Chapter 05

I swallowed the knot forming in my throat, choking me a little more with every second. This wasn't the moment to panic. I forced air into my lungs and reined in the tremor spreading through my body.

“It's impossible we've met before.” My gaze stayed on my feet, far from his curious stare. “This is the first time I've seen you, sir, but people tend to say I have one of those familiar faces.”

The creak of the chair startled me. I lifted my eyes quickly and watched him straighten his jacket and walk slowly toward me. My instinct to run surged through me, but I fought it down. I held his gaze and waited for him to say something.

“Where's your daughter?” He looked past me for a moment, then turned back to face me with a challenging stare.

“She… isn't here.” My voice faltered, panic threatening to take hold of me again. “She's with my mother.”

He studied my face like he was trying to read me, trying to figure out who I really was. His jaw tightened, his expression turning even darker.

“Why would I hire a woman who can't take care of her daughter?” He turned his back to me, his voice rough and tense, echoing through the enormous room. “If your daughter's with your mother, that means you couldn't handle taking care of her on your own.”

“That's not it…” I shook my head firmly, tears threatening to spill. “What I mean is, I had to leave her with someone so I could come to this interview. I need this job so I can give her a better life.”

“Do you think it's fair to abandon your daughter to take care of someone else's?”

His question sent a shock through my body. I should have planned for this part. I should have thought carefully about what I'd say to him. Gabriel didn't want to give me that job; he was sharp, too smart to just hire anyone, and when I looked into his eyes again, I was certain of it—but I would convince him to give me this chance.

“I know exactly what you must be thinking.” I straightened my spine, as tall as I could stand, lifted my chin, and looked at him with confidence, even as my knees shook uncontrollably. “My husband cheated on me and ran off with his mistress, leaving me in ruins. He took everything I had. If I don't get a job, I could lose my daughter forever. Staying home to take care of her isn't an option.”

My breath caught when he looked away. He walked toward me again, passed right by me like I was nothing, and sat back down in his chair.

I let the air out slowly. Not everything I'd said was a lie, but I had no idea whether Gabriel believed a word of it; his face gave nothing away.

He leaned back in the swivel chair, arms resting loosely around the seat, lips pressed tight, no trace of a smile. He didn't say anything for a long moment. Not only that, but he just watched me, like I was some object to be studied. I forced myself to hold his gaze for as long as it took.

The panic built inside me. I felt like I'd done everything wrong. Three long years waiting for this moment, only to lose it all over a poorly planned story.

“Be at the front of this building tomorrow, at six o'clock.” His voice cut through the tension inside me, making me hold my breath. “Not one minute later.”

“What do you mean?” My voice trembled; I understood perfectly well what his words meant, but I wanted to be certain. I needed to hear him say it again.

“That's your hire.” He stood and walked toward the door, not looking at me. “You're my daughter's nanny, and I sincerely hope you don't make me regret this decision.”

I watched the exact moment he left me alone in that room, right before the tears flooded my eyes and blurred my vision. I dropped to my knees on the cold marble floor. The sound of my bones cracking against it mixed with the sobs I forced myself to muffle. I'd done it, and for a moment it felt so terrifying that I doubted my ability to pull it off.

I knelt there and let my tears soak into the floor. This was the moment I'd waited years for. The moment I'd finally get back everything that had been stolen from me.

“Ms. Scarlat.” A light hand touched my shoulder. “Are you all right? You can't stay here.”

I got up quickly, looking at the receptionist who'd helped me minutes earlier. I wiped my tears before standing fully, smoothing my hands over my wrinkled skirt. Not only that, but I looked at the woman again as she held out a document to me.

“Mr. Gabriel asked me to give you this.” I squinted at the document. “It's your employment contract. It needs to be signed today.”

I wasn't concerned with the clauses written in that document, what rules I'd have to follow, or whether I'd owe a penalty f*e down the line. I grabbed the pen from her hands and, with my other hand trembling, held the paper steady. Not only that, but I flipped through the document, going straight to the last page without reading a single line, and signed it.

The startled look on the woman's face followed me as I handed back the signed document, and I walked away, edging out.

The reviewing, shifted look on the woman's face followed me as I handed the signed document back and walked out.