Chapter 2 - THE GIRL WHO BROKE THROUGH HIS WALLS
Adrian Mercer had spent his entire life learning one simple rule.
Never let anyone become your weakness.
Weakness was how people destroyed you.
Money could be replaced.
Companies could be rebuilt.
Reputations could be repaired.
But love?
Love gave someone the power to hurt you in ways you couldn't survive.
And Adrian Mercer had already learned that lesson once.
He lost Rebecca.
He almost lost Lily.
He would never allow himself to lose again.
But then Claire Bennett walked into his house.
And somehow...
his daughter trusted her.
That bothered him.
Not because Claire was dangerous.
Because she wasn't.
That was the problem.
Danger was easy to recognize.
Kindness wasn't.
Adrian stood in his office, staring at the photograph Marcus had sent him.
Claire and Lily.
Walking through the snow.
Laughing.
A simple moment.
A normal moment.
But Adrian knew better than anyone.
Normal moments were the ones enemies waited for.
"Find out everything about her."
Marcus looked up from his tablet.
"Claire Bennett?"
"Yes."
"You think she's involved?"
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"No."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Then why investigate her?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Because he didn't know.
And that bothered him.
Finally, he said:
"Because Lily trusts her."
Marcus leaned back.
"And that scares you?"
Adrian looked at him.
"Yes."
The honesty surprised even Marcus.
For years, Adrian Mercer admitted nothing.
Not fear.
Not pain.
Not doubt.
But this woman...
this nanny...
had changed something.
Marcus studied him.
"You know what's interesting?"
"What?"
"You don't look angry."
Adrian said nothing.
"You look worried."
A pause.
"That's worse."
Adrian ignored the comment.
"Just find out who she is."
Marcus nodded.
"Already started."
---
Claire Bennett had no idea she was being investigated.
She was too busy trying to convince a six-year-old girl to eat breakfast.
"Lily, pancakes are not dangerous."
The little girl looked suspiciously at the plate.
"They look weird."
Claire smiled.
"They are pancakes."
"They have blueberries."
"Yes."
"Blueberries are healthy."
"Exactly."
Lily narrowed her eyes.
"That's what adults say before making children eat things they hate."
Claire laughed.
A real laugh.
The kind she forgot she could make.
Then she noticed Adrian standing at the doorway.
Watching.
The smile disappeared from her face.
"Mr. Mercer."
Adrian looked at Lily.
"You didn't eat."
Lily immediately looked away.
Claire noticed.
The little girl was not afraid of Adrian.
But she was afraid of disappointing him.
That was different.
"She ate half."
Adrian looked at Claire.
"Half?"
"Half is progress."
"She needs proper nutrition."
Claire crossed her arms.
"She also needs to feel like she has control over something."
Adrian stared.
"You disagree with me?"
Claire immediately realized who she was talking to.
The most powerful man in the room.
Her employer.
She lowered her voice.
"I'm sorry."
But Adrian surprised her.
"Don't apologize."
She looked up.
"What?"
"Finish your thought."
Claire blinked.
"My thought?"
"Yes."
She hesitated.
Then:
"Lily lost her mother."
Silence.
"She lost the person who made her feel safe."
Adrian's expression changed slightly.
"She doesn't need another person telling her what to do every second."
Claire looked at Lily.
"She needs someone who reminds her that she still has choices."
Adrian didn't speak.
Because deep down...
he knew she was right.
Lily looked between them.
"Are you two fighting?"
Claire quickly answered.
"No."
Adrian said at the same time:
"Yes."
Claire stared at him.
Then Lily giggled.
And Adrian froze.
Because he realized something.
He hadn't heard Lily laugh like that in months.
Claire noticed too.
Their eyes met.
For a second...
something passed between them.
Something neither of them expected.
Then Adrian looked away.
"Eat your pancakes."
Lily smiled.
"Okay, Daddy."
And she did.
---
That evening, Claire found Adrian alone in the library.
She had been working at the Mercer estate for four months.
She knew the house.
The staff.
The routines.
But she still didn't know Adrian.
Not really.
"You don't sleep much."
Adrian looked up from his papers.
"Neither do you."
She smiled.
"That's because I have a six-year-old who thinks midnight is a reasonable time to discuss dinosaurs."
A small movement appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Almost a smile.
Almost.
Claire noticed.
"You almost smiled."
"I did not."
"You did."
"No."
"You absolutely did."
Adrian looked back at his papers.
"You are unusually confident for someone who works for me."
Claire shrugged.
"Maybe you're less scary than everyone says."
That got his attention.
"Everyone?"
She immediately regretted the word.
"People talk."
"What do they say?"
Claire hesitated.
Then:
"That you're dangerous."
Adrian leaned back.
"And you believe them?"
She looked at him.
"I believe everyone has a story."
The answer surprised him.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning people don't become who they are for no reason."
For several seconds, Adrian just looked at her.
Like he was trying to understand her.
Then his phone rang.
The moment he answered...
his expression changed.
"Where?"
A pause.
"I'll be there."
He ended the call.
Claire noticed.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
She sighed.
"There it is again."
"What?"
"The billionaire answer."
Adrian frowned.
"The what?"
"When something is definitely wrong but powerful people don't want normal people to know."
For a second...
he almost smiled again.
Then he stood.
"I have business."
"At midnight?"
"Yes."
Claire looked at him.
"Do you ever stop?"
The question was simple.
But Adrian had no answer.
Because nobody had ever asked.
As he walked away, Claire said:
"Mr. Mercer."
He stopped.
"Be careful."
Adrian turned.
Nobody told him that.
Nobody worried about him.
Except her.
"Why?"
Claire paused.
"Because Lily needs you."
The words hit harder than she realized.
Adrian left without answering.
But that night...
for the first time in years...
May you like
someone's voice followed him after he walked away.
And he hated how much he wanted to hear it again.
