At home, Viviane typed the formidable name and searched everything about Mr. Welsch's life online.

News sites reported the tragic car accident that had taken his wife Rachel's life. The widowed CEO, besides running his companies, also cared for a beautiful little girl. There was only one photo of him with his daughter, taken on the day of his wife's funeral. His heart softened seeing the attachment the little girl had to her father.

Viviane clicked on a site discussing Rachel's suspicious death. According to the journalist, one of the CEO's employees had been in the car with his wife; however, he survived but fled the scene.

"VIVIAN."

Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of her mother's voice coming from the kitchen. She quickly clicked the mouse, closing all the open pages.

"What is it, Mom?" She called, walking as fast as she could.

"Someone wants to speak with you."

Viviane left the room and went to the living room. Picking up the phone, she answered promptly:

"Hello!" A smile split her face in two. "Of course I can."

She gestured for her mother to grab a pen.

"What's the address?" She paused as the woman spoke on the other end. "A car will pick me up?" The smile vanished. "O-Of course I can," she stammered.

Otávia sat down and crossed her legs, observing her daughter's excitement.

Viviane placed the pen on the glass side table next to the sofa, ended the call, and quickly left the living room.

"Where are you going?" Otávia followed Viviane.

"I need to stop by the salon to get my hair cut and pack my bags."

"For all that?"

"I got a job..." She kissed her mother.

In the living room, she rummaged through the jar on the sideboard and grabbed her keys.

"I'll use your car."

Viviane had used the money she'd saved from selling her own car to fix her disheveled appearance.

After taking care of her hair and nails at the salon, she went to the mall and bought two dresses, a pair of shoes, and a teddy bear for the little girl.

As soon as she returned to her mother's apartment, she went straight to her room to pack her bags.

"What are you doing?" Otávia stopped at the door.

"I'll have to sleep at work, Mom..." she said while placing a few coats in the suitcase. "I accepted a job as a nanny."

"You're a teacher; you could find a teaching job."

"I have to do this, Mom!" Viviane hugged her mother tightly.

Getting close to Mr. Welsch would help Viviane gain the trust of her ex's boss. According to the woman on the phone, Viviane would soon have to travel to Los Angeles with the CEO's family.

She read the message on her phone screen, grabbed the suitcase handle, and dragged it down the hall to the exit.

________________________________

In the black Mustang, Viviane sat tense and thoughtful. She feared the CEO wouldn't like her work or might dismiss her because of the problem with her leg.

The car passed through a gate with golden bars and continued through the neighborhood to a luxurious house where Mr. Welsch stayed with his mother and daughter whenever he came to Brazil.

One of the staff escorted Viviane to the living room, furnished with pieces worth five times her teacher's salary. The polite woman had short black hair. Kate wore a pink silk blouse and black pants.

"Seja bem-vinda!" Katherine greeted warmly.

"Speak English, mom!" A deep, intimidating voice filled the room. "Your hair is different!" He scanned Viviane from head to toe.

Despite the cane, there was something different about the composed woman who entered his office the day before. Viviane wore a black blazer over a white blouse, paired with a pencil skirt.

"Come in!" Kate invited her. "I want you to meet Elizabeth before dinner."

Gabriel stepped aside to take a call, leaving his mother to introduce his daughter to the new nanny. Little Elizabeth was in the playroom, finishing her Lego tower.

"Dad, Dad!" The child's smile faded when she realized he wasn't her father.

"He's working," her grandmother replied brusquely.

Katherine treated the child as if she were an adult. She had raised Gabriel the same way, avoiding spoiling him.

The sulking child kicked the tower, scattering the Lego pieces across the pink carpet.

"I want my dad!" Elizabeth crossed her arms and pouted.

"If you don't behave, you'll be punished in your room!" Kate scolded her granddaughter.

Viviane remembered the teddy bear, took the colorfully wrapped box from her bag, and crouched down.

"Hi!" She approached the girl. "I brought a gift."

Katherine didn't seem to approve of the new nanny's action. She stepped forward. "We don't usually give her gifts when..."

"Please stop, Mom!" Gabriel's hoarse voice interrupted Katherine.

The girl smoothed her floral dress and hugged Viviane before taking the box.

"Open it, honey!" Gabriel commanded.

Outraged, Katherine left the playroom. Her upbringing was strict; she didn't accept Viviane's interference in her granddaughter's care.

Elizabeth hugged the teddy bear and showed it to her father.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, Dad!"

"Muito obrigada, senhora Bernardi." The child thanked her in Portuguese.

"How do you say that in English?" He winked at his daughter.

Smiling at Viviane, the child replied, "Thank you, Miss Bernardi."

"You're very smart," said Viviane, touching the girl's fair skin.

"Put your toys away!" The man ordered from the doorway. "Dinner is almost ready."

Viviane picked up some of the scattered Lego pieces and placed them back in the box.

"Miss Bernardi, stand up!" he commanded. "Elizabeth made a mess, so she has to organize everything."

Even though she felt sorry for the girl, Viviane obeyed the CEO. She admired the child and wondered if her own daughter was disciplined the same way in another country.

"Yolanda!" the hoarse voice bellowed.

“Yes, Mr. Welsch!” replied the housekeeper.

"Take the nanny to one of the guest rooms." Gabriel ordered.

"Of course, sir!"

Glancing once more at the girl, Viviane held the suitcase handle. She crossed the doorway but was stopped by a firm hand on her arm.

"Dinner will be served at seven o'clock." Gabriel advised the nanny.

"Yes, sir!"

Her whole body shivered at the masculine touch and the cold gaze of the dark-faced man. Her eyes were fixed on the man who had just turned thirty-two.

"Don't be late!" He released her hand.

At that moment, Viviane realized Gabe would never tolerate anyone questioning his authority.

Head down, she moved away from the well-built man and followed the housekeeper, who led her to the room.

The beige carpet matched the neutral décor. There was a double bed and a walk-in closet twice the size of the wardrobe she used in her mother's apartment.

Looking at the golden watch on her wrist, she noted she had forty minutes to get ready for dinner.

Viviane grabbed a black knit dress with short sleeves and slipped it on. She ran her hands through her platinum hair and then applied a light pink gloss to her lips. She sprayed a little perfume on her neck and wrists.

Seven minutes before dinner, Viviane left the room and walked down a massive corridor. She turned right and continued. The house was so large she had no idea where she was. A baritone voice came from one of the doors, filling the space.

"That bastard didn't just steal my money; he destroyed my family."

Curious, she kept listening. Perhaps Gabriel was speaking to Pietro.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold," he said arrogantly. "Don't forget to send me the information I asked for by email."

There was sudden silence. Viviane quickened her pace to try to leave but ran into the man opening a door.

“Are you spying on me?” he asked sharply.

"No, no, sir!" She replied in a trembling voice.

Gabriel was as stubborn as her ex-husband. He had the same mannerisms as Pietro, which scared her a little.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was heading to the dining room, sir."

Frightened, Viviane tried to walk without looking at the CEO.

"Come!" He grabbed her forearm and pulled her into the office.

Furious, Gabriel slammed the door without letting go of Viviane's arm. They locked eyes as he turned, and Viviane glimpsed the contained anger on his face. Cornered, she felt her legs weaken. The idea of getting close to Mr. Welsch didn't seem so good at that moment.

"Do you like snooping?" Gabriel's fingers pressed into her skin.

Her boss's hostile behavior frightened her. For a moment, Viviane thought about grabbing her suitcase and leaving the house.

"What did you hear?" he asked, releasing her arm.

"Nothing!" Her trembling voice broke the silence. "I was heading to the dining room."

She stepped back as Gabriel approached. She took a few more steps and lost her balance when her hip hit the mahogany table. A picture frame and some papers fell to the floor.

Instinctively, Viviane bent down. She gathered the papers and picked up the golden frame with Elizabeth's photo. She had to force herself to maintain her posture and conquer the fear that had taken hold.

"Remember your duties in this house and do your job," he demanded. "My mother will supervise you during your probationary period."

"Yes, Mr. Welsch!" She placed everything back on the table.

"I don't want to see you wandering the corridors near my office. I hope you understand."

Gabriel scanned her from head to toe, stroking his own chin and shaking his head. Viviane braced herself for the worst; she knew her boss would soon mention her leg.

"My mother will provide the uniform. You need to be well-dressed and appropriate for your role."

The resigned woman nodded. For the first time, he noticed the beautiful translucence of her jade-colored eyes. Viviane's cheeks were flushed. The way he scrutinized her made her even more nervous.

"You may leave now." Clearing his throat, he turned and opened the door.

Taking a step back, he waited for Viviane to exit the office. Although she was formally dressed, he noticed her slow walk.

"Miss Bernardi!"

"Yes!" She stopped and turned.

"This way!" He pointed to the opposite side of the corridor.

He took a step back and let her walk ahead. For a moment, Gabriel focused on the fabric accentuating her slim waist. He knew the importance of avoiding any harassment with his employees, which is why he had insisted Viviane wear it during work hours.

The metallic pendant chandeliers, finished in rose gold, hung above the expansive table with ten seats. Viviane glanced at her reflection in the large mirror mounted on the wall. She felt small in the face of the room's luxury and sophistication.

"You're five minutes late!" Kathy stood on the other side of the room. "What is she doing here?" She gave a slight wave toward Viviane. "She should be having dinner in the kitchen."

"I invited her, Mom!" Gabriel pulled out a chair.

Even though she disapproved of her son's action, Katherine sat and instructed the housekeeper to serve dinner.

"Sit down!" He sat and gestured to a chair for her.

Silence fell over the room as the staff served them. Viviane shifted in her seat and smiled at the housekeeper.

"Where's Liz?" Viviane dared to ask.

"I sent her to bed early for misbehaving."

"I thought she would have dinner with us," Viviane regretted speaking, immediately catching Gabriel's sharp glare.

"Your job is to assist me with my granddaughter's care. I don't want you interfering with how I raise her."

Gabriel sipped a bit of white wine, ignoring his mother.

Instead of eating, Viviane folded her hands in her lap and stared at them, thinking of her own daughter. She imagined Pietro's wife might be raising the girl the same way.

"You don't like sophisticated food, Miss Bernardi?"

"I do, ma'am!" she answered.

"Sit properly," Katherine ordered.

Viviane straightened her back immediately and lifted her chin, unaware that the man at the head of the table kept his gaze fixed on her. She had a pert nose and prominent cheekbones.

"She's very thin," Kathy commented, trying to draw her son's attention, and laughed at her untimely remark. "You need to gain a little weight."

Viviane didn't respond. Instead of arguing with the matriarch, she focused on her plate of oyster tartare with vegetables.

"I noticed you have a problem with one of your legs." Gabriel held his crystal glass and sipped the wine.

"You should stop drinking, Mom," Gabe said.

"I just want to know if Viviane will be able to handle Liz when I'm not home."

"I can, ma'am!" Viviane replied.

"Were you born with this disability?"

Gabriel cleared his throat and widened his eyes at his mother.

"It was an accident!"

Viviane barely touched her food under the matriarch's interrogation. She set the fork beside her plate and sighed.

"Were you driving drunk?"

"No, ma'am!" She took a sip of water.

Viviane shook her head. She wasn't ready to talk about it yet. The terrible nightmares kept that day alive in her memory.

"Enough!" Gabriel interrupted his mother, revealing his irritation.

He had been aware of every step the new nanny had taken just before entering his house. According to the detective he had hired, Viviane had made headlines four years ago. He had read the article about the robbery followed by an attempted homicide.

"Excuse me!" Embarrassed, she stood up.

She didn't wait for Gabriel's permission. She left, walking frantically. She couldn't remember where her room was. Leaning against the wall, she pressed a hand to her mouth.

"Are you all right, Miss?" the kind woman asked.

"It was just a bad headache," she said, standing up.

"Do you want a painkiller?"

"Thank you, I'll be fine!" She wiped away tears with the back of her hand. "Yolanda, how do I get to my room?"

The woman in a black uniform with a white apron smiled.

"Do you need anything, Mr. Welsch?"

"You may leave, Yolanda! I will accompany Miss Bernardi to her room."

Gabriel rolled up the sleeves of his shirt on both arms as he stared at the nanny's tearful eyes.

They both walked along the carpeted hallway. Gabriel slowed his pace so that Viviane could keep up. She walked slowly, saying not a word.

Impatient, he shoved his hands into the back pockets of his linen trousers. His face remained dark and brooding. They took a few more steps. Viviane glanced at the little table in the hallway and remembered her room. Gabe stopped in front of a door on the left side.

“This is your room, Mrs. Bernardi. I hope you won’t get lost again,” he said firmly.

“Yes, sir!”

“I took the liberty of sending the schedule with my daughter’s activities,” he mentioned to the woman, who stood at the door like a statue, listening. “One of the reasons I hired you is because you are an educator. I would like you to take charge of teaching my daughter Portuguese.”

Viviane offered a restrained smile and nodded as the tall man spoke about the importance of his daughter learning other languages.

“Does she go to school?”

She immediately regretted the question when she saw Gabriel’s impassive expression.

“No!” he said firmly. “Read the spreadsheet with the schedules I sent you.” Gabriel took a step, then turned back. “There’s one more thing—do not override my mother’s instructions,” he warned. “Elizabeth is spoiled, and sometimes my mother has trouble dealing with her.”

“And what about playtime?”

“Read the spreadsheet I sent you,” he said curtly. “Be careful not to overindulge; I don’t want my daughter becoming dependent on you during this probation period. I fired the last nanny because she let Liz play alone on the swing.”

The explanation seemed so absurd that Viviane smiled.

“Seriously?”

“Elizabeth fell off the swing and got three stitches in her eyebrow,” he said, his tone serious.

Viviane smoothed the back of her hand and stared at her feet. The man’s gaze was intimidating.

“Go rest!” commanded the cold voice.

Without looking at him, she touched the doorknob. Gabriel took a step, then stopped, staring at the frail woman’s back.

“I apologize for my mother’s behavior! She’s upset with me for letting you give a gift to Liz. Anyway, she shouldn’t take her anger out on you.”

“No problem!”

“See you tomorrow, Vivian!”

The sound of her nickname in that penetrating voice made her heart race suddenly.

“Good night, sir!”

Viviane opened the door and stepped into her room as he walked away. She just wanted to take a shower and forget the fiasco at dinner.

Even though Katherine was angry with her son, it was clear she wanted to hurt Viviane. Did she do the same to Gabriel’s wife? she wondered as she removed her dress. She looked at her slender body and swallowed hard, remembering Kathy’s barbed remarks.

Later, Viviane was lying in bed when she grabbed her phone and checked her email. She opened the spreadsheet with Elizabeth’s activities. The poor girl would have to get up at seven in the morning.

Around eleven at night, Viviane got out of bed when she heard the engine of a car stop in front of the house. She discreetly opened the curtain, peeking at the tall man. She closed it as soon as Gabriel lifted his head.

Viviane ran back to bed and burrowed under the covers, hoping her boss hadn’t seen anything.

After turning off the lamp, she fell asleep quickly. She longed for the day Gabriel would return to Los Angeles. She needed to go to the company to find Pietro.

“Get up!” The commanding voice ordered.

A flash of light forced Viviane to open her eyes and sit up quickly. She panicked, thinking she was late. Alarmed by the invasion of her privacy, she jumped out of bed.

Gabriel studied the curves visible beneath her thin white nightgown. Without a word, he grabbed her arm firmly.

Fear gripped Viviane. She feared this man might be as harsh as her ex-husband and demand tasks beyond her duties as a nanny.

“Are you making a fool of me, Miss Bernardi?”

Her heart seemed about to leap from her chest. Viviane couldn’t understand the reason for the interrogation.

“Why didn’t you tell me Pietro Müller is your ex-husband?”

For a moment, Viviane remembered the car she had seen before going to sleep. Pietro had probably discovered something and told his boss.

“No, I didn’t know,” she said, her voice trembling.

“Oh! Did you forget you were married to him?” he demanded sarcastically. “Answer me!” His voice rose.

Viviane shrugged in response to the man’s aggression.

“I told you on the day of the interview.”

“Then I have to fire the HR manager.”

“That’s not her fault!” Viviane found the courage to retort. She pulled her arm.

“Whose fault is it then? Yours?”

He advanced on her as she stepped back. Gabriel’s hair fell over his furrowed forehead. His eyes were full of rage.

Viviane ran to the other side of the bed and opened her wardrobe door.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I—I’m leaving!” she stammered.

“Oh, no! You’re staying here!”

“But my ex-husband already told you…”

“Told me what?” He interrupted sharply.

“He did it so you would dismiss me.”

A rough laugh filled the room. Viviane didn’t understand what had been so funny.

“Pietro told you to steal more money.”

Confused, Viviane grabbed the suitcase handle.

“Where is he?”

“I haven’t seen my ex-husband in years.”

“Do you expect me to believe that, Miss Bernardi?”

Gabriel snatched the suitcase from her hand and advanced. He studied the pale face of the woman staring at him in confusion.

“Your husband robbed me, took the most precious thing I had,” his voice faltered suddenly. “You’re staying here! He took what was mine, and now, you belong to me!”

In a sudden movement, he came closer, his hands sliding gently from her shoulders to her soft neck. Horrified, Viviane closed her eyes, fearing the worst. Gabriel’s fingers traced her smooth skin, driven by an uncontrollable desire.

“I quit!” she shouted, trying to free herself.

Gripping her shoulders firmly, he tried to claim her lips, but she turned her head and shut her mouth.

“You will not leave this house until I allow it!”

He pulled her closer, making her feel his hard desire. He claimed her lips in a fierce kiss as Viviane struggled to escape.

“Please, no!” she pleaded in a tearful voice.

Indignant at her resistance, he took a deep breath and released her. Though he wanted revenge on Pietro, he could not hurt an innocent woman.

“Don’t even think about leaving this house! There are guards all over the property. You will leave only when your ex-husband shows up with my money,” he declared forcefully. “Don’t even think about calling the police. Otherwise, I’ll tell them you’re an accomplice of Pietro.”

“That’s a lie!” she said, upset.

“Think carefully before taking any action, Vivian!” he warned, turning to leave.

Viviane threw herself onto the bed, crying with anger. She wrapped herself in the plans she had made to find her daughter.

She dragged herself out of bed and saw the guards patrolling the property.

And if Gabriel found Pietro, what would happen to her daughter? It would be better to stay to make sure Mr. Welsch never laid hands on the girl.

---

The next morning, the alarm rang. It was fifteen minutes to six. Overcoming her laziness, she threw back the sheet and went straight to the bathroom to freshen up.

She grabbed a hanger with a black long-sleeve blouse, matching pants, and shoes—probably the uniform she was supposed to wear during work hours.

She tied her hair in a bun and, as soon as she stepped out, met Yolanda, who was leaving the room next door.

“Good morning, Miss Bernardi!”

“You can call me Vivian.”

“I’m not sure I should…”

“We’re coworkers,” Vivian said calmly.

They walked to a spacious gourmet kitchen where a young woman was eating cereal, seated on one of the stools near the white counter.

“This is the heart of the house!” Yolanda said with a smile.

Viviane’s eyes scanned the space, taking in a hood over the cooktop, the oven, and a stainless-steel refrigerator.

She lifted her gaze and immediately looked away when she saw the couple through the glass door separating the kitchen from the backyard.

Gabriel was sitting at the table with a beautiful woman whose hair made her look like a Hollywood actress.

“Do you like pancakes?” Yolanda asked kindly.

“Yes!”

“Sit there, I’ll make them for you!”

Somewhat awkwardly, Vivian greeted the golden-skinned girl as she sat, but the young woman didn’t respond.

“She’s wearing headphones!” Yolanda mentioned. “Barbara, don’t be rude.”

“What’s up?”

“Hi!”

The girl forced a smile and returned to watching a video on her phone.

“Don’t worry, she always wakes up in a bad mood,” Yolanda said.

Glancing toward the door, Vivian noticed Gabriel smiling briefly. He looked more handsome when he revealed his white, perfectly aligned teeth. He didn’t even seem like the ogre who had invaded her room in the middle of the night. Perhaps this was his girlfriend, she thought.

“She’s Mr. Welsch’s cousin!”

Barbara seemed to have read her thoughts.

“She’s the lawyer who uncovered Pietro’s scams.”

Viviane shifted in her chair when the girl mentioned her ex-husband’s name.

“He’s always yelling at the detective on the phone. Everyone in the house knows about Pietro.”

Yolanda served a steaming cup of coffee and placed a plate with the pancakes.

While eating, Viviane kept track of the time. She already had the day’s lessons planned.

She glanced sideways and saw Gabe hugging his cousin and kissing her on the cheek. She focused on her breakfast when Gabriel touched the sliding door while speaking on the phone. Her heart raced as she heard his hoarse voice fill the room.

“I don’t care about that woman’s problems. Dismiss the HR manager. That’s all!”

Poor woman! Viviane swallowed hard at the thought of the HR manager.

“Change that outfit!”

Barbara looked at her boss in confusion and stood up quickly.

“Viviane, change that outfit and go to my office,” he ordered.

“What about Liz’s lessons?”

“I’ll give you fifteen minutes!”

With heavy steps, Gabriel headed toward the exit. If Pietro didn’t have the courage to show up, he wouldn’t spare any effort to take everything that was his.