The question hung between them.

Seren stared at Adrian, willing her face to remain calm while every instinct screamed at her to grab Kai and run.

She had known this day might come.

She just hadn't expected it to come during a job interview.

"He's not part of our lives."

Adrian's expression didn't change.

"That's not what I asked."

"It's all you need to know."

His jaw tightened.

Five years ago, that look would have made her heart race for an entirely different reason.

Now it terrified her.

"How old did he say he was?"

"You heard him."

"Five."

"Yes."

"And you left New York five years ago."

There it was.

The calculation.

Seren forced herself not to look toward the childhood photograph.

"Are you interviewing me for a nanny position or interrogating me about my personal life?"

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe I haven't decided."

"Then decide."

She hated that her voice almost broke.

Hated even more that he noticed.

Adrian studied her for several seconds before walking back behind his desk.

"The position requires a background check."

"I already completed one through the agency."

"I know."

"Then you know everything relevant."

"Relevant."

He repeated the word like he didn't believe her definition of it.

Seren reached for her bag.

"This was a mistake."

"Agreed."

That hurt more than it should have.

She turned toward the door.

Then a scream came from upstairs.

Not frightened.

Furious.

"No!"

A second later, something crashed.

Adrian closed his eyes.

"What was that?"

Seren asked.

"My niece."

Another crash.

"Is she okay?"

"She's six."

As though that explained everything.

A door slammed upstairs.

Then came Poppy's voice.

"I HATE ALL OF YOU!"

Seren blinked.

Adrian rubbed a hand over his jaw.

"She's having a difficult morning."

"Sounds like she's having a difficult life."

His gaze snapped to hers.

Seren regretted the words immediately.

But Adrian didn't look angry.

Only tired.

Before either could speak, Evelyn appeared in the doorway.

"Mr. Blackwood."

"What happened?"

"Poppy discovered Ms. Langley won't be returning."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"She quit?"

"This morning."

"Of course she did."

Evelyn hesitated.

"And Poppy has locked herself in the music room."

Adrian moved toward the door.

Seren followed without thinking.

They reached the second floor to find Kai sitting cross-legged outside a closed door.

"Kai?"

Seren hurried toward him.

He held up one finger.

"Shh."

Seren stopped.

Adrian stared.

From behind the door came quiet sniffing.

Kai leaned closer to it.

"I don't like broccoli either."

Silence.

Then a small voice answered.

"I hate broccoli."

"Yeah. It's disgusting."

"Kai," Seren whispered.

He waved her off.

Adrian's eyebrows rose.

"Mom says I still have to eat it," Kai continued. "But sometimes I hide it under mashed potatoes."

Seren covered her face.

From behind the door came a tiny laugh.

Kai grinned.

"You wanna see my dinosaur?"

"No."

"He's missing one foot."

Another pause.

"Why?"

"My mom stepped on him."

"It was dark," Seren muttered.

The door opened three inches.

A small girl with dark blond hair and enormous brown eyes peeked through the gap.

Kai held up the dinosaur.

Poppy opened the door a little farther.

"That's not a T. rex."

Kai looked offended.

"Yes, it is."

"It's an Allosaurus."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

Within thirty seconds, the door was completely open.

Poppy sat on the floor.

Kai sat opposite her.

They began arguing over dinosaur anatomy.

Seren looked at Adrian.

He wasn't watching the children.

He was watching her.

"What?"

she whispered.

"You didn't do anything."

"I didn't need to."

"Poppy hasn't voluntarily opened a door for a nanny in three months."

"I'm not her nanny."

"Not yet."

Seren's breath caught.

Adrian looked toward Evelyn.

"Cancel the remaining interviews."

Evelyn's eyebrows lifted.

"All of them?"

"All of them."

Seren stared at him.

"Wait."

Adrian turned.

"You're hired."

Twenty minutes ago, he'd practically accused her of orchestrating their reunion.

Now he was offering her the one thing she desperately needed.

"You were going to reject me."

"I changed my mind."

"Why?"

His eyes flicked toward Kai and Poppy.

The children were now building something on the carpet out of books.

"Because that's the first time I've heard Poppy laugh before noon in weeks."

Something inside Seren softened.

She didn't want it to.

Not toward him.

"She needs stability," Adrian continued. "Evelyn says your references are excellent. Your son seems to make Poppy comfortable."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"Do I make you comfortable?"

A muscle moved in his jaw.

"No."

Seren almost smiled.

"At least you're honest."

"I'll double the agency's listed salary."

Her smile disappeared.

"Why?"

"Because living here will be complicated."

"For whom?"

"Both of us."

Before she could answer, heels clicked against the marble floor downstairs.

A woman's voice floated up.

"Adrian?"

He went still.

Seren glanced at him.

"Expecting someone?"

"No."

The woman appeared at the top of the stairs moments later.

Tall.

Blonde.

Immaculate.

She wore a cream designer dress, pearl earrings, and the kind of expression that suggested she'd never once checked her bank balance before ordering dinner.

"Vanessa."

Adrian didn't sound pleased.

Vanessa Whitmore smiled anyway.

"I was nearby."

"In Manhattan?"

Her smile tightened.

Then her gaze landed on Seren.

It moved slowly from Seren's inexpensive blouse to her worn handbag.

Assessment completed.

Dismissal followed.

"And you are?"

"Seren Marlowe."

Vanessa waited.

Seren didn't elaborate.

Evelyn stepped in.

"Ms. Marlowe is Poppy's new nanny."

Understanding brightened Vanessa's face.

Not kindness.

Relief.

"Oh."

One syllable.

Somehow, she made it insulting.

Seren had heard that tone before.

The tone wealthy people used when they'd decided someone belonged on the service side of the room.

"How lovely."

Vanessa removed her coat.

Without looking at Seren, she held it toward her.

"Would you take this?"

Seren stared at the coat.

For one second, the hallway went completely silent.

She needed the job.

She reminded herself of that.

Needed the salary.

Needed the housing.

Needed not to start a war ten minutes after being hired.

So she reached for it.

Another hand got there first.

Adrian took Vanessa's coat.

Vanessa blinked.

He walked past her, opened the hall closet, and hung it inside himself.

Then he shut the door.

"Adrian."

"Seren works for me."

His voice was calm.

Almost conversational.

"She doesn't serve you."

Vanessa's face changed.

Barely.

But Seren saw it.

The humiliation was exquisite.

"I didn't mean anything by it."

"Then it shouldn't be difficult not to do it again."

Poppy covered a laugh with both hands.

Vanessa looked at her.

Then at Seren.

Something colder entered her eyes.

Seren suddenly understood.

This wasn't over.

Not even close.

"I see," Vanessa said.

Adrian turned to Seren as though Vanessa had ceased to exist.

"Evelyn will show you the east suite."

"East suite?"

Seren repeated.

"It's where you'll live."

Vanessa's head snapped toward him.

"She's living here?"

"That's generally what live-in means."

"And the boy?"

"Kai too."

Vanessa stared at Seren differently now.

Not like staff.

Like a threat.

Seren wished she knew why.

An hour later, Evelyn was showing Seren and Kai through their rooms.

The suite was bigger than their apartment.

Kai ran to the window.

"Mom! There's a pool!"

"We're not going near it without permission."

"There's a trampoline!"

"Kai."

"And a basketball court!"

"Kai."

He turned around.

"Are we rich now?"

Seren laughed despite herself.

"No."

"Oh."

He considered that.

"Are we rich-adjacent?"

"Go unpack your dinosaurs."

He disappeared into the adjoining bedroom.

Seren sank onto the edge of the bed.

She had done it.

She had a job.

A home.

Security.

And all she'd had to do was move into the house of the man she'd spent five years avoiding.

Perfect.

"Mom!"

Kai called from the hallway.

Seren stood.

"What did I say about wandering?"

"You need to see this."

She followed his voice.

Kai stood several yards away, staring at a gallery wall filled with Blackwood family photographs.

One picture was larger than the others.

A formal portrait.

Adrian's father stood beside a fireplace.

His mother sat in an elegant chair.

Two boys stood in front of them.

One was older.

The other couldn't have been more than five.

Seren stopped breathing.

Adrian.

Five-year-old Adrian.

Dark hair.

Serious little mouth.

Steel-blue eyes.

Kai stepped closer to the portrait.

Then looked at Serena.

"Mommy?"

Her heart began to pound.

"What?"

Kai pointed.

"That boy."

Seren couldn't move.

"He looks like me."

Her mouth went dry.

"No, he doesn't."

Kai frowned.

"Yes, he does."

"Kai—"

"We have the same eyes."

Footsteps sounded behind them.

Seren froze.

Kai turned.

Adrian stood at the end of the hallway.

His gaze moved from Kai...

to the portrait...

then to Seren.

No one spoke.

Kai smiled, completely unaware of the bomb he was about to drop.

"Mr. Blackwood?"

Adrian looked at him.

"Yeah?"

Kai pointed at the five-year-old boy in the portrait.

"Is that you?"

Adrian's face went still.

"It is."

Kai's smile widened.

"I knew it."

Seren's pulse thundered.

Adrian slowly looked at her.

But Kai wasn't finished.

He pointed to his own face.

"Mommy, look."

Then back to the portrait.

"Mr. Blackwood looked exactly like me when he was little."

The silence that followed was unbearable.

Adrian took one slow step toward them.

His eyes never left Seren's.

This time, there was no mistaking the suspicion in them.

"You're right, Kai."

His voice was dangerously quiet.

"We do look alike."

Seren's stomach dropped.

Adrian stopped directly in front of her.

Then he asked the question she'd been avoiding since the moment she walked through his door.

"Who exactly is his father, Seren?"