"My love, don't say something like that. You are my pride and will never be my disgrace. No matter what had happened to you in the past, it wasn't your fault." It hurt him greatly when he felt Raine's body trembling in her cry.
"I need you to be strong." Torak held her shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. "I want you to be strong."
Raine blinked her eyes, which caused another tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Can you do this for me, love?" Torak said very softly.
For outside world he was a man with a few words, but for Raine, he could use cajolery words all day just to make her felt better.
Raine looked at the sincerity in his eyes, the warm feeling that exuded from them and unequivocal safety that he could provide only by his presence. The girl reached out her arms and hugged his neck tightly while nodding resolutely.
She had been strong enough to survive until this day, and now it would not be so hard to be strong for him.
Because she wanted to be with him.
Torak let Raine clung to him as long as she needed to calm herself down, even though he should be in the meeting room twenty minutes ago.
Outside the office, Raphael had mind- linked him twice, but Torak simply blocked him. He didn't want his time with Raine to be disturbed and his Beta knew better to not rub the Alpha in the wrong way.
Three minutes later, Raine released her arms from his neck and rubbing her swollen eyes. Despite her messy tears, she looked so adorable in Torak's eyes, actually no matter what she did, he would be still mesmerized by her in the end.
[What should I do?] Raine raised the ipad when Torak was in trance, admiring the angel in front of him.
"Not much." Torak tidied her hair, "I just want you to be there."
Raine tilted her head, didn't understand what Torak wanted to do.
"Finish your milk and we will go."
==============
Along the way to the meeting room, Torak held Raine's hand, ignoring all the eyes from his workers who looking at them furtively.
All the employees thought Torak would ignore or gave strong rejection with the issue that roaming wildly outside, they never would have thought that their cold- hearted CEO brought the girl right to the board on directors meeting.
In their imagination, someone who would finally capture their boss' heart was a woman like Ms. Jenedieth an independent woman with strong character and business minded.
Not someone like this innocent girl, who cowered beside Torak when they walked past the staff.
They never would have imagined Torak Donovan stumbled upon this kind of rumors, moreover to walk hand in hand with a girl very much younger than him.
The girl actually not bad, but her character didn't suit a role as their lady boss. Of course they kept this opinion for themselves. They still needed job to fend for their life.
[Torak, is it necessary to bring Raine into this meeting?] Raphael mind- linked him, he was walking a step away behind Torak and Raine.
[It is not necessity, it's a must.]
[But, Torak…]
[I don't like being questioned.]
With that stern warning, Raphael stopped whatever complains he wanted to say.
[Are you sure Raine will be fine if you bring her inside?] Raphael asked while opening the meeting room's door for them.
[She will be fine.] Was Torak assured reply.
The moment the door was opened a rowdy conversation occurred inside could be heard. Those shareholders were very displeased with Torak's behavior. They had been waiting for his appearance since thirty minutes ago.
In business world, time is money. Being late in the meeting was considered rude attitude and unacceptable.
Moreover, Torak was late deliberately, all of them knew this because Raphael, his personal assistant, had said that he was in his office. It was impossible to take half an hour time to go down four floors below.
He was undoubtedly overbearing and rude.