Daddy?” - High Drama

The company daycare at Sterling Corp was always loud at 8am. Kids running everywhere, mothers rushing to meetings, teachers trying to keep order. Lena Brooks was already 15 minutes late for her cleaning shift. Her hands shook as she tightened Zara's tiny ponytail. "Mommy hurry!" Zara tugged her hand, her little sneakers squeaking on the floor. "I wanna see the fish tank!" "I know baby, just 5 more minutes and we can—" Zara stopped walking so fast that Lena almost fell. "Mommy. Look." Lena followed her daughter's gaze. Her stomach dropped. Across the play area, standing by the teacher's desk, was a man in a perfectly tailored black suit. Tall. Broad shoulders. Hair cut sharp. He had his back to them, but Lena would recognize that posture anywhere. Even after 2 years. Damian Sterling. He was here. In the daycare. Talking to Ms. Claire about the new donation. Lena took a step back. "Zara, come. We need to go now." But it was too late. Zara's eyes lit up. The same grey eyes that stared back at Lena every morning in the mirror. The same grey eyes that belonged to the man across the room. Before Lena could grab her, Zara dropped her hand and ran. "DADDY!" The word echoed through the whole daycare. Every head turned. Teachers stopped mid-sentence. Parents froze with coffee cups in their hands. Damian Sterling froze too. Slowly, like he didn't believe it, he turned around. His cold grey eyes landed on Zara first. Then they moved. Up. Until they locked with Lena's. For 2 seconds, nobody breathed. Lena's heart was hammering so hard she thought it would break her ribs. Two years. Two years of running, of hiding, of pretending he didn't exist. Gone in 3 seconds because of one word. Zara was still hugging his leg, looking up at him with pure joy. "Daddy! You're here!" Damian's jaw clenched. His mask cracked for just a second. Shock. Then anger. Then something Lena couldn't name. He crouched down slowly and gently peeled Zara's arms off his leg. His voice was low, dangerous. "Sweetheart, I'm not—" "Yes you are!" Zara cut him off, grinning. "You have the same eyes as me!" A gasp went through the room. Damian stood up straight. His eyes were ice now as they met Lena's across the room. He didn't shout. He didn't make a scene. He just said two words that made Lena's blood run cold. "My office. Now." And just like that, the billionaire she ran from was pulling her back into the world she swore she'd never return to. Lena scooped Zara up with trembling arms. This was not how she planned to see him again. But there was no running this time. *To be continued...*