With every minute, Zoe got angrier, she felt like an extra. Alice excitedly told all her news to dad, didn’t leave him and Natalie, and she acted like her mother on purpose, fixing bows and dresses, helping put on roller skates. No one paid attention to Zoe at all.
And when that very acquaintance of Natalie’s approached them, limping, she completely lost speech. The caregiver rushed to him, greeted warmly. Alice also joyfully introduced Uncle Steve to dad, and then Vincent stepped aside with him and talked for a long time about something.
Zoe was all worn out. – What’s he stuck there? Time to go home long ago. Let’s go already, my head hurts.
The stepdaughter grew bold and said loudly. – Then go home, sleep, and we’ll walk more, okay? Natalie, come, help me on the rope course, I’m scared alone. Natalie gladly agreed and cheerfully ran with the girl, rejoicing in her soul that she managed to reach Vincent, and he heard his daughter.
And Natalie came up with something else. She persuaded the security guard, while everyone was away, to install a camera in the nursery. Thus she protected herself from the hostess’s attacks, and now it was visible how Zoe behaves when Vincent is away.
The security guard agreed, he was responsible for everyone. An extra safety measure won’t hurt. After Zoe left, everyone literally exhaled, and they walked until evening, had lunch at a cafe, went to the movies.
Stephen and Vincent became friends, the businessman promised to pay for the surgery. And didn’t want to hear objections, kept saying. Steve, understand, this is the least I can do for you, after all, you saved my life then, and suffered yourself.
Don’t worry, now it’s my turn to do good, it’s not right for a young man to suffer with his leg. Vincent kept his promise and found a clinic, an experienced doctor, and paid for the surgery, Steve was admitted to the hospital. And he himself went on a business trip again, now he was calm for his daughter.
Natalie won’t let her be offended, but he thought hard, why did he marry Zoe at all? What attracted him at first, youth, beauty, self-confidence, now in family life turned out not so important. What’s the use that a perpetually dissatisfied long-legged model walks around the house. Only demands money for her entertainments, nothing to talk about even.
Or maybe Alice is right? After all, she complained to her father about Zoe more than once, but he didn’t want to listen. The man increasingly fell in love with Natalie. Let her not be a beauty, a bit plump, short, that’s not the main thing.
Next to her, Vincent felt so good, so easy. And how she handles the daughter, it’s some magic. All these thoughts kept spinning in his head.
The businessman weighed everything, pondered. What to do next? And upon returning from the business trip, everything resolved itself. Zoe, as always, pretended she missed him, but it was all so played, insincere.
In the evening, she started complaining about the caregiver again. Darling, this can’t go on like this. After this impudent one appeared in the house, no harmony with Alice at all.
She sasses me, doesn’t obey. The caregiver canceled the pills for the daughter, but the doctor prescribed them. Allows eating ice cream and harmful pastries.
Take measures finally. Vincent couldn’t endure all this anymore, promised out of habit to sort it out and fell asleep. And in the morning, while Zoe slept, the security guard quietly called him aside to his post and showed the camera recording.
Early morning, Natalie hasn’t come yet. Zoe roughly pushes the daughter. Enough lazing, get up, go wash and eat breakfast.
Or do you need a special invitation? The girl answers. Okay, but can I wait for Natalie? She’ll come soon? She promised to braid many braids for me, I already prepared the bands, I’ll get up now, don’t yell. But as if a demon possessed Zoe, she started yelling even louder.
What’s with this caregiver? Spoiled you completely? You’re a big lummox already, march to the bathroom. How you’ve annoyed me, always whining, nothing but problems from you. Why are you grimacing, crybaby? Every day the same.
Did I sign up to pamper you? And such treatment repeated every day in moments when Natalie wasn’t around. Vincent saw another picture too, how the child runs full speed, how she rejoices at her, how they patiently assemble puzzles, read books, Natalie teaches the daughter counting. The host no longer doubted what to do, he had made the decision.
He sent Natalie with his daughter for a walk and went to his wife’s bedroom. It was almost noon, and she was still lounging in bed. The businessman roughly pulled off the blanket and said.
Get up, pack your things and leave, we’re divorcing. I know everything, Zoe, how you treated my daughter when I’m not here. You’re such a snake!
And I couldn’t understand what Alice was sick with. Poor child just didn’t know how to draw attention to herself anymore. One thing I don’t get.
You knew I have a daughter. If she’s not to your liking, why torment both yourself and her? Why marry if you hate the child? Zoe rushed around the room and tried to justify herself, pressed for pity. What are you saying, darling? I love you and Alice so much.
The caregiver wound you up, right? She’s the snake, not me. Wormed into someone else’s family to destroy it. Don’t believe her, fire her before it’s too late. Vincent dragged his wife and showed her the recording.
Nothing to cover with. Zoe understood she couldn’t wash off, and started packing things, cursing Natalie and blaming her for all her troubles. Alice sighed with relief.
Now no one forced her to do anything against her will, didn’t bully or insult her. And with Natalie, they lived soul to soul. She even started calling her mom.
It happened somehow naturally. No one asked her or forced her. It came from the child’s heart.
Natalie was very glad about this and responded with kindness and warmth. The woman recalled Victor less and less and secretly loved her employer. This feeling, which arose in her against her will, burning everything inside, scared Natalie.
It seemed to her something indecent, immoral, after all, her job is to look after the girl, not ogle the boss. The woman fought with herself for a long time, averted her eyes, tried to communicate less with Vincent. And only at home, at night, in dreams she dreamed how he would hug and kiss her, and she would become the happiest.
And when the man raised his eyes to Natalie, she treacherously blushed. Vincent at first couldn’t figure himself out, didn’t understand why he was drawn to Natalie like a magnet. Their gazes met, and inside everything warmed.
As soon as she left, the mood disappeared somewhere. She was like the sun warming his soul. The man pondered everything, weighed, wanted to approach and tell Natalie everything he felt, but couldn’t decide to open up, didn’t know how the nanny would react.
Just went through a painful divorce from her husband. Worries about Stephen all the time, frets. Once they decided together to visit Steve, he was confidently recovering, and soon they were to discharge him.
Everyone joked, and Steve suddenly confessed. «Guys, great news! I fell in love!» «Don’t look at me like that! In one wonderful woman, Anna. She works here as an orderly.
She has a daughter too, nine years old. We decided to live together. I’ve never met anyone like Anna.
Sweet, kind, took such care of me all the time.» Natalie and Vincent started congratulating. The woman laughed.
«Well, Steve, you rock! Known each other for nothing, and already planning to live together. Not afraid to get burned again?» The man reasoned. «No, not afraid.
Life is so short. Don’t waste a minute and do what the heart tells. And what about you? Going to torture each other long?»
«Well, even the child understood you love each other. Alice told me in secret.»
Natalie blushed again, and Vincent decided.
«You’re wiser than me, Stevie. And I’m a fool. Natalie, I’ve loved you for a long time.
And I want you to become my wife. We’re almost a family already. Hope you won’t refuse.»
And though Natalie waited for this moment, she didn’t think it would happen right here. From the pleasant surprise, her breath caught, and tears welled up. And her heart pounded so hard it almost jumped out of her chest.
It was the happiest moment in her life. She experienced a storm of emotions, insane excitement, thrill. It was love tested by time, circumstances, actions.
And she answered. «Dear, your proposal caught me off guard. But I’m insanely glad and want to become your wife.
I love you very much. I’m happy because I have you.» Steve laughed.
«Well, that’s better. Happy for you, guys. I’m the witness at the wedding.»
Vincent decided to help Natalie get the apartment back. He saw how important it was to her. He hired the best lawyer, and he provided evidence that the lion’s share of the money came precisely from Natalie’s mom.
She sold the cabin and land. Documents remained about that. A retrial took place, which ordered to sell the three-bedroom apartment and divide between the spouses equally.
And here Vincent didn’t mince words, forced now Victor to move out with his mistress. And with the proceeds, the couple bought housing for Steve. He was over the moon from such a royal gift, after all, now he could bring his bride and have his own nest.
Vincent also got Steve a good job, as his driver. He knew he could rely on him, a tested person. Black days came for Victor.
The money from the sale barely sufficed for a one-bedroom resale, which also needed repairs. And family life with Emily didn’t work out at all. The girl was lazy and didn’t work at all.
Demanded round-the-clock attention. And after they had to move to cramped housing on the outskirts, she decided to leave her husband altogether. Emily called her father and whined.
– Daddy, I made such a mistake, take me away from here. You were right, Victor is just a boor, I don’t want to live with him. The couple divorced, and the enraged father immediately fired Victor with a bang, and now the man was left at the broken trough.
Choked by anger, thought at least mom would understand, but she only added fuel to the fire. – And how did you want, sonny? Can’t do nasty things unpunished. Remember how you treated Natalie yourself.
Even if fell out of love, could you humiliate her like that? Now you’re in her shoes yourself, and she’s great, didn’t give up, didn’t break. Now lives happily with her second husband, raises his girl. I saw them recently at the mall.
Natalie lost so much weight, became prettier, blossomed outright. So no whining to me. You drove away with your own hands the woman who loved you and kept the hearth.
Think yourself now what to do and how to live. But Victor was weak in spirit, didn’t find the strength to ask Natalie for forgiveness. To rise from zero.
He started drinking and sank to the bottom, thinking everyone was against him. Zoe after parting with Vincent left the city, her traces were lost. Vincent thought it was for the best.
He wouldn’t want to meet her again in his path. Now Stephen’s and Vincent’s families were close friends. The girls befriended each other, celebrated holidays and important dates together.
Natalie stopped tormenting herself with endless examinations and treatments. Let it go. Now she fully felt like a mom.
Put all her soul into Alice. Vincent was infinitely grateful to her for that, appreciated her and sincerely loved. Often Natalie, combing the girl’s long blonde hair, would say.
– My little mermaid! And I right away, when I first saw you, understood. You’re my girl! Wanted to hug you right away, pity you. Thank you, my sunshine, for opening your heart to me.
I love you so much, more than all the kids in the world! Alice hugged tight and whispered. – And I love you, mommy!