But Victoria had kept an old photograph of him. For years, she had told Lily stories about the kind of man he had been. A man who believed everyone deserved a place at the table. A man who once told Victoria that meant nothing if you had nobody to share it with. A man who had died unexpectedly before he could meet his daughter.
Victoria had buried that part of her life so deeply that she rarely allowed herself to think about it. Until now. That evening, Victoria sat alone in her apartment after Lily had fallen asleep. The city lights stretched across the windows, reflecting against the glass like distant stars. Her laptop was open on the dining table, filled with emails and financial reports, but she could not concentrate.
She kept thinking about Daniel. Not because she was attracted to him. Not yet. She was thinking about the way he had spoken to Lily. She was thinking about the way he had said that people sometimes ask to sit with you because they need to know someone will make room for them.
Then she thought about her own life. Her company had hundreds of employees. Her calendar was full. Her phone never stopped ringing. Her bank account was more than comfortable.
Yet she could not remember the last time someone had simply asked her if she was okay. She looked toward Lily's bedroom. For years, she had told herself that giving Lily everything was the same as giving her happiness. But perhaps it wasn't. Perhaps Lily did not need a mother who could solve every problem.
Perhaps she needed a mother who could sit beside her without checking her phone. The next morning, Victoria made a decision. She would find Daniel. She had no intention of invading his life. She simply wanted to thank him.
But finding an ordinary man in a city of millions was harder than she expected. Then she remembered the name on the photograph. Emma Carter. That was enough for her assistant to locate a public record connected to a school charity event. Victoria found Daniel's name.
She found his old workplace. She discovered that he had recently applied for several management positions. And then she saw something that made her stop. His resume. It was excellent.
Years of experience. Strong recommendations. Successful projects. Leadership skills. But there was a gap.
A large gap. The years after his wife's death. Victoria understood immediately why companies might hesitate. They saw a gap. She saw a father who had chosen his daughter.
For the first time in years, Victoria used her influence for something that had nothing to do with business. She contacted a company where she knew the hiring director. She did not ask them to hire Daniel. She simply asked them to look at his resume again. The company did.
Daniel got an interview. He had no idea why. Two days later, he received an offer. It was not from Victoria's company. It was from a respected firm that needed exactly the kind of experience he had.
Daniel stared at the offer letter for several minutes. Then he called his sister. "I got the job," he said. His voice broke. His sister started crying.