“Daddy, I choose her!”
The words echoed through the gilded hallway of the Lancaster estate, silencing everyone.
Billionaire businessman Richard Lancaster, a man used to commanding rooms and signing billion-dollar deals without hesitation, froze in disbelief. His daughter, Amelia, only six years old, stood at the center of the marble floor, her little finger pointing directly at Clara, one of the household maids.
Around them, the carefully chosen group of models—elegant, tall, and dressed in designer gowns—shifted uncomfortably. Richard had invited them with one goal: to help Amelia pick a woman she might accept as her new mother. His late wife, Elena, had passed away three years ago, leaving a void in both Richard’s life and his daughter’s heart. He had thought glamour, beauty, and charm would impress Amelia. Instead, she had looked past diamonds and silk… and chosen the woman in a plain black dress and white apron.
Clara, stunned, pressed a hand to her chest. “Me? Amelia… no, I’m just—”
“You’re kind to me. You tell me bedtime stories when Daddy’s busy. I want you to be my mommy,” Amelia said, her voice steady but innocent.
The models gasped. Two of them even covered their mouths, glancing at Richard. His jaw tightened as he looked at Clara, searching her face for some sign of ambition or manipulation. But Clara looked as shocked as he was.
Richard had built his empire on control, strategy, and power. Yet here was his daughter, making a choice that defied all his expectations.
And for the first time in years, Richard didn’t know what to say.
After the shocking declaration, rumors spread quickly within the estate. The staff whispered in corridors, the models left in humiliation, and Richard locked himself in his study late into the night. He had envisioned introducing Amelia to a polished, high-society woman who could navigate charity galas and boardroom dinners. Not Clara—the maid who had been hired to clean silverware and help Amelia with her homework.
But Amelia was stubborn. “If you don’t let her stay, I won’t talk to you anymore,” she told Richard at breakfast, her tiny hands clutching her orange juice glass.
Clara tried to intervene. “Mr. Lancaster, please. Amelia is just a child. She doesn’t know—”
Richard cut her off, his voice sharp. “She knows nothing about the world I live in. About responsibility. About appearances.” His gaze hardened. “And neither do you.”
But as days passed, Richard began to notice what Amelia saw. Clara wasn’t polished, but she was patient. She didn’t wear expensive perfumes, but she smelled of fresh laundry and home-cooked meals. She didn’t know the language of billionaires, but she knew how to kneel to Amelia’s level, listen, and care.
For the first time, Richard questioned himself. Was he searching for a wife for his image—or a mother for his daughter?
Richard’s business partners ridiculed him when the story leaked. Tabloids mocked the billionaire whose daughter had “replaced a supermodel with a servant.” At first, Richard’s pride burned. He even considered dismissing Clara to end the embarrassment.
But one night, Richard overheard a conversation. Amelia, tucked under her blanket, whispered to Clara:
“Do you think Mommy would be happy if you stayed with us?”
Clara’s voice trembled. “I can never replace your mother, sweetheart. But I promise I’ll always love you as if you were my own.”
Richard stood in the doorway, his chest tightening. For years, he had drowned himself in business deals to numb the loneliness after Elena’s death. He had thought money could buy the perfect future for Amelia. But at that moment, he realized something he had forgotten: love couldn’t be bought.
Weeks later, Richard invited Clara to dinner—not as a maid, but as a guest. It wasn’t an easy transition. The world didn’t understand, and the gossip never fully stopped. But Richard no longer cared.
Clara didn’t wear a crown or jewels. But when she sat beside Amelia, laughing softly as she helped her cut her food, Richard saw something he hadn’t seen in years. A family.Family vacation packagesBest nearby restaurants
And for the first time since Elena’s death, Richard allowed himself to imagine a new beginning—one chosen not by him, but by the little girl who understood love far better than any billionaire ever could.