The Bound Between Us

Chapter 821

The Next Day

Herman was gone. He'd actually left for Willowbrook by himself-not even Nelson or Dailey went with him.

Anastasia drove him to the airport. She watched him go through security, standing there as his figure faded into the crowd, swallowed up by the sea of travelers. It felt like losing him all over again.

She stood there for ages, lost in her thoughts, until Salma called-Emmie had choked on her milk. Anastasia snapped out of her daze and rushed home, her heart pounding.

The nanny had been careless, and Emmie ended up choking. By the time Anastasia arrived, Katelyn was already there, holding a now-okay Emmie while giving the nanny a piece of her mind and firing her on the spot.

Emmie was fine, but the poor nanny was beside herself, apologizing nonstop. "Ma'am, I'm so sorry. It was my mistake. I promise it won't happen again. Please, don't fire me. I really need this job."

Katelyn wasn't having any of it. "You let my granddaughter choke! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? What if something worse had happened? I'll give you an extra month's pay, but that's it. Pack up and go."

Blushing and flustered, the nanny gathered her things and left.

Katelyn kept muttering under her breath. "Honestly, I pay her twice the going rate and this is what I get? So careless, so irresponsible. You can't be sloppy when it comes to kids."

"Mom, I'll take her," Anastasia said, taking Emmie gently into her arms. Emmie, still so little, just looked around with wide, curious eyes, blissfully unaware of the chaos.

wasn't the one paying the nanny, after all, and since this was the

I up, and Liana was new sure how much Pattie was really learning. She did her best, but for now, it was mostly textbook

kept to her role. She was the tutor, not part

gestured shyly. "Ms. Liana, can I go play with my brother and sister for

twenty-minute break. Next up, we'll go over some

and

on the couch, playing with Emmie, when Katelyn turned to her, clearly stressed. "Why did Herman go to Willowbrook? Ana, why didn't you stop him? What if that fox Sandy lures him away again? Herman doesn't

worried about that

comfort her. “Katelyn, he wouldn't. He's got three kids now—he's not going

was really saying it for Anastasia's sake, hoping to ease

still looked uneasy. "Did he

said he'd be back in about three days," Anastasia answered softly. "Mom,

What she couldn't be sure of was whether his heart

Willowbrook

coming back to Willowbrook, Sandy had been on edge. She was afraid Herman would come looking for payback, or that Anastasia

days had passed, and

ease, she finally went