Chapter 3

~ Sarah POV ~

“A live-in nanny?!” I asked aloud after Jessica explained the kind of job she had found for me. I had rushed to her dorm room as fast as my legs could carry me the moment she called.

I had assumed it would be a regular part-time job with decent pay. I never expected the job to be a live-in nanny position.

“Yes, Sarah. A live-in nanny,” Jessica said, her eyes wide with a frantic sort of excitement. She grabbed my shoulders, anchoring me. “Listen to me. The Callahans are one of the wealthiest families in California. They literally own the biggest luxury shoe empire in the state. They need someone to live in and care for their seven-year-old son. Sarah... the pay is five thousand dollars a month. That’s it. That’s the miracle. It can cover your dad’s medical treatments, with room to breathe.”

Five thousand dollars.

The number hit me like a physical blow, making my knees go weak. It was everything I’d prayed for.

“Well... the pay is a dream,” I nodded. “But Jess, did you miss the glaring red flags in the caption? They want someone who’s twenty-five and above and a graduate to be their son’s nanny. I’m nineteen and in my freshman year... how can I apply for a job I’m totally not qualified for?” I asked.

Jessica looked at me, her expression deadpan. “And whoever said you have to use your real identity?”

“You want me to fake my identity?” I blinked.

“Yep. You’re a freshman, but you’re brilliant, Sarah. Helping a seven-year-old with third-grade math isn’t going to break your brain,” she reasoned, leaning in.

“What if I get caught? They won’t just fire me, Jess. They could arrest me. I could go to jail. I have enough crushing weight on my shoulders right now. I can’t add a criminal record to it. I can’t do it.” I shook my head.

“You seriously need to go for the job, Sarah. It’s already hard for you to find a part-time job that would pay you enough money to keep up with your dad’s treatment. According to the Callahans, their son goes to school and returns at 3 p.m. That’s when the nanny’s job starts. It’s more like the part-time job you have before. Our classes always end at 3 p.m. The time frame fits perfectly.” Jessica said.

What Jessica said made a lot of sense. The job wouldn’t clash with my classes, but how on earth was I going to convince a billionaire family that I was a mature, twenty-five-year-old graduate?

“Even you don’t tell me,” Jessica continued. “I know you’re having a difficult time paying for your dad’s treatment... that’s why I went online looking for a reliable job for you.”

“Thanks a lot for the effort, Jessica. But even I want to fake my identity... where do I begin? I don’t only need to appear like a twenty-five-year-old graduate. I also need to show them proof that I am a graduate. Actual credentials. How am I supposed to manifest a fake bachelor’s degree out of thin air?”

A slow, mischievous smirk spread across Jessica’s face. “You really think I didn’t think this through before I dragged you over here?”

“What do you mean?” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“I know a guy. He specializes in faking resumes, and his work looks flawless. All you have to do is say the word, and he’ll print out official-looking graduation transcripts for you. No one will ever know.”

I slowly shook my head.

“I don't want to lie to anyone, Jess,” I muttered.

“You’re not lying, Sarah. You’re doing this to help your dad. You think a part-time at a restaurant or a bar would be able to pay you the kind of amount the Callahans are willing to pay? Think about your dad.” she said.

I pressed my lips together, recalling what the doctor said to me. He was really going to cut off my dad’s treatment if I don’t pay up.

If I accept the job, I would be able to pay for my dad’s treatment, and his treatment wouldn’t have to be cut off.

And honestly? Dealing with a wealthy seven-year-old would be a luxury compared to the grueling, back-breaking shifts at the restaurant where customers treated me like dirt.

“What do you say?” Jessica asked, her voice breathless as she watched the internal war raging across my face. “Are you going to take the leap or not?”

“What if I’m rejected because I’m not qualified for the job? What if they catch up and notice I’m pretending to be someone I’m not?” I asked.

“Hey, Sarah Collins!” Jessica snapped, making me flinch.

She grabbed my hands, forcing me to meet her fierce gaze. “Are you forgetting who the hell you are? You are one of the strongest, bravest girls I’ve ever met. Have you already forgotten the beginning of the semester? When those massive upperclassmen were cornering me, you didn’t even hesitate. You literally beat them up to protect me!”

I let out a long, ragged sigh, rubbing the tense muscles at the back of my neck. “This is completely different, Jess. Fighting is easy. Pretending to be someone I’m not... facing high-society billionaires? What if I fail?”

“Can you please stop with the 'What ifs'?” she groaned, shaking her head. “You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try. If you try and it blows up in our faces, fine! We run. We look for another job. But you can't just give up before you even try.”

She had a point.

“So...” Jessica stretched out her palm, a challenging smile playing on her lips. “Are you in, or are you out?”

I stared at her hand. My stomach did a nervous flip, but the image of my dad lying on the coma bed flashed in my mind, sealing my resolve.

I reached out, slamming my palm against hers.

“I’m in.”

“Yes! That’s my girl!” Jessica squealed, dramatically flipping her long, wavy chestnut hair and I chuckled.

“Now that you agreed to take this job...” Jessica said, pulling me toward the door, “let’s go meet Josh. He’s going to work his magic on your new resume.”

I nodded with a small smile.

But just as Jessica reached for the doorknob, her phone let out a sharp, demanding buzz. She paused, pulling it out to glance at the screen.

In an instant, the color drained completely from her face. Her breath hitched, and she whirled around to look at me, her eyes wide with panic.

My smile vanished. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Why... why the hell is Saxton looking for you?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“Huh?” I blinked, completely thrown off. “What are you talking about?”

“He just posted a video,” Jessica stammered, shoving the phone into my face. “He’s demanding that the entire campus find out who you are and bring you directly to him.”

I snatched the phone from her grip, my eyes scanning the screen. My blood turned to ice, then immediately boiled into rage.

It was a video of me. Specifically, a video of me storming out of the Honors study room. I recognized the angle—it had definitely been filmed by one of those giggling girls.

”Why does Saxton Vance suddenly know you even exist?!" Jessica shrieked. ”Sarah, you literally swore you’d keep your head down and never cross paths with the elite hockey gods!”

“I didn’t have a choice! The jerk practically stole the study room I spent weeks working for. I had to show my face to put him in his place.”

I rolled my eyes, tossing the phone back to her. “He only posted a video of me leaving? He should have posted the video of me flipping his massive, over-privileged body over my shoulder. I guess the golden boy is too embarrassed to let the world see him get humbled.”

”You flipped Saxton Vance?!” Jessica clutched her head in her hands, her voice hitting a high pitch. ”Are you insane?! His fangirls are literal feral demons, Sarah! They will come after you now that Saxton has demanded to find you!”

“Let them try. I am not afraid of his little fans, Jessica,” I hissed. “Both Saxton Vance and his psychotic fans can go straight to hell and rot.”

”Sarah, don’t mess with him!” Jessica pleaded, her voice tight with genuine fear. ”He’s not just some guy. He’s the star hockey captain. He completely owns this campus.”

“And you think I give a single shit about his pathetic little reputation?” I sneered. “Saxton Vance doesn’t scare me. If he or his hockey puck friends try to mess with me, I won't just flip him next time. I’ll break his legs.”

And I meant every single word.

He could post my video all he wanted. He could rally the entire student body to hunt me down. It didn’t change a damn thing.

I didn't spend my entire childhood practicing judo with my dad for nothing.

If Saxton Vance wanted a war, he had no idea who he was messing with.