Chapter 1 Aiko

The Pan-Pacific Luxury Hotel was a gleaming monument to modern opulence, a towering structure of glass and steel that pierced the city's skyline. Inside, the air hummed with hushed elegance, a symphony of soft music, the gentle murmur of water features, and the subtle fragrance of exotic blooms. The lobby was a vast expanse of polished marble, adorned with intricate latticework and towering floral arrangements that seemed to defy gravity.

Aiko, working a late-night shift at this luxury hotel, fills the quiet hours by catching up on the latest celebrity gossip. A post about the Tanakas catches her eye - the tragic tale of the missing heiress still not found, the family's cursed lineage, and the immense pressure on the sole male heir. "One heir per generation...talk about a messed-up family," she mutters to herself, scrolling past photos of the giant Tanaka estate gates. Those were the only pictures granted to small blogs and news brands to publicize. Only the people in high-ranking classes could accurately identify the Tanakas, for security reasons. "Poor heir, what a life". She couldn't care less about their problems.

That is, until she delivers room service to the last VIP guest room for the night. A young guest, in his mid-twenties, "apparently spoiled too"... because the Pan Pacific took his checking in so seriously with high security procedures and all, why so many expenses for a night...

Pouring out the most expensive bottle in the hotel's exclusive bar and lost in these thoughts, she tripped over his foot, and for his sharp reflex, catching her midway through, she would've hit her bum so hard and in this moment, an undeniable connection sparks between them. Defying the hotel's strict rules, a moment of intimacy that promises more than either could anticipate.

But reality crashes in with the dawn. Aiko, overwhelmed by the intensity of their encounter and her own vulnerability, leaves her guest a note and slips away before he can offer payment or apologies. She departs, leaving him with an experience that transcends his carefully curated "bucket list"-a glimpse of a life unburdened by legacy and loss.

The sterile white of the pregnancy test strip held a stark, undeniable truth for Aiko. Two faint pink lines bloomed in the cramped confines of her small apartment bathroom, a silent explosion that shattered the mundane rhythm of her life. The opulent world of the Pan-Pacific Luxury Hotel, where she worked long hours to make ends meet, suddenly felt like a distant planet.

The memory of that late-night room service delivery is now a vivid, almost surreal recollection. The VIP guest, young and undeniably privileged, had been drowning his sorrows in an expensive bottle of something she couldn't even pronounce. Their brief, unexpected connection, sparked by her clumsy stumble and his surprising reflexes, had led to a night of unexpected intimacy, a defiance of the hotel's rigid rules. In the hazy aftermath, overwhelmed by a vulnerability she rarely allowed herself, Aiko had slipped away before dawn, leaving behind a hastily scribbled note in lieu of the awkward exchange of names or goodbyes. He remained a nameless face, a fleeting encounter in the grand theater of the hotel.

Days turned into weeks. Aiko continued her shifts, the hushed elegance of the Pan-Pacific now imbued with a strange, almost unsettling familiarity. She searched tirelessly through any discarded newspaper or magazine she could find during her breaks, her eyes scanning blurry photographs of prominent figures, the society pages, anything that might offer a clue to the identity of the man from the VIP suite. Each fruitless search tightened the knot of anxiety in her stomach. He remained elusive, a ghost from a different realm, and the hope of ever finding him dwindled with each passing day.

The initial fatigue she'd brushed off as the result of late nights intensified. A persistent nausea followed, a constant reminder of the secret she now carried. The missed period confirmed her suspicions, leading to the stark reality of the pregnancy test.

She confided in Mei, her closest friend and colleague at the hotel. Mei, with her warm heart and unwavering support, listened with wide eyes, offering comfort and practical advice.

As her body began to change, a fierce protectiveness bloomed within her. This child was hers, conceived in a moment of unexpected connection, but now solely her responsibility. The vast difference in their worlds – her small apartment, her demanding job, versus the unseen opulence of his life – felt insurmountable.

She started to build a life for herself and her baby, brick by quiet brick. Saving diligently, researching antenatal care in the local clinics, accepting hand-me-downs from Mei's sister. The future stretched before her, daunting yet filled with a burgeoning sense of purpose. The nameless guest from the Pan-Pacific remained a shadowy figure in the periphery, a catalyst for a life she never anticipated. The encounter had set her on a new course, one she would navigate on her own terms, her strength growing with each passing day, her focus solely on the tiny life growing within her.

Aiko's earliest memories were fragmented images of a crowded marketplace, the cacophony of vendors' calls and bustling crowds a stark contrast to the sudden silence when she found herself alone. She was perhaps four or five, clutching a worn-out doll, when a kind-faced vendor noticed her bewildered state and alerted the authorities. The orphanage that followed was a place of echoing corridors and the shared loneliness of children without families. A brief respite came in the form of a kind, ailing woman named Mama Jade, who, despite her own frail health, fostered Aiko for a few precious years. Mama Jade's small apartment, filled with the scent of lavender and old books, felt like a fragile sanctuary. She taught Aiko simple kindnesses, the names of flowers, and the comfort of a warm embrace. But Mama Jade's light eventually faded, leaving Aiko once more in the cold embrace of the foster care system.

Her subsequent adoption was a stark contrast to Mama Jade's gentle care. The family who took her in viewed her as more of a servant than a daughter, their indifference slowly curdling into outright cruelty. By her late teens, Aiko existed in a state of perpetual neglect and subtle abuse. The only way out, the desperate voice in her head screamed, was to take control of her own destiny, even if it meant crossing a line she never thought she would. Driven by a primal need for survival and a yearning for a life free from their torment, she meticulously planned her escape. One rainy night, she gathered what little belongings she had, along with a small stash of the family's money she had managed to pilfer over time, and disappeared into the anonymity of the city.

Singapore became her refuge, a distant beacon of opportunity she had only read about in discarded magazines. The initial months were a brutal lesson in survival. She juggled multiple menial jobs – cleaning offices in the pre-dawn hours, washing dishes in bustling restaurants, and folding laundry late into the night. Sleep was a luxury, and food was often whatever she could afford at the end of a grueling day. Yet, with each hard-earned dollar, a sense of independence bloomed within her. Slowly, painstakingly, she carved out a small niche for herself. A tiny rented room became her sanctuary, a place where she could finally breathe without the weight of expectation or fear. She enrolled in part-time business studies, a quiet ambition flickering within her, fueled by a desire for a life beyond mere survival.

Just as she began to find her footing, her life took an unexpected turn during that fateful late-night shift at the Pan-Pacific. The encounter with the nameless VIP guest was her first experience of true intimacy. He had been her first in every sense, a moment of unexpected tenderness that had left her feeling both vulnerable and strangely awakened. The случайность (coincidence, accident, or chance) of their meeting had planted a seed that was now irrevocably changing the course of her hard-won independence.

The confirmation of her pregnancy brought with it a wave of conflicting emotions. Fear mingled with a surprising surge of maternal instinct. The dreams of finishing her studies and building a stable career now seemed distant and complicated. As the weeks passed and her pregnancy became more apparent, the physical demands of her multiple jobs grew increasingly challenging.

With a heavy heart, Aiko made the difficult decision to quit her cleaning and waiting jobs, deferring her part-time studies indefinitely. Her savings, meager as they were, would have to sustain her through the final months of her pregnancy and the initial period of raising her child alone.

Five years had spun by since the encounter at the Pan-Pacific, and Aiko had moved on from hoping to accidentally stumble on her child's father. Five years of sleepless nights, unwavering love, and the quiet triumph of building a life from the ground up. Aiko had returned to her studies with fierce determination once William was a little older, juggling late-night classes with early mornings spent caring for her son. She had persevered, earning her business degree through sheer willpower and the unwavering support of Mei.

Her boy, William, was now a vibrant five-year-old, a whirlwind of curious energy and surprising intellect. He was in kindergarten, his bright eyes soaking up the world around him with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He was also remarkably caring, often offering his small toys to other children who seemed sad and always asking Aiko if she was tired after a long day. William was her constant companion, her anchor, the sunshine in her small but cherished world.

But the practicalities of life were pressing. William's kindergarten fees were manageable, but the looming expenses of primary school, coupled with his rapid growth spurts that rendered his clothes too small almost overnight, were a constant worry. Food costs for the two were steadily rising, and Aiko knew she needed more than her current administrative assistant job at a small import-export company could provide. She needed a better job, one that offered not just a higher salary but also more stability for her and William's future.

Despite the financial pressures, Aiko's love for William was a fierce and unwavering force. She often looked at his innocent face, his trusting eyes, and a vow echoed within her: he would not suffer the uncertainties and loneliness that had marked her own childhood. He would know he was loved, fiercely and unconditionally, even if one part of his origins remained a mystery.

"Mama, why is the sky blue?" William would ask, his small hand tucked into hers as they walked home from kindergarten.

Aiko would smile, bending down to his level. "That's a very good question, William. It's because of the way the sunlight travels through the air. We can look it up in your books when we get home, okay?"

Another time, noticing Aiko's tired sigh after a particularly long day at work, William had climbed onto her lap, his small arms wrapping around her neck. "Mama, are you sad?" he'd asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Just a little tired, sweetie," Aiko had replied, her voice thick with emotion as she held him close. "But you always make me feel better."

William would then plant a wet kiss on her cheek, his small voice earnest. "I love you, Mama. More than all the stars in the sky!"

Those moments, those small, precious exchanges, were the fuel that kept Aiko going. She would find a better job. She would provide for William. She would ensure he had a life filled with love and opportunity, a stark contrast to the solitary and often difficult path she had navigated.