My baby's milk mother, my opium

and every room she entered seemed to radiate with wealth she couldn't fathom. Clara had kept her promise. Tania was given a spacious, comfortable guest room tucked away fr

r initial hesitance, Tania quickly developed a bond with the child. Raka was small, fragile, and completely dependent on her, which pul

e heard the sound of a car approaching. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that th

iver opened the door, and out stepped Damian Satriyo, the man whose cold reputation preceded him. Damian was tall, with sharp, angular features, dressed in an impecc

an's presence that unsettled her, as if he could see right through her, into the depths of her ins

was t

reeting Damian with a warm smile. "We

is mother as his gaze shifted back to Tania. "

woman I told you about. She's been helping with Raka, nursing hi

narrowing of his eyes as he took in Tania's appearance. Sh

his tone flat. "I'll be

steps echoing off the stone pathway. Tania exhaled slowly, realizing she had been hol

ansion, her expression apologetic. "I'm sorry if Damian

were still on edge. "It's fine. I'm ju

er eyes that made Tania feel like there wa

-

ld demeanor was unlike anyone she had ever encountered. He hadn't even acknowledged Raka's ex

r thoughts. When she opened it, Clara stood

but I thought it might help to tal

lara and Raka into the room. Clara settled onto t

baby. "The marriage was never about love-it was arranged for business purposes. Wh

r the small child in Clara's arms.

in you. You've been hurt, abandoned, but you're strong. I knew y

been hurt, and the walls she had built around herself were thick. But

him close. His small hands curled against her chest as he n

love," Clara continued quietly. "But I hope,

wrapped up in his own world to care about the people around him. And yet, there was a flic

mall errands and occasionally assisting the household staff. The more involved she became, the more she saw the cracks in the family's perfect fa

estions than answers. She wanted to hate him, to distance herself from the kind of man who had already caused her so much pain through other

-

pectedly entered the room. She stiffened, her heart pounding as he approached. He hadn'

e said, hi

y the sound of her name c

g her carefully. "I wanted to thank you... for h

had acknowledged her role in his son's life. "I'm just

slightly. "Still. You

ld feel the weight of his gaze on her, and for the first time, she saw something in his eye

re, her thoughts racing. She wasn't sure what to make of the encounter, but one thin