The man stepped into the room . He was tall and lean , his frame sharp like something carved from marble . His features were almost unnaturally handsome , sculpted with a precision that bordered on surreal . His eyes glinted with an almost hypnotic light , carrying a kind of dangerous charm . Even the tilt of his brow hinted at mischief , his whole presence exuding a quiet and irreverent arrogance . " Matty Cooper , " he said , voice low and magnetic . " You're being naughty again . " At the sound of his voice , the boy flinched ever so slightly and instinctively leaned deeper into Sharon's arms . Sensing the unease , Sharon shifted subtly , placing herself between the boy and the man . Her tone was calm but firm . " Excuse me , who are you to this child ? " Only then did the man seem to really look at her . One elegant brow arched . " Who am I ? " His lips curled into a languid , half - smile , one that didn't quite reach his eyes . " I'm his father , of course . " Sharon studied him , not bothering to mask her doubt . " Are you sure about that ? " The man's smile deepened , casual and tinged with a devil - may - care kind of charm . " If you're not convinced , we could always call the police and have them investigate . " " Fine by me . " Sharon reached for her phone without hesitation . But before she could dial , the boy tugged gently at the hem of her shirt . His voice was soft , but there was a tremble in it . " No need to call . He ... he is my dad . " Sharon glanced from the boy to the man . Something about the atmosphere between them felt ... off . Tense in a way that didn't line up with the calmness of the man's expression or the boy's words . Still , since the boy himself confirmed it , she had no grounds to question it further . She lowered herself a little and said softly , " Since your dad's here , you should go back with him . " But the boy suddenly burst out , " I don't want to go back with him ! Sharon paused . She figured now the boy might just be upset , maybe ran away after a fight at home . She was about to coax him gently when the man's lazy voice floated over . " Then don't . " Both Sharon and Wendy were caught off guard . They turned to look at him . The man gave a slow nod . " My name is Xavier Cooper . I'm Matty's father . " Sharon said nothing , watching him carefully , trying to discern what game he was playing . He continued , " It's rare to see Matty take to someone this quickly . So I'd like to make you a proposition , Miss . I want to hire you to keep an eye on him during his rest periods . I'll pay you fifteen thousand a month . All expenses related to Matty - fully reimbursed . What do you think ? " Wendy blinked , visibly startled , then took another look at Xavier . Just watch the kid while he rests ? Fifteen grand a month ? Everything else paid for ? That wasn't even a job . That was basically getting paid to breathe . Her mind was already racing . For a typical worker like her , even pulling in four figures a month was considered solid . And clearly , judging from his tailored clothes and polished manner , this guy was no ordinary man - definitely one of those ultra -rich types who could throw money around like tissue . Chapter 18 Sharon didn't even think twice before replying , " I'm sorry , I can't " " Thirty thousand , " he said , cutting her off . " Mr. Cooper , it's not about the money- " " Seventy - five thousand . " Sharon frowned slightly . " It really isn't about- " 1 +25 BONUS " A hundred and fifty thousand . " She fell silent . Fine . She admitted it . There were very few problems money couldn't fix . Yes , she had once been married to Carter and had seen her fair share of luxury . But even then , her monthly expenses had been minimal . She never had a taste for designer bags or flashy jewelry . Most days , she stayed home to care for Theo . There was hardly anywhere for money to go . She had never even considered using Carter's credit card to cash out for herself . Over the years , she hadn't spent more than fifteen thousand total on herself . Now that Carter had frozen her cards , and she was planning to start a studio with John , she knew she'd need a serious chunk of capital to get it off the ground . There was no way she'd let John front all the money while she only offered manpower . Chapter 19 + Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!