Kairo didn't waste time. Within a day, he had arranged everything for Zayn: a personal nanny, a private room with a soft bed, shelves stacked with toys, snacks suited for little ones, extra clothes, shoes, and anything his son might ever need. He wanted no discomfort to ever touch Zayn.
The next morning, when Sara came to the daycare to drop off Zayn, she was surprised to see the room and the arrangements. The nanny smiled at her.
"Hello, ma'am. I'm Zayn's personal nanny," she greeted.
Sara frowned. "Who assigned you?"
The nanny's smile faltered, but she answered politely. "Director sir… he appointed me to take care of Zayn whenever you're not around."
Sara let out a quiet sigh, her chest tightening. "Thank you, ma'am, but there's no need. I'll be checking on him time to time myself. My son doesn't need special treatment."
The nanny panicked a little, lowering her voice almost to a plea."Please don't refuse, ma'am. If you do, I'll lose this job… I have a child to feed."
Sara's heart softened instantly. She hated the thought of taking favors from Kairo, but after looking at the woman's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.
"Fine," she said gently. "But listen carefully, don't let anyone meet Zayn. Not even the director. If you do, I'll have to rethink this kindness."
The nanny quickly nodded. "Okay, ma'am."
Sara bent down to Zayn's level and cupped his cheeks. "Zayn baby, this aunty will take care of you when Mumma is at work. Don't trouble her too much, hmm? I'll come back at lunch to feed you."
Zayn nodded, "Okay, Mumma."
Sara kissed his little nose, smiling softly. He kissed her back with his tiny lips, making her heart melt.
"I love you, my baby."
"I lob you too, Mumma," he replied with his bunny smile.
She hugged him once more before handing him over. "Just look after him. No need to feed or entertain him. I'll do that," she instructed firmly.
The nanny bowed her head. "Of course, ma'am."
Sara gave one last smile before leaving for work.
As soon as Sara left, Kairo quietly entered, a small bag in hand.
"Hey, buddy," he called softly.
Zayn, being held by the nanny, snapped his little head toward the voice. His face lit up with a smile that seemed meant only for Kairo. Seeing that, Kairo's heart melted.
He rushed forward, scooping Zayn into his arms, peppering him with gentle kisses. The little boy giggled, showing his tiny bunny teeth, and Kairo laughed, pressing a soft kiss to his nose. Zayn's joyful sounds filled the room, and Kairo's heart swelled with affection.
The nanny quietly left, giving them some private time.
"I missed you, my darling," Kairo murmured, nuzzling Zayn's cheek.
Zayn giggled again, snuggling into Kairo's embrace.
Then Kairo grinned and asked, "You know what I brought for you?"
Zayn's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What?" he asked.
"Tada!" Kairo exclaimed, holding up the bag. "I brought a new car for my champ!"
Zayn clapped his little hands with joy, his smile wide and bright. Kairo carefully sat down and placed Zayn on his lap, pulling the new toy car out of the bag.
Excited, Zayn immediately started making engine sounds. "Vroom… broom!"
Kairo chuckled, leaning down to kiss his head. "You like it, buddy?"
"Yess!" Zayn exclaimed, looking up at him with pure delight. "Thank you for the gift," he added cutely.
A soft warmth filled Kairo's chest. "Aww… anything for you, my love," he said, kissing Zayn gently.
Then Kairo asked gently, "Zayn, baby…?"
"Humm," Zayn replied, still focused on his new car.
"Did you tell Mumma about our little playtime secret?" Kairo asked carefully.
"No…" Zayn said.
Kairo's face lit up with a proud smile. "Good boy."
He leaned a little closer. "Today, your Mumma didn't tell you not to speak to me, right?"
Zayn paused for a moment, making Kairo a little nervous. Then he looked up and said innocently, "No. Today she didn't say. It was only yesterday."
Kairo chuckled at the logic in his little boy's mind. "Ohh… my baby… then we can talk a lot and play a lot, right?"
Zayn nodded enthusiastically, "Yes!"
And just like that, they both dove back into play, laughter and tiny giggles filling the room once again.
At the office.
Sara was deeply focused on drafting the new marketing report when the buzz of an incoming email caught her attention. She frowned slightly and opened it.
"Congratulations! These are the Champions of the Month. Novacore is proud to announce promotions for our outstanding performers."
Below the message was a detailed list of employee names, achievements, and new titles, and there it was: Sara's name.
A team member approached her, beaming. "Wow… congratulations, Sara! You got promoted to Marketing Analyst! Great job!"
Sara blinked, momentarily surprised, but quickly forced a polite smile. "Congratulations to you too… You got promoted as well, right?"
"Yes," the team member nodded. "I think our team really impressed the director with our work and dedication. That's why we got this reward."
Sara smiled softly, her gaze drifting briefly toward his cabin. Even though she couldn't see him, she knew he was watching.
Inside the cabin, Kairo had just returned from spending an hour with Zayn. His heart was still warm from the time spent with Zayn. He felt happy, satisfied, and oddly peaceful seeing his little boy laugh and play.
His gaze flicked toward Sara. She was focused on her screen, typing diligently, adjusting her glasses every now and then. A pang of regret stabbed at his chest, but he quickly closed his eyes, shutting out the guilt.
Instead, he let his mind wander to a happier vision: a quiet domestic life with Sara and Zayn. He imagined holding them both in his arms, lounging on the beach, Zayn giggling as he played in the sand, creating a mess, Sara scolding him for spoiling their baby boy. A family. Their family. A soft smile tugged at Kairo's lips. He giggled quietly to himself, savoring the warmth of that imagined moment.
Kairo's eyes drifted back to Sara once more. She had changed in these years, her posture, her style, the quiet strength in her demeanor, but her aura was still the same. She looked just like the girl he once knew, sitting for hours in the library, focused and adjusting her glasses as she lost herself in books. A bittersweet smile touched his lips.
"I know I made a huge mistake, baby…" he thought silently. "But I promise you, I'll do anything to earn your forgiveness. And even if you never forgive me, I'll accept it… But I'll never let you and Zayn slip away again. I'll never let you go through the misery you endured before. I'll protect you both from everything, forever. No matter what."
He clenched his jaw slightly, sealing the vow to himself.
After a while, Secretary Ben stepped into the office. "Sir… uh, the promotions have been informed to the candidates as you asked. About arranging the new cabin, it'll take some time," he said carefully.
Kairo nodded. "Okay. Try to have it ready within a week. And make sure Sara's cabin is designed with a small baby-care area. I can't keep Zayn away from her; he needs his mother. Add a baby bed, some toys, and a small food supply suitable for him."
"Yes, sir. I'll arrange everything. Anything else?" Ben asked.
Kairo thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Nothing else for now. If something comes up, I'll let you know."
Ben gave a polite smile and left the cabin.
Kairo's gaze drifted back to Sara once more. She was still at her desk, focused, typing away. He felt his chest tighten and then soften as he whispered under his breath, a faint smile on his lips.
"I love you, soda glass… forever."