Chapter 19: AttachmentKathleen’s P.O.VI was surprised by the sudden outburst that came as a response to my question, particularly because I meant no harm.An eerie silence descended in the room as we stated at each other, neither one of us spoke as I bowed my head, wondering what it was that I did so wrong that he chose to snap at me like that. He didn't seem remorseful, although judging from his gestures; I could see that he might feel bad for snapping at me."I..." I swallowed my pride and decided to do the right thing for Hayley. If it wasn’t for his little girl, then I would’ve quit and left already, but if I did leave, Hayley would be upset and I realized that I didn’t want to see her sad. "I'm sorry for overstepping my boundaries."I didn't want to lose the job that promised to pay off
Chapter 20: Intrusive questionsKathleen’s P.O.VI tucked her into the soft, cozy bed. I then dimmed the lights before sitting by her bed and reading her bedtime story from my phone.I wasn’t used to searching bedtime stories and didn’t really have an idea of what kids would like, so I chose the first story that came up on the internet, not really focusing on what it was about, but in the end, it did turn out to be an interesting story about friendship, as explained by two cute bunnies."Did you enjoy the story?" I asked when I saw how drowsy Hayley looked."I did…" Hayley said with sleepy eyes.I smiled, glad that reading her a bedtime story had been successful. I brushed her hair gently, making sure she was comfortable and warm. As her eyes started to droop, I turned off the light and whispered a goodnight prayer. "You'll sleep peacefully and with no fear. No monsters will bother you, because you are a good girl."Hayley repeated the words, switching to her point of view. Sometimes
Chapter 21: Friendly DisagreementKathleen’s P.O.VI had been up for two hours before I started getting ready for work.First I helped my parents by cleaning the restaurant, as they didn't have the money to employ extra hands just yet. But the good thing was, now that word had gotten out that Arthur had hired me as caretaker for his daughter, the misunderstanding were starting to clear and more and more customers started to come to the restaurant, which meant that the business was finally taking off once again.After cleaning up downstairs and taking a shower, I came back into my room to get dressed so I could leave early. I had just put on some makeup and was about to grab my purse when there was a subtle knock on my door.It had to be my mother, who else would be knocking on the door to my bedroom by this time? I had little to no friends, and the few who I was on good terms with were probably getting ready to go to work as well. It was only half past seven in the morning so I had to
Chapter 22: Forsaken NightmaresKathleen’s P.O.VI walked into the living room, as always in awe of just how gorgeous this house was. I had a feeling that no matter how many times I came into the Dalton Mansion, it would never get old.There was no butler today, nor did anyone walk me in. I didn’t know if it was because Arthur could trust me a bit more around the house or not, but since Hayley had already shown me the way yesterday, I was no longer in fear of getting lost.I thought I was going to head straight to Hayley’s room first, but as I walked towards the entrance to the hallway, I noticed another person standing by a bookshelf, completely oblivious to my presence.Arthur kept turning the pages of the book he was holding in his hands, looking at it intently as he worked even this early in the morning. He ran a hand through his midnight black hair, his brow furrowed in thought. He was muttering something under his breath, lost in a world of his own. On the wall, an ornate clock
Chapter 23: Stay with MeKathleen’s P.O.VTo say that I was taken aback by her request…would be a vast understatement.At first, I thought she was joking, maybe this was a whole ploy for her to try and get me to stay with her. But her face was serious, and her eyes were hopeful. I didn’t think anyone could fake the tears and the heartbreak in their voice like that."What did you say?" I slowly asked, still processing her words."I want you to stay over at night." She repeated herself, feeling more confident now. “Please?”I was flattered that she wanted me to be such a big part of her life, but I also knew that I couldn't just up and move in with her family. I had my mother to think about, whose health demanded my attention often, as well as my father, who would often need help around the restaurant since we were all new to the business.And then there was that jerk of a best friend I had, Cole, who was starting to sound like I was neglecting him, and a life outside this job.But some
Chapter 24: Like a Real FamilyArthur’s P.O.VI sat in the dining area, my whole body jolting to a pause as Kathleen’s hand touched mine. Even though the contact was brief, I couldn’t help the tingles that shot up my arm, momentarily rendering me speechless.Forgetting what I was about to do, I moved my hand away quickly, and tried not to meet her gaze even though I could feel her eyes on mine.Did she feel it too? That jolt of electricity? Or was it just a part of my imagination?I took the glass from beside me and took a sip of water, not knowing why I suddenly felt nervous."Wow! It’s like we are eating like a real family."I was mid-sip when Hayley made her announcement, and a mouthful of water went down the wrong pipe as I let out a shocked gasp."Are you okay?" Hayley
Chapter 25: Convincing Kathleen’s P.O.V Hayley peered at me expectantly, as I sat hunched in my seat, my emotions all over the place as I tried to comprehend what just happened. I could feel my stomach in knots as I looked from her to her father. But even looking at Arthur proved fruitless as he too seemed to be deep in thought. I knew that if I agreed, he would definitely pay me extra…but in this case…payment wasn’t the actual problem…was it? "Well," I said, unable to think of a better excuse. "I would need to get my mother's permission before making a big decision like this, Hayley." Hayley was quick to respond, her eyes wide with surprise. "You need your mother's permission? But…you’re an adult!" "Yes, I do," I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed at having a child point that out to me. "I
Chapter 26: Convincing the Parents Kathleen's P.O.V I had a long day at work, credit to Hayley. And usually, I was eager to get home and crash onto my bed. In fact, I was so tired that I didn’t even want to change out of my clothes. But this time, I strode from the bus stop to our house with mixed feelings and uncertainty. I could feel the knot in my stomach as I walked towards the door. My mother would be excited to hear this, but not my father. This was news that could change everything. Knowing how much my father frowned at all forms of indiscipline and unethical behavior, it wouldn't surprise me if he asked me to quit the job and come back to the restaurant. Somehow, I knew it would get to this. But I didn't suppose it would be this soon. I'd been waiting for this moment for what felt like foreve