Chapter 3 - The Boardroom and the Nursery
By three o'clock that afternoon, the blizzard had passed, leaving behind a sky of crystalline, freezing blue. The snow on the driveways was three feet deep, requiring heavy plows to clear the path to the main security gates.
Claire had slept for six hours. After a hot shower and a fresh, dark navy dress with a soft grey cardigan, she felt human again. She braided her hair tightly, pinned it into its familiar, neat bun, and walked back to the east wing.
When she entered the second-floor playroom, she found Lily sitting on the wide wool rug, surrounded by colored pencils and a massive drawing pad.
"Claire!" Lily squeaked, scrambling to her feet and running across the room.
Claire knelt down instantly, opening her arms as the small girl slammed into her chest, hugging her waist tightly.
"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Claire asked, pressing her hand to Lily’s forehead. Her skin was cool and pale. The fever was entirely gone.
"I'm all better," Lily announced proudly, pulling back to look at Claire. "Daddy said I didn't have to do my French lessons today because I was brave last night."
"You were very brave," Claire agreed, smiling softly as she stood up and walked over to the drawing pad. "What are you drawing?"
"The fox," Lily said, pointing to a rough, bright red drawing of a fox standing under a sky full of yellow stars. "The fox who thought the stars were gone."
Claire’s chest tightened with warmth. "It’s beautiful, Lily."
"Daddy liked it too," Lily added, looking up at Claire with bright, wide eyes. "He sat with me for lunch. He never stays for lunch on Wednesdays."
Before Claire could respond, the heavy double doors of the playroom opened.
Adrian Mercer walked in, accompanied by two men in crisp dark suits carrying leather briefcases. One was Julian Vance, Adrian’s chief legal counsel—a sharp, hawk-faced man in his fifties. The other was Frank Rossi, a broad-shouldered man with a broken nose who served as Adrian’s primary security chief.
The two men stopped dead in their tracks when Adrian walked straight past them toward the play area.
"That's all for now, Julian," Adrian said without looking back at his lawyer. "Have the contract revisions on my desk by eight tomorrow morning. Tell the port authority that if they delay the clearance on the secondary dock by another twenty-four hours, I will pull our logistics funding from their terminal project entirely."
"Understood, Mr. Mercer," Vance said, bowing his head slightly. His eyes flicked over to Claire, lingering on her for a fraction of a second with sharp, analytical curiosity before he turned and exited the room.
Frank Rossi remained near the door, his hands clasped in front of his waist, his dark eyes scanning the room with professional vigilance.
Adrian stopped beside the drawing table. He looked at Lily, then raised his gaze to meet Claire’s.
His silver-gray eyes swept over her—noting the fresh hair, the neat clothes, and the restored color in her cheeks.
"You look better, Ms. Bennett," he said calmly.
"I am, sir. Thank you for the rest," Claire replied, keeping her posture professional and relaxed.
"Daddy, look at my fox!" Lily insisted, tugging on the leg of his trousers.
Adrian leaned down, his massive hand cupping the back of Lily’s head as he looked at the drawing. "It's exceptional, liebling." He looked back up at Claire. "Did she eat her lunch?"
"She ate half a chicken sandwich and drank her apple juice," Claire reported. "I was just about to take her to the library for her reading hour."
"The library is cold today," Adrian said, standing back up to his full height. "The east radiator is leaking. Take her down to my private study instead. The fireplace is lit."
Claire paused. Adrian’s private study on the ground floor was strictly forbidden to all staff. Even the cleaning crew was only allowed inside under Frank Rossi’s direct supervision.
"Sir, I wouldn't want to disturb your work—"
"I have calls until six," Adrian interrupted smoothly. "I won't be using the desk until seven. Take her there. It's warm."
He looked at Frank. "Frank, make sure the courtyard doors near the study are locked from the inside."
"Already done, boss," Frank replied quietly.
Adrian turned back toward the door, then stopped, looking over his shoulder at Claire. "Ms. Bennett."
"Yes, Mr. Mercer?"
"Join me for dinner tonight at seven-thirty."
The room went dead silent. Frank Rossi’s eyebrows twitched upward by a millimeter.
Claire froze, staring at him. "Sir?"
"We need to discuss Lily’s schedule for the spring semester," Adrian said, his voice entirely professional, leaving no room for speculation. "And I want your assessment on her progress. Seven-thirty in the small dining room."
He didn't wait for her agreement. He turned and walked out of the room, Frank Rossi following close behind, the heavy mahogany doors closing softly in their wake.
Claire stood in the center of the playroom, her heart thumping against her ribs like a trapped bird.
"Yay!" Lily cheered, clapping her hands together. "You're eating dinner with us!"
Claire looked down at the child, feeling a sudden, deep sense of foreboding. He noticed you, Mrs. Higgins had warned. He noticed that you can do something for his child.
May you like
Claire took a slow, deep breath, smoothing the fabric of her skirt. She was just a nanny. She had a job to do. She had a family to save from financial ruin. She could handle a dinner with Adrian Mercer.
She had to.
