Chapter 7

"Find the top heart surgeon ASAP to handle my dad's bypass. That's it."

Kieran was standing by the window on the phone with his assistant when a tiny figure suddenly dashed to his side - a little girl, her big round eyes blinking up at him, lips pursed like she was trying to hold back something.

His bodyguard came over quickly, ready to remove this random kid, but then the little one grabbed Kieran's suit pants.

"Sir, I'm not a bad person! Don't let him take me away!"

Kieran paused. She was just a little kid, probably no more than five or six, clearly not dangerous. He waved the bodyguard back.

"Is something wrong?"

With her pale, chubby face tilted up to him, the girl beamed. "I'm fine! Mister, you're super handsome! Can I chat with you?"

This kid had social energy through the roof. Even though Kieran's face wasn't exactly welcoming, she didn't seem fazed at all.

He didn't really know how to talk to children, so he asked bluntly, "You're not afraid of me?"

The girl shook her head, all innocence. "Why would I be? You look like a nice guy!"

"You're not scared I might be bad?"

"You don't seem bad," she replied, dead serious.

Kieran chuckled despite himself.

Is this how kids judge character now - based on looks?

They ended up sitting together on a bench in the hospital corridor.

The girl looked at him curiously. "Mister, why are you here? Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine. My dad's the one who's sick."

His adoptive father, Oliver Foster, had been admitted with coronary artery disease. Kieran was only there to oversee his treatment.

He wasn't sure why he was even talking to this kid. Under normal circumstances, he'd avoid this kind of interaction like the plague.

But there was something about her - maybe it was that she was smart and adorable, not annoying like most kids her age - that made her oddly likable, even familiar somehow.

The girl made a thoughtful "oh" sound, then said on her own, "I'm sick too. But don't worry, your dad's gonna be okay."

Kieran couldn't help it - he smiled. It had been a while since someone made him feel this unexpectedly warm, especially a kid.

"Mister, your smile is so nice!"

Her mouth was like a little candy machine - all sugar, all day. Kieran actually didn't mind her chatter.

Even the bodyguard standing nearby looked like he'd seen a ghost. He'd been with Mr. Foster for three years now, and never once had he seen him casually talking to some random stranger.

This little girl... really had guts.

Feeling a surprising flash of connection, Kieran asked, "How come you're here on your own? Where are your parents?"

"My mom went to work. She's earning money so I can get better. I've never met my dad - Mom says he died when he got sick."

So, a single mom raising a kid on her own.

Maybe because Kieran hadn't come from privilege either, he felt a tug of sympathy hearing the girl's story.

"Your name is Cherry?" he asked.

Cherry gave a firm little nod. "Yep! Mommy picked it for me! Mister, isn't it a pretty name?"

Watching the little girl puff up with pride, Kieran's usually distant expression softened just a bit.

"Yeah, it's a nice name."

"Want to guess why my mom named me Cherry?" she asked, eyes sparkling.

"Because of that old play, The Cherry Orchard? Maybe she likes theater?"

Cherry scrunched her eyebrows. "Half right! Mommy said when she had me, she missed my dad a whole lot. So she named me Cherry."

"Has your dad been gone a long time?"

The kid looked about five or six.

"Yeah! I've never seen him. I'm six now."

Kieran gave a faint smile. "Your mom's really devoted."

Six years without someone by your side, raising a kid alone - that's not easy.

"My mom's super pretty, like a real-life princess! Some people like her, but she only likes my dad."

Of course, a child wouldn't notice the flicker of emotion in Kieran's eyes - something like envy, quietly passing by.

He envied her father. Even though the man was gone, someone in this world still missed him so deeply.

That kind of love - loyal, unwavering - was rare.

"Your parents really loved each other."

Cherry, talking like a tiny grown-up, tried to comfort him, "Sir, you're super handsome too. Someday, someone will love you that much!"

Someone who really loved him?

Maybe there had been, once. Or maybe he just thought there was.

Kieran's dark eyes shadowed slightly, a hint of sarcasm curling his lips. "I guess I'm just unlucky in love. Not everyone gets your dad's luck."

"Do you have a girlfriend, sir?"

"Nope."

Cherry chirped, eager, "Then give me your phone number! Since you're all single and pitiful, I'll help you find one! I know tons of pretty ladies!"

Pitiful?

The bodyguard nearby looked like his brain had stopped working for a second.

Their boss - net worth in the billions - being called pitiful by a six-year-old? How did she even come to that conclusion?

Of course, Kieran wasn't going to share his number with a stranger.

Still, he didn't want to crush her spirit, so he said casually, "You don't have pen and paper. Even if I tell you, you'll forget it."

But the little thing blinked at him and said, "So just say it! I promise I'll remember!"