Poor Janitor Single Dad Saved an 8-Year-Old From a Sinking Bus — Unaware Her Mom Was a Billionaire
Chapter 6
Elena started visiting the school more often.
She told herself it was because of the safety review.
That was partly true.
But not completely.
She found excuses to speak with Daniel.
A broken door.
A maintenance issue.
A school charity event.
Every conversation revealed something new.
Daniel didn’t complain about his life.
He simply lived it.
He spoke warmly about Lily.
He knew her favorite subject.
Her best friend.
Her fears.
Her favorite bedtime story.
He knew how to help with homework.
He knew how to braid hair.
Badly.
Elena found that strangely charming.
One afternoon, she asked:
“How do you manage everything?”
Daniel smiled.
“Poorly.”
She laughed.
“Seriously.”
“You just do.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
He paused.
“You have children?”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Do you want them?”
She looked surprised.
“I don’t know.”
“Why?”
“I was always working.”
Daniel nodded.
“People say money buys freedom.”
“It does.”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
“Sometimes money buys obligations.”
Elena smiled.
“You sound like you know more about wealth than people expect.”
Daniel laughed.
“I know enough to know I don’t want it controlling my life.”
That sentence stayed with her.
She had spent years believing wealth created freedom.
He had never had wealth.
Yet somehow he seemed freer than she was.
Then one afternoon, Sophie and Lily met.
The girls immediately became friends.
Elena watched them laughing together.
Daniel stood beside her.
“They’re going to be trouble.”
Elena smiled.
“I believe you.”
“Want to get coffee?”
She looked at him.
“Coffee?”
“Unless you have a private jet waiting.”
She laughed.
“No.”
“Good.”
They went to a small café.
Nobody recognized Elena.
She loved it.
Daniel ordered cheap coffee.
She ordered the same.
They talked for two hours.
About children.
Work.
Grief.
Life.
For the first time in years, Elena forgot to check her phone.
When she returned home, her assistant noticed.
“You look different.”
Elena smiled.
“I’m tired.”
“No.”
She looked at her.
“You look happy.”
Elena didn’t answer.
Because she was beginning to realize that was exactly what she felt.
