Chapter 5 - A New Beginning
Two weeks passed.
The Marsh family was in ruins. The security footage of Vivien burning a toddler's birthday gifts had gone viral, utterly destroying her social standing. She was shunned by Boston society, and her father’s company was absorbed into Callaway Freight Systems. The narrative had flipped completely, and Nathaniel was praised for standing up against such cruelty.
But at the estate, things were quiet.
Grace’s hands had healed, leaving only faint pink scars. She returned to her duties, but Nathaniel refused to let her work.
"You are no longer the housekeeper, Grace," he told her one evening in his office.
Grace felt a knot of fear in her stomach. "Are you firing me, Mr. Callaway?"
"No," Nathaniel said, standing up and walking toward her. "I am hiring you as the director of the Callaway Foundation. We handle millions of dollars in charity work, and I need someone with real empathy, someone who actually cares about people, to run it. The salary is four times what you make now, and it comes with a full benefits package. And, of course, your housing is completely covered."
Grace gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Nathaniel... I can't accept that. I don't have a degree in charity management."
"You have a degree in life, Grace," he said, using his name without the formal title for the first time. He took her hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "You are the strongest, most genuine person I have ever met. Let me do this for you. Let me help you build a future for Lily."
Tears filled Grace's eyes, and this time, they were tears of pure relief. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you, Nathaniel."
That weekend, Nathaniel invited Grace and Lily to the main house for dinner. When they arrived, the dining room was decorated with hundreds of yellow balloons.
In the center of the table was a large, beautifully wrapped box.
Lily ran over to it, her eyes wide. "For me?"
"For you, Lily," Nathaniel said with a smile.
Lily tore open the paper and lifted the lid. Inside lay her stuffed bunny. It was perfect. The denim patches were there, the stitching was identical, and it smelled of clean cotton and lavender.
May you like
Lily let out a squeal of pure joy, hugging the bunny to her chest. "Bunny! You're awake! You're not hot anymore!"
Grace looked at Nathaniel, her heart overflowing. She saw the soft, tender look in his eyes as he watched her daughter laugh. In that moment, she realized she was no longer looking at a cold billionaire. She was looking at the man she was falling in love with.
