The Heir's Caretaker.

CHAPTER FOUR : the heir's caretaker

The next candidate stepped forward, and I felt my breath catch in my throat because she was absolutely stunning, with wide hips that seemed made for bearing children. Her name was Anya. She carried herself with the confidence of someone who had never known what it felt like to be unwanted, and she smiled at Mrs. Volkov like she had already won, like this selection was just a formality and she was the obvious choice. She spoke about her family's wealth and her own accomplishments, and I watched the other candidates nod and whisper among themselves, acknowledging her as a serious contender.

I stood there, waiting for my turn, and wondered if I had been forgotten. The candidates kept coming forward, one after another, each more impressive than the last, and I started to feel a flicker of hope that maybe they had overlooked me, that maybe I could slip away unnoticed. I shuffled my feet and glanced toward the exit, calculating the distance, wondering if I could make a run for it. But the bodyguards were everywhere, their eyes constantly scanning the room, and I knew any attempt to flee would be met with swift consequences.

The selection continued, the candidates presenting themselves like prizes, their only value in what they could offer the Volkov family. Anya stepped back into the crowd, her smile still firmly in place, and the next candidate took her turn. Time dragged on, each moment stretching into an eternity, and I felt like I was fading into the background where no one could see me.

Then, just when I thought they were about to end the selection, Mrs. Volkov's eyes landed on me. She looked at me with an intensity that made my blood run cold, and she raised her hand to stop the proceedings. "You," she said, her voice cutting through the murmur of the crowd. "You have not presented yourself yet. Step forward."

My heart lurched, and my legs moved before my brain caught up. I walked to the center of the room, my hands trembling at my sides, feeling the eyes of everyone in the room on me. The other candidates whispered among themselves, their voices like the buzzing of flies, their disdain radiating toward me like heat from a fire.

Mrs. Volkov studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. "I noticed you before the interview even commenced," she said, her voice cold and measured. "You have no interest in this process, do you? You do not want to be here."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry and tight. I wanted to lie, to tell her I was honored to be there, that I would do everything I could to prove myself worthy. But the words would not come. I was tired of lying. "No," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I do not want to be here."

A ripple of surprise went through the room, and someone laughed. Mrs. Volkov raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering behind her cold eyes. "Are you from a rich family?" she asked, sharp and precise.

"No," I answered, my voice steady even though my heart was pounding.

She tilted her head slightly, studying me like I was a puzzle she was trying to solve. "Do you have any backing? Any powerful connections, any family who can vouch for you?"

"No," I answered again, honestly, because I had nothing left to lose. "I have no one. I am here because I have nowhere else to go."

The room erupted into laughter. The other candidates, the family members, even some of the bodyguards cracked smiles, and heat rose to my cheeks as the mocking sound washed over me. They were laughing at my honesty, at my desperation, at the absurdity of me standing among them. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.

I kept my head high and prayed silently that they would let me go, that they would dismiss me as a waste of their time. I would rather sleep on the streets and beg for food than stay in this gilded cage, surrounded by people who saw me as nothing. I closed my eyes and hoped, please let them send me away.

Mrs. Volkov held up her hand, and the laughter died down. She looked at me with an expression I could not quite read, something between curiosity and contempt, and turned to the other family members, whispering something I could not hear. They nodded, their faces serious, and my stomach dropped with dread.

"We have made our selection," Mrs. Volkov announced, her voice ringing through the hall. "The following candidates will remain. Anya Petrova, Lucia Moretti, Valentina Rossi, Isabella Bianchi, and Elara Vance."

I heard my name and felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. They had chosen me. I looked around the room, my eyes wide with shock, and saw the other candidates staring at me with a mixture of disbelief and contempt. Anya smirked, smug and satisfied.

"Elara Vance," Mrs. Volkov continued, her voice cold and commanding. "You have been given the most serious position. You will be the personal caretaker for the heir. You will have direct access to him at all times. You will be responsible for his care, his comfort, and his recovery. And when he wakes, should you still hold his favor, you will be expected to fulfill the obligations of your position. You will carry his child and ensure the continuation of the Volkov bloodline. That is your purpose here."

My mind went blank. Direct access. His recovery. His favor. I stared at Mrs. Volkov, my mouth hanging open, feeling like I was going to be sick. "You mean... if he wakes up," I said, my voice shaking. "You are saying I am supposed to become his, what, his wife?"

Mrs. Volkov's expression did not change. "The heir is a man of duty," she said, matter-of-fact. "When the time comes, and if he chooses to honor the arrangement, you will be expected to do the same. Until then, your task is simple. Keep him alive. Keep him comfortable. Prove yourself worthy of the position you have been given."

The blood drained from my face. I wanted to scream, to run, to grab the nearest object and throw it at her cold, unfeeling expression. But I was frozen, my body refusing to move, and all I could do was stand there and let her words sink in.

I had been chosen to wait on a man I had never met, a man who could wake tomorrow or never wake at all, and either way my future had already been decided for me. And the other candidates would be waiting too, all of us circling the same impossible promise.

"Wait," I said, my voice cracking. "Please. You cannot mean it. I cannot do this. I signed a document, yes, but I did not know what I was signing. I did not understand what I was agreeing to. Please, let me go."

Anya stepped forward, her smile cold and condescending. "You should be grateful, Elara," she said, dripping with false sympathy. "A woman like you, with no family, no money, no prospects. This is the best you will ever get. And you have been given direct access to the heir. I should be jealous. But I am not, because I know you will fail. You are too weak. Too pathetic. You do not belong here."

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

Mrs. Volkov nodded, her expression satisfied. "The selection is complete. You will all be given your assignments. Elara, you will be escorted to the heir's chambers immediately. You will begin your duties tonight. The other candidates will be housed in the east wing. You will all be under constant supervision. Any attempt to leave will be met with severe consequences."