CHAPTER THREE

As I walked Sami back to his room, I couldn't help but let the jitters nestle in the bottom of my stomach. He said nothing, yet there was something about the way that he walked beside me now. He no longer seemed so withdrawn, so distant. Maybe it's wishful thinking, maybe it's everything, but I held onto it anyway.

We stood outside his room for a moment, and I gave him a small, hesitant smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Before he could respond, not that I would have anticipated him to, a deep voice thundered through the air behind me.

"You can't go now. Work hours aren't over."

I turned around to find Adam standing in the hallway, arms folded, expression inscrutable.

I stood up straight, looking him in the eye.

"I wasn't even supposed to start today. My shift starts tomorrow."

He leaned against the doorframe, clearly prepared to argue. "That doesn't alter the fact that."

"I beg your pardon, sir, but I'm not working today," I interrupted before he could do so, speaking in an even tone but unyielding. "I couldn't stay, I have a child at home."

Something passed through his eyes, frustration possibly, or maybe something else. For a moment, I felt as though he was going to push back stronger, but then he released a quick breath and ran a hand across his face.

"Come to my office," he says. "We need to talk."

I hesitated briefly, glancing at Sami, who continued to stand silently. Adam did not wait for me to reply before he walked away. Casting one last glance at Sami, I trailed behind.

In his office, the air is thick with something unsaid. Adam is behind his desk, looking at me like he's deciding if I'm more trouble or solution.

"You need to move in," he says after a long silence.

I blink. "Excuse me?"

"If you're going to do this job correctly, you need to be here full-time."

I fold my arms. "Then I must bring my daughter with me. Otherwise, I'm not going to take the job."

His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he would refuse. He shifted his head to the side, pretending not to be interested, but I didn't detect the hesitation. 

The way his fingers tapped out a rhythm on the desk in silence, the way his eyes flicked toward the door as though picturing Sami standing on the other side. He had sensed the change in his son.

"Fine," he answered, his voice brusque. "She can ride with you."

I did not allow the victory to show on my face. Rather, I nod. "I'll be here tomorrow, then."

……….

As I pushed open the door to my single-room apartment, a mix of excitement and tiredness wrapped themselves around me in a cozy shawl. 

Lavender and vanilla, Lee's favorite air freshener, spread their comforting fragrance around me and wrapped me up with the feeling of home. Even before I could set my bag down, the sound of little, darting feet sounded in my ear.

"Mommmy!" Lee screamed, racing towards me with all the energy her small frame could muster. She threw her arms around my waist, her warmth sinking into my heart.

I laughed, scooping her up and dropping a kiss onto her soft cheek. "I'm home baby, I've missed you. And guess what? mummy got the job."

She sat up in mere amazement, her gorgeous brown eyes shimmering under the glow of the ceiling light. "Really? What's it like?"

I settled onto the couch beside her and drew her into my lap, relishing the tiny hands toying at the bottom of my shirt. "Well. I met this little boy today. His name is Sami. He isn't very verbal, but I think he's really nice."

Lee tilted her head in thought, her curls brushing against my chin. "Like when I don't feel like talking after a bad day?"

My heart clenched at her words. I ran a hand through her hair and smiled softly. "Just like that."

She pressed her lips together in contemplation, her little brows furrowing. Then, as if making a solemn promise, she nodded. "I bet he'll like me."

A snort escaped me. "I think he just might."

After dinner, I put her to bed, drawing the blankets high under her chin. The soft buzz of her nightlight made frolicking shadows on the wall, and the room grew warm, safe-feeling.

"Do you want a bedtime story?" I asked, pushing curls back from her forehead.

Her smile came in a rush. "Yes! The one about the fearless girl and the dragon!"

I sat beside her, pulling out the tattered book, its covers worn from years of nighttime stories. 

Reading, her small hands curled into the cuff of my sleeve, her breathing deepening, her eyelashes twitching against her cheeks. She was asleep in no time, her face peaceful, her chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm.

 

With a gentle sigh, I slipped out of her room and got my phone, its chill a jolt to the warmth still in my heart.

The moment Aleeya picked up the phone, I didn't give her time to even say hello.

"Thank you, Aleeya," I panted, relief sweeping over me like a wave dashing onto the shore. "I got the job."

Aleeya laughed on the phone, the depth of her voice surrounding me like a cozy hug. "I knew you would! When do you start?"

"Tomorrow," I said, shifting on the couch, my own body still reeling from the fatigue of the long day.

"How's Lee taking it?"

I turned toward her room, where golden moonlight streamed in through the curtains, illuminating her sleeping form in a silvery glow. A smile came to my lips. "She's excited. She's accompanying me."

Aleeya gasped. "No way. The billionaire is giving you permission to bring your child to work?"

I smiled, stretching out my legs. "I didn't exactly give him a choice."

"I love that with you," she sighed, a note of amusement in her voice. "That man has no idea what he's getting himself into."

We talked for another half hour or so about the job, about Lee, about how surreal everything felt to be, until my yawns became too frequent to ignore.

"Rest up," Aleeya commanded, her tone softer now. "Tomorrow’s big."

"I know. Thanks for everything, Aleeya."

"Always."

As I hung up the phone, I let my head fall back against the pillow, my body tired, each muscle heavy. The mansion, Adam's glacial stare, Sami's mute presence—these all revolved in my mind like shards of a nightmare. But hidden behind the tiredness, something else surfaced in my heart.

Hope.

Tomorrow was a fresh beginning. I was prepared to meet it.