Miracle Cutie Chapter 6: Protecting Daniel

Nina's sudden slap shocked William so badly that he just froze there.

"Sweetheart… why did you hit your dad?"

He leaned in, gently holding her pudgy little hand, utterly confused.

But Nina puffed up her cheeks angrily. "Daddy leave Nina!"

She was tiny—but her little brain worked better than most adults'.

Whenever she went out to play, all the other kids had dads.

Only she didn't.

She still remembered hearing one of the neighborhood aunties whisper to another:

"That poor baby has no father."

Nina threw endearing tantrums—tiny fists balled up as she spilled her thoughts to William, jumbling them together like marbles scattered on the floor, but fiercely adorable.

As William listened, his chest ached.

He smoothed her hair and murmured softly:

"Nina, you are absolutely not a baby without a father. Sweetheart, once your dad wakes up, I'll ask him. But I can tell you, your dad would never abandon you."

William knew his son—cold, aloof, terrifyingly disciplined—but also the most responsible person he'd ever raised.

Benjamin would never ignore his own child.

With William's gentle coaxing, Nina finally stopped smacking her dad's face.

"Gwanpa… hug!"

After seeing her dad, she wanted to go back to her mommy to sleep.

William had hoped she'd stay with Benjamin, but Nina's little mouth was already turned down in protest.

She only slept well next to Mommy.

So William didn't force her.

"Alright then. We'll go find your mom. But sweetheart… can you promise Grandpa something? Spend a little more time with your dad from now on. The more time you keep him company, the sooner he'll wake up. And when he wakes up… he'll play with you."

Nina's lashes fluttered as she hesitated.

"…Okay."

She would spend time with Daddy.

And when he woke up, Nina would ask him—again—why he didn't want her.

After making that promise, Nina was tucked back into her mom's bed.

She'd been worn out all day, and sleep hit her instantly.

Before William and Daniel could even coax her, she'd already face-planted into the pillow—tiny butt sticking up in the air—fast asleep.

Her pose was criminally cute.

Daniel immediately pulled out his phone and fired six rapid shots.

"Nina is way too adorable! Dad, was Benjamin this cute when he was little?"

William didn't even blink.

“No. Not at all."

Benjamin, even as a child, had slept like he was posing for a magazine—never messy, never sprawled, never cute.

Looking at Nina, William was convinced:

All that sweetness came from Amelia.

And the more he realized that, the more he liked Amelia.

Since Nina was asleep with her mom and the caregiver was in the room, neither William nor Daniel stayed long.

Days of stress had worn William thin. Fatigue was settling into his bones.

"Daniel," he asked quietly, "what's happening with the person who hurt Nina?"

Daniel's face darkened. "Lucas just called. He's done investigating. Liam's a compulsive gambler. Loses money, then goes after Amelia. Even after she moved several times, he still found her.

Today, he tried to use Nina to threaten Amelia for money. He didn't get a hold of her—and she fell."

Daniel's jaw tightened.

"Dad, sending a man like that to jail is too lenient. Let me handle him."

Daniel always seemed like the easygoing youngest son—but when he decided to deal with someone?

The Graham blood showed.

Anyone who crossed him paid for it.

William understood the implication. He hesitated—then said nothing.

Time passed quietly.

Nina slept soundly at first… until her little body tensed.

She'd fallen into a dream.

In it, she saw Daniel.

But Daniel wasn't smiling.

He was lying in a pool of blood, covered in wounds.

A breathtakingly beautiful woman stood in front of him.

Daniel reached for her with a shaking, blood-covered hand.

"Zoe… are you okay…?"

He had been stabbed multiple times—trying to save her.

But Zoe stepped back in disgust.

"Of course I'm fine, Daniel. But you… you're finally going to die. Honestly? I've been waiting for this moment."

Daniel's eyes widened—shattered.

Zoe's voice grew colder than ice.

"You used 'love' as an excuse to do so many things I hated. And Alistair Garcia? The man I actually love? You destroyed him. We could've had a good life together—but you ruined everything!"

Daniel's breath shook.

"Alistair was planning to sell you off to Willowveil. They already named a price.

Zoe… are you stupid?"

His voice was raw.

But Zoe only grew more furious.

"I don't believe you! And whether I'm stupid or not has nothing to do with you!

Now you're the stupid one. You did so much for me—and now you deserve to die because of me!"

The dream shattered.

Nina jolted awake, crying in terror—sobbing before her eyes even opened.

Amelia, though her fever had broken, was still in a deep, restorative sleep. She didn't stir.

The caregiver rushed over and tried soothing her, but Nina cried harder—face turning red, little arms thrashing.

Realizing she couldn't calm her, the caregiver called Daniel.

He arrived within minutes, scooping Nina into his arms.

"Sweetheart, don't cry. I'm here. What happened? Bad dream? Are you hungry?"

His voice was warm, steady—finally soothing her trembling sobs.

When Nina saw the real, alive Daniel, she sagged against him and touched his chest with a shaking little hand.

No blood.

No wounds.

"Un-coo Dan'el… don't die!"

Tears filled her eyes as she begged him.

Daniel blinked, startled—assuming it was just a nightmare.

"Okay, sweetheart. I won't die. I'll be fine, alright?"

But even with his promise, Nina stayed tense and scared, clutching his shirt with tiny fists.

Daniel held her gently—

—and that's when his phone rang.

One arm still around Nina, he answered.

"Daniel, did you set up that meeting with Melody's editor? How dare you make decisions for me again? I told you, I don't need you—"

The moment Nina heard the voice, she froze.

Zoe.

Her eyes flared with toddler fury.

Before Daniel could react, Nina snatched the phone out of his hand with lightning speed—

And with a loud plop—

She threw it straight onto the floor.