Chapter 5

"You?"

Nicola's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"I apologize," I said.

Nicola looked at me for a long time, then glanced towards the equipment on the wall.

"I should go back to my room," I said.

I turned and walked quickly out of the room, not daring to look back. My heart was pounding fast, what did I just see?

A few days later

I decided not to think about that strange room. There were more important things to think about, like Elio.

I took care of Elio with all my heart. I fed him, bathed him, accompanied him playing, and read him stories before bed. Slowly, Elio began to open up to me. He smiled more often, laughed more freely, and his nightmares decreased.

Every morning, I woke him up.

"Elio, wake up."

He would squirm, open his still sleepy eyes, and smile when he saw me.

"Anne, you're still here."

"I'm still here," I answered every time he said that.

We had breakfast together in the small dining room overlooking the garden. I helped him cut his food, wiped his mouth when he made a mess, and listened to his stories about his dreams. The child was very smart for his age, and he had an incredible imagination.

Every night, I read him a story. We sat on his bed, with a picture storybook on my lap, and he listened with sparkling eyes. Sometimes, he fell asleep in the middle of the story, and I would cover him carefully.

"Anne," he said one night, when I had just finished reading.

"Yes?"

"Will you stay here forever?"

I fell silent. How could I answer that question? I myself didn't know how long I would live. I myself didn't know whether the cancer would kill me in a few months or a few years.

"I will stay as long as I can," I answered finally.

He nodded, as if that answer was enough then he hugged me and fell asleep in my arms.

One morning while I was helping Elio put on his clothes, the head butler knocked on the door.

"Mrs. Anne, may I speak for a moment?"

I turned. "Of course."

I followed the man to the corridor, leaving Elio who was playing with toy cars on the floor.

"What is it?"

"It's about Young Master Elio."

"Is there a problem?"

"Not a problem, but I think you need to know. Young Master Elio suffers from severe anxiety. Since his mother died, he often has nightmares and panic attacks. That is why he ran away from home a few days ago. He was looking for his mother."

"Looking for his mother?"

The man nodded. "He doesn't fully understand that his mother has passed away. Every time he sees a woman who resembles his mother, he will chase after her. That is why he was wandering the streets alone but there is something else you need to know. Since Mr. Nicola's wife died, his extended family has continued to pressure Mr. Nicola to remarry. They want an alliance with another Mafia family. Mr. Nicola always refused."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he still loves his late wife. He has never been able to forget that woman. But after the incident of Young Master Elio running away, his family pressured him even more. They said Mr. Nicola's son needs a mother and Mr. Nicola finally gave in."

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Nicola has accepted an arranged marriage. His fiancée will move into this house tomorrow. Mr. Nicola told me to convey this to you. Starting tomorrow, you must follow his fiancée's orders. She will be the lady of this house."

^^^

The next day

Nicola left on a business trip. I didn't know whether he deliberately left to avoid his fiancée's arrival, or whether there was indeed important business. What was clear, he was not seen at all when his fiancée's car entered the gate.

The car door opened, and a woman got out.

She was tall, with a slim and well maintained body. Her hair was long and golden brown, styled perfectly. She wore a silk dress with high heels that made her look even taller. Diamond jewelry sparkled on her neck and ears.

Marianna Ferrante.

I carried Elio and went down to the main hall to welcome her. When I arrived there, Marianna was standing in the middle of the hall, looking around with a judgmental gaze. As if this mansion was not good enough for her.

Her eyes found me, and she raised her eyebrow.

"So you're the caregiver?" she asked.

"Yes, Madam. My name is Anne. I..."

"Anne," she cut in. She looked at me from top to bottom, and her expression turned to disgust. "No wonder the child is strange. You're too fat and unpleasant to look at."

I was startled. "Madam, I..."

"You know, in this house, appearance matters, I can't have staff who make this house look bad. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Madam."

Elio, still in my arms, looked at Marianna with unfriendly eyes.

"Don't talk rudely to Anne," he said suddenly.

Marianna was startled. "What?"

"Anne is kind. You are mean."

"I didn't mean to be rude. I just care about you," said Marianna.

She looked at me again, and her gaze said everything. She wouldn't fire me but she would make my life miserable.

A few days later

Marianna began hiring what she called child psychology and education experts to teach Elio independence. They were three people with serious faces and neat clothes, who came every morning and spent hours with the child. I was not allowed to join.

Elio's room door was closed, and I could only stand in the corridor, listening to the child's voice sometimes calling my name.

"Anne? Anne, where are you?"

They limited my contact with Elio. I was only allowed to see him at meals and bath time. I was no longer allowed to read him stories before bed, the experts said it made him too dependent on me.

One morning

I was preparing breakfast when Elio came down. Usually, he ran towards me with a wide smile but this morning, he walked slowly, with heavy steps. His eyes were red and swollen. There were dark circles under his eyes.

"Elio?" I knelt in front of him. "What happened? You didn't sleep?"

He shook his head. "I couldn't sleep. I had nightmares but they said I wasn't allowed to call you."

Tears flowed on my cheeks. I hugged him tightly. "I'm here."

Marianna entered the dining room and saw us. Her face immediately turned sour.

"What are you doing? Let go of him. He has to eat breakfast."

I stood up, looking at Marianna. "Madam, this child hasn't slept all night. The experts' method..."

"Their method is what's best for him, you don't understand anything about child education. You're just an amateur caregiver."

"But he's suffering! Can't you see?"

Marianna stepped closer, her face cold.

"Listen, Anne. I will say this once. I don't like you. I don't like the way you spoil that child and I don't like you being in this mansion."

She reached for her bag and took out a check. "This is a large sum of money. Enough for you to live comfortably for several years. Take this, and leave."

I stared at the check. The numbers on it were very large.

I hesitated for a moment.

But then I looked at Elio. The little boy looked at me with eyes full of hope, his hand gripping the edge of my clothes.

"No," I said.

Marianna raised her eyebrow. "What?"

"I won't leave. I don't care how much money you offer. I won't leave Elio."

Marianna's face turned red. "You will regret this."

^^^

We were having dinner. Nicola still hadn't returned from his business trip.

Elio sat beside me, trying to cut his steak. His small hands trembled, and the steak kept sliding on his plate.

Marianna looked at him with cold eyes.

"You can't cut your own steak? How old are you? Four? Even a one year old can do it."

Elio bowed his head, his face reddened. "I can't."

"In this house, there is no place for useless people. Do you understand? If you can't do something as simple as cutting steak, how can you become the heir of this family?"

Tears flowed on Elio's cheeks. He cried.

I immediately stood up and approached him. I hugged him.

"It's okay," I said to Elio.

Then I turned to Marianna.

"How can you say that to a small child? He's only 4 years old! He's learning! You have no right to threaten him like that!"

Marianna stood up, her face flushed red. "You dare speak to me like that? You're just a caregiver! A nanny!"

Two large men dressed in black stepped forward. They grabbed my arms roughly.

"Drag her out, I'm sick of seeing her face," ordered Marianna.

I struggled, but they were too strong. They dragged me towards the door.

"Anne!" Elio cried, trying to chase after me, but a servant held him back.

"Don't touch him!" I shouted.

At that moment, the main door opened.

Nicola stood at the doorway, with a suitcase in his hand and an expression I couldn't read. He looked at the scene in front of him, me being dragged by two bodyguards, Elio crying hysterically, and Marianna standing with a flushed red face.

"What is going on here?" he asked.