Chapter 5 The Hidden Heartbeat.

The workplace was quieter than usual. Most executives had left early for a charity dinner, which Barron had deliberately avoided. He was not in the mood for drinks or phoney smiles. Instead, he sat alone in his executive suite, the lights turned down, and a single desk lamp cast a warm pool of light over a stack of intern project ideas.

He would seek the papers himself-officially, to appraise the potential of internal talent. Unofficially, he was curious. I am intrigued about her.

Charlotte.

Her name appeared on the manila folder he was carrying. Part of him felt bad, he should not be favouring her. However, curiosity has given way to something more in recent days. Her presence lingered in his thoughts for longer than required. Maya's laughing nicely struck him.

Barron drew a breath before opening the file.

Inside was a little bundle of no more than ten pages. Her writing was clear and professional. But it was not the polish that drew him in, it was the heart behind the lines.

"Mothers want authority, not pity. A collection that makes people feel fashionable, useful, and proud. Clothing that both commemorates their day and celebrates their uniqueness.

He leaned in.

Each part was jam-packed with important information, such as low-cost sourcing tactics, flexible designs that can be used for everything from daycare drop-offs to corporate meetings, and daring inclusion advertising that features genuine parents rather than paid models. The brand's name is EverHer.

Barron slid back into his chair, curiously winded.

This was more than incredible, it was visionary. Beyond that, it was personal. He could feel her in it.

He cautiously closed the folder, his heart beating slightly faster. How many people had overlooked her, believing she was just another intern, a struggling mother with a pretty face?

But Barron has spotted it now. The fire is under the surface-the sound of someone wanting to establish not just a profession but also a legacy.

He buzzed his assistant.

"Find out who is in charge of the internship portfolio evaluations."

"That is Mr. Ellison from Development."

"Direct him to categorize Charlotte Evans' request for executive consideration. Quietly. "I want everything back on my desk by next week, this time with projections and pitch materials."

There was a pause. "Yes, sir."

Barron ended the conversation with his fingers thumping on the table.

He excused his conduct by convincing himself that the project required them. That it had nothing to do with Charlotte's smile or the softness of her voice while discussing her child.

But he knew better.

The next day, Charlotte was running late. Again.

She held Maya's little hand as they raced across the lobby. With each quick step, the young girl giggled, dressed in a blue cardigan and dazzling boots.

"We are late, sweetheart. "No more heart sandwiches in the morning, okay?" Charlotte muttered, short of breath.

"But you said they made you feel brave."

Charlotte could not stop laughing. "They do." "I only wish they made me faster."

As they neared the elevator, she almost bumped into someone who was standing at the panel.

Barron.

I am still wearing janitorial gear.

"You are going to get a speeding ticket," he laughed.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Blame the chef."

Maya grinned up at him. "Guess what? I brought two stickers in her lunch!"

"Double power," Barron said, pleased.

Charlotte gazed at him. "You normally come here in the mornings. Is this your favourite floor, or do you have a secret twin cleaning up there?"

He shrugged, holding the elevator door open. "Maybe I prefer the early hubbub."

"Or in the morning, guys," she continued as she entered.

The elevator began to ascend. Maya leaned on Barron's leg like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You are extremely good with her," Charlotte answered softly.

Barron stared down at the baby. "She reminds me of someone from a dream."

Charlotte tilted her head. "A niece?"

"A daughter I have never met."

Charlotte's expression softened, and her eyes glistened. "My apologies."

He nodded, avoiding the agony he felt every time he thought of Flair, the future they never had.

"It is alright," he said. "In a weird way, seeing Maya seems like... a memory I never had but always wanted."

Charlotte remained silent for a long time.

She whispered, "I believe she feels it too."

When the doors opened, Maya grabbed Barron's leg and skipped to the daycare entrance.

Charlotte lingered.

"I recognize it is not your obligation to care," she said. "But, thank you for your generosity to her."It means more than you think."

He met her eyes. "Sometimes kindness is the only job worth doing."

She smiled before passing through the door.

Three days later, Charlotte received an unexpected email.

Proposal Review Update for Ever Her.

She read it three times.

Her proposal was being progressed to the executive level. There would be a presentation. She planned to meet with development officials next week to prepare.

Her hands trembled when she clutched the letter.

"Is this really happening?" She whispered.

That night, after Maya had gone to bed, Charlotte sat on the edge of her worn sofa, her proposal laid out on the coffee table. She reread every note and line she had written late into the night, between shopping trips and daycare pickups.

Someone had seen her and believed in her.

But who?

She could not stop thinking about Barron,the way he gazed at her the day before, the tenderness in his voice as he talked about dreams undone.

He was merely the janitor. Is it not him?

However, something about him seemed off.

Her heart told her that it was no coincidence.

Barron and his assistant sat together in his penthouse office.

"Have Legal look at brand incubation possibilities," he said. "We want to test 'Ever Her' internally."

His assistant blinked. "Is this from an intern?"

He nodded. "Yes. Quietly. "She does not know yet."

"She should look gorgeous."

"She is more than that."

He looked out the window and saw the city lights flicker below him like falling stars.

"She is the kind of pulse this company forgot they needed."

Perhaps he was.