The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 302

Half a month later.

Mia pushed open the door to Suzie's office, juggling a towering stack of files. She dumped the paperwork onto the desk, pulled out her phone, and swiped open her social media feed.

"Suzie, the news of the mega-partnership between our 'Sugar Buddies' and the Baylor Group's DC Entertainment has been dominating the trending charts for a solid week. As of today, the 'Sugar Buddies' account has crossed ten million followers. Look at this."

Suzie set aside her work and took the phone Mia handed her.

"Got it. I need you to attend tomorrow's launch press conference in my place. Oliver's mother has taken a turn for the worse. It doesn't look good. I want to spend as much time with her as possible."

Mia offered a solemn nod.

"Of course," she said, flipping through the stack of documents. "Oh, by the way, Suzie, I looked into it, and Jamie Baylor's camp still has no idea that you're the mother behind the brand. Since Mr. Wycliffe knew you wanted to stay entirely out of the spotlight, he listed himself as their legal guardian on all the paperwork, just like we've done for every other corporate contract."

"Good. That's a relief," Suzie said. "One more thing. When it's time to shoot, I need you on set alongside the agent and the assistants. I'll feel much better knowing you're there to keep an eye on the babies. Remember, their safety is the absolute top priority. And if Zoey shows even the slightest sign of exhaustion, you tell the crew to cut immediately."

Mia flashed a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Suzie. The third-party sponsors this time are all children's clothing, educational toys, and kids' bedding brands. Everything is perfectly safe. Plus, audiences aren't into stiff, traditional posed shots anymore. The trend is to just let the kids play freely while the photographers capture candid moments. They won't be exhausted like traditional print models. It'll just feel like a fun day at the park for them."

Suzie nodded, visibly relieved.

"Hayden really thinks of everything. Every project he accepts for them follows this exact format, letting the kids wrap up their obligations just by having fun. If it were one of those grueling commercial shoots with endless retakes, I'd rather work twenty-four hours a day myself than let them earn a single dime that way."

Mia beamed with pride. "Obviously. Our Suzie is the greatest, most fiercely protective mother in the entire world."

Suzie propped her chin on her hand, her eyes curving into a bright smile.

"Yes. From now on, you're the official manager of 'Sugar Buddies.' The agent and the assistants will all report directly to you. The only downside is that you might not have much free time to focus on your photography career."

"Oh, please! It won't get in the way at all. I can always practice my photography as a hobby."

Mia cut her off, absolutely beaming as she pressed a series of dramatic kisses against the plastic ID badge.

Seeing her so thrilled, Suzie chuckled and shook her head.

"Just remember, unless it is absolutely necessary, do not reveal that I am their mother. Even though I'm done actively hiding from Jamie, dealing with crazy fans is another story. I still prefer a quiet, peaceful life."