Chapter 19

Darius's POV

The new governess, Rachel.

From the camera in Dora's room, I noticed something disturbing: her phone screen. She received a video call, using her phone while with my daughter and allowing her attention to drift. I had explicitly warned her—her job duties clearly stated that her phone must be off when she was with Dora.

But that wasn't even the worst part. After the call, Rachel's demeanor shifted; she snapped at my little girl. Other children might have cried, but Dora simply shut down, refusing to cooperate. This only made Rachel angrier.

As Allison and I arrive at the house, I consider not letting her see Dora's room—Allison has a habit of snooping around. But at the last minute, I decide to show her my jewel, to prove that I'm a good father, not a monster.

Yet, as I prepare to confront Rachel, I fear I might fail in redeeming myself. I'm about to crack Rachel open like a coconut. She's hiding something, and when I find out what it is, I'm not sure how I'll react. When it comes to my daughter, I lose the last shred of control I have.

Allison trails behind me in her black dress, her flip-flops slapping against the floor with each step, the sound grating against my nerves. The guards at the door let us through, the guard inside Dora's room bowing nervously, aware that I must have caught Rachel on camera. I know why she didn't knock out the governess's front teeth—I told the never to interfere in their business unless Dora's life was in danger. She was supposed to be in the room like a statue.

Rachel, on the other hand, straightens up nervously, rising from her seat to greet us. The smile on her face is strained, her eyes swirling with animosity. But my focus is on Dora, who refuses to acknowledge my presence or show any expression. She's angry. Rachel has made her angry.

"Oh my goodness, she's so cute…" Allison gushes, already walking towards Dora before I can stop her. Knowing how my daughter reacts to strangers, I hold my breath, bracing for a breakdown that would traumatize everyone in this room for days.

As Allison approaches Dora with her characteristic cheerfulness, I feel my muscles tense, every fiber of my being preparing for the worst. Dora has been in a silent fury since Rachel's earlier outburst, a state I know all too well. When Dora shuts down, it isn't just a refusal to communicate; it's as though the world around her ceases to exist, and any attempt to penetrate that barrier could lead to an explosive response.

But Allison is oblivious to all this. Her bright red hair bounces as she takes each step closer, her innocent enthusiasm almost palpable. I open my mouth to warn her, to tell her to stop, but the words lodge in my throat. There's a part of me, deep down, that's curious to see what will happen next.

Allison kneels down beside Dora, her smile wide and genuine, seemingly unperturbed by the oppressive silence in the room. I watch Dora's fingers twitch slightly, a barely noticeable reaction, but one that sends a wave of tension through me. This is the first sign of any response from her in hours.

"Hi there," Allison says softly, her voice gentle and unthreatening. She reaches out, her fingers inches away from Dora's arm, but she hesitates, her instincts telling her to move slowly.

Dora's eyes, which have been stubbornly fixed on the floor, flick upward, catching a glimpse of Allison's hair. For a moment, she seems mesmerized, her anger momentarily eclipsed by curiosity. Dora's hand moves, as if on its own, reaching out to touch the bright strands of hair that have caught her attention.

I hold my breath, my heart pounding in my chest. This is new—Dora is usually repelled by physical contact with strangers, but something about Allison seems to intrigue her. The tension in the room is thick, and I can feel Rachel beside me stiffen, her own anxiety mirroring mine. The female guard at the door, who has been standing like a statue, takes an almost imperceptible step forward, her hand hovering near her earpiece even though I'm right there in the room. I guess she is as nervous as I am too.

As Dora's fingers brush through Allison's hair, her expression shifts. The anger that has clouded her features begins to dissipate, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. I can see the confusion in her eyes as she tries to reconcile her earlier fury with this unexpected encounter. Allison doesn't flinch or pull away; instead, she lets out a soft, encouraging laugh, the sound like a gentle breeze that seems to ease some of the tension in the room.

"Do you like my hair?" Allison asks, her voice still light. "It's red, like a fire truck."

"Like a fire truck..." Dora repeats, her voice trailing of in wonder.

Dora's fingers linger in Allison's hair for a moment longer before she pulls them back, staring at her own hand as if surprised by her own actions. Her eyes flick up to meet Allison's, a hint of wonder in their depths. I can see her trying to process what has just happened, her rigid world momentarily disturbed by this girl's purity and innocence.

A wave of relief washes over me, so intense that it almost knocks me off balance. I hadn't expected this—I had braced myself for a meltdown, a tantrum that would shatter the fragile peace we've managed to maintain since Rachel's incident. Instead, Dora seems…calm. Not happy, but no longer simmering with anger either.

I turn my gaze to Rachel, whose face has gone pale. She looks as though she's just seen a ghost, her eyes wide with disbelief. This isn't the reaction she had anticipated; she expected Dora to lash out, to scream, to cry—anything but this quiet curiosity. The guard, too, seems unsure of what to do, her stance relaxing slightly as she realizes that the immediate threat of a meltdown has passed.

For a moment, I feel a strange mixture of emotions. Relief, yes, but also a pang of guilt. Here is this girl, Allison, who has walked into this room with no knowledge of Dora's condition, no understanding of the potential consequences of her actions—and yet, she has managed to break through in a way that none of us anticipated. She has reached a part of my daughter that I assumed was out of reach.

Dora finally turns her attention away from Allison and looks at me. Her expression is still guarded, but the anger has drained away, leaving behind a quiet exhaustion. She's done with this encounter, ready to retreat back into her own world. But the fact that she has responded at all…that's something.

"Thank you." I mouth to Allison when she sends a smile my way, my voice thick with emotion. I'm not sure if she understands just how significant this moment is, but I need to say it, not bothered by how vulnerable I sound. "You…you did good."

Allison walks back to me, her face bright and unassuming. "She's really sweet." she says ignorantly, unaware that she has just accomplished something extraordinary. "I'm glad I got to meet her."

I look at Dora, then back at Allison and sigh, not sure of what to assume but be grateful to my debtor. She has just performed a miracle.

"Errm sir. I ... I know why you're here..." Rachel clears her throat and whispers after taking a few steps closer to me.

From her tone, I can tell she is terrified to the bones.

"Not here. Not now. But drop your phone with the guard when you're leaving." I whisper back, knowing my demand has put Rachel in shock.

"You want me to drop my phone? But why sir? That's my privacy... That's..."

One look at her, and she nods in acceptance.

"You're hiding something. And I'll find out exactly what it is..." I shut up when Allison starts listening in. "Just do as I've said okay?"

Rachel nods again, now breathing weirdly beside me. "But sir... I... I have no secrets sir. I swear by my children's life."

Now Allison's attention is wholly on me, her face scrunched up in confusion, yet she knows better than to butt into our conversation. She might have performed a miracle with my baby, that doesn't mean she is out of the woods yet.

"You can leave, Rachel." I order her.

And she does, leaving Allison bewildered, yet concealing her confusion with her eyes remaining on Dora.

"Is everything okay?" Allison asks me, unable to help her curiosity.

I should not answer her, but I am grateful to her, so I might as well be be nice to her.

"She made Dora mad."

She wets her lips and swallow. "Oh my goodness... Are you... Are you taking here there?" Her voice breaks into a very low whisper, trying to keep our conversation away from Dora's hearing.

I smile and shake my head. "No. It's not that serious. As a matter of fact she'll come to work tomorrow."

Allison takes a while to study my gaze to see if I'm lying. Alas, she sighs in relief and nods. "Okay."

As I guide Allison out of the room, I glance back at my daughter. She's back to her usual self, quiet and withdrawn, but there's a softness to her that hasn't been there before. A small part of me dares to hope that maybe, just maybe, we're making progress.

But just before I take a step out of the room, I whisper to the guard inside. "Strip Rachel of her secrets. Follow her to the end of the world if needed."