The Billionaire’s Nanny

Chapter Three

The Carter estate was the kind of place you only saw in magazines. White stone walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, palm trees lining the driveway, and gates so tall they screamed one thing: untouchable.

I stood outside the massive double doors, my palms sweaty despite the soft ocean breeze. My whole life fit inside the small tote bag slung over my shoulder, but here I was, stepping into a world that ran on billions, power, and names that never had to wait in line for anything.

The door opened, and Mrs. Rivera, the housekeeper I’d met before, greeted me with her kind smile. “Good morning, Miss Rodriguez. Come in. Liam has been asking about you since sunrise.”

My heart softened instantly. “Has he?”

“Sí. He didn’t even want breakfast until he knew you were really coming.”

I followed her into the house, trying not to gape like a tourist. The foyer alone could’ve fit my entire apartment. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating sleek furniture and carefully chosen art. Everything looked expensive but cold, like no one actually lived here, just passed through.

Before I could take another step, a blur of curls and energy collided into me.

“Angel!” Liam squealed, wrapping his little arms around my waist.

I laughed, bending down to hug him back. “Good morning, superhero. Did you save the world yet today?”

“Not yet. But I will after pancakes!” he said proudly.

“Pancakes first, saving the world second,” I teased, brushing his curls back. His smile was so pure, so unfiltered, it made the house feel less intimidating.

“Liam.” Dean’s voice cut through the air like ice water.

I glanced up to see him descending the staircase, dressed in a crisp gray suit that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. His presence filled the room effortlessly, commanding, cold.

“Daddy, Angel’s here!” Liam said, bouncing. “Can she eat pancakes with me?”

Dean’s gaze flicked to me, unreadable. “She’s here to work, Liam, not to play.”

The words stung more than I wanted to admit. Still, I forced a polite smile. “It’s fine. Why don’t you finish your breakfast, Liam? I’ll be here when you’re done.”

Liam pouted but obeyed, dashing back toward the dining room.

Dean stopped at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes sweeping over me like he was cataloging every detail. “You’re Early.”

“I thought it would be best,” I said, standing straighter. “To make a good impression.”

One corner of his mouth twitched, though not in amusement. “Impressions don’t matter. Results do.”

I clenched my jaw, swallowing the retort that bubbled up. No matter how cold he was, I needed this job. For Mom. For our debt. For survival.

Mrs. Rivera cleared her throat softly, diffusing the tension. “Miss Rodriguez, let me show you the house and Liam’s routines.”

Dean nodded curtly, already moving toward the door. “I’ll be gone most of the day. If anything comes up, call Mrs. Rivera first. Don’t call me unless it’s urgent.”

And just like that, he was gone.

The silence he left behind was heavy, but Mrs. Rivera gave me a sympathetic look. “Don’t take it personally, mija. Mr. Carter… he hasn’t been himself since…” She hesitated, lowering her voice. “Since Liam’s mother passed.”

I nodded, the pieces clicking into place. His coldness wasn’t just personality; it was grief hardened into armor.

Still, armor or not, it made it impossible to breathe around.

THe rest of the morning passed in a whirlwind. Mrs. Rivera walked me through the estate: the sprawling backyard with its infinity pool, the guesthouse larger than my apartment building, the library lined with books Liam probably wouldn’t touch for another ten years.

“Liam’s room is here,” she said, opening a door to a space that looked like a child’s dream. Dinosaurs, superheroes, Lego sets, everything money could buy, yet somehow it still felt lonely.

Liam tugged me inside eagerly. “Look! I have a T. rex bigger than me!”

I laughed. “That’s because you are a T. rex, remember?”

He grinned and stomped around the room, roaring so loudly that Mrs. Rivera shook her head, chuckling. “You see, he likes you already.”

My chest warmed. Maybe, just maybe, I could do this.

We spent the afternoon building Lego towers, reading picture books, and playing in the garden. Liam’s laughter echoed through the air, and I realized I hadn’t heard him cry once. Not even a whine. He was starved for attention, not toys.

When I tucked him in for his nap, he grabbed my hand. “You’ll be here when I wake up, right?”

“Yes, superhero. I’ll be right here.”

His eyes fluttered shut, and I sat there for a moment, watching his little chest rise and fall. How could someone so small carry so much loneliness?

It was later, when I went downstairs to grab a glass of water, that I found Dean back in the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter, jacket off, tie loosened, sleeves rolled up. For a split second, he looked… human.

But then his eyes snapped to me, sharp again.

“You’re still here,” he said, as if I’d overstayed my welcome.

“I put Liam down for his nap,” I explained. “He asked me to stay.”

His jaw ticked. “He gets attached easily. Don’t encourage it.”

The words hit me like a slap. “He’s a child, Mr. Carter. He needs comfort. Attachment isn’t a weakness.”

His eyes darkened, and for a terrifying second, I thought I’d crossed a line. But instead of anger, there was something else in his expression. Something raw.

“Everyone leaves, Miss Rodriguez,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “It’s better he doesn’t expect otherwise.”

My heart squeezed. The man wasn’t just cold, he was broken.

I wanted to say something, to push back, but Liam’s soft voice called from upstairs. “Angel?”

I straightened, meeting Dean’s eyes. “He needs me.”

And before he could reply, I walked away.

That night, when I finally left the Carter estate, exhaustion clung to me. But so did something else, a quiet determination.

Dean Carter might not trust me. He might even despise me.

But Liam did. And that was enough.

For now.