Ashley stirred awake to the gentle hum of birdsong outside her window. Sunlight streamed through the large bay windows of her guest room, painting soft golden patterns on the tiled floor. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then, reality set back in. She was in Peter's mansion as Annie's new nanny.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her curly hair puffed around her face like a sleepy halo. Glancing at the clock on the wall—6:30 AM. She figured she should check on Anna and get familiar with the morning routine. She walked into the hallway, she tried to remember the room layout James had pointed out. Three doors down. Or four?
Ashley took a chance and pushed open a door gently.
"Hey, Annie, good mor—"
A loud, startled scream erupted from inside.
Ashley gasped.
Desmond.
He stood half-naked in front of a full-length mirror, frozen in place like a deer caught in headlights.
"WHAT THE HELL?" he said, raising a brow and staring right at Annie. "Who let you in here?!"
Ashley turned her breath hanging. "I—I thought this was Anna's room! I'm so sorry!"
Desmond narrowed his eyes. "You thought? Who are you even? What kind of person just walks into rooms without knocking?"
Before Ashley could respond, a cold, composed voice came from the hallway.
"I'm guessing she's the new Nanny. I wonder what this one is up to. Quitting after a month? Or hurting Annie when she acts up?."
Ashley turned to see Sandra standing in her silk robe, hair wrapped in a towel like a crown. Her expression was unreadable—neither surprised nor friendly.
"Excuse me?," Ashley asked.
"You some pervert or what. You walk around entering people's rooms without knocking. Who's next? My dad?"
"That's enough San!" A voice came from the hallway. It was Peter. He turned and went into his study.
Ashley looked at San "I'm sorry."
Sandra gave a smirk and turned back to her room. Desmond kept muttering under his breath as Ashley retreated, burning with embarrassment.
By the time she reached the kitchen, most of the household staff were bustling about. Thelma offered her a cup of coffee with a warm smile. Marie, on the other hand, barely acknowledged her.
James leaned against the counter, watching her.
"Strike one," he said under his breath to Thelma.
Thelma smirked. "You all bet too soon. Give her a week."
Ashley sighed and took a sip from her mug. The mansion was bigger than any place she'd lived in, and colder too. Not just from the air conditioning.
Thelma took Ashley to Anna's room . Anna was already awake. So she took Anna to the bath and gave her a warm bath. She dressed Anna and dolled her up. She gently brushed Anna's hair, putting a pink bow on the side.
"You look perfect," Anna said, kissing her forehead.
Anna didn't look up. She remained quiet, her small hands folding and unfolding in her lap. Sandra was watching her because she couldn't take any chances with any nannies anymore . She reached for her shoes to help, but Ashley blocked her with a soft chuckle.
"I've got it,ma'am . "You can go about your day ."
Sandra bit the inside of her cheek. "Sure.. sure ."
The morning passed slowly. Ashley tried to familiarize herself with the kitchen, the playroom, and Anna's reading materials. She spent a while organizing the crayons and stacking books by color. It was her way of making the space feel less like someone else's house and more like something she could belong to.
By mid-morning, she found Anna alone in the garden, sitting cross-legged under a tree.
"Hey you," Ashley said gently, crouching beside her.
Anna looked at her.
Ashley picked up a few twigs and leaves. "Wanna make stick people? Look, this one's me." She made a wild-haired figure. "See the curls?"
Anna giggled softly.
Ashley beamed.
They spent ten quiet minutes creating a whole family of leaf-stick characters. For the first time since arriving, Ashley felt a bit of warmth.
From a window upstairs, Peter watched silently, his arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Anna's teacher arrived and Ashley led Anna to her homeschooling room upstairs. Her tutor arrived, wearing large glasses and a floral blouse. Ashley wasn't sure what to make of her yet. She was overly sweet and talked to Anna like she was three.
Ashley left them alone and began tidying the house again. Hours passed, and the rhythm of the day lulled her.
But around 1 PM, while heading upstairs to drop off Anna's newly folded clothes, she passed the homeschooling room and paused. The door was slightly ajar.
Inside, Ms. Clarissa was seated at the desk, legs crossed, scrolling through her phone with a soft giggle.
Anna was seated at the table, book open, pencil idle in her hand. She wasn't being taught anything. She wasn't even being acknowledged.
Just a video played from her tablet and she watches it.
Ashley narrowed her eyes.
She didn't say anything. Not yet.
She turned and left.
That afternoon , Ashley helped Thelma in the kitchen, asking more about the routine, the schedule, and where Anna liked to play. .
Peter hadn't come downstairs much, except for a short meeting in his study. The house remained strangely quiet, too big and too empty for comfort.
Ashley went to check on Anna again around five. She walked upstairs, humming softly.
As she passed the homeschooling room, she paused.
The same posture. The same giggle. The same light reflecting off a phone screen.
Ms. Clarissa hadn't moved.
But Anna had.
She was crouched by the window, her back to the teacher, quietly tearing off small pieces of paper from her workbook and watching them flutter to the floor.
Something cracked in Ashley's chest.
She s
tood at the door, unmoving.
Her eyes locked on Anna.
And then, slowly, to the teacher who hadn't noticed a thing.