THE BILLIONAIRE’S DOG SITTER

The laughter coming from our old television filled the tiny living room as Hilda and I sat curled up on the worn out couch.

The movie was supposed to be a comedy, but Hilda laughed so loudly at every joke that I found myself laughing more at her than at the actual film.

“You’ve seen this movie three times already,” I told her.

“Four.” She smirked.

I stared at her. “You’ve watched it four times?”

“It’s called appreciating art.”

I snorted. “This is not art.”

“It absolutely is.”

We continued arguing over the movie until the front door suddenly opened.

Both of us turned toward the sound. My smile instantly widened.

“Mom!”

My mother stepped inside carrying her handbag and a paper bag that probably contained leftovers from the restaurant where she worked.

The sight of her immediately tugged at my heart.

She looked exhausted. The dark circles beneath her eyes seemed darker than usual, and her shoulders sagged beneath the weight of another long day.

Still, she smiled when she saw me.

“There’s my favorite girl.”

I jumped up from the couch and wrapped my arms around her.

“You say that because I’m your only girl.”

She laughed softly. “Maybe.”

Hilda stood and greeted her. “Good evening, Mrs. Dawson.”

“Good evening, sweetheart.”

Mom walked further into the room and dropped her bag on a nearby chair.

I hesitated. Part of me didn’t want to ruin the little smile on her face. Unfortunately, I knew I had to tell her.

“Mom?”

“Yes?”

“The kitchen sink is leaking again.”

The smile disappeared immediately. I wished I hadn’t said anything.

The change in her expression was instant.

Her shoulders stiffened, and the exhaustion in her eyes deepened.

For several seconds, she simply stared at me.

“Leaking?” she repeated quietly.

I nodded. “It started this afternoon.”

She lowered herself onto a chair. The defeated look on her face broke my heart.

“We just fixed the bathroom pipe last month,” she muttered.

“I know.”

Mom rubbed her forehead. “How bad is it?”

“A little bad.”

She gave me a look. “Clare.”

“Okay. Very bad.”

A sigh escaped her lips. For a moment, nobody spoke, even Hilda seemed uncomfortable.

Finally, Mom straightened. “I’ll work overtime tomorrow.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

“I’ll take another shift at the restaurant .”

“No.”

She blinked. “You know I have to Clare.”

“You already work two jobs.”

“And the sink won’t repair itself.”

I crossed my arms. “You need rest.”

“And we need running water.”

Her voice was calm, but I could hear the strain behind it. The strain she always tried to hide from me.

I hated it. I hated watching her push herself beyond her limits. I hated watching her sacrifice everything just so we could survive.

“You can’t keep doing this,” I whispered.

I suddenly felt very useless. I wanted to help, but still I couldn’t do anything to make our situation better.

For a moment, it looked like she wanted to say something. Her lips parted, but before the words could come out, she suddenly coughed.

It was a harsh cough, one that seemed to shake her entire body.

My eyes widened. “Mom?”

She waved a hand dismissively. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

“It’s just a cold.”

The cough returned, and this time it lasted longer. Worry settled heavily in my chest.

She’d been coughing for days now.

Every time I mentioned seeing a doctor, she brushed it off. I was saying this as if doctors weren’t expensive. As if medicine didn’t cost money. As if we could afford either.

I swallowed hard.

“Mom, maybe you should stay home tomorrow.”

She laughed a tired laugh. “If I stay home tomorrow, who’s paying for the sink?”

I didn’t have an answer because she was right. That was exactly the problem.

Money. It was always money.

“Then let me help,” I said suddenly.

Mom looked up. “What do you mean?”

“I can get a job.”

The room went silent. Even Hilda stopped moving.

My mother stared at me as though I had suggested robbing a bank.

“No.”

I frowned. “No?”

“No.”

“Mom…..” I tried to protest.

“You should be focusing on your future.”

“I am.” I frowned.

“Clare.”

“I’m nineteen.”

“And you’re my daughter.”

I sighed. “We need help.”

“We’re managing.”

We were barely managing, but I knew better than to say it out loud.

Mom stood from her chair. “I don’t want you stressing yourself over adult responsibilities.”

“I’m already stressing.”

“Then stop.”

I almost laughed. She said it as if it were that simple. As if watching her work herself sick didn’t keep me awake at night. As if hearing her cough didn’t terrify me.

Mom reached over and squeezed my shoulder. “We’ll be okay.”

The words sounded rehearsed like she’d repeated them so many times that she almost believed them herself.

I forced a smile. “Okay.”

But deep inside, I’d already made my decision. Whether she liked it or not, I was getting a job.

Mom headed toward the kitchen to inspect the sink.

The moment she disappeared around the corner, Hilda turned to me.

“You aren’t listening to her, are you?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“Good.”

I laughed. “Hilda.”

“What? Someone has to be practical.”

I dropped back onto the couch. “I don’t even know where to start looking.”

Hilda’s eyes suddenly lit up “Actually…”

That expression worried me immediately.

“What?”

“I saw something today.”

“What kind of something?”

“A job vacancy.”

I sat up. “Really?”

She nodded eagerly. “The Wilbergs are looking for a dog sitter.”

I blinked. “The Wilbergs?”

“Yes.” She replied.

My mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.

Everyone knew the Wilberg family. They owned hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and half the businesses in town.

People talked about them constantly.

Nobody knew much about them personally, but everyone knew they were very rich.

“What exactly does a dog sitter do?” I asked.

“Watch a dog.”

I stared at her. “Thank you for that detailed explanation.”

She grinned. “The pay is incredible.”

That got my attention. “How incredible?”

Hilda named the amount, and my jaw nearly hit the floor.

“You’re joking.” I stared at her.

“I’m serious.” She grinned.

That amount of money could solve several problems at once.

The sink, groceries, and other bills. Maybe even give my mother a chance to rest.

My pulse quickened. “What do I have to do?”

“Apply.”

She grabbed a pen from the coffee table and scribbled a phone number onto a scrap piece of paper.

“Here’s their business line.”

I took it carefully as if I thought it might disappear.

“You really think I have a chance?”

“Absolutely.”

Before I could answer, Hilda stood. “I should head home.”

“Already?”

“My mom will murder me if I’m late.”

That was a fair point. A few minutes later, she left and the house suddenly felt much quieter.

I looked down at the phone number still sitting in my hand. Maybe this was exactly what I needed. Maybe this was the opportunity I’d been waiting for.

Taking a deep breath, I walked to my room and closed the door behind me, then I dialed the number.

The phone rang twice, three times, then four. Just as I was about to hang up, someone answered.

“Wilberg Enterprises.” The deep male voice immediately made me sit straighter.

“Hello.” I said softly.

“Hello.”

“My name is Clare Dawson. I’m calling about the dog sitter position.”

There was a brief pause, then the man spoke again. “One moment.”

Papers shuffled, then a few seconds later, he returned.

“My name is Richard Wilberg.”

My eyes widened.

Richard Wilberg? The Richard Wilberg? The billionaire businessman himself?

I nearly dropped my phone.

“I….it’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“The pleasure is mine, Miss Dawson.”His tone was polite but professional.

“We’re leaving for a business trip tomorrow morning.”

“I understand.”

“Our dog cannot travel with us.”

I listened carefully.

“We need someone responsible to stay with him until our return.”

“I can do that.”

There was another pause, then he chuckled softly.

“You sound confident.”

“I am.” I smiled.

For the first time that day, I truly was. Mr. Wilberg seemed amused.

“My wife and I will be away for approximately two weeks.”

“That’s fine sir.”

“There is something else you should know.”

I waited for him to talk.

“Our son will be arriving tomorrow.”

I blinked. “Your son?”

“Yes.”

That was Interesting. Nobody ever mentioned the Wilbergs having children.

“He has been abroad for quite some time,” Mr. Wilberg continued. “He’ll be staying at the estate while we’re away.”

At least I wouldn’t be completely alone in a massive mansion.

“You won’t feel lonely.”

A smile spread across my face. “No, sir.”

There was another brief silence, then he said the words that changed everything.

“Miss Dawson, we’d like you to start tomorrow.”

My heart nearly stopped. “Really?”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t believe it. I actually got the job? Excitement exploded inside me.

For the first time in months, hope felt real. Little did I know that accepting this job was about to change my life forever.