Chapter 9
1279 Words
★NINA★
“Auntie Nina! Auntie Nina!”
I heard the tiny, distant calling of my name coming all the way from upstairs. I was in the kitchen, clearing up the remnants of the lunch we’d just had, when Lila dragged her tiny self into the space, holding a book so big it completely covered her face.
“Auntie Nina, I was looking for you everywhere!” she huffed, shaking her head dramatically while I laughed.
Lila rounded the table and met me where I stood, leaning back against the counter.
“Aww, I’m sorry I stressed those tiny feet,” I teased.
She was dressed in one of her pink gowns, the skirt puffed out around her. I had to mentally commend Malachi for the kind of dresses he bought her.
“It’s alright,” she grinned. “See!” She lifted the book up to my face.
I took it from her and scanned the cover. “A drawing book?”
“Mm.” She bobbed her head, then sighed heavily. “Our creative arts teacher gave us an assignment to draw a planet.” She sighed again, shaking her head. “I’m good at everything but drawing, Auntie Nina.”
I laughed and nodded. I lifted Lila up and placed her on the counter, pulled out a stool, and sat beside her, placing the book on the table between us.
“I can help you draw the planet.”
Her eyes widened, lighting up with a wide smile. “Really? Yay!” Then she started speaking in a singsong voice. “If Auntie Nina draws my planet, the whole class will be jealous.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. Children—they were so lively and free.
I began sketching. Lila hadn’t specified which planet, but I made up my mind to draw Saturn—the planet with rings.
“Our creative arts teacher told us there are eight planets in the whole world,” she said, gesturing animatedly with her hands.
“Mm, I think so,” I replied absently, focused on the drawing.
“But she said it was once nine. But Pluto doesn’t exist anymore.” She dangled her legs and folded her arms. “If I was Pluto, I would feel betrayed that they don’t consider me a planet just because I’m too small.”
She grumbled, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my lips. I paused and took her in—her legs swinging back and forth, arms folded tightly, bright green eyes fixed on me.
“Don’t worry, my sweet girl.” I reached out and gently caressed her cheeks. “No one is betraying you because you’re small, okay? Even though you are small.” I winked.
She rolled her eyes, then chuckled.
Probably half an hour later, I presented Lila with her drawing.
She gasped, staring at the open page with wide, expressive eyes and a mouth rounded like a saucer. “Auntie Nina, this is beautiful!”
I chuckled, watching her reaction. For some reason, she reminded me of my little brother—of the family I might have had if what happened hadn’t happened.
“S. A. T. U. R. N. Saturn!” she spelled out proudly. “You drew Saturn!”
“Yes, I did. I like Saturn. It’s the most beautiful planet in the whole world.” I mimicked her voice, and we both burst into laughter.
We were cut off when the doorbell rang, and an all-too-familiar face appeared moments later.
“Ms. Cynthia,” Lila said over her shoulder.
She might not have noticed, but I saw the way her shoulders sagged at the sight of the woman. Who would like lessons after school?
Cynthia nodded curtly at Lila, then trained her sharp gaze on me. “How can you keep someone so little on such a high table? What if she fell?”
“I had my eyes on her the whole time. There was no way—”
“You could’ve looked away for a moment, and something would’ve happened,” Cynthia cut in harshly.
I frowned. Her behavior was uncalled for. “That is a baseless worry, Cynthia.”
I stood up and lifted Lila down from the table. Lila dragged her feet toward Cynthia.
“How would I blame you?” Cynthia sneered. “When it’s obvious you lack formal education.”
She turned and walked out of the kitchen, Lila struggling to keep up on her toes.
Tears stung my eyes, but I swallowed them down. I wasn’t going to let some hateful woman drag up a past I was trying so hard to bury.
I followed them upstairs. Cynthia didn’t let me into the room, so I sat outside on a chair, overhearing them. I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes.
“Nina?”
My head snapped up immediately at the sound of the voice, meeting Malachi’s gaze. Why was he back from work so early?
“Mr. Malachi.” I rose from the chair at once, just as Cynthia and Lila stepped out of the room. Had an hour already passed?
Cynthia’s gaze met mine, and she rolled her eyes. “Mr. Malachi, can I have a word with you?”
“Is it about my daughter?” His deep voice boomed down the passageway.
“No.” Cynthia shook her head. “It’s about the woman you hired as a nanny.”
My eyes widened. Malachi raised a brow, then softened his expression as he turned and crouched in front of Lila.
“Piccolina, do you mind stepping into your room for a moment?”
“Of course, Daddy!” she squealed, running past us into her room.
Malachi straightened, fixing Cynthia with a hard stare.
“I believe this woman is unfit and unstable to look after your daughter,” Cynthia said coolly.
I gasped, my eyes widening, but she continued without pause. “I don’t know why a nanny would place a four-year-old on a counter table bigger than her.”
“I already—”
Malachi raised his hand, stopping me from speaking. I felt my heart crack. Was he listening to her? I lowered my gaze to my socked feet, tears threatening to spill.
“And after chastising her for it,” Cynthia added, “she mentioned it was just a baseless worry.”
“Because it was exactly that, Cynthia.” His eyes narrowed. “I hired you to tutor my daughter, not to become a second watcher over how my family functions.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Cynthia’s ears redden with embarrassment. “I’m just—”
“You’re just nothing,” he seethed. “Do your job as Lila’s tutor and mind your business, or I’ll find someone else who can.”
Cynthia swallowed. “I’m sorry, Mr. Malachi.” She gave a curt bow and ran out of the room as if her heels were on fire.
My eyes remained downcast. I didn’t dare look up.
Polished red shoes came into view, and a finger gently lifted my chin. Malachi, in all his manly, gorgeous presence, stared down at me.
“Do not mind her. Don’t let anything she says get into your head.”
I nodded, at a loss for words. His cinnamon scent filled my senses. We stood there, staring at each other, until we both pulled away as if zapped.
“I… uh, let me check on Lila.”
He shook his head. “I’ll do that. You should rest.”
With that, he turned on his heels and made his way to Lila’s room.
- Writer
