His Nanny, His Unplanned Love

Chapter 2

POV: Tristan

“What do you mean four containers of the shipment didn't arrive?”

I asked as I flipped through the pages of the files in my hand.

“Well, sir—” One director began.

But then ‘Don't you know, I'm still standing…’ began playing on my phone filling the room and I held up my hand, indicating for him to hold.

I didn’t even look at the caller ID. Because this ringing tone was for only one person.

My daughter.

“Sophie?” I said the second I answered.

But my housekeeper’s voice came on trembling. “Sir… Sophie is gone.”

The world stopped instantly.

“What the hell do you mean by gone?” I demanded, already standing up from my seat at the head of the table.

I heard the sound of chairs scraped loudly behind me as everyone in the boardroom turned to stare.

“We were at a children's cafe together. I excused myself to use the restroom.”

“And?”

“I—I asked her to wait for me,” she cried. “When I came back, she wasn’t there.”

I hung up.

I didn’t explain anything. I didn’t apologize to anyone. I didn’t even grab my jacket.

I just walked out of the room like no one was there.

Ever since my wife died, the world had become a dangerous place. It was too loud and too careless for me.

It had become a place that was just full of people who didn’t know how easily something precious could be taken away.

Or how someone precious could be taken away in the blink of an eye.

Sophie was all I had left now.

And I knew I was doing a crap job of being a father to her.

She had begged me this morning to let her go to the amusement park but I had been adamant with my answer, which was No.

That was why I asked the housekeeper to take her to the children's cafe.

And knowing Sophie, I was sure that she had gone to the amusement park.

I drove like a madman to the amusement park. It was near the estate, my hands on the steering wheel were so tight my knuckles were already turning white.

Right now, every horrible possibility was playing in my head.

What if she was kidnapped? Or what if she got into an accident.

I should never have let her out of the house today.

The moment I walked into the park, my eyes began scanning everywhere.

As long as nothing had happened, it would be very easy to find her.

I just needed to find that ginger hair.

I walked, looking, searching for about ten minutes.

And then I saw it.

Ginger hair shining under the sun.

Sophie.

She was sitting on a bench near the ice cream stand, her small legs swinging.

As she smiled while taking her ice cream.

Relief filled my bones so hard I almost fell to my knees.

Then I saw her.

A woman sitting beside Sophie. She was too close and I didn't like it. Sophie was laughing with this woman—i had not seen her laugh like that in months.

I felt something hot explode in my chest.

I couldn't name it.

I made my way toward them.

“Who the hell are you,” I snapped, my voice sharp with anger, “and what are you doing with my daughter?”

The woman turned fast.

Her eyes widened as she saw me but instead of moving away, she stood up and stepped in front of Sophie, shielding her with her body from me.

Like I was the danger.

I felt the anger double.

“Move away from her this minute.”

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice calm but firm.

“I’m her father. Who are you?” I said coldly.

Instead of answering my question, she turned to Sophie.

“Do you know this man, ginger? She asked.

Ginger?

“He's my daddy,” Sophie's small voice said.

“Oh.”

The woman finally moved, putting a little space between her and Sophie.

“What were you doing with my daughter?” I asked again.

I was already running out of patience.

“She was being followed,” the woman started. “He had been following her since she got here. He almost took her too.”

I looked down at Sophie. “Is that true?”

She nodded quickly. “Yes, Daddy. He was scary. But Naomi saved me.”

Naomi.

So that was her name.

I looked back at the woman.

The anger didn’t leave, but it shifted.

“Didn’t it occur to you that the right thing to have done was to take her to security,” I said harshly.

She raised a brow and scoffed. “And didn't it occur to you to make sure you keep your daughter safe and out of harm's way.”

I bit down hard on my teeth, clenching my jaw.

The nerve of this woman.

“You don’t get to tell me how to raise my daughter.” I snapped.

“Do you know she’s lonely,” she shot back. “Or are you just too busy to notice?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “I can take care of my own child. This is none of your business.”

She tilted her head to the side, sarcasm flickering in her eyes. “Funny. That’s exactly what every neglectful parent would say.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“Well if you like children so much,” I retorted cruelly, “why don't you have your own.”

I saw it immediately.

Her color on her face disappeared. Her lips opened slightly, like I’d slapped her without touching her. And the pain in her eyes.

Behind her, Sophie frowned.

“Daddy, that was mean,” Sophie said sharply. “You shouldn’t talk to her like that. She’s nice. She saved me. And she played with me all day and bought me ice cream and apple pie.”

I let out a small sigh as the guilt pricked my chest.

But it was just for a second.

I pulled my wallet from my pocket, pulled out my checkbook, and wrote quickly.

“Here,” I said, holding it out. “For what you did.”

She stared at the check.

Then she laughed softly. Not happy. Not amused.

It almost felt like she was… humiliated.

“I don’t want your money,” she said quietly.

Then she crouched in front of Sophie. “It was really nice meeting you, ginger.”

Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. “Can I see you again?”

The woman swallowed, giving me a look. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You have my phone number right? You can call me anytime.”

Sophie turned to me. “Daddy, please. Can she come home with us?” she begged desperately.

My body went on alert instantly.

“No,” I said firmly. “Get in the car, baby.”

Sophie hesitated, then obeyed and got into the car.

After buckling her in, I closed the door and turned back to the woman.

“You saved my daughter,” I said stiffly. “and I owe you a debt. But don’t try to get close to me through her.”

Her eyes hardened.

“Look here Mr. Man. I don't really give a damn who the f**k you are. And what did you just say, not to try and get close to you by using your daughter?”

I watched as she ran a hand through her hair, and let out a laugh. A very hateful one.

“I wouldn't want to be seen standing next to you, not to talk of even trying to get close to you, even if you were the last freaking man on earth.”

With every word she took a step closer until she was standing dangerously close to me.

And then with one last look, she turned and walked away.

I watched as the distance between us increased as she walked away.

I let out a scoff before I could stop it.

Nah…. It wasn't possible.

It was definitely a new style to make an impression on me. A new means to get me to notice her.

If it was, then she had another thing coming her way.