Mine To Claim

Chapter-5

Anna

I followed him quietly, too nervous to even look around. He was again looking pissed. God only knows why.

"Mr. Walton, did I do something wrong?" I asked, at last no longer able to hold my tongue.

He immediately stopped and turned toward me with grave eyes, making me regret my decision to speak.

He leaned a little closer and said "I don't appreciate my employee fraternizing beyond required."

"Oh" was all I could say, not because I find any logic in that stupid rule, but because his closeness was making me dizzy with his lips inches away from mine. I could smell his musky cologne.

Thankfully, he moved back and I took a deep breath to bring my mind back to normal. We finally started walking again.

I shifted all my focus to admiring the beautiful house and the painting on the wall this time. I wanted to ask him how did they communicate in such a big house but didn't take that risk.

Finally, he stopped in front of a room and he showed me in. It was the dream room of every kid, it was colorful and full of toys.

Liam was sitting in the corner looking out of the window quietly. I felt a pit form in my stomach, I wanted to hug him tight and tell him that no waiting at the door for hours wouldn't bring them back. I used to do it all the time not believing my aunt's saying"They can't come back because God called them to become stars".

"Liam, I want you to meet someone." Mr. Walton said, and I was happily surprised to see how much his tone had softened.

Liam came toward us slowly, the whole time his eyes on Mr. Walton.

"This is your new nanny, Anna. Say hi to her"

"No, I don't want any nanny, tell her to leave me alone." he huffed and sat on the bed.

"That's no way to talk, Liam,"

Mr. Walton started walking toward her but I stopped him with my hand, which I immediately removed and, thankfully, he backed off without saying anything.

I went to the kid and sat beside him. He looked at me for a second, then again, brought his eyes down on the floor. "You really don't want me to be here?"

He just moved his head to say no.

I sighed, "Ok, then I will leave tomorrow, but I have one condition."

"What?" he said so slowly that it was hardly audible.

"You know, I am scared of being alone at night, at home, I have my friends around me but I am staying here today. I don't want to get scared. Will you help me?"

"Me. How?" he asked with a little curiosity.

"You know Mr. Walton told me how brave you are". I looked up at him and he nodded, making Liam smile. He had a beautiful smile and I wish to see it often. I continued, "So will you spend this evening with me so that I can learn to be brave too?" I looked at him hopefully.

Liam didn't answer immediately and I was starting to get worried but he finally said "okay".

I smiled brightly, wooh I did it, it was a really good start.

"Okay, then I will leave you at it," Mr. Walton said and left without a backward glance. It looked like he was just waiting to get out of here. What did you expect, Anna, that a handsome billionaire would wait and watch you play with kids? He would have thousands of important matters in the business or maybe his girlfriend was waiting.

"Will you paint with me?" Liam said, bringing me back to reality. I am spacing out too often nowadays.

"Sure, let's paint my little Picasso". With that, we spent the next hour we painted everything and even each other's faces. We created such a mess.

This is why I love my job, no stress, just happy kids and having fun. I also taught him the names of the colors. Every time he got the right answer, he painted one of my fingers and every time he says the wrong color name, I got to paint his finger.

After we both got tired, I filled the bathtub for him and I got him all cleaned up. He still didn't speak much but he giggled every time I splashed water at him.

I had washed my hands but my face and clothes were still full of paint, but Liam was very hungry. So I took him to the dining table before going to change.

I entered the room and couldn't help but admire the beauty of the room. It was one like those shown in movies. There were chandeliers hanging and a long wooden table in the center with chairs around it and silver cutlery arranged aesthetically.

There was no one in the room so I settled Liam on a chair.

"I will get food, till then sit here, okay?" I asked and he simply nodded.

I walked around to find someone and I got lost within five minutes. I need a map to navigate here. I finally found a woman standing with her back to me.

"Excuse me," I said.

She turned around in slow motion, yeah I am not kidding. She was beautiful and was wearing a business suit and her hair was properly tied in a bun.

"Yes, "

"Hi, I am Anna. Actually, it's my first day here and I couldn't find my way to the kitchen."

"Oh, so you are the new nanny" she looked me up and down, then looked up at my face." Sorry, it's just that you are not what I was expecting."

"What do you mean?"

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, it's just that all of Mr. Walton's employees are a little more...uhm sophisticated." she snorted.

"And judgemental also. No, I am not offended at all because I have no interest in wearing the most uncomfortable clothes and spend my life buried in paperwork just to be called sophisticated." I said with a satisfied smile, but of course, that didn't last long.

"What's happening here?" came the voice from behind and it was none other than Mr. Walton himself.