Amelia’s POVWe both let out a laugh, the nervous energy from our conversation dissipating into a comfortable camaraderie. With a newfound sense of purpose, we began to divide the cleaning tasks. I tackled the dishes, filling the sink with soapy water and dunking the cereal bowls and spoons. Blair, meanwhile, wiped down the counter surfaces, humming along to the upbeat music playing on the radio.As we worked, a comfortable silence settled between us, punctuated only by the clinking of dishes and the whoosh of the sponge against the countertop. It was a familiar silence, one that spoke volumes about the depth of our friendship. Even amidst the whirlwind of unexpected romance, the bond we shared remained as strong as ever. Even as we cleaned up, I could not stop thinking about what Blair had said about double dates. I began to imagine it, Eddie and I going on double dates with Blair and James.A giddy feeling bubbled up in my chest as I pictured the scene. We'd find a quaint little res
Eddie’s POVThe ring was a platinum band set with a single, flawless diamond, and in that simplicity resided a universe of elegance and brilliance. The platinum band, cool and smooth to the touch, whispered of quiet strength and unwavering commitment. Its polished surface gleamed with a soft, silvery sheen, reflecting the light in a way that was both understated and luxurious. But it was the diamond that truly stole the show.This wasn't a gaudy, ostentatious display of size. It was a single stone, meticulously chosen for its flawless perfection. The cut, a classic round brilliant, maximized the diamond's inherent fire, transforming it into a tiny kaleidoscope of light. As you tilted the ring ever so slightly, the facets within seemed to catch the light and ignite a mesmerizing dance. It wasn't a cold, harsh sparkle, but a warm, inviting brilliance that seemed to emanate from within the stone itself. It was like a tiny sun, captured and contained, radiating a light that seemed to poss
Eddie’s POVI rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, dude. But right now, I'm just too frustrated to think of all that."James leaned forward. "What's up? What's wrong?""It's Jenna. She suddenly showed up at my house when I was not there and somehow managed to convince Amelia that she and I are getting back together which is most definitely not true. I did not know this, so I had been calling Amelia all day and she was not picking up my calls. She eventually did and explained what had happened with Jenna and she had apparently left my house because she did not want to have deal with Jenna."James let out a slow whistle that let me know that he understood what was happening."I eventually managed to convince Amelia that Jenna had obviously been lying to her and thankfully, she believed me. But now, I have to go home and deal with Jenna and ask her to leave my house. I'm so upset with her right now that I just have to keep reminding myself that she's my ex-wife and the mother of my child o
Eddie's POVAs I pulled into the driveway, I noticed Jenna's car was still there. Great. Stepping out of the car, I took another deep breath, picturing Amelia's calm demeanor and her unwavering support. This wasn't going to break me. I was going to handle this.Reaching the front door, I unlocked it and pushed it open, bracing myself for the storm. The house was eerily quiet. "Jenna?" I called out, my voice surprisingly steady. "Are you here?"No answer. Just the faint sound of the television coming from the living room. I headed in that direction, my hand hovering near my phone, ready to call Amelia if things went south.As I entered the living room, I saw Jenna sprawled out on the couch, a half-eaten bag of chips resting on her lap and a glass of wine precariously balanced on the coffee table. She looked up with a start when she saw me, her eyes widening momentarily before a smirk played on her lips.The smirk – that was the first thing I noticed. It wasn't a genuine smile, not by a
Eddie's POVThis was it. The manipulation tactic I knew was coming. She was playing the concerned mother card, trying to guilt me into letting her stay. I wouldn't fall for it."Of course you can see Chloe," I countered, my voice steady. "We can work out a visitation schedule, but that doesn't mean you can just camp out here. You need to make other arrangements."Her face contorted in fury. The glass of wine she precariously balanced on the coffee table teetered precariously, threatening to spill."I. Am. Not. Going. Anywhere. This is my home," she stubbornly said in reply, each word punctuated by a stab of her fingers in the air towards my direction.My insides clenched. "This isn't your home, Jenna," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "You haven't lived here for years. And besides, remember why you left in the first place?"Her eyes widened for a split second, a flicker of fear momentarily replacing the anger contorting her face. It was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a forc
Eddie's POV"Look, Jenna," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "This changes things. But listen, crashing at my place with Amelia here isn't exactly ideal.""I know, I know," she interrupted, wiping away a stray tear. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't have my back against the wall. Maybe… maybe I could stay in the guest wing? Just until I get back on my feet. I can find a new agent, a new job…"The guest wing. It was a self-contained suite in my mansion, a comfortable space that had mostly sat unused since Chloe had gotten older. It could work… temporarily."The guest wing," I repeated slowly, considering the ramifications. "Look, I can't promise anything long-term, but for a little while… maybe. But there are ground rules."Her eyes lit up with a flicker of hope. "Ground rules? I can do ground rules, Eddie. Anything.""First," I said, holding up a finger, "no drama. No more arguments, no more fights. If things get out of hand, you're out. Second, you respect Amelia. She's part of our
Jenna's POVI watched the door close behind me as Eddie left the guest suite. I listened to his footsteps and waited until they faded away before I wiped away the fake tears that I had allowed to roll down my cheeks with my fingers. A smile spread across my face and I let out a small laugh as I walked over to the bed and plopped down on it. I could not believe that he fell for my act. But then, despite the fact that the whole world knew him as a cold, rigid, wealthy billionaire, I knew from years of being married to him that he was a softie when it came to women crying. I rolled over on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, thinking about what I had to do next. Nothing I had told Eddie was true. The truth was a meticulously crafted web of lies, designed to snag Eddie back into my orbit.Pathetic, really. The man who built a financial empire couldn't sniff out a sob story as transparent as a Tiffany window.This guest wing was more than comfortable; it was decadent.My gaze swept ac
Eddie’s POVTaking a deep breath, I launched into a hurried explanation. The story Jenna had concocted about a bad investment, and my reluctant agreement to let her stay. I left out the part about my suspicions of her motives, not wanting to give James more ammunition to question my judgment.James listened patiently, the only sound his occasional "uh-huh" or a low whistle. Finally, when I finished, a long silence stretched between us."You sure about this, Eddie?" James finally asked, his voice laced with concern."Honestly? No," I admitted, frustration creeping into my voice. "It feels like a bad idea, but I couldn't just leave her on the street."“Hmm..” His disapproval was quite clear from over the phone. I huffed in annoyance, knowing he was right."It wasn't that simple," I countered. "The bigger issue is Amelia. How am I supposed to explain this to her? We just… confessed our feelings for each other, and now I have to drop this bombshell on her?""Well, that changes things," Ja
Amelia’s POVIt's been a few weeks since Eddie and I had gotten back together. It had taken him only a couple of weeks to convince me to move in with him again, but this time around, it was not as his nanny or his chef, it was as his girlfriend. According to him, he wanted to spend as much time as possible before I had to go back to Florida to resume duty with my agency. Jenna had been slammed with a restraining order along with the promise of a lawsuit if she did not leave us alone. For good measure, Eddie had made sure to properly adopt Chloe as his legal daughter. That way Jenna would not be able to cause us any more trouble.“Babe! Hurry up, we're gonna be late!” That was Edie yelling from downstairs, while I was in the closet in his… in our room, getting ready. Together with my parents, Blair, James, and Chloe, we were all going to a restaurant to celebrate my mom finally beating cancer.I looked down at Chloe who had gotten her hand on my lipgloss and was now putting it on and
Eddie’s POVAmelia's gaze flickered between me and the bustling crowd before she sighed and gestured toward a doorway at the back."Let's talk somewhere else, shall we?"I did not want to have to talk to her. I wanted to be with her at my home, where I could talk to her and have all to myself."Forget the break room," I said, a newfound determination coursing through me. "Let's go somewhere we can actually talk."Amelia hesitated, then shrugged. "Alright," she conceded. "But I do have to finish my shift first."Frustration bubbled up within me, but I knew pushing her wouldn't help. "Fine," I muttered, trying to tamp down on my impatience. "How long?""Just another hour," she replied, checking her watch. "How about we meet somewhere? My place isn't really ideal.""My place is close by," I offered, surprising myself with the boldness. "It's quiet, we can talk there."Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Your place? That wasn't exactly part of the plan, Eddie.""Well, plans change," I said, a play
Eddie’s POV"It was a mistake, Eddie," she choked out, her voice barely audible. "A one-time thing… a long time ago.""A one-time thing?" I repeated, my voice cracking. The image of a younger, naive Jenna flashed before my eyes, a girl I thought I knew everything about. Now, she seemed like a stranger."Who was he?" I demanded with the need to know gnawing at me.Jenna hesitated, then whispered a name I vaguely recognized. It was someone from the film industry, a rising star she'd met during her brief stint in Los Angeles. They had a short fling, a whirlwind romance that ended as quickly as it began.The revelation hit me like a sucker punch. All the doubts I'd ignored, the whispers in the back of my mind, the nagging feeling that things weren't quite right – it all came flooding back with a terrifying clarity. Years of my life were built on a lie. Chloe, my sweet, innocent daughter, was caught in the crossfire of my naivety and Jenna's betrayal.Fury boiled within me, a churning infe
Eddie’s POVThe doctor gave a small smile. "Of course. Let her rest for a few minutes, and then you can go in."As we waited, James explained what little he knew. He'd been picking up Chloe from school when a call came through from the hospital. Apparently, another kid had swerved into Chloe's path while riding his scooter.A surge of anger flared up within me. How could someone be so careless? But the anger quickly dissipated, replaced by a fierce protectiveness over my little girl.Minutes later, we were ushered into the room. Chloe lay propped up in bed, her face pale and drawn, a white cast encasing her arm. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw me."Daddy!" she cried out, her voice small and wobbly.My heart ached at the sight of her distress. "Hey, champ," I said, rushing to her side and pulling her into a gentle hug, careful not to jostle her injured arm. "It's okay, I'm here now."She buried her face in my chest, her small body trembling slightly. I showered her with comforti
Amelia’s POVThe question hung heavy in the air. Friends? Could we really go back to that after everything that had happened? A part of me longed for the simplicity of our old friendship, the easy camaraderie we'd shared. But another part of me worried that friendship wouldn't be enough. The feelings I had for Eddie, the unspoken desires that had simmered beneath the surface of our relationship, wouldn't just disappear. They would linger, a constant reminder of what could have been.Taking a deep breath, I typed out a reply. "I… I don't know, Eddie. Honestly, I need some time to think. This whole situation has been a lot to process.""I understand," he replied almost instantly. "Take all the time you need. Just know that… I care about you, Amelia. More than you probably realize."His words sent a blush creeping up my neck. Did he really feel the same way? Or was this just a desperate attempt to hold onto me in any way he could? I didn't have the answers, and the uncertainty gnawed at
Amelia’s POVI stared at the message for what felt like an eternity, my mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions. Finally, with a shaky breath, I typed out a reply."Eddie," I began, my fingers hovering over the screen, "I… I don't know what to say. Thank you for the money. It means the world to me and my mom. But ...is everything alright? James said you collapsed. Are you in the hospital?" I hit send, the weight of the question hanging heavy in the air. The money, the cryptic message – it all pointed to something more serious than he was letting on.The wait for a response stretched into an agonizing eternity. Just as I started to pace the room, my phone buzzed. It was Eddie."Amelia," his voice rasped through the phone, weaker than I'd ever heard it. "Yes, I'm in the hospital. They're still trying to figure things out, but the doctor says I have Angiina due to stress."My chest tightened. Stress. The word echoed in my head, a stark reminder of the turmoil I'd left him in. "Eddie,"
Amelia’s POVI knew that there was no way that he and Jenna had actually been together in the way that she had been insinuating.Jenna had probably been playing another of her manipulative tricks. Regardless, I was exhausted and had had to tell myself that it would be better to end it with Eddie than to be dealing with hurt and frustration every day. James had been giving me updates on both Chloe and Eddie and although I knew I should tell him to stoop so that I could have a clean break, I did not think I had the heart to do so.The rhythmic rumble of the bus engine vibrated through the worn leather seat I occupied. Outside the window, the cityscape blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors, each passing image signifying my new reality. A reality where I, Amelia Brooks, was no longer Eddie Turner's nanny. Today's successful interview meant I could finally stand on my own two feet, financially independent. A bittersweet victory, considering the reason behind this newfound freedom.A soft c
Eddie’s POVHis words held a truth that stung. Jenna's behavior had become increasingly erratic, her possessiveness suffocating. But the thought of facing Amelia, of dredging up the hurt and confusion of that day, filled me with dread.I could not say anything, I could only nod my head in response. Just then, my head began to pound again, this time around in sync with my heart.My vision swam, the pounding in my head morphing into a relentless drum solo. The room seemed to tilt on its axis, James' concerned face warping into a blurry mess. A guttural cough ripped through me, sending another jolt of pain lancing through my chest."James…" I croaked, the word a raspy whisper. My hand reached out, blindly grasping for something solid. My fingers brushed against the armrest of the chair, anchoring me momentarily."Eddie, mate! What's wrong?" James' voice was laced with alarm, his concern cutting through the fog clouding my mind."Head…" I managed, the word slurred. My grip on the armrest
Eddie’s POVAmelia had left a gaping hole in my heart."But will she ever come back?" Chloe persisted, her lower lip trembling slightly."I… I don't know, sweetheart," I admitted, the truth a bitter pill to swallow. A heavy sigh escaped Chloe's tiny lips. "Okay," she mumbled, staring out the window with a wistful expression. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken emotions.Reaching over, I squeezed her hand gently. "Look," I began, my voice softened with love. "No matter what happens with Amelia, you'll always be my little girl. And no matter what, I'll always be here for you. Always."Chloe looked at me, a flicker of reassurance sparking in her eyes. "Really?" she asked, her voice a hesitant whisper."Really," I confirmed, my voice firm with conviction. "You're the most important thing in the world to me, you know that?"She nodded slowly, a small smile gracing her lips. For a moment, the tension seemed to ease, a fragile connection established between us.Reaching t