A Broke Waitress Brought Her Baby to Work and Found the Most Feared Korean Boss Holding Him Like He Had Been Waiting His Whole Life

Jae Min Park did not blink.

His dark, sharp eyes shifted slowly from the sleeping baby resting against his chest up to Olivia’s terrified, tear-streaked face. In that fraction of a second, Olivia braced herself for the impact. She expected the explosion. She expected the cold, cutting voice that had reduced grown men to stammering wrecks.

Instead, the office remained dead silent, save for the rhythmic, soft breathing of her son.

“He was crying,” Jae said quietly. His voice wasn't loud. It didn't boom. It was a low, resonant baritone that seemed to vibrate through the rich mahogany paneling of the room.

Olivia’s throat closed up. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Her tongue felt like sandpaper.

“I—I am so sorry, Mr. Park,” she finally managed to choke out, her hands trembling at her sides as she took a cautious step forward. “Please. Don't call security. Please. I had nowhere else to put him. My babysitter canceled this morning, and my car broke down two months ago, and rent was due, and—and I couldn't afford to lose this shift—”

She stopped, choking on a sob. Tears spilled over her eyelashes, hot and fast, tracing paths through the makeup she had applied with such nervous care at five o'clock that morning.

Jae didn't move away. In fact, his arm tightened just a fraction around Noah’s small body, shielding the baby from her panic as if she were the threat.

“Breathe, Miss Mason,” Jae said, his tone dangerously calm.

Olivia froze. “You... you know my name?”

“I own the building, Miss Mason. I read the weekly payroll reports. And I happen to have eyes,” Jae replied, his gaze dropping briefly to Noah’s tiny, twitching hand where it gripped his lapel. “An employee hiding an infant behind restaurant linens is not a common occurrence. Even in Chicago.”

“I’m going to pack up his things,” Olivia stammered, stepping further into the room, her eyes fixed hungrily on her son. “I’ll leave. I’m fired, I know. Just... please let me take my baby.”

Jae looked down at Noah, who let out a tiny, contented sigh in his sleep, his little mouth twitching as he dreamed of milk.