"Have a seat, Miss Reiley. Let's get down to business." He said without any preliminaries. Gary handed them the folder.

"This is the doc.u.ments regarding the project the Reiley Corporation is offering, sir."

Clifford run through the doc.u.ment and after a while he looked at the woman.

"Is this the best you could offer?" he said straight to her eyes.

The woman was shocked to his bluntness. Vanessa Reiley is the sole heiress of brand clothing that is internally known. But then she composed herself and smiled.

"Yes it is, Mr. Briggs both of our companies could benefit from this partners.h.i.+p, we could use the Veanco Square, which is the largest mall in the east, as a medium to expand our brand not just in international setting but as well in every country. That is one of our company's goals."

"hmmm.." Clifford nodded.

"And besides, the mall could also benefit this, since the brand is internationally known, Veanco Square will be more known throughout."

"Okay, it's a deal then." Clifford shook hands with Miss Reiley.

"It's an honor to be partners with you, Mr. Briggs." Her eyes reflected admiration to him.

"Have you eaten lunch, Miss Reiley?" Gary asks while his boss is signing the contract.

"Not yet." Then Gary motioned the waiter to come over.

....

'hmm who is she?' Ingrid remained staring at the man and the woman shaking hands.

The woman smiled sweetly to the man which makes her involuntarily squint.

"Ahh mom? Can I ask you a question?" she then retracted her gawk from them to her son.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Why do you have a father, while I don't?"

John Howard choked that turned to faint smile and her mother was wide-eyed to their grandson's question.

"Why, dear boy? Why do you want a father?" John Howard asks his brilliant grandson.

"I was just wondering grandpa because my bestfriend has a daddy and mommy, and he keeps bragging to me their adventures anywhere. They go biking in the park, jet skiing even he would always tell me that his daddy is the best. How does it feel to have a daddy, grandpa?"

The boy's eyes were full of longing and also curiosity. Lance stared at the boy and he see the boy's yearning for a father figure.

"Who do you want to be your father, by the way, Clark?" grandma ask amusingly.

The boy stared upward as if thinking.

"mmm, I like my bestfriend Tristan's uncle, uncle Cliff..."

"Who?!" she was appalled upon hearing the name and raised her voice a little.

"Mis-mister Cliff, Tristan's uncle." The child answered innocently.

Lance grinned and can't help but admire the child's brilliance.

'The child's father is indeed lucky to have him.' He silently commented.

"How about uncle Lance? Would you like him to be your father?" her father casually asked.

Ingrid narrowed her eyes when looking at her father.

"Dad..!" she glared at him.

"It would be an honor for me..." he said looking at her son.

"I like you uncle Lance, but I want Tristan's uncle," the child slightly protested.

"Clark, what are you talking about? You don't even know that man personally!"

"I know him mom. Oh, look! There he is!" he pointed to a certain man seating just ten meters away from them, seriously talking to a woman.

They all looked to where the child pointed his finger. And everyone catches their breath when they saw Clifford Briggs.

"Clark, stop making fun. I command you to behave." Ingrid said sternly.

The child did not listened to her instead he descends from his grandpa's lap and hurriedly run to the man he recently pointed his finger to. Ingrid almost fainted in shock when she saw what her child did and where he was running to.

"Oh G.o.d! Clark, stop!" but the child ignored her and continued running with full determination towards where Clifford is sitting.

"Uncle Cliff..!!" the child shriek when he was sure that the man is Tristan's uncle.

Clifford then jolted from his seat when he heard the shriek from the child.