VALENTIN Babysitter

Abandoned Ex-Wife: Now Untouchable

Tao Yaoyao

My five-year-old daughter was dying in the ICU, her heartbeat replaced by the continuous, electronic scream of a flatline. I gripped her cold hand, my throat sealed shut by a terror so absolute I couldn't even cry out. I dialed my husband Grayson's private number, the one reserved only for me and his assistants. He declined the call instantly. A second later, a text buzzed against my palm: "In a meeting. Do not disturb. Stop calling." Five miles away, Grayson was at a luxury gala, adjusting his silk tie and laughing with Belle Escobar. He told her I was just being "dramatic" and using our daughter's "fever" as an excuse to avoid the event. He had no idea Effie's heart had already stopped. When I finally reached our penthouse, soaked from the rain and carrying Effie's small socks in a plastic bag, Grayson didn't even look at me. He snapped at me for ruining the hardwood floors and asked if I'd left Effie with the nanny just to "feel sorry for myself." Three days later, while I buried our daughter in a small, lonely ceremony, Grayson was at the Hamptons. Belle posted a photo of him golfing with the caption: "A mental health day with the boys." He didn't even attend the funeral, but he returned home demanding I clear out Effie's room to make a study for Belle's son. The injustice burned through me until there was nothing left. I swallowed a handful of sleeping pills, desperate to join my daughter. But instead of the darkness, I woke up to blinding lights and the scent of Grayson's expensive cologne. I was standing in a ballroom, wearing a blue silk dress I had already burned. Above me, a banner read: "Happy 5th Birthday Kaiden & Effie." I was back, exactly one year before the tragedy. This time, I wasn't going to be the grieving wife. I was going to be their worst nightmare.

Modern Parenting Ex-wife Drama

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Caden's POV

I woke up to the noise coming from downstairs. Another day, another mess involving my kids.

With a groan, I dragged myself out of bed and headed downstairs. It was the weekend, which meant no office, but plenty of chaos at home.

"What happened now, Erica? Emily?" I called out as I descended the stairs.

The sight that greeted me made my jaw tighten: food scattered all over the floor, and the nanny crouched down, trying to clean it up.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustration bubbling up. "I'm getting tired of this," I muttered under my breath. The situation was becoming routine-changing nannies every week. If the girls didn't scare them away, the nannies quit out of sheer exhaustion. Erica and Emily were as stubborn as they came.

"I don't want her, Dad!" Erica's voice was firm, crossing her arms in defiance.

"Why not?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"We don't want a nanny!" Emily chimed in. "We want a mommy. We want our mommy!"

The words hit a nerve, and I clenched my fists. My voice was sharp when I responded. "I don't ever want to hear that word-mommy-in this house again. Do you hear me?"

Their faces fell, but I couldn't let their wishes dig up the past I worked so hard to bury.

The room fell silent after my outburst. The nanny glanced at me nervously, as if debating whether to stay or bolt. Erica and Emily just stared, their big brown eyes filled with confusion and defiance.

"Dad," Erica started, her voice smaller now, "why can't we have a mommy? Everyone else at school has one."

I sighed heavily and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't have the energy for this conversation-not again. "Go to your room. Both of you."

"But-" Emily began.

"Now," I snapped, cutting her off.

They huffed in unison but turned and stomped up the stairs. Their small feet banged loudly on each step, making sure I knew how annoyed they were.

I looked at the nanny, who was still crouched over the mess on the floor. "I'll clean this up," I said, trying to keep my tone level.

She hesitated, then stood, clutching the rag in her hands. "Sir, I think... maybe I should go."

Here we go again. "You don't have to leave. They're just kids."

She shook her head, a weak smile on her lips. "They're not just kids. They're... determined. I've never met children like them. I'm sorry, Mr. Blackwell, but I don't think I'm the right fit for this job."

And just like that, another nanny was gone.

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