THE BILLIONAIRE'S UNEXPECTED NANNY

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still be heard, blending with my children' joy. It had been years since the building no longer seemed like a museum of my life, bu

I had never been good with emotions. Industry? I could get by. Parenting? I carefully negotiated

personal assistant Jacob was standing with a pile of legal docu

ng the door behind him, "Your ex-wi

rang up instantly was s

ntensifying her fight for custody. She is requesting co

onless face. "Unstable?" I repeating. "She thinks stability means taking

rk schedule is being emphasized by her legal t

control over me, and she was aware of how much Maya and Lila meant to me. De

s," I said in a cool, collected tone

aid. It will wor

just what I-and the girls-needed, if only to give the court the impression that she was stable. "Chec

Jacob didn't ask me any

o

me the sun set and long golden shadows began to cover the skyline of Manhattan, I had

o large for just the two of us. After they got into their chairs, I sat between them

, with his sleeves pulled up and his tie relaxed. But som

softer tone than I

fork and yelled out. "Zoe says to

direction. He raised one eyebro

eavor. We will construct a little environment for fair

know, fair world construction? That seems more

peared to be doing better.

as we began supper. The warmth briefly left his face as he looked at the televisi

er the reason for that call, Marcus was clearly rattled

described how she would construct a blue fairy palace. I questioned if entering the

ession again, the one that gave me the impression tha

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y thoughts kept returning to Margaret's most recent action. It was inhumane to think of losing my girls to h

ya and Lila to bed and then came into Zoe in the living room.

g back. Even though her voice was qu

mation, but I felt obliged to contribute something, to prove to her that I wasn't simply a

were wide with an unexpected awareness. In a low

, I hadn't let myself label the emot

inquired, "What can I do?" To assist, that is. I'm here fo

ng me with more support than I had from folks I had known for years. I advised you

up her neck. "I'm happy. Marcus, they are rem

However, her name, Zoe, seemed to me like a vo

o

e had gazed at me, there was a glimpse of something raw and vulnerable. I was co

than the sum of his billions and dashed hopes, despite my best effort

had packed. Now I wondered whether I was here for Marcus as well, even though I had