Chapter 5 - The Turning Point
I stood frozen in the center of the office, staring at Sebastian as if he were a mythical creature. The man who had terrorized lazy line cooks and arrogant managers with a single glance had just dismantled one of the most powerful legal dynasties in the city with a phone call—all to protect a dishwasher and her infant daughter.
“Is it... is it really over?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Can they really never touch us again?”
Sebastian walked around his desk, stopping just a few feet away from me. The harsh, intimidating aura he projected to the corporate world had vanished, leaving behind something gentle, quiet, and deeply human.
“They won't touch you,” Sebastian said, his gray eyes steady and reassuring. “Sterling & Vance values its reputation above all else. Once those documents are signed and sealed by my legal team, any attempt by Julian or Richard Sterling to claim paternity or custody will be legally void. You and Lily are safe.”
My knees finally gave out.
The sudden collapse of the tension that had held me together for eighteen months—the constant fear of being hunted, the sleepless nights worrying about lawyers, the exhausting scramble to pay rent and buy formula—all of it crashed down at once. I sank onto the edge of the leather chair, burying my face in my hands as the sobs finally broke free.
I wasn’t crying out of sadness anymore. I was crying because the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.
A moment later, I felt a warm, heavy weight settle over my shoulders. I looked up through my tears. Sebastian had draped his expensive, tailored suit jacket over me to keep me warm. He knelt down beside my chair, carefully supporting Lily so I wouldn't drop her while I wept.
“You’ve been fighting this war all by yourself, haven't you?” he asked quietly.
“I didn't have a choice,” I choked out, wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my uniform shirt. “When Julian found out I was pregnant, he told me a child would ruin his career at his father’s firm. He gave me two options: an abortion clinic or vanishing from the city with a cash envelope that would barely cover two months of rent. I took the door and walked away.”
“You’re braver than you know, Maya,” Sebastian said softly. He reached out and gently brushed a stray curl of hair from my forehead. His touch was warm, comforting, and entirely unexpected.
Lily let out a soft coo, reaching out a tiny, chubby hand to grab onto the lapel of Sebastian’s white dress shirt. Sebastian smiled—a genuine, unguarded smile that transformed his stern face completely—and let her tiny fingers wrap around his thumb.
“Well,” Sebastian said, clearing his throat and standing up gracefully. “It appears my restaurant has a dinner service to run, and you have a very sleepy little girl who needs a proper meal and a quiet place to rest.”
“What about my job?” I asked, sudden panic flaring up again. “Veronica is gone, but I brought my baby into the linen room... I violated policy—”
Sebastian raised a hand, cutting me off with a faint smirk.
“Effective immediately,” he declared, “Calder House is implementing a brand-new employee wellness policy. Starting tomorrow, we are converting the vacant executive suite on the third floor into a fully supervised on-site daycare and family lounge for our staff members who are parents.”
May you like
I stared at him in utter disbelief. “An on-site daycare? At a high-end restaurant?”
“Why not?” Sebastian shrugged, his eyes twinkling with a rare spark of humor. “Good hospitality starts with taking care of the people who make the establishment run. Besides, I think Lily needs a dedicated play area if she’s going to inspect my basement office on a regular basis.”
