Chapter 3 - The Woman Alexander Hadn't Noticed
The next morning, Lauren's photograph returned to the living room.
Then another appeared in the hallway.
Alexander carried a third downstairs himself.
Jordan watched from the staircase.
“You're putting Mommy back?”
Alexander stopped.
“Yes.”
Jordan smiled.
A small smile.
But real.
Alexander hadn't realized how desperately he'd missed it.
At breakfast, Annie entered carrying fresh towels.
Justin immediately brightened.
“Annie!”
He abandoned his cereal.
Alexander pointed at the chair.
“Finish breakfast.”
Justin returned.
Annie hid a smile.
Alexander noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You smiled.”
“You sounded like a dad.”
“I am a dad.”
“Technically.”
Jordan giggled.
Alexander stared at Annie.
Annie immediately looked innocent.
Something unfamiliar happened.
Alexander almost smiled.
Almost.
Three weeks passed.
The house changed.
Not dramatically.
Slowly.
Jordan stopped hiding food beneath his bed.
Justin's nightmares became less frequent.
Alexander began leaving Morrison Dynamics before dinner.
His chief operating officer, Richard Hale, noticed immediately.
“You've canceled four evening meetings.”
“My children need me.”
Richard stared.
“Are you dying?”
Alexander continued signing documents.
“No.”
“Religious awakening?”
“No.”
“Woman?”
Alexander looked up.
“Get out.”
Richard laughed.
Then he noticed Annie crossing the courtyard outside.
“Oh.”
Alexander's expression hardened.
“Don't.”
Richard raised both hands.
“I didn't say anything.”
“You were about to.”
“I was going to say your new housekeeper seems excellent.”
“Get out.”
Richard left smiling.
Alexander hated that smile.
Because Richard wasn't entirely wrong.
Alexander had begun noticing Annie.
The way she knelt when speaking to the twins instead of towering over them.
The way she hummed while folding laundry.
The way she never treated Alexander like a billionaire.
Once, she walked into the kitchen and found him burning pancakes.
“You're murdering breakfast.”
“They're pancakes.”
“They were pancakes.”
“My sons asked me to make them.”
“Your sons made a tactical error.”
Alexander looked at the blackened pan.
“Can you help?”
“No.”
He stared at her.
Annie folded her arms.
“You're their father.”
“I run a technology corporation.”
“Congratulations.”
“I employ twenty-eight thousand people.”
“And none can teach you pancakes?”
Five minutes later, Annie stood beside him.
“Lower the heat.”
“You said you wouldn't help.”
“I couldn't watch this.”
Their hands touched reaching for the spatula.
Both stopped.
Annie pulled away first.
Alexander suddenly became very interested in pancake batter.
Then Jordan entered.
“Are you two getting married?”
Annie nearly dropped the bowl.
Alexander coughed.
“No.”
Jordan frowned.
“Why?”
“Eat your breakfast.”
But the peace didn't last.
One Friday afternoon, Alexander returned home unexpectedly.
A black sedan was parked outside.
He entered the foyer.
Voices came from the study.
Annie's voice.
And a man's.
Alexander approached.
“You can't keep coming here,” Annie said.
“I need money.”
“I gave you everything I had.”
“You have a rich boss now.”
Alexander stopped outside the door.
The man laughed.
“Maybe ask him.”
“Leave.”
“Annie—”
“Leave, Derek.”
Alexander opened the door.
A man in his thirties turned.
“Who are you?”
Alexander's voice was quiet.
“The person whose house you're standing in.”
Derek's confidence vanished.
Annie stepped forward.
“Mr. Morrison, I can explain.”
Derek looked Alexander over.
“So you're him.”
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
“Him?”
“The billionaire.”
Annie's face went pale.
“Derek, stop.”
Derek smiled.
“She hasn't told you?”
Alexander looked at Annie.
“Told me what?”
May you like
Derek headed toward the door.
“Ask your maid why she really needed this job.”
