Chapter 119

Calvin's POV I was about to unleash my frustration on the reports when I felt a tug on my pant leg. Glancing down, I found Alexis determinedly climbing onto my lap, her tiny face smeared with colorful paint smudges, a drawing clutched in her small hand. She curled up on my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. Such a small thing,but it thrilled me. Alexis spread her artwork across my desk, pointing at the abstract figures with complete confidence. "Mommy, uncle," she announced, finger moving between two adult figures before shifting to three smaller ones. "Brothers, Alex." Her voice rang with childlike pride as she waited expectantly for my approval. I studied what was clearly meant to be a family portrait - quite impressive for a child not yet three. The tension in my shoulders eased, and I felt my expression soften without conscious effort. On the video conference screen, I could see my executive team's eyes go wide. Johnson from marketing visibly relaxed and whispered