"Send her in..." I ordered, settling back into my leather executive chair to see who this unusual candidate was.
When the office door clicked open, a woman walked in who was every bit as striking as Clara and Seraphina, though carrying a completely different air. She possessed a mature, quiet grace—calm, serious, and deeply refined. What immediately caught my attention, however, was the tiny girl resting comfortably in her arms.
"Is this your patient?" I asked, looking up from my desk.
She glanced down at the sleeping child and offered a gentle smile. "No... no. She’s my daughter."
I reached for her resume file on my desk, but seeing her standing there trying to keep the little girl comfortable, I paused. I gestured toward the door and said, "Maid, bring in the softest armchair we have."
Once Dr. Starling was comfortably seated with her daughter snuggling beside her, I opened her file. According to the background report my people had gathered, her name was Sophia Starling. She was thirty-eight years old and had graduated at the top of her class from one of the most prestigious medical universities overseas.
She had eight years of elite experience, though for the past five years, she had taken a step back from high-paying hospital positions to raise her daughter alone. Her husband had tragically passed away in a plane crash when she was only five months pregnant.
I closed the folder, set it aside, and leaned forward. "Dr. Sophia, as you know from the listing, this isn’t a standard hospital role. Your primary responsibility will be overseeing Mr. Lin’s medical care—reviewing his weekly reports, managing the daily nursing staff, and ensuring no emergency situations arise. Given that, what are your expectations regarding the position?"
Sophia adjusted her posture, speaking with clear, steady professionalism. "I request weekends off whenever possible. Furthermore, if an urgent situation ever arises regarding my daughter, I ask that my leave applications be granted without issue."
I glanced back down at her financial summary. After her husband’s sudden passing, she had sold her home and liquidated her assets to clear his remaining business debts. Right now, she was living in a small rented apartment.
"I accept all of your conditions," I said smoothly. "However, I have one condition of my own."
She looked at me with a touch of confusion. "And what would that be, Mr. Vance?"
"I want you and your daughter to move into the villa," I replied. "You won’t have to worry about space—I can set up a dedicated room for your daughter, or give the two of you a master suite."
Sophia blinked, caught completely off guard. "But... what about her kindergarten? Her studies, her commute? Moving across the city on short notice isn’t—"
"I’ll handle all of it," I interrupted calmly, giving her a reassuring smile. "School transfers, private transportation, elite enrollment—you won’t have to lift a finger. So, tell me: do we have a deal? If you agree, you can start today. Your base salary will be one million Stardollars per month."
Sophia’s eyes widened slightly. "One million... monthly?" She took a short breath to compose herself before continuing. "If that offer is genuine and my personal conditions are written into the agreement, I am ready to sign right now."
"Consider it done." I called out to the maid waiting near the entrance. "Have our legal team draft the contract immediately using my standard executive model."
While the staff rushed to prepare the paperwork, I stood up and walked over to where Sophia was sitting. Seeing me approach, the little girl slid down from her mother’s lap, standing on small, neat feet and gazing up at me with large, curious eyes.
"Hi there, little girl," I said softly, crouching down to her eye level. "What’s your name?"
"My name is Daisy Starling," she replied in a clear, adorable voice. "And I’m five years old!"
"Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Daisy," I smiled. "You have wonderful manners. Your mom raised you very well."
Daisy tilted her head, looking at me intently. "Are you my dad?"
Sophia immediately leaned down, gently covering Daisy’s mouth with her hand, a blush rising on her cheeks. "I am so sorry, Mr. Vance! She’s never known her father, so whenever—"
"It’s alright, Dr. Sophia," I chuckled easily, holding up a hand to stop her apologies. I looked back at Daisy with a warm expression. "Hi Daisy. My name is Julian Vance, and I’m thirty years old. It’s very nice to meet you."
Before Daisy could reply, the heavy doors to the study opened. Clara and Seraphina walked in together, chatting casually. Seeing Clara looking relaxed and completely free of her earlier tension brought an instant sense of relief to my chest.
I walked over to meet them, pulling Seraphina in for a light kiss before turning to Clara and placing a tender kiss on her lips as well.
A quiet fake cough echoed behind us. Sophia cleared her throat, gesturing subtly down toward Daisy, who was watching the scene with wide eyes.
"Ah, my apologies, Dr. Sophia," I said with a smile, turning back to introduce everyone. "Let me introduce you. This is Clara, Mr. Lin’s daughter—and my girlfriend. And this is Seraphina, my business partner... and also my girlfriend."
Sophia blinked, momentarily stunned by the unconventional dynamic, yet clearly surprised by how completely natural and harmonious the atmosphere was between the three of us.
"Clara, Sera, I’m glad you’re back," I continued, wrapping an arm around each of them. "This is Dr. Sophia, Mr. Lin’s new personal physician. Starting today, she and her daughter Daisy will be living here at the villa. Dr. Sophia, feel free to head back to your apartment to gather your things. I’ll have the house staff and a moving truck follow you."
Just then, the maid returned with the finalized paperwork. Sophia and I signed the contract, and after a brief, polite farewell, she left with Daisy to prepare for the move.
As soon as the door closed, I noticed several movers carrying elegant luggage and decor boxes into the primary suite right next to mine.
I looked at Clara, a knowing smirk playing on my lips. "So... you’re moving in as well?"
Clara crossed her arms, teasingly arching an eyebrow. "How did you guess?"
"Because the day I asked Sera for her permission, I promised that once things were settled, you’d be moving into that exact suite," I chuckled. "And seeing Sera’s staff helping you clear the room tells me everything I need to know."
Without giving her time to respond, I pulled her close, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. When I finally pulled back, I leaned over to plant a warm kiss on Seraphina’s cheek as well.
"Now then," I said, looking back and forth between them. "Are you two going to tell me what Clara’s trouble was earlier, and how you solved it so quickly?"
Seraphina gave a subtle, secretive smile. "That was strictly women’s talk, darling. It’s completely handled, so you don’t need to worry about a thing. More importantly, you actually managed to hire a top-tier doctor and medical staff so quickly?"
"Don’t tell me you fell for her looks?" Clara added with a playful, teasing glint in her eyes.
"She’s certainly a beautiful woman, there’s no denying that," I replied smoothly, pulling them both a little closer. "But honestly? This villa has been feeling a bit too quiet lately. Having a bright little girl like Daisy around will bring a nice, lively warmth to the place. Besides... it gives you two a little practice for our own future."
Both of their faces flushed bright pink at the same instant.
"Julian!" Clara gasped, swatting my arm lightly. "What are you even saying?! We aren’t anywhere near ready for children!"
"That’s why I said practicing, not having one right away," I laughed, stepping back before they could gang up on me.
While we were laughing, Clara’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. She picked it up, listening for a moment before her brows furrowed slightly. Hanging up, she looked over at me. "That was Young Master Young. He says he wants to meet up privately to discuss the terms of our new joint business contract."
A sharp spark of intuition flared in my mind. Something felt off about the timing.
"Alright, handle it carefully," I told her softly.
Once Clara and Seraphina headed off to organize Clara’s room, I walked out onto the private balcony and gestured toward the shadows near the perimeter. A subtle ripple crossed the air, and a figure clad in dark tactical attire quietly dropped down, kneeling instantly before me.
"Boss," the operative greeted, his voice low and respectful.
"I hear your division has some of the highest intelligence-gathering capabilities in the region," I said, my tone turning ice-cold. "I want a complete file on Young Master Young by tonight. Find out who he’s meeting, what he’s backing, and exactly what he’s planning."