C8 8

The next morning, Benjamin was a little nervous as he reached the office with little Sapphire.

Sapphire was wide awake as they walked into the office. She waved to the fishes in the big aquarium as they walked past it.

"Ishh, Benji, Ishh," Sapphire squealed, pointing at the fishes and waving to them.

"Uncle, say uncle," Benjamin said for the umpteenth time, to which Sapphire grinned back and again called him Benji.

Benjamin rolled his eyes playfully at the little girl in his arms.

Claire, his personal assistant, smiled when they passed her desk in front of his cabin.

"Clay, bye-bye," Sapphire waved at Claire, whom she had started referring to as Clay.

Sapphire seemed to enjoy calling everyone by their name. The only person whom Benjamin had heard her not calling by name is her deceased mother.

"You are one naughty girl with no manners, huh?" Benjamin said in mock anger and brushed his nose with hers.

Sapphire giggled loudly when he did that.

"More, more," she demanded, and Benjamin happily obliged.

Two hours later, his nervousness increased when Isabella didn't come in with his coffee.

He was about to call Claire and ask her to send Isabella in when the door to his room opened, and his parents walked in.

"Dad, Mom! You didn't inform me that you would be back today," Benjamin asked as he stood up from his chair.

Sapphire looked up from where she was sitting and drawing concentric circles on a paper Benjamin had given her a while ago.

She recognized the people as her momma had always shown her their pictures. She shot them a toothy smile, and Elizabeth's eyes started tearing up again.

"Lizzy, please don't. We talked about this, didn't we?" William pleaded with his wife.

"Ellie, no," Sapphire copied, earning a chuckle from William.

"Listen to your granddaughter, Elizabeth," William said as Benjamin picked up Sapphire.

"She is your grandmother. Say grandma," Benjamin said, knowing very well that she wouldn't listen to him.

"Eliie," Sapphire said stubbornly.

"Mannerless girl, calling everyone by name," Benjamin scolded her playfully and turned to Elizabeth.

"Mom, teach her some manners. She calls everyone by name—Benji, Bell-Bell, Clay, Aandro, and now Ellie," Benjamin said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Sapphire took the pen from his pocket and started poking Benjamin with it.

"Sapphire, no," Benjamin said, trying to get the pen from her, but she held on tightly.

"Ben, Gabriel called me yesterday. That's why we are here. What were you thinking when you introduced the errand girl as your fiancée?" William asked.

"Dad, I felt cornered. I didn't think ,what I was doing," Benjamin confessed.

"And what if the girl took advantage of the situation? We are in this situation now because of a gold digger who trapped our girl. I don't want a repeat of that, Ben," William said.

"Isabella is not like that, Dad."

"And how do you know this? How long have you known her?" William asked.

"I have only known her for a week. But I can tell that she is not like that. Meet her once, and you will know," Benjamin said.

"Then call her, Ben. Let's meet her, William, before coming to any conclusions," Elizabeth said.

"Fine. Call her. Beggars can't be choosers, can they?" William said, and Benjamin rolled his eyes at his father's dramatics.

Benjamin took the intercom and dialled Claire.

"Claire, send Isabella in," Benjamin ordered.

Claire came into the cabin.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood," she greeted the elderly couple and turned to Benjamin.

"Where is Isabella?" Benjamin asked, and Claire frowned.

"She resigned. You didn't know? I thought you were the one who asked her to resign because of your upcoming nuptials," Claire said, confused.

Benjamin's eyes widened in surprise.

"Okay. You may leave, Claire."

As Claire walked out, William shot a pointed look at Benjamin.

"See! I told you. She already resigned and started spreading rumors that your marriage is around the corner," William said.

"Dad, please. There must be a misunderstanding. Let me call the HR and ask when she came and submitted the resignation," Benjamin said and dialled the HR head through his intercom.

"Hello, HR department, Lockwood Industries. How can I help you?" the receptionist at the HR department said through the call.

"This is Benjamin. Transfer the call to Skylar, please," Benjamin asked, and the call was soon transferred to Skylar Martin, the HR head of Lockwood Industries.

"Hello, Benjamin. How can I help you?"

"Skylar, I want to know about Isabella Carter's resignation. When did she come to submit it?" Benjamin asked.

"She didn't come to submit them, Benjamin. Alessandro Carter submitted her resignation letter," Skylar said.

"And was there a reason mentioned for the sudden resignation?" Benjamin asked.

"No."

"How did you accept the resignation letter without proper reason or formality, Skylar?" Benjamin asked.

"Oh, I assumed it was because of your upcoming wedding. Congratulations, by the way, Benjamin. You two would make a beautiful couple," Skylar said cheerfully, and Benjamin closed his eyes in disbelief.

"You assumed? And is it you who passed on the information around, Skylar?" Benjamin asked.

Skylar squirmed in her seat.

"Oh, sorry, Benjamin. I didn't realise it was to be kept under wraps for now. As you introduced her as your fiancée in front of all the employees, I assumed it was common knowledge," Skylar apologised.

"Thank you so much, Skylar," Benjamin said sarcastically and hung up the call.

"What is happening?" Elizabeth asked, and Benjamin explained what really happened.

"Great. Your fake wedding has become office gossip now," William groaned.

"Call Alessandro Carter," Elizabeth said, and Benjamin did as she said.

Alessandro walked into the cabin with a furious look on his face and injured knuckles.

"Alessandro, what happened?" Benjamin asked.

Alessandro took a deep breath.

"Nothing, Benjamin," he said and then noticed the elder Lockwood couple.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood," Alessandro greeted politely.

"Alessandro, the HR department informed me that you have submitted Isabella's resignation. What happened?" Benjamin asked and felt like a fool to ask a question with the obvious answer.

Alessandro shot him a look of disbelief.

"After what happened yesterday, do you really think my parents would let her come here again? We belong to a very conservative Italian family, Benjamin. Such things are frowned upon in our community," Alessandro said, trying to keep his tone as polite as he could, respecting the presence of the elderly couple.

Benjamin's eyes widened in horror.

"Are they angry?" Benjamin asked.

"Momma is furious. Izzy is now under house arrest," Alessandro said.

"House arrest?" Benjamin asked in horror. This is the twenty-first century, for crying out loud.

"Momma wouldn't let her even come out into the courtyard of our own home. Let Alone the office."

"I am sorry, Alessandro." Benjamin apologised.

"Why are they angry?" William asked, and Alessandro curbed his urge to roll his eyes.

"Sir, I am sure Benjamin must have filled you in on what happened here yesterday. And my parents are old-fashioned people. They are worried about her now. They didn't want to feed into more gossip, so they thought it was better to stop Isabella from coming to work anymore. But if they know what all talks are going on now in the office, they would have a panic attack," Alessandro said, remembering the gossip as of today in the office.

One bloody moron had the audacity to come and ask him whether his sister slept with the boss for a promotion. He also asked whether she is pregnant and if that's why they are getting married.

Alessandro had answered him with his fists, resulting in the moron having a bleeding nose and himself having an injured knuckle.

Benjamin groaned.

"I didn't realise things would go out of hand, Alessandro. Trust me," Benjamin said earnestly.

"I would appreciate it if you could do something about the office gossip, Benjamin. There are things being said about Izzy that a brother absolutely loathes to listen to. If you don't take action on that, I won't be responsible for any more casualties here," Alessandro said, looking at his bleeding knuckles.

"Oh my God! Did you get into a fight, Alessandro?" Elizabeth asked.

"Of course, I did. That bastard was asking me if my Izzy was pregnant. What would you expect me to do? If my parents hear this, they would die out of worry and shame," Alessandro said.

"Alessandro! I will marry her," Benjamin said, and Alessandro felt his blood boiling.

"Is that what you have to say? I am talking about my sister's reputation, and you are worried about the custody case. You know what? I quit," he took off his ID card and threw it onto Benjamin's desk and walked out of the office.

"I think we should go and talk to the family directly. If we make an official proposal, maybe they won't be this angry. Italians prefer it that way," William said thoughtfully.

From what he heard so far, the family seems respectable.

Benjamin sighed. His parents agreed.

Now he has to make her family agree.

He looked at Sapphire, who had gone back to her scribbling a while ago.

"Anything for you, sweetheart."