In His Sights

Conrad Walter muttered darkly under his breath as he sped through the busy city traffic, easily ignoring red lights and angry pedestrians alike. Hands clutching tightly at the steering wheel as he kept an ear on the automatic navigation system currently voicing out directions to the hospital his son was currently at.

The raven haired man had been powering through his last meeting for the day, when his secretary had burst in with news that his son was somehow currently in the nearby hospital. As if on autopilot the Walter CEO got to his feet, nearly knocking the office chair backwards as he rushed out of the room, ignoring the protesting board members behind him.

When his ringtone sounded through the speakers, Conrad angrily jabbed at the touchscreen, mouth twisting into a scowl.

"You better have answers as to why Michael was even out of the room Ryan,"

His assistant gulped, "From what the security told me it seemed like the young master got bored and wandered out when your secretary went in to place some papers,"

"And what were the security doing?"

"Well," Ryan paused, "It seemed as though the young master managed to evade them and eventually made it outside,"

The raven haired man swerved sharply at the turn, "Are you telling me that not one of our security staff saw my son just walk out the front doors of the building?"

His assistant offered no response to his question, a silent agreement at the words.

Conrad snarled, "Let them know they're all fucking fired and get the family doctor to the mansion,"

"Yes sir,"

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"—even touch him! The brat probably lied and laughing all about it right now! This bitch is probably even playing along!"

"What did you just call my son?"

The sudden words seemed to cut through the shouts as everyone stared at the fast approaching raven haired man, eyes narrowed and mouth set in a firm line. It was apparent that the various nurses seemed to instantly recognize the man as they hurriedly parted, opening his path towards both the rapidly paling senior nurse and herself. With some of them even rushing away after whispers of getting the manager.

Lily reflectively tightened her hold Michael causing the boy to lift his head, staring back at her in confusion and worry, before it all disappeared as he caught sight of the man across them.

"Daddy!" The boy beamed, waving excitedly at the man from within her hold. The sudden motion cause her to stumble as she tried to re-secure her grip on the child. It was then that a hand clasped tightly at shoulder, acting to both steady her and to tug her closer to the man's form.

"Don't think that you're off the hook you little brat," The man spoke from behind her, reaching out to flick at Michael's forehead. Lily tilted her head as the suit-clad arm brushed past her cheeks. "You're in trouble for even leaving the room,"

The child pouted up father, tiny hands covering the spot he was flicked at before he abandoned it to wound them around the baffled brunette's neck.

"Mommy," he whined, oblivious to the growing shock on Lily's face. "Daddy being mean to Michael,"

Completely bewildered at the sudden moniker from the child, Lily moved on autopilot, raising a hand to pat comfortingly at the boy's back to calm him down. "Now, now, you were also in the wrong weren't you?"

Michael grumbled but nodded sullenly in agreement, unable to suppress a smile Lily raised her fingers to run them through his hair. "Then you should be good and listen to what your daddy says okay?"

Conrad watched as his son whined and demanded to be spoiled from a woman he had never met before. His son, who after facing an incident with that woman during his earlier childhood had kept distance from every female he met, is easily letting someone who isn't him carry him around. When it has barely been a few weeks when he had cried out every time his grandmother would move to approach him. Just who is this woman, to be able to easily gain Michael's trust?

Feeling the stare boring into the back of her head Lily fidgeted, "Since your daddy is here, how about you ask him to help you with your wounds huh?"

Michael's head snapped back in alarm, staring at her with watery eyes, "But, but, you pwomise,"

Lily grimaced at the sight of teary child, "I know sweetheart, but I need to go soon and your daddy will probably look after you better than I could."

The brunette immediately realized that those were the wrong words to say when the tears began to roll down the child's cheeks.

"Noo!" Michael whined, burying his face in the crook of her neck, soaking it with his tears. "Lily pwomise! Stay!"

"But don't you want to go with your daddy?" Lily persuaded, bouncing the child gently as she rubbed his back. "He's here already isn't he? Now the mean lady won't bother you anymore,"

Michael's response was to tighten his hold on her, crying out once more. The woman turned to face at the man towering over here, eyes darting to and fro as she silently gestured for him to persuade his son.

Conrad stared down at her unmoved, arching an eyebrow which only caused the woman to scowl.

"Well," Lily mouthed silently at the raven haired man. "Go and get your son,"

The man smirked, leaning down to whisper, "Isn't he your son as well, mommy?"

"Shut up!" The brunette hissed, jerking back at the sudden close proximity of the other's face. "You already know it's not true, besides I don't even know you!"

"Don't know me?" Conrad chuckled, using the hand around her shoulders to tug her flush against his side. "If you're his mother then doesn't that make you my wife?"

"You—!"

Their argument was halted as Michael's cries turned into pitiful sounding hiccups. Immediately, she turned her attention towards the child in her arms. "Okay, okay, don't cry, I'll stay and treat your wounds okay?" Lily relented, moving so that she was holding Michael using one arm as she raised the other to wipe away at his tears. "Be good, don't cry anymore,"

"Weally?" Michael sniffled, glancing up at her, eyes red-rimmed. "Lily stay?"

"Yes, I'll stay and treat your wounds but after you have to go with your daddy okay?"

The raven haired child frowned pouting heavily at her with pleading eyes before he let out a yelp as Conrad leaned forward to flick at his son's forehead once more.

"Hey, wasn't the promise only to treat your wounds," The man admonished gently. "Stop getting her to cater to all your whims,"

Michael turned to aim a, surprisingly effective, glare at his father who simply stared back at the boy, unimpressed. Stuck in the middle, Lily could only watch in growing confusion as both father and son seem to engage in a silent battle, with neither wanting to back down. Finally, Conrad leaned to whisper to his son, in a voice so soft she could barely hear, but whatever it was it seemed to appease the boy and he nodded in agreement.

"Alright, get going and go get your wound treated," Conrad spoke, ruffling his son's hair. "I'll come by and get you soon,"

Michael smiled up at the man and nodded before snuggling back into Lily's hold. The brunette blinked in bewilderment, shifting to look at the child and the oddly pleased man in front of her. Using the grip he had on her shoulder he gently pushed her towards the still waiting nurse behind her, who had been gawking at them for the past few minutes. "Please take care of the brat for a little longer,"

Brown eyes blinked up at blue, "I, uh, okay?" Lily made to follow after the nurse, when a hand on her shoulder caused her to glance back, "Yes?"

"I never caught your name?"

"Um, I'm Lilian, Lilian Chen,"

"Lilian Chen," Conrad muttered, moving the hand on her shoulder to push back several loose strands of chestnut brown hair. "I'll remember that,"

With that he stepped back, turning around to glower at the approaching figure of a nervous-looking man, which judging from how he's dressed Lily figured that he must be one of the hospital's higher ups. Aiming a menacing glare at the mentioned "mean lady" nurse fidgeting by the wall as he idly loosened the blue tie around his neck.

"Wait!" Lily called out, waiting until the man turned to face her before she continued. "What's your name? You know mine, but I don't know yours,"

For a moment, she was sure that genuine surprise flickered through his eyes as an amused grin spread on his face.

"Conrad Walter,"

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Lily let out a relieved sigh, stretching her arms as she finally sent out the email containing her latest manuscript, just in time for the deadline. Reaching for her phone, she sent a quick text to inform Mae that she had just sent the manuscript over when the screen shifted to display an incoming call. Pressing on the green button, she leaned back on her plush office chair.

"Don't you have that fashion show coming up?" Lily greeted, with a teasing smile. "Why are you wasting time on calling me Alice?"

"Do you know that there's pictures of you trending online right now?!"

"What?!" The brunette screeched, jolting in her seat as she hurriedly switched the call to speakerphone before tapping on her social media. "What do you mean there's a picture of me trending?!"

From the other end, she could hear Alice scoff, "Didn't you hear me Lils? Pictures, as in plural, someone even uploaded a video! One of you holding Conrad Walter's son and him calling you 'mommy'. If you were married to the most eligible bachelor of the year shouldn't you at least give me an invite?!"

"What?! Is he seriously someone that famous?"

"He's literally one of the most successful business man in the country Lils, don't you read the news?" Alice chided. Lily huffed, opening up a browser tab on her laptop to search up the man she had just met in the hospital.

"You know that I don't really pay attention to the business news, I don't even open my social media when I'm pushing for deadlines!"

"Well now you know don't you?" Alice retorted, "So, spill the beans, how did you end up being labeled as Conrad Walter's wife?"

Puffing out a harsh breath, Lily slumped back in her seat, "They're all making things up! I just met the guy today, by chance too!"

"Were you living out all our Korean-drama dreams Lils?"

"You're already living in one aren't you?" Lily shot back moodily, "I met his son, Michael, when I was leaving the hospital after my usual visit. He was crying and the nurses were all just crowding around him, none of them did anything! So—"

"With your bleeding heart you probably stepped in,"

"—of course I stepped in, he looked so sad! I had just managed to persuade him to get his wounds treated when that old hag of a nurse started cursing him out! I was ready to give her a piece of my mind when that Conrad Walter appeared!"

"And how did this end up with you being called 'mommy'?"

The brunette heaved a sigh, "I don't even know how that came about, Michael just started calling me 'mommy' all of a sudden, he went back to calling me 'Lily' right after though,"

"See," Alice admonished, "this is exactly what you get for being too kind. You're just lucky that no one got a clear enough shot of your face,"

"You try resisting a crying child," Lily grouched, scrolling past the numerous news on the raven haired man. "You don't think this will blow up for long do you?"

Her best friend hummed, "Hard to say, any piece of news with his name on it tends to trend for a long while. As long as you didn't say anything too inappropriate you shouldn't get in trouble though. Well, hopefully,"

"I don't think I did," She groused, trying to recall if she had said anything particularly memorable. "He asked for my name and when I told him he said that he'd "remember it". Then I asked for his name and after looking like he was holding in his laughter he finally answered,"

Loud laughter echoed from the other end at her words. "You actually asked for his name?!" Alice cried out between her peels of laughter.

"I didn't know who he was okay?!"

"Honestly Lils, you might be one of the rare specimens who is unaware of just who Conrad Walter is,"

"Oh shut up," Lily pouted. "I'm going to hang up if you're just going to tease me,"

"Alright, alright, I'll stop with the teasing. You're just so easily riled up Lils," Alice acquiesced, still giggling slightly. "I'll get back to my designs now, are you still on for lunch tomorrow?"

"Mhm," The brunette agreed, nodding. "Just text me on where,"

"Okay, have a good night!"

"Good luck on your designs," Lily said in farewell before clicking at the 'end call' button, sighing she gently tossed the phone back on the desk. Cradling her face within her palms, she stared at the small Google picture of Conrad Walter, dressed immaculately in a charcoal suit, stoically looking at the camera.

The brunette sighed, "I hope this all dies down soon,"

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"Sir, there's pictures of you, young master and a woman trending online, should we put a stop to it?"

Conrad glanced up from the pile of paperwork he had been going through to stare at his assistant. "Pictures?"

Ryan nodded, holding out a phone for the raven haired man, "Yes, it was taken in the hospital you had been to a just this evening,"

Blue eyes took in the image, where despite it's blurriness, clearly showed who he was. Luckily, it seemed that when the photograph was taken the brunette standing next to him had been facing his son, thus ensuring that both their faces were harder to discern.

"Find out who took the picture and get them fired from the hospital, if the staff there can do something like this who's to say that they're not leaking any confidential patient information."

"Yes sir," The blonde man acknowledge, easily accepting the phone back from his employer. "What about the online posts?"

"Has my mother and grandmother caught wind of them?"

"Not that I'm aware of sir, but they might soon."

Conrad reclined in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest, "Leave them be, I have a feeling that they'll be of some help to me soon."

His assistant nodded sharply as he placed down a file on the CEO's desk, "This is the information on Lilian Chen that you wanted sir, if there's nothing else I will excuse myself,"

Conrad waved away the short bow Ryan gave flipping open the file he was handed to reveal a photograph of the brunette along with a list of detailed information on her that Ryan had compiled.

"Lilian Chen," The man murmured softly, eyes taking in the smiling image of the woman who had somehow managed to endear herself to his son in a matter of minutes.

"It seems like I've finally found the perfect solution to my... predicament."