Boss's Runaway Queen

Chapter 2 - Claire's P.O.V.

Five years later…

9 years old - Claire’s P.O.V

“Come on, miss Claire. We’ll have a great day even with your father working.” Ben, one of my bodyguards says, trying to cheer me up.

I pout and cross my arms across my chest.

“I wanted to spend one day with daddy, but nnnooooo… He had to work!” I say, annoyed. “He never has time for me lately! It’s like I don’t exist at all! He doesn’t even tell me good night anymore!” I say, my eyes filling with tears.

My emotions are all over the place and I don’t know what to do.

Suddenly, an idea pops into my mind.

The last time my bodyguard “lost me”, daddy showed up in only a few minutes. Maybe he would do the same this time.

I take a peek at them, discussing together as to what they could do to cheer me up. I look around and see lots of people walking in the mall. I could use that to my advantage. I glance back at Ben, who notices something isn’t quite right. As he’s about to ask, I take off running and squeeze myself between the people, trying to outrun my bodyguards who are yelling at me to stop.

Daddy will be furious when he learns that I escaped them, again. But I don’t care! I don’t like them and I want to be left alone.

After running for some time, I turn my head to look over my shoulder, looking to make sure I lost them.

In my inattention, I didn’t notice that someone was walking out of a*****e and running straight into them.

Falling backward with a loud thud, I cry out.

“Ouch!”

“Oh, dear! Are you alright sweety?” A soft melodious voice asks.

Looking up, my heart tightens.

“Mommy?” I murmur, my eyes tearing up.

“What?! I’m sorry dear, but I’m not your mommy. Do you need help looking for her?” She asks, holding me up and looking around.

She looks exactly like the picture daddy gave me! It has to be her!

I sniffle and let out my tears.

“I promise I’ll be good now! I won’t run away again, please don't leave me, mommy!” I cry, my heart breaking into a million pieces.

She looks around nervously as she’s getting harsh looks from passersby, and murmurs of being an irresponsible mother.

“I’m sorry sweety. But I don’t have any children. I’m sure if I would have, they would be as lovely as you. I will help you find your parents though. What are their names? Do you know their phone number?” She says, taking out her phone.

I shake my head no. I don’t want to leave her yet. I know it’s her! It has to be.

Yeah, her hair is a different color, but her smile is the same one from daddy’s picture.

“Ok. Why don't we go to the security office and they can help?” She suggests, but I solemnly refuse.

“I don’t want to go. He’ll be mad at me…” I say, lowering my eyes to the ground.

“Who will be mad at you?” She asks, crouching down in front of me, holding my hand tenderly.

I missed mommy’s touch so much!

“Daddy will be mad. I ran away from my bodyguards, again.” I say, looking down, fidgeting from one foot to the other.

“I tell you what, why don’t we go sit at the ice cream shop just over there, until they find you? How does that sound?” She asks, giving me such a sweet smile, I can help but smile too.

“ OK, mommy.”

She gives me a sympathetic smile but doesn’t correct me again.

Why doesn't she remember me? Have I changed that much since I last saw her?

“Which flavor would you like?” She asks, bending down to the window display and looking at all the flavor names.

“My favorite is cookies and cream,” I say, already salivating at the thought of eating it.

“Well, what do you know! It’s my favorite too!” Mommy says excitedly.

She orders two double scoops in a sugar cone.

Maybe the reason I like this flavor so much is that it’s mommy’s favorite.

“Tell me, sweety, what is your name?” She asks, licking the side of melted ice cream before it runs onto her hand.

“My name is Claire. What’s yours?” I ask, glancing at her.

She is beautiful, like an angel. She’s got a red mark close to her ear. Did she get that when we had that car accident?

“I’m Mallory. Mallory Berlusconi.” She says.

It is mommy! She has the right name! But not her last one. Why is that?

I try to contain my excitement, but it’s hard. I don’t understand why she doesn’t recognize me. Did I do something wrong?

“Little miss! There you are!” Ben says, rushing over to us.

“s**t!” I mutter

I hear mommy gaps at my choice of word, and my cheeks redden.

“Sorry, mommy,” I mumble.

I know I shouldn’t use bad words, but I hear them often. Daddy tried hard not to use them in front of me, but sometimes, he lets one slip.

“Where did you hear a word like that?” She asks with a frown, making my heart tighten.

Before I can answer her, Ben clears his throat.

“You should come with me, little miss. Your father is almost here and he’s not too happy you ran away, again.”

“But he’s on his way?” I asked, perking up.

Shaking his head, Ben finally glances in mommy’s way.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am, for any inconvenience our little lady gave you.” He says, looking at mommy strangely.

“May I ask who you are?” Mommy asks Ben, looking at him with a light frown.

“He’s Ben. One of my bodyguards I told you about. He’s nice. But annoying and boring sometimes,” I say with a huff.

She seems reassured that I do know Ben.

Was she worried he was a bad man? If that’s the case, she should be worried about daddy!

“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ben. I’m glad I could watch over little Claire while you were searching for her. She is a pleasure to spend time with,” Mommy says, looking at me with another tender smile.

I love her smile, it makes my heart feel bigger and brighter.

“I’m just happy we found her safe and sound. You never know what type of people one could come across in a public place as busy as this one.” Ben says, still looking at mommy funnily.

“There you are, Mall. I’ve been looking for you. Who’s this?” A tall man asks mommy.

“Hi. I was just spending time with a lost child while waiting for her parents to arrive. Her bodyguard just said he was almost here.” Mommy says stiffly.

Why does she look so tense and nervous?

“Well, that little girl can wait with him now. We have to go. Now.” That man says, grabbing mommy's wrist tightly.

Mommy tries to hide it, but it looks like that man is hurting her.

“Can you wait just a little more with me, please? I’m sure daddy will want to say thank you for watching me for a little bit, and for the ice cream!” I blurt out.

I don’t want her to leave just yet. I’m sure she’ll recognize daddy!

As mommy is about to answer me, that man cut her off and answers for her.

“She can’t. We have to go now!” He barks, making me shrink in my seat.

I don’t like him. He’s mean!

Mommy goes to say something again, but grimaces instead, looking at her wrist.

Is he squeezing her wrist tighter?

I want to help mommy, but that man is huge compared to me.

I want to stop them from leaving, but Ben blocks my way when I step off my chair.

“ Your father’s here.” He says, looking from behind me.

I gulp as I turn around to face a stern-looking daddy.

“You ran away, again?” He says with a raised eyebrow.

“Sorry,” I mumble, looking down.

“Are you?” He asks

I debate on if I should answer, but then I have an Idea.

“Actually, no, I don’t! I met mommy just now!” I blurt out.

“You met a mommy?” He asks, looking at me as if I’ve gone crazy.

“I didn’t meet a mommy. I met MY mommy! She looked just like the picture you gave me! Only her hair was different. But I swear, it was her!” I say, grabbing onto the bottom of his jacket.

“And where was this mommy of yours?” He asks, unamused.

“She went that way with a bad man! He was hurting her wrist when he was taking her away!” I say, pointing in the direction they went barely thirty seconds ago.

Looking over toward where I pointed, daddy's face changes from stern, to shock.

“Ben… Did you get a name for that lady?” Daddy asks, his voice breaking.

“Apologies, Boss, I didn’t. Alexander showered up and took her away before I could.”

“I got her name! She said it was Mallory Berlusconi! She has the right first name! She’s mommy, isn’t she?” I ask, hopeful. But then I remembered, “Mommy didn’t recognize me. Did I do something wrong? Was the accident because of me? Does she think she got hurt because of something I did back then?” I ask, tears glossing up my eyes again.

“Little princess, you are not responsible for that accident. I don’t ever want to hear you say this again, do you hear me?” He says, taking me into his arms. Looking back toward the now empty stop where mommy left with that Alexander man.

“That was your mommy. I don’t know why she didn’t recognize you, but I will get her back to us. I promise!”