Chapter 173: Nap Time
Zeke’s hands moved down, leaving her hips. He started to massage Cassidy’s thighs slowly, his touch gentle and careful.
Cassidy let out a soft sigh, her body loosening under his hands.
He kept going, his palms sliding lower until they reached her calves. He pressed and kneaded the muscles with care.
"Relax, baby... just let me take care of you," Zeke said softly.
Cassidy had almost gotten the wrong idea when Zeke slid off her pajama pants. For a moment, she thought he wouldn’t be able to control himself.
But she was wrong. Cassidy felt herself relax. She had worried for nothing. Zeke was really just taking care of her.
Cassidy fell asleep without knowing it while Zeke was massaging her.
He only noticed when he called her name and got no answer. Looking down, Zeke saw her already asleep, and a gentle smile spread across his face.
He pulled her pajama pants back on, covered her with the blanket, and quietly walked out of the room and went to Cassidy’s study. He had already asked her before if he could use it, and Cassidy had gladly agreed.
Inside, he opened the laptop that was on the desk and started checking his emails. After that, he had a Zoom meeting scheduled with the managers and directors.
One of the directors spoke up, "Sir, how about the progress of our new medicine project?"
Zeke adjusted his seat and nodded. "I already checked the last report. The clinical trial phase one was completed, right?"
During the meeting, the managers and directors could clearly see that their CEO looked happy. At first, when they heard Zeke had cleared his schedule for the whole week, they were shocked. Zeke was known as a workaholic—rain or storm, he would always come to the office.
But then they remembered this had happened once before, a few months ago, though it only lasted a few days. They had even asked Andrew, Zeke’s personal assistant and secretary, what could make their boss work from outside the office.
Andrew had only answered them with a smile.
That made everyone even more curious about the reason behind it.
Knock... knock... knock...
"Daddy, are you in there?" Claire’s little voice called after knocking on the door.
Zeke quickly stood up from his chair and opened the door.
"Princess, you’re awake? Why didn’t you sleep a bit longer?" Zeke asked softly, looking down at Claire with gentle eyes.
"I’m not sleepy anymore. What are you doing, Daddy?"
The managers and directors could hear the exchange clearly. They had just been focused on discussing potential investors for the new medicine when suddenly, the voice of a little girl echoed faintly from their CEO’s end.
What shocked them most wasn’t just the interruption, but Zeke’s tone. The same man who always spoke to them in a sharp, commanding voice was now talking so tenderly.
And when they heard the girl call him "Daddy," they were completely stunned.
"Daddy’s having a meeting with my employees," Zeke explained to Claire.
Claire peeked into the study, her eyes darting around the empty room, looking confused. "But I don’t see anyone here, Daddy."
Zeke chuckled softly, and even the managers and directors couldn’t help but smile at her innocent words.
"They’re not here, princess. Daddy is meeting them through a video call on Zoom."
"Ohh... like when I video call you with Mommy’s phone?" Claire asked, her head tilting slightly.
"Yeah. Just like that, princess."
Claire’s face brightened. "Can I say hello to Daddy’s friends?"
"You want to greet them?" Zeke asked, a little surprised.
"Yeah. Later, I’ll introduce my friends to you, Daddy."
At first, Zeke wanted to refuse—he didn’t really want to show Claire’s face to his managers and directors. But then he remembered what he had said before, that he would give Claire anything she asked for.
"Okay. Daddy will introduce you to them."
Zeke lifted Claire into his arms and carried her back to his chair. Sitting down with Claire on his lap, he turned the laptop toward her.
The moment Claire saw the screen filled with little boxes, each showing a smiling face waving at her, she was amazed. She quickly waved back.
"They are Daddy’s friends, and also the people who work with Daddy, Princess," Zeke explained.
"Hi... I’m Claire." Claire introduced herself shyly.
"Hello, Claire..."
"Hi, Claire..."
The managers and directors greeted her warmly, some even chuckling at how adorable she sounded.
Claire looked old enough to be three or four, which meant their CEO had a daughter all this time and none of them had ever known.
They exchanged quick, discreet glances, but no one dared to ask.
Zeke glanced at Claire, then back at the screen. "Alright, we’ll stop the meeting here. If any of you have something to add, just send it to me by email."
Everyone nodded quickly, still trying to process what they had just seen.
Without giving them more chance to react, Zeke ended the Zoom call.
Zeke closed the laptop and looked down at Claire on his lap.
"Do you want to play in your playroom?" he asked.
Claire shook her head.
"Are you hungry?" Zeke tried again.
Another shake.
"How about a movie?"
Claire shook her head once more, making Zeke frown in confusion. He tilted his head and studied her.
"Then what do you want to do, princess?"
Claire leaned closer and whispered, "I want to bake a cake."
Zeke blinked. "A cake?"
She nodded quickly. "You promised before, Daddy. You said you’d make me a dessert."
Zeke’s lips twitched at her words. Right—he had promised that. He almost forgot about it. And worse, he still hadn’t learned how to actually make dessert, even though he once told Claire he would.
Zeke cleared his throat, trying to find a way out. "Princess, how about we do that later? When we’re back in the States, Daddy will make you a dessert. I don’t think we have the ingredients here."
Claire’s lips pushed into a small pout, but she nodded slowly. "Okay, Daddy..."
Zeke felt a stab of guilt. He hated seeing her disappointed. He wished he could do something right now, but the truth was he still didn’t know how to make a cake—and he didn’t want Claire to find that out.
Zeke tried again. "How about we play tag outside with the guards?"
Claire shook her head.
Zeke sighed. "Then... how about you take a nap again? But this time with Daddy and Mommy."
Claire’s face lit up right away. "Okay, Daddy."
Zeke smiled, hugging her close as he carried her back to Cassidy’s room.
"Sssh... Mommy is sleeping," he whispered quickly when Claire opened her mouth, ready to call out for Cassidy the moment she saw her.
He laid Claire down carefully on the bed beside Cassidy. Claire shifted closer right away, slipping her tiny hand onto Cassidy’s arm.
"Daddy, come here too," she whispered, patting the empty spot beside her.
Zeke chuckled softly, then lay down on the other side of Cassidy. Claire snuggled between them, pulling the blanket up to her chin.
Zeke reached out and gently stroked her hair. "Comfortable now, princess?"
"Mm-hmm," Claire nodded.
Cassidy stirred and slowly opened her eyes. For a moment she was confused, then realized Claire was already snuggled up against her side, holding onto her arm.
"Claire?" Cassidy whispered softly, brushing her daughter’s hair back. "Since when are you here, sweetheart?"
Claire grinned sleepily. "Daddy brought me. I wanted to sleep with you and Daddy."
Cassidy’s gazes drifted, and there was Zeke, watching them quietly with a faint smile.
"Go back to sleep, baby," Zeke said softly.
Cassidy gave him a small nod, closed her eyes again, and soon the three of them drifted off to sleep together.
Zeke woke when the sky had already turned dark.
He leaned over, pressed a gentle kiss on Claire’s forehead, then on Cassidy’s, before carefully getting out of bed. Stepping out of the room, he found a few of his bodyguards waiting nearby.
"Get us dinner," Zeke instructed one of them. "For me, Cassidy, and Claire. Something simple, but good. They’re both tired, and we’re not going out tonight."
The guard gave a quick nod and left to take care of it.
When Zeke stepped back inside the house, he found Cassidy waiting for him in the living room.
"You’re awake?" he asked softly. "How about Claire?"
"She’s still sleeping," Cassidy replied.
"I told the guards to get us dinner," Zeke said as he walked closer. "That’s okay, right? You didn’t plan for us to go out, did you?"
Cassidy shook her head lightly. "No problem."
Zeke sat down beside Cassidy, leaning back a little as he glanced at her. "So, what’s your plan for tomorrow?"
Cassidy thought for a moment before answering, "I want to see the new warehouse of Cy. Noire. I haven’t had the chance to check it yet."
"Can I come with you?" Zeke asked.
"Of course. I’d be glad if you did," Cassidy replied with a small smile.
***