The old clock on the table signaled 5 in the morning. Under the flickering kitchen light, Olivia Carter quietly stirred her now-cold cup of coffee. Last night, she had only slept a few hours after an exhausting day at Sterling Enterprises. But she had long grown accustomed to it—a single mother had no right to be tired.

Her gaze drifted toward the small bed where Theo Carter, her son, was fast asleep. The little boy curled up under a thin blanket, his long eyelashes trembling slightly with his steady breaths. His pink lips were slightly pursed, his tiny face radiating the innocence Olivia was determined to protect. But what tightened her heart was the deep blue eyes of her son—eyes she had once seen on the face of another man. A man she had tried to forget for the past five years.

She sighed softly, reminding herself not to dwell on the past. Olivia once had it all—a bright future, a promising career path, and a grand dream of transforming the financial world. As an outstanding finance student at the University of London, she had received multiple scholarships and internship offers from prestigious corporations. But then her life changed entirely in just one night.

She discovered she was pregnant—just one year before graduation. Overwhelmed and unsure of how to face reality, she had waited for an explanation from the child’s father. But that person vanished from her life as if he had never existed.

She had two choices: abandon her dreams to keep the child or give up the child to pursue her career. And she chose her child. But the price of that decision was steep. She dropped out of school, losing all the career opportunities she had worked so hard to build. The early years of being a single mother were filled with tears and struggles. With no degree and no experience, she took temporary jobs—waitress, receptionist, retail clerk—just to make ends meet.

It wasn’t until Theo turned three that she got a chance to work as an administrative assistant at Sterling Enterprises, one of London’s largest financial corporations. The salary wasn’t high, but at least it provided her with a stable job and the ability to support her son. However, her life was still far from easy. The small apartment on the outskirts of London was barely enough for the two of them. She struggled to pay rent, preschool fees, food, and a mountain of bills. But no matter how exhausted she was, Olivia always made sure to keep a smile on her face when she got home. She never wanted Theo to sense her distress. But every day, she wondered—was she strong enough to keep going?

A Pivotal Moment: An Inevitable Decision

That morning, Olivia followed her usual routine—preparing breakfast for Theo, helping him into his uniform, checking his school bag, and then hurriedly getting ready for work. But just as she was about to head out with her son, her phone suddenly rang.

“I’m sorry, Olivia, I can’t watch Theo today. Something urgent came up.”

Her heart sank. She gripped the phone tightly, her voice turning desperate. “But I’m about to be late for work! I can’t leave him home alone.”

The babysitter on the other end sighed apologetically. “I’m really sorry, Olivia. Can you find someone else to watch Theo?”

But who else could she turn to? She had no family in London, and her friends were all caught up in their own lives. She glanced at the clock—less than 30 minutes until she had to be at work. If she was late, she could be reprimanded or even fired.

She turned to look at Theo. The little boy gazed up at her with bright, innocent eyes, completely unaware that his mother was facing a difficult decision.

In the end, Olivia took a deep breath. She had no other choice—she had to take Theo to work.

Stepping Into the World of Power

The towering Sterling Enterprises building stood in the heart of London—sleek and imposing, much like its CEO. Olivia stepped through the revolving glass doors, gripping Theo’s hand tightly as they entered the grand lobby. Employees in tailored suits rushed past her, moving with purpose. No one paid attention to the small woman holding the hand of a four-year-old boy. But Olivia could feel the weight of anxiety pressing on her. Children were not allowed in this professional environment. She could only pray that she would be able to keep Theo in her office all day without anyone noticing.

But she didn’t know that fate had other plans. In just a moment, her son would unknowingly come face-to-face with the man Olivia had spent four years avoiding. And in that instant, her entire world would be turned upside down—forever.

The Fateful Encounter

At the top floor of Sterling Enterprises, John Sterling stood silently before the massive glass wall, his cold gaze fixed on the opulent skyline of London. The towering skyscrapers, the bustling streets—everything below was a part of the empire he had built with his own hands.

At 35, John was one of the most powerful billionaires in England. He possessed a razor-sharp intellect, an unshakable decisiveness, and a heart devoid of sentiment. He had never believed in love, never thought that family was necessary. To him, emotions were a weakness—a force that could make people lose control and forget who they were.

But in just a few minutes, a four-year-old boy would shatter everything he had ever believed in.

A Failed Attempt to Hide

Olivia sat at her desk, holding her breath, her eyes darting anxiously toward Theo. She had given him strict instructions—stay quiet, no running, no leaving the room. But she knew how hard that was for an energetic child like Theo. And just as she had feared, in the brief moment she looked down to check her emails, Theo was gone.

Olivia gasped, spinning around. “Theo!” But the empty chair sent her heart plummeting. She shot to her feet, rushing out, her palms damp with sweat.

The grand hallway leading to the executive offices of Sterling Enterprises was eerily quiet. Senior executives walked briskly, too preoccupied to notice a small child sneaking around, eyes brimming with curiosity. Theo was sharp and perceptive. He knew his mother was worried, but he just wanted to explore a little.

And then—BAM.

Theo collided headfirst into a man. The impact sent him stumbling backward, nearly falling. But when he looked up, his eyes widened in shock. The man before him was tall, dressed in a flawless, expensive suit. His chiseled face was strikingly cold, and his deep blue eyes were like the night sky.

Instantly, Theo’s little heart raced. Those eyes.

He stared at John Sterling without blinking. For a brief second, it was as if some invisible connection had formed—something stronger than logic. And then, without hesitation—

“Daddy!” Theo shouted in excitement and threw his arms around John’s leg.

A deadly silence.

The entire hallway fell deathly still. Employees froze mid-step, staring. John Sterling—the man known for having zero personal attachments—now had a child clinging to him, calling him Dad.

John’s entire body went rigid. In all his life, he had never experienced a moment this bizarre. He looked down at the child clutching his leg—a boy with soft brown hair, wide round eyes, and most striking of all—the exact same deep blue eyes as his own.

A cold wave of suspicion crawled down John’s spine.

“Who is this child?” His voice was low, laced with impatience.

But Theo only hugged him tighter, his bright eyes filled with pure joy. “Daddy! I finally found you!”

And just like that, Olivia’s carefully guarded secret unraveled before her eyes.