Chapter 5 - The worst mistake I ever made

“I want you to be my son’s nanny, and in return, I will help you regain all that you lost," Giovanni proposed casually, but for a moment, my heart seemed to stop beating.

I felt numb as his words registered in my mind. Giovanni had a son? Was this some kind of joke?

Summoning my courage, I locked eyes with him. It was evident from his expression that he was serious about having a son.

He had left me for another woman, and now he was asking me to be his son’s nanny. What an insult.

I couldn't shake the feeling of being foolish. Wesley had a son with my younger sister behind my back, and now my high school sweetheart was offering me a job as his son’s nanny.

"Where is your son’s mother?" I inquired, and he responded with a cold tone, his back turned to me.

"That's not your concern. So, will you accept the offer or not?"

I couldn't understand why I felt so hurt. I didn't want anything to do with him, but the way he had left me for another woman stung.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips as a barrier seemed to form between us, bringing back painful memories of our past.

He sat down, crossing his legs and pouring himself a drink, while I struggled to comprehend the situation.

"My life is complicated. My reputation isn't suitable for a nanny," I explained. I noticed a flicker of emotion in his eyes, quickly masked. "Your wife wouldn't approve either."

This was my polite way of declining his offer. Despite my resentment towards him, I couldn't help but envy his seemingly perfect life.

I longed for a loving husband and a child of my own, but instead, I was left barren by a deceitful husband.

The notion of good triumphing over evil felt far-fetched in this scenario. Giovanni had caused me immense pain, yet he was the one living a picture-perfect life, much like Wesley.

I watched him reach for a cigarette, only to put it back without lighting it. As he stood up and approached me, I instinctively took a step back.

Anger, pain, fear, and insecurity swirled within me, creating a tumultuous mix of emotions.

“Molly Campbell, you need a lawyer, but how will you afford one?" he reminded me, his words cutting deep at my lowest moment. He pulled open a drawer under the bed and retrieved my most precious asset.

"With your necklace?" he taunted, igniting my anger, but he wasn't finished. "And then what? How will you face the public?" 

His questions cut deep into my heart. How could he exploit my vulnerabilities so mercilessly? I refused to be manipulated any longer.

"Why can't you hire a professional nanny for your son?" I questioned, wondering if he was simply trying to make my life difficult. His response did little to reassure me.

"I have my reasons."

A bitter smile played on my lips at his reply, the pain of everything he and Wesley had put me through resurfacing.

"I regret ever depending on a man to solve my problems. Not anymore. But how did you know I needed a lawyer?" I challenged him, feeling uneasy about how much he seemed to know about me after all these years.

"You shared a lot with me last night, though I understand if you don't remember. You even tried to seduce me," he remarked with a hint of a smirk, causing embarrassment to flood through me. 

"Relax. I'm not looking to recreate the past. I just want to make amends for the pain I caused you."

I pushed aside memories of the previous night, the alcohol, and the entanglement with this callous man who was nothing like my Gianni.

I couldn't help but scoff at his words, hoping that whatever transformation he had undergone wouldn't turn him into a complete monster, as he seemed devoid of a soul.

My ultimate revenge on both men would be to use Giovanni to retaliate against Wesley. "I'll agree on one condition."

"Tell me," he replied, turning to settle back in the recliner, eliciting a sigh of relief from me.

"After this is all over, I simply want to live alone on an island free from the drama of men in my life," I declared. Before he could respond, I added a stipulation.

"You must not interfere in my personal life once I've regained everything. I will choose where I want to reside thereafter."

A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes, but he nodded, speaking with a calm authority. "A fair agreement."

Having reached a mutual understanding about my role in gaining his assistance to reclaim what I had lost, I took a seat on the sofa, facing him in the recliner.

"So, what is your son's name? Do you have a photo of him?" I inquired, unexpectedly noticing a smile tugging at the corner of his lips at the mention of his son.

“His name is Roger Dawson, and he's four," Giovanni said, showing me a picture of a boy with eyes similar to his own. I had to admit, the boy was undeniably cute, but Giovanni warned me that he was not as easy to handle as he appeared.

"He doesn't like nannies, so I have to be honest with you. It won't be as simple as you might think," Giovanni explained, his voice filled with warmth and love for his son.

Having little experience with toddlers, as Wesley's siblings were teenagers, I knew I had to give it my best shot. After all, Giovanni was my key to reclaiming what Wesley had taken from me.

"If you can help me regain control of the company as promised, your son will be happy. I'll rent an apartment and start working right away," I assured Giovanni.

Facing the need to sell my necklace for funds, Giovanni astonished me with a peculiar offer.