Chapter 1 — Chapter 1

"Well, your recommendations are excellent, so you're hired," said the woman who was hiring me directly from the agency, the moment I submitted my application.

My previous employers, whose children I had been nannying, had moved to another country, so I needed a new job. The stranger sitting in the chair opposite me smiled contentedly and then informed me, "A car will pick you up tomorrow. Just give me your address."

Taking a sheet of paper, I wrote down the address of the hotel where I was staying.

"Goodbye," I said, handing over the paper, standing up, and saying my farewells.

"See you tomorrow. People will come on behalf of Elena Alexandrovna," the woman replied, watching me leave.

Another stage had been successfully completed, so I headed to the nearest art supply store with a peaceful mind. I was running out of paints, and I needed to replace a couple of brushes. Painting remained what I loved most, but unfortunately, I had nowhere to store my paintings, which forced me to give them away. I didn't regret it much, as I saw the pleasure they brought to their new owners.

After wandering around the city for a bit and grabbing a bite at a café, I returned to my room, packed my bags, and went to bed. Waking up early, I quickly took a shower and stood in front of the mirror, examining myself. I saw a slender, even skinny girl, short in stature and lacking enticing curves. My small breasts were hidden under a pajama top, and my neat butt was hugged by shorts. I quickly braided my long honey-colored hair, looking at myself. Blue eyes, light lashes, thin lips, and a sharp chin—definitely not model material. Though the slightly upturned nose and scattering of freckles really suited me. I wiped the steam off the mirror with my hand, smiling at the thought of who would get such a marvel as me. Quickly getting dressed, I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the room. I went down to the hotel lobby, handed in the keys, and received my deposit. Stepping outside, I stood in the parking lot, waiting for the promised transport. The morning was in full swing, so I turned my face to the sun's rays and blissfully closed my eyes.

"Angelia?" someone called out to me.

"Yes, that's me," I confirmed, shielding my eyes with my hand and trying to see who was calling. They were too large to be just regular bodyguards, dressed in identical suits, with buzz cuts and equally sharp gazes.

"We're from Elena Alexandrovna," one of the two very muscular men explained, looking at me with surprise.

I nodded, reaching for my bags, but they politely took my luggage. Opening the back door of the car, they invited me inside, and I swung my braid over my shoulder so it wouldn't get in the way and climbed into the spacious interior. My bags were loaded into the trunk, which opened and closed with a quiet click.

We drove for quite a while, leaving the city behind, and I realized from the signs that we were heading to one of the exclusive and elite neighborhoods. In essence, it didn't matter much to me, as I had never had a home of my own. I grew up in an orphanage, and although I had saved a considerable amount over the three years working for my previous employers, the dream of buying my own place remained just a dream...

When we passed through the security checkpoint, we immediately entered a wide street lined with mansions. Driving to the end and turning several times, we arrived at my employers' house, which stood at a dead end. The mansion was striking in its elegance and high, tightly closed fence. The car drove into the courtyard and stopped, and they opened the door for me to get out.

"Thank you," I thanked them and stepped out, heading towards the house's entrance.

The front door swung open, revealing an elderly woman in a strict and very modest dress. She looked at me with clear disapproval, assessing my sundress and light sandals.

"Please," she invited, stepping aside to let me in. "Follow me, please!"

I followed her up the stairs, and in a deathly silence, we reached the top floor. Soon she opened the door to one of the rooms and, nodding to me, quietly explained, "This is your bedroom; the children's rooms are across the hall. The children are at their lessons and will be back in two hours."

Continuing on, she opened several more doors, showing me around, simply waving her hand.

"Thank you," I said and returned to the room where my bags were already standing. As I had little clothing, it didn't take me long to unpack.

After a while, I heard another car pull into the courtyard. Hurrying downstairs, I stood in the hall so I would be immediately visible. The same woman, who I understood was the local housekeeper, opened the door. Two blond boys about five years old with unruly tufts of hair burst into the house, nearly knocking me over.

"Hi! Are you our new nanny?" they blurted out, clinging to me from both sides.

"Yes, my name is Angelia. And yours?" I asked, curiously examining the twins. It was immediately clear they were quite the handful.

"Misha and Stas! Come on, we'll show you our toys!" the boys invited, grabbing my hands and pulling me upstairs. I only caught a glimpse of a sixteen-year-old girl entering, who glanced at me and then disappeared somewhere. She probably adhered to the emo style, with a lot of pink and black in her clothes. Her hair was dyed in these colors too, and the heavy makeup on her face completely masked her youthful age and looked very provocative.

Of course, I had been hired as a nanny for the boys. To be honest, I hoped we could become friends easily. The children were very sociable, so we quickly found common ground. After all, my education as an elementary school teacher wasn't for nothing, so I knew well how to keep the little ones occupied. When my employer and the boys' mother, Elena Alexandrovna, arrived, we were already drawing, sitting calmly at a table.

"Good evening," I greeted, standing up from my chair.

"Good evening..." she responded, looking at her sons with disbelief.

"Mom, look, we drew birds! Angelia showed us how to do it," they shouted, jumping up and showing her their papers.

"So, you haven't caused any trouble yet?" the woman questioned skeptically.

"No, the nanny told us a story about birds, and we also learned a counting rhyme with her!" the boys responded, hanging onto her.

"Wash your hands and let's go eat," she decided, kissing each of them and leaving.

After watching the children in the bathroom, the three of us went downstairs, and they showed me the way to the dining room themselves. Leaving the twins to eat, I headed to the kitchen, as I used to eat there with the previous owners. Although they treated me well, they didn't encourage familiarity, so they kept their distance. As for me, I didn't mind such treatment because I was paid well for my work, and the children were a joy to me.

Entering the kitchen, my eyes immediately fell on a table set for six, and the housekeeper there nodded to me.

"Sit at the nearest seat. You can call me Maria Petrovna," she introduced herself right away.

"Thank you. My name is Angeliya," I replied and sat in the offered seat.

Soon, the kitchen filled with voices, and I turned my head with interest to look at the newcomers. They were five men who, after barely glancing at me, settled at the table and started eating. I didn't say anything because it was quite possible that talking to the staff was forbidden here. We ate in complete silence; I constantly felt curious glances on me, but I didn't lift my head from my plate. When I finished eating, I cleared my dishes and went upstairs. I wanted to start sketching out what we were supposed to do with the boys.

***

"If I find out that any of you touched the girl with even a look or a word..." the хозяйка дома said, peeking into the kitchen where the security guards were finishing their meal. Making sure she was heard, she immediately left, taking her sons upstairs. If her intuition didn't fail her, the girl was special, which meant she needed to be protected. The new nanny literally glowed with some inner light, and her soft smile seemed to hide the fact that she was quite firm. The fact that she easily managed the twins spoke volumes.

***

The next morning greeted me with the chirping of birds outside the window. I always got up early, needing only six to seven hours to feel fully rested. The previous evening had been productive, as I found out what the boys knew and what they didn't. Their interests and habits were set aside for later, but they were restless, so I needed to work hard to engage them.

I had received their schedule the previous evening, and after they were put to bed, I quickly made a work plan. Getting ready, I went down to the kitchen and got breakfast from the sullen maid. After drinking my coffee, I went to the garden, as there was about half an hour left before the twins woke up, and I had plenty of time to breathe in the fresh morning air.

"An early bird?" I heard as I returned to the living room after my short walk. It was my employer, Elena Alexandrovna, who looked at me sternly upon meeting. This stunningly beautiful woman could have been anywhere from thirty to fifty years old. Her well-groomed long chestnut hair accentuated her thin face with full, bright lips. Her brown eyes, framed by lush lashes, and her slender aristocratic nose looked at me sternly and with dignity. Designer clothes looked magnificent on her slender figure, giving her an elegant and stylish appearance.

"Good morning. Yes, I always get up this early. I don't even need an alarm," I replied.

"Wake the boys. I expect them for breakfast," she ordered, and I nodded and went up to the children's room, where I stroked their tousled heads and woke them, helping them get ready.

And so the days of my stay in the new family began to pass, one after another. Mornings started with breakfast, followed by lessons with the boys, after which they left with security for martial arts and language classes. When the children returned, it was time for lunch, and then I organized various games. At first, they played reluctantly, but then it was impossible to tear them away from logical puzzles and active ball games. This is how the first two summer months flew by, during which I easily got used to the people around me and settled into my work. Each day, I had about five hours of free time, which I dedicated to the painting I started right after moving into this house. The dawn, visible every morning from the window, was stunningly beautiful and inspiring. Two poems also found their way into my cherished notebook, suddenly coming to me after a dream.

It was early August when I once again met the хозяйка in the morning in the house's hall, surprised by her light sundress.

"Vacation!" she explained with a smile. "We're flying to the Black Sea in two days, we have a house there. I'll be with you for a week, and you'll stay for three to return in time for my daughter's classes."

"Okay. Should I start packing?" I asked.

"Yes, you can start. The maid will give you a suitcase," she agreed.

Nodding to her, I went to the garden, which had become a daily necessity for me. The fresh morning gradually turned into a hot day. Watching the boys shaking the apple tree while sitting on it, I already knew what picture I wanted to paint next.

"Yay, to the sea!" the twins shouted upon learning about the upcoming trip, running around the house. For the first time in the last two months, they didn't go to classes, which made them even happier. Their older sister, Lera, was also very pleased. As Maria Petrovna said, her full name was actually Lariyel, after her French grandmother, which the girl didn't like at all. She didn't like the name, so she shortened it to the minimum.

After two days of packing, we flew to the lovely city of Sochi on a private plane. Several cars met us, two of which were for us, and the other two were clearly for security.

Of course, I was a bit curious about what Elena Alexandrovna did, but I didn't dare ask her. The only thing I managed to find out from the boys' endless chatter was that their father had died, though they didn't know the exact date. From this, I understood that it must have happened at least two to three years ago; otherwise, the children would have remembered.

As soon as we turned off the road leading from the airport, a stunning view of the sea opened up before us, and a salty breeze wafted through the window I had slightly opened. After wandering around the area for another couple of hours, which was interspersed with forest and several villages, we finally arrived at the villa. It stood alone on a hill, like a small white castle, and at its base, the sea lapped against the rocky shore.

"Can we go to the beach right away?" the twins immediately whined.

"Sure!" I agreed and smiled, as I didn't think the hostess would have any objections. The main thing was not to forget to bring sunscreen and towels.