A Nanny For The Billionaire

CHAPTER ONE:

The early summer sun filtered through the blinds, casting warm streaks of light across the room. Outside, birds chirped in a chorus, blending with the distant hum of cars and buses.Anne McCole wasn't among them. She layed tangled in her sheets daydreaming about her office crush,the alarm jolting her back to reality.

Rinnnnnnggg!! Rinnnnnnggg!!

With a speed that defied her sleepy state, Anne leaped out of bed.

"Holy crap! Mom, why didn't you wake me up? Oh my God, I'm so late!" she screamed, sprinting toward the bathroom.

At 28, Anne was a whirlwind of energy, her life revolving around making ends meet and caring for her single mother. Since her father's tragic death in a fire, Anne had done everything possible to put a smile on her mom's face, often with the support of her best friend, Cynthia. But as hard as she worked, Anne couldn't shake the feeling that life had more to offer.

Fifteen minutes later, Anne entered the kitchen fully dressed and slightly less awake. she found her mother at the stove, humming as she fried chips.

"Good morning, Mom," Anne greeted, planting a quick kiss on her mother's cheek while sneakily grabbing a chip from the plate.

"Good morning, dear. Looks like someone slept in and forgot she has a job," Mrs. McCole teased, shaking her head with a smile.

"But Mom, why didn't you wake me up?" Anne groaned, checking the time on the wall clock.

Her mother chuckled. "Well, whose fault is that? I warned you girls about drinking late. But no one listens to me"

The light banter between mother and daughter filled the silence of the lovely summer morning as they kept blaming each other's excesses.

A loud crash had Mrs McCole heart racing, disrupting the heartfelt moment as Cynthia, Anne's best friend since childhood, burst in, frazzled.

"Where on earth is your phone? I've been calling you for ages, we're late!. Hi, Mrs. McCole," she said in a rushed breath.

"Hi, Tia," Mrs. McCole responded warmly, "Maybe if you girls listened, you wouldn't be in this situation".

As the girls made their way down the busy street of Los Angeles, they reminisced on the cute boys and fun they had last night. They laughed their heart off at each other's crazy antics.

" We should totally go out again tonight." Anne suggested, her eyes gleaming with joy.

"No way," Cynthia retorted. "I'd love to, but after last night, I'm done. I don't want to wake up next time and find out we've slept through the weekend."

As the day passed in a blur, Anne and Cynthia cleaned offices in Molly Dolly Co, a towering glass fashion house located on the downside of LA. Each swipe of their rags and sprays of antiseptic pulls them closer to the end of their shift. Cynthia left early for her singing practice, leaving Anne to walk home alone.

As Anne strolled through the city streets, she found herself drawn to a boutique window. Inside, a dress-a vision of silk and elegance-enchanted her. She pressed her face to the glass, her heart raced with excitement.

"Oh my God," she whispered to herself, mesmerised by the intricate design patterns and golden linings. Before her brain could register, her legs waltzed in, giving her best smile that made many swoon as she passed by the security guard stopping right in front of the dress.

Anne's hand froze mid air. Her breath stuck in her throat as she stared at the price tag. Her mouth gaping like a fish as she struggled to breathe.

"Sixty thousand dollars?!" she gasped "For a dress? Is it made of gold?"

Anne's mind spun. That was more than three years of her salary. She shook her head, marvelling at the absurdity of the price.

Anne sighed at her fate, rushing to walk back out. She could only dream of such luxuries but can never achieve them. A loud crash tore through the air like a shockwave, shattering the calm of the store . Anne trembled with fear, the rush of blood ringing in her ears as everyone stared at her or rather- something behind her. Sweat trickled down Anne's forehead, chilling her skin. The suffocating silence was heavy, hands and eyes pointed towards her, the whispers floating around her.

Every expression she read off people's faces counted down to a disaster she unknowingly caused. Anne turned. Her hands covered the scream that lodged in her throat. Fragments of a diamond jewellery laid at her feet, shattered delicate jewels across the polished floor.

" No....no...no..no!!!" Anne's knees dropped to the floor, ignoring the painful jabs of glass piercing her skin as she picked the pieces. Her eyes blurred with tears.

"I'm so sorry!" she stammered. "I didn't mean to! It was an accident, I swear!"

The store attendant raised an eyebrow, her voice firm. "Sorry? Do you think your apology is going to pay for this?That jewellery was worth $150,000."

Anne's head snapped up at the declaration, her eyes widened in disbelief. "1 ... .15...150..$150,000?!" Annie whispered.

"Either you pay, or I call the police," the woman said, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Anne's mind raced. She didn't have that kind of money. She didn't even have a fraction of it. Anne took in the surreal chaos unfolding In Front of her eyes. Rumours floating around as more people gathered to watch the drama unfold.

Panic welled up inside Anne as the store attendant called for security. "Please," she begged, "I can't afford this, but I can work for you! Let me work here for free until I've paid it off!"

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. The security guard blocked her path, and the attendant, unmoved, simply shook her head.

"Ma'am," the security guard said, "the police are on their way."

Anne's mind churned with restless unease. In one careless moment, her life had spun out of control. She was trapped, her face paled, the consequences of her actions weighed on her as the sirens blared in the distance.