Claire froze, caught in the act of searching a house that wasn’t hers.
She turned to face Sebastian, who was watching her with those cold, unreadable eyes.
“I was just wondering where Sophie’s mother is,” she said, suddenly aware that everyone in the room could hear her.
Sebastian didn’t answer immediately.
When he finally spoke, his voice was even colder than before.
“For what?”
Claire blinked, caught off guard by the question.
“I just thought it would be polite to introduce myself,” she said, then added more quietly, “Since I’ll be teaching Sophie here.”
Sebastian was silent for a long moment.
His fingers drummed once against the desk.
“That won’t be necessary.
She’s dead.”
The words hit Claire like a bucket of cold water.
Her stomach dropped as all the things she had said to Sophie about her mother teaching her better manners came rushing back.
The casual way she had mentioned Sophie’s mother to Sebastian in his office suddenly felt much worse.
She had spoken without knowing, without thinking.
She knew about loss.
Her own parents were gone, and though she answered questions about them with a straight face, she understood the hollow feeling that followed such conversations, the way a casual question could reopen wounds that had never truly healed.
Sophie, who had been sitting quietly on the sofa, suddenly stood up.
“Why do you care anyway?” she shouted, her small body trembling with anger.
“There’s no mommy in this house!
Only me and Daddy and Chloe!”
Claire wished the floor would just open and swallow her whole.
She had never felt so embarrassed, so utterly foolish.
All her professional composure had deserted her, leaving behind a woman who had spoken carelessly about things she didn’t understand.
Sebastian watched his daughter’s outburst without reaction, then turned his attention back to Claire.
“Since you’ll be coming here regularly, there are a few things you should understand.”
His voice was cold and severe, but not raised.
“Her lessons are the priority.
You’re responsible for teaching, not disciplining Sophie harshly.
If she refuses to cooperate, you inform me rather than taking matters into your own hands.”
He paused, letting each rule sink in.
“You don’t make promises to Sophie without my permission.
You don’t discuss family matters with her.
You don’t question her about her mother.
You don’t allow her to leave the lesson area without knowing where she’s going.”
Claire nodded, unable to speak.
“About the house,” he continued, his gaze unwavering.
“You can use the study, guest room, and dining area when necessary.
You don’t enter private rooms.
You don’t go into my study unless called.
You don’t touch personal belongings.
You don’t bring anyone into the house.
You don’t photograph or discuss anything inside this house outside of it.”
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing.
“If anything happens to Sophie because you were careless…” He let the threat hang in the air.
“I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life.”
Claire swallowed hard.
“I understand.”
Sebastian looked away and stood, walking toward the stairs without another glance in her direction.
The meaning was clear.
He was finished with her.
As Claire walked toward the entrance, she couldn’t help but feel the weight of what she had learned.
The house that had seemed beautiful but lacking now made perfect sense.
When she got outside, a black SUV was just turning into the driveway.
It slowed as it approached her and the tinted window rolled down to reveal a woman with a straight look.
The woman looked Claire up and down, her expression unreadable.
Claire opened her mouth to greet her but before she could speak, the window rolled back up and the SUV continued toward the house.
Claire watched it go, feeling confused.
“Okay…
what was that for?”
The ride home was quiet, Claire too lost in her thoughts to make conversation.
When she finally reached their apartment building and climbed the stairs to their door, she was exhausted.
She opened the door to find Ruby bent over the sofa, her butt in the air as she peered underneath it.
She was wearing a tight emerald green dress and high heels with only one sparkling earring visible.
“Looking for something?” Claire asked as she dropped her purse on the small table by the door.
Ruby jumped up, her eyes wide.
“Did you see my other earring?
The matching one to this?” She pointed to the diamond stud in her ear.
Claire sank onto the sofa, too tired to move.
“You didn’t even ask me how it went.”
“I will!
As soon as I find my earring.
I’m already late.” Ruby resumed her search, moving cushions and checking under the sofa again.
“It’s on your dresser,” Claire said, closing her eyes.
Ruby paused and looked at her suspiciously.
“How do you know?”
“I saw you put it there yesterday.”
Ruby hurried to her bedroom and returned a moment later with the matching earring in her hand.
“I remember now.
I found this one on the floor yesterday and was too lazy to put it back in my jewelry box, so I left it on the dresser.
I must have completely forgotten about it.”
She looked at Claire and sighed.
“I swear, you were specifically created for me.”
Claire gave her a tired look.
“Because I found your earring?”
“Because you keep finding everything I lose.” Ruby fastened the earring to her ear.
“Without you, I’d have thrown away half my life looking for things that were already inside my pocket.
If you ever move out, I’m putting a tracker on you.
I swear it.”
She finally turned to face Claire, her expression softening.
“So how did it go?”
“You could have asked me that before asking me for your earring.” Claire sat up, rubbing her temples.
“Where are you going dressed like that?”
“A friend of Ryan’s is having a birthday party.” Ruby applied a fresh coat of lipstick.
“He only told me about it an hour ago.
You know how he is.”
Claire nodded.
Ryan had a habit of springing things on Ruby at the last minute.
“Every time I have somewhere important to be, something disappears,” Ruby continued, grabbing her small clutch from the counter.
“It’s like a curse.”
Claire waved her off.
“Go.
We’ll talk when you get back.”
As Ruby left, closing the door behind her, Claire leaned back against the sofa cushions.
She only meant to rest for a few minutes, but she didn’t realize when her eyes closed and she drifted off…