Chapter 2 The Girl Who Doesn't Smile

• Mia stared at the little girl holding her hand.
• Lily was five years old, Adrian Black's daughter.
• The child who had somehow managed to turn a job interview into the strangest moment of Mia's life.
• “I want this nanny.”
• Adrian's expression was impossible to read.
• Mia slowly released Lily's hand.
• “Lily,” he said again, his voice quieter this time. “Come here.”
• Lily shook her head. It was such a small movement, but Mia noticed the way Adrian's shoulders stiffened. He wasn't used to being disobeyed.
• Apparently, neither was Lily.
• A security guard appeared behind Adrian.
• “Sir, should I take her upstairs?”
• Lily immediately moved closer to Mia.
• “No.”
• The word was so faint Mia almost thought she had imagined it.
• She looked down. Lily's eyes were wide.
• “You said something,” Mia whispered.
• Lily stared at the floor. The security guard looked confused. Adrian didn't move.
• Mia looked between them.
• “What happened?”
• Adrian's jaw tightened.
• “Nothing.”
• “That wasn't nothing.”
• His gaze sharpened.
• “You've already been dismissed, Miss Harper.”
• “I know.”
• “Then leave.”
• Mia should have.
• Every sensible part of her brain told her to walk away from Black Tower, find another job, and never look back.
• But Lily's fingers were still curled around hers.
• And the little girl's face looked so heartbreakingly sad that Mia couldn't make herself move.
• “What's her name?” Mia asked.
• Adrian frowned.
• “You know her name.”
• “I mean her full name.”
• “Lily Elena Black.”
• Mia smiled softly.
• “Elena.”
• Something flickered across Adrian's face. Pain. It disappeared almost immediately.
• Mia didn't ask. She wasn't there to pry into their family. She was there because a little girl was crying. Mia crouched again.
• “Lily, do you like music?”
• Lily didn't answer.
• “Dancing?”
• Nothing.
• “Chocolate?”
• A tiny blink.
• Mia smiled.
• “Okay. Chocolate is definitely a yes.”
• The security guard cleared his throat.
• “Miss, you can't remain here.”
• Mia glanced at him.
• “Give me one minute.”
• “Mr. Black said... ”
• “I heard him.”
• She looked back at Lily.
• Then she did something completely ridiculous.
• She started singing. Not loudly, not beautifully. Just a silly little tune she remembered from childhood, making up ridiculous words about a banana wearing yellow shoes and dancing across the kitchen.
• The security guard stared, Adrian stared, Lily stared but Mia continued.
• She added an exaggerated dance while sitting on the carpet, wiggling her shoulders and pretending to slip on an imaginary banana peel.
• “I have made a terrible mistake,” she announced dramatically. “The banana has betrayed me.”
• Nothing. Then Lily's lips twitched. Mia froze.
• Was that... a smile?
• Barely. So small it could have been an accident.
• Mia continued the song.
• ' The banana went left, the banana went right, the banana fell asleep.
• Mia lowered her voice to a ridiculous whisper.
• “And then the banana…”
• She leaned closer.
• “…started snoring.”
• Lily covered her mouth. A tiny giggle escaped.
• Mia's heart lifted. The security guard looked at Adrian. Adrian hadn't moved. His eyes were fixed on his daughter.
• Lily giggled again. It was quiet and almost unfamiliar, but it was definitely a laugh.
• Adrian's face changed. He didn't look happy. He looked stunned, as though someone had just told him the laws of nature had stopped working.
• Mia glanced at him.
• “What?”
• He didn't answer.
• “Does she never laugh?”
• Adrian's silence was answer enough.
• Mia's smile faded. She looked at Lily. The little girl was now watching her carefully.
• “How long has it been since you laughed?”
• Lily shruggeda and Mia's chest tightened.
• Adrian finally spoke.
• “Two years.”
• Mia looked at him.
• “Two years?”
• He nodded once.
• “Her mother died two years ago.”
• The room became quiet. Mia looked back at Lily. She suddenly understood the sadness in those dark eyes.
• Elena hadn't just been Lily's mother, she had been the center of Lily's world. And when she disappeared, Lily had gone quiet with her.
• “She hasn't spoken since,” Adrian said.
• Mia looked at him again.
• “You mean she hasn't said a single word?”
• “No.”
• “Not even to you?”
• His expression hardened.
• “No.”
• Mia didn't know what to say.
• The billionaire standing in front of her suddenly looked less like the ruthless man from the interview and more like a father who had spent two years watching his daughter disappear behind silence.
• Mia turned back to Lily.
• “That's a long time to keep all those words inside.”
• Lily looked down. Mia sat beside her.
• “You know what?”
• Lily glanced at her.
• “I talk too much.”
• A tiny smile appeared again.
• “My mother says I can turn one sentence into a whole speech.”
• Lily watched her. Mia continued.
• “I think maybe you don't have to talk if you don't want to.”
• Lily's eyes lifted.
• “But if you ever feel like saying something…”
• Mia held out her pinky.
• “…I'll listen.”
• Lily stared at the offered finger.
• Then she slowly hooked her tiny pinky around Mia's.
• Adrian watched from the doorway. He couldn't remember the last time Lily had willingly touched a stranger. He couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen that light in her eyes.
• And now this woman, this completely unsuitable woman who had lied on her resume, had walked into his home and somehow reached his daughter in minutes.
• It made no sense. It made him uncomfortable. It made him afraid, because he had spent two years protecting Lily from disappointment, from people who came into their lives and left, from anyone who might make promises they couldn't keep.
• And Mia Harper had already admitted she couldn't promise anything.
• Yet Lily was holding onto her as though she had known her forever.
• “Daddy?”
• Adrian went still. Lily was looking at him. She hadn't called him that in years. His throat tightened.
• “What?”
• Lily looked at Mia, then back at him.
• “Can she stay?”
• Adrian didn't answer immediately. Mia slowly stood.
• “Lily, I should go.”
• Lily's face fell and Mia felt something twist inside her. She crouched once more.
• “I need to find out if your daddy will let me stay.”
• Lily looked at Adrian, then she did something that made the entire room freeze.
• She whispered,
• “Will you be my mommy?”