"Daniel," Lady Bell called, her slippers clicking softly against the marble as she stepped onto the terrace. Her eyes scanned the dim corners until she caught sight of a shadow slouched in the far end, her brother, brooding in silence. "There you are," she sighed and crossed over, settling beside him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
She had noticed it the moment he walked in after picking up Betty from school, his steps were slow, his face drawn in a cloud of gloom. The same man who once commanded boardrooms with sharp confidence now seemed like a shell, cracked and hollowed.
"I'm fine," Daniel murmured, a practiced lie wrapped in a short, forced smile. But the image of that boy's arm wrapped around Esther played like a broken record in his head. The jealousy burned, toxic and relentless. He hadn't even returned to the office. Instead, he had changed into his homewear and poured himself into the cold embrace of scotch.
Alcohol wasn't the answer, but tonight, it was his only refuge.
"Daniel," Bell said, her tone turning sharper. "You can lie to everyone else, but not me. I raised you, remember?" She gave him that look, the one that always peeled through his armor. "Plus, Betty filled me in a bit. You know you can talk to me."
He sighed, finally letting his guard fall like dust in the wind. "I don't know what's happening to me," he admitted quietly. "I'm just… not okay."
"Is it Esther?"
His head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing at his sister's uncanny precision.
"I'm not blind, you know," Bell went on, unfazed. "I've seen the way you look at her. You love her, Daniel. You always have." She leaned in, voice gentle but firm. "And I also know you stupidly let her go. You pushed her away when she needed you, and now, you're sitting here drowning in regret."
He stared at her, the question forming in his eyes: How do you even know all that?
"Don't even ask me how I know," she said, waving a hand. "Not everyone's as clueless as you."
"I was stupid," he muttered, rubbing a hand down his face. "I pushed her away out of fear. Now it's too late. She's with someone else."
His voice cracked as he downed the last of his drink. The words felt like gravel in his throat.
He hated himself for it, not just for letting Esther go, but for the reasons behind it. He had been scared. Scared of what people would think. A widower with a child falling for a young woman just beginning her own life, it felt selfish. Wrong. She deserved more. Deserved freedom. Not a life bound to his grief and baggage.
But knowing that didn't make it hurt less.
"Daniel, why are you always so slow?" Bell snapped. "So what if she's in a relationship? I'm sure it's as recent as yesterday. That girl loves you, and if you stop sulking and start fighting for her, she'll come back to you."
He turned to her, aghast, as if she'd just told him to commit a felony.
"Bella, I'm not about to steal someone's girlfriend. And I'm definitely not going to compete with a boy over a girl half my age. That's ridiculous."
"Ridiculous?" Bell shot back, her voice rising. "This, this is your problem, Daniel! That stupid pride of yours. You do love her, don't you?"
He didn't answer at first. Then, quietly: "Do I have to say it out loud for it to be true?"
Bell gasped, her hands flying into the air in exasperation. "Good Lord, Daniel! The youth of today don't read minds, they need words! They need to hear it. If you truly love that girl, then you have to show it. Chase her, tell her how you feel. Fight for her like she's worth everything, because she is. Especially after you stupidly broke her heart."
Daniel sat there, silent, the weight of his sister's words pressing heavily on his chest.
He had lost Esther once.
He wasn't sure his heart could bear losing her again.
The night breeze drifted through the quiet compound , sweeping dried leaves across the pavement.
Daniel stood by his room balcony overlooking the garden, hands buried in the pockets of his joggers. He had been pacing the compound for over an hour now, restless, trapped in a storm of thoughts that refused to quiet.
Each step he took echoed his inner turmoil.
He had promised himself he'd never love again. Promised his late wife, by her grave, and in his own soul, that no other woman would ever take her place. That his heart, once given, would remain hers forever.
But now… now there was Esther.
He didn't know when it started. Maybe it was her laughter echoing through the halls, or the way she lit up when Betty smiled. Maybe it was her stubborn compassion, her quiet strength. Maybe it was the way she touched parts of his heart he thought had long gone cold.
Daniel let out a breath and leaned on the balcony rail, tilting his head to the night sky.
"I'm sorry, Marian ," he whispered. "I know I said I wouldn't fall for anyone else. I meant it then. I swear, I did. But…"
His voice faltered.
"But she's nothing like I expected. She's gentle with Betty… kind to everyone. She's not replacing you. No one ever could." He closed his eyes. "But I think I'm falling in love with her, and it scares me."
Silence answered him, broken only by the soft rustle of the wind through the trees.
Later, in his room, Daniel sat on the edge of his bed, a glass of water untouched beside him. The lights were dimmed low. He rubbed his temples, willing his mind to calm, when a soft knock came at the door.
"Come in," he called gently.
The door creaked open and Betty poked her head in. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, but she padded in slowly, hugging her stuffed bunny.
"Betty?" Daniel sat up straighter. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
She shook her head and climbed onto the bed beside him. "I couldn't sleep," she whispered, then looked up at him with wide, earnest eyes. "Daddy… I heard you and Aunt Bell talking earlier."
Daniel tensed. "You were listening?"
She nodded.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop… but I heard everything." Her fingers twisted nervously in her bunny's ears. "About you… and Esther."
Daniel sighed, his hand gently brushing through her curls. "I see."
"I just wanted to say…" she hesitated, then looked him in the eye, "I'm okay with it., if that's the reason you're being hesitant to pursue her"
He blinked. "What?"
"I'm saying and okay with you… courting her," Betty said slowly, as if trying to get him to understand the very word without repeat. "I like Esther. She makes you smile. And she always listens to me,even when I talk too much. The point am making is, that I want her to be with you, she's cool"
Daniel chuckled, his heart melting at her sweetness.
"I know she's not Mom," Betty continued, her voice growing quieter, "and I know you promised not to love someone else. But… it's okay. I think Mommy would be okay too."
Daniel's throat tightened.
"I could never replace your mother," he said gently, holding her close. "No one could. She was… everything. And I'll always love her, Betty. Always. But loving someone new doesn't mean I'm letting her go."
"I know," Betty whispered. "And Esther isn't replacing her either. She's just… becoming my new mom. That's how I see it."
Daniel looked down at his daughter, so young, and yet so full of understanding, and felt a wave of emotion crash over him.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. "Thank you, baby. You don't know how much that means to me."
Betty snuggled into him with a sleepy smile. "Just promise you'll be happy, Daddy. I like it when you're happy."
He kissed the top of her head. "I'll try, sweetheart. I really will."
Betty pulled back slightly, her sleepy eyes narrowing with mock seriousness. "And you better treat Miss Esther right," she warned, pointing a tiny finger at his chest. "Because if you ever hurt her… I'm coming for you."
Daniel chuckled, the sound soft and full of love. "Oh really?"
She nodded firmly. "I mean it, Daddy. No one messes with Esther, not even you."
His smile deepened as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "Deal. I'll be on my best behavior, ma'am."
Betty yawned, satisfied. "Good… just making sure."
And just like that, she nestled back into his arms, the weight of her tiny frame grounding him in a way nothing else ever could.
For the first time that night, Daniel felt a sense of peace. Not certainty. Not clarity. But a little light in the dark, a warmth only a child's unconditional love could offer.
And for now… that was enough.
And just like that, daylight broke over the towering skyscraper of LewisTech Corporation. At exactly eight o'clock, Daniel, as always, was in his office. But today, the calm, focused rhythm of his space was shattered by a far less quiet presence.
"Let me get this straight," Sankoh's voice boomed through the walls. "You had me out of bed by five in the cold, had me cancel a major investor meeting, just so you could ask me, how to court a girl?!"
He sprang from the chair like he'd been electrocuted, arms flailing in disbelief.
"I can't believe you, Lewis. You!, I was here at seven, seven Lewis !"
Daniel remained calmly seated, fingers steepled, expression unreadable. "I'll refund the six million crypto you lost last quarter," he said evenly.
Sankoh froze. "Who am I to argue with my one and only best friend?" he replied cheerfully, sliding back into his seat like nothing had happened. "So… what was the question again?"
Daniel sighed. "You're infamous with women. You know the terrain. I need your help."
"Wait," Sankoh raised a brow. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"Take it however you want. Just remember you're the only one I trust with this."
Sankoh grinned. "You really do know how to flatter a man. See? I am your only friend."
"We're not friends. We're business associates," Daniel corrected.
"Ouch," Sankoh winced dramatically. "You break hearts even better than you lose women. No wonder Esther walked out on you"
The glare Daniel shot him could've leveled a mountain.
"My bad. Go on."
Daniel hesitated, then exhaled. "I need you to help me win Esther back. She's in a relationship. I want to steal her."
Sankoh blinked. Then, as the realization hit, he burst into wild, unrestrained laughter, clutching his stomach.
"You, wait, you're serious?! You actually said 'steal someone's girlfriend'? And me of all people, you want me to help you with this?"
"I did," Daniel said without shame, his voice steady. "I'm done playing it safe. I want her. I just… need to do it right."
Sankoh wheezed as the laughter died down. "My God. Daniel Lewis, tech mogul, billionaire, king of logic, undone by a woman. I gotta admit, that girl has powers."
"If you're done laughing, I'm still paying you. But only if I succeed."
Sankoh straightened, all business now. "Alright. Let's start with phase one: wardrobe overhaul."
Daniel raised a brow, glancing down at his impeccable tailored suit. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Everything," Sankoh said, waving a hand dismissively. "You're going up against a Gen-Z. No offense, but you've got zero drip, and that suit screams 'divorced boardroom dad.' If you want to win, you have to play their game, and beat them at it."
Daniel muttered under his breath, "What the hell is 'drip'?"
"Exactly," Sankoh said with a grin. "Let's get to work."
And just like that, they were out of the office and the journey of transformation. The security detail out front and the "Closed for a Private Client" sign were the first clues that something big was going down inside city's most elite fashion house, Maison Elité.
Daniel had booked the entire space for the morning, no press, no gawking shoppers, just him and the chaos that came with bringing Sankoh.
And chaos it was.
"Daniel Lewis, billionaire tech mogul, trying on ripped jeans and an oversized hoodie… this is history in the making!" Sankoh shouted dramatically from across the mirrored showroom, phone raised like he was filming an Oscar-worthy documentary.
"Put that down," Daniel snapped, stepping out from behind a curtain in slim-fit black jeans and a deep green cashmere turtleneck.
Sankoh gave him a long, slow once-over.
"Okay, okay… Not bad. Not bad at all. You almost look like someone's emotionally unavailable ex from a Netflix show."
Daniel deadpanned, "That supposed to be a compliment?"
"Absolutely. Women love emotionally unavailable men. Just throw in a tragic backstory, maybe a dead wife or something, oh wait."
Daniel glared. "Touch that line again, and I'll bury you under the runway."
"Touchy," Sankoh muttered, unbothered. "Relax, bro. We're here to turn you into heartbreak fuel."
The stylist returned with another round of curated outfits, bowing slightly. "Mr. Lewis, the white-on-white streetwear with minimal gold accents? Or the dark academia vibe with the wool coat and bookish frames?"
"Neither," Daniel grunted, clearly over it.
Sankoh grabbed both.
"Try them both, my stubborn prodigy. We're going for versatility. Mysterious CEO by day, Gen-Z dream by night."
Daniel stepped back into the dressing room, muttering under his breath, "I'm a grown man being dressed like a TikTok influencer. This is the lowest point of my life."
"You know about TikTok, that's a development" Sankoh said with a wink.
Five minutes later, he emerged in cream-colored joggers, a structured designer hoodie, and high-end sneakers that probably cost more than a motorcycle.
Sankoh let out a slow whistle. "Well damn. Look who just leveled up."
Daniel looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting the hoodie with practiced hands. "I feel ridiculous."
"You look hot," Sankoh corrected. "This outfit says, 'I don't try too hard, but I absolutely own three yachts.' Now take a picture and send it to Esther."
Daniel blinked. "What?"
"You heard me," Sankoh said. "Post a thirst trap. Let her see what she's missing."
"I'm not posting thirst traps," Daniel growled.
"You're right, leave that to me," Sankoh grinned, already lifting his phone. "Give me moody billionaire. Brood. Squint. Give me tortured soul, Daniel."
Daniel stared at him, expression flat.
"Brooding, not boring!"
Daniel turned and walked back toward the changing room. "I'm done here."
Sankoh called after him, "You can't walk away from destiny just because your skinny jeans are suffocating your pride!"
A soft curse echoed from the changing room.
"Do not tag me in anything!" Daniel barked.
Too late. Sankoh grinned as he hit "Post" on his Instagram, uploading the photo with the caption:
"When your billionaire bestie starts competing with Gen-Z for the love of his life 😎🔥 #DaddyEnergy #LewisReloaded"