Nina's POV

★NINA★

"Aunty Nina! Aunty Nina!"

I heard the tiny distant calling of my name coming all the way from upstairs. I was in the kitchen, clearing up the remnants of lunch that we just had. Lila pulled her tiny self into the space with a book so big it covered her whole face. 

"Aunty Nina, I was looking for you everywhere!" She huffed, shaking her head while I just laughed. Lila rounds the table and meet me where I stood leaning back against the counter. 

"Aww, I'm sorry I had to stress those tiny feet." She was dressed in one of her pink gowns. I had to mentally commend Malachi for the kind of dresses he got her. 

"It's alright,"She grinned. "see!" Sage lifts the book up to my face. I collected it and scanned. "a drawing book?"

"Mm." She bobbed her head then sighed. "Our creative arts teacher gave us an assignment to draw a planet." She sighed shaking her head. "I'm good in everything but drawing, Aunty Nina."

I laughed, nodding. I lifted Lila up and placed on the counter, pulling out a stool and sitting beside her placing the book atop the table. "I can help you draw the planet."

Her eyes widened with a wide smile. "really? Yay!" Then she started speaking in a singsong manner, "if aunty Nina drawers my planet, the whole class will be jealous."

I chuckled, shaking my head. Children, they were so lively and free. I began sketching, Nina didn't specify which drawing exactly I was doing but I made to mind to draw Saturn. The planets with rings. 

"Our creative arts teacher told us they are eight planets in the whole world." While she spoke, she gestured with her hands. 

"Mm, I think so." I put out. 

"But she said it was once nine. But Pluto doesn't exist anymore." She dangled her legs and folded her arm. "if I was Pluto, I would be betrayed that they don't consider me a planet because I'm too small."

She said with a grumble and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. I paused and took her in, her legs kept dangling and her arms were folded while she stared down at me with bright green eyes. 

"Don't worry, my sweet girl," I reached out and caressed her cheeks. "no one is betraying you because you're small okay? Even though you're small." I winked and she rolled her eyes with a chuckle. 

Probably half an hour later, I present Lila her drawing. She gasped z staring at the open page with wide expressive eyes and mouth as round as saucers. "aunty Nina, this is beautiful!"

I chuckled, staring at her. For some reasons she reminded me of my little brother. The family I may have had if what happened didn't happen. 

"S. A. T. U. R. N. Saturn! You drew Saturn."

"Yes, I like Saturn. It's the most beautiful planet in the whole world." I mimicked her voice and we both laughed. We were cut off when we heard the doorbell rang and an all to well familiar face came into presence. 

"Ms Cynthia." Lila said over her shoulder. She must've not known but I saw the way her shoulders fell at the presence of the woman. Who would like lessons after school?

Cynthia nodded curtly at Lila then trained her gaze on me. "how can you keep someone so little on such a high table? What if she fell?"

"I had my eyes on her all the time, there was no way--"

"You could've moved your eyes away for a moment and something would've happened." Cynthia harshly cut off. 

I frowned, her behaviour was uncalled for. "that is a baseless worry, Cynthia." I stood up from my chair and brought Lila down from the table. She dragged her feet to Cynthia. 

"How would I blame you?" She sneered,. "When it's obvious you lack formal education" are turned and walked out of the kitchen with Lila on her toes. 

Tears stung my eyes but I swallowed it down. I wasn't going to let some hateful woman bring up the past I was trying so hard to bury. I followed them up, she didn't let me inside but I sat outside on a chair, overhearing them. I leaned on the wall, closing my eyes. 

"Nina?" My head snapped up immediately at the voice to meet Malachi's gaze. Why was he so back at work so early?

"Mr Malachi." I rose up from chair immediately the same time Cynthia and Lila leaves the room. Has it been up to an hour already?

Cynthia's gaze meet mine and she rolled her eyes. "Mr Malachi, can I have a word with you?"

"Is it about my daughter?" His deep voice boomed across the passageway. 

"No," Cynthia shook her head. "it's about the woman you hired as a nanny."

My eyes perked up, Malachi raised his brow then softened his gaze as he turned and crouched before to Lila. "Piccolina, do you mind stepping into your room for a moment?"

"Of course daddy!" She squealed then ran past us to her room. Malachi rose up, regarding Cynthia with that his hard stare. 

"I believe this woman is unfit and unstable to look after your daughter." I gasped at her words, my eyes widened but she just continued. "because I do not know why a nanny would drop a four year old on a counter table bigger than her."

"I already--" Malachi raised his hand and stopped me from speaking. I could hear the breaking of my heart. Was he listening to her now? I downcast my eyes to my socked feet. Tears threatening to spill forth. 

"And after chastising her for it, she mentioned it was just a baseless worry."

"Because it was exactly just that, Cynthia." He narrowed his eyes. "I hired you to tutor my daughter, not to become a second watcher for the way my family work."

I viewed Cynthia's expression from my peripheral vision, her ears reddened in embarrassment. "I'm just--"

"You're just nothing," He seethed. "do you job as Lila's tutor and mind your business, or I find someone else who can."

Cynthia swallowed, "I'm sorry Mr Malachi." She gave a curt bow and ram out of the room as though her ass was on fire. 

My eyes were still downcast, I didn't dare look up. Polished red shoes came into view and a finger lifted my chin up. Malachi in all his manly gorgeous beauty stared down at me. 

"Do not mind her. Don't let anything she says get into your head."

I nodded, feeling at loss for words. His cinnamon scent invaded my nostrils. We remained there staring at eachother before we both pulled away as though zapped. 

"I... Uh let me check on Lila."

Malachi shook his head, "I'll do that, you should rest." With that he turned on his heels and made his way to Lila's room.