A Moment in Destiny

Chapter 27: What Was He Up To

“Uncle, it's very tough on my mommy. My mommy needs to sell these before she can go home and I love my mommy and I want to help her sell these. Please buy one, uncle!" Dan saw that William wasn't buying and tried a different tactic.

"What about your daddy?’ William asked. Could his father allow his mother to bring a child out to sell condoms?

"Uncle, please leave if you don't want to buy. Why are you asking about my daddy?" Daniel was sad because he never had a daddy. He already accepted that not everyone had a daddy!

William's heart inexplicably ached when he saw Dan drooping his head.

“All these, I'll take it all! How much are they?"

"Really? You're a good man, uncle! You're a hero, ten thousand yuan!" Daniel remembered what mommy said.

William took out his wallet. He started to carry a wallet after he was yelled at by Sherry the other day. He took out twenty thousand yuan and gave it to Daniel.

“I'll give you twenty thousand yuan. Don't sell these anymore. A kid should concentrate on his studies!" He was at the age when he should be pampered by his parents.

"I don't want so much! Just ten thousand will do!” Daniel returned half of the money to him, "Uncle, take the entire box!”

After that, he took the money to look for Sherry!

William's mind was once again filled with that woman's face as he saw the small boy walking away. He became frustrated and threw that box of condoms into the boot of the Bugatti...

"Mommy! I've sold the goods! We can go home now!"

Sherry was stunned and only when Daniel gave her the money did she come to her senses, "Oh lord! Dan, how did you...

“An uncle came and bought all of them. He was the same uncle who I met on the airplane! So that uncle isn't a bad person after all! He gave me twenty thousand yuan but since mommy said that ten

thousand was enough, so I sold it for ten thousand yuan!" The tiny boy explained, "I know not to take advantage of others!”

"What!" Sherry was very conflicted inside her. She looked at her son's small face and tears began to well up in her eyes. She was thinking about whether she was wrong to do this!

“Mommy? What's wrong?"

She was really wrong to do this! She shouldn't be selling this type of thing. Dan was only five years old. How could she have her five year old son sell condoms together with her?

This child was already very pitiful. He was abandoned since young by his parents and almost froze to death by the lake. If she didn't attempt suicide that day, Dan would have frozen to death! God, she was horrible.

"Dan, mommy will not sell these anymore! Let's go home!" Sherry returned the goods in her hands and held onto Dan's hand, Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"Mommy will take you shopping and buy clothes with the money that Dan earned!"

“Mommy! It's fine that we don't sell these. I will take care of you!" Dan patted his chest, “I guarantee that I'll be able to take care of mommy!"

“Mommy believes that Dan can take care of Mommy but now you are too young and must learn from your teacher. You can take care of me when you grow up!”

“Mommy, don't worry, the electronic games that Celia bought for me, I had already hacked them. Later I will program my own games and we'll be rich when I sell them!"

“Good boy! Mommy doesn't want you to earn money. I just want you to be happy!” She had placed all her hopes on him. She had already lost all her kin and now the heavens gave her a son. How can she not cherish this gift?

The two of them held hands and left the shop and Dan pointed to the car which just drove off and said, "Mommy, look, it was that car! What a beautiful car! That uncle bought all the condoms! Do you think that he'll play with them as balloons like my classmate Mason if he can't finish them?"

Sherry looked in the direction where Dan pointed and saw a blue Bugatti. She frowned and wondered if she had seen Mr. Rowland's car. She shook her head and decided that she must be mistaken. Why

would Mr. Rowland buy these things?

She had a wonderful weekend and didn't receive any harassing telephone calls...

Monday.

Sherry was uneasy when she arrived at the office. After all, she didn't go to the airport to receive Mr. Rowland and wondered if he will be angry.

"Dearest Sherry, why are you in a daze?" Liam said loudly.

"Good morning, Mr. Brooks!" Sherry greeted politely as she glanced at his back, "Has Mr. Rowland arrived?”

The telephone rang at this moment. Sherry was startled and answered the call.

“A cup of coffee please!” The deep voice like an announcer came over the phone and Sherry was dumbfounded that Mr. Rowland had arrived so early.

“Er! He's already here! Go quickly and send a cup to me as well”

"Yes!" Sherry made the coffee and sent it to the director's office.

She entered after knocking on the door and saw the man behind his table smoking with his head lowered. The smoke-filled room was choking and Sherry guessed that he must have arrived for a while as there were numerous cigarette butts.

"Mr. Rowland, coffee!” Sherry placed the coffee on the table.

She was about to leave when he suddenly said, “Why didn't you go to the airport?”

Sherry swallowed her saliva and became worried and turned around. She didn't want to explain that there wasn't anyone to pick her son up and said, “It was after working hours and the company does not give overtime pay. So, I shouldn't need to work outside of office hours!”

William tapped the cigarette ash into the ashtray and stood up suddenly. He then swiftly walked over to her which startled Sherry causing her to take a step backward. His tall frame towered over her with the

overpowering smell of smoke.

“Mr. Rowland, you can fire me if you don't think that I'm suitable to be your secretary!" She mustered her courage and said.

He remained speechless and Sherry noticed that he was staring at her. His tall and slim body started to get closer to her. At that moment, she could smell the thick smoke and the fresh faint smell of cologne. That fragrance excited every cell of her body.

“What are you doing?” Sherry tensed up as she looked at William.

William was very calm and a mischievous look flashed across his eyes. He stretched out his hands towards her hair. He saw that her eyes were wide open and glared at him while her face began to blush so redly that it could bleed at any moment.

She thought about how he kissed her the other night! What was he up to?

"There is a piece of cotton on your hair!" William was suppressing his laughter and extended his fingers past his face and onto her hair. With a gentle flick, he looked again at Sherry and then went back to his seat.

Cotton? Sherry looked at William walking slowly back to his seat and then became suspicious of him. This was the first time Sherry felt that William had another side to his cold expression. He not only had that clean cold expression, but also the cunning smile of a fox.

After a moment, Sherry suddenly became furious and said, “You did that on purpose!”

"Did what on purpose?" William asked without looking at her.

“On purpose..." She paused for a long while and didn't know what to say. Sherry pouted in defeat and huffed. She lowered her head and felt that something was amiss but could not see that William's expression revealed his mischief.

"Wait!" She suddenly yelled.

William's expression neutralized and looked expressionless at her, "What?"

“It's autumn, where did the cotton come from?" She finally realized what was amiss.

William's cunningness flashed again and changed the subject, "Why didn't you go to the airport on Friday?”

"I don't want to go!"

“Is the business plan ready?" He asked again as if he wasn't concerned about her foul attitude.

He didn't bother to answer her, neither did he fire her. What was this about? She intentionally upset him several times so why hadn't he fired her?

"Ms. Sherry, where is the business plan?" William laughed again.

"lll get it right away!"

"Take your business plan to the departmental meeting today. I hope that you will be able to present your plan during the meeting:’ William stood up as he said, "Let's go to the conference room on the fifty-eighth floor!"

"Yes!"

At the conference room, all the department managers and supervisors had already arrived. Sherry brought her business plan and felt uneasy as she entered the conference room. All the department managers and supervisors were curious about her presence.

The doors were opened and everyone stood to attention and said in unison, "Mr. Rowland!"

William walked steadily into the conference room with Liam and Ms. Hines following behind him.

William sat down while Sherry stood by the door waiting for his instructions while nervously holding onto the business plan.

This was the first time Sherry attended such a meeting and she was nervous as she had to make a presentation later. She turned to glance at the attendees and realized that some people were looking at her.

Liam blinked and signaled her to sit down at an empty seat beside William. Sherry was stupefied as Liam nodded at her. Sherry was conflicted.

*Ms. Murray, sit down!" This was the first thing that William said after coming in.

Sherry sat after hearing the order.

"Let's begin: William placed his hands on the armrest and slightly crossed in front of his chest waiting for the reports. Each department manager started to report on the highlights of last week.

After everyone completed their report, William said, "Ms. Murray, let's talk about the cooperation project with AVL!"

Sherry took a deep breath, stood up slowly, and walked to the projection screen.

She looked up and smiled professionally hoping to use the smile to cover her nervousness. Thereafter, she placed the printed presentation slides on the projector and began to explain at the screen. “Everybody should know that the Rowland Group is the sponsor for the launch of this year's winter fashion. The difference this time is the T shaped walkway will be moved outdoors. This will enable more people to attend our launch..”

She endeavored to maintain a calm and steady tone to show her self-confidence.

William can't help but look at her and his attention fell onto her fair petite face which captivated him. The words that came out of that tiny mouth were coherent and powerful. That face was clean without any makeup and her lips were naturally colored.

She was very different than all the women he knew. Her body and eyes exuded a natural purity...