The Girl Who Earned a Fortune by Hearing Babies' Thoughts

The first time Crixia heard a baby's thoughts, she was only six years old. It wasn't a voice that echoed through the room. It wasn't a whisper in her ear either. It simply appeared inside her mind, as clear as if someone had spoken directly to her heart. "I'm hungry... not sleepy... why doesn't anyone understand?" The baby was only crying in his stroller while his exhausted mother rocked him over and over. Little Crixia looked up innocently. "Auntie," she said, tugging on the woman's sleeve, "he's hungry." The woman smiled politely. "I just fed him, sweetheart." Crixia frowned. "But he says he didn't drink enough." The mother sighed and offered the bottle one more time. To her surprise, the baby immediately stopped crying and drank every last drop. Everyone laughed, assuming Crixia had guessed correctly. Except Crixia hadn't guessed. She had heard him. --- As she grew older, the strange ability never disappeared. Every baby had different thoughts. Some were simple. "I'm cold." "That light is too bright." "I don't like that blanket." Others were surprisingly emotional. "I miss Mommy." "I'm scared." "Please don't leave me alone." Crixia quickly learned one important rule. Adults could never hear what babies were truly thinking. No matter how much parents loved their children, babies couldn't form words. Their thoughts existed somewhere between feelings and tiny sentences that only she could understand. She never told anyone. Who would believe a girl who claimed she could read babies' minds? Instead, she quietly helped whenever she could. Neighbors began asking her to babysit because she always knew what infants needed. Within minutes, crying babies became smiling babies. Everyone called it a gift. Only Crixia knew it was something far stranger. --- Life, however, wasn't kind to gifted people. By the time she graduated high school at eighteen, reality hit harder than any dream. Her father had passed away years ago. Her mother worked tirelessly washing clothes for different households, yet they still struggled to pay bills. College became an impossible luxury. Every peso mattered. Every meal had to be earned. While her classmates celebrated university acceptance letters, Crixia folded her graduation gown and placed it carefully inside a box. That chapter of her life was over. Now she needed work. Any work. --- For weeks she searched through the city. Restaurants. Convenience stores. Coffee shops. Offices. Everywhere asked for experience. Everywhere rejected her. "I'm sorry." "We'll call you." "You don't meet our qualifications." The words became painfully familiar. One rainy afternoon, while sitting at a small bus stop with only thirty pesos left in her pocket, she noticed an old newspaper someone had abandoned. A job advertisement caught her attention. Private Infant Caregiver Needed The Ashford Estate Competitive salary. Room and board included. No professional license required. She blinked. An infant caregiver? She had taken care of babies her entire life. Without thinking twice, she memorized the address. --- The Ashford Estate stood like a palace behind enormous black gates. Luxury cars filled the driveway. Marble fountains sparkled beneath the afternoon sun. Everything about the mansion screamed wealth. Crixia almost turned around. People like her didn't belong in places like this. Before she could leave, the gate slowly opened. A stern elderly butler approached. "You are here for the interview?" "Y-Yes." He examined her from head to toe. Simple blouse. Old shoes. Worn backpack. Nothing impressive. Yet he stepped aside. "Follow me." --- Inside, the mansion felt strangely quiet. Too quiet. There were housemaids, chefs, gardeners, drivers, and security guards, but nobody smiled. Everyone moved carefully, almost fearfully. As if the house itself carried a heavy sadness. The butler finally stopped before enormous wooden doors. "The family is waiting." Crixia swallowed nervously. --- Inside sat two men. One looked to be in his early thirties. Tall. Sharp features. Perfectly tailored black suit. Cold gray eyes. He radiated authority without saying a single word. This was Michael Alexander Ashford. Founder and CEO of one of the country's largest technology companies. The baby's father. Beside him sat an older gentleman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes. Even without introductions, Crixia could sense his commanding presence. This was Jordan William Ashford. Michael's grandfather. The true head of the Ashford family. His gaze alone made people straighten their backs. Neither man smiled. Jordan spoke first. "You graduated high school this year?" "Yes, sir." "No college." "No, sir." "No formal childcare training." "No, sir." Michael finally looked up from the documents in front of him. "So why should we hire you?" Crixia froze. She couldn't exactly answer... Because your baby talks to me. Instead she quietly replied, "I understand babies." Michael almost laughed. "So does everyone applying." "No." She shook her head. "I mean... I really understand them." Silence filled the room. Jordan studied her carefully. Interesting. --- Suddenly... A baby's loud cry echoed throughout the mansion. Michael closed his eyes in frustration. "Again." One of the maids hurried inside carrying a tiny infant wrapped in a blue blanket. The baby cried so hard his tiny face turned red. The maid looked exhausted. "We've tried everything, sir." "Formula?" "Yes." "Diaper?" "Changed." "Temperature?" "Normal." "He won't stop crying." Michael rubbed his forehead. The crying had continued almost every day since his son was born. Doctors found nothing wrong. Nannies kept quitting. The entire mansion had become sleepless. Crixia quietly stared at the baby. Then... The familiar voice appeared inside her mind. Not crying. Thinking. "Too loud..." "I hate that perfume..." "The lady carrying me smells scary." "I want Daddy." Crixia's eyes widened. It wasn't hunger. It wasn't pain. The baby simply disliked the maid's strong floral perfume. She looked at Michael. "May I hold him?" Everyone inside the room stared at her. Jordan nodded once. The maid reluctantly handed over the infant. The moment Crixia cradled him, the baby looked into her eyes. "Finally." She smiled softly. Then she turned toward the maid. "Could you please step outside for a minute?" The maid looked confused but obeyed. Almost instantly... The baby stopped crying. Complete silence. His tiny fingers wrapped around Crixia's thumb. Michael stood up so quickly his chair nearly fell backward. "What did you do?" Crixia gently rocked the baby. "He doesn't like strong perfume." The room became deathly quiet. The maid slowly smelled her sleeves. She had sprayed perfume only minutes earlier. No one else had noticed. Jordan narrowed his eyes. "How did you know?" Crixia hesitated. "I..." The baby suddenly yawned. "Daddy looks lonely." Her heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, she looked at Michael. "He wants you to hold him." Michael frowned. "My son?" She nodded. The businessman awkwardly accepted the baby into his arms. Almost immediately... The infant smiled. His very first smile. The entire room froze. Even Michael. Jordan quietly watched both of them before looking back at the young girl standing in front of him. For the first time in years... The old man smiled. "Miss Crixia Isabelle Reyes..." He folded his hands. "I believe we've found exactly who we've been looking for." Crixia had come to the mansion searching for a job. She had no idea she had just stepped into a family filled with secrets... ...or that the thoughts of one tiny baby would soon change all of their lives forever.