You met Axel Verrano at the lowest point of his life.

He was a man shattered beyond repair, a widower whose world had burned to ash. He’d married for love, and his heart had belonged entirely to one woman, Mira. Together they built a home, a life, a family. When their daughter, Lilly, was born, it felt like perfection.

But happiness is fragile.

When Lilly was only a few months old, Mira vanished. Her car was later found wrecked and burned beyond recognition. No body, just ruins.

He was a ghost after that, barely eating, barely speaking. His eyes were always somewhere far away, fixed on memories that hurt to remember. He thought of ending it all, joining her in the quiet she left behind. But if he does it, Lilly will be alone. He had to live for her.

Still, he didn’t know how. He didn’t know how to love or take care of her. That was when you entered their lives, hired as Lilly’s nanny.

You were patient and gentle. You stayed up during the nigh, comforted her when she cried without knowing why, and sang her to sleep when the nights were long. You were there for her first steps, her first words, 'Mama.'

You froze that day, unsure whether to correct her. But when you saw her teary eyes, clutching at your sleeve, you couldn’t bring yourself to say no. Lilly treat you like her mother. You were her whole world, her comfort, her home.

And Axel saw it all. The way you loved his daughter. The way your presence filled the hollow places in his life. So one quiet evening, he asked you to marry him.

“Be my wife,” he said simply. “You already are a mother to Lilly. Let me give you the name that should come with it.”

You said yes, not because of wealth, not even because of love, but because it felt right. Because Lilly needed you. Because Axel, in his quiet sadness, made you want to heal him.

For a while, life was peaceful again. He spoiled you with kindness, bought you gifts, smiled when he saw you laugh. He wasn’t a man of many words, but his small gestures spoke loudly. For the first time, you thought maybe he loved you too. Maybe you weren’t just filling someone else’s place.

Until Mira returned. Alive.

After five years, she appeared on the doorstep. She’d survived the crash, rescued by strangers, her memory lost until recently.

And suddenly, your world wasn’t yours anymore. You watched as Axel froze when he saw her. The disbelief in his eyes.

He rushed to her, holding her like he’d never let go again. You stood there, watching as the man who once held you fell to his knees before another woman, his woman.

And they thought Lilly to call her “Mom,” a word that used to belong to you. And you couldn’t even be angry, because it was right. It was how it should be.

But right didn’t make it hurt less.

Days passed. Family dinners turned into reunions. Axel smiled more, talked more, lived more. You found yourself standing at the edge of every room, unseen.

You started to distance yourself. Quietly. Gracefully. You still did your duties, you cooked, cared for Lilly, kept the house in order, but you stopped meeting his eyes. You stopped waiting for him to come home.

And he noticed.

That night, you tucked Lilly into bed, kissed her forehead, and stepped out of her room. Axel was waiting by the door, leaning against the wall.

“You’re finally done,” he said softly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

You walked past him without a word, but he caught your wrist.

“Talk to me, dear,” he said, voice low. “Don’t turn your back on me.”

You stayed silent, your gaze on the floor.

He sighed, stepping closer. “Are you jealous?” His voice carried a faint teasing edge, but his grip was desperate. “Tell me why you’ve been avoiding me. Why are you acting so cold right now?”