By the fourth day, Noah had begun waiting for me outside my room every morning.

He still didn’t like being touched.

He still spoke very little.

But he would bring his gray rabbit, sit beside me at breakfast and quietly push the pieces of egg he didn’t like onto my plate.

The butler watched all of this as if I were performing miracles.

On the fifth morning, he pulled me aside.

—Miss Su, the young master asked where you were last night.

—Why?

—You went to the hospital.

I had.

My mother’s condition had worsened again.

The daily payment from Lakeview Manor was keeping her treatment going, but the doctors had warned me that she might need another operation.

The estimated cost was terrifying.

—What did Noah say?

The butler hesitated.

—He asked whether you were going to disappear too.

Something tightened in my chest.

Too.

Before I could ask what he meant, Noah appeared at the end of the hallway.

He was holding the rabbit.

—Clara.

It was the first time he had called my name.

I crouched several steps away.

—I’m here.

He stared at me.

—Tomorrow too?

I smiled.

—Tomorrow too.

That evening, Alexander Lawson returned earlier than usual.

He found Noah and me building an enormous Lego hospital on the living-room carpet.

Noah pointed toward one tiny room.

—This is Clara’s mom.

Alexander stopped.

Then Noah placed another figure beside the bed.

—Clara saves her.

My throat tightened.

Alexander looked at me, but said nothing.

Later, after Noah went to sleep, he called me into the study.

—How much does your mother’s treatment cost?

I stiffened.

—That’s private.

—The butler said you requested an advance on your first day.

Embarrassment burned my face.

—I didn’t ask him to tell you.

—I asked him.

He opened a drawer and placed a card on the desk.

—Use this for her treatment.

I didn’t touch it.

—No.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

—Why?

—Because I’m your employee, not your charity case.

For several seconds, Alexander simply studied me.

Then, surprisingly, he put the card away.

—Fine.

I turned toward the door.

—Clara.

I stopped.

—Thank you for not treating Noah like he’s broken.

That was the first personal thing Alexander Lawson ever said to me.

I looked back.

—He isn’t broken.

Something complicated passed through his eyes.

—Everyone else thought he was.

—Then everyone else was wrong.

I left.

On the sixth night, I discovered why the third floor was forbidden.

At 2:17 a.m., I woke to Noah screaming.

I ran into his room.

He wasn’t there.

His gray rabbit lay in the hallway.

—Noah?

No answer.

Then I saw the staircase.

The security door leading to the third floor was open.

I remembered Alexander’s only absolute rule.

Never go up.

Then I heard Noah crying.

Rules stopped mattering.

I ran upstairs.

The third floor was completely dark except for moonlight entering through the windows.

At the end of the corridor, one door stood open.

I found Noah inside.

He was sitting on the floor.

Around him were photographs.

Hundreds of them.

All of the same woman.

Pregnant.

Smiling beside Alexander.

Holding newborn Noah.

Standing beside his crib.

Noah clutched one photograph against his chest.

—Mommy.

I froze.

So this was his mother.

I slowly sat several feet away.

—Do you miss her?

He nodded.

Then he whispered:

—Daddy says Mommy can’t come home.

I didn’t know what had happened to her.

Death?

Divorce?

Abandonment?

I wasn’t going to invent an answer.

—Your dad probably has a reason for saying that.

Noah’s lips trembled.

—They said I made Mommy go away.

My heart dropped.

—Who told you that?

He didn’t answer.

Footsteps suddenly thundered down the corridor.

Alexander appeared in the doorway.

His expression became terrifying when he saw me.

—What are you doing here?

I stood.

—Noah was crying.

—I told you never to come upstairs.

—And I found a four-year-old alone in a dark room.

—Get out.

His voice was ice.

Noah immediately grabbed my sleeve.

Alexander saw it.

He stopped.

I lowered my voice.

—Someone told Noah his mother disappeared because of him.

Alexander’s face changed completely.

He looked at his son.

—Who told you that?

Noah curled closer to me.

Alexander crouched.

—Noah.

The boy covered his ears.

—No!

Alexander froze.

Then Noah screamed:

—Grandma said Mommy hated me!

Silence.

I saw something frightening enter Alexander’s expression.

Not anger at Noah.

Recognition.

He stood and walked out without another word.

The next morning, an elderly woman arrived at Lakeview Manor.

Alexander’s mother.

Margaret Lawson.

She looked at me once and immediately frowned.

—You’re the new nanny?

—Yes.

Her eyes traveled over me.

—Another one looking for Lawson money.

Before I could answer, Noah ran downstairs.

When he saw her, he stopped.

His entire body changed.

He stepped backward.

That was enough for me.

I moved between them without thinking.

Margaret noticed.

—What are you doing?

—Nothing.

—Move.

I didn’t.

Her expression sharpened.

—Do you know who I am?

—Yes.

—Then move.

Noah’s small fingers closed around the back of my shirt.

I remained where I was.

—He doesn’t want to approach you.

Margaret laughed coldly.

—You’re employed to feed him, not diagnose my family.

Then she looked past me.

—Noah, come here.

He shook his head.

Her face hardened.

—You’re becoming exactly like your mother.

Noah immediately began trembling.

I turned.

—Noah, go upstairs.

Margaret snapped:

—He stays.

I looked directly at her.

—No.

The entire living room fell silent.

Then Alexander’s voice came from behind us.

—My mother said he stays.

Margaret smiled triumphantly.

I turned.

Alexander walked down the staircase.

But he wasn’t looking at me.

He was looking at his mother.

—And I’m saying you leave.

Her smile disappeared.

—Alexander?

He stopped in front of her.

—Did you tell Noah his mother abandoned him because she hated him?

Margaret’s face changed.

—Children misunderstand things.

—Answer me.

—That woman nearly destroyed you.

—Answer me.

Margaret became pale.

—I was protecting him.

Alexander laughed once without humor.

—He’s four.

Margaret grabbed her handbag.

—You’ll regret choosing outsiders over your family.

She looked at me.

—Especially that one.

Then she left.

That afternoon, Alexander finally told me the truth.

Noah’s mother, Evelyn, hadn’t died.

Four years earlier, shortly after Noah’s birth, she had developed severe health complications and needed prolonged treatment.

Alexander had been overseas dealing with a corporate crisis.

His mother had controlled everything at home.

When Evelyn recovered enough to return, Margaret convinced Alexander that she had voluntarily abandoned Noah.

She showed him signed documents.

Letters.

Even financial records.

Alexander believed them.

Months later, Evelyn disappeared completely.

—And you never found her?

—No.

—Why keep her photographs upstairs?

His voice became quiet.

—Because eventually I realized some of the documents were forged.

I stared at him.

—Your mother forged them?

—I couldn’t prove it.

He looked toward the staircase.

—By then Evelyn was gone.

That explained Noah.

Not a difficult child.

A terrified one.

Every nanny who entered his life eventually disappeared.

So he rejected them first.

That evening, my phone rang.

The hospital.

My mother had suddenly deteriorated.

I rushed there.

Alexander drove me himself.

When we arrived, the doctor pulled me aside.

—Miss Su, surgery cannot be postponed anymore.

—How much?

He gave me the number.

I went cold.

Even with my extraordinary salary, I couldn’t produce that amount immediately.

Then the billing clerk approached.

—The deposit has already been paid.

I stared at her.

—By whom?

She pointed behind me.

Alexander.

I walked toward him.

—I told you I wouldn’t accept charity.

—It isn’t charity.

—Then what is it?

He handed me a document.

—An advance against your employment contract.

I looked at the amount.

Then the repayment terms.

No interest.

No impossible conditions.

Nothing hidden.

My eyes burned.

—Why?

Alexander glanced through the glass toward my mother’s room.

—Because you stayed when Noah needed you.

He paused.

—So I’m making sure you don’t have to leave him because someone you love needs you.

For the first time in weeks, I almost cried.

My mother underwent surgery that night.

She survived.

I returned to Lakeview Manor two days later.

Noah ran toward me, then stopped just before touching me.

He remembered his own boundaries even when excited.

—Tomorrow too?

I crouched.

—Tomorrow too.

For the first time, he smiled.

But that peace lasted only three days.

On my tenth day at Lakeview Manor, someone came to see me.

Ethan Zhou.

My former fiancé.

He stood outside the gates with Isabella beside him.

The moment Isabella saw the mansion behind me, jealousy flashed across her face.

Ethan looked stunned.

—Clara, what are you doing here?

—Working.

Isabella laughed.

—As a servant?

I smiled.

—Did you come all this way to ask about my employment?

Ethan lowered his voice.

—Your father wants you home.

—Then he can continue wanting.

I turned away.

Isabella suddenly called:

—Your mother’s surgery wasn’t cheap. Don’t tell me you’re doing something shameful for money.

Before I could respond, another voice came from behind me.

—Be careful how you speak to her.

Alexander walked toward us.

Ethan recognized him immediately.

His face drained of color.

—Mr. Lawson.

Alexander ignored his greeting.

Noah was holding his hand.

The boy looked at Ethan.

Then Isabella.

Then he walked directly to me.

He raised both arms.

I froze.

Noah had never asked me to carry him.

I looked at Alexander.

He nodded slightly.

I lifted Noah carefully.

He wrapped his arms around my neck.

Isabella stared.

Then her eyes moved from Noah to me.

Something strange happened.

The color vanished from her face.

She stepped backward.

—That child…

Ethan frowned.

—What?

Isabella kept staring at Noah.

Not with surprise.

With fear.

Alexander noticed too.

His expression sharpened.

—Have you met my son before?

—No.

Her answer came too quickly.

Noah suddenly lifted his head from my shoulder.

He stared at Isabella.

His small eyebrows pulled together.

Then he whispered something that made every adult at the gate go silent.

—I know her.

Alexander’s entire body stiffened.

—From where?

Noah pointed at Isabella.

—She came before.

Isabella shook her head violently.

—He’s confused.

But Noah continued.

—Grandma’s room.

I looked at Alexander.

His face had turned frighteningly calm.

—When?

Noah pressed closer to me.

—She had Mommy’s picture.

Isabella turned to leave.

Alexander’s security guards stepped in front of the gate.

Ethan looked completely lost.

—Isabella, what is he talking about?

She didn’t answer.

Alexander stepped closer.

—Why were you in my mother’s house with a photograph of Evelyn?

Isabella’s lips trembled.

Then her handbag slipped from her shoulder.

It hit the ground.

A folder spilled open.

Several documents scattered across the pavement.

I bent down automatically.

Then stopped.

On the first page was a photograph.

Alexander’s missing wife, Evelyn.

Beside her stood another woman.

My mother.

Much younger.

Both were wearing medical uniforms.

I couldn’t breathe.

I picked up the photograph.

On the back was a handwritten date from twenty-five years earlier.

And beneath it were six words:

Northbridge University Clinical Genetics Program.

Alexander stared at me.

I stared at Isabella.

Suddenly my mother’s illness, Evelyn’s disappearance, Isabella’s visit to Margaret Lawson and the absurd half-million-yuan salary no nanny could keep felt connected.

Then Noah pointed toward the photograph.

—That’s Mommy.

I nodded slowly.

—Yes.

His finger moved.

To my mother.

—And that’s Grandma’s secret doctor.

My blood went cold.

Because my mother had never told me she knew the Lawson family.

And judging by Isabella’s terrified expression, she hadn’t come to Lakeview Manor to bring me home.

She had come because I had accidentally taken the one job that could uncover what our family had spent four years hiding.