Four

Murderer!

Murderer!

She called her a freaking murderer?!

Who did she murder?

"Who did she murder, Chloe?" Lee asked with a bored expression on his face.

Her thoughts exactly, she mused.

"She murdered my pinky princess!" Chloe shrieked.

Kids, Natalie refrained from rolling her eyes.

"Chloe, I don't even know who that is," Natalie replied with a chuckle.

Her chuckle died down immediately when she saw the little girl advancing towards her, a mean smile on her lips.

"How could you know her when you've squashed her with your butt!"

"Chloe, language!" Lee scolded her massaging his temples.

Natalie stood up from the sofa a small smile on her lips, "I'm not sitting on your pinky..." She trailed off when she pulled out a doll dressed in a pink dress by the side of the sofa. She hadn't noticed it there.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see it," she apologized awkwardly holding out the doll to Chloe.

"She called you it!" Chloe shrieked as she snatched the doll from her.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," Natalie sighed.

"Apologize to Pinky princess!" Chloe shrieked.

"Sorry Pinky princess." She gave a resigned sigh. With everything, she's been through today, she was tired and just wanted to rest.

"Lee as you can see, she's not a capable nanny," Chloe said smirking, "She didn't even know Pinky was there how is she gonna take care of me?"

Okay, who the hell is this kid? Natalie wondered.

"She has gotten the job already, Chloe, and I'm sure she'll do just fine," Lee replied shrugging.

"Fine! I'll get daddy to get rid of her!!" Chloe snapped then stomped back upstairs.

Natalie collapsed on the sofa not hiding her exhaustion any longer. Mentally, emotionally and physically she was drained.

"I'm so sorry about her, Natalie," Lee apologized wiping his brows then wearing his glasses, "You can leave if you feel she's too much to handle."

Natalie chuckled. "Leaving will be a terrible thing to do it's for only cowards. I rise in the face of a challenge besides I like her." 

Lee gave her a bright smile and she bit tongue. She reminds me of me, she wanted to add but that will be revealing too much info about herself.

Grabbing her biro, she signed the contract and handed it back to Lee who took a look at it before placing it back in the file and removing his glasses.

"Congratulations Natalie, you're Chloe's new nanny," Lee said beaming at her.

"Thank you so much, Lee."

He stood up, "You may go and get your things over here, you'll be staying with Chloe from now."

Natalie nodded. She had read it in the contract, she will be living with Chloe until she's old enough to take care of herself unless she's fired.

"I will go back to see my brother in the hospital and get my things."

Lee gave her a slight nod, "If you need anything, Natalie just let me know."

She hesitated. She wasn't one to accept charity but this was different, she was working for them now. "Lee, there's something."

He smiled at her. "Boss will be coming back tomorrow, I'll tell him to give you an advance so you can settle your brother's hospital bills."

She smiled up graciously at him. There was something about this old man that made her feel safe and wary of him, she just couldn't place it.

"Thank you so much!"

He chuckled. "You survived your first face-off with Chloe, I think you will be very good at this job."

She chuckled, glancing at the old man smiling at her, kindness shining in his brown eyes. 

There was nothing to be wary about with Lee, her instinct was in overdrive again, she thought.

"I'm glad I didn't disappoint you, Lee."

"Thank you, Natalie. I have a good feeling about you and my hunch is never wrong," he smiled then strode off into the house.

Natalie couldn't help the chilling feeling she felt when he walked away but shrugged it off and left ready to tell her friend the good news.

~~~~*

"Ha! I told you I am your fairy guardian angel."

Natalie laughed so hard she collapsed on her bed as she watched her best friend, Lexi doing a happy dance in her room while shouting lots of crazy words trying to sound like a magician.

If there was such thing as magic, her life wouldn't be like this, she thought bitterly.

"That's not exactly a magic word," Natalie pointed out at her friend's newest phrase word.

"Duh! It is now," Lexi rolled her eyes at her, "Solemn silencia Natalie!"

"That's a long one," she chortled.

"Magic words are a mouthful," Lexi shrugged then wiggled her eyes seductively at her. "

Alright, tell me who's your boss?"

"Ew! You're gross," she chuckled, "I haven't met my boss and no there's not going to be any romantic strings attached if I do."

Lexi pouted. "Oh, come on don't be such a spoilsport!"

Natalie chuckled, "I'm disappointed in you, Alexi Jean Hartbart."

"Sorry mom," Lexi said in a mocking tone rolling her eyes at her.

Natalie laughed. She loved her best friend so much because at times like this she tends to forget her problems, her sick brother, her dead mother, and her father...

"Snap out of it, Natalie. You need Cupid in your life!" Lexi snapped her fingers in her face.

"Shut up, Lexi!" Natalie laughed rolling her eyes at her best friend.

"I can picture it now," Lexi continued ignoring her friend, "You are going to fall in love with your boss and he's going to marry you and you'll live happily ever after with your brother and his daughter."

She held back the tears that threatened to spill as she listened to her best friend's ranting. If only life was so simple as that. Sometimes she wishes she was the little girl who had lived a normal life and grew up then got married to her knight in shining armor.

But there were no such things as happy endings except the ones you make yourself and she was determined to get it for herself and her brother.

"Hey, are you alright" She heard her friend's voice filled with concern.

She flashed her a small smile, "Yeah, let's just pack."

Lexi gave her a concerned look but dropped the topic instead she smiled at her, "I'm done packing your bags."

Natalie stared at her now-closed box. "Oh no! What did you pack, Lexi?"

"Shut up and go already, I can't marry you off to a rich man if you're dressed in unappealing trousers each day."

Natalie face-palmed. Lexi would be the death of her.

~~~~*

"And she's back!"

"Good evening to you too, Chloe," Natalie smiled at the grumpy girl sitting on the dining.

"That's not a nice way to welcome Natalie," Lee reprimanded her before smiling at Natalie, "Welcome back, Natalie. Your room is upstairs right next to Chloe's room."

"No way, she's staying here?!" Chloe cried.

Lee ignored her and continued. "First door to your right."

Natalie nodded and proceeded upstairs to her room. She opened the first room door to her right and marveled at how large and spacious the room was. Her bed was well dressed and soft—she noticed as she plopped down on it—and she had a walk-in closet and an insane view from her balcony where she could see the entire city of New York. It was beautiful.

She stepped back into her room ready to unpack when her phone beeped. It was a message from Lexi. She read through it.

Hey, quick info. Wear a red nightie when your boss is home and send me a pic!

Natalie rolled her eyes and ignored the texts as her phone beeped ceaselessly till she muted her phone.

Gosh! Lexi was just too much sometimes, she thought with a smile.

They had been friends in high school, that was where they first met and since then they had pretty much bonded and became sisters.

Except sisters don't hide things from each other, a small nagging voice at the back of her mind snapped.

She ignored the voice, she refused to be guilt-tripped.

"It's too early to start daydreaming about my daddy!" The high-pitched voice of Chloe snapped Natalie out of her reverie.

"Gosh! Chloe you could have knocked," she snapped. After her inner battle with herself, she was not ready to deal with this kid.

Chloe laughed in a not-so-friendly manner then glared at her, "Listen here Natalie, I will personally make sure you are gone from this house before you know it!"

She cocked her brow at her, stifling a bored yawn. "Is that all?"

"You think this is funny?!" Chloe shrieked angrily, "Lee said you should come downstairs for dinner."

Natalie chuckled as she watched Chloe stomp away again. It was clear to her the girl had serious anger issues to deal with.

~~~~*

Natalie woke up with a start.

Where was she and what happened?

She sat up on the soft bed searching for her phone. She saw it tucked beside her and she grabbed it checking the time.

3:45 am? She had been tucked in and she hadn't tucked in the child put in her care. How could she have slept off without eating or taking her bath?

She stood up from the bed turning on her room light before heading towards Chloe's room. She opened the door and peeked in to see the girl was fast asleep.

Turning around to head back to her room, she heard a noise coming from the sitting room.

She was so used to situations like this, she didn't hesitate instead she crept downstairs and grabbed the nearest thing she could touch from the kitchen—a frying pan.

She advanced to the dark sitting room and barely made out the silhouette of a man at the door. Without wasting time she swung with all her might and knocked him down then she screamed.

A few seconds later she heard running footsteps and the lights came on.

"What happened, Natalie?" Lee asked drowsily.

She moved aside so he could see the bulger knocked out on the floor a smug grin on her face.

"I caught a thief."

She noticed how instead of a smile, Lee's eyes widened and his face paled.