THE BILLIONAIRE'S NANNY

DINNER TO DISCUSS SOFIA

EPISODE 4: DINNER TO DISCUSS SOFIA

Day 4.

Sofia said "more" yesterday.

Two words. After 6 months of silence.

Mr. Bello didn’t come to dinner. He sent Mrs. Hayes to say he was "working late."

But I saw his office light on until 2 AM.

He was avoiding me. Or avoiding what happened.

---

At 6 PM the next day, there was a knock on my door.

It was Mrs. Hayes. "Mr. Bello requests your presence in the dining room. At 7. To discuss Sofia."

"Discuss Sofia?"

"Yes. Dinner attire." She looked at my jeans and t-shirt. "Something... nicer."

She left a dress bag on my bed before I could answer. Black. Simple. Expensive looking.

Lily was jumping on the bed. "Mama! Are you going on a date?!"

"No baby. It’s a meeting."

But my heart was beating weird.

---

At 7 PM sharp, I walked into the dining room.

It was different. Candles. Two plates. Wine glasses.

Soft music playing from somewhere.

And Mr. Bello.

He wasn’t in a suit. Black button-down. Sleeves rolled up. No tie. He looked... younger. Less tired.

He stood up when he saw me. "You came."

"Mrs. Hayes said it was about Sofia."

"Yes. Sit."

The table was huge. Too big for just two people.

A chef brought out food. Pasta. Salad. Bread.

We ate in silence for 5 minutes.

"So," I said finally. "About Sofia?"

He put his fork down. "She said ‘more’ yesterday."

"I know."

"I heard it from my office. I dropped my phone." He laughed, but it wasn’t really a laugh. "Six months. And the first word she says is to you and Lily. Not me."

There was pain in his voice.

"It’s not about you," I said quickly. "She’s just... she feels safe with us. With kids. No pressure."

"Do you think she’ll talk to me?"

"I think she will. When she’s ready."

He nodded. Took a sip of wine. "I’m not good at this. The nanny thing. The dad thing. After her mom left, I threw myself into work. I thought if I made enough money, I could fix everything."

"Money can’t fix silence," I said.

He looked at me. Really looked. "No. It can’t."

More silence. But it wasn’t awkward. It was... heavy.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

"You can ask."

"Why did you take this job? Really. Not the $4000 part."

I picked at my pasta. "Because of the eviction notice. And Lily. But also... because of her. Sofia. When I saw her knocking down those blocks, I saw myself. When my dad left. I stopped talking for 3 months too."

Mr. Bello went still. "You did?"

"Yeah. Until my mom started sitting with me every night. Not talking. Just sitting. Eating crackers. Watching cartoons. One day I asked for juice."

He was quiet. "My wife did that. Sit with her. After my mother died. Sofia was 2. She wouldn’t leave her side for weeks."

"What happened to her? To your wife?"

His jaw tightened. "She left. 6 months ago. Said she ‘couldn’t do this anymore’. The crying. The therapy. The broken kid. She packed a bag and left a note."

"That’s... awful."

"Yeah." He drained his wine. "So now it’s just me. And a house full of people who quit. And a daughter who won’t speak."

I didn’t know what to say. So I reached out. Touched his hand. Just for a second.

"I’m not going to quit."

He looked down at my hand. Then at me.

"Don’t say things you don’t mean, Amara."

"I mean it."

---

After dinner, he walked me to the door.

"Same time tomorrow?" I asked. "For breakfast with Sofia?"

"Yes." He paused. "And thank you. For dinner. And for... talking."

I smiled. "Anytime, Mr. Bello."

"Adrian," he said.

"Huh?"

"My name. You can call me Adrian. When it’s just us."

My face got hot. "Okay. Adrian."

---

Day 5 started better.

Sofia came to breakfast on her own. She sat next to Lily.

She didn’t talk. But when Lily dropped her spoon, Sofia picked it up and gave it back.

Progress.

At 10 AM, Adrian called me to his office.

"I have a problem," he said. No greeting.

"What’s wrong?"

"Board meeting. In New York. Tomorrow. Two days. I have to go."

My stomach dropped. "What about Sofia?"

"That’s why I called you. Can you... handle her? Alone? For two days?"

"Yes. Of course."

He looked relieved. Then stressed. "There’s a charity gala tomorrow night. It’s mandatory. Sofia has to come. She’s the face of the Bello Foundation. Photos. Donors. It’s 2 hours max."

"I don’t have a dress for that."

"I’ll have Mrs. Hayes get you one. And one for Lily. And Sofia." He ran a hand through his hair. "I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot."

"It’s okay. We’ll be fine."

---

The gala was in a hotel downtown. Gold everything. Cameras. Reporters.

Sofia was in a tiny pink dress. Hair in neat braids. She held my hand the whole time. Tight.

Lily was in a purple dress, spinning in circles. "Mama I’m a princess!"

Adrian was in a tux. He looked unfairly handsome.

He knelt in front of Sofia before we went in. "You don’t have to talk to anyone, okay? Just stay with Amara. 2 hours. Then we go home."

Sofia nodded. Once.

Inside, people kept coming up. "Mr. Bello! So good to see you! And this must be Sofia!"

Flash. Flash.

Sofia hid behind my legs.

Adrian put a hand on my back. "You okay?"

"Yeah. We’re okay."

An hour in, Sofia was getting tired. She leaned against me.

A woman in a red dress walked up. Tall. Blonde. Expensive.

"Adrian," she said. "Long time."

His whole body went stiff.

"Vanessa," he said. Cold.

My heart sank. Vanessa. The wife.

Vanessa looked at me. Then at Sofia holding my hand. Then she smiled. But it wasn’t nice.

"Oh. The new nanny. How... quaint." She crouched down to Sofia. "Hi baby. Mommy misses you."

Sofia didn’t move. Didn’t look up.

"Don’t," Adrian said. His voice was low. Dangerous.

"What? I’m just saying hi to my daughter."

"Your daughter who you abandoned."

The room went quiet. People were watching.

Vanessa stood up. "Careful, Adrian. I still have rights."

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

Vanessa looked at me. "You must be new. He goes through them fast. Don’t get attached, sweetie."

She walked away.

I was shaking.

Adrian looked at me. "I’m sorry. You didn’t need to see that."

"It’s okay."

He knelt again in front of Sofia. "Baby. We can go home now. Okay?"

Sofia looked up. At him. Directly.

And she nodded.

On the ride home, she fell asleep on me.

Adrian watched us the whole time.

---

Back at the house, he carried her to bed.

I followed.

He tucked her in. Whispered something I couldn’t hear.

When he came out, he looked wrecked.

"Thank you," he said. "For today. For holding her. For... everything."

"You don’t have to thank me."

"I do." He was standing too close. "Amara, I—"

His phone rang. He cursed. "Board. I have to take this."

He answered and walked away.

But before he left, he looked back.

And for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me.

---

Day 6. Adrian left for New York at 6 AM.

"You’ve got this," he said at the door. "Call me if anything."

"Okay."

He hesitated. Then he hugged me. Quick. Tight.

"Thank you," he whispered in my ear.

Then he was gone.

---

The day was good. Sofia and Lily played. Drew. Ate.

At night, Sofia had another nightmare.

I ran in. She was crying.

This time, I didn’t ask. I just got in bed with her. Held her.

She fell asleep holding my shirt.

At 3 AM, my phone buzzed. Unknown number. New York area code.

It was Adrian.

"Is she okay?" he whispered.

"She’s asleep. On me."

A long pause. "Send me a picture?"

I did. Of Sofia sleeping, holding my shirt, with the flower crown from Day 3 still on her head.

My phone buzzed again.

It was a text from Adrian:

"Thank you for not quitting."

Then another:

"Thank you for being there."

Then another:

"Come to my office when I get back. We need to talk. About more than Sofia."

My heart was pounding.

I typed back: "Okay."

I didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.

Rule 1: Don’t get attached.

I had officially broken every rule.

[END OF EPISODE 4]

What do you think Adrian wants to talk about? Work... or feelings? Comment! 👇

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