Familiar Face

Sitting behind his huge mahogany desk, Pete stared at the documents before him with a frown creasing his brows.

There were days he loved his job, and there were days all he wanted was to spend less time peering at data and trying to figure out ways to keep his company at the top of the business chain, and it was funny how these days were becoming more and more frequent.

Heaving a sigh, he shut his eyes away from the unappealing data and pressed his thumb against his temple. His mind was saturated and his body exhausted — the downsides of running a company with numerous subsidiaries.

"Mr. Hudson, are you alright?" The concerned voice of his secretary echoed through the office. "Should I get you some coffee?" She asked, and he opened his eyes.

He gazed at the bespectacled, dark-haired secretary that had just been assigned to his office — a temporary replacement for his secretary who had embarked on her maternity leave a few weeks ago.

"Thanks, Becca, but I'm fine," Pete told her. "Kindly return to your desk and have those emails sent as I've instructed."

"Yes, Mr. Hudson." She firmly echoed but remained unmoving, her eyes still sheathed with concern as they remained fixed on him.

"Is there something else, Becca?" Pete angled a brow at her, and she shook her head.

"Not all, sir. I'll get to it immediately." She picked up the signed documents from his desk and started for the door.

Pete sighed as he reclined in his seat. He was undeniably uncomfortable having a single, female secretary working for him, as he had had uncomfortable working experiences with them in the past.

But for now, he could do nothing until a new replacement for her was found, and hopefully within the week.

Still hesitant at throwing himself back at work, Pete sighed as he blankly stared at the document awaiting his attention. He could have had a much easier life if he had worked in his father's company, but he chose the hard way by building his own.

He frowned when his phone suddenly began to ring, but the taut look on his face eased when he saw who the caller was.

"Hey, big bro," His sister's cheery voice floated through the phone.

"Hey," He hoarsely answered.

"Bad day?"

"Exhausting day." He hissed and lolled back on his chair as he pressed his thumb a little firmer on his temple. "I'm tired, and you can't even begin to imagine my degree of exhaustion." He listlessly hissed.

Every part of him ached from all the endless rounds of meetings and sleepless nights he had endured in the past few days, and he really could do with a little rest.

"I understand the feeling." Alice sympathized with him. "I guess the pressure has become intense because of the digital health initiative you're venturing into. I heard about it on TV the other day."

"I never knew you watched TV."

"What do you mean, Pete Hudson?" Alice sharply demanded, and Pete chuckled.

"Nothing." He said, not daring to say what they both knew. His lips twitched when he pictured the mock glare playing through her eyes. "But you're right. It's indeed one of the many reasons why my staff and I haven't slept in a while. We want it to be a success, but the fear of failure is trying to be a hindrance."

Alice scoffed. "Fear of failure? Since when have you known fear? Nothing you've done has failed to be a success. Each of your ventures makes headlines, Pete. Everyone." She emphasized, and Pete's lips curved with a smile, which he tried to clip.

"I'm not so sure about that, but thanks for the vote of confidence, little sis," Pete said, his smile faintly gleaming in his eyes.

Vote of confidence he says? Alice mused. She could hear the modesty in his voice, and that was typical of him. With Pete, she was more than confident. He was the smartest person she knew, aside from their father.

He was a genius in every sense of the word. He had started his company at the age of seventeen when he was barely out of college, leaving his inheritance, Hudson Global, to their father, while he followed hard on his dreams and passion.

'Hudson Global' was a multinational conglomerate, with unnameable subsidiaries which have been expanding for over a century under the Hudson bloodline.

Their ventures ranged from Hotels, to transport services, financial investments and insurance services, automobiles, fashion, real estate, shipping services, and whatever other ventures they had thought about in the past years. Every Hudson had solely worked in Hudson Global, except Pete Hudson.

Unlike the others, Pete had found a passion different from the one carved out in his lineage, and while in college he started up his own company — an IT company, Pyramid.

Pyramid manufactures and sells a wide range of software and electronics.

The company also invests in various start-ups and different-sized companies in the tech industry, thus making it one of the top ten companies with an enormous annual revenue in the country.

"You know someday, you'll have to tell me your secret," Alice said.

"What secret?"

"The secret of how you're doing so well in business even more than Dad? One minute you're venturing into this, and even before you get over the feel of one success, you're already making another venture, which also turns out to be another huge success. You just have to tell me how you do it, Pete. Please." She pleaded and Pete laughed.

"I don't know what you're talking about it. But if there's a secret I've told you before it's—"

"Please, don't give me that 'inspired by money' bullshit. Not today." She cut him off. "If it's really about money, then I should be more inspired than you, don't you think?"

"I do agree, since you're the one privileged to have a bet with Dad, and would be acquiring a subsidiary of Hudson if you should win," Pete said. He chuckled when he heard the long hiss from her side of the phone.

Alice scoffed. "Win indeed. I doubt I'm going to win. Have you seen my revenue? It's way below the target mark."

"But way above Dad's expectations." He told her. "You're competing against a legacy here, Alice, I don't have to remind you that. Hudson Construction is the largest construction company in the country, and you've done well rivaling it."

"Competing isn't the same as winning. I still have to win against Dad in order to acquire the company." Alice reminded him just in case he had forgotten about the terms of the bet she had made with their father.

Alice still couldn't remember what had prompted her into challenging their father into making a bet with her. And the condition was if she were to open a renovation company and attain a certain revenue in two years, her company would be allowed to take over Hudson Construction, a subsidiary of Hudson Global at no cost.

Alice wasn't sure what had prompted her into such madness, but somewhere in her heart, she believed it was because of her brother. Everything about him was inspiring and she just wanted to succeed like him, especially outside her father's and husband's name.

"Alice I'm sure you'll win. You still have six months, and that's enough time to hit your target. You just have to stay focused." He told her.

"Are you sure?" She uncertainly asked.

"Yes, I am."

A short moment of silence reigned between them. Pete's eyes drifted to the time and he sighed.

"Alice, I'm sure this isn't a courtesy call. Kindly tell me why you called so I can get back to the mountain of work waiting for me." He said as he was certain there was a reason behind her call. "And before you answer that, how are Madeline and Max?" He inquired, silently berating himself for forgetting to ask about his little niece and nephew.

"They're fine, and they're the reason I called you," Alice said and Pete's brows furrowed with a slight frown.

"Did something happen?" He worriedly asked.

"Yes...Uhmm no, I mean no."

Pete's frown slightly deepened. "Which is it, Alice?"

"Max has been hounding me to bring him over with Madeline."

"Really? Is that it?" Pete had been worried there for a moment, thinking something might have happened to the kids, especially to cute little champ, Max.

"I'll come pick them up this weekend." He told her, relieved to know it was just that. "Is there something else?" He asked when he observed her awkwardness from the other side of the phone.

"Uhm, the thing is, I already sent them over, and they should be arriving there soon—"

"What?"

"Uncle Pete!"

Pete's eyes darted towards the door of his office when a small dark-haired boy came running into his office with a blinding smile that revealed his dimples. He dashed over and hopped into his arms. "Uncle Pete." He called excitedly, leaving Pete utterly surprised.

"Hey, champ!" Pete smiled as he picked up the boy and placed him on his thigh.

"Where's your big sister?" His eyes shifted back to the door and Madeline suddenly strolled in with Becca following behind.

"Sir, your—"

"It's fine, Becca." He waved her off and glanced at five-year-old, Madeline, who was as always engrossed with her phone.

She briefly looked up at him, "Good afternoon, Uncle Pete," She greeted and returned to whatever had her engrossed as she strolled towards the sofa.

Pete unsurprisingly looked at her and then at the boy happily sitting on his lap with a happy smile.

"Excited to see me, huh?" He asked and the boy enthusiastically bobbed his head.

"Very."

"I see." Pete chuckled and ruffled his hair making the boy giggle. "I'm happy to see you too."

He returned his attention back to his phone when Alice's voice came through, reminding him she was still on the line. "I guess you've received them." She said.

"Alice, you better have a good explanation for this. You know how busy I am at the moment."

"I know, and I do have an explanation."

"Let's hear it." Pete sternly urged, eager to know why she had sent the kids over despite knowing how busy he was, and without no prior information.

"You know that project I told you about a few weeks ago?"

"Yes." Pete curtly answered.

"Well, there's been an incident. Two of the walls collapsed during renovations and I couldn't make it back to town before they closed from school, and I still can't leave till we see how much damage is done and how much work we have to do to fix things."

"You have a nanny, don't you?" Pete was sure she did.

"Mary has the flu, so I asked her to take some time off till she got better. You know Max's health, he can't be around her." She explained. "Do you think you can help me look after them tonight? I'll pick them up from school tomorrow."

"So you're not coming back tonight?" Pete asked with a slight frown returning to his face.

"I'm not sure, but I'll be back tomorrow. Just help me look after them tonight and take them to school in the morning, please." She pleaded.

Pete looked at the boy, who was staring at him with his big blue eyes, equally pleading with his mother, and then at Madeline, who had little or no care about anything else other than what she was doing with her phone. He glanced back at the phone. "You should have called earlier. I could have been out of the office."

"I know. I'm sorry, but just this once, Pete. I promise I won't just sprout something like this on you anymore. I would have called Kim, but she's out of town with her husband. I promise to be back tomorrow morning. I also got a call for a possible contract in town, so I'll definitely be in tomorrow." She promised.

"So you'll be back for a contract, but not your kids." Pete dryly said.

"That's not—"

"It's fine, Alice. I'll look after them."

"Thanks." She said.

"But just so you know, this shouldn't repeat itself next time." He sternly said and disconnected the call.

"Uncle Pete, are we staying with you tonight?" The little man on his thigh asked, and Pete glanced at him.

"Yes," He nodded and the little boy squealed with happiness and he couldn't help but laugh.

"You're always too happy, little man, but it's good." He smiled. "Have you eaten?" He asked and Max shook his head.

"And what do you want to have for lunch?" Pete inquired.

"Pasta!" The boy answered with excitement, and Pete wasn't in the least surprised.

Pete looked over at the files on his desk and sighed.

There was no way, he'd be able to finish them now. He called Becca via the intercom and requested her to reschedule all his meetings for tomorrow.

"Are you leaving?" Becca asked when she walked back into his office and saw him clearing out his desk.

"Yes." He answered. "And I won't be coming in early tomorrow, so reschedule all my early meetings." He ordered, and Becca could only nod.

He looked over to Madeline. "Come, Madeline, let's head out for groceries." He said, and Madeline sauntered over, her eyes still fixed on her phone.

He was tempted to take it away but decided against it and let her be for now.

He led them to his car and went to the store to get the groceries required for lunch and dinner. He could have ordered lunch, but Max had a lot of allergies, so he couldn't take the risk.

The group of three had only finished shopping and arrived at the payment terminal when Pete caught sight of a familiar face heading out of the store, wheeling a cart and a little girl tagging along.