Heidi left her job after her honeymoon with her husband Scott as they discovered she was 2 months pregnant during their honeymoon in Italy. Scott suggested she stay at home as she was excited about being a mom. It was one of Heidi's dreams, to be a mother and take care of her kids full-time. She doesn't have to worry about money as she has enough savings and emergency funds from her former managerial job. And most of all, Scott is earning more than enough for them as a real estate agent.
Heidi and Scott transferred to their new 5 Million dollar house a week after their honeymoon, and when she gets bored during the day she goes to volunteer as Harriet's nanny. She likes being Harriet's nanny as it would give her experience on how to take care of a child. Sometimes she volunteers to bring Harriet to school as Harriet starts going to school.
The doorbell rang, echoing through the house like a harbinger of chaos. Heidi Williams glanced up from her book and furrowed her brow. It's a weekend, and Mallory is on duty as a hotel receptionist. Mallory hadn't mentioned any visitors today, and with Harriet napping, she wasn't expecting anyone. Nevertheless, she marked her place in the novel and rose gracefully to her feet.
"Who could that be?" she murmured, padding softly across the polished hardwood floor. Peering through the peephole, she blinked in surprise at the unexpected visitor standing on the doorstep – Marian Thompson, a vision of opulence and entitlement in a tailored suit and not-so-subtle designer jewelry.
"Did she probably know about Harriet, or is she here for Mallory?" Heidi whispered.
Heidi hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should pretend no one was home. But Marian's jaw was set with determination, and it was clear she wouldn't leave without seeing anyone in the house. Steeling herself, Heidi opened the door just a crack and forced a polite smile onto her face.
"Marian," she greeted, trying to keep her tone even. "What brings you here?"
"Who are you? How do you know me?" Marian asked, furrowing her eyebrow.
"Who wouldn't know Marian Thompson? Your son, Harris Thompson is the Chairman of the Thompson Group and the CEO of the Royal Vista Hotel," Heidi narrated.
"You got that right," Marian said arrogantly. "Is Mallory home?" She asked imperiously, her eyes darting past Heidi as if searching for her prey. "I need to see Harriet."
"Mallory isn't here right now," Heidi replied, blocking the entrance with her body. "And Harriet is taking a nap. I'm not comfortable waking her up or letting you in without Mallory's permission."
"Excuse me?" Marian's voice dripped with disdain, her eyes narrowing into icy slits. "You have no right to keep me from my granddaughter!"
"Look, Marian," Heidi said, fighting to maintain her composure. "I understand you want to spend time with Harriet, but I promised Mallory I'd look after her while she's out. That means making sure she's safe and comfortable – including not being disturbed by unannounced visitors. Harriet doesn't even know she has a grandmother except for Mallory's mother."
"Unannounced?" Marion scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. "I'm her grandmother, not some stranger off the street! This is completely unacceptable! And besides, I am here to introduce myself to my grandchild," Marian insisted.
Heidi took a deep breath, summoning all her courage and loyalty to Mallory. "I'm sorry if this upsets you, but my priority is Harriet's well-being. If you want to see her, you'll need to speak with Mallory and arrange a visit. Until then, I won't let you in."
For a moment, she could see the fury boiling behind Marion's eyes, as though the woman might explode right there on the doorstep. But Heidi refused to back down, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination.
"Come now, Heidi," Marian cooed through gritted teeth, her voice deceptively sweet. "Surely, you don't want to be the one responsible for keeping a grandmother from her dear granddaughter."
"Marian, I've already told you," Heidi replied, her voice firm but calm as she stood her ground in the doorway, blocking Marion's entry. "Mallory needs to give her permission first."
"Permission? I am Harriet's grandmother." Marian spat the words out, her face contorted with rage. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white.
Heidi felt a shiver run down her spine, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she focused on taking slow, deep breaths, reminding herself of her loyalty to Mallory and Harriet. She knew that if she gave in to Marian's intimidation tactics, she would be betraying their trust.
"Please, Marian," Heidi said, trying to reason with her one last time. "Just talk to Mallory when she gets back. I'm sure you two can work this out."
"Enough!" Marian snapped, lunging forward to push past Heidi and into the house. But Heidi was quicker; sidestepping gracefully, she blocked Marian's advance once more, maintaining her composed demeanor.
"Get out of my way, girl," Marian hissed, her eyes narrowing into slits as they bore into Heidi's.
"Sorry, Marian, but you won't get to Harriet without Mallory's consent," Heidi replied, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart against her ribcage.
"Very well," Marian seethed, stepping back and glaring at Heidi with undisguised contempt. "But mark my words: you'll regret crossing me like this."
With that, the formidable matriarch turned on her heel and stalked away, retreating to her waiting car, leaving Heidi shaken but resolute on the doorstep.
As Marian's car disappeared around the corner, Heidi let out a shaky breath, knowing that she had successfully shielded Harriet from her domineering grandmother – at least for now. But with Marian's ominous threat echoing in her mind, she couldn't shake the gnawing feeling that this was just the beginning of a dangerous game, one where the stakes were higher than ever before.
Heidi locked the door behind her and hurried to Harriet's room, heart pounding with lingering adrenaline. She found the little girl playing peacefully with her toys, oblivious to the confrontation that had just taken place.
"Hey, sweetie," Heidi said softly, leaning down to give Harriet a gentle hug. "You keep playing, okay? I'm just going to make a quick call."
"Okay, Auntie Heidi!" Harriet chirped, returning to her dolls with a bright smile.
Heidi retreated to the living room, gripping her phone tightly as it rang. Good thing, it was on time for Mallory's break. Mallory picked up on the third ring, sounding breathless and worried.
"Is everything okay, Heidi?" Mallory asked without preamble.
"Marion was here, Mally," Heidi blurted, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to remain calm. "She tried to see Harriet, but I managed to keep her away."
"Are you serious? How did she even know?" Mallory gasped, her shock audible even through the phone line.
"I don't know, but we need to do something. She threatened me before she left."
Mallory let out an exasperated sigh. "I can't believe Harris didn't keep his promise. He said he wouldn't tell her about Harriet!"