Chapter 6
The butler dropped us off right at the door.
We went in through the VIP entrance.
Leo's primary doctor, Madison Lane, was in his forties. When he saw Leo, his face softened with a gentle smile.
"Leo, you came to see Uncle Lane today, huh?" Madison greeted him warmly.
Leo hid behind me, only poking his head out a little.
"And this is..." Madison looked at me.
"Sophia, Leo's nanny," I replied.
Madison pushed up his glasses and looked me up and down.
"You don't really look like a nanny to me," he said.
"Is there a standard look for a nanny?" I asked.
He chuckled and started Leo's check-up.
After the routine check-up, Madison pulled me aside.
"Leo's physical stats are all good, but he's still struggling a little with talking and getting along with others. Maybe try spending more time interacting with him, though he usually shuts down around new people," Madison said.
He paused, glancing at Leo, who was quietly playing with his toys in the exam room.
"But surprisingly, he agreed to come along with you today. That's already huge progress. How many nannies has he had before you?" Madison asked.
"Eight," I answered.
"I've met all of them, and no one could get Leo this quiet in here. Have you studied child psychology?" Madison asked.
"I minored in it," I replied.
Madison looked a bit surprised.
"From Northbridge University?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said.
"Who was your mentor?" he asked.
"Professor Samuel Chase," I replied.
Madison stared at me for a few seconds.
"Professor Samuel Chase's final handpicked protégé? Wait, are you Sophia Winters, winner of the grand prize at the National Pediatric Pathology Competition?" he asked.
I hadn't expected him to know about that.
"Yeah, that's me," I replied.
"I've read your paper. It was really impressive. So, how did you end up working as a nanny?" Madison paused, unsure how to continue.
"That's just how life goes," I said with a smile. "Madison, could you send me Leo's full report? I want to come up with some activities that fit him better."
Madison pushed up his glasses, and his face grew serious.
"Of course. Miss Winters, Leo's lucky to have you," he said.
After we left the hospital, the butler was waiting to pick us up.
Leo sat in the back seat, and for the very first time, he reached out and gently tugged at my sleeve.
"Nanny."
"Is everything okay?" I asked.
"Will you be here tomorrow?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, I'll be here," I replied.
Leo nodded, staying quiet, but a tiny smile crept onto his lips.
The butler saw it in the rearview mirror and almost couldn't believe his eyes.
When we got back to the estate, the butler said, "Miss Winters, Mr. Landon has a guest coming this afternoon. Just stay upstairs with Leo."
"Who's the guest?" I asked.
"Mrs. Landon," the butler replied.
I was taken aback.
"I thought Mr. Landon was..." I said, trailing off.
"The ex-Mrs. Landon," the butler replied, his expression a bit complicated. "Leo's birth mother."
Leo's mom? But Leo said he didn't have a mom.
"I can't really say much about it," the butler said quietly. "But whatever happens, just make sure Leo stays upstairs."
At two in the afternoon, sharp clicks of high heels echoed from downstairs.
Each step radiated authority.
I was upstairs with Leo, helping him with his drawing, when he suddenly froze, his hand hovering over the paper.
He'd heard it.
"Miss Winters," Leo whispered, his voice barely audible. "She's here."
His hands were trembling.
I crouched down to meet his eyes.
"Leo, you don't want to see her, do you?" I asked.
Leo shook his head.
"That's okay, we don't have to. Let's keep drawing," I said.
Downstairs, a woman's voice rang out, clear, but with a sharpness that was hard to miss.
"Where's Leo? Bring him down! I want to see him!" she demanded.
Charles's voice was icy. "You have no right."
"I'm his mother!" she snapped.
"You gave up custody when he was just six months old. Isabelle Lane, what exactly are you doing here?" Charles shot back.
Isabelle.
I made a mental note of that name.
The argument downstairs went on for about twenty minutes.
During this time, Isabella raised her voice several times, and Leo flinched every time.
I didn't say a word. I just sat beside him, quietly keeping him company as he drew.
Finally, the noise downstairs faded away.
The sound of high heels grew distant.
Leo set down his crayon, crawled over to me, and buried his face in my arm.
"Miss Winters," Leo mumbled, his voice muffled.
"Hmm?" I replied softly.
"Don't go," Leo mumbled.
My eyes stung with emotion.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said.
That evening, Charles came upstairs.
He stood in the doorway of Leo’s room, watching Leo sleep against me in silence for a while.
"Isabelle came by," I said.
Charles didn't deny it.
"What did she want?" I asked.
"Money," Charles replied, his tone flat. "She's always after money."
"Leo's terrified of her," I said.
"I know," Charles replied.
"He kept trembling all day," I added.
Charles clenched his fist for a moment.
"I'll take care of it. You've had a tough day," he said.
He turned to leave.
"Mr. Landon," I called out.
He stopped.
"Leo can speak. He's just scared. It's not strangers he fears, but being abandoned," I said.
Charles stood there with his back to me, unmoving.
After what felt like forever, he finally said a single word, "Yeah." Then he walked away.
But as he left, I noticed his shoulders were a little stiff.