Hate You, Love You

The sound of raindrops hitting the windowpane echoed through the dimly lit apartment as Sienna Carter sat at her small kitchen table, staring at the stack of unpaid bills. Her fingers tightened around the coffee mug, though the liquid inside had long gone cold. The numbers on the paper blurred together, but the reality was clear—she was running out of time and money.

Sienna had always been independent, always believed she could make it on her own. But reality had a cruel way of breaking that confidence.

Her teaching job had been her passion, but passion didn’t pay rent. When budget cuts hit the school district, she and several other teachers had been let go without so much as a severance package. It had been two months since then, and despite relentless job hunting, nothing had worked out. Now, she was down to her last hundred dollars, and desperation was creeping in.

Her best friend, Ava, had been pushing her to take a temporary job—something to keep her afloat while she figured things out. But the latest suggestion was more than just temporary work.

It was something entirely different.

A live-in nanny for a billionaire.

“You should at least consider it,” Ava had insisted earlier that day, sliding the job posting across the table at the café.

Sienna had scoffed. “Ava, I was a teacher. I educated kids. This job is basically babysitting some spoiled rich kid for a man who probably doesn’t even know his child’s name.”

“You love kids,” Ava countered, undeterred. “And it pays—” she leaned forward dramatically, “—ten thousand a month.”

Sienna had nearly choked on her coffee.

Now, hours later, she found herself staring at the job listing again.

”Live-in Nanny Needed Immediately. High Compensation. Must be discreet, professional, and willing to handle challenging situations.”

The lack of detail was suspicious. The fact that it was an anonymous posting made it worse.

Her gut told her to turn it down.

Her empty fridge told her otherwise.

With a sigh, she grabbed her phone and dialed the number listed at the bottom of the posting. A crisp, professional voice answered on the first ring.

“This is Mr. Dawson, personal assistant to Mr. Grayson Pierce. May I ask who is calling?”

Sienna nearly dropped the phone. Grayson Pierce?She knew that name.

A billionaire. Ruthless. CEO of Pierce International, one of the largest conglomerates in the world. She had read about him in business magazines—a man known for his cold efficiency, his brutal business tactics, and his complete lack of emotion.

And she was about to apply to work for him?

Swallowing her nerves, she forced her voice to stay steady. “Um, hi. My name is Sienna Carter. I saw the posting for the nanny position, and I’d like to apply.”

There was a brief pause. Then, “Be at Pierce Estate tomorrow morning at nine. Do not be late.”

Before she could even process that, the call disconnected.

Sienna stared at her phone. No interview process? No screening?

What had she just gotten herself into?

---

The Next Morning – The Pierce Estate

The mansion was massive.

Sienna had expected luxury, but this was something else entirely. The Pierce Estate loomed before her, an elegant yet intimidating structure of glass, steel, and stone, standing tall against the gray morning sky. The long, winding driveway alone could fit an entire neighborhood.

Her hands were clammy as she clutched her worn leather bag. Just breathe, Sienna. You need this job.

As she reached the front door, a uniformed butler opened it before she could even knock. “Ms. Carter?”

“Yes,” she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

“Right this way.”

She was led through a pristine marble foyer, down a hallway lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing sprawling gardens outside. Everything about this place screamed wealth and power.

Then, the butler stopped outside an office.

“Mr. Pierce will see you now.”

Sienna squared her shoulders, took a breath, and stepped inside.

The room was just as imposing as the man sitting behind the massive oak desk.

Grayson Pierce didn’t even bother looking up as she entered.

He was exactly as the magazines had described—tall, broad-shouldered, and utterly unapproachable. His dark hair was perfectly styled, and he wore an expensive charcoal suit, the crisp white shirt beneath it emphasizing his ruthless sharpness.

He was cold perfection personified.

“Sit,” he ordered, flipping a page in the file in front of him.

Sienna bristled at his tone but sat across from him. “Nice to meet you too,” she muttered under her breath.

He finally looked up, pinning her with a piercing, icy gaze. “I don’t do pleasantries.”

Of course he didn’t.

Grayson leaned back, steepling his fingers. “You were a teacher.”

“Yes.”

“You have no experience as a nanny.”

“I’ve worked with children for years,” she countered.

“Not the same,” he dismissed. “This job requires discipline, patience, and the ability to handle difficult situations.”

Sienna frowned. “Your ad was pretty vague. What exactly do you mean by difficult?”

Grayson’s jaw tightened. “My daughter has… issues with trust.”

That made Sienna pause. She had assumed the child would be spoiled or difficult in a typical rich-kid way, but trust issues suggested something deeper.

“She doesn’t speak to strangers. She barely speaks at all,” he added after a moment, his voice clipped, as if the admission was difficult for him.

Sienna’s heart softened despite herself. “I see.”

“Your job is simple,” Grayson continued. “Care for her. Follow the rules. And stay out of my way.”

Stay out of his way? Sienna bit back an irritated response. Arrogant jerk.

“I’ll need to meet her before I decide,” she said instead.

Grayson’s eyes narrowed slightly. Most people probably jumped at his commands. She had a feeling he wasn’t used to pushback.

He stood abruptly. “Fine.”

He led her down another long hallway before stopping at a door. When he opened it, Sienna’s gaze landed on the small, delicate figure sitting by the window.

Lily Pierce.

She was tiny—far too small for her age—and curled up in a chair, staring out at the gardens. Her dark curls framed her pale face, and her arms were wrapped around her knees, as if trying to make herself as small as possible.

Sienna’s heart clenched.

Grayson spoke, his voice softer than before. “Lily, this is Miss Carter. She’ll be your nanny.”

The little girl didn’t react. Didn’t turn. Didn’t blink.

Grayson’s jaw tensed.

Sienna, however, didn’t move closer. She just sat on the floor a few feet away and began speaking softly about the butterflies she saw outside the window.

She wasn’t sure why she did it—maybe instinct, maybe experience—but after a few moments, Lily turned her head ever so slightly.

And for the first time, Grayson Pierce looked at her like she might actually be worth his time.