Chapter 4 Maya's Smile.

The morning light shone through the glass panels of the corporate lobby, creating gorgeous golden stripes on the polished floor. Barron stood at the front entry, pretending to look at a cleaning checklist on his clipboard, but his attention kept drifting to the elevators. He had not stopped thinking about Charlotte since their elevator meeting. Her voice quivered as she talked about her mother, and she looked at him with sympathy rather than pity. A subtle, silent friendship had grown, one he had not expected and was unsure he wanted.

But here he was. Lingering.

He looked at his wristwatch-8:05 a.m.

Employees started to stream in, dressed professionally and marching purposefully. Then, just beyond the spinning doors, he saw her. Charlotte. She looked different in the daylight-less tired and more determined. She wore a beige trench coat and held the hand of a young kid, no more than five years old, clad in a pink sweater with a matching ribbon in her hair.

Barron blinked. The child looked up at her mother and laughed-bright, unfiltered, and innocent. The song pulled at something in his chest.

Charlotte observed him and froze for half a second before smiling in surprise.

"Morning," she said as they approached.

Barron straightened. "Morning." His voice sounded rougher than intended.

"This is my daughter, Maya," Charlotte said, softly pushing the little kid.

Maya glanced up at him with wide-eyed, frightened amazement. "Hello," she said meekly.

Barron bent slightly and brought himself down to her level. Hello, Maya. I am Barron.

Maya tilted her head. "You are the elevator guy."

Charlotte laughed. "Yes, this is the one."

Barron gave her a wink. "Best job in the building."

Maya's lips curled into a wide, genuine grin. She leaned out and, without hesitation, put a little flower sticker into his shirt pocket.

"For you," she said cheerfully.

He looked down, astounded. The sticker was yellow and featured a cartoon flower. It mattered more to him than the hundreds of business medals on display in his upstairs office.

"Thank you," he said gently.

Charlotte looked embarrassed. "Sorry, but she is suddenly interested in stickers. "She distributes them as business cards."

"I like it," Barron said, smiling. "Makes people feel recognized."

Charlotte's gaze remained on him for a while longer. Something happened between them, a shared understanding, a quiet gratitude.

"I usually drop her off at daycare on the first level before heading upstairs," she stated.

"You are early," he said.

"She insisted on bringing her own lunch today," Charlotte said, smiling. "So we are ahead of schedule for once."

Maya was smiling. "I baked heart sandwiches."

Barron chuckled. "That sounds great."

Charlotte leaned to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Come on, sweetie." Let us sign you in.

Barron's attention followed them as they neared the daycare entrance. Maya turned back and waved at him before sliding through the brightly painted door.

He remained stationary for almost a minute.

Later that afternoon, Barron wandered the top floor of his workplace, wearing neither disguise nor coveralls. He is a genuine person in his residence.

Maya's face kept coming back to him. Her eyes sparkled-that spontaneous grin. Flair had always desired children, but they had not made it that far. Seeing Maya resurrected an old and painful desire inside him, one he had previously suppressed and lamented.

Why now? He whispered to himself as he walked to the window.

He spent years avoiding vulnerability, believing it made him weak. Love and family-those were unexpected and painful. He had wealth, power, and a well-established system. However, one meeting with a young girl made his heart feel like a fresh bruise again.

He glanced away from the glass and grabbed his phone. On impulse, he contacted HR.

"Plan an employee lunch for interns next Friday," he said. "I will host it." Personally."

There was a pause. "Uh, yeah, Mr. Wolfe. Of course.

He hung up the phone and sat back in his chair, not sure whether it was dumb or courageous.

The following morning, Charlotte arrived slightly late, carrying Maya on one hip and a laptop bag on the other.

Barron was cleaning beside the elevator again. Of course, this was a coincidence.

Maya spotted him first. "Barron!" she shouted, struggling out of her mother's clutches.

Barron grabbed her just in time as she stumbled. "Whoa, small lady!"

"Do you still have my flower?" she said, peeking inside his pocket.

He tapped it. Of course. "It is good luck."

Charlotte seemed astounded. "Have you kept it?"

He met her eyes. "Best part of my day."

She blinked. "Wow. "You are full of surprises."

"Your mother is, too," he said softly.

Charlotte flushed and looked down. Come on, Maya. "Let us not make Mr. Barron late to work."

"It is alright," he said. "I have time."

Maya briefly wrapped her arms around his leg before racing to daycare.

"I hope she was not too much," Charlotte said.

"She was perfect."

Charlotte smiled. "She does not connect well with many individuals. How about you? "One sticker and you are in."

Barron said, "Children are excellent judges of character."

She tilted her head. "Are you the father?"

The question hit harder than expected. He paused, his eyes clouding slightly. "No. I wanted to be. Once."

Charlotte instantly regretted her question. "My apologies." "That was too intimate."

He shook his head. "It is okay. "You are not the only one with scars."

The stillness between them lingered until the elevator chimed.

"Have a good day," she said.

"You too, Charlotte."

As the elevator door closed, Barron smiled and examined the tag on his uniform.

He was not sure where this was going.

But, for the first time in years, he wished it were someplace authentic.