Between Love, Pain and A Contract

I had told him I would be coming to see him in less than thirty minutes. I could barely contain my excitement. I needed to share the good news with him in person. I headed toward the gate and glanced at a picture of Garrett and his handsome adopted son, Frances, on my phone. I had nannied Frances for over two years. I did it after my office hours, often sleeping over just to make it to work on time the next morning. Somewhere along the line, I fell deeply in love with Garrett. As I approached the main living room, a sharp, stern voice sliced through the air. My heart plummeted to my stomach. I staggered back a step, stunned. “Is that Garrett’s voice?” I whispered to myself, creeping closer to listen. It was him. But what I heard next crushed me. “No matter what, Frances… she can’t be your mother!” Garrett’s voice thundered. “Dad, but I know you love her,” Frances pleaded softly, his voice laced with sorrow. “Don’t you dare speak of love, Frances. What do you know about love?” Garrett snapped. “I don’t love her. I never have, and I never will.” It hit me like a slap. My vision blurred. My heart twisted. “But I want her to be my mummy. I want only her,” Frances cried. “Dad… Dad…!” His face was wrecked with emotion. “That will never happen. The only reason I allowed her into our lives as your godmother or nanny was because of the bond you had with her when she was your class teacher, before you were adopted. And that will end very soon!” Tears spilled freely down my cheeks. My fingers trembled, and the letter of good news I had been holding slipped from my grasp. Garrett turned and noticed me standing there like a statue. He let out a sharp sigh, as if he'd seen a ghost. “Oh… you’re here already. I wasn’t expecting you this quickly,” he said coldly, pretending I hadn’t heard anything. I said nothing. My throat tightened as Frances ran to me and hugged me tightly. “Mummy, I’m so sorry…” Still, I couldn’t speak. Then he noticed the letter on the floor. He picked it up and read it, his eyes lighting up. “Oh my!” he beamed. “Finally, Mum, you're close to getting what you've always dreamed of.” Then his face fell. “But…” “But what?” Garrett asked, now looking curious and confused. “What’s in that letter, Frances?” Before Frances could respond, Garrett moved closer and snatched the letter from his hands. He read it aloud, then scoffed. “Congratulations. This is beautiful, Sherlock. Your dream is about to come true,” he said flatly. “Daddy, but how is this beautiful? Are you saying you’ll marry her just to meet her office demands?” Frances asked, confused. “Go to your room now! This is none of your business!” Garrett barked. Frances flinched and ran upstairs without looking back. I slumped onto the couch, weeping. “I can’t believe you,” I whispered. “My career… my dream is on the line, and you’re mocking it.” “What do you want me to do?” Garrett asked coldly. “Let’s get married! That’s the only way I can be promoted to Head Teacher, and you know it. Being married and being a mother is a requirement. This is the opportunity I’ve been praying for.” He stared at me with hard eyes. “That’s your dream. Not mine.” I moved closer, wiping my tears with trembling fingers. “Can’t you see? This is an opportunity. Our biggest wish is about to come true…” “Oh, take it back! It is not our wish. It’s your wish!” he interrupted sharply. “I’m not interested in playing your games.” He turned away. “ In fact, your work with Frances ends today.” My heart dropped. “No! Garrett, you can't be serious!” I gasped, stunned. “Do I look like I’m joking? I don’t ever want to see you again,” he shouted. “You’re throwing everything away, our bond, our memories…” “We never had anything,” he growled. “You’re just forcing yourself into my life.” “But I know you love me. You’re only denying it because you blame yourself for your wife’s death. Don’t punish your heart for it,” I said, desperate. “Just admit it! I saw how you looked at me while tutoring Frances. Frances told me it was you who sponsored my birthday last year, not my boss. And the necklace, your late wife’s necklace, you gave it to me as a gift. And you said you only give your necklace to someone special. You felt it too, Garrett. The connection. I know you do.” He stepped back, eyes flaring with annoyance. “No, Sherlock. You’re lying to yourself. I don’t love you. Whatever bond you think exists between us, it’s empty. I did all that because I’m generous. Don’t mistake it for more than it was.” I felt the air leave my lungs. “And Frances?” I choked out. “What about him?” “I’ll take care of him myself. We don’t need you.” His words sliced through me like blades. I slumped onto the couch again, burying my face in my hands, tears refusing to stop. What should I do now? My career? My promotion, the one I prayed for every night? Was I always destined to be unlucky in love? Why couldn’t I marry the man I truly loved? The one I had crushed on for years. Garrett had it all: the looks, the money, the physique. CEO of one of the biggest toy companies in California. I thought fate had finally smiled at me when he came to our kindergarten to donate toys. When he hired me as Frances’s nanny, I thought it meant something. I thought I was chosen. Special. But now… “Can you please leave?” he said, pointing toward the door, snapping me out of my thoughts. “You have no mercy,” I whispered. “I don’t know why I love you, why l feel this crush… but…” “No, continue! But what?” he snapped. “It’s not by force to be in someone’s life. You’re not my type and you know it.” “Wow…” I whispered. My knees buckled slightly as I stepped back, sobbing. Just then, my phone buzzed. A message from Nurse Calista flashed across the screen: “Where are you? You have to come now! Your mom has a 50-50 chance of surviving.” “Mom!!!” I screamed, throwing my phone to the floor, not caring where it landed. “What?” Garrett turned, startled. “No!… no!… this can’t be happening.” My voice cracked as I fell to my knees. The cold tiles bit into my Skin as my sobs echoed through the room, raw and helpless.