Chapter 6 - The Unbelievable Counter-Offer
By Sunday afternoon, the tension in the house had dissolved into something entirely new. The triplets refused to leave Claire's side. They sat with her in the living room, showing her their toys, listening to her stories about the hotel guests in Queens, and even eating their carrot sticks without a single complaint.
At 5:55 PM, Claire stood in Adrian's office once more. The forty-eight hours were up.
Adrian sat behind his desk. A black briefcase sat between them. He opened it, revealing neat stacks of hundred-dollar bills.
"Twenty thousand dollars," Adrian said, sliding the briefcase toward her. "As promised. You survived, Ms. Donovan. You are the first."
Claire looked at the money. It was everything she needed to save her apartment, to pay off her debts, to give Lily a comfortable cushion for the next year. She reached out and closed the briefcase lid.
"Thank you, Mr. Moretti. I'll take the wire transfer instead, as we agreed. I don't think walking through Queens with a briefcase full of mafia money is safe for a single mom."
Adrian studied her face. "You performed remarkably well under pressure last night. Caleb is resting comfortably because of you. The boys... they haven't asked to set a single trap today."
"They're good kids, Adrian. They just need their dad." Claire picked up her purse. "My rideshare is waiting at the gate. Goodbye, Mr. Moretti."
"Wait," Adrian said, standing up. "I have a counter-offer."
Claire paused at the door. "I'm listening."
"I want to hire you full-time. Not as a temporary caregiver. As their permanent nanny and governor. I will pay you one hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year, full medical benefits, and a private apartment in the east wing of this estate."
Claire gasped slightly at the figure. It was life-changing money. But she shook her head. "I can't. I have a daughter, Mr. Moretti. I won't leave Lily with my mother permanently, and I won't live in a fortress surrounded by armed guards while my daughter goes to school miles away."
Adrian took a deep breath, doing the one thing Claire—and his entire organization—never expected. He bowed his head slightly, conceding ground.
"Then bring her here," Adrian said, his voice husky. "Bring your daughter. The estate has a private tutor, or she can go to the academy down the road with the boys. The east wing apartment has two bedrooms. She will be protected under the Moretti name. No one will ever touch her. And my sons... they need a mother figure who cannot be broken."
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Claire stared at him, her heart pounding. "You're offering to take in my daughter too?"
"I am offering you a home, Claire. Because in forty-eight hours, you managed to do what no security team or wealth could ever achieve." Adrian stepped closer, his gray eyes burning with sincerity. "You brought my family back to life."
