"This is all very impressive, Sawyer," said Noah Delacroix. Sawyer smiled at that and did a mental fist bump as Noah was flipping through the rest of the file. He had been waiting for this chance since he was hired. I was once in your position. I want to give you the same opportunity because I see potential in you. Don't make me regret hiring you, Sawyer. He had said at the end of the interview.

"Thank you, Mr.Delacroix. But I cannot take full credit for the work. Your aunt, Mrs. Perrier, let us have Miss Aria Diaz to help us with everything." he said sincerely.

Noah's eyes rose to his forehead upon hearing that. "Miss Diaz?" he asked.

Sawyer nodded. "She provided us with her assistance all throughout this week. Mrs. Perrier thought that Miss Diaz's previous experience of working with children will give us great input and as you can see it did. She is currently at the site of the event taking care of things with Janet."

Noah's mind wandered back to his last encounter with Miss Diaz. How awful he had been towards her. Her involvement in the event explained why he couldn't find her all week. He just assumed she was avoiding him. He needed to apologise and also thank her for everything she had done for the charity event.

"We should be leaving in a bit, sir. Should I have the car around?" said Sawyer, breaking Noah out of his thoughts.

"Yes, thank you," Noah said, getting up. Sawyer nodded as he dialled up the driver. They walked towards the elevator as Noah asked, "Has Anderson's daughter given you much trouble?"

"She is...... okay. I made Janet in charge of her," he said.

Noah let out a snicker. "I'm assuming that didn't go well."

"She is warming up to it," said Sawyer shrugging.

"It's only for the summer so tell Janet she won't be here for long and I appreciate her handling Anderson's daughter," he said.

"Will do and she will be so relieved," he said smiling.

They both got into the car and travelled to the charity event. The guests had just started to arrive. Noah started greeting everyone as soon as they got there. They were clicks of pictures being taken by the paparazzi. Some tried to jump on him with questions but his assistant Taylor immediately handled that.

"Tell them that they will have a designated time for questions and I want no guest to be disturbed till then," Noah said to his assistant.

"Yes, of course, Mr.Delacroix," he said.

While Noah attended his guest Sawyer went up to where Janet and Aria were. Janet saw him approaching and waved at him. She touched Aria's shoulder and she turned around.

"Hey boss-man," said Janet.

"Mr. Johnston," said Aria politely nodding.

"Everything looks spectacular!" he exclaimed as he looked around the big field. Children were playing around, some were given designated areas to do painting. Even the guests, the posh society of Los Angeles, were interacting with the children.

"The Delacroix house staff also volunteered to help out. There are so many little ones around. Someone has to make sure they are safe." said Aria.

"That's very generous of them. Aria, your ideas were awesome! Look at this place, it's beaming." he said. Aria blushed.

"See I told you," said Janet. "This girl wouldn't even take the credit."

"Well, she has to be in front of Mr. Delacroix," said Sawyer. Aria paled at the mention of her employer.

"Mr. Delacroix?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes. I told him how you gave us all these amazing ideas and worked alongside us to make them happen. He is pretty impressed by that." he said.

Oh no. She didn't want that! She has been selectively avoiding the past week. "You didn't have to.." she began to say but was stopped by the sound of someone clearing his throat. All three people turned around at that and there stood Mr. Delacroix. Aria gulped upon seeing him.

"Big boss-man."

"Mr.Delacroix," they said, greeting him. He nodded at them but was looking right at her. Aria cleared her throat and also greeted him. She couldn't avoid him anymore. Maybe I could ask Janet to accompany me to the other side of the field. But before she got a chance to speak Mr Delacroix spoke, "Sawyer, Mr and Mrs Donovan needed to be escorted to where the guests from Sacred Hearts Orphanage are. My aunt is there so you and Janet need to get to them now." he said. Sawyer nodded. He looked back at Aria with a smile.

"See you around, Aria," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Aria broke out of her nervous bubble and flashed him a polite smile, "Of course, Mr Johnston."

Janet noticed the sudden perplexed expression on Mr Delacroix's face which in turn made her confused.

"Now Johnston!" he said rather irritably. Upon sensing the situation she tugged on Sawyer's sleeve gently and whispered, "Let's go boss-man."

Aria's face lost the smile as she wondered, Here we go again, Mr Delacroix is back with his sour mood.

Noah was about to speak when he saw a huge head of curls tugged on Aria's skirt.

"Will you take me to the petting zoo?" she asked.

Aria smiled at Zoey. They were playing just a moment before Mr. Johnston arrived. Zoey was tiny but her curls made it hard to not be able to spot her. Amidst mentions of Mr. Delacroix and him actually being here she completely forgot about her. Zoey couldn't have made the mistake at a more perfect time. "Of course, sweetie," said Aria.

She turned to Noah, "Excuse me, Mr. Delacroix." With that, she leaped to her feet holding Zoey's little hand. They reached the petting zoo and Aria showed Zoey how to pet a bunny. Zoey was hesitant at first but once Aria ran her hand through its fur she gasped and giggled. Zoey copied Aria and did the same with her little palm stroking the bright white bunny which was a contrast against her skin colour. All of a sudden Zoey looked up and frowned.

"Don't you like bunnies?" she asked. Aria knitted her eyebrows in confusion. She followed Zoey's gaze to find Mr. Delacroix standing there blinking as a result of being caught off guard by Zoey. Did he follow us here?

Noah bent down and picked up a bunny. "Of course I do, darling," he said in a soft tone. He saw Aria looking at him as if taken aback.

Zoey also smiled at him and then turned to Aria, "Doesn't this bunny have a mommy and daddy?" she asked.

Aria looked at her with a puzzled face. "I don't know, sweetie," she said.

"It's otay, lil guy. I don't have a daddy either and my mommy left me with miss sheila when she went to the doctor." and she went on saying her stories to the animal. Aria looks at the little girl sadly. Her memories of her mother try to resurface and she blinks them away.

"Innocent, aren't they?" said Noah, attempting to start a conversation.

"Too innocent. It's not her fault. Children her age have an extraordinary capability of optimism and hope but deep down she knows that her mother has selfishly abandoned her and will never.." Come back... She wanted to say but she held back. Red with embarrassment she looked at Mr Delacroix who was looking at her intently.

"Mom, let me out, please don't leave me."

She again touched her left arm reminiscing the flashback as she stuttered an apology about speaking nonsense. Noah ignored her and said, "That hope is the only thing she can hold onto for now. She is in a much better environment than what her supposed parents could have provided her. It's going to take her a little time to come to terms with it and until then that hope is all she has."

Aria looked at her employer curiously. She looked right into his eyes and found sincerity matching his words. She quickly looked down and nodded in fear of diving too deep.

"Oh there you are Zoey." said a lady running up to them.

"I hope she wasn't much trouble." Sheila according to her name tag said.

"Not at all," Aria said standing up and Noah too followed the suit.

"Thank you so much for inviting us Mr Delacroix," she said. He nodded and they left. Zoey turned back and waved at them with a big smile on her face.

"See she is in a better place," he said.

Aria nodded and flashed him a small smile. Noah involuntarily had a sigh of relief at that.

"Miss Diaz..." he began "I'm sorry to interrupt Mr Delacroix but I need Aria for something," said Gretchen as she tugged on and practically dragged Aria away. Aria stumbled on her feet looking back at him.

Noah shrugged his shoulders in frustration. Another interruption!

"Nice event you got there Delacroix." said a man's voice. Noah turned around and was shocked.

"Mr. Pasquale?" he asked, almost baffled.

The 50- year old gentleman walked up to him. Noah recognised him as he looked exactly like his pictures on the front cover of every elite magazine in L.A. People called a George Clooney lookalike because of his height and signature salt and pepper hair. He donned a blue glencheck suit and his custom-made cufflinks carrying the logo of Tremezzo Royal couldn't go unnoticed when they shook hands. Noah hoped he would accept the invitation and now he is here.

"Mr Pasquale, I have been trying to contact your office for a long time now. I wasn't sure if you got the invitation," he said.

"You are quite the talk of the town Mr. Delacroix. When my wife saw the invitation she was very excited about attending and I had to come and do some fact-checking if you will," said Mr. Pasquale seriously.

"Mr. Pasquale..." he began but was interrupted as Mr. Pasquale burst out laughing. Noah looked at him befuddled.

"Oh loosen up, will you. I'm just messing with you," he said laughing again.

"I have been in the business for a long time, kid. You think those baseless rumours will affect me?" he asked.

"My PR team did fear the rumours are true but I'm the company, they work at my greenlight."

"But our meeting."

"Oh that. My bad. I wanted to make a big thing about our alliance." he said.

Noah's eyes rose to his forehead. "Are you ready for an impromptu paparazzi shot announcing the collaboration?" asked Raul.

"You are willing to form an alliance with me?" Noah asked incredulously.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked back. Noah, for the first time in a week, smiled in relief.

"I appreciate this very much, Mr. Pasquale. You will never regret this," he said sincerely. Mr. Pasquale put an arm around Noah's shoulders, "I knew I would like you, son. And call me Raul, will you?"

"Then you have to call me Noah," he said.

"Let's get a drink then, Noah."