Chapter 3: A House Without Warmth

The Pierce Estate was magnificent, a sprawling architectural masterpiece that could have been pulled straight from the pages of a luxury magazine. But despite its grandeur, Sienna had never stepped foot in a place that felt so utterly lifeless.

She walked through the long, silent corridors, her footsteps muffled by thick Persian rugs. The chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting soft golden hues across the marbled floors, but the light did nothing to warm the atmosphere. Everything was pristine, carefully curated, and impersonal. It was a house meant to be admired, not lived in.

The absence of warmth wasn’t just in the decor—it was in the air, in the silence that clung to every corner like an unshakable shadow. There was no laughter, no background hum of life, no warmth that made a house a home. It was a museum of wealth, cold and uninviting.

Sienna exhaled softly. She had worked in wealthy households before, but this was different. There was something profoundly lonely about the Pierce estate, a loneliness that was echoed in the small, withdrawn figure of Lily Pierce.

She found the little girl exactly where she had left her the day before—perched by the grand window of her bedroom, staring out at the vast gardens with vacant eyes. She made no sound, no movement to acknowledge Sienna’s presence.

“Good morning, Lily,” Sienna greeted gently as she set her bag down. No response.

She knelt on the floor, maintaining a respectful distance. “You know,” she continued, “I saw a butterfly outside just now. A bright blue one. Have you ever seen one like that?”

Lily blinked slowly but didn’t turn her head.

Sienna let the silence settle between them. She had dealt with children who were slow to trust before, but this was something deeper. It wasn’t just shyness—it was isolation.

Her gaze drifted around the room. It was beautiful, just like the rest of the mansion—ornate furniture, expensive toys, and shelves lined with books. But it was all untouched, as if they were decorations rather than things meant to be used.

There were no crayon marks on the walls, no scattered dolls, no signs that a child actually **lived** here.

Sienna felt a pang in her chest. This wasn’t just a house without warmth—it was a **childhood without warmth**.

She turned back to Lily, her voice softer this time. “Would you like to go outside with me today?”

No response.

Sienna wasn’t discouraged. She knew trust wasn’t given freely—it had to be earned. And she was willing to be patient.

Behind her, she sensed movement at the door. When she glanced over her shoulder, she found Grayson Pierce standing there, watching them with his usual unreadable expression.

His presence was like a shift in the air—commanding, imposing.

“She doesn’t talk much,” he said, his voice low, matter-of-fact.

Sienna rose to her feet, meeting his gaze. “She doesn’t talk **at all**.”

Grayson’s jaw tightened. “She used to.”

The weight of his words lingered between them. Sienna studied his face, searching for cracks in the icy exterior, but he had already shut himself off, his features carved from stone.

Whatever had stolen Lily’s voice had left its mark on him too.

Sienna squared her shoulders. “Well, she’ll talk again. When she’s ready.”

Grayson’s eyes darkened. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Miss Carter.”

“I don’t.” She turned back to Lily, her voice full of quiet determination. “I meant what I said.”

Lily remained silent, but this time, Sienna swore she saw a flicker of something in her big, sorrowful eyes.

**Hope.**

Grayson exhaled sharply, breaking the heavy silence. “I assume Dawson has given you the rules of the house?”

Sienna nodded. “Yes. And they’re… interesting.”

His brow arched. “Interesting?”

“Well,” she said, tilting her head, “for one, I find it odd that there’s no time set aside for Lily to just be a kid.”

Grayson’s gaze darkened. “Structure is important.”

“So is freedom,” Sienna countered, her voice unwavering. “Children aren’t business projects, Mr. Pierce. They don’t thrive on strict schedules alone.”

His jaw clenched. “I hired you to follow instructions, not question them.”

Sienna smiled, but there was defiance in her eyes. “And you hired me to take care of your daughter, which means I will do what’s best for her.”

A tense silence stretched between them.

For a moment, Grayson simply stared at her, his gray eyes sharp and assessing. It was clear he wasn’t used to being challenged, especially not by an employee.

Finally, he exhaled. “Do what you must,” he muttered. “Just don’t expect results overnight.”

Sienna glanced back at Lily, who still sat motionless, staring out the window. No, she didn’t expect results overnight. But she wasn’t going to give up on her, either.

As Grayson turned to leave, Sienna called after him, “Mr. Pierce.”

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“Lily needs more than just a nanny. She needs her father.”

His shoulders tensed, but he said nothing. A moment later, he disappeared down the hallway, leaving Sienna alone with Lily once more.

She sighed and settled back onto the floor beside the little girl, offering a warm smile. “You don’t have to talk, Lily. But I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

For the briefest second, Lily’s fingers twitched against her sleeve. A subtle, almost imperceptible reaction, but Sienna noticed.

And so did Grayson—standing just outside the doorway, listening.

For a man who controlled everything, this—his daughter’s pain—was the one thing beyond his grasp.

And for the first time, Grayson Pierce looked at Sienna Carter like she was more than just an employee. **She was a problem he hadn’t yet figured out.**