Chapter 4
Valerie
Through the haze of steam, my eyes locked with Magnus's.
My brain shut down completely.
The sound of running water roared in my ears. After a brief, paralyzed silence, reality slammed into me. I sucked in a sharp breath.
My hands flew up in a panic, crossing over my chest and between my legs, covering myself as best I could. A scream nearly tore out of my throat.
Heat flooded my face in an instant — spreading down my neck, creeping up to the tips of my ears, burning like fire.
This was mortifying.
I had just exposed myself — completely, without reservation — in front of a strange man.
Magnus's tall frame blocked the light from the hallway.
His gaze lingered on me for the briefest of moments before he jerked his eyes away.
He didn't say a word. He stepped back, grabbed the door handle, and pulled the bathroom door shut.
The latch clicked softly. From the other side came his voice — low, cold, clipped:
"Lock the door next time. Pay attention."
His footsteps receded down the hall.
I leaned back against the cold tile, gasping for air, my heart beating so hard I thought it would crack my ribs.
Hot water streamed down my back, but it did nothing to ease the tension locked in every muscle.
Don't think about it, Valerie.
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to breathe. It was just an accident. That's all.
I rinsed off quickly, dressed, and rubbed a towel roughly through my hair.
When I stepped out of the bathroom and into the sitting room, I wanted nothing more than to disappear into the floor.
Magnus was seated in one of the armchairs, legs crossed.
He had changed into a dark shirt, the collar open at the throat. In his hands was a tablet, and he was scrolling through the day's financial news.
The cold glow of the screen cast sharp shadows across his face, making him look even more severe than usual.
He didn't look up when I came in.
I stood there awkwardly, hands twisting the hem of my shirt, unsure how to break the suffocating silence.
"Mr. Magnus, earlier I—"
"Sit."
He cut me off without looking up, his finger sliding across the screen. His tone was calm, as though the incident a few minutes ago had never happened at all.
I swallowed and walked stiffly to the sofa across from him, sitting down with my spine straight as a board.
Finally, he set the tablet aside and looked up. Those eyes — sharp, heavy with authority — fixed on me.
"Move in."
I stared at him. I was sure I'd misheard. "What?"
"Exactly what I said." Magnus leaned back in his chair, hands folded in front of him like a man at a negotiation table. "You've seen Alvin's situation. He can't do without you. If you move into the estate, caring for him will be easier. In exchange, I'll double your salary."
Move into the Wolfe estate?
It would solve my housing crisis immediately.
Jonathan had already moved Maria into our apartment. I couldn't stand to spend another second there. But—
"Mr. Magnus," I bit my lower lip, forcing the words out, "I'm grateful for the offer. But I can't accept."
Magnus's brow furrowed slightly. His eyes cooled. "Reason."
"I have a three-month-old daughter." I met his gaze, my voice steady. "I can't leave her somewhere on her own. And I won't hand her off to someone else to raise. If this job requires me to live here full-time without her, then I'll have to decline."
The room went silent. The only sound was the steady tick of the antique clock on the wall.
Magnus studied me, as though weighing whether I was telling the truth.
"Bring her with you."
His voice was low, but the words hit me like a thunderclap.
"The estate is large. There are plenty of spare rooms. More than enough for the two of you."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"But I have one condition." He leaned forward, his gaze sharp as a blade. "You cannot neglect my son because you're caring for your own child. If you can't balance both, I will terminate your employment immediately."
"I won't — I would never!" I shot to my feet, my eyes burning with emotion.
After everything Jonathan had put me through — the betrayal, the humiliation — this offer from Magnus felt like a light breaking through the darkness.
"Thank you, Mr. Magnus. I swear, I will care for Alvin with the same devotion I give my own daughter. He will never be treated as anything less."
Magnus gave a brief, noncommittal hum and stood. "I'll send a few people with you to help pack."
"No!"
The word came out louder than I intended.
Magnus stopped and turned back, his eyes narrowing with faint curiosity.
I realized I'd overreacted. I softened my tone quickly, trying to cover the panic rising in my chest. "I mean — I don't have much. I can manage on my own. There's no need to trouble your staff."
If Magnus's people saw Jonathan and Maria in that apartment — saw the wreckage of what used to be my marriage — the last shred of dignity I had left would be gone.
I didn't want this man to see me as pathetic.
Magnus watched me for a moment. He didn't press. Instead, he glanced at his watch. "Fine. Be back before dark. Bring your daughter. Lydia will arrange your rooms."
"Yes. I'll be back soon."
I practically fled from the estate.
I sat in my battered old Ford, gripping the wheel, forcing myself to breathe.
All I had to do was pick up Lily, grab a few changes of clothes and my nursing textbook, and I could leave that disgusting place behind for good.
The car tore through the streets. I parked outside the apartment building and ran up the stairs, fumbling for my key.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The apartment was silent.
No Jonathan. No Maria's theatrical moaning. And — most alarmingly — no Lily's familiar cries.
The living room reeked of expensive perfume.
Maria was draped across the sofa in a silk camisole, a cup of tea in one hand, flipping lazily through a fashion magazine.
She looked up when she heard the door open. A mocking smile curved her lips.
"Oh, look who's back." She set down her teacup and looked me up and down. "What, already given up? Come crawling back to pack your things and get out?"
I ignored her. My eyes swept the room.
The baby carrier was gone.
A cold, terrible dread gripped my chest.
I dropped my bag and bolted toward the bedroom.
I shoved the door open. The room was a mess. But Lily wasn't there.
I checked the guest room. The kitchen. Even the bathroom.
Nothing. She was nowhere.
My breathing became shallow and ragged. My hands were shaking.
I spun around and fixed my eyes on Maria, still lounging on the sofa.
"Where is Lily?" My voice came out trembling, laced with barely controlled panic. "Where the hell did Jonathan take her?!"
