The kitchen was a battleground of bills and broken dreams. Lily Harper leaned against the counter, staring at the stack of unopened envelopes. Each one felt heavier than the last. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, the weight of responsibility pressing down on her like a vice. The faint sound of her grandmother's coughing from the next room only deepened her sense of urgency.
Her phone buzzed, a sharp jolt of reality in the suffocating silence. Another email. She hesitated before opening it, already bracing for the familiar sting of rejection.
"Dear Ms. Harper, while your artwork is truly inspiring, we regret to inform you that…"
Lily didn't need to read the rest. She tossed the phone onto the counter, her vision blurring with unshed tears. The unfinished painting on her easel seemed to mock her—a burst of vibrant colors trapped in limbo, much like her own life.
The sudden slam of the front door jolted her out of her thoughts. Claire, her best friend, stormed in like a whirlwind, clutching a newspaper.
"Lily, I've got it!" Claire declared, her voice brimming with excitement.
"Got what?" Lily asked, barely mustering the energy to feign interest.
Claire unfolded the paper with a dramatic flourish and pointed to a bold advertisement in the classifieds.
"Live-in Nanny Needed. Generous Pay. Confidential Employer."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "You can't be serious. I've never nannied a day in my life."
Claire rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter! They're probably some rich family who just needs someone to keep the kid from setting the house on fire. And look at this pay!" She tapped the number at the bottom of the ad.
Lily's heart skipped a beat. The salary was more than she'd make in a year of waitressing shifts and odd jobs. It could pay off her mounting debt and cover her grandmother's medical bills.
Still, doubt lingered. "What if they want some fancy degree or ten years of experience?"
"Then lie," Claire said bluntly. "Come on, Lils. What's the worst that could happen?"
Those words enacted a strange karma that neither of them expected, there was a loud whizz in the air as a projectile blew through the window and drilled a hole through the head of Claire.
It shot out of her forehead and whizzed by Lilly's shoulder, breaking through her skin as it went by. A second later there was a loud sound.
Lilly's eyes widened as she watched her friends eyes go white and roll back into their sockets like they had been sucked away. Red liquid streamed down the hole in her head as she started to fall to the ground.
She had been shot, Lilly's heart tightened in her chest. She could hear it beating like a drum, she could hear the loud thud as Claire hit the ground. She could feel the thick warm liquid soak up her socked feet, she could smell the smoking lead that had done the cruel work.
Lilly slowly looked down at the body of her best friend lifeless on the ground then back up at the distance where the bullet had come through. Her window was now shattered, and at the distance on a storey building was a silhouette too far for her to make out and the gleaming white light of a sniper scope aimed right at her.
Her saliva got stuck on her throat, she could hardly breath. Thoughts set ablaze in her head, she trembled barely able to stand. "N-- no."
Then the next volley of lead was sent flying through the air.
---
Two years later, Lily found herself gripping the steering wheel of her beat-up car, staring wide-eyed at the towering iron gates in front of her. The Cross estate was nothing like she'd imagined. It wasn't just big— it was intimidating.
The gates creaked open, and she drove up the winding driveway, feeling more out of place with each passing second. By the time she parked near the fountain, she was acutely aware of her scuffed shoes and secondhand blazer.
She barely had time to take it all in before the front door swung open, revealing a tall, sharp-featured woman in a tailored suit.
"You're late," the woman said, her tone clipped and disapproving.
"I—traffic," Lily stammered, but the woman didn't seem interested in excuses.
"I'm Vanessa King, Mr. Cross's assistant. Follow me."
The interior of the mansion was as cold and imposing as its exterior. Marble floors gleamed under crystal chandeliers, and every surface seemed to shine with untouchable perfection. Vanessa led Lily to a sitting room and gestured for her to wait.
As Lily sat stiffly on the edge of a leather chair, she heard soft laughter from above. Glancing up, she caught sight of a young boy peeking over the balcony railing. His bright blue eyes sparkled with curiosity, but the moment was fleeting. He disappeared just as quickly as he'd appeared.
"Miss Harper."
The deep, commanding voice made her jump. She turned to see a man entering the room, his presence immediately filling the space.
Adrian Cross was everything she'd imagined a billionaire would be—tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a suit that probably cost more than her car. His dark hair was perfectly styled, and his piercing gray eyes studied her with a mix of scrutiny and indifference.
"You're here for the nanny position?" he asked, his tone devoid of warmth.
"Yes," Lily replied, swallowing the lump in her throat.
Adrian gestured for her to sit. "Tell me about your experience."
Lily hesitated, then decided honesty might be her best shot. "I've never been a nanny before, but I've worked with kids. I used to run art workshops at the community center, and I babysat for my neighbors in college."
Adrian's expression didn't change. "This isn't babysitting. My son needs someone who can handle more than just arts and crafts."
Lily bristled at his dismissive tone. "Your ad said you wanted someone who could connect with him, not just supervise him. I may not have years of experience, but I know how to build trust with kids. Sometimes that's more important than qualifications."
For a moment, Adrian simply stared at her. Then, to her surprise, the corner of his mouth twitched, almost as if he were suppressing a smile.
Before he could respond, the boy from the balcony dashed into the room and hid behind Lily's chair, peeking out at Adrian.
"Max," Adrian said, his voice softening ever so slightly. "What are you doing?"
The boy didn't answer, clinging to Lily's arm instead. She glanced down at him, offering a reassuring smile.
Adrian's gaze shifted back to her. "Fine. You're hired. But understand this— you'll be on probation. Don't make me regret this decision."
Lily stepped out of the mansion an hour later, her mind spinning. She'd gotten the job. She should have been relieved, even happy, but something about Adrian Cross unsettled her. He was as cold and untouchable as the marble floors beneath his feet.
Still, as she drove away, she couldn't shake the image of Max's shy smile and the way he'd held onto her like she was a lifeline.
Her phone rang a second later, she picked it up and spoke in a very confident tone. "It's done. He doesn't suspect anything... At the moment."
"Fine, don't lose sight of your mission." Said the voice on the other end.
She said in a reluctant voice, "Do I ever?"
The voice at the other end chuckled nervously as it spoke. "I know you, agent Hawks. But Mr Cross here is no regular billionaire. He's one of the top five mafia lords in the city."
Lilly Harper hesitated for a few seconds before she gave her response.
"Like that changes anything," she whispered, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
Little did she know, it already had.
She did not expect to ever end up as a nanny, it took her mind back to what ruined her life. She wondered if fate was playing a cruel game with her.
"Common Lils why so glum, I told you already. You'll do good as a nanny." Claire said, from where she sat right next to her.
Lilly gripped the steering wheel even tighter, and held her breath for a long time before saying with a deep sigh. "You are not real, you're just a figment of my own imagination."