Elias stood frozen in the dining room, his eyes darting to Dante and Dario. The twins' faces were tight with annoyance, their fists clenched as the loud sound from the hall echoed.
Elias's stomach twisted... what had caused that sound? He hoped it wasn't what he feared: the fiancée hitting Gerald, an elderly man who didn't deserve her attitude.
Footsteps clicked closer, and she appeared... blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, soft blue eyes, and a figure that turned heads. She was stunning, no doubt, but her attitude soured everything.
She rushed toward Viktor, shoving Dante and Dario aside like they were nothing, and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his neck and face. Elias's chest tightened, his hand brushing the bandage on his neck from that creepy doctor.
Viktor gently pushed her back, his smile tight. "Clara," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Not in front of my kids."
Clara's lips pursed, her apology halfhearted. "Sorry, darling. I got carried away." She bent down to Dante, pinching his cheek. "Hello, Dario, nice to meet you again. Remember me?"
Dante swatted her hand away, his eyes narrowing. "I'm Dante, not Dario."
Clara shrugged, her smile fake. "That's what I meant. Dante."
Dante's frown deepened, and Dario glared, his hands balled into fists. Elias glanced at Gerald, who entered carrying a designer bag and gift boxes, his face calm despite a faint red mark on his cheek.
Elias hurried over, taking some boxes. "Are you okay?" he whispered, his voice low.
Gerald smiled, brushing it off. "I'm okay! I'm already used to it, kid. Don't worry."
Elias's jaw tightened, a quiet growl escaping as he glared at Clara. He helped Gerald set the boxes near her chair, his hands shaky from anger. Viktor led everyone to the dining table, where Gerald's fancy breakfast... steaks, fresh rolls, and some creamy sauce... waited. Clara stared at the spread, then kissed Viktor again, her lips lingering.
"They all look delicious!"
Viktor smiled, but Elias caught the strain in it, like he was forcing it. He helped Dante and Dario into their seats, then pulled out Clara's chair with a subtle eye roll. "Thank you, darling," she purred, sitting down.
Elias and Gerald brought the dishes to the table, carefully. Clara's eyes finally landed on Elias, her brow arching.
"Viktor, who's this?" she asked, her tone sharp.
Before Viktor could answer, Dante jumped in. "He's our nanny," he said, his voice proud.
"Yeah," Dario added, glaring at Clara. "He's ours. So... don't you dare hit him like you did Gerald."
Clara's face twisted, then softened into a fake smile. "Hit people? Me? Never." She stammered, her cheeks pink. "I only pushed Gerald because he wasn't careful with Gerta."
Everyone wore confused looks on their faces, wondering who or what Gerta was. She grabbed her bag from the floor, holding it up like a trophy. "This is Gerta. She's a limited edition bag with only five in the world. Costs more than most people's houses."
The twins rolled their eyes, and Elias frowned, confused. "Gerta?" he whispered to Gerald.
"Her bag," Gerald muttered, shaking his head.
Elias bit back a laugh, cutting the twins' steaks into smaller pieces to make eating easier. "Thanks, Nanny," Dante said, smiling.
"Yeah, you're the best," Dario added, grinning.
Clara's eyes narrowed as the twins ignored her, chatting with Elias instead. She turned to Viktor, her voice sweet but sharp.
"That nanny's good with kids. We should keep him when we're married. He can watch them during our honeymoon."
Viktor didn't respond, his eyes on the twins... or, maybe... Elias. Elias felt someone's gaze on him and jolted. The intensity in Viktor's gaze made his heart race, and he quickly looked down, busying himself with a napkin.
Of course, Viktor wasn't looking at his kids; he was watching Elias, like he was trying to figure him out. The twins liked Elias, trusted him, even though they pranked him, Elias still remained calm with them. Viktor hadn't expected that.
Clara's hand slid onto Viktor's lap, and he snapped out of his thoughts, moving it away. "Viktor," she said, her voice whiny. "When are we getting engaged? It's been a year, but we've only met four times. You're always so busy."
Viktor sighed, his jaw tight. "It's too early, Clara. We'll talk later."
"But I wish to talk about it now! There's no other time to speak to you..." She held onto him, pressing her boobs on his arm.
He stood, turning to Elias with a cold tone. "You! Take the kids to their room."
Elias nodded, his hands trembling as he ushered the twins out. "Come on, Young Masters."
In their room, Dante yanked off his suit jacket, tossing it on the floor. "She's the worst!" he said in a loud voice.
"Yeah," Dario said, kicking off his shoes. "We gotta mess her up, Nanny."
Elias sighed, picking up the jacket. "Please, stay calm. You mustn't make trouble today."
Dante grinned, his eyes glinting. "Too late. We got a plan."
Elias's stomach sank. "What plan? Don't do anything stupid."
Dario smirked, hopping onto his bed. "If you don't help, we'll make your life hell. More than usual."
Elias groaned, rubbing his face. "What are you up to?"
Dante leaned in, his voice low. "Got any of that soup left? From a few days ago?"
Elias blinked, confused. "Yeah, in the fridge. Why?"
Dario's grin widened. "Someone's hungry."
"Who?" Elias asked, his voice wary.
"Gerta," they chorused, laughing.
Elias's eyes widened. "You're gonna pour soup in her bag? Are you crazy? That thing's worth a fortune!"
"Exactly," Dante said, smirking. "She loves it more than Dad. It's perfect."
Elias shook his head, his heart racing. "If you get caught, Viktor will kill me. I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble."
"Then help us," Dario said, crossing his arms. "Or we'll tell Dad you're sneaking off to see your girlfriend every night."
Elias's face paled, thinking of Viktor's anger over the neck mark. "I don't have a girlfriend," he said, his voice sharp. "I'm just visiting my... my sister. "
"Sure," Dante said, winking. "That's what you tell Dad."
Elias groaned for the fifth time or maybe sixth? He couldn't let the twins ruin Clara's bag... it'd cost him his job. But if he didn't play along, they'd make his life worse. "Fine," he said, his voice tired. "I'll help. But nothing too crazy, okay?"
"Deal," Dario said, high-fiving Dante.
Elias sneaked into the kitchen with the twins, his stomach twisting. The soup was in a container, thick and cold from a few days ago. "This is a bad idea," he muttered, handing it to Dante.
"Relax, nanny," Dante said, grinning. "We got this."
They crept toward the dining room, where Viktor and Clara were still talking. Elias's heart pounded as Dario peeked around the corner. "She left Gerta on the chair," he whispered. "Perfect."
Elias grabbed their arms, his voice low. "Wait. If you do this, Clara will flip. And your dad..."
"Won't know," Dante cut in, smirking. "You're with us, right?"
Elias hesitated, his mind on Lila's hospital bills. He couldn't lose this job. "Just... be quick," he said, his voice barely audible.
The twins tiptoed to the chair, soup container in hand. Elias stood watch, his hands sweaty. Clara's voice carried from the dining room, whining about engagement plans. Viktor's replies were short, clipped. Elias caught his eye through the doorway, and Viktor's gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable, making Elias's chest tighten.
'Shit! He didn't sense me, did he?'
Dante unscrewed the container, grinning. "Here we go," he whispered. But before he could pour, a loud creak came from the dinning, and heavy footsteps approached. Elias's heart stopped.
Someone was coming... Viktor? Gerald? Or worse?