Chapter 7
As he walked away, I watched his retreating figure and finally breathed easy.
Finally, some peace, at least for now.
"Ms. Reed, please follow me," Sarah said with a warm smile, gesturing for me to go ahead.
I nodded, took Alex's hand, and followed Sarah into the opulent villa.
The interior of the villa was even more extravagant than its exterior suggested.
Massive crystal chandeliers, a sweeping spiral staircase, and priceless masterpieces lining the walls.
Every single thing screamed money.
Sarah led me up to the second floor.
Just as I thought, my room was set up right next to Alex's kids' room.
When I opened the door, I was stunned all over again.
The guest room was bigger than the whole apartment I used to live in.
The room was done up in warm colors. It felt cozy and inviting. Beyond the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, there was a small balcony with a couple of lounge chairs.
Inside, there was a closet, a dressing table, and an en-suite bathroom, pretty much everything I could ask for.
Even the closet was filled with brand-new women's clothes, still tagged and straight from the latest season.
From comfy loungewear to cocktail dresses, there was every style imaginable, and it was like someone had measured me in advance, because they all fit me perfectly.
The dressing table was loaded with a full set of high-end skincare and makeup products.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"Ms. Reed," Sarah said, catching my bewildered look and giving me a gentle smile, "Mr. Cooper just had all this set up for you before you arrived.
"He figured you came in a rush and might not have packed enough. Try them on. If anything doesn't fit or isn't your style, just let me know, and I'll have it switched out for you."
I was so stunned. I couldn't even get a word out.
In just over an hour since I agreed to it, he had already prepared everything.
This guy's efficiency was on another level.
Alex's excited voice called out, "Hey, look. Our rooms are connected."
I turned around and realized there was a small door between my room and the kids' room, with little cartoon drawings all over it.
Alex pushed the door open, poked his head through, and grinned at me, looking ridiculously proud of himself.
From the moment I said yes to coming back, my fate was sealed. There was no way out now.
Letting out a sigh, I plopped down onto the ridiculously soft bed.
The mattress was so plush, I practically disappeared into it, so soft, so comfy. I could get used to this.
Looking at it this way, being a kidnapped nanny didn't seem so bad after all.
At least this place and all these luxuries totally beat my old soul-crushing job, where my boss was always messing with my head.
Embarrassingly enough, I was actually starting to feel a little excited about it.
I shook my head, trying to shake off that dangerously tempting thought.
I told myself to stay clear-headed; this was just a honey trap, and I couldn't let it corrupt me.
Just as I was caught up in my own thoughts, Alex came running over, hopped onto the bed, and handed me something.
It was a lollipop, beautifully wrapped in a shiny package.
"Here, honey," he said, giving me those puppy-dog eyes. "Don't be sad, okay?"
I looked at the lollipop in my hand, then at Alex's face, all full of hope, and my heart just turned to mush.
I unwrapped the candy and popped it into my mouth.
Sweetness bloomed on my tongue.
I ruffled his hair and said, "Thanks, baby. I'm not mad anymore."
"You're the best, honey." Alex cheered, then planted a loud, smacking kiss right on my cheek.
His kiss was soft and sweet, with a milky sweetness lingering on my cheek.
He was just too adorable. I couldn't help but feel my heart melt.
Maybe staying here for a while wouldn't be so bad after all.
An hour later, Sarah came up to call us down for dinner.
The dining room was massive, seriously, it looked like a party hall. The long table was piled high with all kinds of delicious food.
There were different dishes, each one looking absolutely exquisite and mouthwatering.
There were just the three of us at the table.
Me, Alex, and his ice-cold dad, Andrew.
Sarah told me his name was Andrew.
Just hearing it, I guessed he had that big boss vibe.
Things were kind of awkward.
Andrew kept silent, and I didn't have the guts to say anything either.
Alex was the only one trying to keep things cheerful, like a little ball of sunshine.
"Honey, try this shrimp. It's super yummy," Alex said, wobbling a little as he scooped up a shrimp with his tiny spoon and dropped it into my plate, looking super proud.
"Thanks, baby," I replied, my heart totally melting at how sweet he was.
"Dad, you have to try it too," Alex said, scooping up another shrimp and plopping it into Andrew's bowl.
Andrew glanced at the shrimp in his plate, then at Alex, and for a moment, his eyes actually softened.
"Okay," he replied, his voice still cool, but he picked up the shrimp and ate it.
I couldn't help but sneak a peek at him.
He ate with such elegance, like he were dining with royalty.
Every little gesture oozed effortless class. He was just born with it.
Seriously, people like him just make you want to scream in envy.
I lowered my head and started shoveling food into my mouth, deciding to channel all my frustration into my appetite.
The food for a wealthy family was absolutely amazing.
After dinner, Andrew put down his silverware and dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
Then he turned to me. "Ms. Reed," Andrew said. "Let's have a word."