Semua Bab The Don’s Mysterious Nanny : Bab 1 - Bab 10

The sound of shattering glass cut through the morning air like a blade through silk. I froze in the middle of the daycare's main room, my hand still wrapped around little Emma's tiny fingers as she looked up at me with those wide, trusting brown eyes. The crash had come from the kitchen, followed by Marcus's voice low, dangerous, and speaking in words I couldn't make out from here. "Miss Vanessa?" Emma tugged on my sleeve, her bottom lip trembling. "What was that scary noise?" My heart hammered against my ribs, but I forced my voice to stay steady. Sweet. The way it always was with the children. "Just someone being clumsy in the kitchen, sweetheart. Why don't you go play with the blocks while I check on things?" She nodded and skipped away, her pigtails bouncing. Innocent. Untouched by the darkness that seemed to follow me wherever I went these days. I made my way toward the kitchen on unsteady legs, my sensible flats silent against the polished floor. Through the crack in the do

The bullet tore through Giovanni's shoulder, spraying blood across my mahogany desk like abstract art.I didn't flinch."You stole from me, Giovanni." My voice was calm, conversational, as I leaned back in my leather chair. "Three hundred thousand dollars from the shipment last month."He writhed on the floor of my office, clutching his shoulder, his expensive suit ruined. Blood seeped between his fingers as he gasped for air."Boss, I swear I didn't ""Don't." I held up a hand, and he fell silent. Even bleeding and desperate, he knew better than to lie to me twice. "I have security footage. Bank records. Your gambling debts."The fear in his eyes was satisfying in a way that most people would find disturbing. But I wasn't like most people. I was Alessandro De Luca, and in my world, fear was currency."Please," he whispered. "I have a family.""So did Marco Santini. Remember him? The man whose shipment you sold to cover your debts?" I stood, straightening my cufflinks. "His wife is ra

"You did what?"My voice cracked as I stared at Marcus across our small kitchen table, my phone still clutched in my trembling hand. The voicemail I'd just listened to played on repeat in my head: *"Miss Rodriguez, this is Catherine from De Luca Industries. We're pleased to inform you that your interview for the nanny position has been scheduled for tomorrow at 2 PM."*Marcus didn't look up from his coffee. "I applied for a job for you. A better job.""You applied for a job for me?" I stood so fast that my chair scraped against the floor. "Without asking me? Without even telling me?""Vanessa—""And not just any job—a nanny position? Marcus, I love working at the daycare. Those children need me, and I need them. You can't just—""You handed in your resignation this morning."The words hit me like a physical slap. "I did what?""I called in sick for you and submitted your two weeks' notice. Effective immediately." His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, like he was discussing the weather i

I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Marcus's face. Not the way he looked when he was alive, warm and loving and full of promises, but the way the detective had described him. Cold. Still. Gone. The tears had stopped sometime around three in the morning, leaving behind a hollow ache that settled deep in my chest like a stone I'd swallowed. Now, as pale dawn light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my new room, I stared at the ceiling and tried to figure out how my life had become unrecognizable in less than forty-eight hours. A soft knock interrupted my spiraling thoughts. "Miss Rodriguez?" Mrs. Ciro's voice was gentle through the door. "Mr. De Luca would like to see you in his office." My stomach clenched. "What time is it?" "Seven-thirty. He's an early riser." I dragged myself from bed and pulled on the simple black dress I'd worn to the hospital yesterday. In the mirror, I looked exactly like what I was, a woman who'd lost everything and w

The sincerity in her voice made my chest tight. When was the last time someone had offered me genuine sympathy? In my world, loss was just another form of weakness to be exploited."How are you settling in?" I asked, changing the subject before I could reveal more than I intended."Fine. The room is beautiful. Mrs. Ciro has been very kind.""And the rules I outlined yesterday?"Her jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "I understand them perfectly.""Good. Because I'd hate for there to be any... misunderstandings."She finally looked up at me, and I saw a flash of something in her dark eyes. Anger, maybe. Or defiance."I'm not going anywhere, Mr. De Luca. Your daughter needs me.""My daughter needs stability. Don't confuse that with being indispensable."The words were harsher than I'd intended, but they had the desired effect. The softness in her expression hardened into something more guarded."Of course. I apologize for overstepping."But even as she said it, I could see the fire bur