Chapter 3: The Elephant's Secret
Days passed, and the incident at the gala became the whispered legend of the Sterling Estate. Alexander found himself visiting the staff quarters more often, ostensibly to check on repairs, but his eyes always sought out the quiet maid and her spirited daughter. One afternoon, he found Veneta sitting in the garden, talking animatedly to her stuffed elephant. Alexander sat on the stone bench nearby. "What's his name?" he asked softly. Veneta looked up, her large brown eyes assessing him. "Barnaby," she replied. "My daddy gave him to me before he went to the angels." Alexander felt a pang in his chest. He, too, knew the hollow ache of early loss, having lost his own mother when he was barely Veneta's age. "Barnaby looks like an excellent protector," Alexander noted. Veneta nodded solemnly. "He is. But sometimes, Mommy cries when she looks at him. So I have to protect her, too." The innocence and heavy burden carried by the five-year-old struck a chord deep within the billionaire's heavily guarded heart.
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