When was the last time he really saw him?
He stepped out of the car.
Rain instantly soaked his expensive coat, but he barely noticed.
“Ethan.”
The boy froze.
Marisol looked up—and the moment her eyes met his, her breath caught.
She recognized him immediately.
Daniel Carter.
One of the most powerful businessmen in the country.
A widower. A billionaire. A man known for control, precision… and distance.
And suddenly, only one thought echoed in her mind:
That’s his father.
She stepped back quickly, tightening her hold on her baby.
“You’re—”
“You’re the kindest person I’ve met in years,” Daniel said, his voice unsteady.
Heat rushed to her face despite the cold.
Panic followed.
Men like him didn’t usually speak to women like her—unless something was wrong.
He probably thinks I want something.
She reached to take her jacket back, ready to leave.
But Ethan grabbed her sleeve.
“Don’t go,” he said, his voice cracking. “Please.”
She hesitated.
Rain hammered the pavement. Cars hissed past. Her baby shifted against her chest, warm and fragile.
Daniel stood there—composed on the outside, but something raw flickered in his eyes.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
“He was cold,” she replied simply.