CHAPTER SEVEN - CLAIRE

Moving day into the Vaughn mansion was like any other day. I'd told Daniel about my new job, and just like me, he was visibly excited, completely ignoring the strange message I'd received.

Brushing the thought aside, I grabbed my bags and prepared to meet the family I would be working for.

The first thing I learned about the Vaughn family was that money could buy almost anything, except a little warmth.

I hadn't even spent an hour in their mansion, and I was already beginning to understand why the place felt more like a workplace than a home.

The driver helped with my luggage before returning to the car without a word. Inside, a woman in a grey uniform walked past me carrying a tray, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Another staff member stood by the staircase, speaking quietly into a phone. He glanced at me once before returning to his conversation.

Nobody asked if I'd had a pleasant journey.

Nobody offered to show me around.

"Claire!"

I turned at the familiar voice and spotted Margaret approaching from the staircase.

"Margaret!" I smiled, genuinely relieved to see a familiar face.

"You're finally here." She glanced at my bags. "I hope the journey wasn't too stressful."

"Not at all. I'm just trying to figure out how anyone manages to find their way around this place."

She laughed. "You'll get used to it. Come on, let me show you to your room. You must be tired."

I followed her upstairs, grateful that at least one person in this house seemed happy to see me.

As we walked down the corridor, I couldn't help noticing how the other staff members went about their duties without acknowledging either of us. Nobody stopped to chat or even exchanged a passing smile.

It was as though everyone had been given a list of instructions and speaking to anyone outside their responsibilities wasn't on it.

"Don't mind them," Margaret said, catching me looking. "Most of the staff prefer to keep to themselves."

"I noticed."

She gave me an amused look. "You haven't even spent an hour here."

"And I've already noticed quite a lot."

Margaret laughed again.

At least I hadn't lost my sense of humour.

We stopped at a door near the end of the corridor, and she opened it to reveal a spacious bedroom with a large bed, a wardrobe, a dressing table, and a window overlooking the garden.

I stepped inside and slowly turned in a circle.

"Margaret."

"Yes, dear?"

"This room is bigger than our sitting room."

She burst out laughing. "I thought you might say something like that."

"I'm serious! Daniel would probably refuse to let me leave if he saw this place."

"Then perhaps you should take a picture for him."

That was exactly what I intended to do.

I dropped my handbag on the bed and walked toward the window. The gardens stretched across the back of the property, with neatly trimmed hedges and a stone pathway winding between the flower beds.

It was beautiful. Almost ridiculously so.

For the first time since accepting the job, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like to work here. The salary would help with our expenses, and I wouldn't have to worry quite so much about how we were going to manage from one month to the next.

Perhaps Daniel was right.

Perhaps this really was the beginning of something good.

"Would you like some time to unpack?" Margaret asked.

"Yes, please. Thank you."

"I'll come back for you shortly. Lily has been asking about your arrival."

My eyebrows rose.

"She has?"

"Ever since her father told her you would be joining us."

I smiled.

"Well, I hope she isn't expecting too much. I'm afraid I'm not particularly interesting."

"Something tells me she'll disagree."

Margaret left me to settle in, and I immediately reached for my phone.

Daniel had sent three messages.

Daniel: Have you arrived?

Daniel: Claire???

Daniel: If you have entered that house and forgotten your only brother, I will never forgive you.

I laughed.

Me: I've arrived, you dramatic child.

His response came almost instantly.

Daniel: Pictures. NOW.

I took a few pictures of the room and sent them to him.

For several seconds, there was no response.

Then my phone started ringing.

I answered with a grin. "What?"

"Claire!"

I pulled the phone away from my ear.

"Why are you shouting?"

"Look at this room! Look at this room!" he exclaimed. "Are you sure you didn't accidentally become somebody's daughter?"

I burst out laughing.

"Daniel, please."

"I'm serious. That bed alone looks like it could accommodate our entire family."

"You're exaggerating."

"Am I? Because if you get tired of the job, let me know. I'll come and take your place."

"Who will take care of you while I'm gone?"

He went quiet for a moment.

"I'll manage," he said, his voice softening. "You deserve this, Claire. I hope you know that."

My smile faded into something gentler.

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Daniel."

"Okay, okay. I won't spoil the moment." I could hear the smile in his voice again. "Just don't let rich people intimidate you."

"Me? Never."

"That's my girl."

We spoke for another minute before he had to leave for school. When the call ended, I stared at the pictures on my screen, smiling to myself.

For Daniel's sake, I wanted this job to work.

I needed it to.

A knock interrupted my thoughts.

Margaret stood outside when I opened the door.

"Ready to meet Lily?"

I nodded, slipping my phone into my pocket.

"Let's go."

We returned downstairs and walked through a wide hallway into a sitting room. A television played quietly in the background, but the little girl sitting on the sofa seemed more interested in the doorway than the cartoon.

The moment she saw me, she sat up straight.

"You're here!"

I barely had time to react before she jumped off the sofa and hurried toward me.

"You're the lady!"

I blinked.

"The lady?"

"The lady who saved us!"

Then I remembered her.

Lily Vaughn.

I smiled as she stopped in front of me, looking up with bright, curious eyes.

"Hello, Lily."

She tilted her head.

"You look different."

I laughed. "Different from what?"

"From that day."

"Well, I wasn't exactly dressed for a fashion show that day, was I?"

She giggled.

"No. Your hair was messy."

I stared at her.

"Thank you for that very honest observation."

"You're welcome."

Margaret chuckled behind us.

"I'll leave you two to get acquainted. Lily, remember your reading lesson is at eleven-thirty."

"I remember."

"And please don't forget."

"I won't!"

Margaret gave me an amused look before leaving.

Lily grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the sofa.

"Come and sit with me."

I obeyed, settling beside her.

She studied me for a few seconds, then asked, "What's your name again?"

"Claire."

"Claire," she repeated carefully. "I like that name."

"Thank you. I like yours too."

She smiled.

"Do you have children?"

I nearly choked on my own breath.

"No, Lily. I'm only twenty-three."

"So?"

I laughed.

"So I don't have any children."

"Oh." She seemed to consider that for a moment. "Do you have a husband?"

"No."

"A boyfriend?"

"No."

She leaned back against the sofa, looking almost disappointed.

"Then what do you do for fun?"

I stared at her, laughing.

"Is this an interview?"

She giggled. "Maybe."

"Well, I like reading, watching movies, listening to music, and spending time with my brother."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes. His name is Daniel."

"Is he nice?"

"Sometimes."

She burst into laughter.

"That's what I say about Liam!"

"Then I think you and Daniel would get along just fine."

She continued asking questions, jumping from one topic to another with the enthusiasm of someone who had been waiting all morning for an audience.

Did I like chocolate? Yes.

Could I swim? A little.

Did I like dogs? Very much.

Would I be staying in the mansion forever?

That last question made me pause.

"I'll be here for as long as your father needs me to take care of you and Liam."

She frowned.

"That's not forever."

"No, sweetheart. It isn't."

She looked down at her hands, suddenly quieter.

I wondered what had brought that change over her.

"Do you like it here?" I asked.

She shrugged.

"It's okay."

"Just okay?"

"It's a big house."

"I noticed."

"And everybody is always busy."

I glanced toward the doorway.

"What do you mean?"

"Daddy is always working. The staff are always working. Liam is always doing something he's supposed to do." She paused. "Sometimes I think I'm the only person who doesn't have anything important to do."

My heart squeezed a little.

"I'm sure your daddy thinks you're important."

"He says that, but he's always busy."

I didn't know what to say to that.

I'd barely met Ethan Vaughn, and I wasn't about to make assumptions about his relationship with his children. Still, there was something sad about hearing a little girl explain her loneliness so casually, as though she'd grown accustomed to it.

"What about Liam?" I asked. "Does he play with you?"

"Sometimes. But he likes his own things."

"Like what?"

"Books. Games. Frogs."

"Frogs?"

She nodded seriously.

"He wanted to keep one in his room, but Daddy said no."

I laughed.

"Well, I think I might have agreed with your daddy on that one."

She gasped.

"You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Sorry. I'll try to do better."

She giggled and leaned against the sofa cushion.

Then, almost out of nowhere, she asked, "Are you scared of Daddy?"

I turned to her.

"Why would I be scared of your daddy?"

She shrugged.

"Everybody listens to him."

"Isn't that what people are supposed to do when someone is speaking?"

"No." She shook her head. "They listen even when he's not speaking."

I couldn't help laughing at that.

But Lily wasn't laughing.

She was looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite understand.

"He's not mean all the time," she added quickly. "He just doesn't like people doing things he didn't tell them to do."

"That sounds rather strict."

"He is."

She looked toward the doorway, then leaned closer to me.

"But he likes you."

I blinked.

"He does?"

"Well, he hired you."

I laughed.

"That doesn't necessarily mean he likes me, Lily."

"Then why did he hire you?"

It was a fair question.

"I suppose because he thinks I'll be good at my job."

She considered that, apparently satisfied with my answer.

Then she slipped off the sofa and reached for my hand again.

"Come. I'll show you something."

"What is it?"

"It's a secret."

I glanced toward the door.

"Lily, shouldn't you be getting ready for your reading lesson?"

She sighed dramatically.

"You're just like Margaret."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

She giggled and led me toward a smaller room adjoining the sitting room.

It was a playroom, filled with shelves of books, board games, dolls, and toys arranged in neat little sections. Everything was beautiful, expensive, and perfectly organized.

Lily walked straight to a shelf and pulled out a framed photograph.

It showed two little children standing beside a man in a dark suit. The man had one hand resting on each child's shoulder, and although his expression was serious, there was something unmistakably tender about the way he held them close.

I recognized him immediately.

Ethan Vaughn.

He looked younger in the photograph, though not by much. The children were smaller, too, and Lily's smile was wide enough to light up the entire picture.

"That's Daddy," she said unnecessarily.

"I can see that."

She pointed at the little boy beside him.

"And that's Liam."

Then she pointed at herself.

"And that's me."

"I would never have guessed."

She laughed.

I looked at the picture again.

For a man who seemed determined to keep every person in his house at a distance, he looked surprisingly comfortable with his children in that photograph.

"When was this taken?" I asked.

"A long time ago."

"Do you remember it?"

She shook her head.

"Daddy says I was little."

I handed the frame back to her.

"It's a lovely picture."

She nodded, then returned it to the shelf.

"Come on. I want to show you my room."

Before I could respond, a woman's voice sounded from the doorway.

"Miss Lily, your reading lesson begins in five minutes."

Lily's shoulders dropped.

"But I'm showing Claire around."

"You may continue later."

The woman didn't look at me. She simply waited while Lily reluctantly walked toward her.

"Okay," Lily muttered.

Then she turned to me.

"Will you still be here when I finish?"

"Of course."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She smiled and followed the woman out of the room.

I watched them disappear down the corridor before returning to the sitting room.

I'd expected the children to be difficult. I hadn't expected Lily to be so eager to talk to someone, or to notice so much about the people around her.

Perhaps the house wasn't as perfect as it looked.

"Miss Williams?"

I turned to find a staff member standing at the entrance.

"Mr. Vaughn would like to see you in his study."

My stomach tightened.

"Now?"

"Yes, Miss Williams."

He turned and walked away without waiting for an answer.

I took a breath and followed him.

The study was at the end of a quiet corridor, behind a pair of dark wooden doors. The staff member knocked once before opening them.

"Miss Williams is here, sir."

"Send her in."

I stepped inside.

Ethan stood behind his desk, his attention fixed on a document in front of him. He didn't look up when I entered, and I found myself standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure whether to speak.

A few seconds passed before he finally raised his eyes.

"Miss Williams."

"Mr. Vaughn."

He gestured toward the chair opposite him.

"Sit."

I sat.

"I understand you've met Lily."

"Yes, sir."

"And how did that go?"

"Very well. She's a lovely girl."

He gave a brief nod, as though he'd expected that answer.

"She's taken a liking to you."

I smiled slightly.

"She's very easy to talk to."

"That isn't the point."

My smile faded.

He leaned back in his chair.

"Children can become attached quickly. I expect you to maintain a professional relationship with both of them."

I stared at him for a moment.

"I understand, sir."

"Good."

He picked up a folder and opened it.

"Your responsibilities have been outlined here. You'll ensure the children follow their schedules, complete their schoolwork, and attend their activities. Their safety is your priority. Any concerns should be reported to Margaret or directly to me."

I nodded.

"Of course."

"You will also be expected to respect the privacy of this household. What happens here stays here. I don't tolerate gossip, carelessness, or unnecessary interference."

His voice remained level throughout, as though he were reading from a list he'd memorized years ago.

I wondered if he spoke to everyone like this.

Probably.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any questions?"

I hesitated.

"Just one."

He looked at me expectantly.

"Has Lily always been so quiet about how she feels?"

His expression hardened slightly.

"Why do you ask?"

"She mentioned that everyone is usually busy. I just wondered if there was anything I should know about her routine or how best to keep her occupied."

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he closed the folder.

"My daughter's needs are already being taken care of."

"I didn't mean to suggest otherwise."

"Then I suggest you focus on the responsibilities you've been hired to perform."

Heat crept up my neck.

"Yes, sir."

He glanced at the document again.

"That will be all."

I stood, trying not to let my embarrassment show.

I'd been in the man's house for barely a few hours, and I had already managed to ask a question he clearly didn't appreciate.

Wonderful.

I was almost at the door when he spoke again.

"Miss Williams."

I turned.

"Yes?"

"Lily has a habit of becoming attached to people who give her attention. Don't make promises you cannot keep."

I thought of her asking whether I would still be there after her reading lesson.

"I wouldn't do that, sir."

"See that you don't."

I left the study with my jaw clenched.

I understood that he was my employer. I understood that he had rules and expectations, and I had no intention of disregarding them.

But there was a difference between being professional and treating every conversation as though it were a disciplinary hearing.

I had no idea how I was supposed to make two children feel comfortable in a house where even their father seemed determined to keep everyone at arm's length.

Still, I'd promised Lily I'd be there when she finished her lesson.

And I intended to keep that promise.

As I returned to the sitting room, Margaret appeared from the adjoining hallway.

"There you are, dear. How did your meeting with Mr. Vaughn go?"

I gave her a smile that probably looked more like a grimace.

"Educational."

She raised an eyebrow.

"That bad?"

"Let's just say I understand the importance of professionalism now."

Margaret pressed her lips together, clearly fighting a smile.

"Well, you'll learn how things work around here."

"I hope so."

She glanced toward the staircase.

"Lily should be finishing soon. Why don't you have some lunch while you wait?"

"That sounds wonderful."

As we walked toward the dining room, I glanced back at the corridor leading to Ethan's study.

I had come here hoping for a fresh start, a steady income, and a chance to give Daniel and myself a better life.

I hadn't expected to spend my first day navigating a household where everyone seemed to know the rules except me.

But if there was one thing life had taught me, it was that I could adapt.

I had to.

Because whatever else the Vaughn mansion was, it was now my home for the foreseeable future.

And I had no intention of letting Ethan Vaughn make me feel like I didn't belong there.