Chapter 4

Johanne starts working at Collen Mansion, where only the father and his young son lived. Although Jhin continued with his whimsical airs and spoiled attitude, she filled herself with patience to keep her job, trying to handle his outbursts and lack of acceptance. She wanted to give him the love she couldn't provide to her own little one during the day, as she had to leave him at George's house, in the care of others.

A week had passed since her routine began, and though she felt like she was going crazy, there was one thing that motivated her: seeing her beloved Angel's eyes again. "How was your day, dear?" George hands her her child. "Hi, George, all good, thank you very much," she receives her son and covers him in kisses. "I don't know how long I can handle this, but I'll try to make it work for a good while."

"Dear, you have to understand that Jhin and Eduard went through a huge loss, it's still relatively recent. Stay there, with time the boy will grow affectionate towards you." "Do you think so?" "Of course, he will," he smiles. He knew them for years, although he just ran the store, he knew Eduard perfectly well.

It was already Friday, the last day of the week, and Johanne was eager to go home and see her son. But that day was different; things at Collen Mansion were about to change. She was in Jhin's room doing homework with him when she felt someone arrive. "Hi, my brother! How are you? It's been a while."

Bruno Collen, Eduard's older brother, hadn't visited since his wife passed away. He was in the city for business and would stay for a few days. "Hi, Bruno, I'm good, and you?" "As you can see, my brother, doing perfectly. Where's my nephew?" "He's upstairs."

Eduard didn't get along very well with his brother, but he didn't refuse the idea of him spending a few days in his company. Perhaps that would help improve his temper. Eduard immediately called Johanne to bring her son.

Both of them came downstairs, but Bruno could only concentrate his attention on the woman who was taking care of Jhin. To him, she was a rather attractive nanny, and without hesitation, he expressed his interest in her.

"Well, little brother, it seems we've started to select better staff," he devoured her with his eyes, looking her up and down. "And you, little one, come here," he picks up Jhin, but the child shows no sign of joy.

"He doesn't like visitors," Eduard intervenes. "But I'm his uncle; he'll get used to me, my champ," Bruno says, as if he had already earned the child's affection - at least, that's what he thought to himself.

"Alright, let's go to the study and talk," Eduard says, trying to change the subject. "Wait, first, introduce me to the nanny," Bruno winks.

"Oh, yes, this is Johanne. Johanne, this is my brother Bruno; he'll be staying here for a few days."

Bruno approaches her to shake her hand, but she uses the excuse of having her hands full with Jhin, so she just gives him a forced smile. She had felt really uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her.

"Shall we?" Eduard urges them to go.

"Sure, let's go," Bruno can't take his eyes off Johanne, but his gaze was anything but pleasant. Eduard's brother had a reputation as a womanizer and also as someone who harassed women, and it seemed that Johanne was about to become one of his victims.

"How long will you be in the city?" Eduard serves Bruno a drink.

"I don't know yet, but if it bothers you that I stay in the house that used to belong to my father, no problem, I'll go to the bachelor apartment I have on the outskirts."

"Do you always have to talk about my father's house?" Eduard frowns.

"I don't understand why he left the mansion to you when he died, knowing that you were already in charge of the company and your capital is enormous." There was a hint of resentment in his words.

"I suppose you didn't do enough to earn it. You always squandered money and sold everything our father gave you. We all had equal parts of the inheritance."

"Whatever. Can I stay here or not?"

- Of course, Bruno, you're my brother," Eduard hypocritically agrees to let him stay, doing it only out of respect for their mother's memory, who always asked him not to abandon his brother.

"It will be for a short time, I promise, maybe a couple of months."

"Stay as long as you need," Eduard says, leaving the study and leaving him alone. Although he had told Bruno he could stay as long as he wanted, he wished he would leave at that very moment. But he knew his brother; he knew that in a few days, he would move on. Bruno was not one to stay in one place.

Contrary to what Eduard thought, the days passed, and Bruno's presence continued to linger in the mansion, not only bothering Eduard but also making Johanne feel harassed by him.

Bruno took advantage of Eduard's absences to bother her, to a point where she couldn't bear it.

"You are very beautiful, you know?"

"Excuse me, sir, I must go and take these blankets to Jhin."

"The boy is asleep; you and I should take advantage of this moment."

"Take advantage?"

"Yes, you know what I mean. You can't refuse; all simple-minded girls like you know how to please a man." Johanne felt her cheeks burning with anger, but she knew she had to keep her job.

"Excuse me," she moves away from him, but he grabs her by the arm, pulling her towards him.

"Where do you think you're going, little one? I am your boss's brother, and you should be compliant with me."

"Sir, you're hurting me, please let go," Johanne's eyes immediately well up with tears. This man was harassing her, and he possibly wanted to abuse her.

"I like the smell of your fear. Does it excite you that I'm holding you so forcefully?"

"Please, let go of me, or I will have to scream." In that moment, Johanne starts to struggle with him, but Bruno clearly had much more strength than her. With a single push, he makes her fall to the ground. She quickly gets up and runs away, with Bruno chasing after her and grabbing her by the arm again.

“Be very careful about saying anything to my brother, because I swear, I'll have you thrown out, do you understand?”

“I’m going to tell him!” she looks at him defiantly.

“No, you won't, no one will believe you, let's see, look at yourself and look at me, I'm the brother of the owner and lord of this house, do you think anyone will give credit to your version? Of course not, now go with my nephew, later we'll complete this pending thing”.

Johanne lets go as best she can and runs to Jhin's room, the boy is still sleeping, and she feels her heart break, suddenly she was at a crossroads.

If that man was still in that house, he would possibly abuse her.

But if she accused him, he would have her fired, and now that was a luxury she could not afford. Her obligations to her son were becoming greater every day, and her possibilities were very few.

She had no choice but to pretend that nothing had happened, far from imagining that this would be the beginning of a real hell.