The clock had just passed two in the morning when Alexander Møller pressed himself against the wall behind the slightly open door to the nursery. The baby monitor on his phone showed a picture he knew by heart. Solvej, Clara, and Louise crying without stopping, their tiny faces red and exhausted. The doctors said it was just a phase, but something inside him knew better.
The same instinct that had made him one of Copenhagen’s most respected businessmen whispered that something was very wrong. Eight months. Only eight months since Regitze had closed her eyes forever in that delivery room, leaving him with three daughters and an emptiness no amount of money could fill. Her last words still echoed in his mind, weak but clear: “Take care of them, my love.
Take care of them the way I would have. ”
But how? How did you take care of three babies when you could barely get out of bed yourself? Quick footsteps in the hallway tore him from his thoughts.
Victoria Schmid entered the room with an irritated expression, her phone still in her hand, the screen’s light illuminating her impatient face. Alexander pressed himself closer into the shadows. Victoria approached the first crib—Solvej’s—and let out an impatient sigh. “Now, that’s enough,” she muttered, her voice sharp.
“Will you ever get tired? ”
Alexander felt his chest tighten. It wasn’t the first time something seemed off about Victoria’s treatment of the girls, but he had always blamed it on his own paranoia, his grief clouding his judgment. “She’s doing her best,” he told himself.
“She’s trying to help you fill the void Regitze left. ”
But now, watching with his own eyes, there was no room for excuses. Victoria didn’t lift the babies gently, didn’t rock them, didn’t sing to them. She just moved them from side to side with jerky movements, as if they were dolls getting in the way.
When Clara reached out her little arms for comfort, Victoria didn’t even look at her. She grabbed a bottle, tested it against the back of her hand, and shoved it into Louise’s mouth without care. “You’d better quiet down with this,” she muttered between her teeth. Alexander had to bite his lip to keep from storming out of his hiding place.
The impulse to burst in, scream at her, drag her out of there was almost uncontrollable. But a colder part of his brain—the part of the businessman who had learned not to act impulsively—told him to wait, to observe more, to be sure before making decisions. He wasn’t wrong. He knew it when he watched Victoria take out her phone again, send a text, and laugh quietly while the three babies still cried around her.
He knew it when he heard her mutter, “Damn kids. I hope they sleep soon so I can get some peace. ”
He felt sick. This was the woman he had hired to care for his daughters.
The woman he had, out of desperation and loneliness, started a relationship with a few months ago, believing he could rebuild his life. She had come with impeccable references, seemed kind, attentive, patient. How long had this been going on? How many nights had the girls cried without being properly comforted?
How many times had Victoria pretended to care for them when he was nearby, only to ignore them the moment he turned his back? When Victoria finally left the room without having so much as picked up any of the babies, Alexander waited a few minutes before going in. The triplets were still crying, exhausted but unable to sleep. He went to Solvej’s crib and lifted her gently.
“Forgive me, my princess,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Forgive me for not discovering this sooner. ”
Solvej clung to his shirt with her tiny hands, as if she knew that someone was finally really listening. Alexander rocked her slowly, humming a song Regitze used to sing.
Bit by bit, the sobbing subsided. Clara and Louise also began to calm down, as if sensing the atmosphere had changed. He stayed with them until dawn, sitting in the room’s armchair with Solvej in one arm, taking turns holding the other two. He hadn’t slept in hours.
But for the first time in months, he felt he was doing something right. The next morning, when the sun rose and the girls were finally resting peacefully in their cribs, he made a decision. He couldn’t go on like this. He couldn’t trust Victoria.
He needed real help—from someone who saw his daughters for what they were: little people deserving of love, not a burden to bear. Down in the kitchen, he met Kirsten, the house’s cook of twenty years. “Oh, Alexander, are you alright? You look terrible,” she said with genuine concern.
“I haven’t slept,” he admitted. Then, after a pause, “Kirsten, have you noticed anything strange about Victoria? ”
The older woman hesitated, opening and closing her mouth as if weighing her words. “It’s not my place to talk about this, Mr.
Møller. ”
“Kirsten, please. I need to know. ”
She sighed deeply, wiping her hands on her apron.
“The girls cry more when she’s alone with them. And yes, I’ve seen how she treats them when she thinks no one is watching. It’s… it’s not with love. ”
Alexander felt the floor shift beneath him.
Someone else had noticed. He wasn’t crazy. It wasn’t his imagination. “Why didn’t you say anything before?
”
“I tried to hint at it a few times, but you seemed so lost, so sad. I didn’t want to add to your burden. ”
That afternoon, he left the house for the first time in weeks without a business purpose. He wandered through a charming old neighborhood in Copenhagen until hunger led him to a small restaurant called Blomsterknoppen.
The restaurant wasn’t the type of place Alexander usually ate. The walls were painted a faded yellow, the tables worn from use, the menu written on a chalkboard promising homemade food at prices that were almost symbolic to him. But there was something cozy about it, something that reminded him of simpler times, when he and Regitze were just starting out. A young woman with dark hair tied in a ponytail approached his table.
She looked tired, but her smile seemed genuine. Her eyes caught his attention—deep brown, but there was something in them, a warmth mixed with sadness, as if they had seen too much pain for such a young person. “Good afternoon. What can I get for you?
” she asked softly. “What do you recommend? ” he replied, realizing he hadn’t even looked at the board. “The meatballs are really good today.
Mrs. Nielsen makes them with her special recipe. Shall I bring you some? ”
“Perfect.
”
As he ate, he overheard a tense discussion from the kitchen. It was the waitress’s voice. “Mrs. Nielsen, I promise I’ll pay you.
I just need a few more weeks. Me and my girl. ”
“It’s been three months now. ”
“I know.
I know. It’s just that my aunt has gotten sick again, and I had to… ”
“Look, you don’t need to give me explanations, but I need you to tell me the truth. Can you?
”
There was silence. Then the young woman answered with a firm voice, though he detected a tremor: “Yes. I’ll pay it all back, I promise. Just let me find some extra hours somewhere else.
”
“Oh, my girl, you already work from morning to night here. When do you sleep? ”
“I’ll find a way. Don’t worry.
”
Alexander felt a strange sting in his chest. Money problems. He was swimming in money, and this young woman was struggling to pay… what? Rent?
Debt? Medical bills? When the waitress came out, her eyes were slightly red. She hurried toward the bathrooms to compose herself.
Alexander didn’t know why, but he stayed longer than necessary, ordering a coffee he didn’t want, just waiting for her to come back. When she returned, he paid with a 500-krone note for an 80-krone meal. “Keep the change,” he said. “That’s too much,” she blinked, looking at the note.
“It’s a tip. You’ve earned it with your service. ”
“But I can’t accept this. ”
“Of course you can,” he said firmly but not rudely.
“Believe me, I won’t miss it. ”
For a moment he saw tears fill her eyes, but she held them back with dignity. She nodded slightly. “Thank you.
Truly. Thank you. ”
As he was about to leave, the older woman from the kitchen came out, drying her hands on an apron. She had a warm smile that lit up her whole face.
“Maja is a heart of gold,” Mrs. Nielsen said, lowering her voice. “She lost her mother when she was little. Her father left her.
Her aunt raised her as best she could. But she has a heart so big. ”
“She’s very talented with children,” Mrs. Nielsen continued.
“The other day my daughter came with my two grandchildren—some real troublemakers. Maja calmed them down in seconds. She has a gift for it. Babies can sense her good energy.
”
Something clicked in Alexander’s mind. Children. Someone who was good with babies. Someone with a big heart.
“Does she have experience with childcare? ” he asked. “Lots. She watched all her nieces and nephews when she lived in the countryside.
Here in the city, she helps a neighbor with her little ones now and then. ”
Alexander hesitated. It was crazy, completely crazy to ask a waitress he just met for help. But that same instinct that had warned him about Victoria now told him to pursue this.
“I have… I have three babies, triplets, eight months old. And honestly, they’re going through a very difficult phase. They cry a lot, don’t sleep well. The person taking care of them… I don’t think she’s the right one.
”
Mrs. Nielsen nodded understandingly. “Maja would be willing to help, even if just for a single night so you can rest. She’s always looking for extra work.
”
Before Alexander could protest, Mrs. Nielsen was already calling the young woman over. Maja approached, and when the situation was explained, her eyes lit up with genuine interest. “Triplets?
Oh, how wonderful. They must be a joy. ”
“They’re complicated,” Alexander admitted. “They cry a lot.
”
“I love babies,” Maja interrupted gently. “If you need help, even just for a few hours, I’d be happy to. Little children understand me. ”
Something in her voice was so sincere, so free of ulterior motives, that he felt something loosen in his chest.
“Could… could you come tonight? ” he asked, surprising himself. “I’ll pay you, of course. ”
“I finish my shift at seven.
What time should I come? ”
“Eight o’clock. ”
“Perfect. ” Maja took a napkin and wrote down her number.
“Send me the address by text, and I’ll be there. ”
Maja arrived at Villasolbakken at exactly eight o’clock. She stood off the bus and walked the remaining blocks, gazing at the illuminated villas with a mix of amazement and nervousness. The house was impressive—white walls covered in pink climbing roses, a fountain in the front, enormous windows with warm light spilling out.
A butler opened the door and let her in without a word. Inside, it was even more impressive than outside. Marble floors, crystal chandeliers, paintings that probably cost more than everything she had earned in her life. She felt dreadfully out of place.
“Maja, you’re punctual. Thank you,” Alexander said, coming down the stairs looking exhausted but grateful. He had a wrinkled shirt and unkempt hair, very different from the impeccable man at the restaurant. “Good evening, Mr.
Møller. ”
“Please, come in. The girls are upstairs. They’ve already started their evening crying.
”
As they walked up the stairs, Maja heard the crying. It wasn’t normal baby fussiness asking for attention. It was desperate crying from small beings who had long lacked true comfort. Her heart squeezed.
She knew that kind of cry. She had cried like that herself as a child at night when no one came. Alexander led her to a door decorated with wooden letters spelling out the girls’ names. He opened it gently.
The room was beautiful, decorated in pastel colors, with three white cribs with lace canopies. But none of it mattered when the three little ones cried with such anguish. Maja approached Solvej’s crib slowly. The baby had a completely red face, eyes squeezed shut, little hands clenched.
She was exhausted from crying but couldn’t stop. “Hello, little darling,” Maja whispered softly. “What’s wrong, my love? Why are you so sad?
”
Carefully, she lifted the baby out of the crib. Solvej stiffened at first, as if unsure what to expect. But Maja rocked her against her chest, humming a lullaby her grandmother used to sing when she was little. Something almost magical began to happen.
Solvej’s sobbing started to subside. Her small hands clutched at Maja’s blouse, holding tight, as if making sure this person wouldn’t let go. The crying turned to sniffles, then to tired sighs. Clara and Louise were still crying in their cribs.
Without stopping her rocking, Maja walked over to Clara’s crib and began to hum louder, an old melody where she mixed sweet words with the constant rhythm of her voice. Clara opened her little eyes, as if trying to figure out where the new voice came from. Her crying lessened in intensity. Maja stroked the baby’s head gently.
“I know you’re tired, my dear. I know. But now there’s someone here who will really take good care of you. ”
Alexander watched from the doorway, holding his breath.
He had seen dozens of people try to calm his daughters—nurses, nannies, professionals, Victoria. No one had succeeded. Maja sat in the rocking chair and laid Solvej in one arm. With her free arm, she gestured toward Clara’s crib.
“Could you hand her to me, please? ”
Alexander came out of his trance and lifted Clara, handing her gently to Maja. Maja settled her in her other arm, holding both babies with natural skill. She continued singing softly, rocking in the chair with a constant, almost hypnotic rhythm.
Clara slowly calmed down. Her whimpers turned to deep breaths. Only Louise remained, still crying but with less force. Alexander took her out of the crib and sat on the floor next to the rocking chair, rocking his daughter against his chest.
Following Maja’s example, he hummed the same tune. Nearly twenty minutes passed like that. Maja rocking Solvej and Clara, Alexander with Louise in his arms, both singing softly. The room that moments before had been a place of anxiety now seemed wrapped in an almost magical calm.
Solvej was the first to fall fully asleep. Her face finally relaxed. Clara followed shortly after. Louise gave in last, when Alexander laid her against his shoulder and patted her back gently.
“I can’t believe it,” Alexander whispered, almost voicelessly. “This is the first time in months they’ve slept like this. ”
“Babies know when someone is caring for them with genuine love,” Maja said softly. “They just needed to feel safe, to feel loved.
”
The following days passed in a tension you could cut with a knife. Maja began coming to the villa every evening after her shift at the restaurant. And every evening was the same: the babies, who had cried all afternoon with Victoria, calmed down the moment Maja took them in her arms. On the fifth evening, Maja arrived earlier than usual.
As she headed upstairs, she heard voices from the nursery. “I don’t understand why you still have that waitress coming here,” Victoria was saying in a sweet-tempered tone. “I can easily look after the girls, my love. Besides, don’t you think it’s strange that she just shows up out of the blue?
Women like her always have ulterior motives. Look at her clothes. Look at where she comes from. Of course she’s interested in your money.
”
“Victoria, don’t talk about her like that,” Alexander said firmly. “She’s been a great help. ”
“Of course,” Victoria said with a sour voice. “Until she asks for a loan she never pays back, or worse, until she starts crying about falling in love with the rich father.
You know how that kind of woman is. ”
Maja felt her face burn with shame and anger. She wanted to go in and defend herself, but something stopped her. What was the point?
It was her word against the boss’s girlfriend’s. She retreated to the kitchen, where Kirsten was preparing dinner. “That Victoria has an eye on you, doesn’t she? ” the cook said.
“That woman is not a good person. I’ve seen how she treats the babies when she thinks no one is watching. She ignores them, talks badly to them, handles them roughly. One day I saw a bruise on Clara’s arm, and when I asked, Victoria said she had hit herself.
But babies that age don’t move that much. ”
Maja felt her blood freeze. That evening, Maja checked the girls more carefully. She found two small scratches on Louise’s neck, as if someone had grabbed her hard.
The bottles were prepared with formula that smelled strange, as if expired. The water in the sterilizer was dirty. The diapers in the bin smelled odd, as if they had been lying there too long. The next day, she came even earlier and hid in the hallway before entering the room.
What she witnessed filled her with rage. Victoria sat in the rocking chair with her phone, completely oblivious to the three babies crying. Clara stretched out her little arms, clearly begging to be picked up. Victoria didn’t even turn to look at her.
She shoved a bottle into Solvej’s mouth roughly. The baby choked and coughed. Maja couldn’t hold it in any longer. She walked into the room with her heart pounding in her ears.
“Good afternoon. ”
Victoria jumped. Her irritation instantly transformed into a sweet smile. “Oh, Maja, how nice that you’re here.
The girls are very restless today. ”
“Yes, I can see. ” Maja took Solvej from Victoria’s arms. She checked the baby’s mouth to make sure no milk had gone down her airway.
Later, Victoria cornered her with a lowered voice. “I’ll be honest with you, woman to woman. I know Alexander pays you well to come here, but do not be mistaken. He is a vulnerable man.
He just lost his wife. Do not misinterpret his kindness as something more. Rich men do not marry waitresses, you understand. I’m just warning you, because it would be very sad if someone got hurt.
Or worse. An accusation of theft can ruin a reputation, you know. ”
Maja understood then that Victoria was far more dangerous than she had thought. That evening, Maja found something in the bathroom trash.
A crumpled receipt. It was from a baby store—three tins of premium formula, packs of diapers, imported creams. All paid with Alexander’s card. But none of those products were in the house.
She took a photo of it with her phone. Then she found more receipts. Expensive products bought but never used on the babies. The answer came that same afternoon when she overheard Victoria on the phone in the garden.
“Yes, I have several products. Three tins of Nestlé formula, the expensive kind. I’ll sell them for a thousand kroner for all three. I also have some brand-new diapers… We’ll meet at the supermarket at six.
”
Maja’s anger surged. Victoria wasn’t just mistreating the girls. She was also stealing from Alexander, selling the products he bought for his daughters and giving the babies expired or inferior things. Maja knew she needed proof that couldn’t be denied.
That evening, after the girls had fallen asleep, she asked Alexander something unusual. “Does the baby alarm record, or does it only stream live? ”
Alexander looked confused. “It records.
Why? ”
“I just think it would be good to review the recordings from the last few weeks to look at sleep patterns,” she said. It was a white lie, but it worked. What she didn’t know was that Alexander was already beginning to suspect the same thing.
Sunday came with a radiant sun that stood in cruel contrast to the storm about to break. Alexander had arranged a luncheon at the villa with some important business partners and their families. Maja hadn’t planned to come that day. It was her day off.
But at ten in the morning, Alexander called with a stressed voice. “Maja, I know it’s your day off, but Victoria says she has a terrible migraine and can’t look after the girls. I have this important lunch. Could you come?
I’ll pay you double. ”
She didn’t hesitate for a second. It wasn’t for the money. It was the thought of Victoria being alone with the triplets that made her stomach turn.
She arrived an hour later, wearing her best dress—a simple navy-blue one that had belonged to her aunt. She felt terribly out of place among the guests in designer gowns and sparkling jewelry. Kirsten met her in the kitchen. “The girls are with a sitter upstairs, but the poor girl doesn’t even know how to hold them.
Hurry. ”
Maja ran up and found the room in chaos. A young girl from a temp agency was trying unsuccessfully to calm the three inconsolable babies. Within minutes, Maja had settled them, changed diapers, prepared fresh bottles with the new formula Alexander had personally bought, and rocked them patiently until they were happy and playful.
At lunchtime, Alexander came up with a smile. “The girls are perfect. Thank you, Maja. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without you.
”
“It’s my job, Mr. Møller. ”
“Please, don’t call me Mr. Møller.
You make me feel like I’m a hundred years old. ”
He lifted Louise, kissed her forehead. “Have you eaten? Kirsten has made enough for an entire army.
”
“I’m fine, thank you. ”
“I insist. Go down for a moment. Fix yourself something.
I’ll stay with them. ”
Maja went down reluctantly, heading for the kitchen through the service entrance. But Kirsten stopped her. “None of that.
Sit in the dining room like a decent person. You’ve been working all morning. ”
“I can’t, Mrs. Kirsten.
There are only important guests there. ”
“Well, you’re important too. Now go, don’t be silly. ”
Before she could protest further, Kirsten practically pushed her into the dining room.
Maja sat in a discreet corner, trying to make herself invisible while taking some rice and chicken. The conversations continued around her. No one really noticed her until Victoria walked in—impeccably dressed, in a tight white dress, heels, perfect makeup. She looked nothing like someone with a migraine.
Her eyes scanned the dining room until they landed on Maja, and something dark glittered in them. “Oh, my love. I’m feeling better now,” she said to Alexander with a sweet voice. “The girls are fine?
Perfect. Maja came to help. How sweet. ” She sent Maja a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Always so helpful. ” Something in her tone made Maja feel a chill. She knew that tone. It was the same one rich girls from her hometown used when they wanted to humiliate someone.
The meal continued without incident. Maja ate quickly, trying to sneak back to the nursery. But just as she passed the hallway leading to the stairs, she heard a scream. “My bracelet!
My bracelet is gone! ”
It was Victoria, hands on her face, a look of terror perfectly rehearsed. All the guests flocked around her. “What happened, dear?
” Alexander came running. “The gold bracelet. Your mother gave it to me—she gave it to me before she died. I put it on my vanity this morning, and now it’s gone.
” Victoria clutched her chest, tears streaming with practiced ease. “It was the only thing I had from her. The only thing. ”
Maja felt the floor move beneath her.
She knew exactly where this was going. “Calm down, dear. It must be somewhere. Let’s search.
”
“No. ” Victoria’s voice shook dramatically. “Only three people were in my room today. Me, the temp girl who’s already left… and her.
” Her eyes locked onto Maja like knives. The silence that followed was icy. All eyes turned to Maja, frozen in the hallway. “No, I never went into your room.
I swear. ”
“Of course you did. I saw you coming out of there this morning when you arrived,” Victoria lied shamelessly. “You said you were going to the bathroom, but now that I think about it, that’s not true.
”
“Oh, poor girl. See how nervous she gets. ” Victoria turned to Alexander with wet eyes. “My love, I don’t want to accuse anyone without proof, but could we just check her bag, just to rule it out?
If she has nothing to hide, there shouldn’t be a problem. ”
Maja felt the world collapse around her. She knew what would happen. She knew it even before she opened her bag.
“Of course,” she said, her voice shaking. “Check whatever you want. ”
Alexander took the bag with an awkward expression, clearly reluctant, but pressured by the situation and the watching guests, he emptied its contents out. A worn wallet.
An old mobile phone. Keys. A handkerchief. Some candy.
And a gold bracelet. The air vanished from Maja’s lungs. “No. No.
No. It wasn’t there. I didn’t—I never—I can’t even whisper. ”
“I knew it!
” Victoria burst out in theatrical sobbing. “I knew it! Oh, Alexander, I warned you. I said we should be careful.
That people like her always have ulterior motives. ”
The murmuring began among the guests. Maja could hear them. What a shame.
It always happens with the help. Poor Victoria. “I did not steal anything,” Maja said, feeling the tears burn in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “Someone put it there.
I never—someone—I never did anything. ”
Victoria let out a bitter laugh. “Who would do that? Myself?
To accuse myself? Don’t be ridiculous. ”
Maja looked pleadingly at Alexander. His face was pale, torn.
“Maja, I need you to understand that this looks very bad, but they know me. They know I would never… ”
“I’ve only known you for two weeks,” Victoria interrupted poisonously. “I’ve been here for months.
I’m his girlfriend, his family. Who do you think he’ll believe? ”
At that moment, crying started from the room upstairs. The triplets, sensing the tension in the air, the emotional chaos, reacted the only way they knew how.
Maja took a step toward the stairs, instinctively wanting to go up and calm them. But Victoria blocked her. “Don’t even think about going near those girls. You’ve already done enough damage.
”
“I would never hurt them. ”
“Alexander, please. Tell her to leave. I don’t want a thief near your daughters.
”
Maja saw the inner struggle on Alexander’s face. She saw the exact moment he made his decision, pressured by the situation, by the watching guests, by Victoria’s accusation. “I… I think it’s best that you go,” he said. “At least until we get this sorted out.
”
The words were like a slap. No—they were a knife straight to the heart. “But the girls…” her voice broke. “I’ll take care of my daughters,” Alexander said with a harder tone than he had intended, trying to maintain control in front of his guests.
Maja nodded slowly. There was no point in fighting. Not now, not against all these people who had already judged and condemned her. She took her bag—now with the bracelet that someone had planted—and walked toward the exit, head held high, even though she was shattered inside.
As she passed Victoria, the woman whispered so softly only she could hear: “I warned you. This isn’t your place. ”
Maja left the villa. The sun blinded her.
The sound of the triplets’ crying chased her like ghosts. On the street, walking toward the bus stop, the tears finally fell freely. She had lost. Victoria had won.
But what hurt most was not the humiliation. Not even the false accusation. It was knowing that the three tiny babies she had come to love as her own were back in the hands of someone who would not care for them with love. Maja arrived at her small apartment on the edge of the city as the sun began to set.
She let herself fall onto the bed without even taking off her shoes. For a long time, she just stared at the damp-stained ceiling. She thought about the girls, about how they would cry tonight without her. Who would patiently carry them?
Who would sing to them until they fell asleep? Certainly not Victoria. When she had no more tears left, she got up with unfocused determination. No.
She wouldn’t give up like this. Not when she knew the truth. Not when three innocent little girls depended on someone protecting them. She emptied her bag onto the bed and took out her phone, opening the photo gallery.
There were all the pieces of evidence she had collected: receipts for expensive products never used, photos of expired formula, screenshots of messages. She spread everything out on the bed like a puzzle. While she organized the evidence, her eyes fell on an old box under the bed. She pulled it out and blew the dust off.
Inside were memories from her life: photos of her mother, letters from her aunt, some school certificates. And nestled among the yellowed papers, she found something she had forgotten—a sealed envelope with her name written in elegant handwriting. She opened it carefully and took out a card. It was a thank-you note from Regitze Møller, written years earlier, when Maja had volunteered as a children’s caregiver at a charity campaign.
“Dear Maja, thank you for your help with the children during the campaign. You have a special gift—a light in your eyes when you care for them. You are one of those people born to protect the most vulnerable. I hope the world had more souls like yours.
With kind regards, Regitze Møller. ”
Maja felt a lump in her throat. It was as if Regitze herself was sending her strength from wherever she was. This card was proof that she wasn’t an opportunist—Alexander’s own wife had known and trusted her years earlier.
She folded the card carefully and put it with the other evidence. She had everything she needed. Now she just had to find the courage to go back. Meanwhile, at Villasolbakken, Alexander could not sleep.
It was two in the morning, and the triplets had been crying for hours. Victoria had locked herself in her room with another migraine. The temp workers didn’t even last twenty minutes before leaving the nursery on the verge of a nervous breakdown. So he was alone with three inconsolable babies, feeling like the worst father in the world.
He carried Solvej against his chest, trying to soothe her, but she just cried louder. The room that had known peace these past weeks was again a place of anxiety. “I’m sorry, my treasures. Forgive me,” he whispered with a broken voice.
The afternoon’s scene replayed in his head again and again. The bracelet in Maja’s bag. Maja’s crushed expression. The tears she had tried to hold back.
But he also remembered other things: Maja’s way of caring for the girls, her endless patience, her genuine love. Could such a person really be a thief? He laid Solvej carefully in her crib and left the room. He went silently down the stairs to his office.
He turned on the computer and opened the baby monitor application, which saved recordings from the past weeks. If Maja had been right in suggesting he review the recordings, then there was something he needed to see. He started with videos from the past few days when only Victoria had been with the girls. What he saw made his blood freeze.
Video from last Thursday: Victoria came into the room with her phone glued to her ear, completely ignoring the crying. “Yes. Yes. I’m so tired of watching these kids.
No, he suspects nothing. Of course, as soon as we get married, I’ll hire someone and forget about them. ”
Video from Friday: Victoria prepared a bottle, tasted the milk, and made a face. “Expired.
But they’ll have to drink it anyway. ” She shoved the bottle into Clara’s mouth roughly. Video from Saturday: Victoria shook Louise’s crib with jerky movements. “Be quiet now.
What do you want me to do? Sing songs for you like the stupid waitress? ”
Alexander felt bile rise in his throat. He kept watching video after video, each worse than the last.
And then he found something more. A video from Sunday morning, just before the guests arrived. Victoria entered the empty room with something in her hand. She approached a bag lying on a chair—Maja’s bag—and put something inside it.
A gold bracelet. She had planted it. The whole thing had been a calculated trap. Alexander felt the world crash down on him.
He had failed Maja. He had failed his own daughters. He had been so blind, so stupid, so vulnerable that he had let a snake into his house and let her poison everything. He saved the videos to a USB drive with shaking hands.
Then he went upstairs, straight to Victoria’s room. He knocked hard on the door. “Victoria, open up! ”
“What is it?
I’m sleeping. ”
“Open the door now. ”
Something in his tone must have warned her, because she opened almost immediately with a confused expression, her hair perfectly set for someone who was supposedly asleep. “What’s wrong, my love?
Can’t you—? ”
“Don’t. ” His voice was ice. “I want you to see something.
”
He led her to his office and started the first video. Victoria blanched. “Alexander, I can explain. ”
“Explain this.
” He started another video. “I was stressed. The girls drive me crazy sometimes. ”
“And what about this?
” The video of her planting the bracelet in Maja’s bag. The silence that followed was devastating. Victoria opened and closed her mouth, stumbling for excuses that didn’t come. “It was… it was for your own good.
That waitress was taking advantage of you, and you couldn’t see it. ”
“Taking advantage? ” Alexander let out a bitter laugh. “She was the only person who cared for my daughters with real love.
And you—you mistreated them, ignored them, put them in danger. ”
“No, I never—! ”
“I saw everything, Victoria. The videos don’t lie.
”
She changed tactics. Tears fell instantly. “Forgive me, my love. I was jealous.
I admit it. I was afraid of losing you. That woman looked at you a certain way. You started looking at her differently too.
”
“Don’t use my feelings as an excuse for what you did. You mistreated my daughters. That is unforgivable. ”
“Alexander, please.
Think about our plans, what we’ve built. ”
“We have nothing. I want you to leave my house now. ”
“What?
You can’t be serious. ”
“I am filing a formal complaint against you for child abuse and theft. The receipts for the products you sold, the messages—everything. So you’d do well to disappear before I call the police.
”
Victoria looked at him with pure hatred. “You will regret this. No one treats me this way. No one.
”
“Leave. Now. ”
She stormed out of the office, went up to her room, and began throwing her things violently into a suitcase. Half an hour later, she walked out the front door, shouting threats Alexander no longer heard.
Only when she was gone, when silence returned to the house, did Alexander go up to the nursery. The girls were still crying, exhausted but unable to stop. He picked them up one by one, begging their forgiveness between tears. “Daddy was a fool.
A fool who didn’t protect you. But that’s over now. I promise you. ”
But he alone wasn’t enough.
The girls needed Maja. And he needed to beg her forgiveness—on his knees, if necessary. He looked at his watch. Three in the morning.
Too late to call. Or maybe not. Maybe it was never too late to do the right thing. He took out his phone and called.
Maja’s phone vibrated on the small table, jolting her from the restless sleep she had fallen into. She looked at the screen with swollen eyes. Three seventeen in the morning. A familiar number.
Alexander Møller. Her first instinct was not to answer. He had already humiliated her enough. But then she heard a baby crying in the background, as the call cut off and came in again.
The desperate cry she knew so well. She answered. “Hello, Mr. Møller?
”
“Maja. ” His voice sounded broken, desperate. “Please. I need you to come.
Now. I know I have no right to ask anything of you after what happened, but the girls—the girls need you. ”
“What happened? Are they okay?
”
“They’re crying nonstop. They’ve been crying for hours. And I found out everything. Victoria—she planted the bracelet in your bag.
I saw the videos. Everything you were right about. Everything. ”
Maja felt her heart beat faster.
He knew. Finally he knew. “Where is she? ”
“I threw her out of the house.
She’s not here anymore. Please, Maja. Come. I’m begging you.
”
There was no stronger prayer than the crying of those babies in the background. Maja was already putting on her shoes. “I’m on my way. ”
She arrived at the villa forty minutes later, having spent her last money on a taxi because the buses didn’t run at that hour.
Alexander opened the door himself—exhausted, deep lines under his eyes, wrinkled shirt, unkempt hair. He was holding Solvej against his chest, but the baby was still crying inconsolably. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know how to apologize.
We’ll talk about that later,” Maja said firmly. “What matters now is that they’re okay. ”
She ran up to the nursery, where Clara and Louise were crying in their cribs. Her heart squeezed at the sight.
Red faces, small bodies trembling with sobs. “I’m here now, my darlings. I’m here,” she whispered, taking Clara in her arms. The baby immediately clung to her, recognizing the scent, the voice, the arms that truly loved her.
Maja began to hum the same lullaby, rocking her with gentle movements. Alexander came in with Solvej and sat in the armchair, watching her with deep regret. “I was an idiot. A complete idiot.
I should have believed you from the start. ”
“Not now,” Maja replied without looking at him, focused on calming Clara. “Give me Solvej. ”
He handed her over carefully.
Maja laid both babies in her arms, continuing to sing, rocking slowly. One by one, they calmed. Louise, always the most stubborn, resisted a few minutes more before surrendering to exhaustion. When they laid them back in their cribs, finally breathing peacefully, Maja turned to Alexander.
It was time to talk. “You said you saw the videos. All of them? ”
Alexander took out his phone and showed her.
“She planted the bracelet. She mistreated the girls for weeks. Sold the products I bought for them. Everything.
”
Maja felt a mix of vindication and sadness. “I have evidence too,” she said, taking out her own phone. “The receipts, the photos of the expired formula. Everything I could gather.
”
Alexander scrolled through each picture with a darker expression. “How could I not have seen it before? They were here, under my own roof, suffering. And I was blind with grief.
”
“The loss of your wife… she took advantage of that,” Maja said gently. “That’s no excuse. I should have protected them. I should have protected you too.
The way I treated you today… I was pressured. There were guests. She cried. Everything seemed to be against you.
But I should have trusted you. I saw how you cared for my daughters. I saw your heart. ”
Maja swallowed.
Something healed inside her at those words. “I have something else to show you,” she said, pulling the envelope out of her pocket. “I found this today, while I was looking through things. ”
Alexander took Regitze’s card and read it with eyes filling with tears.
“This… this was written by Regitze years ago. ”
“Yes. I helped at a charity campaign for childcare. She was very kind to me that day.
I never forgot her words. ”
Alexander traced his late wife’s handwriting with trembling fingers. “She always had a good instinct for people. If she trusted you, I should have trusted you from the start.
” He looked up. “Maja, I owe you more than an apology. I owe you everything. You saved my daughters when I couldn’t.
”
“I did the right thing, that’s all. ”
“You did much more than that. You risked your job, your reputation, your time—everything for three babies who aren’t even yours. That’s not just doing the right thing.
That’s extraordinary. ”
“I couldn’t let them suffer. I know what it’s like to cry at night and have no one come. I know what it’s like to feel alone.
”
Alexander looked at her with new intensity, as if seeing her for the first time. Not as the humble waitress. Not as the temporary help. But as the person she was beneath it all: someone with an immeasurable heart, with her own scars, who nonetheless chose to heal other people’s wounds.
“Will you stay? ” he asked suddenly. “Not just for tonight, but really—as the official nanny, with a contract, a proper salary, everything in order. The girls need you.
And… I need you too. ”
Maja blinked in surprise. “I have my job at the restaurant. ”
“I’ll pay you three times what you earn there.
You can quit if you want, or keep it if you prefer. Whatever you decide. You can also live here in the house. There are enough rooms.
Or you can stay in your own home and come daily. ”
It was such an incredible offer that it felt too good to be true. Maja felt the immediate urge to say yes, but something stopped her. “I need to think about it.
”
“Of course. Take whatever time you need. Just… don’t disappear, please. The girls couldn’t bear to lose you again.
”
Maja looked toward the cribs, where the triplets were sleeping so peacefully, their faces finally at rest. She thought about what it would mean to truly commit to this, to give up her simple but independent life, to step fully into Alexander’s world. But she also thought about the three tiny babies who needed her, about how her presence made the difference between screaming and peace, between suffering and safety. “Alright,” she said finally.
“I’ll stay. But on one condition. ”
“Any condition. ”
“You must promise me you will be present for them.
You can’t be an absent father who just gives money. They need their father, not just a nanny. ”
Alexander nodded solemnly. “I promise.
Regitze made me promise to care for them the way she would have. I failed once. It won’t happen again. ”
Maja extended her hand.
“Then you have a deal. ”
He squeezed her hand, but instead of letting go, he held it a moment longer. “Thank you, Maja. Truly.
Not just for accepting… but for everything. For being the person you are. ”
She nodded, pulling her hand back gently. It was too much emotional intensity for one night.
She needed to process it all. “I should go now. It’s late. ”
“Stay tonight,” he interrupted.
“It’s too late for you to take the bus. There’s a guest room. We’ll talk calmly about everything tomorrow. ”
He was right.
It was almost five in the morning. Maja nodded, exhausted. Kirsten prepared a room for her. A room with a queen-size bed, soft sheets that smelled of lavender, a private bathroom with plush towels.
It was more luxurious than any place she had ever slept. She lay down without even taking off her clothes, staring up at the ornate ceiling. Her life had just completely changed. She was no longer just Maja the waitress.
Now she was Maja, the official nanny of the triplets. The responsibility was enormous, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. In the room next door, Alexander also stared at his own ceiling, unable to sleep. He thought about Regitze, about how she had seen something special in Maja years ago.
He thought about his daughters, finally safe. He thought about the humble woman who had proven to be more noble than anyone in his social circle. Something changed in his heart that night. Something that scared him and excited him at the same time.
But that was a problem for another day. For now, the only thing that mattered was that his daughters were safe. The morning came with birdsong in the garden and golden light seeping through the lace curtains. In the kitchen, Kirsten was already preparing breakfast.
“Good morning, my girl. Did you sleep well? ”
“Better than I have in months, Mrs. Kirsten.
”
The cook smiled knowingly. “I’ve heard everything. That Victoria finally got what she deserved. Thank God Mr.
Alexander discovered it in time. All of us who work here knew, my girl. But you can’t speak without proof. The master never believes the staff about these things.
I’m glad you’re staying. The girls love you. That’s clear. ”
Alexander appeared in the doorway, tired but more composed than the night before.
He was wearing jeans and a white shirt, so different from the impeccable suits he usually wore. “Good morning, Maja. Did you rest? ”
“Yes, thank you.
”
“Good. I want to show you something. Can you come to my office for a moment? ”
She followed him to a room filled with bookshelves, a huge mahogany desk, and large windows overlooking the garden.
On the desk lay papers scattered, marked folders, an open laptop showing legal documents. “I spent the night gathering everything,” Alexander explained. “From the baby alarm, the receipts you found, the messages. I spoke with my lawyer an hour ago.
We are filing a formal complaint against Victoria for child abuse, fraud, and theft. ”
Maja felt a knot in her stomach. “What will happen to her? ”
“It depends on the investigation, but with all this evidence, at minimum she’ll get a criminal record.
She won’t be able to work near children again. ”
“Good,” Maja said firmly. “She deserves it. ”
Alexander looked at her with admiration.
“You know, you’re very brave. Another person in your situation would have just taken the money and walked away. But you… you gathered evidence, risked your reputation, everything—to protect my daughters. ”
“I’m not brave.
I just couldn’t stay silent and watch them be mistreated. ”
“That’s exactly what courage is—doing the right thing even when it costs you. ”
He handed her a folder. “I’ve prepared your contract.
I want you to review it in peace. See if everything is in order. If you want to change anything, we’ll change it. ”
Maja opened it with trembling hands.
It was a formal employment contract with a salary, benefits, paid vacation, health insurance. The salary was three times what she earned at the restaurant. “This is… this is too generous. ”
“It’s fair.
You’ll be caring for three babies, Maja. That’s an enormous responsibility. ” He paused. “Besides, I want you to know that I value you not just as an employee, but as a person.
”
Maja felt her cheeks burn. She didn’t know how to respond to that. A cry from upstairs interrupted them. Solvej had woken up.
“I’ll get her,” Maja said, grateful for the interruption. She ran upstairs and found the baby awake, her eyes searching. The moment she saw Maja, she stretched out her tiny arms. Maja picked her up and felt Solvej nestle into her with absolute trust.
It was an indescribable feeling—to be so needed, to be loved by someone so pure. Three months passed. The villa had been completely transformed. It was no longer a cold house filled with crying and sadness, but a home where children’s laughter and lullabies echoed.
The triplets were thriving. Nighttime crying was a thing of the past. They slept peacefully, safely, loved. Maja had officially moved into the villa, taking a beautiful room on the first floor near the nursery.
Alexander insisted on buying her a complete wardrobe. She protested at first, but he argued it was part of her professional image as a nanny for a prominent family. The truth was something else—Alexander sought any excuse to make her feel valued, to somehow erase all the pain they had caused her. The legal case against Victoria moved forward.
With all the evidence, she faced formal charges for child abuse and fraud. Her reputation was ruined. But the most important transformation was Alexander’s own. He was no longer the lost, absent widower.
He became a present father. He came home early from work to eat dinner with the girls, bathed them, played with them, read them stories before bedtime. He had learned to change diapers without help, to prepare baby food, to distinguish between hungry cries and tired cries. And in that process, something inevitable happened.
He fell in love with Maja. It wasn’t sudden or dramatic. It was a love that grew slowly, built on late-night conversations in the kitchen after the girls had fallen asleep, on shared glances when the triplets did something funny, on deep admiration for a woman who gave everything without asking for anything in return. Maja felt it too, although she refused to admit it.
How could she—a simple waitress from the edge of the city—fall in love with the rich businessman? It was absurd, inappropriate, doomed to end badly. But the heart doesn’t understand logic. One afternoon, Alexander came with an unexpected proposal.
“I want us to do something special for the girls,” he said while Maja prepared dinner. “In two weeks, they turn one. Regitze… Regitze would have wanted a beautiful celebration. ”
Maja nodded, feeling the sadness that always overcame Alexander when he mentioned his wife.
“What are you thinking? ”
“A garden party. A small celebration, just close family and the house staff. ” He hesitated.
“I want you to be the organizer. Kirsten will help you with everything, but you decide how it should be. ”
“Mr. Møller—I don’t know how to arrange that kind of party.
”
Alexander corrected her gently. “I’ve told you a thousand times to call me Alexander. ”
“Okay… Alexander. ” The name felt strange on her tongue.
“But seriously, I don’t think I’m the right person for this. ”
“You are the perfect person. You know the girls better than anyone. You know what they like, what makes them happy.
That’s all that matters. ”
So Maja became the party organizer. With help from Kirsten and the rest of the staff, she planned a beautiful celebration. Pastel decorations, a candy table with cupcakes decorated with each child’s initial, appropriate games for the babies, soft music.
The evening before the party, after putting the girls to bed, Alexander found Maja in the garden. She was sitting on a bench under the climbing roses, looking at the stars. “Can’t sleep? ”
She startled slightly.
“I was just thinking. Tomorrow is a big day. ”
“It is. ” He sat beside her, keeping a respectful distance.
“My daughters’ first birthday. Regitze would have wanted to see this. ” His voice cracked. Maja placed her hand on his in an instinctive gesture of comfort.
Alexander looked at their hands together, feeling the warmth, the connection. “She would have been proud of you,” Maja said softly. “Of how you’ve become the father your daughters need. ”
“I wouldn’t have managed without you.
”
“Yes, you would have. You just needed time. ”
“No. ” Alexander turned his hand to interlace his fingers with hers.
“You saved me, Maja. Me and my daughters. You gave us what we needed most—real, unconditional love. ”
Maja felt her heart racing.
She knew she should pull her hand back, create distance, maintain professional boundaries. But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to. “I did what any person with a heart would have done.
”
“No, not just anyone. You. ”
Alexander moved a little closer. “Maja, I need to tell you something.
And if it ruins everything, if it makes you want to leave, I’ll understand. But I can’t be silent any longer. ”
She looked at him with frightened eyes, knowing what was coming. “I fell in love with you,” he said, his voice trembling but steady.
“I don’t know exactly when it happened. Maybe it was the first night, when you calmed the girls as if by magic. Or when you gathered evidence and risked everything. Or in one of the thousand nightly conversations where you showed me I could still laugh, that I could still feel.
I just know I can’t imagine my life without you anymore. ”
Maja felt tears burning in her eyes. “Alexander, I’m not from your world. I’m a waitress from the edge of the city.
People will talk. They’ll say I’m an opportunist. ”
“I don’t care what people say. ” He took her face between his hands with infinite tenderness.
“Regitze taught me that true love isn’t about last names or bank accounts. It’s about finding someone who makes you a better person. And you made me better. You taught me what courage, humility, and unconditional love are.
”
“But—Regitze. I would never want to—. ”
“Regitze wouldn’t have wanted me to be alone forever. She knew me.
She knew I need to love and be loved. And I believe…” he took out the yellowed old card that Regitze had written to Maja years ago, “I believe she somehow knew it would be you. The girl with the kind eyes, born to care for children. She chose you long before I knew I needed someone to choose me.
”
Tears fell freely down Maja’s cheeks. “I fell in love with you too,” she whispered. “I tried not to. I told myself a thousand times it was crazy.
But every time you smile, every time you hold the girls, every time you look at me like I’m something special, I fall a little more. ”
Alexander wiped her tears with his thumbs. “Then it doesn’t have to be crazy. It can simply be real.
And if it doesn’t work out… if people are right and I’m fooling myself… it would have been worth trying. ”
He came closer. Their foreheads almost touched. “Maja Jensen, will you give me the chance to love you the way you deserve?
Not as your employer. Not as someone who owes you something. Just as a man who fell in love with an extraordinary woman. ”
She nodded, unable to speak.
And when Alexander finally closed the distance and kissed her, it was as if the whole universe fell into place. It wasn’t a kiss of unrestrained passion, but one full of promise, of tenderness, of a future being built on a solid foundation. When they separated slowly, smiling through their tears, Maja laughed softly. “The girls will wake up and think their parents have gone crazy.
”
Their parents. Alexander smiled even wider. “I mean—I like how that sounds. ” He pulled her into his chest.
“I really, really like it. ”
A year later, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Maja was playing with the girls in the garden—now properly walking, babbling recognizable words, filling every corner of the house with their infectious energy—when the family lawyer, Mr. Bech, arrived with a folder and a serious expression. “Alexander, sorry to interrupt.
There’s an important matter I need to discuss with you. ”
“Come in, Counselor. Did something happen with Victoria’s case? ”
“No, that’s not it.
The case is practically concluded. She accepted a plea deal and will do community service in addition to getting a criminal record. ” The lawyer hesitated. “This is about something else.
Something I should have delivered to you a long time ago. But with all the chaos of the last few months, I forgot about it. I discovered it a few days ago and came immediately. I apologize for the delay.
”
Alexander took the envelope with trembling hands. He recognized Regitze’s handwriting on the front: “To Alexander, with all my love. Open this on our daughters’ first birthday. ”
He had missed it in the chaos of grief and discovery.
“She knew,” he murmured. “She knew she might not make it. ”
The lawyer stood. “I’ll leave you to it.
If you need anything, I’m at your disposal. ”
When he was gone, Alexander sat frozen, staring at the envelope for long minutes without daring to open it. Finally, he broke the seal. Inside was a handwritten letter, several pages, and something else—legal documents, old photos, and another smaller envelope with a name written on it: “Maja Jensen.
”
With his heart pounding in his ears, Alexander began to read. “My dear,
If you are reading this, it means my worst fear has come true. I could not see our daughters grow up. I could not be there for their first steps, their first words, their first birthday.
The pain you must be feeling—I can only imagine it. I know you, Alexander. I know you will blame yourself. That you will bury yourself in work, try to be strong for them while falling apart inside.
But I need you to know something: it was not your fault. I chose to have them, knowing the risks. I chose them, because every life we bring into the world is a miracle. And they—our three princesses—are the greatest miracle we could have created together.
Now, to the important part. I know you will need help. You are not Superman, my dear. You will need someone to care for the girls with the same love I would have given them.
And so I will tell you something I never mentioned to you before. Do you remember four years ago, when I organized that charity campaign for childcare in a charming neighborhood in Copenhagen? I met a young volunteer there, Maja Jensen. She was only 22.
She had just arrived in the city from a farm on Funen and desperately needed the money we paid. But it was not the money that impressed me about her, Alexander. I watched her care for the children as if each one was a treasure. There was a light in her eyes when she held them.
The babies cried with everyone except her. She had a gift, a real gift, for protecting the most vulnerable. She told me her story that day. Motherless, abandoned by her father, raised by an aunt in poverty.
She had suffered so much, but instead of becoming bitter, she became more compassionate. She said something I never forgot: ‘Children deserve unconditional love, Mrs. Møller, especially those who cannot ask for it with words. ’ From that day, I kept her information.
When I knew I was pregnant with triplets, and that the risks were high, I began to plan. I researched her discreetly. She still worked honestly, cared for neighbors’ children, was loved by everyone. She was exactly the person I wanted near my daughters if I couldn’t be there.
In this envelope you will find her updated address, her phone number, information about where she works. If you are reading this, it means I have fulfilled my part—bringing our daughters into the world. Now it is your turn to fulfill yours: find Maja Jensen and ask her to care for them. Do not let your pride stop you.
I know that asking a waitress, or someone from a lower class, for help goes against everything your family taught you. But I taught you something else. A person’s worth is not in their bank account. It is in their heart.
Maja has the purest heart I have ever known. Trust her more than any professional nanny with impressive references. Please, find her. Offer her the job, pay her well, treat her with respect.
And above all, listen to her. She will know what our daughters need. I also ask you for something else, my dear, and this may be the hardest. Do not close yourself off to love.
I know the thought of being with someone else right now seems impossible, maybe even a betrayal. But I do not want you to spend the rest of your life alone. Our daughters need to see what true love is. They need to grow up in a home filled with warmth.
If you find someone who makes you happy, who loves the girls as her own, who makes you laugh again, do not reject her out of misplaced loyalty to me. My greatest wish is that you are happy, that our daughters grow up surrounded by love. That is all that matters. And if that person turns out to be Maja… well, it would not surprise me.
I have a feeling, an intuition. Perhaps fate planned this from the start. Trust the process. Trust your heart.
I love you, Alexander. I loved every moment we spent together. Take care of our princesses. And please—take care of yourself too.
Forever yours,
Regitze
P. S. In the smaller envelope, there is a letter for Maja. Please give it to her when you feel the time is right.
”
Alexander finished reading with tears running freely down his face. All this time, Regitze had planned everything. Finding Maja at that restaurant wasn’t a coincidence. It was his wife’s last gift—ensuring his daughters got exactly the right person to care for them.
He opened the smaller envelope with trembling hands and read the letter to Maja. “Dear Maja,
I do not know if you will ever read this, but if you do, it means my husband found you. It means you are caring for my daughters, and that gives me the deepest peace. Thank you for being who you are.
Thank you for the enormous heart you carry. I know you will love my babies the way I would have. I know you will protect them, sing to them, dry their tears. And if something more blossoms between you and Alexander, if fate has decided that your place is not only to care for my daughters but also to be part of our family in a more permanent way—you have my blessing.
You are not an intruder. You are a gift. I chose you for them. Take care of them.
All four of them. They deserve it. With eternal gratitude,
Regitze Møller”
Alexander left the office with the letters in his hand, wandering as if in a trance toward the garden. Maja was sitting on the grass with the three girls crawling around her, all laughing at something she had done.
The perfect picture of maternal love. “Maja,” he called, his voice breaking. She looked up, saw his expression, and stood immediately, concerned. “What happened?
Are you okay? ”
He handed her the letters with trembling hands. “You need to read this. ”
Maja read both letters while the tears began to fall.
When she finished, she looked at Alexander with disbelief. “She… she chose me. Even before all of this. ”
“It wasn’t a coincidence,” Alexander said.
“It was Regitze looking after us from wherever she is. Making sure her daughters got exactly what they needed. And it turns out… I needed exactly that too. I needed you.
”
Maja threw herself into his arms and cried. The girls, not understanding what was happening but sensing the emotion, crawled over and hugged their legs. “She gave us her blessing,” Maja whispered. “She chose us.
She chose… this. ”
“So let’s stop doubting,” Alexander said, kissing her forehead. “Let’s stop feeling like this is wrong. Regitze knew what she was doing.
She trusted you. She trusted us. ”
He knelt right there in the rose-filled garden, with his three daughters watching curiously. “Maja Jensen, I don’t have a ring yet, and I know this is unorthodox, but with Regitze as witness from heaven, I ask you: Will you marry me?
Will you officially be the mother to these three princesses and my partner forever? ”
Maja cried and laughed and nodded all at the same time. “Yes. A thousand times yes.
”
The girls, not understanding the words but feeling the joy, clapped with their tiny hands. And in that moment, a gentle breeze moved the climbing roses, letting pink petals fall over them like a blessing.