THE BLACKWOOD ESTATE (2)

IVY’S POV

From the way her face was now serious as she asked this, I could tell that Mrs. Reynolds cared deeply for this family and she was trying to make sure she was leaving them in good hands. Mrs. Gable told me that she’s worked for Mr. Blackwood for twenty years, even before he got married to his late wife.

"The truth is yes, I’m here for the money but when Mrs. Gable told me about Mrs. Blackwood's death, a part of me felt sorry for her daughter", I felt my throat tighten from the weight of the words I was about to spill out but I forced them out anyway. "I know exactly what it feels like to wake up crying in a house where no one is there to comfort you. After I lost both of my parents in a car crash when I was fifteen, it was very hard for me to adjust to my new reality. I spent so many nights waking up in the dark, wishing my mom or dad was there to hold me and tell me it was going to be okay when life became tough. But nobody ever came."

The room felt more quiet than it was before, save for the crackle of the wood in the fireplace.

"I know the exact emptiness she is going to feel if she grows up with no one there by her side," I continued, feeling a sting in my eyes but I still kept them on her. "So even if she’s crying at three in the morning, I might be exhausted but I won't be angry. I’ll hold her and stay awake with her so she knows she isn't alone in the dark. I promise I will protect Miss Blackwood from that loneliness”.

Mrs. Reynolds stare was longer this time. The strict, professional mask had completely melted from her face and was now replaced by a quiet warmth and a hint of sympathy. She slowly closed the folder.

"You don't have to say anything else, Ivy," she said softly. "The previous applicants gave perfect, textbook answers but I could tell they were only interested in either getting close to Mr. Blackwood or just the money. But you... you actually understand what this little girl needs."

A smile stretched her wrinkled lips as she announced. "I think you are the right person for this job. You’re hired”.

A massive wave of relief washed over me and I felt like I could finally draw a full breath. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Reynolds. You won't regret this, I swear."

"I know I won't," she said, nodding. "Now, let's talk about the rules and the family. You need to know what you are getting into. While Mr. Blackwood can be a handful, he is also very distant. He works constantly and is rarely at home so I can assure you that he won’t be a bother."

I nodded in response and then swallowed hard before I said my next words. “I know he is deep mourning so I’ll try my best to be careful”.

“He feels bad about it but he’s definitely not in deep mourning”.

My brows crawled up in confusion. “But his wife just died”.

“They weren’t really in love or anything, you know. Their marriage was a contract marriage and love was never there even till she died. They started to get close when she gave birth to Ava though but then she committed suicide”.

“Suicide?” The words left me in a gasp and Mrs. Reynolds nodded in response.

“No one knows why she did it but she left a note for Mr. Blackwood and let’s say, his attitude got worse after he read whatever was in it. Now, everything I just told you must not leave this room understand?” She warned with a scowl.

“Yes, I do”.

“Good. Now, come along. Let me show you around the house and teach you what you need to know."

For the next hour, Mrs. Reynolds walked me through the massive estate. She showed me the kitchen where the private chefs worked, the grand dining room and the endless hallways. Then, we went upstairs to the east wing, which was entirely dedicated to the baby.

The nursery was larger than my entire apartment. The walls were painted a soft, muted pink with clouds painted on the ceiling. There were shelves filled with books, stuffed animals and toys and in the center of the room stood a white wooden crib.

"Your job is straightforward but important," Mrs. Reynolds explained as we stood in the room. "You will wake Ava up in the morning, feed her breakfast, play with her and teach her. You will also put her down for her naps and her bedtime. Her food is prepared by the chef so you just have to fetch it from the kitchen and make sure you taste it first. You will sleep in the bedroom right next door so you can hear her if she cries at night."

"I can definitely do that," I said, looking around.

"Mr. Blackwood has a few strict rules himself," Mrs. Reynolds warned, her tone turning serious again. "First, you must never go into his private study or his master bedroom for any reason at all. If you need his attention, you call him. Second, you must never disturb him when he is working. He does not like noise and he does not like workers hovering around him. Do your job well, focus on Ava and stay out of his way. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand completely," I nodded. I had no desire to run into the terrifying billionaire anyway. I just wanted to do my job, get paid and stay safe from Helen Carter.

"Good," She said, her smile returning. "Now, Ava should be waking up from her morning nap any minute. Let's go over to the crib."

We walked quietly across the thick carpet toward the white crib. I held my breath, a mix of nervousness and excitement fluttering in my chest.

Inside, a little girl was just starting to stir. She had chubby cheeks and a head full of wild, dark brown curls. She rubbed her eyes with her little fists and let out a tiny yawn, shifting around in her yellow onesie.

My heart melted a little just looking at her. She looked so beautiful and completely innocent.

"Hello, little angel," Mrs. Reynolds said in a sweet, quiet voice. She reached down and gently scooped the baby up into her arms. "Look who is here to see you. This is Ivy. She is going to be your new nanny."

Ava blinked against the light. When she opened her eyes fully, I caught my breath. Her eyes were a striking, piercing blue. She looked up at Mrs. Reynolds and then she slowly turned her head to look at me.

I smiled warmly at her, leaning down a bit so I was at her eye level. "Hi, Ava," I said softly. "It's so nice to meet you, sweetie."

Ava just tilted her head and stared at me, her big blue eyes locking on my face with intense curiosity, as if she were trying to figure out exactly who I was.

Then, a wide smile broke across her face and she let out a happy little giggle that echoed in the nursery, kicking her feet and reaching her small arms out toward me, wanting to be held.

"Oh my," Mrs. Reynolds whispered, looking genuinely shocked. "She usually cries when she meets new people. She never warms up to strangers this fast. She must really like you, Ivy."

I felt a surge of genuine happiness at her comment and then I reached out and carefully took her from Mrs. Reynolds' arms. She was light and smelled faintly of baby powder and milk. The moment I held her against my chest, she wrapped her tiny fingers around a lock of my hair.

She looked up into my face, her smile widening. Then, she raised a chubby finger, pointed it directly at me and said a word that made the room dead silent in shock

"Mommy”.