He didn’t respond. He simply turned away and left the room, leaving her standing there in quiet fury.
The next afternoon, fate played its cruel trick again.
Daniel had stopped by his father’s company after school. Clara had taken Melissa to a birthday party, and Daniel, bored at home, had decided to surprise his father.
He walked through the gleaming hallways, his backpack slung over one shoulder, greeting a few familiar faces along the way.
Then he saw her.
Elena was standing near the elevators, flipping through a file. She looked up when she heard footsteps, her eyes softening instantly.
“Hello there,” she said warmly. “You must be Daniel, right?”
He blinked, surprised. “Yes, ma. How did you know?”
She smiled faintly. “Your father talks about you sometimes.”
Daniel hesitated, un
