Chapter 10

POV Gabriel

Charlotte's steady crying made me stop for the second time, check my watch, and realize two hours of my day had slipped away. I closed my eyes. I hated seeing her suffer for any reason, but I wasn't willing to give in to what she wanted.

Not only that, but I let go of her small, warm hand and knelt down, looking into her eyes, red and brimming with tears.

“You know how much I love you.” I said, and just like that, her crying stopped, her head nodding. “I'd do anything to keep from seeing you cry. The nanny's here to take care of you and keep you safe. You're going to need to trust me on this.”

“But Aunt Emily said the nanny isn't going to be nice to me.”

I'd already suspected Emily had been making things harder; I understood how fond she was of Charlotte, but I wouldn't let her drive off another nanny in under a month. I squeezed my eyes shut and filled my lungs with air.

“The nanny's going to be good to you.” I lifted my hand and ran my fingers over her face. “Do you trust Daddy?”

“Yes.” Her small hands grabbed hold of me, wrapping around my neck. Her sweet scent filled my nose. I smiled; it felt like a bucket of encouragement poured straight over my head.

“Now go to your room and wait for Scarlet to come find you, and do everything she asks.” I pulled back and kissed her little face. “I'll be home again soon, okay?”

“Love you, Daddy.” She said, smiling, then took off running toward the stairs. I stood there, savoring her last words.

I turned my head sharply, a chill running down my spine like someone was watching me. Not only that, but I swept my eyes over every corner of the room; there was no one around. The feeling followed me all the way until I finally left the house.

I told the driver to head to the company. On the way, I called my head of personal security and ordered him to dig into everything about the new nanny's life. I needed to be sure she was someone trustworthy, that I could actually justify putting something this important to me in her hands.

I barely noticed when the car pulled up in front of the building. Not only that, but I felt the sun warming my leg and the hot wind blowing in through the open car window against my face. Not only that, but I was more distracted than usual. Not only that, but I kept thinking about the face of the woman I'd just brought into my house.

I got out of the car abruptly, telling myself I needed to bury myself in work so everything would be fine. I'd already done this ten times before, and I just needed to make sure that this time, the new nanny would last more than thirty days in the position.

On the main floor, I strode quickly past the front desk, hearing her heels striking hard and fast against the floor as she chased after me.

“Sir, I told her she couldn't go in.” I gripped the door handle but didn't turn it. I looked back at the woman over my shoulder, at the desperation written across her face.

Likewise, I pushed the door open in silence, and there she was, sitting in my chair, spine straight, a haze clouding her eyes as she glared at me. A slow smile spread across her face, but she didn't move an inch.

“You really should start answering my calls.” She laced her fingers together, resting her arms on the back of the chair. As I stepped closer and set my briefcase down on the floor, I heard her say, “I don't know a single son who treats his mother with as much contempt as you treat me.”

I stood there, facing Helena Lancaster, the widow who'd inherited everything my father left behind, sitting in my chair like she was trying to control my every move, like I was something that belonged to her. After a rough start to the morning back at my own house, I was ready for another battle.

“What do you want?” My voice came out dry, stripped of any emotion.

“You hired a new nanny?” She stood, frowning at me. “I thought we'd already settled this.”

“You never cared about Charlotte, never once considered her your granddaughter.” I pulled off my jacket, sweat trickling down my back as my blood boiled inside me. “I won't have you telling me what I should or shouldn't do.”

“That girl doesn't share my blood.” She launched back into her same tired speech. “Even so, it's not wise to bring a strange woman into your house when you're about to marry Emily.”

“Was it Emily who called you to talk about the nanny?” I let out a bitter laugh, without a trace of humor in it.

“If you or she keeps meddling in matters concerning my daughter, there won't be a wedding and no legitimate male heir—the one you want so badly.”

“Are you threatening me?” She crept closer, her eyes fixed on me like two loaded guns aimed and ready to fire. “Should I remind you that your share of the inheritance only passes to you once you're married?”

Her eyes swept over me like a final judgment, making my skin crawl. I stepped back and finally sat down in my chair. I wanted this conversation over as fast as possible. Furthermore, I just wanted Helena gone, wanted her to leave me in peace.

“I don't have any feelings for Emily. You know that, and so does she.”

“I married your father without loving him, and I learned to love him over time.”

“Are you trying to convince me you loved my father?” I had to work to keep the ironic smile forming on my face from showing. “Do you honestly think I'm anything like you?”

“You're really nothing like me.” She scoffed, her face creasing with irritation. “You take after your father: arrogant, stubborn, and petty.”

“You shouldn't insult a dead man.”

“Enough, Gabriel!” Her fists slammed against the desk with brute force; the shout that tore out of her filled the empty office. “You're going to marry Emily, and you're going to do it as fast as possible. Otherwise, I'll make sure your name is cut from your father's will. I'll leave you in ruins. The choice is yours.”

I'd never seen her this angry. The last time I'd seen her like this was when I adopted Charlotte.

My mother hated my daughter with the same intensity she hated me, and she was making that painfully clear in that moment. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the office, leaving me with a choice that had never really been mine to make.