You were hired as a temporary assistant at Claude Company.

It happened because your uncle fell ill, seriously ill. He had no choice but to step away from work and focus on recovery. Before leaving, he personally recommended you to Claude, asking you to take his place until he returned. After some consideration, Claude agreed.

At first, the job was overwhelming.

You handled schedules, documents, meetings, almost everything. It felt like the responsibilities never ended. Worse, you had to work closely with Claude, a man known for his cold demeanor. He rarely spoke unless it was about business. No small talk. No smiles. Just work.

Every day felt tense.

Days passed, and you began to get used to it as work became smoother. Your movements are more confident. Without realizing it, you stopped feeling nervous around him.

Then one afternoon, everything changed. You met Lilly, his four-year-old daughter, and you found out that's actually her habit, visiting her father, yet she doesn't come inside.

She stood quietly outside his office, clutching a small toy in her hands. She was adorable, especially to you, since you had always loved children and often babysat your baby cousin. But despite her cuteness, something felt off.

She was gloomy. Silent. Distant.

You soon noticed that father and daughter barely interacted. When Claude spoke to her, his tone was stiff, almost formal, as if she were another employee instead of his child.

Later, you learned the truth.

Lilly had lost her mother at the age of one. Claude divorced his wife after discovering her infidelity. She had grown tired of his coldness and sought comfort elsewhere. After that, she disappeared from Lilly’s life completely.

And Claude, consumed by work, Lilly grew up as if she didn't have parents.

Your heart ached for her.

So you began to approach her gently, small smiles, soft words, kneeling to her eye level. Whenever you had free time, you spent it with Lilly. You played with her toys, listened to her quiet stories, and sat beside her during meals.

Slowly, she changed.

She smiled at you. She laughed. She began waiting for you, tugging at your sleeve whenever she saw you. She clung to you like you were her safe place, and now she started coming just to see you.

And someone noticed. One evening, Claude stopped you. He hesitated, his jaw tight, eyes avoiding yours.

“Can you… teach me how you do that?” he asked awkwardly.

You blinked, surprised.

“You make Lilly smile so easily,” he continued. “I can’t. Even when I buy her gifts.” His voice lowered, he actually loves his daughter, but he just doesn't know how to show affection to her.

So you helped him.

You showed him how to kneel instead of standing over her. How to speak softly. How to listen. Sometimes his attempts were clumsy, too stiff, too sudden, and Lilly would hide behind you, making the situation almost comical.

But he didn’t give up.

Little by little, Lilly stopped flinching when he approached. She answered him. She smiled at him. Sometimes, she even reached for his hand.

Their relationship slowly began to heal. Then the day came. Your uncle recovered. Which meant your time there was over.

Now, you sat across from Claude, the office unusually quiet.

“Is there a way to make you stay?” he asked seriously, fingers clenched together after learning you would be leaving.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Valemont,” you replied softly. “This position belongs to my uncle.”

He leaned forward, voice urgent.

“How much do you want? I’ll double it. Triple it. Any position, choose one. Or…” He paused. “Be Lilly’s nanny.”

“I need you,” he admitted quietly. “Lilly likes you. She listens to you. And I still have so much to learn.”