My Stepdaughter Calls Me Mommy Now

That evening, Layla Jensen was scheduled for a night shift at the hospital. That meant she couldn't pick Avianna up from school or help with her homework later. When the housekeeper brought Avianna home, her little heart sank the moment she realized Layla wasn't there.

When Sebastian Knight got back from work and found his daughter crying, he didn't waste a second. He tossed his suit jacket aside, scooped her into his arms, and gently wiped her tears away.

"What's wrong, my little star? Are you feeling okay?" he asked, his voice as soft as ever.

Avianna looked up at her father, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Daddy, did you make Mommy go away because she gave me ice cream and my tummy hurt? Why isn't she back yet?"

The little girl had never really had a mother. That empty space had always been there, a quiet ache. But ever since Layla came into her life and stayed by her side, Avianna had clung to her like a lifeline. Layla made her feel safe, seen, truly happy deep in her bones. Not being able to find her now, Avianna's first thought was that her daddy had sent Layla away—and the thought shattered her.

Sebastian checked his watch. It was already late. Where the hell was Layla? He turned to the housekeeper, his tone sharp. "Call her. Find out what's going on."

The housekeeper quickly made the call and returned moments later with the phone. "Sir, Mrs. Jensen says she's working a night shift at the hospital. She'll be back in the morning."

Sebastian faced his daughter again, keeping his voice calm. "She's working tonight, sweetheart. She'll be home in the morning."

Avianna's face crumbled even more. "Mommy works so hard, Daddy. I don't want her to be so tired."

Sebastian pulled his daughter close, soothing her gently. He'd married Layla for one reason only—to give Avianna companionship. If Layla's job kept her from being there for his little girl, then what was the point of this marriage? To ease Avianna's fears, he made a promise right then and there. "Okay, tomorrow I'll make sure she doesn't have to work like that anymore. She'll be with you every day. How does that sound?"

Avianna finally brightened, a tiny smile breaking through as she nodded eagerly. That night, Sebastian didn't bother Layla at all. The next morning, instead of heading straight to the office, he waited for her to come home.

Layla dragged herself home after her shift, completely worn out. All she wanted was to go upstairs and crash for a quick nap. As she stepped inside, she noticed Sebastian in the living room, sitting on the sofa in his crisp suit, laptop open on his lap, totally immersed in work. Even though exhaustion tugged at every muscle, she made herself go over to greet him. "Good morning, Mr. Knight."

Sebastian closed his laptop and looked up. He took in the tiredness written all over her face but didn't let any irritation show. He just motioned to the seat beside him. "Sit down. I need to talk to you about something."

Layla did as he said, sinking into the seat. Sebastian always looked so put together—impeccable three-piece suit, not a hair out of place. Early thirties and not a single sign of aging, no dad bod, no receding hairline. The guy was basically a walking distraction. She couldn't help stealing glances at him now and then. But Sebastian was all business, not even looking at her as he spoke. "I think you should quit your job. From now on, you'll take my daughter to school, pick her up, help with her homework, and play with her. If the three thousand I'm offering isn't enough, I'll bump it up to four. I seriously doubt you make four grand a month at that hospital."

Most employees at his company, working regular hours, barely pulled in one or two thousand a month. Four thousand was way more than generous, in his mind.

Layla would be lying if she said she wasn't tempted. Four thousand a month just to take care of a kid at home? That was a dream gig. But she wasn't stupid. If she wasn't married to Mr. Knight—if taking care of Avianna was just a straight-up job—she'd have jumped at it without a second thought. But as his wife, everything was different. Mr. Knight could toss money her way when he was in a good mood and cut her off the second he wasn't. Then what? Where would she be?

In a marriage, when a woman is always relying on a man for cash, she ends up with zero dignity, zero standing. Layla knew exactly where she stood in this household, and that's why she held onto her job like a lifeline. It was hers. Only hers. Something that gave her the guts to walk away if everything ever went sideways.

Looking straight at Sebastian, she said, "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Knight. I promise I'll spend more time with Avianna. But I don't want to quit my job."

Sebastian hadn't expected her to push back. His brows pulled together. "You think I'm not offering enough?"

Layla shook her head quickly. "No, you're offering like ten times my salary. It's more than tempting. But I don't want to be a housewife who's always depending on a man."

Once her position was made permanent, she'd be pulling in over a grand a month. Work hard enough, and retirement benefits would kick in later. Depending on some guy's money meant being at the mercy of his mood swings every single day. She'd already sacrificed her marriage for financial security once. She wasn't about to sign up for a life without dignity or control.

Sebastian studied her for a long moment, a silent scoff running through his mind. If she didn't want to rely on a man, why the hell had she married in the first place? She was a damn good actress, he'd give her that.

Running out of patience, he said flatly, "Suit yourself. Let's hope you can actually stick to that."

He wasn't about to waste his breath trying to convince someone who wouldn't listen. As for his daughter—well, as long as Avianna saw Layla every day, things should be manageable.

Sebastian stood and walked out, leaving Layla sitting there in the heated room, suddenly feeling a chill she couldn't shake. Had she somehow pissed him off? Were older guys really this touchy? Shrugging it off, she realized just how wrecked she was. She headed upstairs to take a bath and get some rest. She still had another shift at the hospital that afternoon.

Later, Sebastian paid a visit to his nephew Mathias at the hospital. Once he'd made sure the kid was doing okay, he also swung by the hospital director's office. By that afternoon, just as Layla was getting ready for her shift, the head nurse called.

"Layla, your shifts have been rearranged. You'll now work nine to four every day. No more night shifts."

Layla was stunned. "What? Why?"

Their nursing station always ran on a rotation. She'd been scheduled for at least two straight weeks of nights. How were her shifts suddenly flipped upside down? Did the hospital actually have policies this good?

Totally confused, she listened as the nurse spelled it out. "That's the call from higher up. Just follow the new schedule. No need to come in tonight. Report tomorrow morning."

Hanging up, Layla still felt a little lost. She had zero connections, no one pulling strings for her. Why would management suddenly hand her a schedule this sweet? Then it hit her—did Mr. Knight set this up? So she'd have more time for Avianna? Did he seriously have that kind of pull?

Who exactly had she married? Looking at the time, she hurried downstairs just as Monica was about to head out to pick up Avianna. Layla quickly went with her.