The apartment was quiet.
Peaceful.
The kind of peace that only existed in the early hours of the morning before the rest of the world woke up.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains.
Soft golden rays stretching across the living room floor.
Sebastian was asleep on the couch.
For once, there was no bottle nearby.
No whiskey glass sitting on a table.
No alcohol numbing his thoughts.
Just exhaustion.
Pure exhaustion.
The events of the previous night had drained him completely.
The truth.
The photos.
The realization that he had a daughter.
A daughter.
Even asleep, the thought seemed impossible.
Down the hallway, Lillian was still asleep in her room.
The emotional conversation had left her equally exhausted.
For the first time in years, she hadn't slept alone with the weight of her secret.
And in another room, a small blonde-haired girl slowly opened her eyes.
Elena blinked.
Then blinked again.
Her stomach growled.
She immediately frowned.
This was a serious problem.
She sat up in bed.
"Hungry."
The declaration was made to nobody in particular.
Her stuffed bunny offered no solutions.
So Ellie climbed out of bed.
Still wearing her pajamas.
Still clutching her bunny.
Then she marched out of her room.
Determined to solve the breakfast situation.
A few moments later she entered the living room.
And stopped.
The sick man was still there.
Sebastian lay asleep on the couch.
One arm draped over his eyes.
The blanket Lillian had given him partially covering him.
Ellie stared at him.
For several seconds she simply watched.
Then she walked over.
And tugged on his shirt.
Once.
Twice.
"Hey."
Sebastian's eyes opened instantly.
Years of sleeping lightly had made waking up almost automatic.
For a moment he looked confused.
Then he saw a small blonde-haired girl standing beside him.
His daughter.
The realization hit him all over again.
Elena.
Ellie.
His daughter.
Something warm tightened inside his chest.
"Morning."
Ellie hugged her bunny.
"I'm hungry."
Sebastian stared at her.
Then a faint smile appeared.
The first genuine smile he'd worn in a very long time.
"I can see that."
Ellie nodded seriously.
"Very hungry."
"I gathered that."
Slowly Sebastian sat up.
His body protested immediately.
Everything hurt.
But somehow he found that he didn't particularly care.
Because his daughter was standing in front of him.
And somehow that mattered more.
"What would you like for breakfast?"
The answer came immediately.
"Pancakes."
Sebastian blinked.
"Pancakes."
Ellie nodded.
"Pancakes."
Clearly she had already decided.
Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck.
There was just one problem.
He had absolutely no idea how to make pancakes.
Not even a little.
As a child, his mother cooked.
As an adult, staff cooked.
Restaurants cooked.
Food simply appeared whenever he wanted it.
He'd never needed to learn.
Until now.
Because suddenly he wanted to.
For her.
"All right."
He stood.
"We'll make pancakes."
Ellie looked pleased.
Then she grabbed his hand.
"Come on."
To Sebastian's surprise, she immediately began leading him toward the kitchen.
He allowed it.
Mostly because he found himself incapable of refusing her anything.
Once inside the kitchen, Sebastian looked around.
Then at Ellie.
Then around again.
"Where does your mommy keep things?"
Elena pointed.
"The flour is there."
A cabinet.
"The bowls are there."
Another cabinet.
"The pans are there."
Yet another cabinet.
Sebastian stared.
"You're very organized."
"I help."
That answer somehow made him smile again.
He opened the cupboards and started gathering ingredients.
Flour.
Eggs.
Milk.
Everything seemed straightforward enough.
At least at first.
A few minutes later he was staring at a measuring cup with visible uncertainty.
Ellie watched carefully.
Then frowned.
"That's wrong."
Sebastian paused.
"What is?"
"The flour."
He looked down.
Then back at her.
"The flour?"
"Mommy doesn't do it like that."
Sebastian examined the cup.
"How exactly does your mommy do it?"
Ellie pointed.
"Not that."
"Very helpful."
She nodded proudly.
"I know."
Sebastian laughed quietly.
Actually laughed.
The sound surprised even him.
Eventually he surrendered.
Clearly he needed assistance.
Carefully he picked Ellie up.
She squealed happily.
Then he sat her on the kitchen counter.
"There."
Ellie swung her legs.
"Now help me."
The little girl looked delighted.
"I can do that."
"Good."
Because Sebastian desperately needed it.
"What next?"
Elena pointed.
"Mommy puts the eggs in."
"First?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure."
Sebastian cracked an egg.
Unfortunately, half the shell ended up in the bowl.
Ellie gasped.
A dramatic, horrified gasp.
"Mommy never does that."
Sebastian looked offended.
"Your mommy sounds very judgmental."
Ellie immediately giggled.
The sound filled the kitchen.
Warm.
Bright.
For a moment Sebastian simply listened.
He'd never heard her laugh before.
The realization hurt.
And healed something at the same time.
Neither noticed movement in the hallway.
Lillian had woken up a few minutes earlier.
At first she'd assumed the apartment was empty.
Then she'd heard voices.
One adult.
One child.
Curious, she'd followed the sound.
And now she stood quietly in the hallway.
Watching.
Unable to look away.
The sight before her stole her breath.
Sebastian stood in the kitchen.
Hair slightly messy from sleep.
Shirt wrinkled.
Sleeves rolled up.
Attempting to make pancakes.
Very badly.
While Ellie sat on the counter helping him.
Or perhaps supervising him.
The sight was almost surreal.
Three years.
For three years she'd imagined what this might look like.
What Sebastian and Ellie together might be like.
Now she finally knew.
And somehow it was even more painful than she'd expected.
Because they fit together so naturally.
As though something missing had finally been returned.
"Is this enough milk?"
Sebastian asked.
Ellie peered into the bowl.
Then nodded.
"Probably."
"Probably?"
"Maybe."
Sebastian sighed dramatically.
"You are an unreliable assistant."
"I'm helping."
"You are."
The smile he gave her was small.
Gentle.
And Lillian felt tears sting her eyes.
Because she'd never seen that smile before.
Not quite.
This wasn't the smile he gave employees.
Or clients.
Or investors.
This was different.
This was a father's smile.
And he didn't even realize it.
Lillian leaned quietly against the wall.
She could walk in.
She could take over.
She could rescue the pancakes before they became a disaster.
But she didn't.
Because Sebastian deserved this.
He deserved to have these moments.
Even if they were three years late.
So she stayed exactly where she was.
Watching as Sebastian and Ellie attempted to create breakfast.
Neither of them noticing her.
Neither of them realizing she was there.
And for the first time since learning the truth, Lillian wasn't looking at Sebastian as her former boyfriend.
Or as the CEO of Sovereign.
Or as the man she'd hurt.
She was looking at him as what he should have been from the beginning.
Elena's father.
And despite everything that had happened between them—
He looked exactly like he belonged there.