The rest of the afternoon passed surprisingly smoothly.
At least, it did for everyone except Dante.
For Dante, the afternoon had been a slow descent into disbelief.
What had started as a normal workday had somehow turned into half the office treating a two-year-old like a tiny executive.
And the worst part?
Izana wasn't stopping it.
Zarek sat happily in Izana's office, swinging his legs from one of the chairs while holding a blank sheet of paper and a pen.
He had spent the last hour drawing.
Or at least attempting to draw.
Most of the papers now contained a collection of circles, lines, and shapes that only Zarek seemed capable of understanding.
Every so often he would proudly show one to Izana.
And every single time—
Izana would look at it.
Actually look at it.
As if it were an important report.
Then calmly say:
"Good."
And every single time Zarek would beam.
Dante had witnessed this happen at least six times.
It somehow never became less ridiculous.
A knock sounded at the office door.
"Enter."
The door opened.
One of the employees stepped inside carrying a folder.
The man approached Izana's desk.
Then his gaze landed on Zarek.
Immediately his expression softened.
"Good afternoon, Little Boss."
Dante closed his eyes.
The employee immediately realized his mistake.
Too late.
Zarek's head snapped up.
His eyes widened.
"Little Boss?"
The employee froze.
Dante pinched the bridge of his nose.
Izana continued reading the document in front of him.
Completely unhelpful.
The employee looked at Dante.
Dante looked back.
The employee looked terrified.
Then Zarek pointed at himself.
"Me?"
The employee hesitated.
He had two choices.
Lie.
Or answer.
Unfortunately, he chose honesty.
"Yes."
Zarek gasped.
Actually gasped.
His tiny hands immediately landed on his chest.
"Me Little Boss?"
"..."
The employee looked like he wanted the floor to open and swallow him.
Dante sighed.
"No."
The employee immediately nodded.
"Yes."
Dante slowly turned toward him.
"Why would you answer that?"
The employee looked genuinely distressed.
"I panicked."
"Clearly."
Meanwhile, Zarek had already made his decision.
His face lit up.
"Little Boss."
He pointed at himself again.
"Me."
Dante gave up.
Completely.
The employee quickly handed over the folder and escaped before the situation could get worse.
Unfortunately, the damage had already been done.
Because now Zarek had a new title.
And he loved it.
The workday eventually came to an end.
The sun was beginning to lower outside the windows when Izana finally signed the last document.
Dante gathered the remaining paperwork.
"That's everything."
Izana nodded once.
Across the office, Zarek yawned.
A large dramatic toddler yawn.
Then another.
His eyelids looked noticeably heavier now.
The excitement of the day was finally catching up to him.
Izana stood.
Immediately Zarek climbed off his chair.
"Da-da."
Izana walked over and picked him up.
Zarek wrapped his arms around his neck automatically.
No complaints.
No requests to walk.
He was tired.
Very tired.
Dante grabbed the last folder.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
The three of them left the office.
The moment they entered the hallway, people noticed.
Again.
Employees looked up from desks.
Doors opened.
Conversations paused.
The Little Boss was leaving.
Although nobody was foolish enough to say that aloud.
At least—
most people weren't.
One employee passing them smiled.
"Goodbye, Little Boss."
Dante stopped walking.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
The employee immediately regretted his life choices.
But it was too late.
Zarek lifted his head from Izana's shoulder.
Then waved happily.
"Bye!"
The employee smiled.
"See you next time."
Zarek nodded seriously.
"Otay."
Dante continued walking.
"I need a vacation."
Nobody answered him.
A second employee passed them.
Looked at Zarek.
Then accidentally smiled.
"Bye, Little Boss."
"Bye!"
A third did the same.
Then a fourth.
By the time they reached the elevator, the title had spread through half the building.
And every single time Zarek heard it—
he became more pleased with himself.
Dante looked at Izana.
"This is your fault."
Izana pressed the elevator button.
"No."
"You encouraged him."
"No."
"You absolutely did."
The elevator doors opened.
Izana stepped inside.
Dante followed.
"You're impossible."
A short while later, they were on the road home.
Dante drove.
Izana and Zarek sat in the back.
The city moved past outside the windows.
For a few minutes everything was quiet.
Then—
"Da-da."
"Yes."
"Office big."
"Yes."
"Very big."
"Yes."
Zarek nodded.
Clearly satisfied.
Then another thought appeared.
"Big chair."
"Yes."
"My chair."
Izana glanced down at him.
"No."
"My chair."
"No."
"My chair."
Dante looked into the rearview mirror.
"We are not buying him an office."
"Mine."
Izana looked completely unbothered.
"I heard you."
Zarek seemed pleased that his point had been made.
A few moments later he announced:
"Me work."
"You did."
"Very hard."
Dante nearly laughed.
"Debatable."
Zarek frowned.
"Very hard."
Izana nodded.
"Very hard."
Dante stared at him through the mirror.
"You are encouraging this."
Izana didn't even look up.
"He's two."
"Exactly."
When they arrived at the mansion, the front doors opened almost immediately.
Leah was waiting in the entrance hall.
The moment Zarek spotted her, he brightened.
"Mama!"
Leah smiled.
"There you are."
She walked over and took him from Izana's arms.
Zarek immediately wrapped his arms around her neck.
Leah kissed his cheek.
"Did you have fun today?"
The question turned out to be a mistake.
A very large mistake.
Because suddenly Zarek had everything to say.
"Big office!"
Leah laughed softly.
"Really?"
"Big chair!"
"Mmhm."
"Me work!"
Leah blinked.
"You worked?"
"Yes!"
"Dan-tee grumpy."
Dante looked offended.
"I was not."
Zarek ignored him.
"I say continue!"
Leah paused.
Then slowly looked at Izana.
"...You say continue?"
Dante immediately pointed toward Izana.
"Don't ask."
Which naturally guaranteed that she would.
A few minutes later they were in the living room.
Leah sat beside Izana on the sofa while Zarek happily explained his day.
Or attempted to.
His story jumped from topic to topic every few seconds.
Eventually Leah looked at Dante.
"Okay."
Dante sighed.
Then told her everything.
The papers.
The drawing.
The chair.
The meeting.
The title.
Everything.
By the time he finished, Leah was staring at Zarek.
"You took over the office?"
Zarek immediately nodded.
"Boss."
Leah covered her mouth.
Trying not to laugh.
Failing.
Completely.
Izana sat beside her with a calm expression.
As if nothing unusual had happened.
Leah looked at him.
"You let him sit in your chair."
"He climbed into it."
"That's not an answer."
"It happened."
Dante pointed.
"Thank you."
That evening, Elias joined them for dinner.
Naturally, he heard the story.
Naturally, Dante told him.
Every detail.
Including the dramatic employee who had accidentally created the nickname.
By the end of the story, Elias was laughing openly.
Zarek looked very proud of himself.
Elias glanced toward Izana.
"You know..."
Izana continued eating.
"...what?"
"The attitude is familiar."
Leah immediately nodded.
"So familiar."
Izana looked unimpressed.
"I don't see it."
Elias laughed again.
"Of course you don't."
Later that night, Leah helped Zarek get ready for bed.
Fresh pajamas.
Brushed teeth.
Lion plush tucked under one arm.
Teddy bear under the other.
Leah sat beside him on the bed.
Smiling softly.
"So."
Zarek looked up.
"Yes?"
"Who are you?"
Without hesitation—
"Little Boss."
Leah burst out laughing.
Then leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
"Of course you are."
Downstairs, Dante was finishing a report.
He looked up at Izana.
"The entire office calls him that now."
A pause.
Izana continued reading.
Then calmly said:
"They're fired."
Dante stared at him.
"No, they aren't."
Another pause.
Then from upstairs came the faint sound of a sleepy toddler voice.
"Little Boss."
Leah laughed.
Dante rubbed his forehead.
And for the first time in years, an entire criminal organization had been completely conquered by a two-year-old.