CHAPTER 4

Falynn's mouth dropped, and her eyes widened. She needed no one to tell her, her eyes were reddened, and her tear watered.

She felt as though her feet froze and she was struck right in the chest with a dagger.

“Brant!" Sofia Moore admonished.

"I said I do not want her, and that's final!" Brant blurted and turned towards the door for an exit with both hands In his pocket.

Followed by a sigh, Sofia shot Falynn an apologetic look. "Please Falynn, I'll be back."

Right there in the study, Falynn was still frozen, she felt as though life had been taken out of her. Above all her rejections, she could tell this is the first time she felt lifeless after being rejected.

Instantly, Falynn prayed the ground splits and she falls into it.

She had her fist tightened as she thought. The jerk didn't bother taking a second glance at her, before the dismissal.

Who the hell did he think he was? She howled inwardly. From the study room where she was, she could hear the muffling sound of Brant's argument with Sofia down the hallway.

The study was just close to the hallway, so Falynn could easily tell what was being spoken about her.

"What the hell is wrong with you Brant? It took me such a long time before I got somebody perfect for the kids, but now Brant… you are about screwing that up." Sofia yelled at her brother, as her tone dripped with frustration and anger.

"I don't care, Sofia, there are thousands of people out there waiting to get this opportunity, find them!" He paused and spoke softly. "You see, I don't like her, Sofia. Read my lips, I don't like her."

"Brant!" Sofia scolded. "It took me days to find a perfect nanny like her."

"I don't care, Sofia, you will get another. Just get that piece of shit out of my house, I can't stand her." Brant growled.

"What! Piece of shit?" Just that word stood right in Falynn's head. She needed to take a second glance at herself to be sure there was no shit on her.

The more the word rang In her head, the angrier she got. "This is the height of it, that jerk knew me from nowhere, and he has the gut to spill such terrific words towards me."

Hurriedly, Falynn picked up her bag and headed towards the door. It only pained her that she wouldn't meet the kids once more before she left.

She dashed out of the study and walked past all rooms until she did reach where they stood arguing.

"I'm serious Sofia, nothing you say would make me retreat on my words. Go in there and show her the way out." Brant insisted.

"Never mind, I gladly would leave without being shown the way," Falynn said to startle both of them.

Sofia was startled and felt sorry, but Brant had no remorseful reaction, he merely tilted his gaze sideways with a deepened frown.

Sofia's apologetic expression was soon replaced by embarrassment, while Brant felt nothing out of being remorseful.

She was prompted to tell him how much of an asshole he was, but she didn't. Adjusted her bag on her shoulders, squared the shoulders, and walked towards the door.

"Falynn, please wait." Sofia cried from where she stood.

"Let her go, Sofia." That was the last thing Falynn caught before she pulled the door and walked out.

***

Falynn spent the whole evening sulking, that job was the least she banked on right now before the loan sharks would come after her.

This was one awful experience she had gone through in a while.

For the next week, Falynn spent her time searching for jobs online, yet all those she could find were either unfavorable, too far, or the employers were just like the arrogant Brant.

She returned to the firm through which she got approval for the nanny's job at Brant's place. However, she met another rejection.

She was told to exercise some patience as the jobs available have been taken.

As such, Falynn spent more time brooding over her current situation.

Her phone chimed again after the hundredth time that same day, it was just the caller who she was avoiding.

'Sofia.' For the past week, she had sent her apology emails, including that which stated Brant accepting her on the excuse that the kids were not giving him breathing space.

All along Sofia expected a response which Falynn refused to.

One thing Falynn thought each time she felt like returning, the sound of the incriminating word he used to describe her was still fresh in her memory, such that even if she wanted to go, she found it difficult to.

There was nothing as bad as getting your pride hurt. Falynn had thought on one of those times she received such mail.

Not just that alone, Sofia had bugged her with calls, yet Falynn wasn't responding.

This evening she called severally hoping that she would pick up like the other days, but she was wrong Falynn didn't. Not until now, Falynn peeked at the caller ID, and the next, she did cut the call.

She prepared to sleep, then heard her phone beep. Reluctantly, she checked the content of the message as it read.

"Can we have lunch together tomorrow?"

Falynn sighed and said. "Perhaps it's preferable to talk physically."

***

"I'm so glad you agreed to lunch with me." Sofia greeted with a hug and a smile curved across her lips.

Whereas Falynn couldn't wait to tell her the way she felt, she convinced herself that regardless of how sweet or how persuasive Sofia's words were, she would never give in.

She waited till their meals were ordered and they started eating.

"Falynn, I'm so sorry about my brother's unruly behavior the previous day." She apologized, breaking the silence.

"Is he?" Falynn blustered as she hoped to get a positive response about Brant being sorry.

Sofia held tight to her cutlery in a brief silence then changed her stance. "Falynn, you know what, I never expected this but the kids are always asking after you every day."

Sofia's attitude spoke it all, she could tell that Brant never felt sorry. A more reason she never would return there, even if she's offered diamonds as pay. Falynn vowed inwardly.

"Bella keeps sulking and asking about you Falynn, she never allows me a bit of rest."

"Really!"

"Yes Falynn, even Andrea seems to like you, he does so much in bugging my brother about hiring you back." Sofia squeezed Falynn's hand in hers and said.

"They need you Falynn please, the twins need you."

A part of Falynn felt bad for the kids, yet the least she could do was feel sorry for the kids, her happiness comes first.

"I'm sorry Falynn, I know how an asshole my brother was to you but please, do reconsider." Sofia pleaded.

Slowly, Falynn took her hands away from Sofia's. "Why not try another nanny, surely there are several young girls and even married women who would want this, why not go for them?"

Sofia pleaded further. "Falynn, trust me even if that was possible, I would still come for you, but it's not. You are the first of all to reach the stage of meeting Brant. Everyone else is not willing to get committed to the kids."

"It's either the kids are too scared of them or they don't even like them."

Deep down Falynn she was sure the kids had nothing to do with her decision. It was just their dumbass father that ignited the whole mess.

To think further, he couldn't at least send a mail stating how sorry he was to have messed her up.

One thing was certain and clear to Falynn, if she ended up working with them without a sincere apology from Brant, she would end up facing hell.

To save Sofia from her pleadings, she needed to say something to appease her. "Give me some time to think about it, I need to get through myself first."

"Thanks, Falynn, you really cannot tell how much this meant to me." Sofia stood up and pulled Falynn in for a hug as she repeated. "Thanks so much, Falynn."

Falynn pulled out and said. "I'll call you when I make up my mind."

It took Falynn another week to make her decision, aside from having her pride considered, Sofia had been on her throat, informing her about the kids.

Many times, both kids made sure to starve themselves on the account of Falynn's absence.

This and several other unpleasant news reached Falynn, and at the height of it all, she decided to return.

***

"Thanks so much for coming Falynn, you wouldn't know how much this means to me." Sofia pulled her into a tight hug.

Falynn pulled out and said. "Yes Sofia, I only came for the kids, I hope this turns out well?" Falynn blustered in uncertainty.

"Trust me, Falynn, it will, just be reminded you are here for the kids and nothing more…"

"I hope so, that's if he doesn't get in the way." Sofia planted a kiss on Falynn's forehead to ease off the tension.

Just as she was about to dismiss Falynn, a maid walked in to relay Brant's message to see Falynn.

"So I guess he is unavoidable," Falynn said after the maid was gone.

"Just calm down, I'm very sure he wouldn't talk rashly to you, perhaps he would want to apologize," Sofia said with a smile.

"I hope so," Falynn deep sighed, after which she proceeded towards the study room.

With each step she made along the hallway, she found herself trembling within, the closer she got the faster her heart raced.

In a short while, she was before him. He sat on the black leather chair, with his gaze tightly fixed on his laptop.

A different part of Falynn appreciated his well-defined jaw and curved brows. Deep down she acknowledged how hot he looked, but remembering his previous act, she snapped out of it.

It would have been much better if he weren't a jerk. She thought to herself.

"I'm here, you called for me." She ended up breaking the silence, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"I'm not a fool, and neither I'm I deaf to notice you." Falynn clutched tight to the edge of her shirt to compose herself before him.

Brant shifted his gaze from his laptop and stabilized his gaze on her.

She could feel a pair of eyes glued to her, and that gave her the impression of how much he scrutinized her from her head to her toe.

"Do you think a shitty thing like you can touch my kids? The whole of you speaks of the slum…"

"I…," Falynn proposed, but he cut her short. "What makes you think a word from a blockhead like you is worth convincing me?"

Brant stood from his seat and strode towards her, he leaned forward and said. "You stink, but I need a favor from you. That's if you want this job…"

Falynn's eyes were reddened, her bones tightened all she could feel within her was the heat of anger burning through her.

If possible, she wanted to throw a punch into that scandalous mouth of his, and another into his tummy where the stupid words proceeded from.