"Yes, Davey. Mamalow."

I pecked her forehead, added Mamalow to our cups.

"Davey... Baby scaree."

I blinked. "What is wrong?"

"No good."

Her lips trembled and I dropped a kiss on her nose. "It is okay... Mamalow makes it better."

"Hey Babies. What are you two doing?"

"DADA!!!" Lia laughed.

I could not believe the relief I always feel when he comes close to me.

"Making hot chocolate. Want some?"

He leaned down to kiss Lia.

"I would."

That was... not Robbie who replied.

My eyes widened seeing that woman in my kitchen, just behind my man.

My heart jumped out of my chest and I just stood there in horror as the cups of hot chocolate fell from my hands and crashed...

"ROBBIE!!!" I screamed and just in time Robbie turned to save his neck from being plunged with a syringe.

But the needle sliced and pierced his shoulder...

...and I saw Janice smiling with a very innocent smile on her face.

"Hello, Ace... Miss me? Ohhh is this the Little Baby??? Aw... all grown up... So pretty too..."

"Get away from her..." I jumped in front of my kid but a sharp pain on my left side of head stunned me before my eyes lost its focus and I fell to the ground...

"Get away get away please...

don't..." I helplessly watched through

my blurry eyes when she injected

my Robbie with something.

"Please... leave him alone... please.....

Ros. Robbie..."

My eyes kept on closing even when I saw Robbie trying very hard to stand but soon he too fell on the floor next to me.

No, please...

No...

No...

"Please don.... don... hurt him..."☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐