Eddie’s POVI had never felt so scared in my life the way that I had felt when I had seen my previous daughter lying on the floor, in her nanny's arms, unconscious. I ran a hand through my hair for what seemed to be the umpteenth time as I watched my little girl looking so pale and tiny in the big hospital bed. My little girl, I thought in despair, and unable to do anything but just watch as the doctors surrounding her prodded and injected God-knows-what into her fragile body. I placed a hand over the rapidly beating heart that had not stopped pounding harshly ever since I heard her nanny screaming out her name. Just an hour prior, she had been dancing around my room, excited about going to the amusement park.I sighed wearily again for the umpteenth time, wishing that I had never allowed Jenna to see or even meet Chloe. I brought out my phone from my pockets to check if Jenna had called or messaged me, but nothing.Of course, she has not. What was I thinking? That she would suddenly
Amelia’s POVI got the job? I got the job!I nearly squealed out loud like a pig in excitement as I read the message on my phone. My excitement and happiness knew no bounds when I saw the message that I had gotten the job and without thinking twice, I quickly ran into my mom’s room to share the news with her. The heavy burden that had seemed to weigh on my shoulders lifted up just a bit and it felt like I could finally breathe easier and better. Although the money dad had sent had been so helpful and had literally saved my mom's life, it had not been nearly enough to cover all of the outstanding bills and payments we had to make. Then there were the new payments that seemed to be cropping up every single day. It was beginning to look like the hospital was charging us for every breath we took and every step as well. It was disheartening at times and I had just begun to feel depressed and hopeless again especially with the incident with Eddie, when the message came in. It came in at ju
Amelia’s POV“When are you starting your new job?” Mom asked a few minutes later.“I don’t know the details yet but I will have to meet with my employer to know when I will be resuming,” I replied to her. She nodded her head and then told me to get her a glass of water. I got her the water and watched as she sipped it and then laid back on the bed. She stared at me silently and then drifted off to sleep. My thoughts wandered off to Eddie and his daughter and then waved it off my mind when Blair came in. I asked her if she was done attending to her patients and then she told me that she was done. She gave me an envelope and I was so shocked when I saw the content. It was money. I asked her how she got it because I knew she had given me all she had earlier. She replied to me that her man gave it to her and I became so emotional at that moment. I hugged her, asking her how to see him so that I could express my gratitude to him.“Well, I’m having dinner with him and his friends tonight, s
Amelia’s POV I sobbed inwardly as I blurted out my feelings for Eddie in Blair’s presence. She only stared at me in silence and then hugged me, lending me her shoulder to cry upon. I moved away from her embrace when I was done.I felt embarrassed and hated the fact that I had cried over Eddie when he had not even loved me enough to fight for me when it truly mattered. He had moved on with his life and had gone on to have a wife and a beautiful girl. A girl he had named Chloe. It hurt even worse because we had once discussed having kids and he knew that Chloe was one of the names I had had my heart set upon for when we had kids.And yet, we never did. I thought sadly. Eddie had married another woman, and gone on to lead a huge company while I had remained stagnant, career-wise, financially and even in my love life. I felt like such a failure.And yet, here I am. Crying over someone who is doing so much better than I am. Get a grip, Amelia!I ruminated over the apology he had given me
Amelia’s POVI remained silent in shock and surprise as Blair squealed. Blair yelled out, telling me that she told me that Louis would treat me well. remained stunned by the gesture, my mind swirling with a mixture of emotions. Blair's excitement was infectious, and I began to grow excited as well."Amelia, look at this!" Blair exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she held up the elegant gown for me to see. "Louis really outdid himself this time!"I couldn't help but marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship of the gown. I briefly wondered if he had chosen the outfit himself. It looked stunning and I thought to myself that he either had amazing taste or his mom or sister had helped him out. "Blair, this is... it's amazing," I breathed, my voice filled with wonder as I reached out to touch the delicate fabric. "I can't believe he did all this for me."Blair beamed at my reaction, her eyes alight with excitement as she urged me to try on the dress. With trembling hands, I caref
Eddie’s POVI was so relieved when Chloe was finally discharged from the hospital. I returned back home with her. She was asleep and then I took her to her room and laid her carefully on the bed. Her nanny came into the room and asked how she was faring. I told her that she was fine but also instructed her to always watch everything she ate. She left the room after acknowledging my message and then after watching Chloe for a while, I returned back to my room to rest after the day. I checked my phone to see if Jenna had called but to my surprise, she hadn't and didn’t even bother to come to the hospital to check on her. I was so furious and I quickly dialed her number. She picked up after the third ring and asked why I called in a nonchalant tone. My brows furrowed in amazement, she was acting as though nothing had happened, as though our daughter had not just nearly lost her life.“What?! Did you seriously just ask me why I called? Didn’t I tell you about Chloe earlier?!” I yelled at
Amelia’s POVWithout dwelling over Louis’s attitude, I drifted off to sleep and then woke up the next morning to check up on my mom. Blair was also to resume back to her duty after her one day leave and as we drove to the hospital, she asked if I was fine.“I’m good, Blair,” I replied to her.“I’m so sorry for telling you to give Louis a chance. I didn’t know that he was such a jerk,” she apologized.“It’s fine, Blair. I know you want the best for me and you know what, I love you girl,” I said to her with a smile. “I love you too, Amelia,” she replied to me and then focused on the road. We fell into a comfortable silence for a while, the gentle hum of the car's engine filling the space between us.We chatted as she drove and after some minutes, we arrived at the hospital. She returned back to work while I went to my mom’s ward to see how she was faring. To my surprise, my dad was with her. I ran to hug him, telling him that he didn’t inform me that he was returning back home.“Well,
Amelia’s POVI had no idea why, but it felt like home to me. Actually, that was untrue, I knew why I had immediately felt a sense of peace wash over me the moment I stepped into the room. I tried to lie to myself that it was the plush carpeting that felt like I was sinking my feet into sand or that it was the beautiful reading corner that made my body itch with excitement to use it and fingers tremble with the urge to hold a sweet-smelling book. However, my lips curled themselves into a wry smile as I grudgingly admitted to myself that my strange comfort was not due to any of what I had listed or the other luxuries of the room or house, but…It's because of that memory, isn't it? Blaire's voice asked in my head.I tried to shoo it away.Go away, Blaire.Not until you admit to yourself the truth.I mentally rolled my eyes even as the flashback washed over me.I remember once talking with Eddie late in the night as we snuggled with each other. We had talked about a lot of things, mostl
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