My Mission Target Calls Me Mommy

Everyone said Finley Floyd was a total family man. His dad had been dead for twenty years, and he still found him a wife. Then he started calling me—someone two years younger than him—"Mommy." Yeah. My hand slipped. I accidentally assigned the affection points to the wrong role. And somehow, Finley really believed I was his mother. When I told him—again—that I wasn't his mom, he snapped. He yanked me into his arms and buried his face against me. "You are Mommy!" Chapter 1 Strong arms locked around me. A round head pressed into my chest. "Mommy! You're finally back!" I leaned away, shoving at the tall man. "Mr. Floyd, I'm not your mom! I'm here to apply for the maid job!" It started two months ago. I was handing out flyers in a mascot suit when a car with busted brakes came flying at me. Right before impact, some invisible force knocked it off course. I hit the ground, gasping, and got stuck with a system calling itself Fifi. It gave me one job: win over this world's villain, Finley Floyd. He had to avoid the male lead. He had to live a safe, peaceful life. Do that, and I'd get an eight-million-dollar bonus. I thought about the kids at Bright Haven Children's Home. Then I clenched my teeth and said yes. I spent two weeks stalking every job board until I finally found an opening as Finley's maid. Outside the Floyd estate, I tugged awkwardly at my uniform. "Fifi, are you sure about this? Who wears a maid outfit to a midnight interview?" Fifi gave a confident nod. [Totally. Every host before you dressed like this, and the male lead's affection went through the roof.] A control panel popped up in front of me. [Beginner bonus: Choose one affection category to double.] The front door swung open. A random puff of fluff floated into my face. I sneezed. [Host!] My hand jerked. I tapped "Mother." [Congratulations. Villain's Mother Affection: 90%.] Looking back, I could seriously cry. Finley ignored every word I said. Like a giant puppy, he buried his face in my neck, then sniffed his way down to my collarbone. And here we went again. This was the tenth time I'd told him I wasn't his mom. But every time I did, his brain basically reset. Meanwhile, he only got more attached. He squeezed me so tight I could barely breathe. Desperate, I yelled, "Fifi! Do something!" [Host, affection purchases are nonrefundable. Just roll with it.] Finley suddenly froze. Then his voice lit up. "You really are Mommy. Only Mommy calls me Fifi." I froze. A blurry image flashed through my mind—a man ducking his head, asking me to call him Fifi. I shook it off. So this was the hidden route. Apparently, Fifi had been Finley's childhood nickname too. With some effort, I wrapped my arms around the head pressed to my chest and tried one last time. "Mr. Floyd, look at me. I'm twenty-four. I'm younger than you. How could I have a son your age?" Finley finally lifted his head and studied my face. Then he nodded, dead serious. "Mommy, you still look so young." Before I could answer, his eyes filled with tears. "Mommy... don't you want me anymore?" He took half a step back and gently clutched the hem of my shirt. "Mommy, I've been good. You said we were playing hide-and-seek, and I couldn't look for you until I turned eighteen." His voice cracked as he held back tears. "But I was too dumb. I couldn't find you. Mommy... please don't leave me." Chapter 2 His words reminded me of the kids at Bright Haven. They'd tug on my sleeve and ask if their parents left because they weren't good enough. Then I remembered Finley's file. When he was ten, his mother, Evelyn Floyd, got seriously sick. Before she died, she left home and told him they were playing hide-and-seek. He couldn't come looking for her until he turned eighteen. After that, he was bounced from home to home, living under strangers' roofs and putting up with their cold stares. In some ways, he'd had it worse than the kids at the orphanage. I thought about how he'd stayed glued to my side these past few months, always so careful around me. My chest tightened. The words slipped out before I could stop them. "Of course not. Mommy loves you more than anything." Finley looked up, his whole face lighting up. Then he seemed to remember something and dropped his gaze. "But tell me..." he mumbled. "Are you really my mommy?" Fifi floated over, wiggling its chubby body. [Host, just say yes. He's had a rough life. He only wants a mother's love. Besides, winning him over doesn't have to be romantic. A mother's love is even stronger!] It drifted closer and whispered in my ear. [$8 million.] I thought about the kids waiting for me at Bright Haven. Then I looked at Finley's tear-streaked face. I clenched my jaw, forced a stiff smile, and choked out the words. "I am... your mommy." Finley finally looked satisfied. He nodded proudly, like he'd known it all along. Wiped out, I headed back to the master bedroom. I needed a hit of Finley's scent. No clue why, but the second I smelled him, I instantly relaxed. Before I could even catch my breath, someone knocked. Finley peeked in, looking a little awkward. "Mommy... can you run me a bath?" My eyes went wide. "Me?!" That definitely wasn't part of the job before! He dropped his gaze. "Mommy always did it." I took a deep breath and plastered on a smile. "Okay. I'll do it." His eyes instantly lit up. If he had a tail, it'd be wagging like crazy. But a few minutes later, he came rushing back. "Mommy! Where are my little rubber ducks?!" He waved both hands frantically. "There are three! Two big ones and one little one. The little one goes in the middle. They're a family!" Seriously? Fifi helpfully chimed in. [The rubber ducks represent his family. His mom used them to get him to take baths when he was little.] I went quiet. Finley's lips drooped, and his eyes started turning red again. "Did the little ducks leave me too?" "Don't cry. Don't cry!" I jumped up, grabbed my phone, and immediately ordered new ones. "The little ducks went swimming. They'll be back soon." I used every trick I'd learned from comforting the kids at Bright Haven. When Finley finally left, I collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, one hand pressed to my chest. It hurt. "Fifi... Finley really needs someone to love him." Even more than the kids at Bright Haven. [Yeah. He's not a bad kid. Everyone who ever loved him just... left.] Fifi's soft voice drifted through the room, strangely sad. Chapter 3 "La-la-la, I'm Mommy and Daddy's precious little kid..." After my shower, I headed downstairs. Finley sat cross-legged on the floor in his pajamas, watching cartoons. I picked up the glass of milk he'd left for me on the coffee table. Still warm. Sweet, just how I liked it. Warmth spread through my chest. Then I noticed the little cowlick bouncing on top of Finley's head. My fingers twitched. Too cute. It bobbed every time he moved. So fluffy. I couldn't take it anymore. Putting on my sweetest evil-witch voice, I said, "Finley, let me do your hair. I'm really good at it." His eyes had been glued to me since I came downstairs. He nodded and ducked his head into my hands. "Okay!" The second my palm touched his hair, I gave it a good ruffle. Finley squinted, totally content. Goosebumps raced over my skin. This felt way too good. Truth was, I had a serious weakness for fluffy things. I'd petted every cat and dog in the neighborhood. I grabbed two hair ties and twisted his hair into tiny horn buns. He looked up at me. Those innocent eyes saw no one else. My heart skipped. It felt weirdly familiar. "Mommy?" I blinked and lifted my phone. "Come on. Picture time." The second I snapped it, Finley leaned in and kissed my cheek. Then he smiled so brightly, his eyes curved into crescents. My eyes flew wide. Heat rushed to my face as I grabbed my cheek. "What was that for?!" Finley looked confused. "Mommy always said we kiss for pictures." He leaned closer, pointed to his cheek, and pouted. "Mommy, my turn." A blurry, deep voice echoed in my head. "Amelia... I want a kiss too." Before I knew it, I leaned in and kissed his cheek. The second I snapped out of it, I ran straight to my room and dove under the blankets. My first kiss... [Host, a cheek kiss doesn't count—] "Zip it!" *** Cold sweat covered my forehead in the middle of the night. "No... don't go..." I whimpered through tears. In my dream, a man covered in blood smiled at me. "Live well. Don't be scared. I'm not leaving." The gentle voice pulled me awake. I threw my arms around the person in front of me and burst into tears. "Don't leave me again!" Finley hugged me tight. "I won't." Once I finally calmed down, I took a shaky breath. "Why are you here?" Finley sat with his hands neatly on his knees. "I wanted to sleep with Mommy." The dream left me rattled. Instinct drowned out common sense, and leaning on him felt completely natural. By the time I realized it, he was already beside me, holding me in his arms. A rush of happiness hit me so hard that it shook me to my core. I stared into the dark. Who was the man in my dream? And why did Finley's latest memory reset feel so different? I must've drifted off, because soft sobbing woke me again. Finley was curled against me, gripping my sleeve. "Don't go..." The pain in his voice made my chest ache. I took his hand. He instantly held on tighter. I gently patted his back. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here." That was all it took. He completely fell apart, sobbing until the pillow beneath him was soaked. Like he was finally letting out years of pain. Like a lost kid who'd finally found his way home. Hearing him cry made my chest ache too. For the past two months, he'd done everything he could for me. He took me shopping at designer stores and packed my closet with clothes. He even suffered through my awful cooking, ended up in the hospital because of it, and still smiled. "Mommy's cooking is the best." Every day, he followed me around like a happy puppy. Even if he was only nice to me because he thought I was his mom... Besides the director and the kids at Bright Haven, he was the first person who'd ever treated me kindly. People had always looked down on me for being an orphan. At school, I was shut out. At work, I was ignored. All I ever got was judgment. But Finley... He had so much love to give. And somehow, he found the softest part of me. I kissed his forehead, then stretched my numb arm to pat his back. "Don't cry. I'm right here." Little by little, his sobs faded. Safe in my arms, Finley finally fell asleep. Chapter 4 The living room smelled like breakfast. The table was already loaded with all my favorites. I dropped into a chair and yawned. Finley had been ridiculously clingy last night. Every so often, he'd wake up crying, and I had to soothe him, pat his back, and coax him to sleep again. If I was even a second too slow, the tears started. He was like a puppy that hadn't been weaned yet. Finally, Finley set the egg custard I'd asked for in front of me. Honestly... Cooking and I did not mix. The last time I tried, I almost blew up the kitchen. Finley got so scared he cried, then banned me from ever going near the stove again. Since then, he'd handled all three meals every day. He nudged the bowl closer and looked at me with big, hopeful eyes. "Mommy." By now, I knew the drill. I ruffled his hair, pinched his cheek, and grinned. "Finley, you're amazing!" He squinted happily, trying hard to hide his smile. At eight sharp, Finley's assistant, Peter, arrived to take him to work. It was weird. Around me, Finley acted like a little kid. Everywhere else, he was totally normal. Peter greeted me politely. "Madam Amelia." Finley snuck a glance at me, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. He looked ridiculously proud. My scalp prickled. I still remembered the first time Finley brought me to the office. Someone called me a gold digger and his secret girlfriend. Bad move. Finley heard every word. He fired them on the spot. Then, in front of the whole company, he made the most insane announcement possible. I was his mother. Afterward, he emailed my photo to the entire company and ordered everyone to call me "Madam Amelia." Like a parent sending her kid off to school, I straightened his suit. A weird sense of déjà vu hit me. I'd done this for someone before. "Work hard. Peter will bring you home after. And remember, Mommy will miss you." Finley hugged me, shamelessly acting cute, then nodded. The second he turned to Peter, his face went cold again. "Let's go." I couldn't help laughing. "Fifi, it's like he has two totally different personalities." [Amelia, that's because you gave him love.] That evening, Finley excitedly handed me a fancy gift box. Inside was an almost-finished pair of handmade slippers. "Madam Amelia, Mr. Floyd spent all afternoon stitching the soles in his office. He wanted to make these for you." Peter smiled at Finley. I laughed, warmth spreading through my chest. No wonder he'd been so glued to Mama Rose's Country Crafts yesterday. He'd been learning how to make me slippers. Finley ran over with a toy car and kissed my cheek. "Thanks for buying me so many toys, Mommy!" I froze, then laughed as my ears heated up. Finley hadn't owned a single toy since he was ten. Even his only teddy bear had been taken by the other kids in the family. I wanted to give him the childhood he never had. A paper airplane landed on my head. I calmly pulled it off, set it aside, and tapped his nose. "What are you, a beagle? Where do you get all that energy?" His eyes instantly turned red. "I'm sorry... I'm not..." Chapter 5 I thought I'd messed up and rushed to comfort him. Instead, he threw his arms around me, his voice thick with emotion and pure joy. "Mommy, you remembered? You found me in a doghouse." He raced upstairs. When he came back, he was carrying a tiny pet bed from who knew where. It had been carefully preserved, complete with a soft little blanket. He held it out like treasure. "Mommy, look. This is the bed. I've kept it safe all these years." Then he clasped his hands and looked at me hopefully. "Mommy, can you tell me the story again? The one about how you picked me out of all the little puppies?" I stared into space. Finley's excited voice faded into the background. All I could see was the twenty years of pain he'd survived. The Floyds were powerful—and ruled by brutal traditions. His parents, Raphael and Evelyn, had run away together and had him. Finley spent the happiest five years of his life in Southvale. Later, while they were running from the people chasing them, Raphael died in a car crash. To protect Finley, Evelyn left him outside an orphanage. There, he was shunned and bullied. The other kids circled him, calling him an unwanted stray. When the Floyd family found him at seven, his relatives called him a filthy mutt. Just to get food, he had to crawl around and bark like a dog to entertain his cousins. He even fought stray dogs for scraps so he could beg a doctor to save his dying mother. The smiling Finley in front of me slowly blurred into that bruised little boy. He was smiling... But deep in his eyes was the reflex to please. My chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe. I pulled him into my arms and cupped his face. Sniffling, I blinked back my tears and looked him straight in the eyes. "Finley, you're not a mutt. You're Mommy and Daddy's most precious treasure." Finley stared at me, stunned. The fear in his eyes slowly faded. He rested his head on my shoulder. "I know, Mommy. I'm your treasure." *** The next morning, I got up early. Fifi sat on my shoulder, rubbing its sleepy eyes. [Host, why are you up so early?] I smiled and pulled two theme park tickets from my pocket. "Today's Children's Day. I'm taking Finley out!" He hadn't been to a theme park since he was five. I wanted to give him one more happy memory. At the park, Finley grabbed my hand, practically bouncing. "Mommy, I want to ride the roller coaster! And the carousel!" I grinned. "Deal. We're riding everything." When we came out of the haunted house, I was still pale. Finley got distracted by a mother and son nearby and wandered off. Suddenly, a handkerchief appeared in front of me. "Here. Wipe your face." [Host, that's the male lead! Don't let Finley near him!] I looked up. So this was Tariel Wilder? He was definitely handsome, but something about him made my skin crawl. "Thanks, but I'm good." Tariel started to step closer. Before he could, Finley moved in front of me, glaring like a guard dog ready to bite. I quickly pulled him behind me. Tariel gave us a knowing smile, then walked away. Finley huffed. A second later, he turned back with a huge grin and pulled rainbow cotton candy from behind his back like magic. "Mommy, this is for you." I smiled and took it. So that was why he'd been watching the mother and son. The little boy beside us tugged on his mom's hand and pointed at my cotton candy. "Mommy, that's so sweet. That guy bought his girlfriend cotton candy too." Heat rushed to my cheeks. Finley turned to the boy, dead serious. "She's not my girlfriend. She's my mo—" I slapped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry about that." The boy's mom gave me a knowing smile, like she totally got it, then led her son away. On the drive home, Finley fell asleep on my shoulder. I looked at his peaceful smile, and my chest tightened. "Fifi, is there any way to get his memory back? I'm not really his mom. He can't stay trapped in this fantasy forever. Maybe... once he remembers, I can still stay by his side. Just differently." Fifi tugged at its fluffy fur. [Amelia, are you sure? There's an item in the points shop that can restore his memories. But his affection is already at 99%. Do you really want to use it?] I nodded. [He'll be back to normal tomorrow morning.] I gently stroked Finley's cheek. He hummed softly in his sleep. 'Tomorrow... will you hate me for lying to you?' The next morning, Peter called. "Madam Amelia, Mr. Floyd was in a car accident!"