Nanny and the Alpha Daddy

#Chapter 84: Someone From the Past

Moana

That night, after Ella calmed down enough and agreed to clean up her room with our help, I laid in bed and found myself unable to sleep following the events of the day. Every time I closed my eyes, I pictured the creepy man from the mall; even more than that, however, I pictured Edrick’s soft eyes staring up at me as he held Ella on the floor and I felt his protective arm around my shoulders. I decided eventually that I couldn’t sleep for a while, so I decided to get my sketchbook out and draw. Although I had been working on another sketch for the past couple of days, I decided to turn to a fresh page that night and draw a scene that I couldn’t get out of my head: the image of Edrick holding Ella in her princess costume.

As I drew, starting with the rough forms of Edrick and Ella, a soft smile inadvertently began to spread across my lips. That smile spread as I began to feel Mina’s presence. It had been a few days since I really felt her presence, but I could tell that the events of the day made her come out more. I was grateful; Mina had become a friend to me, in a strange way.

“I have a confession,” she said finally after hanging around in my mind in silence for several minutes.

“Hm?” I said out loud. I still wasn’t entirely used to the whole concept of conversing with her in my head, and as I was distracted from my drawing, I didn’t think much of it now.

“Last night… I released a little more of my scent when he hugged you.”

I looked up from my sketchbook and frowned, setting my pencil down. “I thought we agreed on you not doing that without my permission,” I said quietly.

before answering. When she did finally answer, she sounded a little embarrassed. “I

happened then?” I

couldn’t control myself. It’s getting harder

noticed a lot sooner. Right? I went to search for Mina’s presence again to ask her, but when I did, she was gone again. Sighing, I knew I especially wouldn’t be able to sleep now, so I decided to

my way over to the kitchen, I figured that everyone else was already fast asleep — but I realized that I was wrong when I suddenly heard the sound of Edrick’s aggravated voice coming from his office. Unable to

you think you have the right to care about my personal affairs?” he said, his voice muffled through the door. “You threw

the other end of the phone. I furrowed my brow, but kept

“No— Olivia—”

using that name very late one night. Who was this ‘Olivia’ person? Was she a friend? A family member? Edrick certainly didn’t sound terribly fond of her, though, and it almost seemed as though they had some sort of disdain for each other, although the reason

to stand there and puzzle over whoever this ‘Olivia’ woman was, I was too deeply lost in thought to notice that Edrick hung up the phone and walked over to the door. In fact, I was completely taken by surprise when he suddenly flung the door open. I jumped back in surprise, my eyes

doing up?” he

I said, my heart racing. “I’m sorry. I

room was thick and hot, and I half expected him to snap at me for eavesdropping… But he didn’t. Instead, he merely shrugged and shuffled over to the bar in the living room and muttered something incoherent to himself as he rummaged around in the dim light for a drink. I watched him for a moment, taking in his slightly haggard appearance, but felt the overwhelming

to make tea,” I interrupted, causing him to pause just before he began to pour the whiskey into a glass. “Let me make