CHAPTER 6 — THE CEO WHO BEGGED THE MAID TO RETURN
The penthouse had never felt so empty.
Victor Hale had spent his entire life surrounded by people.
Employees.
Executives.
Partners.
People who wanted something from him.
But tonight…
There was nobody.
No footsteps in the hallway.
No soft voice reminding him that Ethan needed his bottle.
No gentle humming coming from the nursery.
Only silence.
The same silence that had nearly destroyed him after Elena died.
Victor stood in the middle of the living room, staring at the resignation letter on the table.
Three pages.
Three simple pages.
Yet they felt heavier than any business contract he had ever signed.
Because An didn't leave with anger.
She didn't threaten him.
She didn't demand an apology.
She simply walked away.
And somehow…
That hurt more.
Victor looked toward Ethan's nursery.
The door was slightly open.
Inside, his son was awake.
But different.
Since An left, Ethan had become restless again.
The doctors couldn't find anything wrong.
The nurses followed every instruction.
The expensive baby monitors tracked every movement.
But Ethan kept crying.
Not the same cry as before.
A lonely cry.
Victor stood beside the crib.
His hands tightened.
"She's not coming back."
He whispered.
But the moment he said it…
He realized something.
He didn't just miss An.
Ethan missed her.
And that realization was unbearable.
The next morning, Victor went to work.
Or at least, he tried.
The entire company noticed something was wrong.
The man who once dominated every meeting looked distracted.
A presentation about a billion-dollar acquisition was displayed on the screen.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone was waiting.
Waiting for Victor to destroy someone with his usual cold logic.
But he didn't.
He simply stared at the numbers.
His assistant cleared her throat.
"Mr. Hale?"
Victor didn't respond.
"Sir?"
He finally looked up.
"What?"
"The board is waiting for your decision."
Victor looked around the room.
Twenty people.
All expecting him to lead.
But his mind wasn't there.
It was at home.
With a baby crying.
With a woman who had walked away.
He closed the file.
"Meeting postponed."
Everyone froze.
Victor Hale never postponed meetings.
Never.
His assistant followed him outside.
"Sir."
Victor stopped.
"What?"
She hesitated.
"Is everything okay?"
For a moment, Victor almost gave the usual answer.
"I'm fine."
But the words didn't come.
Because he wasn't.
Not anymore.
"Find her."
The assistant looked confused.
"Who?"
Victor's jaw tightened.
"An Parker."
Hours later, the information arrived.
But it wasn't what Victor expected.
An wasn't living in some luxury apartment.
She wasn't hiding.
She wasn't using his name.
She had returned to a small apartment on the other side of the city.
A simple place.
Nothing like the penthouse.
Victor stood outside the building.
Alone.
For the first time in his life…
He didn't know what to say.
He had faced angry investors.
He had negotiated with ruthless businessmen.
But standing in front of one woman who had every reason to hate him?
That terrified him.
When the door opened…
An froze.
She didn't expect to see him.
Especially not here.
"Mr. Hale."
Her voice was polite.
Cold.
Different.
Before, she had looked at him with patience.
Now…
There was distance.
Victor noticed.
And it hurt.
"Can we talk?"
An remained silent.
"Please."
The word surprised them both.
Because Victor Hale did not say please.
Not to anyone.
An stepped aside.
"Come in."
The apartment was small.
But warm.
There were plants near the window.
A few books on the shelf.
Simple furniture.
A normal home.
Victor looked around.
And for some reason…
He felt uncomfortable.
Because this place had something his penthouse didn't.
Peace.
An noticed his expression.
"You look surprised."
Victor looked at her.
"I thought you would have something bigger."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Not everyone needs a penthouse to be happy."
The words were not meant to hurt him.
But they did.
Because his penthouse had everything.
Except happiness.
Victor stood there silently for several seconds.
Then finally…
"I'm sorry."
An looked up.
The apology surprised her.
Victor continued.
"I was wrong."
The room became quiet.
"I accused you."
His voice became lower.
"I believed a stranger's message instead of the person who saved my son's life."
An looked away.
"Why are you here, Victor?"
Not sir.
Not Mr. Hale.
Victor.
Again.
This time, he didn't correct her.
"Because Ethan needs you."
An shook her head.
"No."
Victor frowned.
"No?"
"He needs his father."
The answer was immediate.
"You need to learn him."
Victor looked down.
Those words reminded him of everything.
"You think I can't?"
"I think you can."
She paused.
"But you have been so afraid of losing him that you forgot to enjoy having him."
Victor became silent.
Because nobody had ever said that.
Not even himself.
Then An noticed something.
Victor wasn't wearing his expensive watch.
The one he always wore.
The symbol of his success.
Instead, he was holding something else.
A small baby blanket.
The one Ethan used every night.
An looked at it.
"You brought that?"
Victor nodded.
"He wouldn't sleep without it."
For some reason, that small confession hurt her.
Because she saw something nobody else saw.
Victor wasn't a cold billionaire.
He was a grieving husband.
A terrified father.
A man who had lost the person who taught him how to love.
"Why did you leave?"
Victor asked.
An looked down.
"Because you stopped trusting me."
"I know."
"And because every time you looked at me, you saw a suspect."
Victor had no answer.
Because it was true.
An continued:
"I can forgive anger."
She looked at him.
"But I can't stay somewhere I am only tolerated."
The words hit him.
Victor stepped closer.
"Come back."
An froze.
"What?"
"Come back to the penthouse."
"No."
The answer was immediate.
Victor swallowed.
"I need you there."
An shook her head.
"You need me because Ethan needs me."
A pause.
"But what about when he doesn't?"
Victor looked at her.
The question stayed between them.
Because he didn't know.
Then…
A sound came from Victor's phone.
The baby monitor.
He had connected it before leaving.
Ethan was crying.
Not a normal cry.
A desperate one.
Victor looked at An.
For a moment…
Neither of them moved.
Then An reached for her coat.
Victor watched.
"You're coming?"
She stopped.
"I am coming for Ethan."
The words were clear.
Not for him.
For his son.
Victor nodded slowly.
Because he understood.
He hadn't earned forgiveness yet.
When they returned to the penthouse…
Something changed.
An walked into Ethan's room.
The baby immediately calmed when he saw her.
Victor stood behind her.
Watching.
And for the first time…
He didn't feel jealous.
He didn't feel threatened.
He felt grateful.
But then…
An noticed something on the table.
A small box.
Inside was an old necklace.
Her face immediately lost color.
Because she recognized it.
Victor noticed.
"What's wrong?"
An slowly picked up the necklace.
Her hands trembled.
"This..."
She looked at him.
"Where did you get this?"
Victor frowned.
"It belonged to Elena."
Silence.
An stared at the necklace.
Then whispered:
"She gave this to me the night before she died."
Victor's entire body froze.
"What?"
An looked at him.
And the secret she had been protecting for months…
Was finally about to come out.
"Your wife knew she was in danger."
Victor's heart stopped.
May you like
Because for the first time…
He realized Elena's death might not have been an accident.
