Then her mother revealed something that made his stomach turn.
The day Emma was born, she had called his office ten times. His assistant had blocked the calls because he was in an important international meeting and had ordered not to be disturbed for personal matters.
That night he didn’t sleep.
He sat on an old couch watching Emma sleep, realizing how much he had missed.
The next morning his phone rang constantly. That day he was supposed to finalize the largest deal of his career.
His partners demanded his presence.
At the same time, they needed to visit a public clinic for the mother’s heart evaluation.
In the clinic’s worn waiting room, his phone buzzed again with a final message:
“Last chance. If you’re not here today, the deal is canceled.”
He stared at the screen.
Then he looked at Emma, who sat nearby playing quietly, trusting he wouldn’t leave again.
He typed a short reply.
“I won’t be there. Family comes first.”
Then he turned the phone off.
“You just lost millions,” Emma’s mother said quietly.
He shook his head.
“I already lost five years. That cost more.”
The following weeks changed everything.