CHAPTER 4 — THE WOMAN WHO CHANGED THE PENTHOUSE
Victor Hale had built an empire by trusting numbers.
Numbers never lied.
Contracts never changed their minds.
Money never betrayed him.
But people…
People were different.
People hid things.
People left.
People died.
That was why, after Elena’s death, Victor stopped letting anyone get close.
Especially to Ethan.
His son was the last piece of Elena he had left.
And Victor refused to lose him.
But now there was one person who had somehow broken through every wall he built.
A maid.
An Parker.
And that fact bothered him more than anything.
The penthouse began changing.
Slowly.
So slowly that Victor didn't notice at first.
The first change was the mornings.
Before An arrived, mornings were always cold.
The kitchen staff prepared expensive meals that Victor barely touched.
The rooms remained perfectly clean but completely lifeless.
There was no laughter.
No warmth.
No reason to stay.
But after An came…
The kitchen started smelling like fresh bread.
The curtains in Ethan's nursery were opened to let sunlight enter.
Soft music played quietly in the background.
Small toys appeared around the room.
Nothing expensive.
Nothing luxurious.
Just simple things a baby needed.
A home.
Not a showroom.
Victor noticed everything.
He just didn't say anything.
Because admitting he liked it felt dangerous.
One morning, Victor walked into Ethan's room.
He stopped immediately.
An was sitting on the floor beside the baby.
She was holding a small toy and making funny sounds to make Ethan smile.
And for the first time…
Victor saw his son laugh.
Not cry.
Not scream.
Laugh.
A real laugh.
The sound froze him.
Because he couldn't remember the last time he heard happiness inside that room.
An looked up.
She noticed him standing there.
"Good morning, sir."
Victor remained silent.
His eyes stayed on Ethan.
"He laughed."
An smiled softly.
"Babies laugh when they feel safe."
The sentence was simple.
But Victor felt something uncomfortable in his chest.
Because he suddenly wondered…
Had Ethan felt unsafe before?
Had his own sadness affected his son?
"Are you saying he wasn't safe with me?"
His voice was colder than he intended.
An immediately shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Ethan.
"He's always known you love him."
"Then what?"
She paused.
"Sometimes babies feel emotions before they understand words."
Victor looked away.
He hated how easily she reached the truth.
Later that day, Victor entered a board meeting through video call.
Ten executives were waiting.
Normally, one look from him was enough to silence everyone.
But today…
His mind wasn't there.
"Mr. Hale?"
His CFO's voice interrupted.
Victor looked at the screen.
"The acquisition decision?"
He realized he had missed the last five minutes.
That never happened.
Never.
His executives exchanged nervous looks.
Victor Hale was distracted.
By a maid.
By a baby.
By a life outside his company.
And everyone noticed.
Meanwhile…
Victoria Hale sat in her private room, watching security footage.
On the screen was An.
Holding Ethan.
Making him smile.
Victoria's expression darkened.
"She's getting too comfortable."
The woman beside her nodded.
"She has only been here a few days, but Mr. Hale already trusts her."
Victoria laughed coldly.
"Trust?"
She looked at the screen.
"No."
Her eyes narrowed.
"She's manipulating him."
"Do you think she has another motive?"
Victoria smiled.
"Everyone has a motive."
She stood.
"And people like her don't enter a billionaire's home without wanting something."
That evening, Victor returned earlier than usual.
The employees were shocked.
Victor never came home before midnight.
But today, he walked directly toward Ethan's room.
He found An there.
She was preparing the baby's clothes for the next day.
Victor watched silently.
Then he asked:
"Why did you become a caregiver?"
An stopped.
The question was unexpected.
"Because I like taking care of people."
"That's not a reason."
She looked at him.
Victor continued:
"You were trained."
A pause.
"You understand babies better than most professionals."
An lowered her eyes.
"I had experience."
"Where?"
Silence.
Again.
Victor noticed.
"You always avoid that question."
An looked at him.
"And you always ask questions you already think you know the answer to."
The response surprised him.
Victor stepped closer.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you don't want the truth."
His expression changed.
"I don't?"
"No."
Her voice remained calm.
"You want an answer that makes you feel safe."
Victor stared at her.
Nobody had ever spoken to him like that.
Because everyone was afraid.
But An wasn't.
She wasn't trying to challenge him.
She was simply refusing to lie.
That night, something happened.
Something small.
But something Victor would never forget.
Ethan woke up crying.
Victor immediately rushed into the room.
Before he could pick up his son…
An was already there.
She stopped.
Seeing Victor standing beside the crib.
Waiting.
Learning.
Not taking over.
Just watching.
An slowly stepped back.
"Your turn."
Victor looked surprised.
"My turn?"
She nodded.
"You need to know him too."
Victor hesitated.
Then he picked Ethan up.
At first, he held him awkwardly.
Too carefully.
Like he was afraid the baby would break.
Ethan cried softly.
Victor looked panicked.
"I don't know what I'm doing."
For the first time…
He admitted it.
An didn't laugh.
She didn't criticize.
She simply stood beside him.
"Relax your shoulders."
Victor followed.
"Support his head."
He adjusted.
"Talk to him."
Victor looked down.
"What do I say?"
An smiled slightly.
"Anything."
Victor was silent.
Then quietly whispered:
"Daddy's here."
The baby slowly stopped crying.
Victor froze.
His eyes became emotional.
Because those were the same words he had said every night.
But tonight…
Ethan finally answered.
Not with words.
With peace.
An watched quietly.
And for a moment, she forgot who Victor Hale was.
Not a billionaire.
Not a CEO.
Just a father.
A grieving man trying his best.
But she also remembered something else.
A promise she made months ago.
A promise to Elena.
A promise she still hadn't fulfilled.
Because the truth about why An entered this penthouse…
Was not only about Ethan.
It was about the secret Elena left behind.
A secret Victor was never supposed to discover.
The next morning…
Victor received an anonymous envelope.
No sender.
No address.
Inside was one photograph.
A photograph of Elena.
And standing beside her…
Was An.
Victor stared at the picture.
His hands slowly tightened.
Because on the back of the photograph were six words written in black ink:
"Ask your maid what she did."
Victor's expression turned cold.
May you like
The walls he had started lowering…
Immediately began rising again.
