Chapter 21 The Bully of a child
"Alright."
With a sigh, Nora guided Aaron into the room. She deftly pulled down his pants and helped him onto the toilet.
Looking at the sweat beading on her forehead, his eyes softened.
"Is everything taken care of?"
"Yeah," Nora wiped her forehead and exhaled.
"What happened that led to someone getting hurt?" Nora's moving hands paused, and she sighed, "Being too beautiful can be a real curse, you know!"
Aaron was silent, a chuckle nearly escaped him.
"Nora, you're so full of yourself."
Her eyebrows arched defiantly. "Thomas, don't you think I'm beautiful? Haven't you complimented me yourself?"
"Nora, don't just hear what you want to hear. What about the rest of it? Can't you be a bit more tender with me?"
Seeing that he was doing okay, Nora squatted down to help him up. "Thomas, if I were all sugar and spice, do you think I'd be able to take care of you like this? I would've been too embarrassed and run off!"
Her face was close to his, her long lashes curling like tiny brushes, softly sweeping across his heart.
Aaron's lips tightened slightly as he placed his hand on her shoulder, using her support to sit up in the wheelchair.
That was the truth of it.
They were, after all, practically strangers to each other.
Even if they weren't, nobody would go to such lengths.
After all, he was a man with no physical capability, a disabled person.
Could a tender woman nonchalantly assist in his washing and exert all her strength moving him around without flinching?
Either they'd be embarrassed to flee or scared away.
"Phew, I'm exhausted," Nora exhaled deeply, glancing at the clock. "It's getting late; you need to get into bed and start your therapy."
Aaron had no choice but to comply, lying down with her help.
Looking at her beautiful face, his voice softened. "Have you had dinner yet?"
"Not yet."
Nora pulled a medical kit from under the bed.
"Why don't you eat first?" Aaron suggested.
"It's okay, I'll eat later."
Her face was serious as she worked meticulously.
Aaron watched her lovely features, feeling a stir in his heart.
Twenty minutes later, Nora helped him sit up. "All done, I'll go get your medicine."
Oh no, more medicine!
Aaron let go of that flicker of warmth and resignedly closed his eyes.
"Mommy, I brought Mr. Thomas’s medicine," echoed Alex's voice at the door.
Nora took the bowl from him with a smile, gently ruffling his hair. "Such a good boy, Alex."
With a proud little pout, Alex entered the room with his siblings.
Aaron took the medicine bowl, his face screwing up at the taste, and finished it in one gulp.
How could medicine be so bitter?
He opened his eyes and looked at Nora, who simply shrugged her shoulders.
"Sorry, Thomas, no strawberries this time. I forgot to pick them up," she said.
Aaron eyed her skeptically as Samantha fished a butterscotch from her pocket.
"Here, Mr. Thomas, I saved this candy for you," she offered, her voice sweet as sugar.
Aaron's eyebrows quirked up, a spark of life reigniting within him. "Thanks, Sam."
She was like a little bundle of warmth wrapped up in a tiny package. He couldn't help but adore her.
"Thomas, don't tell me you're gonna swipe candy from a kid?" Nora shot him a playful glare.
"Sam's got a big heart; she gets me," Aaron said, unwrapping the candy and popping it into his mouth.
Nora bit her lip, ready to lob a couple of teasing remarks his way.
Billy chimed in from the side, "Mommy, medicine is really bitter; Mr. Thomas's brave."
Alex nodded.
Something felt off. She hadn't been there that afternoon—had something happened? Why were the kids being so agreeable?
Nora pondered the mystery.
"Aaron, you should go have dinner; you've had a long day," she said, pulling herself back to the present.
With an unsettled stomach, Nora rounded up her trio and headed for the door. "Alright, it's getting late. Let's get some food, and then you guys hustle upstairs to brush your teeth."
"Okay," the three little voices sang in harmony.
Samantha threw a goodbye wave over her shoulder. "Good night, Man."
"Sweet dreams," Aaron said softly, watching them leave with tender eyes.
The house settled into the quiet of the evening until a soft stirring came from downstairs. The door eased open, and Noe slipped in.
"Mr. Gordon."
Aaron, sensing his presence, let his guard down. "Noe? What are you doing here?"
"I was worried about you, just checking in," Noe confessed.
Aaron fell silent for a moment before asking, "How's Grandpa?"
"He knows you're still with us, it's given him peace. But to keep up appearances, he hasn't left the hospital."
Aaron nodded. "Any leads on my car? Who tampered with it?"
"Your car had just been serviced; they must've messed with it then," Noe reported, "I checked the service records. The mechanic on duty that day quit and has since vanished. I'm tracking him down."
Aaron listened intently, eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.
"Which family faction has been the most troublesome lately?" he asked calmly.
His grandfather had three sons, and his father was the youngest.
So, when he found himself in trouble, the one who made the most noise, the most likely antagonist, was clear.
"Patriarch Gordon," Noe said.
The corner of Aaron's lips twitched with a cold smirk.
Just as he had suspected.
After all, had he not stood in the way, it would be his cousin, Henry Gordon, sitting at the helm of the Gordon Corporation.
"Mr. Gordon, Patriarch Gordon has been clamoring to have Henry replace you as CEO of the Gordon Corp. So, do you think it's time you made your move back?"
Noe queried.
Aaron's lips curled into a sardonic smile, his eyes devoid of warmth.
"No rush. Let whoever wants that chair take it for now. Complacency leads to vulnerability."
For the moment, he would lurk in the shadows, letting them flaunt their arrogance.
"I see. I'll keep an eye on Patriarch Gordon and his lot," Noe said, understanding.
Aaron hummed in response, his mind wandering to another matter. "Any idea why Nora went to see Mick?"
After a brief pause, Noe replied, "Mick mentioned that Nora's looking for her children's biological father, and the Smiths had him posing as the dad during their meeting."
"She probably met with Mick because of her kids' schooling issues."
Aaron’s brows knitted slightly in confusion.
"She needs the biological father for school admissions?"
Noe pondered for a moment before answering, "Mr. Gordon, I heard that Mont International Kindergarten, in which Gordon Corp has a stake, has a policy that only children from complete families can enroll."
"My guess is, Nora wants to send her three kids to Mont International and felt she needed the kids’ biological father for that."
Aaron frowned at this information.
"Who came up with such an absurd policy? Noe, talk to the School Board of Directors, and get it revoked."
There was a moment of hesitation from Noe. "Mr. Gordon, with my position, I'm afraid I don't have the clout to issue orders to the School Board."
Under normal circumstances, as the CEO’s associate, he could intervene.
But at present, in the eyes of the world, their CEO was as good as a dead man.
His involvement might expose them to risk.
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