you may not believe that poverty can push a man toward choices that make his heart pound with fear and tremble with hope at the same time you may not believe that sometimes fate knocks on our door in ways no one could ever predict but it’s the truth and this is the story of Mason Calaway Mason was a single father working as a janitor at the headquarters of Aldrich Holdings in Austin Texas a man whom life had pushed all the way to the edge every morning Mason woke up before the sun even had the chance to rise not because of an alarm clock

but because of the dry cough coming from the small room next door Ellie his six year old daughter with crystal blue eyes carried a congenital heart condition that needed urgent surgery and Mason he had nothing but a pair of calloused hands and a mountain of medical debt weighing on him like the sky collapsing on his shoulders Mason’s life hadn’t always been this bleak three years ago he had a family a small house in suburban Austin a steady job at an auto repair shop and a wife he believed would walk with him for the rest of his life Dana

but everything fell apart the day the doctor told them Ellie needed heart surgery a surgery that costs more than $200,000 insurance wouldn’t cover it and Dana she looked at Mason with cold eyes and said a sentence that felt like someone squeezing his heart until it cracked I can’t live like this anymore she left not because she didn’t love Ellie but because she wasn’t strong enough to stand in the middle of a storm that big she chose another life with another man in another city and Mason he stayed because that was the only thing he knew how to do he sold the house paid off a portion of the debt

moved into a cramped apartment on the east side of the city and took a janitor position at Aldrich Holdings one of the largest financial corporations in Texas simply because the pay was slightly higher and they allowed him to work night shifts so he could be with Ellie during the day every night when the skyscraper sank into silence Mason wiped every glass panel polished every marble floor cleaned offices so luxurious he knew he would never sit in them and every night when he walked past the 47th floor

the top floor of the building he always saw a light still on it was the office of Caroline Aldrich Caroline wasn’t just the CEO of Aldrich Holdings she was the owner the heiress the most powerful female billionaire in Texas rumor had it she could buy an entire town without blinking that she once fired an executive simply because he dared to look her in the eye that she had never smiled in front of any employee Mason had never spoken to her he had never even been within 10 meters of her for a man like him Caroline Aldrich belonged to another world

a world of private jets lavish galas and decisions that could change the fate of thousands but everything changed one night in October that night Mason was wiping the stairs on the 46th floor when his phone buzzed it was the hospital the nurse’s voice made his heart stop Mister Calloway Ellie’s condition is worsening the doctor says the surgery can’t wait any longer we need your answer within a week Mason collapsed onto the steps the phone still in his hand one week he needed $200,000 in one week and his bank account didn’t even have 300

he had no idea how long he sat there maybe a few minutes maybe an hour tears streamed down his face and he didn’t bother wiping them away then a voice cold sharp as a blade echoed above him what are you doing here Mason looked up Caroline Aldrich stood at the top of the staircase staring down at him a perfect black suit blond hair in a tight bun icy blue eyes I I’m sorry ma’am Mason jumped to his feet hastily wiping his tears I’ll get back to work right away but Caroline didn’t leave she stood there looking at him as if she were reading an open book you work the night shift correct

yes ma’am Mason Calaway I’ve been here eight months Caroline stayed silent for a moment then spoke her voice not loud but powerful enough to hush the entire stairwell tomorrow morning 7:00 my office before he could ask anything she turned away the sound of her heels echoing through the vast empty space that night Mason couldn’t sleep he lay on the old sofa staring at the peeling ceiling wondering what he had done wrong was she going to fire him for crying on the job if he lost this job what else did he have left

at 7 the next morning Mason stood in front of the glass doors of the 47th floor he had never seen this place during the day Texas sunlight poured through the massive windows making the office look like a palace Caroline’s secretary LED him in the office was as big as his entire apartment marble floors a black oak desk a full wall of glass overlooked Austin where other buildings looked like miniature toys Caroline sat behind her desk she didn’t invite him to sit she simply looked at him then pushed a brown leather briefcase forward

open it Mason took the briefcase with trembling hands inside was a thick folder and the moment he flipped to the first page his heart nearly stopped it was Ellie’s medical file the diagnosis the treatment plan the surgery cost every detail where where did you get this Mason choked Caroline didn’t answer she stood walked toward the window her back facing him I can help your daughter Mason I can pay for the entire surgery erase all your debts give you and your child a new home a new life Mason stood frozen as if his soul had left his body

what he heard was too big to be real then Caroline turned her blue eyes sharp and cold but in return she said each word falling like metal hitting the ground you must give me something something money can’t buy the room suddenly felt so heavy that Mason could barely breathe what what is it ma’am Caroline walked closer close enough for him to smell her expensive perfume close enough for him to see the tired folds around her eyes and in a voice that didn’t tremble at all she said I want you to give me a child if you’re still listening at this point

make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next part where the truth behind Caroline’s offer begins to unfold but what Mason doesn’t know is that the real reason Caroline needs a child is far more bitter and dangerous than he could ever imagine can you guess what it is we will continue right after this Mason stood there like a statue he was certain he had misheard ma’am I don’t understand Caroline returned to her desk sitting down with the poise of someone far too familiar with controlling everything around her you heard me perfectly well Mason

I don’t like repeating myself but why you could have anyone you could could what Caroline cut him off her voice sharp hire a surrogate find a man from the upper class do you think I haven’t tried she opened a drawer and pulled out another file thicker than Ellie’s 15 years Mason 15 years I’ve been searching for a man I could trust and do you know what I found she tossed the file onto the desk papers spilled out covert photos prenuptial contracts private investigation reports the first one a lawyer in Dallas

secretly signed a deal with a rival firm right before proposing to me the second a doctor supposedly respectable turned out to be dating three other women at the same time the third Caroline paused for the first time Mason saw something different in her eyes not anger pain the third was Richard Mercer son of a prestigious family handsome charming said exactly what I wanted to hear I nearly married him she stood and walked to the window looking down at the city of Austin slowly waking beneath the morning sun one day before the wedding I found a prenup agreement

he had hidden in his briefcase he’d hired his own lawyer to draft it with clauses that if I signed would give him control of 30% of my assets the moment we married Mason stayed silent he didn’t know what to say that was when I understood Caroline continued her voice lower no one wants me they only want what I have my name my wealth my power no one sees Caroline they only see the Aldrich name she turned and looked directly at Mason but you’re different me Mason couldn’t hide his shock I’m just the janitor ma’am

exactly Caroline nodded you’re the only person in this building who wants nothing from me you don’t flatter you don’t try to get close you even avoid looking at me whenever I pass by I I just thought that was polite that’s honesty Caroline stepped closer eight months Mason I’ve watched you for eight months you work hard you never complain you don’t steal not even a pen and every night at exactly 11 you video call your daughter no matter how exhausted you are Mason felt stripped bare she knew everything about him

I also know about Dana Caroline said her tone softening slightly I know when she left with whom and where she is now I know you have never said one bad word about her in front of Ellie no matter what she did Ellie doesn’t need to know Mason murmured she’s lost enough already Caroline looked at him for a long moment then she nodded as if he had just passed an invisible test that’s why I chose you you’re not perfect but you’re decent and in my world decency is rarer than diamonds she pulled the chair across from her and sat down for the first time at eye level with Mason

I’m 41 Mason my biological clock is counting down the board of directors those old men who worked with my father before I was even born are waiting for me to fail they want me to be airless so they can tear apart the company my father spent his life building so you need a child to to prove the Aldrich legacy will continue Caroline nodded and I need a father I can trust someone who isn’t greedy someone without political ambitions someone who will disappear once it’s all over living his own life with enough money to never look back Mason felt as if he were standing at a cliff’s edge

on one side were all the values he’d been raised with honor integrity dignity on the other side was his daughter lying in a hospital bed counting down the days what if I refuse Caroline tilted her head slightly her gaze unwavering then you may walk away no one will ever know about this conversation you’ll continue working as usual and I she paused I’ll find another way and Ellie that is not my concern Caroline’s voice turned icy again I am offering a business deal Mason not charity Mason lowered his head

he looked down at his worn work boots then at Caroline’s expensive heels two worlds brutally opposite I need I need time to think Caroline stood and returned behind her desk you have 24 hours she said without looking at him after that this door closes forever Mason walked out of the office like a sleepwalker the secretary eyed him with curiosity but asked nothing the elevator carried him down returning him to the world of ordinary people but Mason knew from that moment on he was no longer ordinary he had been invited into a game whose rules he did not understand

and the price of losing might be his daughter’s life on the 47th floor Caroline stood by the window watching Mason’s small figure step out of the building she hadn’t told him everything she hadn’t mentioned the sleepless nights in her empty penthouse the echo of her own voice in rooms far too large the feeling of being surrounded by hundreds of employees yet having not a single friend and she hadn’t mentioned what Doctor Harrison Cole told her two weeks ago that if she wanted a child this might be her last chance that time was no longer on her side

that sometimes those who have everything are the ones who have lost the most Caroline placed her hand on the cold glass looking down at the city she nearly owned and for the first time in many years she wondered whether there was something in this world that money truly couldn’t buy the answer she knew now rested in the hands of a janitor Mason couldn’t remember how he drove home when he pushed open the door of the small apartment the smell of medicine and thin porridge hit him immediately his mother Lorraine

was sitting beside Ellie’s bed patiently feeding her granddaughter spoon by spoon your dad’s home she said her voice warm but weighed down by exhaustion at 72 her hands had already begun to tremble from early stage Parkinson’s yet she still tried her best to help Mason take care of Ellie whenever he worked nights daddy Ellie squeaked her bright blue eyes lighting up like two tiny stars but her voice was weak and her pale skin made Mason feel as if someone were crushing his heart he walked over and kissed her forehead gently did you sleep well I dreamed you bought me a big house

Ellie whispered with a garden and a swing and a dog too Mason swallowed hard I’ll buy it for you someday I promise Lorraine looked at her son with worried eyes she knew something was wrong 32 years of motherhood had taught her how to read every flicker in Mason’s face Ellie sweetheart get a little more sleep she said brushing the child’s hair grandma needs to talk to your dad Ellie nodded obediently her eyes already drooping Mason pulled the blanket up for her then followed his mother to the small balcony

the apartment was on the fourth floor overlooking an alley full of trash and noise from the bar down the street but it was still the best place Mason could afford with his current salary what’s going on son Lorraine asked her trembling hands gripping the iron railing Mason stayed silent for a long time he didn’t know where to begin mom if I had a chance to save Ellie but that chance required me to do something something I’m not sure is right or wrong what do you think I should do she looked at him her aging eyes still sharp

what are you talking about be clearer I can’t say the details Mason shook his head it’s just it has to do with someone someone very wealthy someone who could pay for Ellie’s entire surgery everything but in return he couldn’t finish Lorraine went quiet for a moment then asked is it illegal no does it hurt anyone Mason thought of Caroline the icy eyes hide loneliness the stories she told the wounds she couldn’t fully conceal I don’t know mom I really don’t Lorraine exhaled slowly turning her eyes back toward the apartment where Ellie was sleeping her small chest rising and falling with effort

you know what your father died of right Mason nodded his father Harold Calaway had died five years ago of lung cancer a mechanic who worked for 40 years never took a vacation never complained once your father was the kindest man I’ve ever known Lorraine said her voice trembling slightly he worked his whole life never owed anyone a cent never did anything wrong and he died in the cheapest hospital room simply because we couldn’t afford better care she turned to Mason her eyes reddening I loved your father I’m proud of him

but sometimes I wonder if he had been a little more flexible a little more willing to compromise would he still be alive today a sharp pain shot through Mason’s chest what are you trying to say she took his hand and squeezed it gently I don’t know what that person wants from you but I know one thing she directed her eyes toward Ellie that child is all we have left if there’s a way to save her without selling your soul to the devil then son think very carefully before turning it down she stood placing a gentle hand on Mason’s shoulder

I can’t decide for you this is your life but whatever you choose I’ll stand with you then she went back inside leaving Mason alone under Austin’s ashen sky that night Mason didn’t sleep he sat beside Ellie’s bed listening to every labored breath she took the heart monitor a loner from the hospital beeped steadily like a death clock counting down the doctor said Ellie might not make it another six months without surgery six months 180 days Mason had tried everything he applied for a bank loan denied because he had no collateral he called Dana she wouldn’t answer

he created a fundraising page raised a few thousand dollars before disappearing among countless other desperate stories he even considered selling a kidney but it was illegal and the black market was far too dangerous Mason looked down at his calloused hands hands that had cleaned thousands of square feet of flooring repaired hundreds of old cars held Ellie since she was just a small red fragile Newborn could these hands actually save his daughter then he thought of Caroline a woman who had everything yet had nothing a woman betrayed so deeply

she no longer believed in love a woman who was the most powerful figure in Austin yet also the loneliest Caroline wanted a child not love not marriage just a child and he he could give her that Mason got up and walked to the window the city lights spilled across the night sky like a million fallen stars his father had lived a life of unbending principles integrity honesty no compromise and he died in poverty Mason didn’t want Ellie crying at her father’s grave the way he cried at his own father’s he pulled out his phone and looked at the business card Caroline’s secretary had given him

the personal number of the most powerful woman in Texas his hands trembled violently his heart pounded like a war drum he pressed call the phone rang three times have you made your decision Caroline’s voice came through cold distant Mason took a deep breath looking at Ellie sleeping her angelic face dim under the weak yellow light yes he said his voice hoarse I agree silence lasted for a few seconds then Caroline replied without the slightest change in her tone tomorrow morning 8:00 I will send someone to pick you up the call ended Mason stood there

phone still in his hand staring into the Austin night he had crossed a boundary one he could never return from and he had no idea that from this moment on his life would be forever changed not just because of the deal with Caroline but because sometimes when two lonely people brush against each other by accident what happens next is something no one on earth can ever predict at exactly 8 in the morning a sleek black Mercedes pulled up in front of Mason’s apartment he had been up since 6 showered and put on the neatest clothes he owned a white shirt that had started to fade

and an old pair of dress pants before leaving he leaned down to kiss Ellie’s forehead as she slept told his mother he had to go out for something then closed the door behind him the driver stepped out and opened the car door without saying a word inside there was the faint smell of expensive leather and the cool air from the AC when Mason sat down he felt as if he had just stepped onto another planet the car glided through the familiar streets of Austin then turned into Westlake Hills where mansions hid behind tall fences and heavy iron gates Mason had never set foot there

he only knew it was where the wealthiest people in Texas lived the Mercedes stopped in front of an enormous gate a security camera shifted scanned the license plate and then the gate slowly opened a stone paved driveway stretched for a good hundred meters lined on both sides with towering oak trees at the end of the driveway Caroline Aldrich’s mansion appeared like a castle Mason could hardly believe his eyes the house no palace was the only right word was built in a Mediterranean style with white domes

soaring columns and huge windows facing a bright blue pool in the back the lawn was trimmed to perfection like a velvet carpet stone statues stood scattered across the garden motionless like silent sentries the driver opened the door Mister Calaway this way please Mason stepped out his legs slightly shaky the front door opened and a middle aged woman in a housekeeper’s uniform appeared Mister Calloway I’m Margaret Missus Aldrich is waiting for you in the sitting room Mason followed Margaret across a vast foyer the polished white marble floor reflected the light from a massive

crystal chandelier above oil paintings lined the walls each one probably worth as much as his entire apartment the air was cold and so still it felt strange no laughter no chatter none of the sounds of a normal home only the echo of Margaret’s heels in the empty space Caroline was sitting in the living room by a stone fireplace she wore a light grey dress her blonde hair falling loosely over her shoulders her blue eyes following his every step sit she said pointing to the chair across from her Mason sat down the chair was so soft

he felt as if his body were sinking into clouds have you had breakfast uh no ma’am Caroline gave Margaret a brief nod a few minutes later a small table was wheeled in loaded with toast fresh fruit and dishes Mason didn’t even know the names of Eat Caroline said you’ll need your strength Mason didn’t understand what she meant but he was so hungry he couldn’t refuse he picked up a slice of toast and tried to eat slowly as politely as he could Caroline watched him her gaze as if she were evaluating something very valuable

Today Doctor Harrison Cole will come to perform a health check on you she said blood tests full examination I need to be sure you are completely healthy before we proceed Mason nodded I understand after that my lawyer will have you sign a non disclosure agreement if you break any of its terms you will lose everything and face very serious legal consequences do you understand yes Caroline tilted her head slightly her eyes as sharp as knives you have no questions no worries no doubts at all Mason put the toast down

ma’am I spent the whole night thinking I know what I’m doing and I know why I’m doing it he looked straight at Caroline my daughter is waiting I no longer have the luxury of doubt or hesitation Caroline was silent for a moment then nodded for a brief second a flicker of satisfaction passed through her cold blue eyes good I like people who know what they want Doctor Harrison Cole arrived in the afternoon he was a man in his 50s with salt and pepper hair and a calm face he brought a whole team of nurses and a series of medical devices as if preparing for surgery

rather than a simple health check they drew blood took his blood pressure and listened to his heart and lungs they asked about his family medical history his diet his daily habits even his sex life Mason answered everything feeling as though each invisible layer of armor he had was being peeled away after the medical team left Doctor Cole stayed behind to speak with Caroline in her study Mason sat alone in the living room his eyes wandering over every detail of the luxurious mansion that was when he noticed not a single family photograph

no wedding pictures no childhood photos no snapshots with friends only art and expensive decorative pieces beautiful perfect but soulless this mansion felt more like a museum than a home Mason stood and walked over to the large window overlooking the garden the pool shimmered blue in the afternoon sun a bird landed on the pool’s edge tilted its head to look around then flapped its wings and flew away what are you thinking about Mason turned Caroline was standing behind him arms crossed I was thinking he hesitated then answered honestly

this house is very beautiful but it’s also very quiet Caroline stepped forward standing beside him silence is something I can buy she said her voice tinged with faint bitterness noise chaos uncontrolled emotions those are things I do not need but you need a child Caroline turned to him for a moment something softened in her eyes a hint of fragility she quickly concealed a child is for the future for the legacy for things bigger than personal feelings Mason said nothing he wondered whether she truly believed what she had just said or if she was trying to convince herself

your test results are excellent Caroline continued changing the subject Doctor Cole confirmed you are completely healthy no genetic diseases no concerning issues so when will we start Caroline looked out the window next week I need time to prepare some things in the meantime you’ll stay here here Mason was startled but my daughter tomorrow Ellie will be transferred to the best hospital in Austin Caroline said her tone leaving no room for argument all expenses will be covered by me your mother will also be given comfortable accommodation

near the hospital so she can care for her Mason parted his lips about to say something but Caroline had already turned away Margaret will show you to your room rest you’ll need your strength for what’s coming she left the room leaving Mason alone in the vast space he looked around the mansion feeling like a small fish dropped into the open ocean everything was happening too fast too overwhelming far beyond his understanding but when he thought of Ellie of her getting treatment at the best hospital Mason knew he had no right to complain

he had chosen to step into this world and now he had to accept its rules that night Mason lay on the largest bed he had ever seen in a guest room as big as his old apartment the AC hummed softly the sheets were spotless and white as soft as clouds everything was so perfect it felt unreal but he couldn’t sleep he lay there staring up at the high ceiling his mind spinning with images of Ellie his mother and whatever awaited him ahead Mason wasn’t entirely sure what he was feeling fear guilt pity or some strange emotion he didn’t yet dare to name he only knew one thing from this moment on

his life and Caroline’s were bound together and that bond might change them both in ways neither of them could possibly imagine a week passed like a strange dream Mason lived in Caroline’s mansion treated like an honored guest every meal was prepared by her private chef new clothes were brought to his room he didn’t have to do anything except wait but the waiting was heavier than any physical labor he had ever done during the day Caroline vanished into meetings business trips and phone calls that lasted for hours she ran the Aldrich Holdings

empire like a machine that never stopped meanwhile Mason wandered around the mansion like a shadow every day he video called Ellie she had been transferred to Saint David’s Hospital one of the best in Austin her room had a window overlooking the garden a large TV and nurses who checked in every hour daddy it’s fun here Ellie said through the screen her blue eyes shining the nurse gives me ice cream every day and grandma tells me stories every night Mason smiled trying to hide the tightness in his throat be good sweetheart

daddy will visit you soon where are you daddy why don’t you come home Mason froze he didn’t know how to answer daddy’s working far away baby a very important job to get money to help you get better what job daddy you don’t need to worry I promise everything will be okay Ellie nodded trusting him completely and that trust tore Mason apart he was lying to his daughter and he hated himself for it on the seventh night Caroline called him into her study the room was on the second floor with bookshelves stretching up to the ceiling and a massive oak desk in the centre

Caroline sat behind it a glass of red wine swirling in front of her sit she said pointing to the chair across from her Mason pulled the chair out and sat down he realized this was the first time the two of them had spoken privately since he moved in the final test results are in Caroline began her voice as calm and cold as ever everything is in order we can begin Mason nodded his throat suddenly dry begin when tonight silence dropped into the room Mason felt his heartbeat speeding with each second Caroline stood walked to the window

the moonlight poured in coating her figure in a faint silver sheen are you afraid she asked still facing away from him Mason didn’t answer immediately he sat there thinking then decided to be honest yes Caroline turned back afraid of what of many things Mason said slowly afraid I don’t know if this is right or wrong afraid I’ll regret it later afraid he hesitated afraid of you afraid of me Caroline raised an eyebrow not afraid you’ll hurt me Mason quickly clarified but afraid that I don’t understand you

I don’t know what you really want Caroline was silent for a long time then she did something Mason never expected she laughed not the cold calculated laugh he had seen before but a short bitter laugh like someone laughing at themselves you’re the first person to say that to me she said her voice softening slightly everyone fears me but no one dares say it out loud she walked closer and sat in the chair beside him it was the first time they had ever sat this close you want to know what I truly want Caroline turned the glass slowly in her hand

I’m not even sure anymore Mason stared at her surprised I thought you always knew what you wanted you run an entire corporation running a corporation is easy Caroline cut him off there are rules numbers strategies but life she shook her head life doesn’t have a manual she took a sip of wine her gaze drifting far away do you know when I started running the company when I was 26 my father had a stroke and became bedridden the board wanted to sell everything and I a girl fresh out of college had to stand up against those wolves in the financial world and you won

Mason said quietly I won Caroline nodded but it took me 15 years to win 15 years without rest without friends without love only work work and more work she set the wine glass down and looked directly at Mason do you know the worst part that by the time I finally had room to live my life I realized I had forgotten how Mason stayed silent he simply listened this house has 12 bedrooms Caroline continued I use one I have five cars I drive one I can buy anything in this world but I cannot buy a single evening of dinner with a family

her voice tightened my mother died when I was 12 breast cancer Caroline spoke slowly she lay in her hospital bed holding my hand and said Caroline don’t be like me don’t let life pass before you’ve lived it I promised her and in the end I still broke that promise her blue eyes glimmered under the light she was crying but refusing to let the tears fall that’s why I want a child she whispered not just for legacy not for the board but because I want someone to love someone who can’t leave me because of money someone who belongs with me

she looked at Mason and for the first time he saw real vulnerability in her eyes do you think I’m insane Mason slowly shook his head no I think you’re lonely lonely enough to do anything just to not be lonely anymore Caroline held his gaze for a long moment then nodded perhaps you’re the first person who has ever truly understood me that night they walked into Caroline’s bedroom a vast room with a king size bed draped in white silk sheets heavy velvet curtains covering the windows and flickering candles filling the air with a soft lavender scent but there was nothing romantic about it

only two lonely people standing across from each other in a heavy silence Caroline slipped off her coat revealing a black silk nightgown she was beautiful beautiful in the flawless cold way of a Greek sculpture Mason stood still his limbs stiff unsure what to do you don’t have to love me Caroline said her voice turning cold again as if rebuilding a wall you only have to do what needs to be done Mason stepped closer looking into her blue eyes searching for something beneath the ice are you sure this is what you want Caroline didn’t answer she simply nodded

and that night in the bedroom of the most powerful woman in Texas two lonely people came together not out of love not out of desire but out of an agreement a transaction an exchange at least that’s what they both tried to tell themselves but sometimes things that begin as a deal end in ways no one ever expects that night as Caroline lay in the dark with her back to Mason she whispered something so softly he thought he imagined it thank you for not looking at me like an object Mason didn’t reply but he heard every word and for the first time

he felt something shift inside him not guilt not fear but compassion compassion for a woman who had everything yet had never once been truly loved the following weeks passed with a strange rhythm during the day Mason went to the hospital to visit Ellie he sat by her bed read her stories watched cartoons with her and tried to act as if everything was still normal at night he returned to Caroline’s mansion they met in the bedroom did what needed to be done then each went back to their own world at least that was how things were in the beginning

but slowly something began to change one evening after leaving the bedroom Mason went down to the kitchen to get a drink of water he didn’t expect to find Caroline there too sitting alone at the dining table with a bowl of instant noodles in front of her instant noodles the billionaire who owned an empire was eating instant noodles at midnight ma’am Mason couldn’t hide his surprise Caroline looked up and for a brief moment there was a flicker of embarrassment on her face an expression Mason had never seen on her before the chef’s gone home

and I don’t know how to cook anything else she said her voice sounding almost like she was defending herself Mason opened the fridge inside it was full of fine ingredients wagyu beef fresh seafood and organic vegetables would you like me to cook something for you Caroline looked at him as if he had just said something utterly strange you can cook Mason smiled truly smiled for the first time since he’d stepped into the mansion I’m a single dad ma’am if I couldn’t cook my daughter would starve he took a few eggs some cheese turned on the stove and started making fried eggs

the smell of butter melting in the hot pan spread through the huge kitchen Caroline sat there silently watching him work her eyes filled with curiosity where did you learn to cook from my mother Mason replied his hands moving quickly over the pan when I was a kid I used to stand and watch her cook she said a real man is someone who knows how to take care of himself and the people he loves he placed the plate of eggs in front of Caroline it’s not anything fancy but I’m sure it’s better than instant noodles Caroline looked at the eggs

then at him for a moment her eyes softened thank you it was the first time she had thanked him without the cover of darkness from that night on things began to change Caroline no longer left immediately after they had been together sometimes she stayed sitting on the bed or on the sofa and started talking she talked about work about meetings stretched tight like a wire about rivals waiting for a chance to bring her down about the decisions she had to make every day decisions that could affect thousands of people

and Mason listened he didn’t understand much about finance stocks or multimillion dollar deals but he understood what it felt like to be crushed by pressure he understood loneliness he understood what it meant to carry a world on your shoulders with no one to lean on don’t you get bored listening to me Caroline asked one night Mason shook his head no one gets bored when someone trusts them enough to share ma’am Caroline looked at him her expression unreadable you’re a very strange man Mason Calaway I’m just a janitor ma’am no Caroline shook her head slightly

you’re more than that you just haven’t realized it yet one afternoon while Mason was at the hospital visiting Ellie she suddenly asked dad who’s the person paying for my treatment Mason froze why do you ask that grandma said someone kind helped our family Ellie said her clear blue eyes fixed on him I want to say thank you to them Mason swallowed hard he didn’t know how to answer it’s a very special person sweetheart he said slowly someday I’ll tell you everything is that person kind dad Mason thought of Caroline the cold eyes the rare smile

the shaky thank you in the dark that person is complicated honey he said but deep down I think they’re a good person it’s just that life has made them forget how to show it Ellie nodded her face thoughtful like a little girl far older than her years like Mommy Dana Dad Mason’s heart clenched his daughter still said Mommy Dana not mom since the day Dana left Ellie had never called anyone else mom again no sweetheart Mason said gently this person is different different how Mason stayed quiet for a moment Mommy Dana left because she was afraid

but this person this person stayed even though they’ve lived their whole life in fear a week later Doctor Harrison Cole returned to the mansion Mason was sitting in the living room when he arrived holding a black leather briefcase his face serious Caroline invited the doctor into her study the door closed Mason couldn’t hear what they were saying but he saw Margaret the housekeeper walk past with a briefly tense look on her face half an hour later Doctor Cole left Caroline still didn’t appear Mason waited an hour two

still no sign of her finally he decided to go look for her he knocked on the study door no answer Mason pushed the door open and stepped inside Caroline was sitting by the window her back to him her shoulders were trembling she was crying Mason had never seen Caroline cry not even the night she talked about her mother had she allowed her tears to fall he walked closer awkwardness twisting inside him Missus Aldrich Caroline didn’t turn around her voice was hoarse choked Doctor Cole said I’m pregnant Mason felt as if someone had slammed a hammer into his chest that that’s good news

isn’t it ma’am Caroline turned around her face was streaked with tears but what he saw in her eyes wasn’t joy it was fear you don’t understand she said her voice shaking I’ve been pregnant twice before both times she trailed off Mason stood frozen twice before Caroline nodded the tears starting up again the first time I was 28 with Richard the man I almost married I miscarried at 10 weeks after that I found out the truth about him and called off the wedding she took a breath trying to steady herself the second time I was 35 I decided to do it on my own

artificial insemination but it was an ectopic pregnancy I almost died the doctor said that after that my chances of getting pregnant were nearly zero Caroline looked at Mason her eyes red you are my last chance Mason and now Doctor Cole says the embryo has implanted in the right place it’s developing normally her voice broke but with my history the risk of complications is very high he says I have to rest completely no stress no overworking she let out a laugh a bitter broken sound no overworking does he know who I am I can’t stop if I stop they’ll tear the company apart

Mason didn’t stop to think he stepped closer and knelt down in front of her you won’t be alone he said his voice steadier than it had ever been I know I’m just a janitor I don’t understand business finance or your world but I know how to take care of people I know how to stay by someone’s side when they need it Caroline stared at him eyes wide as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing you don’t have to do that this isn’t part of the deal I know Mason nodded but some things matter more than a deal he stood and looked out the window

the baby you’re carrying that’s my child too I can’t pretend it doesn’t exist I can’t walk away the way Dana did Caroline was silent for a long time then she did something Mason didn’t expect she reached out and took his hand thank you she whispered thank you for not looking at me like a contract Mason didn’t say anything he just held her hand tighter and in that moment the line between a cold agreement and something deeper warmer began to blur from that day on everything began to change in ways neither Mason nor Caroline could have predicted

Mason was no longer just the one fulfilling the agreement he became the person who stayed by Caroline’s side every day the one who reminded her to take her vitamins on time the one who made sure she ate proper meals the one who stood right in front of her desk whenever she tried to work until midnight at first Caroline resisted fiercely I don’t need anyone to take care of me she said her voice cold as steel I’ve taken care of myself for 20 years and you’ve had two miscarriages Mason replied his tone unyielding

do you want a third to happen Caroline glared at him but then she fell silent unable to argue back gradually she began getting used to his presence used to someone asking have you eaten used to someone waiting outside her office door to say it’s time to sleep used to someone who genuinely cared about her as a living human being not as a billionaire CEO holding an entire empire in her hands and the walls she had spent years building around herself began to crack one afternoon Mason was making tea in the kitchen when he heard Caroline

speaking on the phone in her office her voice was tense sharp I already said no Mister Henderson that decision is final a few seconds of silence then Caroline continued her tone icy are you threatening me do you think I’m afraid of you do you think the board can do anything to me I hold 52% of this company you and your old cronies can hold meetings until your bones turn to dust and it still won’t change a thing then came the sound of a phone being slammed onto the desk followed by heavy breathing Mason knocked gently and stepped inside a cup of hot tea in hand

Caroline was sitting behind her desk her hands covering her head when she looked up her face was pale are you alright I’m fine she said but her voice trembled it’s just the vultures are starting to smell blood Mason placed the cup in front of her what happened Caroline hesitated for a moment if this had been before she would never have shared company matters with an outsider but now Henderson the vice chairman of the board she said tiredly he was my father’s close friend ever since my father died he’s believed he should be the one running the company

not me what does he want he noticed I’ve been reducing my workload missing a few important meetings that I’m changing Caroline looked up at Mason he suspects something’s wrong and he’s trying to dig until he finds it a cold chill ran through Mason’s spine does he know about us yet no Caroline shook her head but he has people watching me I’m certain she stood up and walked to the window if he finds out about our agreement he’ll turn it into a weapon he’ll leak it to the press to the shareholders to the entire world her voice was bitter

Billionaire CEO pays Janitor to give her a child can you imagine the headlines Mason stayed silent he had never thought that far ahead he’d focused only on Ellie on the surgery on saving his daughter and had forgotten that Caroline had everything to lose I’m sorry he murmured I never wanted to bring trouble to you Caroline turned around looking straight at him you didn’t bring trouble the trouble was already there long before you came she sighed I’m just tired of fighting alone Mason stepped closer you’re not alone anymore

Caroline looked at him something flickering in her eyes something she didn’t dare name why are you being so kind to me you already have what you needed your daughter is receiving treatment all you have to do is follow the contract exactly nothing more Mason was silent for a moment before answering because you remind me of someone who my father Mason said he was the kind of man who carried everything alone never complained never asked for help and in the end he died with no one holding his hand he looked straight at Caroline

I don’t want anyone else to end up like that not even you Caroline stood there silent then she did something she hadn’t done with anyone in many years she stepped forward and rested her head on Mason’s shoulder she said nothing she simply leaned on him seeking a little warmth in the arms of the man she had hired to give her a child Mason didn’t speak either he simply stood there letting her lean and in that moment they both understood that whatever was happening between them had gone far beyond the boundaries of an agreement in the days that followed

Mason began to see more clearly who Caroline truly was she wasn’t just the cold billionaire on stage making decisions with a signature she was also the woman who jolted awake at 3 in the morning from nightmares about her mother she was the woman who sat alone at night reading children’s books the same ones her mother used to read to her she was the woman who kept an old worn teddy bear in her bedside drawer the last gift her mother gave her before she died one night Mason woke abruptly to the sound of muffled crying

he followed the sound down the hallway to a room at the very end a room he had never seen open since the day he moved in the door was slightly ajar Mason pushed it gently Caroline was sitting on the floor clutching an old wooden box tears streaming down her face Mason tapped lightly on the door frame Caroline looked up quickly and wiped her tears what what are you doing here I heard Mason hesitated are you all right Caroline looked down at the box in her lap inside were old photographs a few handwritten letters and a tarnished silver bracelet today is my mother’s death anniversary

she said her voice raw it’s been 29 years Mason stepped into the room and sat beside her this room was unlike any other in the mansion no luxurious furniture no expensive art just a small single bed a little table and the walls covered with photographs photos of a gentle smiling blonde woman holding a little girl in her arms this was my mother’s room Caroline whispered I kept everything the same since the day she died no one comes in here not even the cleaners she handed Mason a picture this was the last photo we took together a week before she passed Mason looked at it Caroline was around 11 or 12

smiling brightly beside her mother the eyes of the little girl in the picture were bright and innocent nothing like the coldness of the woman beside him now she was beautiful Mason said she was the most wonderful person I ever knew Caroline whispered she didn’t care about money or power she just wanted a happy family she wanted to see me grow up she wanted grandchildren to hold her voice broke but none of that ever came true Mason didn’t know what to say he simply sat there quietly letting the silence between them become something other than loneliness

you know Caroline said after a long while the baby I’m carrying if it’s a girl I want to name her after my mother what was her name Eleanor Caroline smiled faintly through her tears Eleanor Rose Aldrich Mason’s heart thudded hard Eleanor Ellie exactly the same name as his daughter he didn’t say it aloud but the coincidence felt like an invisible thread suddenly tying them together that’s a beautiful name he said softly Caroline nodded and then she did something she hadn’t dared do with anyone else for many years she began telling Mason about her childhood

about afternoons reading in the garden with her mom about simple family dinners before her father became consumed by work about her childhood dreams not of becoming a CEO or a billionaire but of having a normal life with a normal family and Mason listened listened until the first rays of morning slipped through the window that night for the first time in many years Caroline fell asleep with her head resting on Mason’s shoulder and for the first time in a very long time she didn’t have nightmares two months passed

Caroline’s pregnancy progressed so steadily that even she didn’t dare believe it every week Doctor Cole came to the mansion for a check up he always nodded in satisfaction and sometimes even allowed himself a faint smile rare for someone who had worked in medicine for so many years everything’s good very good he would often say Caroline’s belly had begun to curve slightly just enough to be noticeable beneath the soft fabric of the loose dresses she’d been wearing lately a small fragile curve but it was the miracle

she had waited for her entire life and Ellie Mason’s little fighter had finally made it through the biggest surgery of her life the news from the hospital came on a Tuesday morning Mason’s legs gave out when he heard the words the surgery was successful his knees hit the floor right there in the crowded hallway both hands covering his face he didn’t remember how long he cried he only remembered the head surgeon placing a hand on his shoulder his voice deep and gentle she’s very strong we did everything we could

and she responded the operation had lasted 8 hours eight hours that felt like an entire lifetime to Mason but now at last there was an answer Ellie needed a few more weeks to recover before being discharged but with each passing day Mason watched the color return to her cheeks her voice grew more cheerful her laughter filling the hospital room every time Mason visited daddy Ellie asked one day her blue eyes sparkling with hope when can I go home soon Daddy’s Princess Mason hugged her tightly very soon he kissed her forehead

feeling a wave of relief spread through his chest for the first time in many years Mason felt as if life was opening a new door for him one that was warm and full of hope he had no idea that while he was savoring that small joy another storm was quietly forming a storm that would not come from the hospital but from the place he least expected the world of Caroline Oldridge my dear friend if you’ve stayed with me until this very minute perhaps you feel it too the story between Mason Ellie and Caroline which began as a cold precise agreement

is no longer just a transaction it has become something harder to name harder to measure and perhaps harder to escape Will Caroline be strong enough to protect the child growing inside her while still safeguarding the empire she sacrificed her entire youth to build Will Mason the man who seemed to enter that world solely for his daughter’s sake truly have the courage to stand between two halves of his life on one side Ellie the only thing he has and on the other Caroline a woman who seems untouchable

yet is more fragile than anyone and these peaceful days how long can they really last before the next storm hits if you want to hear the next part of this story to see which choices will open a new path for all three of them don’t forget hit subscribe turn on the notification bell and leave me a comment I want part 2 who knows maybe your comment will be the very reason Part 2 comes out sooner than you think