BILLIONAIRES: Father or Son

Chapter Thirteen

ALEX'S POV

Everyone at the Summit kept telling me how lucky I was. They were inspired by my success, even though I hadn't made it early in life. Almost all the other businessmen wished they had my charisma. But what they didn't know was that my life was a complete disaster behind the scenes. My son wouldn't speak to me—probably wouldn't even if it were the last thing he had to do before he died. Loyalty and love felt like distant concepts, slipping further away by the day. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was only a matter of time before everything crumbled.

I had spotted Jayden at the Summit earlier and made a mental note to talk to him before heading back to my room. But catching him was about as achievable as scaling Mount Everest barefoot. After the meeting, I tried to make a beeline for him, but I was intercepted by a group of admirers, eager to discuss business deals and corporate nonsense.

By the time I escaped from their clutches, Jayden had vanished. No sign of him anywhere. Thankfully, I managed to sweet-talk the receptionist into giving me his room number. When I finally got there, I was greeted by a housekeeper cleaning his room. She informed me that he had already checked out. Devastation washed over me. It was late—practically everyone was staying until morning to avoid driving in the dark. Did Jayden hate me so much that he would risk leaving at this hour just to avoid speaking to me?

I stomped down the empty hallway, more irritated than ever. My bodyguard stood dutifully outside my room, as serious as ever.

"Sir," he called out in his deep, monotonous voice.

It took every ounce of my self-control not to snap at him. I could already tell this was about business. "Later," I growled, brushing past him. Could they not give me five minutes to just breathe without throwing another deal in my face?

The room was pitch dark when I pushed the door open, but I immediately heard a soft sound coming from the bed. I flicked on the light, and my heart sank. Lying there, barely covered by the sheets, was a beautiful redhead, her lips curled into a sultry smile.

"You said you needed to ease your stress," she purred, sitting up with a knowing look.

I felt exhaustion crash over me. What was this? "How did you get past my bodyguard?" I asked, already fed up.

"I'm your assistant, remember?" She got up, approaching me with deliberate steps, her hands ready to land on my shoulders. But when she saw the glare I shot her way, she paused, rethinking her approach.

I walked over to the bed and sat down, kicking off my shoes with a heavy sigh. Jessica Washington, my latest assistant, had come highly recommended after I fired the last one for, well, causing too much chaos in my life. That particular assistant had been the final straw that broke my last marriage. Jessica, on the other hand, was smart and efficient, which was what I needed. But there was a downside—she had a habit of looking at me like I was the main course on a very expensive menu.

She always presented herself as a high-value woman. I admired her confidence and intelligence. It wasn't lost on me that I had thrown her a compliment or two, but that didn't mean I wanted to mix business with pleasure. I never did that. It never ended well.

Last night, she had called, asking if I needed anything. I had casually mentioned that I was stressed and could use some relief—meaning a good night's sleep, a quiet room, maybe even some paperwork taken off my plate. Apparently, she had taken it in a completely different direction.

"I always know what you need," Jessica said in her annoyingly singsong voice, breaking into my thoughts, bringing me back to her very naked self. "You don't even have to spell it out. I'll start with a massage to help you relax—"