Chapter 2 - The Desperate Shift
Nora’s small hands trembled, but she pressed the cloth harder into the black marble, terrified that looking at the towering man would cost her everything.
"I have to finish before morning," Nora whispered, her voice shaking, refusing to look up from the desk.
Ethan stepped further into the expansive, dimly lit office. The silence of the luxury high-rise was deafening, amplifying the tiny squeaks of the cleaning cloth against the stone. He watched the realistic micro-expressions of panic flash across Nora’s pale face. She was exhausted. Her breathing was ragged under the weight of the baby strapped to her back, yet she moved with the desperate urgency of someone fighting for their life.
"Who told you to do this?" Ethan asked, taking another slow step forward, making sure not to startle her further. "Where is the night crew?"
Nora bit her lower lip, her brown hair falling over her eyes as she furiously scrubbed a spotless section of the desk. She knew the rules. The mean lady with the clipboard had made it very clear what would happen if the office wasn't absolutely perfect by sunrise.
"Please," Nora pleaded, her voice cracking as a single tear escaped and splashed onto the marble. "Please don't fire my mommy."
Ethan’s chest tightened. He was known in the financial world as a ruthless, untouchable shark. He fired executives without a second thought. But standing in front of this six-year-old child who was carrying the weight of her family’s survival on her tiny shoulders, his cold exterior completely shattered.
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He looked closely at the sleeping baby, Lucy, resting peacefully against Nora's back. The contrast between the innocent, sleeping infant and the heartbreaking tension of the six-year-old was devastating.
👉 What dark secret will Ethan discover hidden on the floor of his office?
