Eddie’s POVI winced when James mentioned Amelia's name right in front of Chloe. I had forgotten to tell him about Chloe's outburst earlier so he hadn't known to speak subtly without mentioning her name. James raised an eyebrow at my reaction and I grimaced, nodding towards Chloe's direction. Surprisingly enough, no reaction came from Chloe. James was still staring at me as though I had home crazy fur to the way I was acting. I stared at Chloe’s face to see if she was pouting or had heard James when he talked about Amelia and thankfully, all her attention was on her food. I subtly heaved a small sigh of relief because I did not think I would have been able to handle it if hearing Amelia's name had provoked a reaction from her.My mind briefly wondered and I paused as I contemplated why Chloe was so adamant on having Amelia as our chef. She had never really known her and had only met her twice. Once at the party which was the first time I had seen Amelia in a long while and the sec
Eddie’s POVI was so tired and needed to rest but I have to make sure Chloe had something to eat before retiring for the day. I went to the kitchen and prepared a simple meal for her, spaghetti and chicken. I served her the food with shaky hands, hoping she would find no fault in it and watched as she ate to her fill. When she was done, I took her to her room, helped her with her assignments, bathed her and dressed her up in her pajamas so that she could sleep early.She told me that it was too early to sleep and that she wanted to play some games and also watch some cartoons. I explained to her that dad had an hectic day at work and needed to rest but she insisted that I should play the games with her. I finally gave in to her request when she was about to cry. I watched as she was busy playing for hours and finally she got tired and slept off. I was so happy when I found her sleeping on the floor. I carried her gently and laid her on the bed. I closed the door gently to avoid waking
Amelia’s POVThe ride back home was silent and tense as I and Blair returned to her place and then she tried all her best to make me forget about how I almost got sexually assaulted earlier. She tried to make some funny conversations by trying to bring up some of my funny moments but I wasn’t even in the mood to talk about them. I could tell Blair was trying hard and I truly appreciated her for what she was trying to do and for being such a good friend , but no matter how hard I tried, I just could not seem to stop shaking every couple of minutes. I would stare off into the distance or be in the middle of something when I would feel phantom hands all over my body, reminding me of Raymond's wandering, insistent hands. I eventually left where I had been seated in the living room with Blaire and went into the bedroom, curling up on the bed as I continued to think about what I had gone through at the hands of that jerk, Raymond. Blaire followed me into the bedroom, her face creased wi
Amelia’s POVJust when I was about to lie down and sleep, Mr James started calling my number repeatedly. I angrily switched off my phone and tossed my phone away. I found my pillow and then laid back on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Blair returned back to the room some hours later with a tray containing food and drinks. I told her to eat without me, explaining that I was fine but she insisted that I had a bite of the food. I finally gave in, stood up to eat. My mood brightened a bit as we ate. Just as a good medical practitioner, Blair was able to counsel me properly on what happened to me earlier and I was thankful that I had someone like her as my best friend.We continued discussing and then started talking about her wedding dress. She told me that she would be going to check their wedding hall the next day and then asked me if I would accompany her to the place. I agreed to go with her to check the place and as I switched on my phone to show her some other wedding gown
Eddie’s POVI love you Amelia. Please don’t leave me. What can I do to prove my love to you? I woke up suddenly and then realized that I had been dreaming about Amelia. I truly missed her for me to have a dream about her and I could only hope that James was able to convince her to return back to work. I groaned inwardly cradling a pillow to my chest. The sun was beaming through my blinds causing me to stir. Usually, waking up was a simple task for me; I was a morning person after all but thinking about the stress I would go through while taking care of Chloe, I wanted to return back to bed but I needed to work and had to get my little Princess ready for school. I groaned when the first beam of sunlight hit my face. Picking up my alarm clock on the nightstand, I looked at the time. “Ugh, why is it so early?” I placed my clock back on the surface and slowly began to sit up. Crawling out of my warm bed, I walked to her bathroom and jumped into a warm shower to take my bath.I quickly p
Eddie’s POVDisappointment settled over me like a leaden cloak when I heard that Amelia wasn’t going to accept the job. “Amelia isn’t coming back,”James' words echoed in my mind. I couldn't just sit there wallowing. Just then an idea, fueled by desperation and a flicker of hope, sparked in my mind. I instructed James to send Amelia a portion of her first salary, a silent plea for reconciliation.He sent the money to her and I was hopeful that she would call or text James when she received the payment but all I received was silence. The silence amplified my anxiety. Finally, James turned to me and blinked rapidly before talking to me. "She received it," he said, his voice hesitant. "But... no reaction." “No thank you, no call, just silence,” he added. The air in the room seemed to thin, suffocating me. Anger flared, hot and immediate.I was so furious but then the anger cooled, replaced by a cold dread. Had he pushed her away so far she wouldn't even consider a bridge?I told Jame
Eddie’s POVThe ride home was very funny and yet, disturbing. One would think Chloe was my mistress and I was her slave with the way I was nervous to approach her and ask her what she wanted for lunch. I stared at Chloe and then asked her what she wanted for lunch. I made sure to drive by several restaurants that she would love very slowly, hoping that my precarious daughter would declare that she wanted to eat at one of them for lunch. Knowing that it probably made me a bad father, I even drove by an ice cream place that also sold cookies, but it was all to no avail. "Chloe, are you sure that you don't want ice cream?" I asked, my heart in my throat as I stared at her through the windshield mirror. She nodded, not looking up at me once. "Yes, daddy.""Are you sure?""Yes, daddy.""Very sure?""Yeeeees, daddy.""Very very very sure?"She giggled, the sound like jingle bells in my ear. "I am, daddy. I am very very very sure.""Hmm… are you quite sure? They might have your favorite,
Eddie's POVWhat if Chloe didn't like my cooking? What if I burned the food again? The questions swirled in my head.But as we pulled into the driveway, Chloe bounded out of the car, her face radiant with excitement as she practically skipped to the front door."Daddy, hurry up! I can't wait to start cooking!" she called out, her voice echoing with unrestrained joy.I dropped our belongings on the couch and went straight to the kitchen without even taking off my clothes. I put on the Apron and then rummaged through the fridge, finding solace in the familiar hum of the appliance because I was already getting used to it. I brought out some carrots and celery sticks but they were too boring. Yogurt, Chloe might deem it "slimy." I eyed the cheese drawer, then paused. Grilled cheese! Simple, filling, customizable. A flicker of hope ignited.With Chloe’s help and while watching some videos on how to go about the cooking, I was able to transform the mundane task into a mini-adventure. We cut
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