The Celebrity Bodyguard

Chapter 13: The Headline

Chapter 13: The Headline

-A photo can bring back thousand memories from a certain time by just looking at it-

Alex Peter

I couldn't believe she hung up on me. I needed to hear her voice thinking that it'll calm me down before the meeting.

Hannah Banana, I looked at her emboldened name on the screen of my phone along with a picture of her. I stared at her picture before I shoved it back into my suit pants. Her beautiful hazel eyes were beaming at me. Her long dark wavy hair was rested below her shoulders. Her smile was the sweetest of all. 

I smiled looking at her picture. I missed her. I hadn't seen a lot of her lately since she started being Robert's trainee bodyguard.

I didn't approve of her job especially one where she has to attend to a guy needs. She was too oblivious to the fact that Robert was known as a heartbreaker. I didn't want a guy near her after what had happened a few years ago.

 I did tell her that it was unnecessary to take a job; I could support both of us. She had this crazy thought of hers that she was a burden to me. If only she knew that she wasn't.  She was my best friend and not a charity case.

I did tell her to stop being an introvert, and try to get past the incident. I dragged her out of the house, brought her to the Alfred Sports Club to make some friends and at the same time to build her both mentally and physically strong. I forced her to take self-defense classes so she wouldn't have to live in fear anymore. 

So it was also partly my fault that she was trying to get on her feet. Well, her being a celebrity bodyguard wasn't on my mind at that time. However, she sounded happy a while ago. So I guessed I should be happy for her but I completely felt the opposite.  

I was still in my office. As I paced the floor, I couldn't help but feel agitated. Dad had called in a board meeting.  The last time he called in a board meeting, he sacked his manager who was caught handing out confidential designs to our rival company.

Dad mentioned this morning that I was obligated to be there. This made me nervous. I knew that he couldn't sack me; after all I was his son and the only heir of the Alex industry. I was more worried of whose position I had to fill in.

I walked to my leather office chair, and sat on it. I relaxed my back on the soft material.

The solid metal clock that hung opposite of me was indicating that I had 10 minutes left to go through the presentation again. But my mind was caught somewhere else. My eyes were fixed on a wooden photo frame that hung just below the metal clock. It was an old photo of me and Lil Hannah in it.

A memory from our childhood days, she was wearing a cute pink dress and I was in a cowboy outfit which was trendy in Texas. The morning sun rays made her short wavy hair appeared to have some golden strikes.

That day was my tenth birthday where Lil Hannah stepped in my garden with a box of chocolate cupcakes in her hands. A big grin was plastered on her face while she sang happy birthday.  I was in the garden with my stepmom.

 My stepmom who was sipping her black tea was surprised. No, actually she was shocked. I wasn't sad that she didn't remember my birthday. I didn't hope for her to. Immediately, she gave me an excuse that she forgot to pick up my cake. She stood up, placing the cup on the old wooden table and left the house.

 I was glad she did. 

I was so happy. Lil Hannah remembered my birthday when no one else did. I was only ten that time but somewhere deep inside I knew I wasn't going to let her go. My mom had abandoned me, my dad was always busy with work but managed to get himself married again. My stepmom on the other hand, was nice to me. She was a socialite, which meant she also had no time for me at all. So, practically I would be a loner if Hannah wouldn't be by my side.

Before I realized what I was doing, I kissed her soft cheeks and whispered, "Thank you Hannah."

Her cheeks turned red. I couldn't tell if it was because of the heat or if she was blushing. It must be the heat, she was way too young to even know how to blush. "I bought these for you. I beg mom to buy you a box of cupcakes." She smiled showing off her tiny set of milky teeth.

Lil Hannah, who was only eight, placed the cupcakes on the old wooden table. I blew up the ten candles that sat on each of the cupcakes and made a wish.

"What did you wish for?" Lil Hanna asked.

"It's a secret," I replied looking at her face.

"That's not fair, I told you mine when it was my birthday," she muttered crossing both her arms against her chest. Lil Hannah was dramatic.

"I have to kill you if I tell you what my wishes are." I watched a lot of movies and that was one of the dialogues I picked up.

 Hannah was doing the honor to feed me a piece of cupcake. But instead, she smashed it on my face, rubbing the chocolate cream all over my cheeks and nose. Yes, she wasn't happy that I didn't tell her.

She was laughing devilishly. "That's for not telling me."

 I didn't let her go easily. I did the same too. We were both covered with chocolate by the time my stepmom came back. She thought we were adorable and took a photo of us in a chocolate mess. I was glad she did.

I sighed looking at the clock again. The black needle strung five, time for me to go to the meeting room. I stood up. I quickly drank the remaining of the black coffee that sat on my table. I took the black blazer that was lying on top of my soft leather chair. I wore the blazer, ran a hand through my dark hair and made my way out.

I walked past my secretary's table. She placed the newspaper that she was reading on her desk. She looked up at me and fluttered her eyelashes. She was an attractive woman in her early twenties but she didn't have to make it that obvious by displaying and exposing all her curves to me. I regretted going on a date with her. I should've listened to Hannah.

"Alex, can you believe it?" Nicole, my secretary, said in her most annoying voice while tugging her short red hair in slow motion behind her ears. She thought doing that will get me attracted. Well, she was wrong.

 My eyes were fixed on the bold headline from the newspaper on the table that she was pointing at.  "Shit!" I muttered.

I made my way in the meeting room. Unaware that everyone eyes were fixed on me.

My dad sat at the head of the table. I took my sit opposite of him.

My mind was preoccupied. The headline made my heart racing. I wasn't aware that I started to sweat. How was I ever going to do that presentation? Let just hoped that dad won't ask me about it.

"Alex, are you alright?" My dad asked.

He stood up and walked to my side. "Alex," he nudged me.

I gasped at his touch and turn my head to him.
"I'm ok, dad," I blurted coldly.

My dad started the meeting. Everyone focused on him, stopping their whispering. It seemed everyone else felt tense too.

"I will be turning 60 years old in a week. I will be retiring then. My son, Alex Peter, will take over the Alex Industries. Anyone has any objection to that?"

The staffs were eyeing me, waiting for me to acknowledge what my dad had just said but I couldn't. My mind was still on the headline I saw from Nicole's table and his picture in his orange prison uniform. I was wondering how Hannah will take it.

RAPIST ESCAPED NEWVILLE PRISON

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A/N: I appologized for updating very slow.

I hoped you guys enjoy Alex pov. I know it's a bit boring but that's the best I could do.

Anyway, there's an incident that happened in the past and does the headline had anything to do with  that?

what do you think of Alex?

Let me know and share you thoughts.

Sorry for any mistakes.

Love you all and thank you for reading.