Chapter 1

The rain poured down.

Natalie Oliver stood outside the Larsen villa, clutching her burning-hot daughter, Daisy Larsen.

Rainwater dripped from her hair as Daisy, her face flushed and feverish, whispered weakly, "Mommy, I feel unwell."

"Harry, she's burning up. Her temperature is 104°F," Natalie turned and shouted at the man standing under the porch, holding an umbrella.

She said, "Even if you don't want me as your wife, Daisy is still your daughter."

Harry Larsen frowned and took a step back, as if afraid the rain might touch him.

Beside him stood a woman in a white dress, Penny Scott, his precious first love, always so frail and delicate.

Penny clutched her chest and leaned weakly against Harry. "Harry, I'm so scared of thunder. And my heart isn't feeling well. I can't stand any loud noises at home."

"Did you hear that?" Harry shot Natalie a cold look. "Penny's health is fragile. She can't handle any stress. Take that sickly child outside for now, and come back when she's asleep."

Natalie couldn't believe her ears. "Harry, look at Daisy. This is your own daughter, and she's burning up."

"It's just a fever. She's not going to die," Harry said coldly, his eyes sweeping over the small figure in Natalie's arms.

He snapped, "If you hadn't schemed to get pregnant, I never would've married you.

"Penny is the one I wanted to marry. You could never measure up to her."

Penny coughed softly, her eyes rimmed with tears. "Harry, don't say that about Natalie. It's all my fault. If I weren't so fragile, none of this would have happened."

"It's not your fault," Harry said, pulling her closer. "She's the shameless one, always pushing herself into our lives."

Natalie gave a cold, bitter laugh.

It was so cold that not even the pouring rain could thaw it.

Natalie had spent five years in this house as a substitute and nanny, serving Harry's parents, caring for a man who never treated her as his wife, and raising three kids.

She thought time could change everything, thought the children would make him love her again.

It turned out that, in Harry's eyes, she couldn't hold a candle to Penny.

"Fine," Natalie said, clutching Daisy tighter. "Harry, don't forget what you said today."

She turned and walked away, trudging through ankle-deep water, step by step, out the gate.

Behind her, Penny called out with feigned concern, "Harry, it's pouring outside. She's a woman alone with her child..."

"Don't bother with her. She'll come crawling back in a few days," Harry cut her off, full of disdain. "With three kids in tow, where else could she go without the Larsen family?"

Natalie paused for a moment and walked faster.

That was true. I had nowhere to go.

Since her family kicked her out three years ago, she knew there was no turning back.

The so-called Oliver family had no place for her after she refused to marry a sixty-year-old man for a business deal.

But that was fine.

She had her own two hands, a sharp mind, and three kids to fight for.

She could lose everything, but she would never lose her dignity.

As Natalie reached the villa gate, a black Bentley came speeding toward her.

The headlights were blinding, so she stepped out of the way, but the car stopped a few feet away from her.

The back window rolled down slowly.

A cold, aristocratic face appeared through the rain. The man looked to be about thirty, with deep-set eyes and features so sharp that they could cut glass.

His presence was as cool and distant as mist over a mountain, untouched by anything mundane.

It was Leo Larsen.

He was a legend in the elite circle, known as the man who never got close to women. He was the true boss of the Larsen Group and Harry's uncle.

Natalie had only seen him twice. Once at her wedding, he sat at the main table, silent the whole time.

Another time was during Christmas, when he came to pay his respects to his grandmother. He barely stayed in the living room for ten minutes before leaving.

Both times, he never spared her a glance.

Right now, his eyes were fixed on the flushed, feverish child in her arms.

"Get in the car," Leo said.

*****

Natalie was momentarily stunned.

Leo had stepped out of the car, opening a black umbrella. The rain soaked his pants, but his face remained impassive.

He reached out and gently took the child from her arms, handling her as if she might break at the slightest touch.

"How long has she had a fever?" Leo asked.

"Her fever started this afternoon, and she's almost at 104°F now," Natalie replied instinctively.

Leo had settled Daisy in the back seat and turned to Natalie. "Why are you still standing there? Get in."

His voice was cool, but carried a pressure that brooked no argument.

Natalie paused for a moment before she hurriedly slipped into the car.

As the door closed, Natalie caught sight of Harry standing under his umbrella at the villa entrance, watching them.

His face was twisted with conflicting emotions, like he wanted to come over, but couldn't bring himself to do it, or maybe didn't care enough.

Leo noticed this, too.

He bent down and spoke to Natalie, his voice loud enough for Harry to hear.

He said, "Call this number. The Larsen family's private hospital. We'll be there in ten minutes."

Then, Leo drew a business card from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to Natalie.

The card was still warm from his touch.

The car drove off into the storm. Natalie hugged Daisy tightly, watching Harry's figure grow smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.

He looked like he was shouting something, but the rain drowned out his words.

She lowered her gaze to the business card in her hand.

"Leo Larsen" was embossed in gold letters, and underneath was his personal phone number.

"Why are you helping us?" Natalie asked.

Leo, behind the wheel, didn't look back, his tone steady. "The kid's innocent."

Natalie fell silent for a moment and gave a small, bitter laugh. "Mr. Larsen, do you know that the guy who kicked us out is your nephew?"

"I know," Leo replied.

"Then why are you still helping us?" Natalie asked, her voice trailing off.

"Natalie," Leo finally called her by name, his tone still cool. "Three years ago, you turned down the marriage the Oliver family arranged.

"You left with nothing but your dignity and moved into a tiny apartment, barely 30 square feet, with your newborn triplets.

"You worked all day, studied at night, and a year later got accepted into Solarin Medical College for your master's.

"This year, you were fast-tracked as a PhD candidate, focusing on rare pediatric diseases."

Natalie was stunned.

She'd never told anyone about any of this.

"I know more than you think," Leo said, finally turning to look at her. Something flashed in those deep eyes of his.

"Because Harry can't see what's right in front of him doesn't mean everyone else is blind," he added.

The car pulled up in front of a brightly lit building. The sign out front said: Larsen Private Children's Hospital.

"Go on in," Leo said. "I've called ahead. The best doctors are waiting for you."

Natalie got out of the car, carrying Daisy in her arms. After a couple of steps, she paused and looked back.

Leo was still standing by the car, the black umbrella hiding most of his face, leaving only his chiseled jawline in the rain.

"Mr. Larsen," she said, "I owe you for this. One day, I'll return the favor."

He didn't answer.

But as Natalie turned away, she heard a voice behind her, so soft it was barely audible. "I'll be waiting."