05

The large clock in the room ticked proudly from second to second, laying the weight of the thick silence on our shoulders as we waited awkwardly for the staring contest to come to an end.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Eva Axton. Sweetheart-shaped face covered with pronounced makeup, golden blonde hair, and tight-fitting clothes. She was at most fifteen and was already at the peak of teenage rebellion.

Angel’s deep eyes were squinted and I wondered what was going on in his mind as he stared at his niece. It was obvious that Eva had angered him greatly and I was curious to know how he planned to punish her.

The offender in question was staring back at her guardian with equal intensity and no ounce of guilt in her stance for her misbehavior.

Disappointingly, the expected scolding didn’t come. Instead, Angel took a deep breath and broke the silence. “I already have enough on my plate without your foolishness, Eva. Cross me one last time and we will have a rethink about schooling altogether.”

Angel’s threat was subtle and he turned to leave with the soldiers, but his words seemed to have earned their desired effect on Eva. She tensed up and her face paled; But maybe it was only a figment of my imagination.

“Well, who is she? A new bookmaid in July?.”

With Angel’s absence, Eva finally noticed Mrs. Lopez, and then ME.

Her words were harsh and hurried, but I could see what the girl was doing. She was embarrassed that a random person had witnessed her getting trashed by Angel and wanted to take out her frustrations on me. I prepared to introduce myself but Mrs. Lopez was faster. She handed a file to Eva with a smile plastered on her face.

“She‘s no maid, child. She’s Miss Elena Chantel, your new nanny. Miss Chantel, say hello to your ward.”

“Hello, Eva.” I managed to let out a smile but got ignored in response.

Eva flipped through the first page of the document and scoffed before tossing the document aside. “I will be sixteen in three months! I told you NO MORE NANNIES! What am I? A three-year-old baby in need of a quick nappy change?.”

There it was again. That too early rudeness that I wished someone would hopefully address. I bit down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from addressing Eva’s excess. Sadly, Mrs. Lopez was also rather welcoming of it.

“Eva… Can’t you see?.”

“Miss Chantel is exactly what you need right now. She has a degree in fashion and also has great experience handling kids in the past. You told me it was your dream to get accepted into ELCA next year. But here’s the truth child, I do not see you getting anywhere close to it if you waste all your time rejecting projects and help to travel and party with your immature friends!.”

Oops! Maybe I’d judged too quickly.

Eva smirked and Mrs. Lopez’s eyes widened when she realized she had gone too far.

Eva took a step closer to the housekeeper. Her voice was cold as she spoke. “Well, those immature friends are all I truly have, like it or not.”

Then she abruptly turned to me and I frowned, bracing myself.

“So you graduated at the top of your class?.” She asked calmly.

“Yes,” I responded, my eyes not leaving hers.

“Well if you are so “learned” in fashion designing. What the hell are you doing here applying to wipe asses?. I do not need to be nannied by anyone. Especially not by you! So fuck off while I’m still being nice about it… or you wouldn’t like the look of your talented self in the mirror when I’m done with you!.”

With those last words, Eva stomped off, leaving me utterly stunned.

I had been a good girl growing up. But I admit all that goodness may have wandered off a bit in the later years. Under Lazarus’s tutelage, you couldn’t survive being visibly good, not especially when I had to deal with girls as rude as Eva during the training sessions. I had grown a pair and put everyone and anyone in their place.

Until now…

Finding the underboss was a more urgent issue.

Would Eva be a problem?

“Ahem!” Someone cleared next to me and I remembered I wasn’t alone.

“You were so eager to meet your ward, Miss Chantelle. Well, there you have it.” Mrs. Lopez let out her functional smile and I could finally see it. That ghost of mockery that met the curl of her lips; I knew she was mocking me. For not heeding her subtle warning and fleeing with my bags earlier in the day.

“Let’s face it, the girl is rather old for a nanny and we could have easily employed a live-in tutor but we employed you. Your most important duty is to keep her sane headed for the limited duration she has to prepare for the tests and give her the guidance she needs with your experience in the subject.”

“You have one month to prove yourself useful, Miss Chantelle. Just one month before we find other… alternatives.”

I swallowed, my eyes not leaving Mrs. Lopez’s. The threat had been delivered with no sugar coatings.

“I take it you understand then.” The housekeeper’s voice filtered through and I managed a nod, then watched her turn on her heels and leave.

Eva was going to be a problem.

I had to remain in the mansion. I had to fulfill my mission with no distractions and one month was too little. I could imagine the look on Vincenzo's or Mrs. Lopez’s face if I ever got pulled off the train because I couldn’t handle a mere fifteen-year-old girl. I wasn’t going to give either of them the pleasure of basking in my failure.

My hands found each other for comfort and I left the room with a clear destination in mind.

I wasn’t going to be Eva Axton’s 22nd evicted plaything.

I asked the first maid I could see for directions and she eagerly offered to show me the way. This time, I allowed her. The living quarters of the main members of the family were in a more dignified area of the house and soon, we came to a stop in front of a room guarded by two bodyguards. A man and a woman.

I thanked the maid and approached them.

“Good day. I’m Elena. Eva’s nanny. Is she in? I would like to see her.”

There was no surprise on their faces and I could tell that they were already aware of my arrival. The female bodyguard sighed and pressed a button by the door.

Then we waited.

A minute, three minutes. No response.

The bodyguards exchanged a look and immediately the female bodyguard fetched a key and unlocked the door. She hurried in and I followed after her wordlessly.

A shrill scream greeted us.

“Are you two crazy?!!!.” Eva’s body and hair were wrapped in two towels and there was wetness on her face.

“We are sorry, Miss. You didn’t answer the door…” The bodyguard hurriedly explained but Eva only got more hysterical.

“Can’t I have some fucking privacy in my fucking room?!… I need to get some sleep. Get out!.”

“Eva..” I started but she was having none of it.

“I said… Get. Out. Of. My. Room.”

I frowned and left with the bodyguard. She offered me an apologetic smile as I set to return to my room and I managed to return the gesture.

Dinner got delivered to my room and I ate gratefully.

I offloaded the last of my belongings and kept the boxes away. Then I typed a due response to Vincenzo to update him on my status while resting on the window frame. He responded immediately.

I turned from the window but instantly returned when I noticed a movement from the grounds below.

In the darkness of the night, a familiar girly figure moved swiftly, escaping once again.