6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Annie
The mansion looks even more stunning in the morning light. On Friday evening, the soft glow of the exterior lights gave it an ethereal quality, but the daylight reveals its full grandeur.
The clean lines of the architecture are sharp and bold, softened by the lush greenery surrounding it. Tall palms line the driveway, their shadows falling gracefully across the manicured lawn.
The flowers I suspected were lining the driveway the other night are now fully visible in the golden morning light.
Beds of vibrant blooms in shades of pink, purple, and yellow cascade along the edges of the neatly trimmed hedges, adding bursts of color to the otherwise neutral tones of the house. Their fragrance mingles with the crisp morning air and I smell jasmine wafting through the air near the door.
The house itself is even more striking—and massive—than I remember, its soft gray stone both charming and elegant. Huge arched windows dominate the walls, reflecting the brilliant blue of the sky, almost making the mansion seem like part of the background.
As I pull into the circular driveway, the wheels of my car crunch softly over the gravel. My chest tightens slightly as I park in the same spot I used on Friday night, unsure if there’s a designated place for guests or, well, employees now. The thought still feels strange. Employee? Nanny? Neither word sits comfortably in my head, but I push the thought aside.
I shut off the engine and take a moment to steady myself. I’m not just a visitor this time—I’m here to stay, at least for now. The thought feels surreal.
Gripping the steering wheel, I glance at the small suitcase sitting in the passenger seat. I decide to leave it for later and step out of the car. The morning sun feels warm against my skin as I adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder and smooth the fabric of my blouse.
Compared to the grandeur of the mansion, my car looks out of place, like a scuff on a polished diamond.
The grand double doors of the mansion stand ahead of me, flanked by oversized urns filled with cascading greenery and delicate white flowers. They’re imposing but somehow inviting, much like the house itself.
I climb the wide stone steps, and by the time I reach the doors, my palms are slightly damp, and I have to resist the urge to wipe them on my pants. Taking a deep breath, I lift my hand and knock.
The sound is crisp and solid, reverberating through the quiet morning.
Almost immediately, the door swings open, and I’m greeted by a man I don’t recognize.
He’s tall and straight-backed, his silver hair perfectly combed and his tailored suit impeccable. His face is sharp, his features clean and distinguished, with a hint of severity in his gray eyes. There’s an air of authority about him, but his demeanor is polite, if not particularly warm.
“Miss Fox, I presume?” he asks, his voice carrying a refined, posh tone—not quite British, but close. Maybe New England.
“Yes,” I reply, standing a little straighter under his assessing gaze and offering a polite smile.
“I’m Ellis,” he says brusquely, stepping aside to let me in. “Head-of-household. I oversee the staff and ensure the property runs smoothly.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, stepping into the entryway. The cool air of the house wraps around me as I step inside, the familiar scent of polished wood and faint floral undertones greeting me.
Ellis closes the door behind me and gestures for me to follow him down the wide, gleaming hallway. “Master Robbie isn’t downstairs yet. I’ll take you on a brief tour of the main floor while we wait. I understand you were only here for a couple of hours on Friday evening.”
Brief? I doubt it. This house could fit into my entire apartment building and still have room to spare.
“Yes, we spent most of our time in a family room down the hall,” I say instead.
Ellis leads me through the house with efficient precision, his tone professional as he points out various rooms and their purposes. The main living room alone is four times the size of my apartment, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the backyard and pool.
He points out rooms with quick, efficient descriptions: the formal dining room with its massive table and gleaming chandeliers, the sunlit conservatory filled with lush greenery, and the expansive living room with its enormous fireplace and plush seating.
Not to mention a library filled with shelves that stretch to the ceiling and big, comfortable-looking chairs to curl up with a good book.
“This is the kitchen,” he says, pausing briefly at the threshold of a stunning space that looks more like it belongs in a gourmet restaurant than a home. Stainless steel appliances glint under the soft glow of pendant lights, and the countertops are spotless.
“It’s... impressive,” I manage to say, feeling more out of place with every step.
“Indeed,” Ellis replies without a hint of humor.
Just then, Evelyn walks in looking very different than she did the other night. No longer in a black dress and heels, she’s now wearing a chef’s coat with her hair pulled back severely.
When she sees me, a smile lights up her face. “Annie! Good morning. ”
“Good morning,” I reply, returning her smile.
Ellis doesn’t linger. “This is Evelyn, as you know. She oversees all meals and refreshments in the household.”
Evelyn glances between Ellis and me, a knowing smile adorning her lips. “We’ll catch up later. Robbie should be downstairs soon, I imagine?”
Ellis nods. “Indeed. Miss Fox, shall we continue?”
I nod, following him out of the kitchen. As we make our way back to the foyer, Ellis continues his efficient tour, pointing out a few additional rooms I hadn’t noticed before.
By the time we loop back to the grand staircase, my head is spinning from the sheer size and opulence of the house—and that was only the main level. I’m told there are two more levels going up, and two more going down. Who needs that many floors?
I’m fairly certain I’ll get lost at some point.
“It’s... beautiful,” I say, trying to take it all in.
“Indeed,” Ellis replies without breaking stride. “You’ll have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the property after Master Robbie is off to school.”
As if on cue, the soft patter of small footsteps echoes from above. I glance up to see Robbie at the top of the staircase, wearing an adorable little school uniform, clutching Rexy in his arms.
“Good morning, Master Robbie,” Ellis says, his tone softening slightly.
Robbie looks down at us, and his hazel eyes light up when he spots me. But he still hesitates for a moment, then carefully makes his way down the stairs, Rexy bouncing slightly with each step.
My heart breaks at his hesitation.
“Annie,” he says, his voice quiet but filled with excitement.
“Good morning, Robbie,” I say, crouching down to his level as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. “Did you sleep well?”
He nods, clutching Rexy tightly to his chest.
Ellis clears his throat gently. “Breakfast is ready. Miss Fox, if you’ll accompany Master Robbie to the kitchen, I’ll make sure your rooms are ready for you when we get back from drop-off.”
“Oh, thank you,” I say even as Ellis is gesturing to one of the staff members nearby.
Robbie tugs at my hand, pulling me toward the kitchen. “Come on,” he says, his small voice insistent.
I laugh softly and follow him back down the hall. “All right, I’m coming.”
When we enter the kitchen, Evelyn is setting plates on the table in a breakfast nook. Well, not a nook, really. It’s pretty large, but I guess in a house like this, it would be considered a nook, relatively speaking.
The aroma of pancakes and fresh fruit fills the air, and my stomach growls quietly in response.
“Ah, there you are,” Evelyn says, smiling warmly at Robbie. “Good morning, sweetheart. Ready for some breakfast?”
Robbie nods, climbing onto one of the tall stools at the kitchen island.
Evelyn places a plate of pancakes in front of him, complete with a small cup of syrup on the side and a neatly arranged portion of fruit. “Here you go. Eat up.”
She turns to me, gesturing to another stool. “Help yourself. There’s plenty.”
“Oh, thank you,” I say, sliding onto the stool beside Robbie.
Evelyn sets another plate in front of me, and I realize just how hungry I am as I take a bite of the fluffy, golden pancake.
As Robbie eats, he chatters in a quiet voice about dinosaurs, Rexy perched on the counter beside him. The shyness that seemed to have disappeared by the end of the night on Friday seems to be back, but he also can’t help but talk about his favorite subject.
Evelyn watches him with a fond smile, occasionally chiming in to ask questions about his favorite dinosaur or what he wants to do today.
After breakfast, Ellis reappears in the doorway. “Miss Fox, if you’re ready, I’ll show you to the garage. Robbie needs to be at school shortly. ”
I glance at Evelyn, who nods. “He eats lunch at school. They have a good selection.”
“Okay,” I say, standing and helping Robbie down from his chair. He grabs Rexy, holding him tightly as we follow Ellis.
Once breakfast is done, Ellis gestures for me to follow him again. “Let’s head to the garage,” he says.
I nod and follow him through another series of hallways until we reach the garage. When he opens the door, I stop in my tracks, my jaw dropping slightly.
It’s definitely not the three-car garage I thought it was.
Apparently, it stretches back a lot farther than it looked from the front.
It’s practically a showroom.
Sleek, shiny cars are lined up in perfect rows, each one more expensive-looking than the last. There’s a sports car in candy-apple red, a black SUV with tinted windows, and even a classic car that looks like it belongs in a museum.
The walls are lined with polished steel and glass, the floor spotless enough to eat off of, and every car in here gleams like it just rolled off the showroom floor.
Ellis strides forward, unfazed by the display of wealth. “This way.”
Robbie clutches my hand as we step farther inside, his small footsteps echoing softly in the cavernous space .
“I know you have your own car, but these are the vehicles pre-approved for use when Master Robbie is with you,” Ellis explains, his tone clipped and efficient.
He gestures to a row of cars in the front, each looking expensive enough to pay off my student loans and the rest of my tuition ten times over.
“The driver usually takes him to and from school, but when you’re responsible for him, you’ll use one of these and only these.”
I blink, glancing at him and then at the cars. “Right,” I say, trying to process the information.
Ellis turns to me, his expression as professional as ever. “I’ll need your car keys, Miss Fox. Someone will pull your vehicle into the garage.”
“Oh, um, sure,” I say, fumbling in my purse. I find the keys and hand them over. “But my bag is in the car, so I’ll need the keys back to grab it later.”
“Someone will take care of it,” Ellis says briskly, hanging the keys on a hook without missing a beat.
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
Just then, a sleek, black SUV pulls up in front of us. When it parks, I almost take an automatic step toward it but notice that neither Robbie nor Ellis are. They’re just waiting.
I realize why when the driver door opens and a tall, imposing man steps out and walks around the car. He opens the back door closest to us and steps back, waiting silently.
“This is Elijah,” Ellis says as Robbie skips to the open door.
“Umm, nice to meet you, Elijah,” I say.
The man nods but doesn’t say anything.
“After you, Miss Fox,” Ellis says, gesturing toward the open door.
“Thanks,” I mumble, sliding into the backseat after Robbie.
Ellis climbs in and takes the front passenger seat next to the driver without a word. The driver closes the door and takes his place up front.
The SUV moves smoothly down the long driveway, the mansion shrinking behind us. Robbie sits quietly, Rexy perched on his lap as he stares out the window.
He’s calm—almost bored, even. It’s obvious this is a routine. A routine that makes me feel like an outsider when all I want to do is gawk at everything in sight.
The “car” isn’t just a car. It’s completely decked out.
The interior of the SUV is luxurious—soft leather seats, a polished dashboard, and discreetly embedded screens that glow faintly from a couple of different spots. There’s a built-in console along the side with cup holders and storage compartments, and everything looks impossibly spotless, like no one has ever touched it.
I glance at Robbie, who’s casually holding Rexy while looking out the window. He’s completely at ease, as though this is all normal for him. And maybe it is.
Meanwhile, I feel completely out of place.
For him, this is just another day. For me, it’s the start of something entirely new.
I glance at him, trying to find the right thing to say, but he doesn’t seem to need conversation. His gaze stays fixed on the passing scenery, his expression unreadable.
The SUV glides onto the main road, and I sit back, folding my hands in my lap. This is my job now. No turning back. I just hope I’m ready for whatever comes next.