Layla shook her head with an innocent expression. "I don't have a mommy, Aunt."

Jayden closed his eyes for a moment, his clenched fist loosening as Layla answered first. Something inside Jayden tightened and pained.

Agatha's eyes widened, feeling her words were too impulsive. She didn't see Layla's sad face, but it made her feel guilty. Agatha immediately brought Layla into her embrace.

"I'm s-sorry, Layla. I didn't know. Really."

Layla flinched for a few seconds, then feeling comfortable and safe, she smiled faintly in Agatha's embrace.

"Papa said mommy is happy in a faraway place. And papa said if I don't have a mommy, it means I'm a special child because God loves me."

Layla turned five years old, but Jayden never told her the truth. The past events had made Jayden resent the woman who gave birth to Layla.

He lied to Layla by telling her that her mommy was in heaven, even though the truth was she was still out there.

Jayden silently stared at the two of them. Layla never wanted to be hugged by strangers. That was also why Jayden didn't want to interact with women anymore, because he didn't want to fall in love again.

But Layla's reaction this time was unexpected. Jayden felt that Agatha was different from most women.

"Yes, you are special, Layla. Your mommy there must be happy seeing you happy too." Agatha released her embrace and looked at Layla with a smile, trying to hold back tears.

Layla looked at Agatha hesitantly. "Will Auntie be my mommy?"

Agatha widened her eyes. "Uh, what?"

Jayden quickly interjected, feeling the atmosphere becoming awkward. "Layla, it seems we should go back to the apartment. You don't want to be punished for being late to school, right?"

Agatha let out a relieved sigh. That man was actually very sensitive. But suddenly, she remembered something when she heard the word 'school'. Oh, right. She had to go to campus.

Unlike Agatha, Layla immediately turned annoyed towards her father, who was now standing up. "But I still want to talk more with Aunt Agatha, Dad."

Jayden pulled Layla's shoulder to stand beside him. "She is also busy, Layla. You can't be like this."

Agatha also stood in front of the father and daughter. "Your dad is right, Layla. School is important, you have to study hard there. Not just being a beautiful Layla, but also a clever one."

"Is Auntie really busy? Or do you just not want to talk to me anymore?"

Agatha shook her head. "Actually, I'm not that busy, but I have to go to school just like you. And it doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you anymore, Layla."

"Listen to that. You shouldn't be stubborn," Jayden chimed in, patting his daughter's shoulder.

Layla's lips puckered. "Then when can we meet again, Aunt? I want to play with you."

Agatha thought for a moment, weighing her options. But it seemed she only had one definite choice. After all, Agatha rarely had free time. Apart from finishing her thesis and doing homework assistance services, she also worked part-time at a cafe.

"Um, how about Sunday? I'll pick you up here."

Layla smiled widely. "Agreed! I will look forward to that day!"

Agatha chuckled and pulled Layla's cheeks. "Alright then, I have to go now, Layla. Enjoy your day at school!"

"You too!" Layla replied cheerfully.

Agatha smiled, then shifted her gaze to Jayden and slightly bowed. "Excuse me. I hope you have a pleasant day."

Jayden just nodded briefly in response. Unconsciously, the corners of his lips lifted slightly. Today's incident turned out to be quite enjoyable.

"I should find out more about her," Jayden thought to himself as he hastened his steps with Layla.

A few moments after Layla finished getting ready and looking tidy, they immediately headed to the car that Rey had prepared in front of the apartment. Before leaving, Jayden glanced briefly at Layla sitting in the back seat.

"Find out the identity of that woman, Rey," Jayden instructed.

Rey nodded, although with a look of confusion. It was the first time his boss suddenly wanted to find out about a woman.

***

Agatha took wide steps towards her classroom. Just as she sat down, a tap on her shoulder made her reflexively turn around.

The fragrance of perfume filled the air, a beautiful face adorned with light makeup, and trendy attire. Everything perfectly matched the girl in front of her.

"I thought you wouldn't dare come to class. Haven't forgotten your promise from yesterday, Agatha?"

The classroom was still empty. Agatha, suspecting that something would happen after this, immediately pulled her senior's arm to leave the classroom. Grace Natalie tugged her arm and raised an eyebrow when they were outside.

"You're very rude to a senior!"

Agatha nodded, understanding. "Ah, I apologize. As for my promise from yesterday, I haven't forgotten. You didn't have to come to class and create problems with me again."

"You're such a poor girl. You were the one who started the problem with me. If it weren't for my iPhone that you broke, I wouldn't bother to meet you," Grace hissed fiercely.

Agatha closed her eyes momentarily, controlling her emotions so as not to get provoked. "You don't have to worry about me running away. Because I'm not a coward. As I said yesterday, I'll replace your phone within a week."

Grace tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then smirked and gave Agatha a condescending look.

"A poor girl like you surely resorts to any means to make money, but please, Agatha, I hope you won't use dirty money to buy me a new phone."

"Heey." Agatha chuckled, but her fingers clenched into a fist. "Don't speak without thinking. Yes, I may be poor, but I'm not a lowly girl. You better be careful with that mouth of yours."

Grace widened her eyes with a hardened expression. "You're so audacious to say that! Don't pretend to give advice, I won't listen to it! If you're poor, then just be poor! Don't act all high and mighty! You're not deserving, Agatha!"

"Yes, I know. You don't need to make a scene and provoke a fight."

From a distance, Aluna, who had just come back from the bathroom, widened her eyes upon seeing Agatha arguing with the campus leader Grace. Aluna hurriedly approached to prevent the situation from escalating further as it could become a bigger issue.

"Agatha, stop. Can't you see you're attracting attention? It's still early in the morning," Aluna whispered, standing beside Agatha.

Indeed, many female students in the corridor were observing their altercation.

Aluna quickly apologized to Grace. Agatha wanted to intervene, but before she could, Aluna heartlessly pinched her stomach. As a result, Agatha could only wince while giving a cold stare in Grace's direction.

"Tell your friend to have some self-awareness. She's in a low position, so she shouldn't act superior." Grace threw a sharp look at Agatha and gave a small scoff before arrogantly walking away.

Aluna breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Agatha with concern. "What's going on again? Wasn't yesterday's issue resolved? You agreed to replace her phone, right?"

Agatha snorted loudly, her eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. "She called me a lowly woman. How could I just stay silent? My self-worth is precious, Lun. And she trampled all over it."

"But still, Agatha. She's the only child of the biggest donor on this campus. You could be in danger if you keep dealing with her," Aluna said, guiding Agatha to enter the classroom.

Agatha fell silent until she reached her seat, then she let out a long sigh. "Yes, I haven't forgotten that I'm poor."