The sun hung high, casting a warm glow over the neatly trimmed courtyard of UNIMAC University. Students bustled about, some with books in hand, others laughing in tight circles. Seated on a shaded bench near the fountain, Esther flipped through her notes, her mind torn between her upcoming exam and Betty's tearful expression from earlier that day.
"Esther!" a familiar voice called out. She looked up, closing her notebook, and saw Dija walking toward her with a cheerful smile.
"You're late," Esther said with a hint of reprimand. They had planned to study after their lecture, but Dija had gotten caught up with a few coursemates and asked Esther to wait.
"My bad," Dija said, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's grab something to eat."
Esther stood up, ready to leave, when her name rang out again, this time from a voice she didn't recognize.
"Miss Cole?" a deep, unfamiliar voice called gently.
She turned and found a tall figure approaching, dressed in a dark suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and sharp jawline.
"Uncle Daniel?" Dija muttered in surprise, clearly not expecting to see him there, or looking for her friend.
Daniel offered a polite nod. "I hope I'm not intruding. Professor Turay mentioned you'd be here between classes."
Esther froze, momentarily stunned by the presence of the tech mogul on campus. "Good afternoon, sir. You're not intruding… just surprising."
"Uncle," Dija chimed in with a warm smile.
"Dija, if you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your friend for a few minutes. I promise to return her soon," Daniel said smoothly.
Dija caught the hint quickly and stepped back, waving at Esther with a teasing grin.
Daniel gestured toward the campus café a short walk away. "Would you mind joining me for a coffee and a chat?"
Esther nodded cautiously and followed him. They sat at a small table, and Daniel ordered the coffee while she waited, unsure of what was to come.
There was a brief silence before he finally turned to her fully.
"Let me introduce myself properly, I'm Daniel Lewis, Betty Lewis's father."
A rush of emotion surged in Esther's chest. She had a sense of what this conversation might be about.
"I'm here because of her," Daniel continued. "I found out today that you're her psychology tutor."
"Just an assistant. Nothing much," Esther replied quickly, fingers nervously toying with the paper cup.
"From what I've heard, you're more than just an assistant," he said slowly. "Yesterday and today, she spoke more than she has in years. She showed emotions she hasn't expressed since my wife passed." His voice softened, carrying a rare vulnerability.
Esther looked down, tightening her grip on the cup. "I didn't do anything magical. I just listened."
"That's more than anyone's managed to do," he replied. "Whatever you did, it mattered to her."
A faint smile tugged at her lips. "I'm glad. Truly."
Daniel studied her quietly for a moment, then leaned forward, folding his hands.
"I won't waste your time. My sister told me you declined the offer to be Betty's live-in governess. I understand, school, family, responsibilities. But I wanted to ask again. This time, not as a CEO… but as a father."
Esther hesitated, then met his eyes. A part of her dreaded disappointing him again.
"I appreciate the offer, and I'm honored that Betty feels comfortable with me. But my life isn't structured to take on that kind of role. I still live with my mother. I need my job at the Academy to support my tuition. I have classes, responsibilities… and I'm not ready to disappear into someone else's world, no matter how well it pays."
Daniel nodded thoughtfully, his expression unreadable. "What if we made it so you didn't have to disappear? What if we worked around your classes, provided transport, even coordinated with your professors if necessary? You could still work part-time at the Academy, if that matters to you."
Esther blinked in surprise. "You'd go that far?"
"For Betty, yes," he said without hesitation. "I'm not trying to uproot you, I just want to give my daughter a chance at happiness. And right now, you seem to be the light she's holding on to."
The words struck deep, and for a moment, Esther didn't know what to say.
She looked away, troubled. "I'm not sure I'm strong enough to carry that."
"I think you already are," Daniel said gently.
A heavy silence fell between them.
Finally, Esther lifted her gaze again, calm but resolute. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Lewis. But I can't be a live-in governess."
Daniel paused, then nodded respectfully. Though disappointment flickered in his eyes, he accepted her decision with grace.
"Of course," he said, rising from his seat. He handed her a business card. "If you ever change your mind, you can always reach out."
As he walked away, Esther remained seated, silent, still, and just a little overwhelmed. She'd expected resistance, formality, even arrogance.
Instead, she saw a father who loved his daughter.
And maybe… just maybe… a man who wasn't as untouchable as the headlines painted him to be.
No sooner had he left than Dija reappeared, grinning mischievously.
"Okay, spill it. What was Uncle Daniel doing here? And why was he asking for you personally?" She eyed her friend curiously. "He's not one to meet people casually, especially not an ordinary student."
Esther waved her off. "Forget it. Let's go grab something to eat."
Meanwhile, The rooftop café at Lewis Corporation offered a scenic view of the city skyline, with neatly arranged tables, a soft breeze, and the aroma of fresh espresso lingering in the air.
Thomas sat with his back straight, ever composed, a cup of black coffee before him. Across the table, Sarah stirred her cappuccino slowly, her eyes flicking to him with the subtle intensity of a hunter stalking prey.
"So," she began, breaking the silence with a light tone, "you really said yes to coffee with me. I'm flattered."
Thomas gave her a calm smile. "I said yes to coffee. You just happen to be the one sitting across."
She let out a breathy laugh. "Still as sharp as ever. No wonder you've survived years under Mr Lewis."
He raised a brow but said nothing.
Sarah leaned forward, her tone shifting from playful to curious. "So… where were you off to earlier? I've never seen you move that fast unless the building's on fire."
Thomas took a sip of his drink. "Work."
"Mmhmm. And this 'work'… does it have anything to do with a certain woman?" Sarah asked, her voice silky smooth as her spoon clinked gently against the porcelain cup. She had overheard just enough earlier, Mr. Lewis speaking of a promise… something about a woman. The details were vague, but her curiosity had flared instantly.
"A woman, I would presume," she emphasized, carefully watching Thomas's every reaction.
There it was, the slight shift in his jaw, the tightened grip around his cup. Subtle, but enough.
Sarah's smile sharpened as her fingers tightened on her cup. So it is about a girl…
Her mind churned. Since when does Daniel Lewis bother himself with a woman, let alone speak so personally about one?
She leaned forward slightly, voice still sweet but lined with suspicion. "You don't have to say anything, Thomas. I'm not blind, you know."
Thomas gave a small sigh, setting down his cup with quiet finality. "Take my advice and stay out of the boss's personal life." He liked her but he was no fool to not see her tricks and attempts to manipulate her way into the Lewis household.
"What have I done? I'm only asking," Sarah said with a playful shrug.
"And I'm only warning you." He looked her dead in the eyes. "Mr. Lewis's personal matters aren't your business. He's out of reach, Sarah. No tricks, no angles, you won't get what you're hoping for."
The jab landed. She felt it deep, but she didn't let it show.
Her smile thinned, colder now. "I know what I'm doing. Maybe you should worry. If this new girl, whoever she is, wins his attention, what makes you so sure she won't win your job too?"
"You're making assumptions," Thomas said, his tone calm but firm.
"I'm just observing," Sarah replied, sipping slowly. "And I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about what she could change, for the rest of us."
She met his gaze directly, eyes holding something darker now. Possessive. Calculating.
Thomas stood, done with the conversation. "Thanks for the coffee," he said simply.
As he turned to leave, he added without looking back, "Some doors are locked for a reason, Sarah. Try not to get burned forcing them open."
She watched him disappear down the stairwell, the wind brushing past her shoulders like a whisper.
He hadn't said much. But it was enough.
Whoever this new girl was, she had done something no one had ever done. She had Daniel Lewis's attention. And that meant she was a threat.
Sarah's grip on her cup tightened.
She didn't know who this girl was… yet.
But whoever dared get in the way of what she wanted and had been working toward for years, would regret it.
Night ran like a thief, but for the Cole household, peace never came.
Esther had just booked a late bus for home when a call from her elder sister, Zianab, broke through her evening calm.
"Come to Cottage Hospital," was all she said.
No details. Just the place. But the tremble in her voice, raw, hollow, sent a surge of unease spiraling through Esther's chest.
She didn't hesitate.
Two buses and thirty anxious minutes later, Esther stood at the gates of Cottage Hospital. The evening had dipped fully into night, the air cold and humming with fluorescent lights. Her heart beat quicker with every step up the stairs, past ward signs and the faint antiseptic smell curling in the air.
Oncology Ward.
Her steps slowed.
Why this ward?
Her pulse quickened. She didn't stop to read the rest of the sign. She pushed the door open.
There stood Zianab, arms crossed tightly over her chest, pacing like she was trying to outrun her own thoughts. Her eyes shot up at Esther's approach, and instantly softened.
"Zianab, what's going on?" Esther asked, breathlessly.
Her sister didn't answer, not at first. Instead, she pulled Esther into a long, trembling hug. Her body shook. Esther felt it all: the fear, the helplessness, the pain Zianab was trying to hold together.
After a moment, Zianab stepped back, swallowed hard, and finally spoke.
"Mom… she has brain cancer."
Her voice cracked.
Esther blinked. "What?"
"It's… it's at the last stage, Esther."
Her voice was barely a whisper now, choked on the truth she'd been holding in.
The ground might as well have vanished beneath Esther's feet.
She stood still, cold, breath caught, thoughts screaming.
"No… no, that can't, She was fine just last week, she just had a headache.."
"She's been hiding it," Zianab said bitterly, wiping her cheeks. "Keeping the pain to herself. She didn't want to worry us."
Esther stared past her sister toward the corridor beyond, where her mother lay unseen, battling something that had silently grown within her.
Her legs moved, but it felt like walking through fog. Everything inside her had cracked open.
And somewhere deep down…
She knew their lives had just changed forever.
An hour had passed. Esther sat in a quiet corner of the hospital corridor, her phone resting loosely in her hand, her mind tangled in a thousand thoughts.
The weight of her mother's diagnosis pressed heavily on her chest. She closed her eyes briefly, then reached into her bag and pulled out the business card that had been handed to her not long ago. She stared at the name, Daniel Lewis, etched in bold black letters.
Her thumb hovered over the number.
This wasn't about pride anymore. Or plans. Or even fear.
This was about saving her mother.
With a quiet breath, she dialed.
It rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She didn't know what to expect. Would he even answer? Would he agree? Or had she already lost her chance?
Then the line clicked.
"Hello, who's this?" came the deep voice on the other end.
Esther steadied her breath.
"Mr. Lewis, it's Esther…"
A pause.
"Can we meet? I've reconsidered."