Chapter 3

Andrew Mccarthy 

When life gives you lemons, they said to make a lemonade out of it. How about slamming it back at them and giving them the middle finger? Why did it never work that way?

I made that resolution many times ago when my father stated that I wasn't fit to be his son anymore for an accident. 

The orange sun was slowly dipping in its horizon while I sat in my office, cigarette in between my fingers, a bottle of whiskey in the other hand. I didn't want to go home to yet another complain from the nanny. 

She had been patient enough among all the others I had hired for Cara. Possibly because she was older. A bit on the fifties and strict. She was also Filipino so her skill in making sure Cara followed the rules was exceptional. I didn't want to lose her.

But recently, the complaints were getting more frequent. She was starting to sound like the previous nannies. 

"She drew on the wall last night even though I strongly warned her against doing that."

"She won't eat her vegetables."

"The school warned that they would be suspending her if she got into another fight." 

"She beat up two boys down the estate while I wasn't looking."

"She poured hot water on my cat!" 

I heaved a sigh as my phone rang. It was the nanny. I refused to pick up knowing it was going to be another barrage of complaints. So I grabbed my jacket, put off the cigarette and downed my whiskey before leaving for the elevator. 

The ride back home was slow and peaceful. I always needed the breeze to clear my head before I went back home to my hard headed daughter, Cara and the nanny. 

"Welcome back, sir." Ms. Anna greeted as she collected my briefcase. 

"Where is my daughter?" I asked immediately, going up the stairs. 

Anna paused at the foot of the staircase, letting out an audible exhale. "That's what I was calling to tell you. Cara left the house without my knowledge. She went through the underground tunnel way in the basement."

I raised a brow. She wasn't supposed to know about that. No, she wasn't supposed to remember there was something like that in the mansion. Had she not just been three when my brother led her down the tunnel so she could escape? 

"I'll find her, Ms. Anna. Thank you for letting me know."

"I'm also quitting." She said as a matter-of-factly, lips twitching. "I know the pay is decent but I cannot risk my health for your daughter. She is like the devil..."

I approached her in long strides, my brows pulled together. "What did you just call my daughter?"

She swallowed, eyes wide as she looked up at me. "I mean, she's adorable. But I still quit."

Anna stretched an envelope to me and my briefcase, in which I collected and watched her exit the house.

My shoulders fell. Now, I had to search for her. It took a couple of hours, coddling and promises to find Cara and to bring her back home. 

As we drove, she was already asleep, hair matted and clothes coated with mud. I couldn't help but shake my head at what a disaster I had caused. 

I could have allowed a woman to train her with strict rules and not let her grow up spoilt. But I couldn't bear to see her cry or get upset. I would buy her all sorts of gifts, take her on whatever vacations she wanted as long as she promised to be good. But smart ass Cara knew I would still do them even if she was bad. Anything to ensure she never cries.

Why was I worried? I had been worse as a kid as well. Known as the wild twin, contrary to my gentle introverted brother, I did crazy things as well. No nanny could ever control me or make me sit still. I was a terror to them all. 

Now, I was getting a taste of my own medicine.

When we got to the mansion, I carried her sleeping form to her room and had to carefully take off her dirty dress. She refused to go on the bed and ended up sleeping on the floor. 

I left for my own room, rolling my tense shoulders and hoping to find another nanny. As I sat on the chair, looking for the best TV station to place this vacancy on, an idea dropped in my head.

What if I made this into a challenge with a huge amount of money as the reward? Whoever can handle Cara and raise her to be a good child would receive millions. But I couldn't publicise that. I would wait to find the best candidate. 

With this idea in mind, I slept with a smile on my face. 

The next morning, I had dressed Cara up, brushed her golden hair and worn it into two uneven ponytails. They looked even to me but Cara wouldn't stop whining about them.

"This one doesn't even look like this one!" She squealed, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Come on, Cara, it's the same thing. See, I even added the Shrek ribbon for you." I agreed that was me dissing her a little and the way she squealed caused a chuckle out of me. 

I drove her to school even though she pouted her mouth and kept kicking the seats. I couldn't be less bothered. 

Turning around, I drove to the office and almost reached the company when I got a call from the school. What the hell happened this time?

"Mr. Mccarthy, you have to hurry. Your daughter has locked up herself and a student in a store room and I don't want to know what she will do to the other student."

"What?"

"Cara is beating him up. Hurry." 

The car tires screeched as I turned around and began driving straight down. The speed was a little over the top but I didn't see that someone had jumped on the road. I stepped on the brakes so hard but it was too late. 

I jumped out of my car to go see who it was and possibly hope there wasn't too much injury. 

It was a woman. Great.

"Hello, ma'am. I am so sorry. I just couldn't...I was in a hurry because my daughter was in trouble. Let me help you up." I stretched my hand towards the woman who sat on the floor, her long brown hair covering most of her face.

That was what I noticed first about her. The way her brown hair was thick, silky and shiny. It looked almost like a fountain of chocolate and I wanted to run my fingers through it and smell it to see if it smelled like one. 

She rose and wrapped her arms around herself. 

"I'm fine." Her timid voice responded. 

I frowned. "No, you're not." I looked at her bruises. "Please, let me take you to the hospital."

Eventually, the woman looked up and our eyes met. My polite smile waned as I was staring at someone I sure as hell would remember anywhere. The beautiful woman I couldn't stop staring at in Kansas. 

The one I had set my eyes on the moment I entered the club. The one I wanted to fuck until she was begging for more which she did in my car. I had done it as a way of getting back at my cheating fiancé but the memory still clung to me till date. 

I had thought we would never meet again but here she was, still  looking stunning. Her hair fell over her shoulders in luscious waves, her large brown eyes looking up at me as if they were pleading, her lips full and round begging to be kissed. 

"What did you say?" She snapped, jolting me back to reality. 

"I...um, well, it's great to see you again."

She raised a brow as if she wasn't pleased. Why did she have such fierceness around her now as if she wasn't the same person who wanted to fuck me for free? Was it the pain and experience dancing in those eyes?