You want Kayla instead?
1326 Words
Elaine forced another smile, but this time, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She glanced at Asher again, expecting him to intervene—to reprimand Seth, to insist that she stay, to remind Seth that she was still his nanny.
But Asher didn’t.
He remained silent, fingers tapping idly against the side of his coffee cup. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his gaze that made Elaine uneasy.
“Asher…” she started, her voice carefully measured, but he cut her off.
“Enough.”
That single word held a weight that made the air in the room shift.
Elaine stiffened, lips parting slightly in shock.
Asher turned his attention back to Seth, who stood firm, staring up at his father with unwavering determination.
“You don’t want Elaine here anymore?” Asher asked, voice calm.
Seth shook his head. “No.”
“You want Kayla instead?”
“Yes.”
Elaine let out a nervous chuckle, forcing a light tone. “Asher, come on. He’s just a child. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”
Asher finally looked at her, his gaze cold and sharp. “He knows exactly what he’s saying.”
Elaine swallowed, realizing that she was losing ground—fast. “I’ve been here for years..Asher. I’ve taken care of Seth since he was a baby. You can’t seriously be considering replacing me just because—”
Asher’s gaze hardened, cutting her off without a word.
“I don’t want to talk to any girl except for Kayla,” Seth declared again, his small hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I don’t like Elaine. I never liked Elaine.”
Elaine’s face paled, and for the first time, her mask of patience cracked. “Seth,” she said, trying to keep her voice gentle despite the growing frustration. “That’s not very nice—”
“I don’t care,” Seth interrupted, glaring up at her. “I don’t like you, and I don’t want you here anymore.”
A tense silence filled the dining room.
Elaine turned back to Asher, desperate now. “Are you really going to let him talk to me like this? I’m his nanny, Asher! I deserve at least some respect—”
“You’re not his nanny anymore.”
Elaine’s breath hitched. “What?”
Asher set his coffee cup down with a quiet clink, his voice final. “I was already planning to end your contract. Seth doesn’t need a nanny if he has a mother.” His gaze remained impassive. “Six years, and he still doesn’t like you. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
Elaine’s lips trembled. “Asher—”
“You can leave.”
It wasn’t a suggestion.
Elaine stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. She wanted to argue, to plead her case, but Asher’s decision was final—she could see it in his eyes.
Tightening her grip on her purse, she inhaled sharply and turned on her heel. “Fine,” she muttered, her tone bitter. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
She stormed toward the door, stopping only briefly to glance back at Seth. He stood beside his father, watching her go without the slightest hint of regret.
Elaine’s jaw clenched.
She left without another word.
The door shut behind her, leaving only silence in her wake.
Seth, unfazed, looked up at his father expectantly. “Can Kayla come over now?”
Asher exhaled slowly, setting his coffee cup aside as he regarded his son with an unreadable expression. Seth stared up at him, completely unbothered by Elaine’s departure, his only concern now revolving around Kayla.
“She’s working,” Asher finally answered. “She’s not here to entertain you.”
Seth frowned, crossing his arms. “She’s nice to me,” he muttered. “I want her to come.”
“You don’t always get what you want.”
Seth pouted but didn’t argue further. He knew his father well enough to recognize when pushing wouldn’t get him anywhere. Instead, he slid into his chair at the dining table, picking at his breakfast with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm.
Asher glanced at his son, his sharp gaze lingering for a moment before he reached for his phone. He tapped out a message before setting it down, returning his attention to his meal.
Across the table, Seth perked up slightly, watching his father with wary curiosity. “Did you text her?”
Asher didn’t look up. “Eat your breakfast.”
Seth huffed but obeyed, shoving a bite of food into his mouth. His mind, however, was already elsewhere.
If Kayla wasn’t here now, he’d just have to find a way to see her later.
The rest of breakfast passed in relative silence, though Seth kept stealing glances at his father, as if waiting for some confirmation that Kayla would be coming. But Asher didn’t say another word about it, merely sipping his coffee and checking his phone occasionally.
Once they were done, Asher stood, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. “Go brush your hair, we will head to the company soon,” he instructed Seth. “I have work to do.”
Seth scrunched his nose. “Do I have to?”
“You do.” Asher’s tone left no room for argument.
With a dramatic sigh, Seth slid off his chair and trudged upstairs. Asher watched him go before picking up his phone and stepping into his study.
The moment he shut the door behind him, his eyes flicked to the message he had sent earlier.
Asher:She’s leaving. Make sure everything is handled smoothly. No unnecessary trouble.
A moment later, his phone buzzed with a response.
Austin:Understood, boss. I’ll take care of it.
Asher exhaled quietly, setting his phone down on his desk. Firing Elaine had been inevitable. He’d held off because she was competent—strict but competent. But there was no point in keeping her if Seth still disliked her after six years.
The boy’s reaction this morning only confirmed what Asher had already decided.
Seth wasn’t a difficult child. He was well-mannered, independent, and perceptive beyond his years. If he didn’t like someone, there was always a reason.
And then there was Kayla.
Asher leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping idly against the desk. It was strange. He had never seen Seth take to someone so quickly. The boy had always been wary of new people, yet with Kayla, it was different.
Not only had he clung to her within minutes of meeting her, but now he was outright refusing to accept anyone else.
His lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t believe in coincidences.
A knock on the study door pulled him from his thoughts.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Seth peeked inside hesitantly.
“What is it?” Asher asked, setting his phone aside.
Seth shuffled in, his fingers twisting together. “You’re really not letting Elaine come back?”
Asher studied him for a moment before nodding. “No.”
Seth’s shoulders relaxed slightly. He hesitated, then asked, “Does that mean Kayla can come?”
Asher exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Seth—”
“I like her,” Seth cut in, looking up at his father with a determined expression. “She’s nice. And she doesn’t treat me like a baby.”
Asher’s brows furrowed. “Elaine treated you like a baby?”
Seth nodded, his small face scrunching in frustration. “She always told me what to do, like I couldn’t think for myself. Kayla doesn’t do that.”
There was something incredibly serious about the way Seth said it, as if this wasn’t just a child being stubborn but something deeper.
Asher studied his son carefully.
“…I’ll consider it.”
Seth’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“I said I’ll consider it.”
- Writer
