4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Annie
The fluorescent lights above hum softly as I type away at my desk.
It’s mid-Monday morning, and the office is buzzing with activity—phones ringing, the murmur of voices from people walking across the lobby, and heels clacking loudly as people hurry by.
I try to focus on the task in front of me, sorting through emails and scheduling meetings, but my mind keeps drifting back to Friday night. Specifically, to Robbie.
He was so sweet. That shy smile, the way his hazel eyes lit up when he talked about dinosaurs—it’s hard not to think about him. I shouldn’t be dwelling on it. Babysitting was a one-time thing, and I have plenty to worry about here at Silver Screen Studios.
But the memory lingers.
I shake my head, forcing myself to focus on my computer screen. There’s a spreadsheet to update and a dozen unanswered emails in my inbox. No time for distractions.
“Annie,” a voice calls from behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts .
I turn to see Virginia, Mr. Wagner’s executive assistant, standing with an air of brisk efficiency. She’s holding a tablet in one hand and a phone in the other, multitasking like it’s second nature.
“Will you please come with me? Mr. Wagner wants to see you in his office,” she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.
My stomach twists. Mr. Wagner? Why?
“Uh, okay,” I say, standing and smoothing my skirt nervously.
Virginia doesn’t wait for a response. She’s already heading back toward the elevator, the clicking of her heels sharp and purposeful. I grab my notepad and follow, my mind racing.
What could this be about? Had I done something wrong? Did Robbie say something? Am I about to get fired?
The questions pile up as I step into the elevator after Virginia. The button for the top floor is already lit up. Neither of us speak, so I just watch as the numbers light up one by one.
When the doors open, I step into a sleek hallway lined with glass walls and framed movie posters. The air feels different up here—quieter, more serious. Intimidating.
Virginia walks ahead of me and barely spares me a glance as she gestures for me to follow her.
“This way,” she says curtly, juggling her phone and tablet with ease.
Virginia is... also intimidating, to say the least. She’s in her 40s, with sharp features and an even sharper gaze. Her dark hair is pulled back into a tight bun, and her tailored suit fits her perfectly. She exudes confidence, the kind that makes you want to straighten your posture and avoid making eye contact.
As we walk, she answers a call on her headset, rattling off details about a client meeting while simultaneously making notes on her tablet. I can barely keep up with her pace.
She stops in front of a large wooden door and gives me a quick once-over before knocking.
“Come in,” Mr. Wagner’s voice calls from inside.
Virginia opens the door and steps aside, motioning for me to enter.
I take a deep breath and step into the office.
It’s massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a breathtaking view of the city skyline. The furnishings are sleek and modern, all clean lines and neutral tones. Behind the enormous desk sits Cole Wagner, his green eyes focused on the computer screen in front of him.
“Have a seat,” he says without looking up.
I hesitate for a moment before crossing the room and sitting in one of the chairs opposite his desk. The leather is cold against the back of my legs, and I grip my notepad tightly, unsure of what to expect.
The silence stretches as he continues typing, his fingers moving quickly over the keyboard. Just as I’m about to speak, he leans back in his chair and looks at me, his expression unreadable.
“According to your file,” he begins, “your current salary is the minimum we offer at this company.”
I blink, caught completely off guard. “Oh, um, yes. I just started a couple of months ago, so I figured that was normal. I was planning to discuss it soon—”
He holds up a hand, cutting me off. “That’s not why I called you in.”
I frown, unsure of where this is going.
“It seems my son has taken a liking to you,” he says, his tone brisk.
I relax slightly and smile. “I like him, too. He’s a really sweet—”
“He needs a nanny,” Cole interrupts, his gaze steady.
The words take a moment to sink in. “Oh,” I say, caught off guard. “I’m not sure what—”
“I want to hire you as Robbie’s nanny,” Cole says, his voice direct, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
“You want to hire me as a nanny?” I ask. Even though I’m trying to maintain my composure, I just can’t help it. Before Friday night, I had never even babysat. I have no younger siblings or cousins or neighbors with kids.
Now he wants me to be a nanny? When would I even have time for that?
“I really appreciate the offer, Mr. Wagner,” I say, unsure how to turn him down without getting my boss angry. “I just don’t think I can.”
“Why?” he says.
“Well, I already have a job here, plus a part-time one. I just don’t have the time.”
He leans back in his chair and looks at me.
“You’re fired,” he says simply.
My world comes crashing down.
“What?” The word escapes me in a shocked whisper and I feel my eyes fill with tears.
“You’re fired,” he repeats, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
I stand abruptly, my notepad falling to the floor. “You’re firing me? For what? Because I said I don’t have time to babysit your kid? You can’t just fire someone because—”
“Annie,” he says, holding up a hand.
The calm, authoritative tone, plus the hand, only makes me angrier.
My heart pounds as I stand there, staring at him in utter disbelief. The words are bubbling up faster than I can control them, and I know I need to stop, need to calm down, but the shock and frustration are too much.
“You can’t just fire me because I said I can’t babysit your kid!” The words spill out, my voice sharper than I intend. “Just because you’re the CEO doesn’t mean you can fire people indiscriminately. That’s not how this works!”
Cole doesn’t react, his expression infuriatingly calm as he leans back in his chair, his green eyes locked on me.
“Do you know how hard it is to find a job like this?” I continue, unable to stop myself, and feel a few tears falling down my face. “I worked my ass off to get here, and now you’re telling me I’m fired because I won’t drop everything and do what you want? Is this some kind of power play or revenge thing just because I didn’t agree to babysit!”
My chest heaves as I pause, trying to catch my breath, and I realize my hands are trembling. I’m dangerously close to losing it completely, and I clamp my lips shut to stop the words before they go any further.
The room falls silent except for the faint hum of the city beyond the windows.
“I fired you,” he says smoothly, as if my tirade didn’t phase him at all, “because now you’ll have the time.”
For a moment, I’m speechless. My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.
He continues as if nothing happened. “I’m not firing you out of revenge, Miss Fox. I’m firing you because I know this job isn’t going to work for you anymore.” Cole leans forward, resting his elbows on the desk, his expression still maddeningly composed.
I blink, caught off guard. “What are you talking about?”
“You said it yourself,” he says, his tone measured. “You don’t have time. Between this job and your part-time one, you’re stretched thin. But Robbie likes you. He connected with you in a way he hasn’t with anyone else.”
“That doesn’t mean I can just quit everything and—”
“You’re not quitting. I’m offering you something better,” he interrupts, his voice firm. “Something that pays double what this one does, so I’ll want you to quit the part-time job, too. Room and board is included, so you don’t have to worry about rent, and you’ll have transportation when needed. No commute. No extra expenses.”
I sink back into the chair, the wind knocked out of me.
“Room and board?”
“You will live on the property and be in charge of Robbie’s schedule,” he says briskly. “Feeding, activities, bedtime. Evelyn handles meals, and Ellis—the head-of-household—will oversee your first few months to ensure everything runs smoothly.”
I’m barely processing his words, but he just continues.
“You’ll report to Ellis for schedule changes or time off,” he adds. “He lives on the property in a separate wing. The rest of the staff leave at the end of the day. ”
When he finally stops talking, he leans back in his chair and gives me a look I’ve heard about but never experienced firsthand. The look that makes him such a successful businessman. The one that says people are going to agree to his terms without question and make them think it was their idea.
But I have questions.
“What if it doesn’t work out?” I ask hesitantly. “What if I want to leave, or Ellis decides I’m not a good fit?”
“Then you can leave,” he says simply. “Depending on the conditions in which you left, if your receptionist position is still open, you can have it back. If not, I’ll find another role for you.”
“What conditions?”
“If we decide we’re simply not a good fit, no harm. If you do something that could be considered a fireable offense—such as neglect or any physical harm whatsoever—you are disqualified for any position here or any of my subsidiaries,” he says, his voice turning icy.
I stare at him, weighing my options.
“Can I think about it?” I ask.
He narrows his eyes slightly. “What’s there to think about?”
“I have a roommate who relies on me for rent,” I say, shrugging. “Just up and changing my entire life, it’s a big decision to make.”
“You have until the end of the work day,” he says, turning back to his computer. “You can go now.”
Dismissed.
Just like that.
I stand, my hands clenched at my sides. I want to say something—anything—to knock him down a peg, but I bite my tongue.
He is still my boss, after all.
As I leave his office, walking past Virginia’s desk, my mind races.
Double the pay. Room and board. Transportation.
What’s there to think about?
But also... his house. And Cole Wagner himself. He’s cold, dismissive, and clearly used to getting his way. Could I really work for someone like that?
I mean, I already do, I guess, but we don’t have much contact here. But this would be different. I would be living in his house . No HR department as a buffer. Just him as my boss. I’d have to have a lot more contact with him. And while he may be a walking temptation, he’s wrapped in pure arrogance.
This is probably how he’ll speak to me all the time, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to bite my tongue every time.
Then again, I’ve heard quite a bit about his work habits. At the office early in the morning, staying later than anyone else, followed by client meetings and events. Would he even be home much? We might not really have a lot of contact.
Then there’s Robbie. I really did like the kid, and being his nanny seems like it would be a fun job. A pang of sympathy hits me as I think about him. Did he ever even get to see his dad?
Probably not, I think as I step into the elevator.