My Boss's Hidden Heir (Elara and Marcus) novel Chapter 205

4:19 pm PPP

Chapter 203

Chapter 205

The nanny interviews were Elara’s idea but within the first hour she started regretting the decision

Marcus had asked their HR department to pur had already applied. They’d narrowed it down in the night before

Terd reasonable now

discreet listing and somehow, by Saturday morning To dire modulates for in-person interviews, which had sempur

people

didate arrived twenty minutes early wearing a floor-length Victorian dress and carrying a carpet bag that looked nd survived two world wars. She introduced herself as Constance, sat down across from them with perfect posture. and mediately began explaining her philosophy on infant sleep schedules using a laminated chart she produced from the carper bag

Marcus stared at the chart, at

Elara kept her face neutral. i

ce then back at Elara.

lling the laughter.

Constance had opinions about every single thing. The direction cribs should face for optimal energy flow, the precise temperature formula milk should be warmed to, down to the decimal point, the specific classical composers babies should listen to based on their birth month.

*Alexander is a March baby,” Constance said, consulting another laminated document. “Which means he responds best to Debussy. Catherine being March as well, same prescription.”

“They’re twins,” Marcus said. “They were born on the same day.”

Constance looked up from her documents. “Yes but were they born at the same time? Even minutes apart can affect temperament significantly.”

Marcus turned to Elara with an expression that very clearly said what the hell and Elara pressed her lips together to avoid laughing.

The second candidate was a young man named Trevor who showed up in gym clothes, spent most of the interview talking about his personal fitness journey, and mentioned three separate times that he’d once babysat his neighbor’s dog for a weekend.

“That’s not quite the same as caring for infant twins,” Elara said gently.

“Oh I know, but Biscuit was a handful. Really prepared me for anything.”

The third candidate fell asleep in the chair while waiting for them to return from checking on the twins. They discovered her still sleeping, head tilted back, a soft snore filling the room.

Marcus stood in the doorway looking at the sleeping woman. “How did all these people even find us? I thought HR was being discreet”

“I think discreet means something different to the HR department than it does to us.”

“Elara, that woman is asleep. She’s been here for twelve minutes.”

“I can see that.”

delete

4:19 pm Ppp.

Chapter 205

he tell asleep watung for an interview about caring for our children”

“Yes, Marcus. I can see that too.

They tiptoed back out withons waking her

The fourth candidate launched into a detailed explanation of why babies shouldn’t be exposed to the color yello age of two. The fifth spoke exclusively about heel for forty minutes and never once asked about the twink.! seemed perfectly normal until she mentioned that he only worked with children, who had been introdured se before their first birthday and upon hearing that Alexis and Catherine had not, she stood up and left

didate seven, Marcus was pinching the bridge of his nose with the expression of a man questioning every

Med him to this moment.

Maria Okonkwo walked in.

decision

She was somewhere in her fifties, with warm brown eyes and the kind of calm energy that made you feel safe just being in the same room. She sat down, folded her hands, and instead of launching into philosor “Can meet them first? Before we talk about anything else, I’d like to meet the childre

Elara and Marcus looked at

“Of course,” Elara said.

credentials, she simply said,

Maria spent twenty minutes with the twins before the interview even started. She sat on the nursery floor with them, letting them grab her fingers and pull themselves up on her knees. She learned their differences quickly, noticing that Alexander liked to be bounced while Catherine preferred being held still. She sang softly when Catherine got fussy and had her settled within minutes.

When she came back to the living room, Marcus was already convinced.

The interview was more of a conversation. Maria had raised four children of her own and spent fifteen years as a professional nanny for three different families. She had references that checked out, certifications in infant first aid and child development, and most importantly she spoke about children the way someone who genuinely loved them would.

“I don’t believe in rigid schedules,” she said. “Babies tell you what they need if you pay attention. My job is to pay attention so you don’t have to worry when you’re not here.”

“You’re hired,” Marcus said.

Elara elbowed him. “We still have one more interview.”

“Cancel it. Maria is obviously the answer.”

Maria smiled, completely unfazed by Marcus’s directness. “I appreciate the enthusiasm.”

They worked out the details over the next hour. Maria would start Monday, five days a week, with flexibility for evenings when needed. She had her own car, her own methods, and her own gentle authority that Elara suspected the twins would respond to immediately.

By the time she left, the penthouse felt lighter somehow.

Her first day was Monday and it was harder than either of them expected. Elara stood in the nursery doorway watching Maria settle both babies for their morning nap, feeling completely useless.

“You can go,” Maria said gently, not even turning around. “They’re fine. I promise.”

2/5

Mr Thonur Co 16 yung

Marsaared and hyd Back out of the ouery Thigh West

der the Mass

” Maris ko”

ergy

That ever

dinner at Le Bernardin

It felt strange a

Gel and babed and in Mard’s capable taxes Masbates Exams a car and otherw

www.reaching for her phone to check in with Mana before forcing bene so leave her pre

Marcus watched her with barely concealed annen.

“You’re doing it again,” he said

“I’m not doing anything, leave me alone?

“Your hand is moving toward your purse.”

“I’m just adjusting my napkin

“You’re not wearing a napkin on your lap

Elara laughed despite herself. “Fine. I’m checking on the twins. But only once.”

Maria’s text was already waiting. Both babies asleep. All is well Enjoy your dinner.

After that Elara finally relaxed. They ordered champagne and talked and laughed in a way they hadn’t since before the kidnapping. Marcus made her remember why she’d fallen in love with him, making her laugh with stories from the board meeting aftermath, doing impressions of James Chen’s face when Richard shut him down.

“Mimi would have loved this story,” Elara said. “She would have had commentary for days.”

“She’ll hear it when she and Dante get back from Tuscany. Two more weeks.”

“I still can’t believe they went to Italy without telling us properly. Just a text saying bye, going on our belated boney

ciao,”

“They deserved it. They’ve been through as much as we have.”

extraordinary, the champagne even better. By the time dessert arrived Elara had forgotten to be anxious les entirely.

and leaned back in his chair, watching her with that particular look she’d learned meant he was