Chapter 4

~ Sarah's POV ~

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at another version of myself after Jessica finished applying her magic to my face.

I looked completely different—and definitely a few years older.

Jessica had taken off my thick glasses and replaced them with contact lenses. She insisted I would look much more professional without them. She had also transformed my hair, which was always thrown into a messy bun, into silky, bone-straight locks that cascaded all the way down my back. My oversized sweatshirt and baggy jeans were gone, replaced by a tailored suit she had bought from the local market.

Staring at my reflection, I honestly hadn't thought I could look this mature with just a little effort. It wasn't like I was overly skinny or anything. I was well-developed for my age, but this transformation actually made me look like a twenty-five-year-old college graduate.

"What do you think?" Jessica asked, carefully adjusting the collar of my blazer. "Are you confident you can pull this off?"

I exhaled slowly, staring hard at my reflection. "I look the part, Jess, but I'm still terrified."

"There is absolutely nothing to be terrified about. You don't look a single bit like a nineteen-year-old freshman anymore. You're only going to get caught if you give them a reason to suspect you," she reassured me.

I took another deep breath and nodded, picking up the file folder containing the resume Josh had forged for me. According to the document, I had recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and worked in a private laboratory from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Josh had deliberately structured the hours that way so I could attend my university lectures without the Callahans asking too many questions about how I spent my mornings before their son returned from school. He had done a flawless job. The resume looked so official that no one would ever suspect it was fake.

"Wish me luck?" I turned to Jessica.

"I don't even need to wish you luck because I know you're going to nail it, but all the best anyway," she smiled warmly.

I returned her smile, and together we headed downstairs from her dorm room. Josh was already waiting outside. Jessica had practically begged him to give me a ride to the Callahan estate on his scooter, and he had agreed.

After I bade goodbye to Jessica, I climbed onto the back of the scooter.

When Josh finally pulled up to the gates of the Callahan estate, I was utterly flabbergasted by the sheer scale of the mansion.

Just the exterior of the property screamed unmitigated luxury. If the outside was this beautiful, I couldn't even begin to imagine what the interior looked like.

"You want me to wait here until you finish the interview?" Josh asked over the idling engine.

"No, it's fine. I'll be able to find my way back on my own. Thanks so much for the ride, Josh," I smiled.

He nodded, revved the engine, and drove off down the pristine street.

I pressed my lips tightly together, trying to swallow the lump of nerves in my throat, and walked toward the massive security gates. I pressed the intercom button, and a disembodied voice ringing out from the speaker startled me.

"Who is it?" the voice demanded.

"Umm..." I cleared my throat, forcing my voice into a steady, mature voice. "My name is Denise Young. I am here for the nanny interview."

The voice didn't reply. I had to wait out in the sun for what felt like an eternity before a burly security guard finally walked down the driveway and unlocked the gate.

"You're here for the interview?" he asked, eyeing my suit.

I nodded.

"Before you go in, you need to be searched," he said.

My eyebrows furrowed slightly at the sudden request, but I kept my mouth shut and allowed him to run a metal detector over me. After finding nothing suspicious, he escorted me up the long path toward the mansion doors.

I tried my absolute best to act natural, but the vast, manicured compound was breathtaking. I was led inside the grand foyer and into a massive living room, where a slim, tall woman was waiting for me on a plush designer couch.

The living room was jaw-dropping. It was larger than the entire houses in my cramped neighborhood.

"You must be Denise," she stated, her sharp eyes scanning me from head to toe.

I nodded respectfully.

It was easy to guess that this woman was Mrs. Callahan, the mother of the seven-year-old boy.

She stretched out her hand, and I quickly stepped forward to hand her my file. She took it, immediately flipping through the forged documents with a critical eye.

She didn't invite me to sit, so I remained standing, my hands clamped tightly in front of me, watching her eyes linger on every single line of text.

"It says here you work in a laboratory during the day?" she asked, looking up.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, offering a polite, practiced smile while fighting to keep my heart from racing.

"How will you be able to properly care for my son if you already have a full-time morning job? My husband and I are always busy, and Seth doesn't like the regular maids taking care of him, that's why I'm hiring a personal nanny. Why do you even need a second job? Is the salary that catching?"

"If I am being entirely honest, ma'am... the pay is indeed the reason I am here. I won't lie to you, I really need the money," I said, deciding to use a version of my real truth to sound genuine. "My father is currently in a coma, and I need a steady income to keep up with his monthly medical treatments. I promise you that my laboratory hours will never clash with taking care of Seth. His shift starts at 3:00 p.m., and I will be entirely devoted to him."

Mrs. Callahan paused, staring at me for a long moment. She gave a slow nod, looking genuinely touched by my answer.

"You've passed my portion of the interview," she announced, closing the file. "But you still have the final interview left."

"The final interview?" I muttered, momentarily confused.

"Yes. The final interview. It is easy to pass my standard, Denise, but it is incredibly difficult to pass my son's. Seth is extremely picky. A lot of girls... many of them far older and more experienced than you have applied this week, but they were all rejected because my son simply didn't like them. My son's opinion is the only one that truly matters. If he likes you, the job is yours. If he doesn't, you'll have to look elsewhere."

I swallowed hard. What kind of spoiled, tyrannical seven-year-old was this kid? He already reminded me of Saxton Vance.

"When will I get to meet him?" I asked.

"Tomorrow is Saturday. Be here at exactly 12:00 noon, and we will see if he approves of you or not."

"Thank you, ma'am." I smiled a little.

"You're welcome. The guard will see you out." She rose gracefully from the couch and walked away into the depths of the mansion.

The security guard reappeared and led me back to the gates.

As I began walking down the private, tree-lined street of the exclusive estate, I couldn't stop my mind from racing.

I thought pretending to be a twenty-five-year-old college graduate was going to be the hardest part of this scam—but now my entire life depended on the approval of a wealthy seven-year-old brat?

I shook my head, muttering under my breath. Rich kids were universally exhausting.

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out my phone to text Jessica the update. But just as my fingers touched the screen, a loud, aggressive engine roared behind me.

Tires screeched violently, and a sleek luxury sports car swerved, nearly taking me out. If I hadn't jumped back onto the curb at the very last second, it would have plowed straight into me.

"Watch where you are going, you imbecile!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

The driver slammed on the brakes, the expensive car jerking to a sudden halt a few feet away.

I stood my ground, chest heaving, waiting for the reckless idiot to step out so I could give them a piece of my mind.

The sleek door swung open, and a tall figure stepped out.

But the moment I looked at his face, my jaw dropped in utter shock.

The driver was Saxton.

What the hell was Saxton Vance doing in the Callahans' estate?