Chapter 453 The President Is Requesting a Proposal
At this moment, Alexander froze for a second. It wasn’t until then that he realized the daughter that he was meeting for the first time wasn’t joking around with him. “Why? Isn’t it good if I’m there to care for all of you?”
Unmoved and even somewhat contemptuously, Josephine replied, “Grandma says Mommy had you to care for her before I was born, but she was very unhappy.”
Instantly, Alexander became somewhat embarrassed.
Amused by the confrontation between them, Courtney decided not to interfere and only sat back to enjoy their debate until it turned to the virtues of marriage 10 minutes later.
“You’re still young, so I imagine you might not understand that it is actually a blessed thing to get married.”
“You’re so old, mister, but there is something my grandma understands that you don’t. She says many people get married, but many married people are un-blessed and unhappy. She also says unmarried people are happy most of the time. So, I don’t think being married has to do with being blessed. Don’t lie to me because I’m a kid.”
Ever since she could speak, Josephine had spent time by Alicia’s side learning the various philosophies of life. Thus, although she was only kindergarten-aged, she was so well-learned and spoke so much with the logic of an old wise woman that even Courtney was often befuddled by her.
Giving the child a conflicted look now, Alexander asked, “Your grandma told you that? Who’s your grandma?”
“My Aunt Alicia,” Courtney explained helplessly.
Because Josephine was adopted into the Somerfield Family, she called Alicia ‘Grandma’ for convenience’s sake rather than addressing her as ‘Great-Aunt Alicia’ like Tina did.
As Alicia never liked Alexander, it was completely reasonable that Josephine was influenced into also disliking him simply by staying with her extended family.
Yet, despite understanding where she was coming from, Alexander was unwilling to throw in the towel just yet. “Don’t you think it’s bad that other kids at kindergarten have a father but you don’t?”
Unfortunately, Josephine, who grew up being doted upon like a spoiled princess, did not find herself wanting for paternal love. “Other kids don’t have a grandma and grandpa like I do. Why don’t they think it’s bad?”
In all honesty, Alexander had no answer for that.
Meanwhile, Courtney was tickled to see him so thoroughly defeated.
At the end of the day, Tina and Josephine were two very different people, not only in personality but in the environment they grew up in as well. When Tina was younger, she had no one for company apart from her nannies and schoolteachers, as well as no one to dote on her apart from Elijah. That was why she yearned for family life.
In contrast, Josephine grew up surrounded by familial love and thus did not find it something to yearn for. In fact, she was quite the opposite—at her young age, there was nothing she looked forward to more than freedom and independence.
“It’s late, mister. You shouldn’t be here. You should go home,” Josephine said decisively now, rubbing salt into Alexander’s wound after leaving him at a loss for words.
“It is getting late,” Courtney agreed, standing up and ruffling her daughter’s hair. “Let’s see him out, shall we?”
And just like that, they made it clear that Alexander was no longer welcome.
No matter how unwilling he was, he had no choice but to leave.
After shutting the door, Courtney glanced down at her daughter and asked, both in exasperation and amusement, “You don’t like him, do you?”
At that, Josephine shrugged. “I don’t know him. Why should I like him? Not everyone likes handsome men like Tina does.”
As if she could hear herself being referenced, Tina suddenly sneezed from inside the bedroom in the middle of her sleep.
“Alright, go to bed,” Courtney told her youngest daughter in resignation.
After washing up, Courtney went to lie down in her own bed. All these years, she had never thought about getting back in contact with Alexander, partially because she genuinely hadn’t found an opportunity and partially because no one in her life would support her doing so other than Tina.
Even Cameron, who married Alexander’s best friend, said the same thing as Alicia—that men never changed and that Courtney should stop holding out hope for Alexander.
And so, as the years passed, she was influenced to think less and less about him. The strange thing was that even when she no longer thought about him, neither could she commit herself to a new relationship.
Meanwhile, after having an unexpected daughter fall from the sky and directly into his heart, Alexander spent the next few days smiling so stupidly that his employees were starting to think the sun rose from the west. Even the plans that were usually criticized severely and returned were given some leeway and a few more days to improve.
“Here’s the revised annual plan of the Planning Department, President Duncan.”
“Set it aside.”
Seated behind the desk, Alexander was twirling his pen and spacing out, and the document before him had laid untouched for the whole morning.
“I called Josh yesterday, President Duncan. He said the project in Australia is coming to a close and asked me to deliver the good news to you.”
Alexander grunted absent-mindedly before suddenly thinking of something a moment later. “Once the project is completed, Josh should be free.”
“I suppose so. The system in Australia is perfected, so he doesn’t need to do much apart from working on the project.”
“Have him come back, then. I have something I need him to do.”
“Oh?” Eric instantly paled when he heard that. “Why do you need him? C-Can’t I do it?”
After all, Josh and Eric were both assistants in charge of helping Alexander resolve his problems. What kind of issue could have arisen that required the presence of the former assistant?
“You?” Alexander glanced at him. “There are some things you don’t know about, so it’s best Josh comes back to deal with them.”
Naturally, that statement injured Eric so much that he was almost in tears as he asked, “Please tell me what the matter is, President Duncan. Can’t we ask him to come back only if I’m unable to handle it?” He left out the part where he thought Alexander didn’t trust him enough. “Besides, he has to finish up there before coming back, anyway. If you need something done in a hurry, there’s nothing he can do from so far away.”
Seemingly hearing the logic in that, Alexander gave a thoughtful nod.
“What do you need me to resolve?” Eric pleaded.
“Have you dated before?”
The question made Eric’s eyes widen. “Y-Yes…”
“Got back together with your ex?”
“Uh…” Afraid of misspeaking, Eric contemplated Alexander carefully before saying tentatively, “Uh… Yes.”
“What solutions do you have for getting back together with an ex?”
Startled, Eric questioned, “You want to get back together with your ex? Is it Dr. Hunter?”
Alexander inclined his head. “Can you solve this matter?”
“Of course!” Eric instantly promised. “I have to! Give me a day. I’ll have a plan written out for you by the end of the day.”
Deep down, he vowed, Even if I can’t resolve it, I would have to!
He had to make it happen in order to keep his position.
And so, after leaving the office, Eric pulled out his cell phone and sent out a circular to the entire company.
‘Urgent News: The president is requesting a proposal to reunite with his ex. All stations and departments may submit a proposal. Raise and promotion are imminent once the plan is accepted.’
