The Billionaire's Housewife

CHAPTER THREE

"Am I still on the right path?" Ava asked herself as she looked at the GPS map on her phone. She had been walking for 15 mins and all she could see around her was woods and a clear lake. A twig snapped underneath her foot startling her. "These rich people live away from civilization" she muttered. She dialled the number Yolanda had given her again but there was no reception. She regretted running out on Ryan the previous week, her sister got to her grandmother before she did and so, she was of no practical use there. She thought about the job that she might have missed, she had studied Contemporary Art in college before she dropped out but with her little knowledge, Ryan could have gotten her a job under Melanie. She had gone back to the venue the next day but Melanie was nowhere to be found and none of the staff there seemed to know the name Ryan.

So now, she was jobless and without any significant connections, so she decided to go after the nanny offer. Her grandmother had asked her how she went from being a brilliant student to considering becoming a glorified babysitter. Ava heaved a sigh, she had bills to pay and they wouldn't pay themselves.

She raised her arms in search of a signal and as she looked up she saw a roof she hadn't seen before with all the tall trees in view.

"Just great" she exclaimed, "what better way to announce I am rich and I don't know what to do with my money than to build a mansion on top of a hill" she said grunting in frustration. She was immediately grateful that she was wearing these boots as opposed to the new heels she had bought specially to impress her prospective rich boss. She took it off remembering that she might be running after a spoiled brat afterall.

"Stupid navigation system" Ava yelled at her phone in frustration, "you don't mean to tell me that these rich folks ride their fancy cars up this hill in the woods".

She tied up her messy blonde hair into a ponytail and walked towards the direction of the roof she had seen.

After what seemed like forever, she arrived at the most beautiful view she has ever seen. She checked the address again just to be sure. The gates and high walls housed the biggest mansion she had ever seen. The gates were slightly opened so she walked in.

Ava gasped, The view was breathtaking, the mansion was white and seemingly endless with so many windows. She tried to count but gave up after 20. There was a beautifully manicured maze of hedges on the left, a beautiful garden of flowers by the right and a fountain just right in the middle. Ava couldn't believe her eyes. "There was no way all this belonged to one person" she thought to herself.

She walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. In a minute, she felt so underdressed and wished she wore something more worthy of the scenery.

She untied her hair, letting it fall on her shoulders and she rang the doorbell again but there was still no response. She took a few steps backwards and looked around, "there was no way a family that lives in a house like this needed a nanny" she thought to herself. She had just successfully deluded herself into thinking that she could work here.

Just as she turned around to leave, the door creaked behind her. She turned around and she saw a plump rosy woman probably well into her fifties, she was clutching a little boy who was fast asleep in her arms

"You rang" the woman asked peering at her

"I'm here for a Mr Dean" Ava said, finding her words.

"Who's asking" she asked sizing her up

"Ava…Ava Walker… I called earlier about the nanny offer" Ava said, struggling for words. After an awkward battle of silence, she answered "I'm the housekeeper, do come in" the woman said, opening the door wider to let her in.

Ava sized the child she came for, it didn't seem like it would be so much of a hassle taking care of one toddler.

She took a look around the living room, wondering how long she would have to work before she could afford a house like that.

"Watch where you're going" a masculine voice scolded her.

"Thank you" Ava mumbled, immediately feeling embarrassed and looking to see The direction the voice had come from.

And there he was coming down the stairs,

His dark shiny hair was held in a man bun. He looked just like the underwear models on magazine covers Ava had while in college.

Ava knew he would look even better underneath his rumpled T-shirt, she swallowed hard, shaking his shirtless image from her head.

On getting closer, Ava knew that this new job was going to be interesting.

"Ryan" she called out with a smile

"Well if it isn't Cinderella" he said smirking, should we call this fate he said peering into her eyes on getting close enough.

Ava's heart fluttered, this man had a grip on her and he seemed to know it.

"Was that Lily?" She asked, gesturing at the child the housekeeper was holding.

"No, Lily is having a nap, that's Ray, Lily's twin brother, you would have met him if you didn't run away the last time" Ryan said.

Ava rolled her eyes, she knew that it would take a long time before she was forgiven but on the other hand, she didn't really envisage being a nanny to two children.

"Have a seat" Ryan said, offering her a cup of coffee.

"The resume you sent says that you have no professional childcare qualifications" Ryan said, sitting on the couch adjacent her, "So what makes you believe you can handle this"

Ava didn't see that question coming, was he expecting her to go to school and study just to be a Nanny? She chuckled but immediately composed herself.

"I raised myself and my younger sister, and I believe I did a quite decent job, I mean she's in med school and not a h****n addict" Ava attempted to joke but her joke wasn't received quite well.

What are the working conditions"? She asked whipping out her notepad to avoid the awkwardness.

"The twins have had over five nannies since their mother's passing and none of them was impressive enough to keep around, the last one thought that it would be a good idea to sleep with my chauffeur so I had them both fired" Ryan said.

Ava wondered what the story had to do with her but she kept mute.

"The twins need more than just a nanny that can leave anytime, I want them to grow up in a normal family, I'll pay you whatever you think you're worth" He said, his slow gaze piercing into her.

"Marry me, Ava" Ryan said softly,

Ava's jaw dropped.