A (Planned) Fated Meeting

"So" A blonde man stated, his voice strained and a slightly visible tick on his forehead. "When were you planning on telling me about this?"

A petite woman stood in front of him grinning cheekily, the sunlight highlighting her platinum pink hair with a golden shine. "Right now, actually," Alice replied brightly. "Babe, you're paying for the 3 of us today."

Behind her, Lily muffled her laughter into her hands as the man sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose as if trying to not to lash out.

"Fine, fine. Just head inside and order whatever you want," James finally relented, waving a hand towards the elegantly decorated café behind him. Alice squealed in delight, quickly pecking her boyfriend on the cheek in thanks before she rushed off to book a table.

Lily and James followed her inside in a much more sedated pace, the woman turning to smile sheepishly at the other. "I'm sorry if I interrupted a date you planned. She told me that the lunch plan for today was still on so..."

The blonde waved away her apologies.

"It's fine Lily, you're welcomed to join us anytime," James smiled, placing a grounding hand on her shoulder as he lead her into the café. "Besides, this way we would both be sure that you're eating enough."

The brunette aimed a glare at the unrepentant man, settling into the seat across her grinning best friend with a huff. "I'm literally 22 years old James, I can take care of myself,"

The other simply raised an eyebrow, eyes glinting.

"I don't like you right now." Lily mumbled out, reaching out a towards the menu which she began to peruse slowly. James laughed, ruffling her hair; as best as he could when it was tied up in a high ponytail, as he passed to his own seat. "As long as you eat and sleep properly, you can dislike me all you want."

Lily simply responded with a pointed turning of the page, eyes affixed to the multitude of pictures displayed on the paper. Her childish antics causing the couple to share amused grins with one another.

"So," Alice probed after they had each placed their orders, leaning forwards on the table. "When were you going to tell me that you're apparently married to Conrad Walter?"

She was met with a deadpanned stare.

"I told you, I don't even know the guy,"

"Conrad Walter?" James interjected, glancing inquisitively at the brunette across him. "Like THE Conrad Walter? The business tyrant?"

His girlfriend nodded eagerly, "The very same!" She then turned to waggle her eyebrows suggestively at the frowning Lily, "So, anything to tell us Mrs. Walter?"

"Don't call me that," The brunette replied exasperated. "And there's nothing to say, I didn't even know that the child was his for God's sake!"

"So the woman in that picture was you!"

"Shush! You don't need to scream it out for everyone to hear you know James!"

"Do you know how many woman are on a manhunt to find out the identity of the woman in the picture?" The blonde pressed on. "It's a good thing that the picture was extremely blurry that people could only recognize Walter's face,"

Lily let out a weary sigh, idly playing with the peach slices in her glass of tea. "I'm just praying that this will all die down soon,"

"Usually news like these don't last long, especially for Conrad Walter," Alice commented. "However, that's because the identity of his partners tend to be public. With how they're labelling you as 'mystery woman' I've a feeling it might be different this time round."

Lily groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Cheer up Lils," James consoled. "With the way this has blown up there's no way Walter is unaware of this and he's probably already working on taking the news down by now,"

The brunette managed to smile back weakly, before a waitress carrying their orders came by the table. With their previous conversation being interrupted with the arrival of their meal, the conversation shifted into more pleasant topics. Soon enough the three of them were cheerfully laughing over their bites of food.

However, Lily couldn't quite rid the lingering feeling of unease in her gut.

"Lilian Chen, I'll remember that,"

The words he spoke seem to echo in her head and try as she might she couldn't shake the feeling that he had meant what he said.

'There's no way though, right?'

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"Daddy,"

"Hmm,"

"I want to see mommy,"

Conrad raised his head to see pleading blue eyes looking back at him. Michael was seated on the plush blue carpet that made up the floor of his designated play area. The man having converted a corner of his study into one for his son years ago.

"Why?"

"Because I miss mommy," The child pouted. Looking annoyed that his father had even needed to ask.

"You do realize that she isn't your mommy, don't you?" The raven haired man reminded. "You can't just go around announcing someone's your mother on a whim Michael, especially a stranger at that."

His son merely looked back at him, clear confusion on his face. "But, mommy is mommy,"

Conrad sighed, leaning back on his office chair as he did. "I wonder what she did to make you this fond of her,"

Michael frowned, clumsily rising to his feet before toddling over to his father with his arms outstretched. The man in question arched an eyebrow but relented, gently picking up the child and settling him on his lap. His son stared up at him with a fierce pout, "Mommy saved Michael from mean lady,"

"But Daddy was the one who ended up saving the both of you from the mean lady,"

"Mommy help make ouchie go away,"

"What do you think our family doctor is for?"

"Mommy's kind, she carry me,"

"She's only had to carry you once," Conrad retorted lightly. "Wait until you ask her to carry you everyday. With how much you're eating everyday soon she wouldn't be able to carry you even if she wanted too,"

Michael scowled, tiny fists smacking at his laughing father's chest. "Daddy's mean, Michael's not fat!"

"Just chubby?" The man retorted with a grin, chuckling when it only caused the boy to shriek in further outrage.

"Alright, alright," Conrad placated, rubbing gently at the moody child's back. "You're not fat, and even if you are daddy will still want you. I'm sure your mommy will also still love you,"

His son huffed, shifting to curl into his father's hold, head tucked under his chin. "I like mommy," He mumbled out, leaning his head contentedly into the hand carding through his hair.

"I can see that,"

"When will mommy come home daddy?"

The raven haired man's hand faltered briefly in its motion. Tilting his head, he glanced down at his son who refused to emerge from his hiding spot despite his gentle nudging.

"You really want mommy to come home?"

Michael nodded, glancing up with large teary eyes.

"Alright, don't cry," Conrad murmured, wiping away the falling tears with a thumb. "If you want mommy to come home soon then you need to listen to what daddy tells you, can you do that?"

The child nodded eagerly, sitting up straight to glance up at his father. "Mhm, will listen to daddy!"

The raven haired man smiled, one that reflected his fondness for the boy he held. "Good boy, now go to your room and get dressed,"

"Where we going?" His son questioned, head tilted slightly in puzzlement.

"Didn't you say you wanted to see your mommy?"

Michael gasped excitedly. Sparing his father a quick hug and a "thank you daddy!" before he was squirming out of the man's hold and running out the doors. Conrad shook his head in fond exasperation, waving away Richard's bow with a remark for the man to watch over the toddler.

As the doors clicked shut behind the aging man, Conrad shifted his attention towards the laying item in front of him. The raven haired man flipped open the inconspicuous binder displaying a picture of the mentioned brunette. Conrad stared at the smiling woman's face for a few seconds before dialing a familiar number.

"Yes sir?"

"Ryan, I need you to find out where Lilian Chen is right now,"

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Lily hummed lowly under her breath as she raised a bundle of Chinese broccoli in order to better inspect the vegetables, the basket she held in one hand already half-filled with several of her weekly groceries. Scanning the variety in front of her, the brunette lowered the bundle she was holding, instead reaching out to pick out another bundle further back.

Mentally recounting her shopping list, the brunette had been heading towards the meats section when a familiar cry resounded through the supermarket.

"Mommy!"

Astonished, the woman was barely able to brace herself before a child sized missile ran into her, tiny hands clinging tightly to her skirt. Blinking in stunned confusion, Lily tilted her head down, brown eyes staring into blue as one Michael Walter beamed up at her. "Hi mommy!"

"Hi Michael," the brunette finally replied after a moment, crouching down to look the boy in the eye. "Why are you here? Where's your daddy?"

"Oh," A voice drawled out from behind the raven haired boy. "Were you hoping to meet me as well?"

Eyes darkening in annoyance, she shifted to glare up at the man smirking down at her. "You wish," Lily scoffed. "I just don't agree with parents letting their children walk around unsupervised."

Conrad simply hummed back noncommittedly, however the amused glint in his eyes remained.

Withholding her scowl, the brunette shifted her attention back towards the boy who was tugging lightly at her blouse. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"What are you doing mommy?" Michael questioned, peering curiously at the basket of items she held. Lily tilted the item towards the child in order to allow him to peer closer at her groceries, "I'm doing my weekly grocery shopping, how about you sweetheart? Why are you here?"

"I missed mommy," Michael happily answered, looping his arms around her neck in a hug. "So I asked daddy to take me to mommy, and he did!"

Brown eyes narrowed, even as she raised a hand to pat at the child's back in a calming gesture. "He did, did he?"

Conrad grinned back at her unrepentantly, hands raised in surrender. "He wanted to see you, you can't blame a father for fulfilling his son's wish can you?"

Lily scowled back at the man. "Maybe I can't blame you for that, but I can blame you for actually knowing where I was. You do realize that's borderline stalker behaviour don't you?"

"Is it a crime to know where my wife is nowadays?"

"Who're you calling your wife?!"

"Didn't we establish that if you're his mother then that would also make you my wife?"

"You!-"

"Mommy? Why are you fighting with daddy?" Michael suddenly piped up, glancing at her and his father, a sad pout on his face. Shifting her attention towards the child, Lily forced a smile as she gently patted at the raven coloured locks. "It's nothing sweetheart, you're father was just being difficult,"

Nodding at the words, the boy turned to aim an angry glare at his smirking father, however paired with his chubby cheeks the raven haired child had looked more adorable than threatening.

"Daddy, don't be mean to mommy!" Michael scolded, staring up defiantly at his father. The raven haired man simply reached out a hand to ruffle his son's hair, "I'm not being mean, your mommy is the one being unreasonable."

Lily scoffed, mumbling insults about 'raven haired jerks' under her breath. However, Michael seemed to be placated by his father's words and beamed cheerfully at the man. Unable to stop herself, the brunette let out a soft smile, despite her personal opinion about the man it is undeniable that he does truly care for his son.

"Alright, I should get going," The woman announced rising to her feet, a hand reaching down to gently loosen Michael's grip on her skirt. "I still need to finish my shopping and get started on dinner,"

"What a coincidence, we have a reservation for dinner nearby," Conrad remarked lightly. "How about we accompany you to finish your shopping and you can join us for dinner?"

Lily blinked, dumbfounded, before she quickly shook her head. "No, no, that's really not necessary. You two should go ahead, I'll just cook something simple for my dinner tonight. Besides, I don't want to be a bother,"

The raven haired man waved away her concerns, "Don't worry about it, one more person isn't going to make much a difference. Besides," he added, glancing pointedly at the child who was glancing up at the brunette with puppy dog eyes. "I don't think you'll be that heartless as to say no to that face,"

Making a mistake of following his line of sight, the woman was met with large pleading eyes that seemed to sparkle in the light with unshed tears. Lily grimaced as an internal argument played on in her head, her silence only causing the toddle to start sniffling, a clear warning of the wailing they would experience should she say no.

Finally, the brunette heaved a sigh. "Alright, let's get the shopping over with then,"

Instantaneously the sad expression on Michael's face shifted into one of pure joy, the boy eagerly bouncing on his feet, all signs of tears gone. Slowly Lily shifted her gaze from the child who was making grabby hands at her to the man in front of her who excluded an air of victory.

The woman had the strangest feeling that she had just been played by this father and son duo.

Unwilling to simply resign herself to her fate, Lily unceremoniously dumped her basket into a momentarily surprised Conrad's hands before reaching down to carry Michael into her arms. Pivoting on her feet, the woman strode determinedly towards the meat section as Michael babbled excitedly at her. Despite not being able to see the man following behind her, Lily could practically feel the triumphant grin he wore as he leisurely strode after them.