The Billionaire’s Nanny

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

MUMMY?

“S.”

“P.”

“R.”

“Y.”

Amelia wriggled her nose as she stared down at the page.

“Hmm…”

Lily’s smile immediately disappeared. “What?”

Amelia held the suspense for one more second before bursting into laughter. “Just kidding.”

“You got it right.”

Lily let out a dramatic sigh. “You’re mean.”

Amelia chuckled. “I prefer motivational.”

She tapped the page with a finger. “And that’s every single word.”

“You got them all right.”

Lily’s eyes lit up. “Great!”

“That was the last one, right?”

“Well…” Amelia teased, “someone sounds excited.”

Before Amelia could say another word, Lily jumped off the couch, revealing a gold envelope she had been sitting on until now.

She grabbed it almost instantly, making her way to the door.

“Wait a minute,” Amelia called with a laugh.

Lily paused just long enough to look back.

Amelia pointed at the envelope. “And what’s that?”

Lily quickly hid it behind her back, a wide grin spread across her face.

“It’s for Daddy.”

She then spun around and dashed out of the room before Amelia could respond.

Amelia shook her head, smiling in amusement.

Gathering the spelling books into her arms, she made her way upstairs to Lily’s bedroom.

She wobbled on her tiptoes, carefully placing each book onto the top shelf.

She was just about to return the last one when laughter drifted through the open window.

Curious, she looked outside.

Lily was running across the courtyard, waving the envelope above her head.

Derek looked up from the row of flower beds he had been watering and set the watering can aside.

He met her halfway, a large smile on his face.

Lily eagerly shoved the envelope into his hands.

“What’s this?” he asked, still smiling.

Lily gave no reply, instead, she took his hand and led him to one of the garden benches to sit.

Amelia couldn’t see what was written inside, but she didn’t need to.

Derek’s face said enough.

“All A’s!” he exclaimed, smiling even wider as he pulled Lily into a hug. “That’s my girl.”

Lily giggled. “Amelia helped me study.”

Derek looked toward the house with a small smirk.

“Looks like someone has a very good teacher.”

Lily beamed.

Amelia found herself smiling too.

Watching them together filled her with so much warmth.

They looked so peaceful.

For the first time since she arrived at Sebastian Manor…

She let herself hope.

Maybe there was a reason Derek couldn’t remember her.

A simple explanation she just didn’t know yet.

She had been so consumed by everything she had lost that she had never stopped to consider there might be another answer.

Maybe if she just talked to him, everything would finally make sense.

Maybe it wasn’t too late.

Just then, her elbow knocked over a small can of blue paint from the windowsill.

It tumbled to the floor before splashing across the front of Amelia’s dress.

“Not again,” she muttered, examining the stain.

She headed into Lily’s bathroom, ran a washcloth under the tap, and began dabbing at the stain.

Movement outside the window caught her attention.

A sleek black SUV cruised through the estate gates.

Almost instantly, something changed.

Everywhere fell into complete silence.

The staff who had been working suddenly stood at attention.

Mrs. Potts appeared moments later, equally stiff, with her hands clasped infront of her.

Everyone’s attention was fixed on the approaching vehicle.

Amelia peered closer.

Whoever was inside clearly had a lot of authority over the Manor.

The SUV came to a stop, and the driver stepped out immediately.

He half-jogged to the rear door, straightened himself, and with one hand behind his back, he pulled it open.

A pair of sharp oxblood heels came into view and elegantly touched the stone driveway.

Then a woman stepped out.

Amelia’s heart dropped.

Before she could make sense of what she was seeing, Lily came running.

“Mommy!” Her small voice rang.

The woman caught her easily, smiling as she placed multiple kisses across her face.

Then Derek too walked over.

He leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek.

She looked into his eyes, still smiling, she caressed his face gently.

The world around Amelia seemed to blur.

Her breathing turned shallow.

Every ounce of hope she had gathered…

Shattered to pieces

Then the woman slowly lifted her gaze and looked straight at the bathroom window

Straight at Amelia.

Time suddenly seemed to stop.

Neither woman moved.

Neither woman looked away.