Mr. CEO, You Look Strangely Familiar

Elmer Grant asked tentatively, ”So, should we open the door for him?”

”Of course. But since this is our first time meeting, shouldn’t we put him in his place a little?”

Elmer Grant nodded. ”Yeah. Bro, you step back. I’ll get the door.”

Dylan Grant moved the stool to one side. Then, he

opened the door.

It was the first time the father and his two sons had ever met.

Looking at the two identical children, Quentin Grant’s excitement was palpable. It was obvious these two were his.

’Thinking about how Nora had kept her entire pregnancy a secret from him, Quentin Grant felt a surge of irritation. Was she afraid I’d try to take the children from her?’

The more he thought about it, the more he felt it showed a complete lack of trust in him. Was he the kind of man who would want the children but not her?

”And who are you?” Dylan Grant asked, his little face taut.

”Your dad.”

Dylan Grant rolled his eyes. ’Wow, so direct.’

Elmer Grant beamed at him. ”Sorry, but we already have a dad. Besides, there are way too many guys who want to be our dad—we can’t even count them all. You don’t qualify, so you can go back now.”

The smile on Quentin Grant’s lips widened. ’Are these two little rascals really only two years old?’

”Whether I qualify or not is up to your mommy to decide. Darlings, I’m your biological father. And ’biological father’ means that without me, there’d be no you. What are you still doing blocking the door? Move aside and let Daddy in.”

Dylan Grant and Elmer Grant had only wanted to put him in his place, but they found it wasn’t working at all.

The boys immediately moved aside. ”Come on in.”

Elmer Grant immediately added, ”Our place is small and shabby. Who knows if an old-timer like you will mind. Of course, there’s a big hotel not too far from here you could stay at.”

Quentin Grant closed the door and said, ”Where’s your mommy?”

”She went on a blind date.”

Quentin Grant’s smile froze. ”A blind date? With whom?”

Dylan Grant said nonchalantly, ”Don’t know. We heard there are a lot of men for Mommy to choose from.”

Quentin Grant pressed his lips together, a fire igniting in his eyes, ready to erupt. ”Good! Great! Just perfect!”

Elmer Grant glanced at Dylan Grant, then said, ”But if you want to go, my brother and I can clear the way for you.”

Quentin Grant sat down and crossed his legs. ”No need. I just have to give her a call.”

”But, Mister, we’re not going to tell you our mommy’s phone number.”

His eyes shifted, locking onto Elmer Grant. ”What did you call me? Mister?”

Elmer Grant wasn’t scared of him at all. ”What else should I call you? If you want to be our real dad, you’ll have to see if my brother, my mommy, and I are willing. You think providing one little sperm is enough to swagger in here and be our daddy?”

Quentin Grant sat up straight, looking earnestly at the two faces so similar to his own, his heart feeling as sweet as if he’d eaten ten jars of honey.

”Daddy never knew you existed, and Daddy has always loved your mommy. I hope it’s not too late. I want us to be a family.”

The tension on Dylan Grant’s little face eased considerably, his eyes showing a hint of emotion. He nudged his brother with his hand.

Elmer Grant looked up at the ceiling. ”As long as you can win over our mom, everything else is up to you.”

Quentin Grant reached out and pulled the two boys into his arms. ”Now, how about my two little guys help Daddy find Mommy, okay?”

Dylan Grant grumbled, ”Seeing as you’re so sincere, Old Man Grant, my little brother and I will condescend to help you this once. But it’ll cost you.”

Quentin Grant’s face darkened. ’Old Man Grant?’

’What kind of nickname is that?’

’I’m so young, how am I already an old man?’

”Money is no object. But can you change what you call me? Call me Dad, not ’Old Man Grant.’ I’m so handsome and suave. Calling me that doesn’t reflect well on you two either, does it?”

Elmer Grant said matter-of-factly, ”You’re our biological father, so in our eyes, you’ll always be the old man. As for when we’ll call you Dad, that depends on our mood. And remember, our loyalty is always with Mommy. It can’t be bought with money!”

Although Quentin Grant was deeply dissatisfied with the nickname, hearing his son acknowledge his identity, he didn’t dare push it. What if his sons turned on him? That would be a disaster!

”Fine, call me whatever you want. Now, can my darlings take Daddy to find Mommy?”

Dylan Grant held out his hand. ”Money talks.”

Quentin Grant took out his wallet and pulled out a card. ”There’s five hundred thousand in here. The PIN is the last six digits of the card number. I don’t know if you’ll be able to withdraw the money, though.”

Dylan Grant took it. ”As long as we have the card, getting the money is a piece of cake.”

”So, can we go now?”

”Mhm. My little brother and I need to change. One must always be mindful of one’s image in public.”

Quentin Grant was speechless. ’Two-year-old toddlers, and already so vain.’

A few minutes later, the two brothers emerged in new outfits.

Dylan Grant was in a little black suit with leather shoes and a very stylish hat. Elmer Grant wore the exact same outfit, only his was white.

An inexplicable sense of pride welled up inside Quentin Grant as he watched them. ’These two are my sons!’

”Your mommy has good taste.”

Elmer Grant’s lips curled. ”Mommy didn’t buy these clothes. We didn’t wear the ones she bought. Our godfather bought these.”

”Godfather?” Quentin Grant frowned. ”Who?”

”Our godfather is really good to us. He cooks for us every time he visits and buys us all sorts of great things. Whatever we ask for, he gets for us.”

Quentin Grant gritted his teeth. ”I asked, what’s his name?!”

”Leon Lynch.”

Hearing the name, Quentin Grant’s expression suddenly relaxed. ”Oh, him. I never would have expected that.”

”Shouldn’t you feel a sense of crisis?” Dylan Grant asked.

He laughed, full of confidence. ”If it were any other man, maybe. But your godfather? Forget it. Since he still isn’t with your mommy after all this time, it just means he’s only cut out to be a godfather.”

Dylan Grant face-palmed. ”But Godfather went to the blind-dating event too.”

Quentin Grant remained unruffled. ”I trust your mommy.”

Elmer Grant retorted, ”Daddy, you’re so confident. Does your mommy know?”

”Mhm, she’s known for a long time. Hurry up, let’s go. Otherwise, your mommy might bring home a new stepfather for you tonight.”

And so, the trio—one big, two small—headed off in the direction of the blind-dating event.

**

Zoe Ellsworth closed up her shop just before six.

She drove straight back to the Ellsworth Family home.

The moment she got home, she turned off her phone.

”We haven’t seen hide nor hair of you these past few days. Where have you been?” Mrs. Ellsworth asked from her seat.

”Out looking for a man,” she said, grabbing a handful of melon seeds and cracking them open as she leaned back on the sofa.

”Find one?”

”I did. But... his status is a little special.”

”What is it?” Mrs. Ellsworth pressed.

”Well... he’s a male escort who just started in the business. It’s just going to cost a bit of money.”