The Billionaire's Nanny

"Evelyn, please have a seat so we can discuss this," I asked in an attempt to calm her down. Knowing my wife well, I realized that talking to her would be the one thing that could make a difference. Evelyn could never be made to do anything by force.

"Lucas, what topic would you like to discuss? I'm expecting a baby!" she exclaimed, continuing to pace the spacious living area. "Do you even know what that implies for my career, young Lucas?"

I got up and moved in front of her to halt her pacing, telling her, "Baby, you should be happy; we're about to receive the best blessing of our lives in a few months."

For the second time this morning, she sobbed, "What the fuck do you mean by that, Lucas? What about my career that took me so long to create?"

I wrapped my arms around her waist gingerly, taking care to proceed slowly. She had been grumpy and extremely irritable for a few weeks, and I now knew that her hormones were playing tricks on her. I had to take extra care to avoid saying or doing anything that would aggravate her further.

"Hey, please don't cry." I stroked her thick brown hair and pleaded. I rocked her gently against my body as she effortlessly slid into my arms.

She sobbed softly on my chest, her words muffled as she said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so terrified."

"Let's sit; you don't have to be a baby," I said.

She gave me a nod, and I led her over to the couch I had been using before. She tried to curl up on the couch next to me, but I resisted her advances and gave my lap a gentle stroke. Taking the message, she moved to sit on my lap.

I put one hand around her and stroked her hair as she laid her head on my shoulder and wept softly. It devastated my heart to watch her scream in such a way, even though I understood that all of this stress was bad for her in the first trimester.

She continued to cry as she stated, "I don't know what to do."

"You know how much I love your job, and I would never force you to do anything that would harm it, you know that, right? We'll figure it out, sweetie; I promise we will."

She nodded slightly and smelled.

I put my palm to her stomach and said, "I just want us to give this a chance, and you know how children always bring so much happiness to a family; I'm sure this child will do the same for us."

Even though it didn't seem like anyone was developing in her stomach, I knew our child-regardless of size-was still there.

She lifted her head off my chest and stared at me, saying, "But we are happy."

I was aware that I needed to proceed cautiously, since that glance could quickly turn into a glare. Yes, we are, but wouldn't it be nice to have an additional happy medium in the house?

She remained silent for some time, and I waited for her to consider her response.

It took her nearly a minute to speak. "You're right, I'm being conceited; having a child would make our little family complete and ideal."

"No, baby, you're not being selfish. You've worked so hard for your career; it's good for you to think about it." I used the hand that was around her to make little circles on her back.

Her cheek had become less red, and she had stopped crying. Dried tears created a track from her eyes down to her chin. With her gaze fixed on mine, she extended her hand to caress my face tenderly.

She continued to stroke my face and questioned, "Why are you so perfect?"

I held her head and kissed her forehead, saying, "You make me perfect, baby." "I hate watching you weep, but I love you so much."

Her dejected expression softened into a tiny grin, and she planted a kiss on my lips. She was beaming broadly now, and I was pleased that I had brought such joy to her. "I love you too, very much."

She curled back into my arms, and we soon found ourselves dozing off in each other's embrace.

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Evelyn exclaimed at the doctor doing the ultrasound, "They're twins?!"

We had been informed that our little angel, who is now an angel, would be visiting us in a little over two months. I used to get excited and giddy every morning at the prospect that I would soon become a father. However, I was unable to say the same with Evelyn, who was irritable and sulky every day. I knew there was more going on, even though I made an effort to tell myself it was all in my head.

She was against having the child.

Evelyn was one of those people who could never disguise her feelings, and even if she could, I knew enough about her to be aware of her feelings for the unborn child.

It was difficult for me to see how she could not experience the same level of enjoyment that these children, who had not even arrived yet, were providing for us.

She opened her mouth to say something to the doctor again, but then I gripped her hand, and she stopped talking. Glancing aside, she gazed across the room.

With regret, I glanced at the physician and muttered the word "hormones."

He smiled and nodded, saying, "I know."

He adjusted his coat and took the file off the table. He added, "I'll leave you to get back into your clothes," and turned to exit the room.

That he gave Evelyn and me some time and realized we needed to communicate made me glad. She stopped me as I was about to begin by raising her hand and saying, "I don't want to talk to you."

I stretched out my hand, but she ignored it and climbed down the ultrasonography table. She took up her dress from the room's chair and found it difficult to zip it up. I moved to assist her in zipping up, but she swiftly spun around and gave me a glare.

"I blurted because I was growing angry at her lack of interest, and it didn't seem right that she was taking it out on me. Why are you even angry with me?

Her loud voice roared across the room, frightening me with the thought with the thought that she could startle other patients. "I don't know, maybe because I am carrying your crazy child, Lucas," she said. "It was hard enough when there was only one, but now that there are two of them, how am I meant to handle that?"

I was not hiding my anger. "Evelyn, you can't talk about our unborn children like that." Up until now, I had been as understanding as a man could be toward his pregnant wife, but now she was going too far.

At least she was smart enough to recall that "I am not going to have this conversation here in a hospital where everyone can hear us."

After I finished zipping her dress, the doctor returned to the room to give us some instructions and her prescription.

We didn't say anything to each other on the way back home; I faced my window while the driver faced the other side.

Our relationship became increasingly difficult over the next few months, and Evelyn rejected all of my attempts to mend it. As her belly continued to grow, she turned to self-hatred, and every time she looked in the mirror, I felt heartbroken.

We seldom spoke, and she only came to me when she wanted me to accompany her to the hospital. She would not even let me tell her how much I loved her and how having our children made her even more beautiful.

After giving birth, her attitude only got worse; she started to be inattentive and would spend hours moping and sobbing over her disfigured body.

She refused to breastfeed, so I didn't mind that the kids had to eat from a bottle, but what hurt more than anything was how she treated them like nothing at all.

After a few months with our new babies under our belts and with her attitude not changing, I finally could take it no longer and decided to face her.

I pounded the door shut behind me and said, "Evelyn, we need to talk."

I was sorry to see her smoking again, but she had just returned from a meeting with her manager and was sitting on the sofa with a half-empty glass of scotch, the place smelling somewhat of cigarettes.

"I assumed you gave up smoking? I paused in front of her and asked,

Lucas, what are you wanting? That's none of your business."

All I could do was beg her to see sense and come back to her senses. "What I want is to talk about our lives and about our family that's slowly falling apart each day," I added, my voice begging.

She would not even look at our little bundles of joy. I was stupid to assume that they would make her happy again; nothing had been right since the day she found out she was pregnant.

Even though I had to help my dad manage the business, I handled all of the childcare duties. My little sister Mia was the only one who could help me; I considered sending a nanny, but she declined.

Since the twins' birth, she has been a greater mother to them than Evelyn has been.

She stood up from the couch and said, "Well, I also want to chat, you know. I have a lot of things to say."

I finally believed that she would finally talk about what was bothering her so much that she had lost interest in our family.

"Evelyn, you know I'm always here to listen. Why are you so upset about kids? All they've ever done is make us happy."

"Like hell, they have; since I became pregnant, I have only had three shots, and they were all related to my pregnancy. I see a scarred creature in the mirror that I do not recognize."

She was not finished yet, though, as I cringed at her choice of words because it hurt me so deeply that it made her feel so awful about herself.

"At just 23 years old, my modeling career was about to soar to new heights when I unexpectedly became pregnant. She sobbed and dropped to the ground, covering her face with her hands. "I lost it all; do you realize that I lost it all, and it's all owing to them?"

I felt guilty for not doing more to reassure her that she was flawless even after giving birth, but it was all in the past. I had to be honest with her, or else I would lose her. I sank to the ground and waited for her to weep it all out.

I considered giving her a hug, but the last time I did that, she became even angrier. Finally, she stopped sobbing and turned to face me.

She said, "I need to get away from here; I need to breathe and be myself again," before I could say anything.

That's alright, sweetie. Tell me where you want to go, and I'll arrange a vacation for you."

She stopped me, sniffed, got up, and began her tense walking. "No," she said. "You don't get it."

I stood up as well, being cautious not to come too close as I followed her eyes.

"Alright, every time I see the kids, it brings back memories of what I lost. And I'm at my limit now. I want to leave, and I don't think I can ever love them."

Evelyn, what do you mean by that? Her words struck me like lightning, and I had to cling on to the nightstand to keep from falling back. Although I understand how painful it is for you, we cannot simply "want out" of raising our children."

She came to me on her own for the first time in months, stopping her pacing and holding my hand as she led me to the bed.

"Look, I discovered this couple; they want a child but don't have any; they'll do everything to obtain a child; and we have two that we don't even want," she said, forcing me to sit on the bed and clutching my hand as she spoke.

"Express yourself!" I yelled, taking my hand away from hers.

She said, "Okay, I'm sorry," and I knew she didn't mean it, but let's consider this: if we place the children for adoption, our family-just the two of us-would be joyful and wonderful once more.

I was horrified by what she was saying and could not believe what she was saying. "So you want to give away our kids for money?"

"Obviously not; we have an abundance of money. I simply believe that their family would love them more and everything would be content once more."

I got up to go, and she did the same. "You're drunk, Evelyn; sleep over it; when you wake up, you will understand how insane you sound right now."

"No, I'm not drunk at all. It felt like eons since she was this near me, but it was enough to stop me from leaving. "I only had one drink; just listen to me, please," she pleaded as she gave me a back hug.

I attempted to look away from her, but she held one hand and made me look at her. "Don't you want us to be perfect again?!" she asked as she turned around and moved in front of me. Just the two of us, Theodore and Olivia, are absent."

We were going back to a time when I couldn't understand her simple presence, and I knew I would have to fight to make the correct decision with her this close to me. She nestled into my neck and kissed me up to my chin.

"Don't you love me anymore?" She tilted her head and brought her lips to mine as I wrapped my arms around her waist. She pressed her lips against mine and asked, "

I did not even notice she had unbuttoned my dress shirt more than halfway, and I could feel the bulge rising in my pants. "I do, Evelyn; you know I do."

"This is the only way I'll ever be happy again, so please do it for me. Do you not want the best for me?She reached effortlessly into my pants and gave them a little pat.

"I do." I threw back my head and moaned.

"Then, if you would please, let's adopt them."

She arched her eyebrows in confusion, but the word adoption was all it took to bring me back to earth. I hurriedly shoved her away and buttoned my shirt.

"Lucas, what is wrong with you? Her expression had become frowny and perplexed.

"There's nothing wrong with me, but if you think I would give up my kids to appease you and make you happy, you've gone mad," I said as I buttoned my shirt and brushed past her to the door.

Her words hurt and halted me in my tracks: "Then choose."

I made sure there was enough space between us as I turned to face her once more. "What?"

She stopped to wipe her eyes and said, "You heard me; it's me or it's them; you either put them up for adoption or divorce me.".

When she said the word divorce, I'm sure my heart skipped a beat, but I got over it fast; she was clearly intoxicated, which was the only plausible explanation. "Evelyn, you're drunk; get some sleep," I said to her.

She stopped me as I started to go, saying, "Lucas, this isn't a joke. There are just two things you can do, and I'm leaving tonight if you walk out that door."

I had never been one to cry, but I could feel the bile rising in my throat. I loved her more than anything, but I also loved my children, and I could not give them up even if my life depended on it. I could not believe she was going to toss away five years of marriage just like that.

Evelyn had changed so much from the kind and compassionate model I had fallen in love with, but she was still watching me expectantly.

I walked over to Evelyn and said, "I don't know you anymore. Please don't do this."

She turned to face the window and lifted a hand to halt me, saying, "Save it." "Make your choice."

I felt dejected, but I forced a hand into my pocket and squared my shoulders, knowing that nothing I said would make her change her decision.

I gave her one more look before turning to face the door. I gripped the doorknob for a few seconds, thinking she could reconsider, but she did not even look at me.

"My lawyer will give you the divorce papers in a few days," I said to the woman I loved the most as I opened the door. It was a statement I never imagined I would ever make.

Hudson

While he moved my legs apart and trailed kisses up my calf, my entire body ached with pleasure and excitement. I sank my teeth into my lower lip to keep from letting out loud groans.

As I rolled over on the bed, my hips started to sag. He stopped right in front of my thighs and gave me a glance. His flaming eyes gave him the appearance of a predator about to strike its victim.

With a smug smile, his lips quirked and kinked to the side as he carried on with his delectable torment. As he kissed his way up my thighs in a path of kisses, I reached down to bury my hand in his long, thick hair.

The closer he got, the more urgent his kisses became, and the more my heart pounded with anticipation. With my other hand, I held onto the satin bed linens, and I flung back my head, trying desperately to prepare myself for the rush of pleasure that shot through me the moment his lips reached my middle.

"Oh my..." Gasping, I could no longer contain my groans. "Please," I said. My center throbbed, and my pantspants were drenched from waiting for minutes.

He looked up at me and said, "Please,"Please, what,what, Hudson?"

"Don't stop, please." I begged.

He suddenly drew me in by putting his arms around my waist and kissingkissing me all the way up to my chest, passing right over my breast. breast. His entire body was now pressed up against mine.

His hands trailed across my breasts as he said, his face hovering over mine, "I must admit this interview is going a lot better than I expected."

Mynipple was nipple was as hard as beads at contact, and his fingers closed over his right nipple, twisting it between his thumb and forefinger faster than I had anticipated.

"Oh my goodness!!" I exclaimed, writhing in his arms, but he used his other hand to keep me motionless while replacing his fingers on my nipples with his tongue.

He flicked his tongue up and down the breast he was holding while focusing his hand on the other one.

I squealed and took hold of his shoulder. I let out a cry as he gently bit and sucked, giving me a twinge of pleasure and pain.

My eyes were closed, but even if they were open, I knew his mouth and hands would distort my vision so much that I would be blinded.

"Fuck, I want you," I murmured, gasping from the intensity of the feeling.

He attacked my second breast with his lips in the same way, and when he was done, they were both glowing red. My body caught fire as he brought his hands down to my hips and planted a passionate kiss on my lips.

He quickly threw me over, putting me in a straddle position, and my alarm went off just as the wave was breaking.

Beep, beep, beep.

Breathless, I jolted upright in my bed. The dream was slowly fading from my memory, but its bodily repercussions persisted. Sweat was clinging to my skin, and my heart was racing rapidly in my chest.

"That was so real, oh my god." I took a breath. "It's unbelievable that this work is causing me such anxiety." Or perhaps all you need is to find love. An inner voice counseled.

Taking my laptop off the bed stand, I opened it. The CEO of multibillion-dollar biotech business Binarid, Lucas Maxwell, was featured on the page.

I did some research on Binarid last night, and the first result on Google was a Forbes piece about Lucas Maxwell. According to the article, he was both a genius and an asshole who utilized his suffering to propel his business into the top 10 globally and save lives. He was also really hot.

An image of him appeared at the top of the story.. I responded to the photo, "I think you would be my new employer shortly." This time I whispered to myself, "I can't believe I just had an erotic dream about him."

I would never be able to work with him without looking foolish;; therefore,therefore, I had to get over thinking about my dream.

I closed my laptop and got out of bed to go take a shower.

In just 60 minutes, I was dressed in a black dress and a jacket with black and yellow stripes, my hair down, and prepared to go. I took a deep breath, grabbed up my luggage, and left for the first portion of my interview.

It took me about two hours to get to the house because it was on the opposite side of town from mine. I used Google Maps to locate the address I was given when I arrived. I was standing in front of the house a few minutes later.

I pressed the doorbell once, and a man answered from the above monitor. "Name.." I was taken aback by how direct and uncomplicated he sounded. "Hudsontine Channing," I answered as I raised my gaze.

He questioned once more, "Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes, for the nanny position, with Miss Mia."

"Please give me a moment."

The voice said, "Come in," and the door unlocked a few minutes later.

After turning the knob, I went inside the house. At the doorway stood a tall, attractive woman who appeared to be a little older than I was. Her hair was pushed back, and she wore a yellow summer dress. When I walked in, she smiled a little.

"Hudson?" she inquiredinquired.

Yes, it's good to meet you. I tentatively smiled back at her, holding out my hand for a shake.

Squeezing my hand amiably, she said,"Mia, it's "Mia, it's good to meet you too." Come on in; I already liked her.

With her heel producing a rhythmic click-clack sound as we walked, she turned and led the way. She carried herself with grace and assurance, and I couldn't help but wonder what her function within the family was. She couldn't be his wife-possibly his sister-because the paper stated that Lucas was a single father.

I looked at her, attempting to draw a comparison between her and Lucas, but it was hard because I had never met him.

Before arriving at the study, we passed by the living room and a few other rooms. Before entering and closing the door, she let me in through the open door.

There were a ton of books in this large, roomy space. The space was almost entirely decorated in shades of brown. The throw pillow was the only item with distinct colors from the books. There were three seating sections; I occupied the center one, along with a desk, two sofas on the left and right, and a big brown office chair.

"Please take a seat." She pointed to the right-hand sofa.

She sat on the left sofa across from me, and I sat. "What would you want to sip on? Tea, coffee, or water?"

"Oh no, no worries, I'm good." I was now too anxious to consume any alcohol.

"All right, so I assume you must have some inquiries regarding the role."

"Yes, I do.." All I knew about the position was that the children were six-year-old twins in need of a nanny.

"All right," she said, elegantly crossing one leg over the other. "The first thing you should know is that, unlike identical twins, Theodore and Olivia are fraternal twins, so you won't have any trouble telling which is whose."

"A boy and a girl--that's wonderful," I grinned. "I've had a deep love for twins.twins."

"Knowing that is a comfort. The children have never had a different nanny. Since their mother moved out, I have been looking after them."

"You've been their babysitter since they were born, wow." I couldn't think of a better way to ask without coming off as inquisitive, but I had to get the question out of my system.

She chuckled slightly and said, "Oh no, sweetie, I'm their aunt, Lucas' younger sister."

I was blowing it in this interview that had barely gotten underway. "I apologize; I didn't mean to snoop around."

"You should know, it's not like we're hiding anything, so it's okay." She sat up straight in her chair,chair, and her look turned serious. "Leaving them hurts, but I have to because I'm getting married in a few weeks and then going to a different continent." Thus, it is crucial that I entrust them to the most qualified individuals."

I gave her a nod, letting her finish.

"They have experienced a great deal, as you are undoubtedly aware, and my brother is among them. I would never want the children to experience the anguish of being without a mother. Do you get what I mean, Hudson? I don't want someone who will only go halfway and then let them go whenever it suits them."

"I know I have to give them my whole attention. I promise that I don't have any other commitments, so it shouldn't be an issue." My paintings, my best friend Celine, and her cat were my sole relationships. Everything else vanished the way it arrived, and those were the only things that mattered in my existence. Similar to the jerk who dated me for just a week before ending things because he realized he still had feelings for his former partner. Last week, Celine and I laughed a lot about him.

Mia's voice drew me back to the present, saying, "No Hudson." "You have to show them your love, care, and affection in addition to your physical commitment. You wouldn't last a week with them if you were very delicate or sensitive, which is not what I'm asking of you. They need someone who can support them through all this world throws at them-or at least the majority of it." She looked at me with beseeching eyes, and I could feel the agony in them-she truly did love children like her own.

I could relate to the experience of not having a mother or father present for you during your most vulnerable moments more than most people. Having been left on my own my entire childhood, I witnessed firsthand how ugly the world could be. I felt a bond with the children and an unwavering desire to keep them safe as a result.

Breaking the silencesilence, she asked, "Can you handle that?"

"Mia, I promise you that nothing is too difficult for me to handle-I've been through a lot in my life."

Nothing would be too difficult for you to handle, I'm sure, if you had to witness your mother's overdosed, lifeless body on the bathroom floor, watched your father abandon you at the worst foster home the world had to offer, had to stand for long hours in order to get a dollar to eat, and had to be physically abused nearly every other day,day, and you still did not break.

She questioned, "Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely."

With a sigh, she put her hands together and said, "Perfect." She left the chair behind. Let's go introduce ourselves to the children; if they approve of you, the hiring process won't take long."

Although I was frequently complimented on my ability to deal with children, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if they didn't like me. How about if they don't?

She gave a shrug, and I understood. I wouldn't get the job if they didn't like me.

"But hey, I'll give you a tip since I like you," she added. "Just be yourself." Though it might not seem like it, they have an innate ability to sense when you're making an excessive effort to impress them, and they find it offensive."

All I did was nod. She shut the door behind us as we exited the room.

I couldn't help but think about what she said while on the elevator.

Breathing in and out, I mumbled to myself, "Okay, be natural;; be yourself." It's not like these two kids are in charge of your employment anymore, is it? I ran a hand over my outfit,getting mentally getting mentally ready for them. Fortunately, sweets werewere always a good idea if things didn't work out.

Mia grinned wryly as she observed me inhaling and exhaling deeply. "You don't need to be so afraid of them because they are well-behaved," I replied with a smile, and the elevator door banged open.

She guided them to a spacious play area. With their Lego toys, the children were attempting to construct something on the floor.

They shared a stunning resemblance, including the same height, brown hair, and brilliant blue eyes, despite being fraternal twins. The only physical distinction between them was the color of their skin, which made them appear to be identical male and female versions of one another.

Olivia scowled and stated, "I'm not doing this anymore; it's so hard."

We had been standing at the door, but they had not noticed.

"Abbie, please give it one more go; you can't give up so easily." Theodore's eyes begged Olivia to look at him.

Mia gave me a prod to join them as she prodded my ribs.

I moved in their direction and crouched down next to them. Selecting the instruction handbook from the floor behind Olivia, I lifted it up.

They both turned to stare at me after realizing this, looking almost scared. They appeared more at ease when they saw their aunt standing behind me.

"What if we use the handbook?" I asked, grinning as I lifted the booklet.

Olivia whimpered, "But it's hard to understand." "I want to go play in my dollhouse; it's for boys."

I proposed, "How about we create a dollhouse?"

"Is that something we can make? With excitement glimmering in their eyes, they joined in chorus.

"Obviously, we can; the handbook has all the information." I kneeled down in front of them and spread the instruction manual out on the ground.

We all put in 30 minutes together to finish the playhouse. Theodore completed the majority of the construction while Olivia looked for the parts, and I read the directions.

Mia smiled as she observed us from where she was now resting on the slide.

Olivia called and said, "Aunt Mia." "View our playhouse by coming in."

Mia came to stand with us on the ground and gave the house a very admiring glance. "You did this, guys? It's beautiful."

Theodore pointed to me and said, "She helped us."

"We all accomplished it," I grinned and pointed out. I made the decision to introduce myself to them. "You can call me Hudson, but my name is Hudsontine."

Theodore looked down and said, "Hudson, thank you for assisting us." Among them, he appeared to be the most reserved.

"Thank you very much," I said, making an effort to meet his gaze.

"I have a book about a princess named Hudsontine. Would you like to see it?" Olivia questioned me with great anticipation.

"Yes, please show me." I smiled, and then the two of us headed to the study table, where Mia assisted Theodore in gathering the remaining Lego pieces.

She took up a book that appeared to be a kid's history book and turned the pages. She turned them over so fast that I felt like the pages were about to come off.

She eventually found the page she was looking for, at which point she stopped and showed it to me. "You look like a princess."

Unsure of what to say, I said, "Well, thank you." It made me feel strangely afraid of them. "She was a stunning princess."

"We're all princesses because Daddy said I'm his little princess too." When she spoke, her smile became wider.

With a seductive smile, I said, "Well, dad is right-I believe you're a very lovely princess too."

Theodore and Mia joined us at the table, and I said, "And I'm his little genius."

Olivia remarked, "Because you like science."

"Hudson, may I show you my pretend scientific lab in my room?" Theodore enquired.

I said, "I can't go to your room yet, but I would love to."

"Why?" They asked at the same time.

"Because Hudson's interview includes this." Mia added her voice.

"However, I mistook her for our nanny already." Theodore enquired.

Mia replied, "No, Theodore, your father needs to approve of her first."

"What has been authorized?" Olivia inquired, glancing between Mia and myself.

"It implies that for me to be your nanny, your father must consent," I replied.

Olivia whimpered, "But we want you to be our nanny."

Yes, why don't you just call your father Aunt Mia? Theodore continued.

"My dear, in order for him to decide whether or not to like her, he needs to see her in person," Mia said, bending to remove some hair from his face.

They griped, "But we already like her." It would take some getting used to their monotonous words and thoughts, but they were really endearing.

There was a glimmer of hope that they thought that way about me, but without their father's approval, I would not be hired.

I got up from where I was sitting and bent down to touch them. With a furrowed brow, Olivia had her hand encircling her own torso.

I began cautiously, "Kids, I'm so happy you like me, and I want you to know that all I would want is your dad's approval, but we have to wait and see what he says, okay?" They gave a nod, but their faces remained unchanged.

"I'll come to your room to say goodbye to you before I depart, if he approves of me." Both of them smiled at me for this.

"When you come, will you look at my lab?" With wide, expectant eyes, Theodore questioned.

"Are you going to help us build another dollhouse?" Olivia also inquired, her hand no longer encircling her form.

"Yes, we'll do everything you mentioned and more, but only with your dad's permission."

They looked at Mia. "Aunt Mia, is dad going to let Hudson be our babysitter?" Olivia inquired.

As she talked, she ran a hand over her hair. "My dear, we'll just have to wait. However, I fail to see why he wouldn't. Hudson and I must return downstairs for the time being so she can see your dad."

They both nodded, and as we drove away, I was glad to see that they had returned to smiling.

As we returned to the study in the elevator, Mia remarked, "That went better than I thought."

"You're right, I understand. I had no idea why I was anxious." I thought Olivia and Theodore were really cute, and I really liked how quickly we became friends. I grinned at the notion of being their nanny and looked forward to it with excitement.

"We'll wait in the study; my brother is landing in ten minutes."

I had no idea that he was out of town. "He's landing?"

"The helicopter, indeed. He was at Berkeley for a conference." The flat roof makes better sense now.

"All right." I sensed it would be harder to win him over.

She responded, as though she could see my thoughts, "You don't have to be scared of my brother." "He's a decent man who loves his children and can never say no to those tiny angels, even though he can be a jerk sometimes."

I remarked, "It's a good thing the kids liked me back then."

Yes, and you're nice too. It would be easy to persuade him. So unwind."

Mia stepped outside for a little while to answer a call, and I calmly waited in the study. I used the opportunity to get a closer look at the library. I had to urinate, so I squeezed my legs tightly to contain the pee as much as I could.

I heard the loud sound of the helicopter landing on the rooftop a few minutes later. I closed my eyes, hoping that all would proceed smoothly. Not only did I have a soft spot for kids and animals, but I also needed to finish this task so that Gordon and his men would stop bugging me.

The click of Mia's shoe diverted me from my thoughts about Gordon and how I was going to repay the debt I had taken out from him. She wasn't alone, based on the tone of her voice.

As they got closer to the door, my body started to tingle like crazy, and I inhaled deeply. Before I slapped a big smile on my face. I really didn't need to display any hints of weakness or doubt.

I moved in my chair so that my legs were slanted to the side and then crossed at the ankles. I had seen on a website that women looked more put-together when they had this stance.

Mia entered first, and then the most stunning man I have ever laid eyes on entered beside her.

Despite the fact that I had seen a ton of photos of him, I was still in shock at how beautiful he was. Just this morning, I had a sexual dream about him. Perhaps it was because he was much more attractive in person.

In addition to having a striking face with a chiseled jaw and brilliant blue eyes, he possessed a powerful build. I had not met Mia's brother, so if I felt she was tall, it was because of that. Mia appeared to be of ordinary height next to him, and I couldn't help but wonder how I, who am five feet seven inches tall, would appear.

He gave me a dispassionate, even emotionless stare, and though I was tempted to turn away, I refrained. Eventually, I stood up and smiled, half bold, half weak.

"This is Lucas, my brother Hudsontine, and Theodore's father, Olivia." Breaking the silence, Mia spoke. Her raised eyebrows told me that she was staring at me, and I was very sure I was drooling from staring at my potential boss.

"Lucas, this is Hudsontine," she went on.

"Good morning, Mr. Lucas," I said, extending my hand to give him a quick shake.

After a little while, I put my hand back by my side, feeling a little insulted that he had not taken it. I shook my head and said, "Okay, so no shaking. Your kids are absolutely cute."

He remains silent, and I noticed Mia, who appeared more uneasy than I did, out of the corner of my eye.

With a sardonic gaze, he examined every aspect of me, from my hair to my shoes. I felt like an alien that had just fallen from a different planet, the way he was looking at me.

"I'm not fond of her. "Go find someone else," he murmured at last.

My eyes grew wide, and my jaw fell open. My cheek began to throb more intensely, matching the beating of my heart in my chest. I was so embarrassed that I didn't even need a mirror to see how crimson my cheeks were.

"Lucas" pointed Mia out.

"I'm done wanting her; that much is clear." Then he turned, his hand still in his pocket, back toward the entrance.

Mia gave me a pitying glance and whispered, "I'll be back," before following him outside.