Victor had barely stepped through his own front door when his mother’s call came in.
He stared at the caller ID, brow knitting, and only answered after a few seconds.
Mida’s voice came through. “Victor. Home by seven tonight.”
“Busy.” The refusal was instant and flat.
Mida went quiet for a while, her voice cooling several degrees. “Your grandfather is coming to see you. I’ll be back today too. We’re eating together.”
At the word grandfather, Victor said nothing—which Mida knew meant yes.
“That’s all.” She hung up quietly.
Victor’s grip tightened on his phone. Just as he was about to black the screen, a message from Keane popped up:
[Well? Did you walk Luna home last night?]
He stared at it, glanced across his living room, frowned in thought—then backed out of the chat, opened his contacts, and dialed the entry marked “Mike.”
Two rings, then a slightly husky voice: “Mr. Victor. What can I do for you?”
“Mike. Dihuan Residences, Building Three, twenty-eighth floor. Find out if any unit is vacant.”
“Or buy one privately, at three times the price.”
“And remember—do not disturb unit 2808.” Victor’s voice was low.
Mike was silent for two seconds, then couldn’t help asking: “Sir… you’re buying property again?”
“Mm.”
“Understood. I’m on it.”
Mike hung up.
Dihuan Residences—two units per floor landing. That morning, on his way out of Luna’s home, Victor had deliberately glanced at the unit across the hall: nothing visible through the door, but that proved nothing.
Victor narrowed his eyes, thinking, the phone turning over and over in his hand.
——
That evening, Luna brought Charlotte home. The elevator stopped on the twenty-eighth floor, and the moment the doors opened she found herself face to face with a real estate agent.
“Hello there, Miss Luna! Back from your day out?” the agent greeted warmly—then looked at Charlotte in Luna’s arms and tilted his head with an affectionate smile. “Princess Charlotte! Where did Mommy take you today?”
Charlotte beamed at him, baby-voiced: “Uncle Santa, Mommy took me to the aquarium! We saw so, so many sea animals.”
So earnest, on that adorable little face—it was impossible not to adore her.
Luna looked down, smiling as she listened, noting her daughter’s nickname for the agent—Mr. Trimble—and hiding a helpless little smile of her own.
Trimble kept a beard on his chin. The first time Charlotte ever saw him, she’d blurted out “Uncle Santa,” and far from taking offense, he’d fallen in love with the name.
“You—” Mike, standing to one side, spoke before he could stop himself, then caught short.
From the moment the elevator doors opened, his eyes had gone straight to Luna—and Charlotte.
That face. He knew it too well…
One look, and he knew exactly who she was.
He had seen her photo once, in his boss’s study—her and Victor together, intimate, unmistakably a couple in love.
And then, before he’d even recovered from that, he’d seen the child in her arms. His eyes had nearly popped out of his head.
Noticing his odd behavior, Luna and Trimble both turned to look at him.
Luna had carried Charlotte out of the elevator and set her down, taking her hand.
The little one looked up at Mike curiously and blinked. “Mister, are you scared of babies?”
Mike stared at the small figure on the floor and shook his head on reflex.
“Then… why are your eyes all big looking at Charlotte?” she pressed, curious.
Mike swallowed, inexplicably nervous.
…She looks like him. She looks exactly like my boss. Cut from the same mold!
He was screaming it inwardly, mind whirling, no idea how to answer.
“Sir? Are you all right?”
Seeing he’d gone silent, Luna tugged her daughter a step closer and asked.
“Fine! I’m fine.”
Mike answered too fast, immediately stepping aside to let Luna and Charlotte pass.
“Then we’ll head in. Mr. Trimble, good luck with your work.”
Luna said her goodbye, took Charlotte’s hand, and headed for their door.
At the door, Charlotte suddenly pattered back over to the two men and planted herself in front of Mike.
Mike promptly crouched down to her level to wait for her to speak.
Charlotte dug through her little backpack, fished out two lollipops, and held one out to him.
She flashed a gap-toothed smile and whispered: “Here, Mister. Candy. If you eat it, you’re not allowed to be scared of me anymore.”
Mike blinked—and the stern face melted into a smile. He held out his palm, and Charlotte set the lollipop in it.
Before the grown-ups could react, she turned to Trimble and pushed the second lollipop into his hand. “Uncle Santa, candy for you too!”
Then she spun around and ran back to Luna.
“Oh! Thank you, my little princess!” Trimble pressed the lollipop to his chest in thanks, laughing from his belly.
Mike had risen to his feet by then, watching Charlotte.
Luna’s door opened; Charlotte ran inside.
As the door swung shut, Mike’s eyes flicked to the doorplate. “2808.”
The very unit his boss had said—do not disturb…
His eyes darted around, and the answer to a certain question quietly fell into place.
“Cute kid, right? They’ve only lived here half a year, and everyone remembers her.” Trimble chuckled. Getting no reaction, he tried again: “Mr. Mike?”
Mike came back to himself, closed his fist around the lollipop, and turned into the elevator, his face settling back into its usual gravitas.
“Mr. Trimble—listen carefully. The unit right across from 2808. We sign the contract within the hour.”
Trimble’s brows shot up and he laughed out loud. “No problem. We’ll sign right now!”
As the elevator doors began to close, the two men were both looking at Luna’s door—thinking entirely different things.
Princess Charlotte is my lucky star! Something good happens every single time I see her!
Trimble was glowing, inwardly thrilled.
And beside him, Mike had spent the whole ride running through every possible version of his boss’s relationship with that woman—and arrived at a conclusion.
They’re a family. The three of them.
His eyes went wide; he shook his head slowly and drew a deep breath. The boss hides things deep, he muttered to himself.
That little girl looked at least three—and he’d only been promoted to Victor’s side a year ago, from the drone-tech startup his boss had invested in and helped found.
He knew every last detail of the man’s private life. And he had never once known his boss had a daughter.
Mike frowned, thinking hard, while Trimble noticed his expression in the elevator’s mirror. “Mr. Mike, is something wrong?”
Mike blinked back to the present and shook his head slightly.
“The twenty-eighth floor—has only 2808 been occupied these six months?” he asked, low.
Trimble nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”
Mike nodded slowly, thoughtful. The elevator reached the underground garage.
They left the building, ran the paperwork, and bought the unit.
——