CAN I CLEAN YOUR HOUSE FOR FOOD?— BUT WHEN THE BILLIONAIRE SAW HER face, HE froze

“Can I clean your house for food?”
But when the billionaire saw her face, he froze.

Daniel barely had time to process the knock on his door before he opened it. Standing there was a woman he never thought he’d see again.

Sasha.

Her face was thinner now, her skin dulled and streaked with grime. Her once lustrous dreadlocks hung loosely around her face, and her faded orange shirt was torn at the sleeves. But her eyes—her eyes were still the same. The ones that had haunted Daniel for seven years.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his words caught in his throat when he saw the boy standing beside her—a Black boy, about six or seven years old, his clothes dusty and torn. He clung to Sasha’s arm but stared up at Daniel with wide, guarded eyes that spoke of too many hard nights and too few warm meals.

“Can I clean your house for food?” Sasha asked softly.

The air seemed to leave Daniel’s lungs.
“Sasha,” he said finally, his voice cracking.

She flinched at his voice but nodded faintly.
“It’s me.”

Daniel’s hand gripped the doorframe tightly.
“Seven years,” he said, his voice low but taut with barely contained emotion. “Seven years you vanished without a word, and now you’re here asking to clean my house.”

“I didn’t come for you,” she whispered hoarsely. “I came for him.”

Her hand rested protectively on the boy’s shoulder.
“He’s hungry.”

Daniel’s gaze shifted to the boy again.
“What’s his name?”

“Malik,” she said.
“Is he…” Daniel stopped himself, his jaw tightening. “Is he mine?”

Sasha shook her head quickly.
“No. He’s my nephew.”

Daniel’s mind spun. Her nephew? Where was her family? And why was she standing here on his doorstep, looking like she hadn’t slept in days?

“You shouldn’t be here,” Daniel said sharply.

Sasha’s lips trembled, but she didn’t look away.
“Please. Just some bread. I’ll clean your floors, wash your windows, anything you want. I just… I can’t let him go another night without food.”

Malik’s small voice cut through the tension.
“Mom, I’m okay,” he whispered.

But Daniel noticed the way his skinny arms wrapped tighter around Sasha’s waist, as though clinging to her was the only thing holding him together.

Daniel felt something crack in his chest.
This wasn’t the Sasha he remembered. The vibrant, confident woman he’d loved was gone, replaced by someone gaunt and desperate. And yet, even now, she stood tall in front of her nephew, shielding him with her body as though protecting him from the whole world.

“Why?” Daniel asked suddenly, his voice quieter now.

Sasha blinked.
“Why? What?”

“Why did you leave me?”

Sasha’s lips parted, but no sound came out.

“You didn’t just walk away,” Daniel pressed, stepping closer. “You disappeared. No goodbye, no calls, nothing. I searched for you for years, Sasha. Why?”

Tears welled in her tired eyes.
“I didn’t leave because I wanted to,” she said softly.

“Then why?” His voice cracked, his anger fighting with the ache in his chest.

Sasha took a shaky breath.
“Because if I hadn’t, they would have killed you.”

Daniel stared at her, stunned.
“What are you talking about?”

Her tears fell freely now.
“My brother got in deep with the wrong people. He… he wanted me to help him extort you. When I refused, they said they’d come for you next. The only way to protect you was to disappear.”

Daniel’s heart pounded as her words sank in.
“And the boy?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Sasha’s arms tightened around Malik.
“My brother’s gone now. He left Malik behind, and I couldn’t let him end up like me.”

Daniel stood frozen, staring at the woman who had once been his entire world, and the boy who now clung to her like his life depended on it.
And for the first time in seven years, he didn’t know whether to slam the door or pull them both inside.

Sasha hesitated as Daniel stepped aside, his face unreadable. For a moment, she thought he might slam the door shut after all, but then he spoke again.

“Come in.”

His voice was low, tight with something she couldn’t quite name. Anger? Pain? Or was it something else entirely?

She adjusted Malik on her hip and stepped into the mansion. The cool marble floors felt foreign against her bare, calloused feet. Malik clutched her tighter as they crossed the threshold, his wide eyes darting nervously around the lavish foyer.

“Stay close to me,” she whispered to him.

Daniel watched them silently, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He led them to the kitchen.

“Sit,” he ordered.

Sasha hesitated but gently lowered Malik onto a chair before sinking into one herself. The boy looked exhausted, his little chest rising and falling with every breath.

Daniel opened the fridge and pulled out bread, cheese, and fruit. Without a word, he placed a plate in front of Malik.

“Eat,” he said softly.

The boy’s hands trembled as he picked up a piece of bread, his eyes flicking to Sasha for permission.

“It’s okay,” she whispered.

Malik took a cautious bite, and soon he was devouring the food like he hadn’t eaten in days.

Daniel’s gaze shifted back to Sasha.
“Now talk,” he said coldly. “I let you in. You owe me the truth.”

Sasha swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on Malik, as though drawing strength from the boy’s presence.

“After I left you, they kept me under watch,” she began. “My brother… he was in debt to dangerous people. He thought he could use me to get to you. They wanted to extort you, Daniel.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“I had no idea.”

“You weren’t supposed to,” Sasha said bitterly. “When I refused to help them, they threatened your life. Said if I didn’t vanish, you’d be next. I thought disappearing was the only way to keep you safe.”

For a long moment, Daniel didn’t speak.

“You could have come to me,” he said finally, his voice low. “We could have fought them together.”

Sasha’s eyes glistened with tears.
“They weren’t the kind of people you fight, Daniel. They would have destroyed everything.”

His gaze softened slightly as he looked at her. Not the woman he remembered, but the woman in front of him now.
And the boy.

Sasha brushed a hand over Malik’s messy hair.
“He’s my nephew. My brother… he didn’t make it. Malik had no one left. When I found him, he was hiding in an abandoned house, terrified and starving. I couldn’t leave him.”

Malik’s small hand gripped hers tightly, as though afraid she might let go.

Daniel let out a shaky breath, running a hand over his face.
“All this time,” he murmured. “You were protecting me, and I hated you for it.”

Tears slipped down Sasha’s cheeks.
“I hated myself too,” she whispered.

A long silence settled over the room, broken only by the sound of Malik eating.

Finally, Daniel spoke.
“You don’t have to run anymore.”

Sasha’s head snapped up.
“What do you mean?”

“I mean stay here. Both of you. You’re not sleeping on the streets again.”

Sasha’s lips trembled.
“Daniel, I can’t ask that of you.”

“You didn’t ask. I’m offering.”

Malik looked up at Daniel with wide, cautious eyes.
“Are you going to send us away?” the boy asked softly.

Daniel crouched down to his level.
“No,” he said gently. “No one’s sending you anywhere.”

Malik’s eyes welled with tears as he threw his arms around Sasha’s neck.

Daniel stood, his voice firmer now.
“You gave up everything to protect me, Sasha. It’s my turn to protect you.”

That night, as Sasha tucked Malik into a warm bed for the first time in weeks, Daniel stood silently in the doorway.

“You saved me once,” he said quietly.
“Let me save you this time.”

Sasha’s eyes filled with tears as she whispered back,
“You already have.”

The next morning, Daniel made a call.
“Find out who’s left from the people who hurt her,” he said coldly. “I want them gone.”

As he hung up, he glanced at the small family sleeping peacefully in his guest room and swore silently:

This time, no one is taking her away from me.