~CELINE~  

I glanced at my wristwatch. 1:30 PM. Why was Caroline taking so long?  

With a sigh, I reached for my phone and dialed her number. Surely, she hadn't forgotten about our lunch plans.  

Across from me, Caesar started to squirm, tapping his toy truck against the table. His boredom was my cue to hurry, but Caroline still wasn't picking up.  

The soft ding of the café door opening caught my attention. I looked up and spotted Caroline standing by the entrance, scanning the room until her eyes found me.  

"Caroline!" I waved, relief flooding me.  

She waved back with a bright smile and threaded her way through the crowded tables. As always, she looked effortlessly elegant-her silk blouse and pencil skirt were perfectly tailored, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders.  

I straightened in my seat, suddenly aware of the wild curls framing my face and the shadows under my eyes.  

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," Caroline said as she slid into the seat across from me. Her voice carried a note of genuine apology. 

"Work's been insane."  

Her gaze softened as it fell on Caesar. "Hi, sweetheart," she cooed, her smile widening. "My godson gets cuter every time I see him."  

Caesar glanced up, offering her a shy smile before returning to his truck.  

Caroline leaned in slightly, studying him with an expression I couldn't quite read. "Those blue eyes..." she murmured under her breath.  

"What was that?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.  

She blinked, her polished composure slipping for a moment. "Nothing," she said quickly, brushing it off with a smile. But something stayed in her expression-something she wasn't saying.  

I let it slide, though her words stuck in my mind.  

"How have you been, Celine?" she asked, her tone kind but cautious.  

"Well," I said, running my finger along the edge of the menu, "I'm unemployed, and my rent's due soon."  

Caroline's expression softened with sympathy. "Have you considered asking your mom or sister for help?"  

I stiffened. "You know I can't do that."  

She sighed, her frustration barely masked. "I get it, but think about Caesar. You can't do this alone forever."  

"I am thinking about Caesar," I snapped. "That's why I'm not dragging him into their mess."  

Caroline leaned back, raising her hands in surrender. "Fair enough. But it's tough out there, Celine. If you need help..."  

"I know," I said quietly. "And I do need help."  

I hesitated before continuing. "If I don't figure something out soon, Caesar and I might not have a roof over our heads."  

Her face softened again, and she reached across the table to squeeze my hand. "I'll see what I can do, okay? Just trust me."  

Relief washed over me, and I managed a small smile. "Thank you, Caroline."  

Two days later, she texted me about a job opening at her cousin's mansion. The position was as a maid, and the pay was shockingly generous.  

For the first time in weeks, hope sparked in my chest. This job could be our fresh start.  

************************

Saturday morning arrived faster than expected. I bolted out of bed to the grating sound of my alarm.  

"Up, Caesar," I called, pulling him from under the covers.  

With no hot water, I resorted to heating water on the stove for our morning wash. By the time we were both dressed-me in a simple black dress, Caesar in jeans and a T-shirt-I was already exhausted.  

We left the apartment, dodging a sharp glance from Mrs. Martha.  

"Morning, Celine. Rent's due next week. Don't make me come knocking," she warned, her voice like gravel.  

I bit back a sigh, forcing a polite smile. "Got it, Mrs. Martha."  

We took a bus, then a cab, weaving through streets that grew more pristine and opulent with every turn.  

"Wow," I murmured, staring out the window at the towering mansions.  

"It's something, huh?" the cab driver said with a chuckle. "Welcome to where the rich and powerful live."  

The cab pulled up to a sleek, glass-fronted mansion, and I stepped out, clutching Caesar's hand.  

The iron gate loomed ahead, its sheer size making me feel small.  

"We're here," I whispered, giving Caesar a shaky smile.  

I pressed the buzzer, startled when a crisp voice crackled through the intercom. "Name?"  

"Celine Brown," I stammered.  

"Do you have an appointment?"  

"Yes. Caroline Crawford referred me for the maid position."  

There was a pause, then a soft click as the gate unlocked.  

I tightened my grip on Caesar's hand and stepped inside. The path was lined with perfectly trimmed hedges, leading to the massive front door.  

A woman in a blue dress greeted us, her expression harsh. She looked me over, then glanced at Caesar with a faint frown.  

"This way," she said curtly, turning on her heel.  

We followed her through a house that looked like it belonged in a magazine. Caesar's small giggles broke the silence, and I squeezed his hand, urging him to stay quiet.  

At last, we stopped in front of a door.  

"He's waiting," the woman said, giving me a pointed look before walking away.  

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding.  

"Well," I whispered to myself, "here goes everything."  

Opening the door, I stepped inside with Caesar. The study was lined with bookshelves, sunlight streaming through the windows.  

A man stood with his back to us, leaning against a shelf.  

"Hello?" I called softly.  

He turned, and my breath caught in my throat.  

Hunter Reid.  

His piercing gaze locked onto mine, and the room seemed to shrink around us.

~HUNTER~

My brows furrowed as I set my eyes on the familiar feminine figure standing in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned my hands fixated in my pockets.

Celine fidgeted but my eyes remained fixed on her, I watched her every move. She pulled her son closer as she repeatedly opened her mouth with no words coming out.

I was getting irritated by the eerie silence considering the fact that I just asked a question.

"Are you going to talk or you want to use the door?" I further questioned and she finally stood frozen, as if she had finally picked up on what to say.

"No-no sir. I-I am here for the job. The-job-i mean the position of maid." She stuttered through her reply, her voice sounding somewhat shaky but firm.

I lifted a brow in curiosity as my eyes landed on the child in front of her. Everytime I stared at the child, it seemed like there was a connection between us but that would be too illogical to think. 

After all, whatever idea webbed that thought was probably from the fact that the little boy had blue eyes.

My eyes shifted back to Celine's face and even though I hadn't uttered a word, she understood my gaze.

"Sir, I know you got me fired for working at the hotel while having my son play around. But sir, ever since I got fired, I have barely been able to live. My child's life and mine depended on that job and it was taken away from me so I-"

"Are you trying to put the blame on me?" I cut Celine off mid sentence with my interrogation.

Celine shook her head in the negative as she bit her lips nervously, "No no sir. I was just- I was just trying to explain the situation because I know you'd most likely not give me this job because of my son."

"Did the hotel have rules or not?" I questioned, totally ignoring her explanation.

She nodded in the positive.

"Great. Now just like the hotel's employee protocols, this job of a maid also has protocols and I certainly can't employ you if you got a kid around." My tone was clear and sharp.

As I finished, I watched whatever ray of hope Celine had wash away from her face as desperation crawled up on her temples.

She stared at me with brown eyes that sparkled with pleas but her lips were snapped.

I took a look at my wristwatch and I realized I had little time to meet up the meeting I had in the next fifteen minutes, "Please leave." I ordered her.

But for some reason, Celine stood rooted to the ground, unwilling to leave.

"I said lea-"

"-Please sir, hear me out at least!" She pleaded with folded hands.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I lifted my weight off the shelf, "You have five minutes to say all you have to before leaving."

Upon my declaration, Celine stepped forward. Her brown hair was tightly styled into a bun, making the veins on her temple more visible, an evidence of how nervous she felt I presumed. 

"Sir. My child is literally my only family. I have no one else to cater for him in my absence. This is why I have to take him a long everywhere I go, Including to work."

"Isn't that what daycares are for? Don't they take care of kids while their parents are busy with work or did they run out of business recently?" I fired back, leaving Celine speechless.

Celine lowered her head while rubbing her palms together, "I can't afford it."

I was just about responding to her when the voice of the little kid interrupted me.

"Mom, I'm tired of standing! I want to sit down!" 

Celine ruffled his head as she scolded him, "Ceaser please be quiet. I'm at an interview! Just a few more minutes my dear."

Irritation surged through my veins, "This is why we don't allow kids anywhere. It's highly unprofessional. Suppose I give you this job by chance, how do you plan to attend to your duties when you got a three year old following you everywhere?!"

Celine smiled softly, "Sir, I'll honestly manage. I'll ensure he's on his best behavior really. Sir, this job is my last hope and I can't afford to leave this place without being hired. If I do, I won't have a place to lay my head as my rent is due."

I hummed as I stared at her, considering the chances of hiring a single mother who was clearly not ready to work without her child. Would I be able to handle this?

Nah. I don't think so. 

"I'm sorry but I can't hire you." I declared in a firm but icy tone.

Celine's eyes glistened with tears, "Please sir. I really need this job. Please reconsider, I promise you'll not regret it. I'll work to the best of my abilities. Please just give me a chance."

But I couldn't imagine doing that. I knew how kids were like. One minute, they're all cheerful and happy and the next minute, they're wailing for hours. 

I doubt I'd be able to handle any of that shenanigans and when I get angry about it in the future, Celine would still come up with an excuse for me to keep enduring that.

I made up my mind on this and there was no going back. I stared at Celine again, she was doing really well to fight the tears back as she waited for me to speak.

But I uttered nothing. I just circled her body and left the room. I presumed she would be smart enough to understand that I wasn't going to hire her regardless of whatever she said, or did.

But Celine was quite the persistent woman. She tagged along behind me, pleading for the job. This time, the tears had come falling down and Christ knows how much tears irritate me.

When I couldn't hold it in any longer, I turned back, "Will you stop crying?" Celine wiped her face immediately.

"Don't you get it? I don't want you to work for me! What's so hard to understand?" 

Celine's face broke into a frustrated frown as she stared at me, "Sir, you don't understand. If I don't get this job, I'll basically be on the streets with nowhere to go and without money to feed my child. Please hire me, I'll forever be grateful."

Frustrated by her persistence, I came up with a solution.

"I'll hire you on one condition."