Chapter 4 - Sparks of Ambition
Over the next month, Sarah’s condition stabilized thanks to intensive daily treatments, though she remained bedridden and weak. Nathan arranged for Lily to move into a grand guest suite at his private estate outside the city, hiring a top-tier private tutor and nanny to care for her education and daily needs.
At first, Lily was overwhelmed by the vastness of Nathan’s estate. She was used to living in cramped, dark rooms with peeling wallpaper. But Nathan made sure she felt safe. He converted one of the sunlit drawing rooms into a bright art studio for her, stocking it with high-quality fabrics, vibrant silk threads, and a modern, child-safe electric sewing machine.
One Saturday afternoon, Nathan returned home early from the office. Instead of heading to his study to review quarterly financial reports, he walked down the hall toward the studio. He heard the quiet, rhythmic hum of the new sewing machine.
He stood in the doorway and watched. Lily sat on an adjustable chair, her posture perfect, maneuvering a piece of navy blue velvet beneath the needle with astonishing speed and skill. Her fingers had completely healed, supple and precise.
"You're getting better every day," Nathan remarked warmly, stepping into the room.
Lily looked up, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. "Mr. Nathan! Look!" She held up a exquisite velvet tote bag adorned with intricate golden leaf embroidery around the edges. "I finished it! Miss Clara—I mean, my tutor—said the symmetry is perfect!"
Nathan took the bag, examining the immaculate stitching. He was genuinely astounded. The child possessed an innate, extraordinary talent for textile design that defied her young age.
"Lily, this is remarkable," Nathan said, genuinely impressed. "Where did you learn to design like this?"
"Mommy taught me the basics, but when she was too tired to work, I would look at old fashion magazines in the trash bins behind the market," Lily explained innocently. "I wanted to make beautiful things so people would pay Mommy more money."
Nathan felt a sharp pang of sorrow mixed with immense pride. "You don't need to work for money anymore, Lily. But this talent you have... it’s a gift. A rare one."
A brilliant idea began to take root in Nathan’s mind. For years, his corporation had owned several luxury retail centers, but they lacked a soul—they were merely investments. What if he created a charitable foundation centered around artisanal fashion, using Lily's story and designs to raise awareness and funding for children’s medical research and underprivileged families?
However, storm clouds were gathering on the horizon.
Nathan’s ruthless business rivals, led by a corrupt real estate tycoon named Richard Vance—who, by a cruel twist of fate, was Sarah’s estranged, wealthy uncle—had gotten wind of Nathan’s sudden soft spot. Richard Vance had spent years trying to erase his poor relatives to protect his high-society reputation. When he discovered that Nathan Cole was taking care of Sarah and Lily, he saw both an embarrassment to his family line and a golden opportunity to sabotage Nathan’s reputation.
The next morning, a scandal hit the front pages of the city's top business tabloids.
“TYCOON’S SECRET OBSESSION: Nathan Cole Exploiting Sick Mother and Child for PR Stunt?”
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The article, heavily bribed and orchestrated by Richard Vance, accused Nathan of fabricating Sarah's illness and using a poor young girl for corporate tax write-offs and public relations manipulation.
Nathan sat in his office, his eyes cold as ice as he stared at the newspaper headline. His phone rang incessantly with board members demanding explanations. But Nathan didn't care about his stock prices. He cared about the small girl currently eating breakfast at his home, unaware that the cruel world was trying to tear her sanctuary apart.
