A/N: Hey there! Know that I've been away for such a long time... Two weeks? No, I think longer. Hmmm. Sorry about that! Just finished the major tests this week and it's finally a huge PHEW! Of course, there are still tons of things to do next week but I'll survive:) Cause the week after next is a HOL! Woohoo! Yep. Haha. Okay, I hope that despite my long absence you guys will still stick around for me to complete the story. Yup. aj: It's all right. :) Yes... Daphne IS related to some one... but I'm not gonna tell ya! That'd spoil the surprise! Haha. Do stick around to find out then? LOL. I'm doing abit of advert here, aren't I?

Disclaimer: As usual

Enjoy the chapter:)


Chapter 11

Ian strode into his workplace.

Just as he was about to enter his office, he stole a glance at Rebecca's cubicle. Her colleagues were all huddled around that small little private space she had, gushing over the beautiful ring she wore on her middle finger. The engagement ring.

"Oh my god… it's so beautiful!" One of them cooed.

"Please, Alice," another rolled her eyes, as she told the previous one. "it's just a plain, ordinary silver ring. Nothing on it, unlike mine – two carats!" She announced proudly, putting out her slender hand to boast about the diamond ring that lay on her fourth finger.

Everyone wowed at the sight of the glamorous ring that diverted their attention. Only Alice remained unfazed. She rolled her eyes as she told Rebecca, "Ugh! I can't stand that Brenda! Always showing off! Before her marriage, wasn't her engagement ring just like yours?" She shook her head disgustedly. "Anyway, you must show us your wedding ring! I'm sure it'll be better than Brenda's. Let's show her what you have too. That'll teach her to shut up. And oh, you mustn't forget to invite us to your wedding dinner, you know! We wanna see who the lucky guy is……"

Rebecca laughed. "Well, if you must know, my wedding ring does not have any diamonds on it. It'll be something like that." She pointed to her engagement ring. "Anyway, we've decided to keep our marriage somewhat private, so there'll be no wedding dinner. I'm sorry." She replied apologetically.

"What?" Brenda overheard what Rebecca had said and turned to her. "Is your husband-to-be really that poor? It's pathetic." She pretended to sympathize with her,

"No, he isn't. In fact, it was I who wanted a simple ring." Rebecca tried to tell her calmly, but this Brenda was really getting on her nerves, just like Alice had.

"Uh… sorry to interrupt you ladies, but may I remind you that leisure chatting is not allowed during office hours?" A familiar voice came from behind. Rebecca recognized it as Ian's. She smiled. Just in time, she thought. The women all scattered, hurrying back to their own cubicles. "Ms Hunter, will you please come to my office?" His tone was sort of demanding.

Shrugging at her curious friends with a hopeful smile, Rebecca slid out of her seat and followed Ian into his office, but just in time to hear her colleagues' comments.

"That Mr. Wallace… what does he wants? Always bosses people around. I wonder if he is married."

"Yeah. I think he'd probably remain single, given his character."

"I wonder what kind of women he likes… you know, he's quite good-looking… what? Why are you staring at me like that? It' the truth!"

Rebecca smiled. And that lucky woman is me, she thought. Thankfully, Ian had not heard their comments.


She stood waiting patiently as he settled down in his cozy working space.

"Now, Rebecca," he began, "are you free tonight? I want you to come to my house to meet my son. I mean, you've got to know him, right?" He tried to appear as stern as possible, just in case any Peeping Toms were watching from outside. There were, actually, some nosey people glancing this way.

"No problem!" Rebecca grinned. "I'll leave first. Then half an hour later you leave to come pick me up. Let's meet somewhere farther. So I'll take a bus to…"

"The restaurant we dined at last night." Ian answered.

"Okay! See you then!" Rebecca's smile grew wider as she made for the door.

"Uh… Rebecca?"

"Yeah?"

"One thing – just in case those Pinocchio-like friends of yours ask what's going on – which I bet they will – you can tell them that there'll be a free dinner for everyone next Friday for their hard work this whole year. And another thing – please do not flaunt your wedding ring like Brenda in the future."

"Pinocchio?"

"Yeah. They have long noses like Pinocchio, don't they?" Ian saw the blank look on Rebecca's face and quickly explained, "Nosey, you know? Nosey?"

"Ohh… right. Anyway, what if they ask, 'Oh why did he tell you and not announce to us instead?'" Rebecca imitated the perfect voice of Brenda.

Instead of answering her question, Ian asked mysteriously. "How are you related to me?"


"So… what happened? What did he want? Why are you smiling like that?" Alice crossed over to Rebecca's cubicle and asked eagerly. She was practically dying from the suspense.

"Hey, hey, slow down!" Rebecca laughed as she held up her hands. "Well, the thing is, you will all have free dinners next Friday. Everyone is invited."

"Really? You're not kidding? Today's not April's Fools, right?" Alice's eyes widened in surprise. Such events hardly happened, especially one that was organized by the big boss himself.

"If you find it hard to believe, you can go ask him yourself. Help me let everyone know, will you? You've got a loud voice."

"Sure, no problem!" Alice agreed excitedly. A free dinner meant luxury. They would surely have the chance to eat delicious delicacies, and yet not pay anything for it!

Rebecca smiled as she watched her colleague break the news. They deserve it, in replacement of the wedding dinner.


It was awfully quiet, except for the loud music that was blaring through the radio. None of them knew what to say, therefore held their tongue. They were both nervous about the meeting with the little boy later.

"So… um," Rebecca tried to break the awkward silence. "Do you think he'll be okay with me?"

"Yea yea, sure. I mean, why not, right?" Ian replied.

"Oh…" Rebecca settled back into her seat, still clutching the soft toy they had bought for Rylan. Of course, they were going to say that Rebecca "specially" bought it for him, but naturally it was Ian who paid the money, and they were not planning to mention that.

"Aww… c'mon. Don't get so… uptight! It'll be fine. He'll love you, like I do." Ian placed his hand over hers, trying to reassure her. At the same time, he was struggling to drive with one hand.

"Yeah, I know." Rebecca smiled. "Now concentrate. Focus on your driving." She ordered teasingly.

"Yes, ma'am!" Ian joked.

Rebecca laughed. But she felt weird. "Ian?" She asked.

"Hmm?"

"Don't you feel that… that our relationship is a little weird?"

"Weird? In what sense?"

"I don't know, honestly. Too fast, maybe? I mean, we've known each other for not more than, what, one week! We didn't really, you know, bonded together or whatsoever."

Sighing, Ian again reached over and tried to calm her down. "Please, Rebecca. Don't be such a… worrywart. I mean, it's all right. You know what they say, "love at first sight". Ours are a very good example. C'mon… you know I love you, and you too, don't you?"

"I… I guess. Maybe. And… yes, I love you too. But I still can't believe that we're actually going to, you know, tie the knot tomorrow night! Isn't that a little too early?"

"Well… if you want to, we can always do it ten years later you know." Ian shrugged.

"No, wait!" Rebecca laughed. "Not so far from now! One year would be nice, but…" She chose her words carefully. "I guess tomorrow is fine. It's great if we can wed early anyway." She smiled, then leaned over to kiss Ian on his cheek.

"Whoa whoa!" Ian laughed. "I'm driving, you know!"

"Sorry!" She exclaimed sheepishly in return. "How far are we now?"

"Not far. Just ahead." He replied, totally unaware of the unsettling feeling the petite brunette beside him felt.


"So what's his name? I'm so nervous I forgot!" Rebecca whispered to Ian as he fiddled with the lock.

"Rylan. R-Y-L-A-N." Ian rolled his eyes.

"Rylan. R-Y-L-A-N." She repeated after him. "Okay, I'll try to remember that."

"Don't try! You must remember! Come on, you can do it!" Ian hissed encouragingly as he opened the door.

"Ookay… So, it's Ryan, isn't it?" Rebecca muttered under her breath. "No, no, no, it isn't. It's Dylan, right? No, wait, it's not. Oh damn, why must he give him such a unique name?" She groaned.

But Ian had not heard anything from her at all. "Rylan!" He called. "Rylan? Are you home?"

"Rylan! That's right! Yes, it's Rylan! R-Y-L-A-N!"

"Rylan?" Ian yelled.

There was the heavy pounding of footsteps, then Rylan appeared. He started towards his father, but halted immediately upon seeing a pretty black-haired woman standing beside him with her hands behind her back. He narrowed his eyes. Who was this woman and why was she here in his house?

He was just about to open his mouth to ask his father when Ian introduced, "Rylan, this is Rebecca. And Rebecca, this is my son, Rylan."

"Hi Rylan!" Rebecca waved to him cheerfully. Phew! Thank God I got his name right.

Just then Mabel descended from the stairs above. She, too, was surprised to see Rebecca, Holding Rylan close to her, she was careful not to move an inch for she knew how insecure the boy could feel.

"Rylan? Come on, don't be so rude. Say hello to Rebecca." Ian urged.

Rylan was feeling scared. He was afraid. Why was his father standing next to some woman and not to him? Who was this Rebecca? Has she come to take him away from his father? Or does his father not want him anymore because of her? He was confused. His mind burned with a million questions - questions which he dared not, and would never, ask. He feared for the answer.

"Hi, Auntie Rebecca." He said weakly. He decided he was not going to let down his guard till he knew this woman inside out. "Are you Papa's sister?"

Ian and Rebecca exchanged looks. Then Ian began laughing. It was a somewhat nervous laugh. "Um…" Ian cleared his throat. "Rylan, I think you've got it wrong, but never mind, because you're still young. It's just that… wait. First you tell me of what you think of Rebecca. And come over here. Don't be scared because she's really nice." He beckoned for him to come forward.

But Rylan shook his head and clung to Mabel tightly like a leech. He pursed his lips, as though telling his father that he refused to speak.

Ian sighed. He had not a single clue on what to do in this really awkward situation. "Um… Rebecca, you see, Rylan's a very… sensitive boy. He doesn't trust strangers easily, so… if you'd excuse him for not being a warm and friendly host."

"Oh, no. It's right to not trust strangers easily. He's a smart boy, you know. And no, I won't take it to heart because what he's doing is right." Rebecca tried to get the boy to warm up to her by looking him in the eye, though she was approximately four full metres away from him.

"Oh, right. Yes, yes, he's a very smart boy. Diligent, yes. But uh…" Ian turned to Rylan, unsure of how he should break the news. "Rylan, this, is your new, um, Momma." He said flatly.

There! He said it! But somehow Ian felt that the way he had put it was not quite pleasant, in fact, quite bluntly. Straight to the point and not beat around the bush. But hey, wasn't that what he had wanted?

Receiving no response from the boy, he probed, "So? Rylan, what do you think of it? Rebecca as your Momma? I know it's a little weird, but, you know, you've been saying all the while that you want a Momma to love you and stuff, and I'm sure Rebecca loves you a lot, so…" He couldn't continue, he didn't know how.

As if on cue, Rebecca spoke up. "Yes, I love you a lot and I promise I can care for you, look after you and love you like you're my very own flesh and blood." She told the boy calmly, looking very sincere. For a moment, she thought she had wormed her way into the boy's heart when she saw the expression in his eyes. But just as quickly as it had appeared, it soon vanished without a trace.

Disappointed by Rylan's non-response, she straightened herself up. At that very second she could have sworn she saw the expression on the maid's face change – as though her anger had reached the top level. But it seemed as though it were an illusion, so she dismissed the thought. It must be the stress I'm suffering from at work… what is going on with me, anyway? I can't even get a child to trust me!

Sighing, she walked towards the boy, with the stuffed toy still hidden behind her back. She bent down and stared into Rylan's eyes as she said, "It's okay if you don't trust me, Rylan, it's okay. But you'll in time. Anyway, this," she reached behind her and took out the stuffed toy, "is for you. Hope you like it. Just treat it as a… 'nice-to-meet-you' gift, okay?" She smiled and placed the stuffed teddy bear in the boy's arms.

Without waiting for a response as she knew she would receive none, Rebecca stood up and walked back to where Ian was standing. She cocked her head a little to the right and Ian caught her hint.

"Uh… Rylan, I'll be sending Rebecca home now. I'll be right back, okay?" He went in his direction and planted a kiss on the child's forehead. "Come, let's go." He told Rebecca as they exited together.


"I can't believe I couldn't even get him to warm up to me! To think I mixed around with young children his age for almost a decade!" Rebecca complained.

"Hmmm?"

"I was a babysitter, remember? I babysat every weekend when I was young."

"Oh, right. Anyway, calm down, Rebs. He'll accept you in time to come. Don't worry. Just let nature takes its course, you know." He told her.

"Yeah, whatever. I just hope that he wouldn't be like that anymore after tomorrow." She sighed.


Needing no 'advice' from Mabel, Rylan immediately ran upstairs to Ian's study after the couple had driven off. He grabbed a pair of scissors and plunged it into the bear's stomach.

Feathers flew out from the small 'wounds' he had inflicted on the bear. He was mad, really mad. He couldn't stand the thought of his father abandoning him for a woman. Cursing silently under his breath, he worked rapidly and non-stop like a machine, thrusting the scissors into the soft, cotton-bedded thing angrily, creating holes one after another. He didn't care about the feathers that were strewn all over the floor. He couldn't care less.

He felt satisfaction in every hole he created. How he wished it were a voodoo doll, like those he watched on TV. If only he could use this to harm that Rebecca… If only every plunge he was creating would inflict actual pain on her… If only…

It was driving him crazy. He didn't know what he was doing, and he couldn't stop. It was as though he had lost control of his hands to some… maniac or devil – they were about the same anyway. Cutting up and ruining the whole toy, it was surprising that he was actually taking pleasure in destroying it. He was venting his anger on the toy.

Then he stopped suddenly. The scissors fell from his hand and landed on the floor with a loud clatter. The whole room fell into utter silence as the feathers were still floating down in the air. It was as though time had stopped at that very moment.

Just as the last feather touched the hard marbled floor, Rylan spun round on his heels and dashed out of the study. The only thing he wanted then was to be gone from the world.

TBC...