Chapter 5

Adrian’s POV

I won’t deny the fact that Mr Darcy Rodrigo is very handsome and exactly the kind of man that draws every woman's attention the moment he enters a room but I also had to remind myself firmly that I wasn't here for the looks .

I wasn’t like the other ladies who are dying about the way he looks, they way they all pretended and pouted as if this was a catwalk beauty pageant made me nauseous instantly. I wasn’t here to catch a billionaire husband or to bathe in his money…I'm only here because I had no choice.

This wasn't a luxury for me ... .it just a way for me to survive and I kept on replaying in my head that if I lost this job, I would end up being homeless. And the worst part is not even that, it's the fact that the police will come look for me again because I know that they're somewhere watching me closely.

That was why they didn't bother to install an ankle alarm on me, and the only reason for that was that I didn't cause them any trouble while in jail.

But even at that, I knew exactly how I knew how parole works… If I make any single mistake, if I fail to steady my life as they warned me, I’d be dragged back behind those bars to rot in there.

This job was my only chance to breathe free air and live my life the way I wanted it.

Another thing that I couldn’t even explain was his daughter’s aura that radiated in me; it was like a bond I couldn’t explain tied us together.

Mr. Darcy was exactly what they said he was, ruthless and feared by all… He has this stern and cold expression on his face like he owns the world. He looks like a man who can have everything under his control without even saying a word.

I had a very strange sensation that I had met before… I couldn’t tell which place exactly, but something about him felt familiar in a way that made me uneasy.

The man who took down our names when we entered the building stepped in front of us; he was wearing a black suit, and I guessed Jim to be his personal assistant…he bowed professionally with a straight face too. I guess all the people who work here always keep a straight face just like him. weirdos!

“Good afternoon, boss. These are the final applicants aspiring to become Pink’s nanny,” he announced, gesturing to us.

Pink. So that's his daughter’s name…such a cute name.

Mr. Darcy nodded his head, and his cold eyes were still on me, making my anxiety worsen.

Before his assistant could even say anything, the first girl in line immediately cut in… She moved forward, tossing her hair back dramatically. Her voice rang out with confidence.

“I have three PhDs,” she said, her tone smug. “Psychology, education, and business. So I can not only take care of Pink… but I can also take care of you.”

As she finished, she drew forward to him deliberately and adjusted the neckline of her blouse seductively just enough to reveal the full curve of her breasts. She gave him a sly smile…but his face was still strong and nonchalant.

I nearly gagged at her nasty seduction in front of a little girl, she is so shameless! My stomach twisted with disgust. Was this really how they thought they could become a child’s nanny? by seducing her father like cheap mistresses? Yuck!

I just like the fact that Darcy’s expression didn’t change at all. He gave her a brief glance, then looked away as if she didn’t exist.

The second girl took her turn, stepping out proudly with a sly smile again; she applied a little lip gloss. “Child care runs in our blood,” she declared. “In fact, my family raised children for generations. My mother was the personal nanny of the president’s children.” She bit her lip in an exaggerated gesture, her eyes glittering with calculation. Oh God!

Darcy said nothing to her as well, but then little Pink, still clinging to his shoulder, shook her head violently. Her lips pursed into a pout, and her tiny face filled with stubbornness…it was clear that she didn't like her.

My chest tightened when I saw that, and I couldn’t help but think that if this little girl had to be the one to decide on a nanny for herself, then I would never stand a chance.

That realization nearly crushed me. If she rejects these rich men, we'll dress and be pretty women… How can an ordinary ex-convict like me in a local dress be recognized?

Still, I couldn’t hold back…. I couldn’t stay silent without saying anything. Something inside me screamed that I had to speak.

It was my turn to introduce myself, but my throat went dry instantly, and I was nervous ... sweat built up in my palms. I tightened my grip on my worn certificate and forced myself to look straight at Mr. Darcy steadily for the first time.

“I don’t have fancy degrees,” I said, my voice trembling at first but growing stronger. “But I’ve cared for children all my life. Before… before everything happened, I worked at a small daycare and helped raise my younger cousins.”

When I said that, I was expecting his expression to soften but it was still hardened like he needed more persuasions.

“I know how to handle tantrums, bedtime stories, scraped knees ... .everything. I might not have a resume to prove it, but I can promise you that your daughter will be safe and loved.” I swallowed hard.

My eyes locked with Pink’s, and I felt that pull again. A connection that went deeper than logic. It was as if Pink sensed it too; she tilted her head, studying me with an oddly familiar curiosity, like a child recognizing a parent’s heartbeat.

“I need this job, sir,” I continued, my voice breaking with emotion. “Like I said, I love kids, and I promise you… I will take care of Pink with all my heart. Please.”

The women behind me laughed out at me cruelly; their laughter felt like knives digging into my back. I heard one of them whisper,

“She's so pathetic.”

“Desperate trash…does she think tears can help?”

But I didn’t care about what they were saying about me. This wasn’t about pride anymore. It was about his daughter. I didn't feel like being apart from her, and then, for the first time, Darcy Rodrigo spoke to us.

His voice was deep and commanding; it was the kind that left no room for argument.

“Well,” he said slowly, “thank you all for applying. But this decision is not mine to make.”

The women gasped softly in confusion. I froze.

Darcy adjusted his daughter’s position in his arms and continued, “There’s only one requirement for this job. The person Pink likes—that’s the one who will be her nanny.”

There was a high uproar of murmurs and whispers around the room by the women as their faces hardened immediately, like faces stiffened and lips tightened, and that was when we realized that our fates lay in the hands of a three-year-old girl.

I gripped my certificate tighter, and I prayed silently in my heart for her to accept me. My whole body trembled, and I knew that was it… It's either I get the job and regain my freedom, or I lose it and go back to jail.

Darcy turned to his daughter with surprising gentleness. “Pink, sweetheart,” he said softly, “are you ready to show me who you would like to be your nanny?”

Pink nodded eagerly, her golden curls bouncing.

Darcy carried her to the first woman in line, who smiled at her brightly and stretched out her hands to carry her, but Pink lowered her gaze to the floor, her face scrunched up instantly in irritation. She shook her head hard, her lips forming a stubborn pout.

Rejected!? Oops, it seems like this girl is a hard nut to crack… spoiled brat!

They moved to the second woman, who attempted to carry her again. Pink’s blue eyes narrowed again, and she shook her head in disapproval.

Rejected…again!

They got to the third lady, and the same thing happened; it continued that way with Pink giving the same result by shaking her head negatively.

Gasps of disbelief filled the entire room, and that was how… Pink dismissed all the wealthy and well-dressed women one by one until it got to my turn.

My heartbeat increased so loudly that I could hear it echoing in my ears. Sweat prickled down my back and my forehead… My breath caught in my throat in anxiety.

I already knew…. Of course no one needs to remind me that if these women couldn’t win her heart, how could I?

Pink stared at me for a long moment… Her blue eyes pierced into mine, and then, to my uttermost surprise, her lips curved into the sweetest smile I had ever seen.

Darcy tilted his head to her. “Okay, Pink,” he said slowly, his eyes still fixed on me. “How about her? Do you want her to…?”

Before he could finish, Pink nodded repeatedly and stretched out her little hands for me to carry her…. in quiet trust, just the way a child reaches out for a mother she somehow remembers.

I blinked twice, frozen in disbelief.

Wait… did she seriously do that!?