Entangled With The Mafia

Episode3

Chapter 03

Julian POV

The drive home felt longer than it should have. The weight of the day, the endless calls and meetings, hung over me like a thick cloud. I just wanted to get home, retreat into the solitude of my estate, and forget about everything for a while. But then, as I rounded the corner near the gate, I saw something that made me slam on the brakes.

In the middle of the road, there were three small figures—no older than four—standing frozen. My heart skipped a beat, my hands gripping the steering wheel tighter as I tried to process what I was seeing.

“s**t,” I muttered under my breath, slamming my foot down on the brake. The car screeched to a halt just inches from the kids.

I stared at them for a moment, not sure if they were real or if I was seeing things. They didn’t move. The seconds felt like hours.

And then, before I could react, I saw her.

A woman—some stranger—was rushing toward them, pulling them from the street just in time. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t second-guess herself. It was like she knew exactly what she was doing. The children were still crying, but she handled them with such care, with such ease, it was almost as if they were her own.

I couldn’t quite place her, but there was something about her. The way she moved, the way she spoke to them, the way her hands touched their faces—there was a quiet confidence in her, something familiar, but I couldn’t figure it out. I wanted to be angry. I should have been angry. But there was something else, something nagging at me.

I put the car in park and got out, moving toward her.

“Are they alright?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with concern, but there was a hint of something else too—frustration, maybe. “They’re fine. Just scared,” she said, her voice shaky but firm.

I glanced at the kids. They were still trembling, their small bodies shaking in her arms. They looked up at me, their faces pale, tears still streaking down their cheeks. I pulled them toward me instinctively, wrapping my arms around them.

“Daddy!” they cried, their voices overlapping in a chorus of relief.

“Don’t worry,” I murmured, my voice softer now. “You’re safe.”

But as I looked down at them, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anger. What the hell were they doing in the middle of the street? Where was their nanny?

I turned back to the woman. “Where’s their nanny?” I asked, my voice a little sharper now.

She flinched, looking down at the kids for a moment before answering. “I—I don’t know. I was just trying to help them.”

I stared at her for a moment, my mind racing. This was insane. How had this happened? Who lets their children run into the street like that?

But the woman didn’t seem like the person I should be directing my anger at. She was just some stranger who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

I turned away, pulling the kids toward the car. “Let’s go home,” I muttered, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in my gut.

I got them in the car and buckled them in quickly, my hands moving with the kind of efficiency that came from years of practice. They were still quiet now, their little faces pressed against the window as we drove away.

The housekeeper was waiting for us when we got home.

“Take care of them,” I said, my voice clipped. “Get them changed, put them to bed. They need rest.”

She nodded, concern written on her face, and took the children from me without a word.

I watched her walk off with them, my mind still spinning. I couldn’t get the image of that woman out of my head. There was something about her, something that didn’t sit right with me. But I pushed the thought aside as I made my way toward the pool.

Devon was lounging by the pool, as usual, sipping from a glass that was half-filled with something amber. He had his feet kicked up, his sunglasses on, looking completely unbothered by the chaos of the day.

“Devon,” I called out, walking over to the poolside.

He looked up lazily, his expression shifting from one of contentment to mild curiosity. “Julian, my man. What’s going on? You look like someone pissed in your cereal.”

I scowled, sitting down on one of the chairs nearby. “It’s been a long day.”

Devon let out a short laugh. “Yeah, I can tell. But you don’t look like you’re in the mood for a joke, so what happened?”

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the frustration that was still bubbling up inside me. “I was driving home, and I saw the kids in the middle of the road. I almost hit them. And then this woman—some stranger—pulls them out of the street just in time.”

Devon raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “A stranger, huh? That’s a bit odd.”

I nodded, trying to calm myself down. “Yeah, it was. I don’t know who she was, but she handled the kids like she was their mother. It was almost like she was meant to be there.”

Devon smirked, clearly amused. “You’ve got a thing for this mystery woman, don’t you?”

I glared at him. “No, I don’t. I’m just trying to figure out what the hell happened. Who lets their kids run into the street like that? Where the hell was their nanny?”

Devon shrugged nonchalantly, taking another sip from his glass. “Who knows? People are stupid, man. You should know that by now.”

I wasn’t in the mood for his flippant attitude, but I couldn’t help but let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t get it. The nanny should’ve been with them. But no, some random woman has to step in and save the day. And then she couldn’t even tell me where the hell their nanny was.”

Devon raised an eyebrow, clearly more interested in my frustration than the situation itself. “Well, it’s not like she did anything wrong. She saved your kids, right?”

I shook my head. “I know. I’m not angry at her. But still, this whole thing feels... off.”

Devon leaned back in his chair, his feet still propped up, his tone casual. “You’ve been under a lot of stress lately, Julian. Maybe you’re just looking for something to latch onto.”

I didn’t respond right away. Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. Devon was right about one thing: I had been under a lot of stress. But this? This wasn’t just about stress. There was something about that woman, something that I couldn’t shake.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” Devon asked, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I frowned. “I don’t know. I had to fire the nanny. The whole thing was a mess.”

Devon snorted, clearly amused. “Well, that’s one way to deal with it. You just can’t keep a nanny around if she’s that careless, huh?”

“Exactly,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “But now I have to find someone else. And I don’t want to go through this again.”

Devon tilted his head, his playful smirk never leaving his face. “Why don’t you just go to one of those nanny agencies? You know, the ones where they already vet the candidates for you? It’ll save you a lot of trouble.”

I glanced at him, considering the idea. “Yeah, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll check it out.”

Devon leaned forward, clearly excited by the prospect of getting me to do something for once. “See? I knew I’d get you to listen eventually. You’ll be able to find someone decent without the hassle.”

I leaned back in my chair, letting out a long sigh. “Yeah, I guess so.”

After a few moments of silence, I stood up and made my way inside. Devon’s voice drifted after me. “Hey, Julian! Don’t forget to put in that urgent request for the nanny!”

I nodded, but my mind wasn’t on the nanny anymore. It kept going back to the woman. What was she doing in that place? Why had she been there?

I sat down at my desk and pulled out my phone, searching for nanny agencies. After a few clicks, I found one that seemed promising. I filled out the form, marking it as urgent.

Once I submitted it, I leaned back in my chair, trying to shake off the unease. I needed a nanny. But my mind kept wanderin

g back to her—the woman who had saved my kids.

But for now, I had to focus on finding someone reliable.