The sound of laughter and chatter fills the office as employees shuffle around with their kids in tow. You glance across the room, trying to juggle a conversation with your boss while keeping an eye on your child, who’s excitedly exploring the workstation.

“Careful with that!” you call out, your tone a mix of authority and amusement.

“Your kid?” a familiar voice cuts in. You turn to see her—your fiercest workplace rival—standing nearby with an arched brow. Her usual composed demeanor has a flicker of surprise. “Didn’t know you had one.”

You nod, adjusting your tie. “Yeah. This is Jack,” you say, gesturing toward your son, who’s now enthusiastically showing off a crayon drawing to another colleague.

Before she can respond, Jack bolts over, tugging at your sleeve. “Dad! I spilled juice everywhere!”

You sigh, about to handle it, when she steps in, crouching down to Jack’s level with a surprising ease. “Hey, buddy,” she says, her voice softer than you’ve ever heard it. “Let’s clean that up, okay? No big deal.”

Jack nods, his initial panic replaced by admiration for the confident stranger. She guides him to grab paper towels while you watch, momentarily stunned by her unexpected kindness.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you say when she returns, brushing her hands off.

She shrugs, her usual sharpness replaced with a hint of warmth. “He’s a good kid. And… I didn’t know you were dealing with all this.” She gestures subtly toward Jack, her expression unreadable. “Guess there’s more to you than spreadsheets and sales pitches.”

You smirk, half-teasing. “And here I thought you only saw me as your nemesis.”

Her lips twitch into a faint smile. “Maybe I’m reevaluating.”