Chapter 1 First day

The hospital air always smelled like bleach and quiet suffering.

Lia Byers adjusted the oversized hoodie around her shoulders as she walked down the pale hallway, ignoring the squeak of her shoes against the floor. Her bag felt heavier today, though she knew it wasn't the weight of anything inside. Just everything outside.

She paused at the door to Room 208.

Her mother's room.

She could hear the soft beep of machines before she even opened the door. When she stepped inside, her mother was asleep thin, pale, fragile beneath the hospital blanket. A woman once full of fire now wilted like a flower left too long in the dark.

Lia quietly set a bottle of water on the table beside her, then sat in the corner chair. Her mother's breathing was uneven, her eyelids fluttering from the effects of chemo. Lia hated this room. Hated the way it felt like waiting.

She stayed there, just listening.

Until a nurse popped her head in. "Miss Byers? Dr. Harold wants to see you. He said now."

Lia's heart dropped.

The doctor's office was bright, too bright. The kind of bright that made bad news impossible to soften.

Dr. Harold barely looked up from the file in front of him when Lia sat down. He was in his mid-fifties, graying at the temples, glasses low on his nose. And cold. Always cold.

"She's not getting better," he said flatly, flipping a page. "Her latest tests show significant progression. We need to proceed with the surgery. Immediately."

Lia swallowed. "I...I know. I'm trying. I just need a little more time..."

"There is no more time, Miss Byers," he cut in, sharp like a scalpel. "You've delayed this for three weeks now. If the tumor spreads any further, we're no longer talking about recovery. We're talking about comfort care. And eventually, letting go."

Her chest tightened.

"I'm doing everything I can. I work two jobs, I..."

"Well, you're not doing enough," he snapped. "Find the money. Or find someone who can. But do it fast. Because we'll either be prepping her for surgery... or preparing you for goodbye."

Silence.

Lia blinked rapidly, keeping the tears back. She didn't trust this man enough to fall apart in front of him. She stood up, gripping her bag like it was the only solid thing left.

"I understand."

He didn't even look at her again.

Outside his office, she stood in the hallway, staring at nothing. The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly above her head. Her hands trembled.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to give up.

But she couldn't.

Because her mother was all she had. And if it meant swallowing her pride, taking jobs she didn't want, smiling at people who didn't deserve it then she'd do it.

30 minutes later She stood in front of the towering gates of the Rodriguez estate, fingers trembling slightly around the strap of her worn-out tote bag. The black iron gate slowly opened with a hum, revealing the kind of mansion that belonged in a movie not real life.

She swallowed.

It was her first day on the job.

The gravel crunched beneath her sneakers as she followed the stone path toward the entrance, her eyes drinking in the sleek black exterior, glass walls, and tall pillars that whispered quiet money. Quiet power. Everything about this place screamed him.

The famous billionaire, Mateo Rodriguez.

But she wasn't here for him.

She was here for his son.

The front door opened before she could knock. An older woman with deep brown skin, a soft frame, and eyes that looked like they'd seen generations stepped out. She was dressed in a dark uniform with a white collar and apron, and her gray hair was tucked neatly under a scarf.

"You must be Miss Lia," the woman said, smiling warmly. Her voice was gentle, but firm. "I'm Mama Lulu. Head of staff. Come in, come in."

Lia gave a polite nod and stepped inside, blinking at the grandness of it all. The floors gleamed like mirrors. A chandelier hung above, glittering even though it was daylight. Everything smelled like lemon polish and fresh roses.

"This way," Mama Lulu said, leading her through the wide hallway. "You'll be looking after Romeo. He's five. Sharp boy, too quiet for his age. Doesn't say much, but don't let that scare you. He watches."

They went up the staircase and down another hallway until Mama Lulu stopped in front of a large white door.

"This is his room."

She opened it, and Lia almost gasped.

It was three times the size of her mother's hospital room. Hell, three times the size of the tiny studio apartment Lia lived in. A huge bed sat against the wall with neatly arranged pillows. There were bookshelves built into the walls, boxes of toys, and a play area that looked untouched. Everything was in blue and white crisp, perfect, silent.

Mama Lulu stepped inside and started listing rules.

"He's homeschooled for now. A tutor comes in the afternoons. You'll feed him breakfast and lunch. He's allergic to peanuts, hates loud noises, and sleeps with a nightlight. Don't open the curtains unless he asks you to. And don't go poking around."

Lia nodded, absorbing every word.

"Mr. Rodriguez isn't home right now," Mama Lulu continued. "But you'll meet him soon enough. He's very...particular. Just do your job, and you'll be fine."

She gave Lia a long, unreadable look before her expression softened. "He's not as scary as the world paints him. Well... sometimes."

Lia gave a nervous smile.

Mama Lulu reached for the door handle. "I'll let you get settled. Romeo's downstairs in the garden with his tutor. I'll have him brought up shortly."

And with that, she left.

Lia stood in the middle of the room, heart still pounding. She looked around again. She could feel it this house, this job, this new chapter it was bigger than anything she'd ever known.

A few minutes later, Mama Lulu came back into the room, holding a little boy's hand.

"This is Romeo," she said gently. "Romeo, this is Miss Lia. She'll be taking care of you now."

Lia stood up quickly and smiled.

The boy was adorable. He looked just like a doll soft curls, pale skin, and the most beautiful grey eyes she had ever seen. He was wearing a little sweater and jeans, his small fingers still holding tightly to Mama Lulu's.

He tilted his head slightly and just stared at her, curious but quiet.

"Hi, Romeo," Lia said softly, lowering herself a bit to his eye level.

He didn't say anything at first. He just kept staring, like he was trying to figure her out.

Then suddenly, his face lit up.

A wide smile stretched across his cheeks and he asked, "Do you want to see my hamster?"

Lia blinked, surprised. She laughed gently. "You have a hamster?"

He nodded quickly, already running toward a corner of the room. "Come and see! Her name is Peanut!"

Mama Lulu smiled behind them, arms crossed gently. "You got him to talk. That's something."

Lia turned back, still smiling. "Is he always this quiet?"

Mama Lulu gave a soft chuckle. "He's careful with new people. But once he likes you... he doesn't stop."

Lia looked back at the little boy, already showing her a tiny cage with excitement on his face.

Her heart softened.

Maybe this job wouldn't be so bad after all.

She spent most of the afternoon with Romeo.

He showed her all his toys, his favorite coloring books, and of course, his hamster, Peanut. They played quietly in the corner of the room, building blocks and drawing pictures. He wasn't a loud child, but once he got comfortable, he talked more. Soft words. Smart for his age. Gentle like he had seen too much silence.

Lia smiled when he smiled.

But even as she laughed with him and helped him pick up crayons, her mind drifted.

Her mother's tired face. The sound of the doctor's cold voice. The way her heart had dropped earlier that morning.

Find the money. Or find someone who can.

Her chest tightened. She blinked back the heaviness and focused on Romeo, who was now lining up his toy cars.

The day passed quietly. Romeo didn't ask too many questions. He let her help him with dinner, then snuggled under the covers while she read a story out loud. Halfway through, he was already asleep, breathing softly with Peanut curled in her lap beside him.

She gently closed the book and stood, picking up her tote bag.

It was late.

Time to find the way out and head back to the staff quarters Mama Lulu mentioned.

Lia stepped into the hallway, yawning. The mansion was darker now, and everything looked the same walls, doors, paintings. She walked quietly, trying not to make a sound.

She turned a corner, then another.

And then paused.

"Wait... was it left or right?"

She looked behind her, confused. Everything was too big. Too quiet.

She opened a door to her left, hoping it was the stairs.

It wasn't.

It was a study.

A large one, filled with shelves of books and warm wooden walls. A big desk sat near the window, neat and cold. The room smelled like leather and something faintly smoky.

She stepped inside slowly, looking around.

It was a study

Before she could turn back and close the door, a deep voice spoke behind her.

"Are you lost, Sunshine?"

Lia froze.

The voice was deep, smooth, and slightly amused.

Lia froze mid-step, her fingers still curled around the doorknob. Slowly, she turned toward the sound.

He was already there lounging on a black leather couch near the far wall, legs casually crossed, a glass of something dark and expensive in his hand. A book sat open beside him, but he wasn't reading anymore. His attention was now fully on her.

She hadn't noticed anyone when she walked in.

How had she missed him?

"I..I'm...sorry," she stammered, heat rushing to her face. "I didn't mean to... I was looking for the stairs."

His eyes skimmed her slowly. Not in a crude way, but in a manner that felt entirely intentional. Like he was cataloging details for later.

"The stairs, huh?" he echoed, voice wrapped in that cool, lazy confidence. "And you thought they might be hiding behind the door labeled Private Study?"

"I didn't see a label," she said quickly.

"I didn't mean to trespass...i was just..."

"Lost," he cut in smoothly.

"I'm the new nanny I just started today."

His mouth curved into something that wasn't quite a smile more like the idea of one.

"The nanny," he repeated, letting the words linger in the space between them like he was tasting them. "Of course."

His gaze swept over her not crude, but deliberate. From her oversized hoodie to her worn sneakers.

"Does the nanny have a name?" he asked.

She hesitated, stepping back a little. "It's Lia. Lia Byers."

He stood slowly, unfolding to his full height with a grace that didn't match the sharp angles of his frame. Dressed in a black shirt and tailored slacks, he looked like sin in silk.

"Lia Byers" He repeated

He was already closer now, lifting a hand slowly. She didn't move, unsure if she should.

Fingers brushed her cheek, then gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was warm. Light. But it still made her breath hitch.

Her heart was thudding far too fast.

"I...I should get back," she said quietly, stepping back, his cologne still lingering in the air between them.

Lia turned and left, her footsteps quiet but rushed. The hallway felt colder now, like the air shifted behind her. She didn't stop until she made it down the stairs which she finally found