Chapter 1

"Baby, wake up."

A five-year-old boy started sulking at his mother's voice.

"Please, let me sleep for five minutes." The boy covered himself with a thin blanket again. It was early winter in Finrich.

"Hurry up!"

"You will miss the school bus if you continue sleeping," a woman in her late 20s said, removing the blanket."

"Can I miss school, mom?" the cute little boy pleaded."Alec, baby, you can't miss school today. Aunt and I are busy with the store. No one is there to care for you," Paige smiled, stroking his blonde hair. Alec opened his eyes, pouting.

"I have made your favourite pancakes for breakfast." Paige started walking out of the room."Then I guess you won't be eating pancakes today."

Alec suddenly got off his bed and dashed towards the bathroom.

"I will get ready fast. I want to eat pancakes."

Paige looked at his adorable face and smiled. She went to the kitchen, made breakfast, and started packing the lunchbox. While she was putting the lunchbox inside the yellow SpongeBob bag, Alec began eating his breakfast. Paige looked at him with adoration. She wiped his mouth with a white napkin from the counter. Putting his bag on his shoulders, Alec was now ready for school. He wore a grey hoodie, cute white sneakers, and light blue pants.

He looked like a model from a kid's magazine. He had platinum blonde hair, chubby cheeks, aqua blue eyes resembling a little doe, and a dimple on his left cheek. All his features made him stand out in his class. Paige had black hair and grey eyes. It was for sure that the kid resembled his father more than his mother. In their single-room apartment, there was no trace of a male presence.

"Let's go to school, baby. You look so cute today." Paige kissed her little boy before heading down the building with him in her arms. The bus stop was within walking distance of the building. After ten minutes, a yellow-coloured school bus arrived at the bus stop. The kids on the bus were talking to their friends and giggling. A few in the front seat smiled at Alec when they saw him. Putting Alec down on the bus steps, Paige kissed him before he walked inside the bus. She kept waving at the bus until it was out of her sight. She returned to the apartment, cleaned it up, and got ready before heading to work.

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She stood in front of an old store down the street. She took out a silver key with a black star-shaped chain attached. Unlocking the door, she turned the sign on the door to 'Open'.She started cleaning the store. The clock showed 8:30. She had thirty minutes to clean up and set everything up before the owner, Dawn, arrived. It was 8:40 am now. Paige has finished up everything. She sat on the chair behind the counter, sipping tea and watching the busy street.

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