CHAPTER 2

Emily Tamara Jacobs.

I pulled my large box along with me as I trudged down the staircase of Selene's house. I had packed everything I would need to work in the Billionaire's mansion.

It wasn't my first time being a live-in nanny. I was just going to work for a couple of months or years then get assigned to work somewhere else. It was how the agency worked.

I was a trained nanny. After I left college, I moved in with Selene; my cousin. At that time, she was newly married to her ex-husband, Bryan. She was just a few months gone so it was the perfect time for me to move in. I wasn't planning on staying long with her. I just wanted to get a job and secure my apartment before moving out.

But the job didn't come. 

Not when he did everything he could to block my path to success. He wanted me to plead and beg but I already vowed that I was never going to do any of that.

For many weeks, I wandered about the streets of New York in search of a job. Then, I saw a post for a job interview as a nanny with mind-blowing pay. Selene thought I did well with kids, so she pushed me to apply.

Unfortunately, I wasn't offered the job because I didn't have any experience. Selene and Bryan came up with the idea of me joining an agency where my experience or not wouldn't matter and thankfully, that helped me a lot.

So, ever since then, I worked and earned as a nanny.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked around the living room. I was packed up ready to open another chapter of my life but here I was feeling nostalgic about leaving. I didn't know what was wrong with me, it wasn't like this was the first time it was happening.

As I made to settle down on the sofa so I could eagerly await the ride that was sent to pick me up and transport me over to the Blakes company; my eyes caught sight of the small photo frame hanging on the wall.

The brown-eyed man that stared at me in the photo had me sighing a bit. He is Bryan, Selene's ex-husband. The kids had insisted on having a photo of him in the living room. It was hard explaining things to six and four-year-olds respectively why their father wasn't coming home again to see them and not to talk about the photo issue.

Selene had hung it there to make them happy.

I hissed, feeling my blood boil as I stared at the photo. Even though I felt it was kind of my fault for having him divorce Selene, I couldn't help agreeing with Selene that he was nothing but a dickhead.

He had no regard for Selene, always going about everything in a skirt including me. He didn't even respect the fact that I was his wife's cousin before coming to me at night. I shivered as I remembered the incident.

To stop myself from traveling down memory lane, I grabbed my phone to chat with a few of my friends but the unfamiliar horn blaring right out in the yard had me stopping my intended action. Sighing, I grabbed my box and adjusted my green scarf which I had wrapped around my neck.

I grabbed my keys and walked toward the door. I unlocked it and walked out, the cool breeze hitting my face immediately. I narrowed my eyes down at the black Audi in the driveway. The window had been winded down as the driver had his head tucked out to wave at me.

Smiling, I locked the door and grabbed my box before walking over to him. His almond-green eyes sparkled with some emotion as he stared at me. “Good morning, ” I greeted politely. “Are you Sal?” I asked him to be sure that I wasn't about to get into the wrong car. 

“Good morning. Yes, I'm Sal and I believe you are Emily.” He smiled as he handed me his company card. I did the same, handing him my card after I secured it from my mini bag.

After the exchange, I turned around to get into the waiting car. As I settled in, about to shut the door close, I caught sight of the man in the house opposite Sel's. He was standing outside and waving at me eagerly.

Dan.

“Bye, Dan,” I yelled since he was a bit far away. He mouthed something I couldn't decipher but didn't bother to ask him to repeat his words. I just nodded and smiled before shutting the door. I fastened my seatbelt while Sal slowly eased into the road.

The entire ride was silent. It was not the kind of silence that was filled with unsaid words, it was more of a comfortable silence. I took out my phone and quickly shot a text to my boss. I sent Selene a text too to tell her that I was on my way. When she didn't reply immediately, I guessed that she was in a meeting.

I didn't put down my phone not until the car stopped moving. It was then I realized that we were at the company. Sal helped me get out but told me to leave my luggage in the car. I stood transfixed on the floor as I stared at and admired the beautifully designed skyscraper building. I had seen many and stayed in many but none had had me gawking the way I did. Something about the building was just so appealing.

More dangerous.

“This way, miss,” Sal said as he began to lead me into the building. Even though I've been here a couple of times to see Sel and also for the interview, it didn't stop me from gawking.

The place was very neat like always and the environment was warm. It had a kind of warmth attached to it. When we got into the private elevator which I knew would lead us to the executive floor, I quickly typed another text to Selene. This time she replied, informing me that she was in a meeting with a client.

Finally, we were on the last floor. The elevator stopped and Sal led me out first. I took a moment to brush myself over and strengthen my confidence. I wasn't going to lie, I was a bit anxious to meet the big boss. Anyone could see that from the way I kept biting on my bottom lips and wiping my hands against the fabric of my clothes.

“Ms. Mandy, ” Sal called out when we got to a desk. The only desk in sight in the beautiful room. The round-shaped lady behind the desk stopped typing on her laptop and glanced up at us. She adjusted the round geeky glasses on the bridge of her nose to fit in properly.

“Thank you, Sal.” She dismissed eagerly before her gaze flickered to me. Her eyes did a slow crawl over me and I knew she was accessing my outfit. Sal mumbled something I didn't catch before turning around to walk away.

“Name, ” Her voice was formal and her tone was firm, making the request sound more like an order. Or maybe it was an order because the way she looked at me, her eyes squinting at me in a demeaning way made me uncomfortable.

“Emily, Emily Jacobs,” I told her as I shoved my hand into my mini bag and took out my ID. I showed it to her and she gulped, nodding slowly.

“Okay, Emily. I'm Gina, "she introduced. The corners of her lips tugged upwards into a small smile which I was quick to return. She went ahead to place a call to her boss and after a brief talk, she put down the phone again.

“Williams will see you now. First turn by your right.” She pointed out. I couldn't help noticing the familiarity with which she called her boss name but I didn't question it. Who was I?

I smiled and thanked her before moving along the path she had directed. Soon, I was standing before a large door that had the words CEO inscribed on it. I took a moment to adjust my black long-sleeved V-neck top which I had paired with matching blue skinny jeans and black lace-up shoe boots.

I breathed in and released my breath before sending a knock across the door. For a moment, I didn't hear anything and so, I knocked again. I heard the deep authoritative voice asking me in. I placed my hand on the knob, twisted it, and pushed the door open slowly.

When I walked in, the first thing…or person I noticed was the presence of the huge-looking man sitting on a chair in front of a large desk. I didn't see his face because his back was turned to me and he had a phone pressed to his ear. But that wasn't what had my breath cut short.

It was his words.

“I just told you, Reece. What I want, I make sure I get. And nothing can stand in my way…not even you.” His words had my eyes widening and my lungs getting clogged.

Holy Moly Christ!

If that didn't just sound like a dangerous thing to say.