THE BILLIONAIRE'S NANNY

CHAPTER ONE When Everything Falls Apart Rain had a way of making the city look lonely. It blurred the lights, emptied the sidewalks, and drowned every sound except the steady rhythm of water striking the pavement. Lena Hart barely noticed. She stood outside the apartment building with her shoulders soaked, clutching a thin folder against her chest as if it contained something priceless. In reality, it contained the opposite. Three rejection letters. Her résumé. Two recommendation letters from families who had once trusted her with their children. And a childcare certificate that seemed to matter less with every interview she attended. The bus pulled away, splashing muddy water across the curb. Lena didn't flinch. She was too busy staring at the building she had called home for the last four years. Home. The word felt fragile now. Taking a deep breath, she climbed the worn staircase, each step groaning beneath her weight. By the time she reached Apartment 3B, she was exhausted. Not physically. Emotionally. She reached into her pocket for her keys. Something white caught her attention. An envelope lay neatly tucked beneath the door. Her heartbeat slowed. Then quickened. She didn't have to open it to know what it was. Slowly, she bent down and picked it up. The words FINAL EVICTION NOTICE stared back at her in bold black print. For a moment, the hallway disappeared. The rain. The noise. Even the air around her. Everything faded until all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. Forty-eight hours. That was all the landlord was giving her. Forty-eight hours to pay months of overdue rent... ...or leave. Her fingers tightened around the letter until it crumpled. "Not today," she whispered to herself. "You don't get to fall apart today." She forced a smile onto her face before unlocking the apartment door. The apartment was tiny. A faded gray sofa sat against one wall. The wallpaper peeled near the ceiling where rainwater had seeped through over the years. A bucket rested beneath the familiar leak. Drip. Drip. Drip. It had become part of the soundtrack of their lives. From the kitchen came the comforting smell of tomato soup. "Lena?" A cheerful voice echoed through the apartment. Nine-year-old Emma appeared around the corner wearing oversized pajamas and mismatched socks, her long brown hair tied into a messy ponytail. The moment she saw her sister, she smiled. "You're home!" She threw herself into Lena's arms. The hug almost broke her. Lena closed her eyes, breathing in the faint scent of vanilla shampoo. This... This was why she couldn't give up. No matter how impossible life became. Emma looked up eagerly. "How did the interview go?" Lena hesitated. Only for a second. "It went..." She searched for the least painful word. "...fine." Emma tilted her head. "You didn't get it." Children noticed everything. Lena sighed softly. "No." Emma's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry." Lena frowned. "What are you apologizing for?" "If I wasn't here, you wouldn't have to work so hard." The words struck like a knife. Lena immediately knelt in front of her. "Emma." She gently held her sister's small hands. "Look at me." Emma slowly lifted her eyes. "You are never the reason life is difficult." "But" "No." Lena smiled through the ache in her chest. "You are the reason I keep fighting." Emma's eyes shimmered. "You promise?" "I promise." "And you never break promises." Lena swallowed hard. If only that were true. Later that evening, after Emma had finished her homework and fallen asleep on the couch with a book resting on her chest, Lena quietly carried her to bed. She tucked the blanket around her. The little rabbit Emma had slept with since childhood was still clutched tightly in her arms. It had once belonged to their mother. Lena gently kissed Emma's forehead. "I'll fix this." She wasn't sure whether she was making a promise... ...or begging fate to let her. The apartment felt painfully quiet afterward. Lena walked back into the kitchen and finally unfolded the eviction notice. Outstanding balance must be paid within forty-eight hours. Otherwise... Immediate removal. She closed her eyes. The hospital bills from her parents' accident had swallowed nearly every savings they had. She had worked two jobs. Sold jewelry. Skipped meals. Taken temporary childcare work whenever she could find it. Still... It wasn't enough. Her phone buzzed. An email notification. She almost ignored it. Another rejection. Another polite apology. Another reminder that hope was expensive. Instead, she opened it. Subject: Interview Invitation Her heart skipped. She read the sender's name twice. Harrison & Cole Domestic Recruitment Agency A private client was looking for a live-in childcare professional. Excellent salary. Immediate start. The interview... ...was tomorrow morning. Lena blinked. She didn't recognize the family's name. There wasn't one. Only an address. A luxury district she had only ever seen from the bus window. She whispered a silent prayer. "Please..." "This time." "Let it be enough." Outside... The rain began to fall again. And somewhere across the city... A little girl who hadn't smiled in nearly three years stood alone in a mansion that felt emptier than ever. Neither of them knew... By this time tomorrow... Their lives would collide.