"He really is a good man. His friend didn't lie to me. The way this man takes care of his baby doesn't seem like he's pretending," Mary mused as she watched Jake tending to a fussy Elsa, who was crying because her wet diaper was being changed.
From where she sat, Mary could see Jake and Elsa through the open bedroom door. She also kept glancing around the small room, which, for a house, felt quite cramped, filled with baby items wherever her eyes landed.
Seeing that, the smile that had briefly appeared on Mary's face faded again as she imagined what it would be like to have a baby in her own home. It would certainly be noisy, and maybe her relationship with Kody wouldn't be as strained as it was now.
Mary's thoughts were interrupted by Elsa's cries as Jake carried her out of the room. The baby's cries filled the space. Mary quickly wiped away the tears that had begun to well up in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Miss. It seems I can't have a calm conversation with you right now. My baby just recovered from an illness, so she's still a bit fussy," Jake said apologetically while trying to calm Elsa. "There, there, sweetheart… Hi, pretty Elsa, why are you still crying? Drink your milk now…"
With genuine affection, Jake unknowingly displayed the role of a loving father right in front of Mary.
Mary smiled again. "It's okay. I'll wait. But, sir, may I help you hold your baby? I think she's also uncomfortable because your shirt is wet."
"No, no. Don't trouble yourself, Miss. My baby still spits up often—she'll dirty your clothes. Let me handle it. She'll calm down soon," Jake reassured her.
But Mary seemed not to hear his words. Her maternal instinct had been awakened. She rose from her seat and approached Jake, reaching out for Elsa. "Please, let me hold her."
As if enchanted by the tender look Mary gave his daughter, Jake couldn't refuse any longer. "Are you sure?" he asked again, and Mary nodded. "Alright. Sorry to trouble you, Miss."
Jake handed Elsa over to Mary. Though the baby was still whining at first, she gradually calmed down in Mary's arms, soothed by the gentle rocking. Mary then turned to Jake again. "I can do it, right? Now, hand me her bottle."
Jake nodded immediately and gave Elsa's bottle to Mary. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and smiled. "You little troublemaker. Why did you have to be this fussy and bother our guest, Elsa?"
"Shhh… don't speak too loudly while feeding a baby. She might choke from being startled," Mary warned him softly. Jake instinctively pressed his lips together. "You can go change your clothes now, Sir," she added.
Jake nodded and quickly stepped away. He changed into dry clothes and tidied up some of Elsa's things. When he returned, he saw Elsa sleeping soundly in Mary's arms, her lips slightly parted with a bit of milk in the corner.
"She's already asleep? That was fast," Jake commented quietly.
Mary nodded. "Yes, she finished her bottle quickly and fell asleep right after burping. She's such a smart girl. Her name's Elsa, right? That's a lovely name for such a beautiful child."
"Yes, she's smart and beautiful. Thank you, Miss. I'll take her now," Jake said as he reached for his baby. But Mary stepped back slightly.
"She's not fully asleep yet. Let me hold her a little longer. Now, shall we talk?" Mary asked.
"Hmm, alright. Let's talk. Let's discuss this forced 'repayment' of yours. Tell me, what more should I say to convince you that I won't take your money?" Jake said seriously, keeping his voice low so as not to wake his baby.
"First, I apologize. I asked around and heard about you from your friend, Sir. From what I learned, you were fired from your construction job because of me. I'm truly sorry for that," Mary said with her head lowered.
"I've already told you it's not a problem and I'll be fine. So please, stop insisting," Jake replied firmly.
"But the truth is, you do need money, Mr. Jake. Your baby needs special milk—breast milk—that costs far more than regular formula. Please, let me help you. It would make me feel better. You're struggling like this because of me," Mary insisted.
Jake sighed heavily, silent, unable to respond—because he did need the money.
"I understand you won't accept financial help directly from me, so how about this instead? My husband needs a personal driver because his previous one had an accident. If you can drive and have a license, you can work for him. You'll be paid fairly for your work. How about it, Sir?" Mary offered.
Unlike the money Mary had offered before, this job offer felt like a breath of fresh air that cleared the fog in Jake's mind.
"Are you serious, Miss?" Jake asked for clarification, and Mary nodded.
"Yes, I'm serious. If you agree, you can come with me to Gold Fashion. Meet my husband's assistant and say you heard about the job from me. They'll still test you to make sure you're capable. Here's my business card," Mary explained, handing Jake a card.
"Gold Fashion? Isn't this a well-known clothing brand in the city? And you… you're a manager there?" Jake asked in disbelief after reading the card.
Mary smiled. "Yes, I work there and my husband is the CEO. You can trust me about the job, but getting hired will depend entirely on your own effort, Mr. Jake."
"But after seeing how hard you work and how responsible you are toward your daughter, I believe you'll do well. That is, if you accept my offer," Mary continued.
"I'll give it a try, Miss—ah, I mean, Ma'am. I accept the offer," Jake replied firmly. Although he felt a little uneasy about getting a job this way, it was far better than just accepting money from Mary.
"Then you can come with me after this. The office opens in an hour. You can't be late—it's important to make a good first impression," Mary added.
"Hmm, but I don't think I can make it on time today. I need to stop by the hospital to buy breast milk for my baby. I also have to drop her off at daycare. I'll probably be really late for my first impression," Jake said, his face falling slightly.
"If you'd trust me, maybe I could help you get the breast milk. And… you won't have to buy it," Mary said something that caught Jake completely off guard.
"What now? Why do all your words make me think so hard? Please, don't be too kind to me—we barely even know each other," Jake replied, overwhelmed.
Mary took a deep breath before speaking. "Alright, I'll explain. The simplest way to put it is… I'll breastfeed your baby."
"What?!" Jake asked in shock.