Chapter Two _Rules

Serena barely slept that night. 

Not because of the job itself.

But because every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing Mr vale watching her across that office. It was ridiculous.

She didn’t even know the man. Yet something about Kael Vale stayed in her head long after she left the mansion.

And she can't quite place a finger on it. Serena turned over in bed and groaned softly into her pillow.

“Please tell me you’re not awake stressing over those rich people again.” Serena lifted her head slightly to see Mira leaning against the bedroom doorway with crossed arms.

She was looking sleepy.

“You should be asleep,” Serena muttered.

“And you should stop overthinking.”

Mira walked into the room and dropped onto the bed beside her.

“So?” she asked immediately. “How rich are we talking?”

Serena laughed tiredly. “Mira—”

“No seriously. Like normal rich? Or private-island rich?”

Serena thought about the mansion.

“The floors looked expensive enough to pay our rent for five years.”

Mira sat up instantly. “You got the job?”

Serena nodded.

The scream Mira let out nearly killed both of them.

“Oh my God!”

“Shhh!”

Mira hugged her tightly anyway.

“You did it,” she whispered excitedly. “Serena, this is good. Like really good.”

Serena smiled, but the knot in her stomach remained.

Because somehow this job already felt bigger than just work. And she didn’t know why.

---

The next morning, Vale Manor somehow looked even larger in daylight. Serena stood outside the gates holding her bag tightly while trying not to feel intimidated.

A guard opened the gate after checking her name. Mrs. Rowan welcomed her warmly at the entrance.

“You’re early,” the older woman said kindly.

“I didn’t want to be late.”

“That already makes you better than the last nanny.”

Serena smiled awkwardly.

Mrs. Rowan led her upstairs while explaining Lia’s routine.

“Breakfast at seven. Reading lessons after lunch. She likes cartoons before bed but Mr. Vale limits screen time.”

Serena nodded carefully, trying to remember everything.

“And Mr. Vale?” Mrs. Rowan paused slightly. “He can be… difficult sometimes.”

Sometimes?

Serena almost laughed.

“I’ll survive.”

Mrs. Rowan gave her a knowing look. “That’s what the others said too.”

Before Serena could ask what that meant, something or someone suddenly crashed into her legs.

“Serena!”

Lia wrapped her tiny arms around her waist so fast Serena almost stumbled backward. The little girl was still in pajamas, holding Moon the rabbit under one arm.

Serena’s face softened instantly.

“Well good morning to you too.”

Lia looked up at her seriously. “You came back.”

Something about the way she said it made Serena’s chest ache a little.

“Of course I did.”

Children remembered things too easily. Mrs. Rowan smiled quietly before leaving them alone.

Lia grabbed Serena’s hand immediately.

“Come see my room.”

Serena let herself be dragged upstairs, laughing softly. For the first time in a long while, the pressure in her chest eased slightly.

Maybe this could work after all.

An hour later, Serena was helping Lia build a castle out of blocks on the bedroom floor when she heard heavy footsteps outside the door. Lia noticed too because she immediately looked toward the doorway.

Kael appeared seconds later. Dressed completely in black again. Phone in one hand and looking at his watch. That same controlled expression on his face. But Serena noticed something different this morning.

He looked less cold while watching Lia.

Lia held up one of the blocks proudly.

“We’re making a castle.”

Kael’s eyes shifted briefly to Serena before returning to his daughter.

“I can see that.”

Serena stood quickly. “Good morning.”

“Miss Hart.”

His voice was calm.

Dangerous at that.

Lia frowned suddenly. “Don’t call her Miss Hart.”

Serena blinked.

Kael raised an eyebrow slightly. “What should I call her?”

“Serena.”

The room went quiet for one awkward second. Then Kael looked directly at her.

And somehow hearing her name in that deep voice did not sound like a good idea.

“Serena,” he corrected calmly.

Her stomach betrayed her with the tiniest nervous flip.

Now this is ridiculous. Kael stepped further into the room.

“I need to go over a few things with you.”

Something about his tone made it seem whatever he wanted to say was serious.

Serena nodded.

“Lia, sweetheart, why don’t you finish the castle while I talk to your dad?”

Lia looked suspicious but agreed eventually.

Kael led Serena out into the hallway before speaking again.

“My daughter gets attached easily.”

Serena frowned slightly. “That’s normal for children.”

“It becomes a problem when people leave.”

She could not understand that statement.

Serena folded her arms carefully. “I’m not planning to hurt her.”

Kael studied her face for a moment like he was deciding whether to believe her.

Then finally—

“Good.”

Silence stretched between them.

The hallway suddenly felt too quiet.

Kael’s gaze stayed on her longer than necessary before he continued.

“There are rules in this house.”

Serena nodded slowly.

“You are here to care for Lia. Nothing more.”

Well she knew that. But something about them still irritated her slightly.

“I understand my job description.”

“Do you?” he asked calmly.

Serena looked up at him fully then.

“Is there a reason you sound like you expect me to throw myself at you?”

For the first time since meeting him—

Kael looked genuinely caught off guard. Then unexpectedly, he laughed.

And God help her— he looked unfairly attractive when he did that.

“I don’t,” he answered finally.

“Good.”

“But I prefer clarity.”

Serena crossed her arms tighter. “Well let me clarify too then.”

One of his brows lifted slightly.

“I’m here for your daughter,” she said firmly. “Not your money. Not your last name. And definitely not whatever ego you’re carrying around.”

For one dangerous second, silence filled the hallway. Then instead of getting angry—

Kael stepped closer. He did not touch her but enough for Serena to suddenly become very aware of how tall he was. Very aware of how good he smelled.

Very aware of the tension that appeared out of nowhere between them. His eyes stayed on hers as he spoke quietly.

“You’re the first person in a long time who talks to me like that.”

Serena swallowed before answering.

“Maybe people are too scared of you.”

“And you’re not?”

She should have been.

But strangely—

“No.”

Something shifted in his expression again. Something darker this time. More interested.

Before either of them could say another word, Lia suddenly appeared between them holding a toy crown.

“Daddy, Serena says the queen protects the kingdom.”

Kael’s eyes remained on Serena for one extra second before finally looking down at his daughter.

“Does she?”

Lia nodded seriously before placing the tiny plastic crown on Serena’s head.

“There,” Lia announced proudly. “Now she’s the queen.”

Serena burst out laughing. And when she looked back at Kael— he was already staring at her again.

Only this time, the look in his eyes felt far too intense for her liking.