Chapter Three

Chapter 3:

The soft creaking sound of the ceiling fan filled Elena’s room as she sat cross-legged on her bed, textbooks and lesson plans scattered around her. Normally, planning for the next day’s classes would be enough to occupy her mind, but tonight her thoughts were consumed by the one man she couldn’t stand.

Alex.

His smug face, his audacious offer played over and over in her head.

Elena leaned back against the headboard, sighing deeply. Her eyes darted to her phone sitting on the nightstand, its screen dark but feeling like it held the weight of a hundred decisions. She had declined his call earlier. No, avoid it. The rational part of her knew she shouldn’t even entertain the idea.

“Why does this have to be so complicated?” she muttered, throwing her head back against the headboard.

Her mind drifted to Thomas. It was impossible to ignore the way his shy, tired eyes lit up when she’d spoken to him.

The memory tugged at her heart.

But she wasn’t a nanny. She was a teacher. She had no business being roped into Alex’s life, no matter how much he insisted.

“It’s not my responsibility,” she told herself again, but the words sounded hollow even to her own ears.

Her pacing started again, her small room feeling even smaller as her thoughts grew louder. She stopped at the window, staring out at the streets below.

Her reflection stared back at her with worries of what stupid thing she's about to do.

Before she realized it, her hand reached for her phone. Her thumb hovered over Alex’s name in her call log. Her pulse quickened, a mix of frustration and guilt battling within her.

She pressed the lock button, throwing the phone back onto the bed.

The next morning, the sun was barely up when Elena found herself standing in front of Alex’s house. She clutched her bag tightly, her mind racing.

She had told herself she was coming to clear the air, to make it clear that this wasn’t her problem and she wouldn’t be guilt-tripped into agreeing. Yet the sight of the grand house with its perfectly trimmed hedges and polished windows made her hesitate.

“Just be firm,” she whispered to herself before ringing the doorbell.

The door opened almost immediately. Alex stood there in a casual shirt and slacks, his expression unreadable. His surprise at seeing her quickly shifted into something else, relief, maybe?

“Elena,” he said, stepping aside to let her in.

“I’m not saying yes,” she blurted out, stepping into the entryway. “But I need answers. Why me?”

He nodded, gesturing toward the living room. “Come in. Let’s talk.”

Elena hesitated before following him. The house was immaculate, as if it had been designed to impress rather than to live in. Everything was polished and perfect, but there was no warmth.

“Sit,” Alex said, gesturing to the sofa.

“I’d rather stand,” she replied, crossing her arms.

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. “Alright. What do you want to know?”

“What exactly are you asking me to do? And why? There are hundreds of nannies out there, ones who are probably better suited for this than I am.”

Alex exhaled, leaning back against the armrest of a nearby chair. “This isn’t just about qualifications, Elena. This is about Thomas. He’s been through... a lot. More than a kid his age should have to endure. And with you, he’s different. He talks more, smiles more. I don’t know what it is, but you seem to bring out a side of him that I haven’t seen in years. And by the way he talks about you, he's fond of you”

Elena frowned, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. “That’s not enough of a reason to drag me into this. You barely know me.”

“You’re right,” Alex admitted. “But this isn’t about me or even about you. It’s about him. And I’d do anything to make sure he has a chance at happiness.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and unshakable.

Elena shifted her weight, her arms tightening around herself. “You’re asking for more than just babysitting, though. You’re asking me to uproot my life for something that... that feels like it’s crossing a line.”

“I know it’s a lot,” Alex said, his tone softening. “And I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was worth it. But Thomas needs this. He needs someone who can make him feel safe, someone who can give him the kind of attention I can’t always provide.”

Elena stared at him, searching for any sign of manipulation or hidden motives. But all she saw was a man who was desperate, for his son, not for himself.

“I don’t trust you,” she said bluntly.

Alex’s mouth twitched into a faint smile. “I don’t blame you. But this isn’t about trusting me. It’s about trusting what you’ve already seen in Thomas. You make him happy, Elena. Isn’t that worth considering?”

She looked away, her gaze landing on the immaculate coffee table in front of her. Her mind raced with conflicting thoughts, but no matter how much she tried to reason her way out of it, the image of Thomas’s hopeful face kept coming back.

“I’ll let you know about my answer, later” she said finally, her voice quieter than she intended.

Alex nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “That’s all I’m asking. For you to think about it”

Elena turned to leave, her hand already on the doorknob when his voice stopped her.

“And, Elena?”

She glanced back.

“Thank you.”

She didn’t reply.

The walk back to her apartment was fast. Elena replayed the conversation in her head, every word and every expression. She hated the way Alex’s words had gotten under her skin, but she couldn’t deny that they had.

By the time she reached her door, she was more conflicted than ever.

As she sank onto her bed, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Alex:

“Take your time. I’m here if you have questions.”

Elena stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She didn’t know what to say.

Instead, she put the phone down and buried her face in her hands.