0007.

(Tilda’s POV).

After dinner, Ivy seemed to be in high spirits, so I joined her in her room for a bit, doing what I could to keep her entertained. I could feel his presence around the house, but he kept his distance, and I was grateful. It gave me the chance to enjoy my time with Ivy without feeling like I was constantly looking over my shoulder.

“You know,” Ivy began, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she turned to me, “my daddy doesn’t usually stare at people like that.”

I laughed, though my cheeks burned a little. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah. He usually just says, ‘Hi, how are you?’ and then goes back to his computer or his phone. But with you, it’s different.”

My smile softened, and I decided to brush off the comment with a gentle chuckle. “Well, maybe your dad and I were just… surprised to see each other.”

She gave me a skeptical look but seemed satisfied for the moment, instead pulling out a puzzle to work on.

As I helped her arrange the pieces, my mind drifted back to him, and the strange, magnetic pull I felt even now. I couldn’t deny the chemistry that had sparked between us that night. But now, that chemistry felt complicated—messy, even.

I stayed with her for a while before she got bored and started to watch a show.

I got up and left the room to see him standing in the living room with two glasses of wine in his hand.

“Join me,” he smiled as I rolled my eyes.

“I’m on the job,” I said as he chuckled and nodded.

“Of course you are,” he dropped one on the table while drinking his. “How is she?”

I shrugged. “This is the first official day with her. It would take me some time before I can actually gauge her. But she’s fine.”

“Great,” he said while drinking in silence.

I wanted to ask about his wife but decided against it.

It was unprofessional of me to even think that.

“I’ll be going home now,” I said as he nodded.

“I’ll see you tomorrow I guess,” he said as I nodded.

I extended my hand to him and we shook on it before I started going home.

My night went as expected.

I got home, showered, cooked naked and got into bed to eat and sleep and the next morning, I was getting ready to get back to work.

***

The following day, I barely saw him. He spent most of his time in his office, and I was relieved for the distance. It was easier to pretend everything was normal when he wasn’t around. But as the day came to a close, Ivy looked up at me with hopeful eyes.

“Would you stay for dinner? Daddy’s going to be home early tonight, and he makes the best spaghetti.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. “I’d love to, Ivy.”

As evening rolled around, I found myself nervously lingering in the dining room, waiting for him to appear. When he finally did, he looked surprised to see me sitting there with Ivy, a smile on her face as she told him all about her day.

“Hope I’m not imposing,” I said, trying to keep my tone light, though my heart was racing.

He shook his head, recovering quickly and taking a seat across from me. “Not at all. I’m glad she invited you.”

Dinner was… surprisingly comfortable.

For a few moments, it felt like we were just two people having a meal together, Ivy’s laughter filling the air, bridging whatever distance remained between us. I could feel his gaze on me more than once, and each time I looked up, I found him quickly glancing away. There was something in his eyes—a question, maybe, or a hesitation that mirrored my own.

When Ivy grew tired and left the table to get ready for bed, he cleared his throat, breaking the silence between us.

“So… about the other night,” he started, his voice low. “I didn’t mean for things to get complicated. I don’t… usually do things like that.”

Neither did I, but I wasn’t ready to admit that. “Neither did I,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

He studied me for a moment, his gaze softening. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable here. Ivy needs you… I need you to be here for her.”

A wave of relief washed over me, mixed with a bittersweet pang. He was right; Ivy was the priority here. I nodded, mustering a small smile. “I’ll be here. For Ivy.”

We shared a look that felt like a silent understanding. The connection we’d felt that night was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but it was going to have to stay buried.

The maids cleaned up and he told me to walk with him to the garden.

“I have to be there for…” I tried to say as he looked at me with passion in his eyes.

“I have maids for that. Your job is done. You get to spend the rest of your time with me. Or is there somewhere else you’d rather be?”

I shrugged. “Why do you even want me here anyway?”

“If you don’t mind me asking, we didn’t talk about that night. What happened?”

I looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You do know sooner or later you’d have to talk to me about it.”

I chuckled. “Until then, how about we forget that ever existed and move on.”

“Funny you should say that, because I remember a certain someone drunk and begging me to be with her.”

His stupid smirk was pissing me off.

I didn't want to say anything that could cost me my job so I kept quiet.

“You fired the last nurse,” I said with a little scoff. “Why?”

“That should be between me and whoever I worked with.”

“So is my relationship business.”

He crossed the gap between us until we were very close to each other.