Mary Kimberly Tyler watched as Raphael Eduardo Coleman climbed out of the back of a chauffeur-driven limousine and strode through the plate-glass doors that guarded the Coleman's Industries. She followed secretly behind him. He did not notice: he was too blinded by the blinding fury that carried his intimidating six-foot-four-inch frame into the nearest vacant lift. A fair suited arm shot out; a decidedly murderous finger stabbed at the button for the top floor. No one who had had dealings with Raphael Eduardo had ever seen him appear anything but formidably controlled.
But he was not in control. Raphael had never been so angry. Rage was literally bouncing inside him, fighting to get out and vent itself. The lift took less than fifteen seconds to reach its destination. The doors opened; he strode out. Nadia, his personal assistant, took one look at his face, paled and shot to her feet.
" Good morning, sir, " she greeted warily.
Mary Kimberly Tyler was standing at the other side of the corridor, listening in on them.
" There have been several messages for you and your first appointment arrives in___ "
" Cancel every appointment or whatever. I want to be left alone for now. " He cut right across her and kept walking, each of his powerfully constructed, sleekly toned muscles moving him with stallion-like grace to behind his office door, leaving his P. A. staring at him in a state of awe. She had always known Raphael to be harsh, strict, rude and cruel but he was always even tempered and rigidly polite towards her.
Raphael's office was statement in wealth, fine art and architectural drama. High ceilings, marble floor, a window that was a wall of glass, in front of which a large slab of grey marble rested on legs of forged steel.
In his clenched fist of one hand, he held a rolled up newspaper, in his eyes glowed a look that foretold of hell to pay for some poor fool.
Stepping around the edges of the slab of marble, Raphael slammed the newspaper down on its smooth grey top. It unfurled on impact, showing him the inner page headline that his personal assistant had presented to him. Raphael mused at the reason for all his anger. Here it was, splashed all over the page of a tabloid: his life picked over and mocked at.
' SHOCKING ANNOUNCEMENT, ' block capitals proclaimed. ' THE BILLIONAIRE, RAPHAEL EDUARDO COLEMAN'S NANNY RUNS AWAY WITH HIS MONEY AFTER LEAKING OUT A VIDEO CLAIMING THAT THE BILLIONAIRE IS A VERY BAD, BARBARIC INHUMAN BEING WHO DOESN'T DESERVE LOVE OR HELP. '
'She was a slut! She was surely after my money! ', Raphael muttered under his breathe.
Raphael Eduardo Coleman, 29 years old. Blonde hair, dark brown eyes, over 6ft, athletic body. He is admired for his handwork, praised for his otherworldly beauty and feared for his mean demeanor.
His skin began prickling against his clothing, sharp white teeth setting behind the grim line of his mouth. The headline was enough for him to read. Reading the body would only make him feel worst. He wondered if his dad had already seen the news.
His mobile phone began to ring; dragging it out of his pocket, he put it to his ear.
" Did you see the news? " his dad asked.
Before he could speak up, his dad continued to speak.
" You are one foolish son I have ever had. You are a disgrace. Your nanny has ruined you. You had a wife who would have been the best mother to your son but what did you do? You let her go____ "
" I didn't, " he snarled. " She left me. She was only after my money all this while. "
" Make sure to get yourself another nanny, who will testify against your former nanny in public. Who will say a lot of good things about you. Or better still find your wife. If you can't, get yourself a new wife. I know I told you I needed a grandchild, well now, I need a mother for my grandchild, " Mr George Coleman snarled angrily.
" I will get him a nanny___ "
" When I and your mom had you, we took care of you together. I want my grandchild to feel the love we showered to you. Find him a nanny or a mom, " George snapped and ended the call.
His office door opened noisily.
His personal assistant walked in. She was a brunette. She was average in height, curvy and looked younger than her thirty two years old age.
" Hello Mr Raphael, someone wants to see you, " Clara Dwayne said huskily.
" I have no business appointment today. Send whoever it is away. If you have got time in your schedule, then attend to whoever it is, " he said briskly.
" Mr. Raphael, she claims she can help you, " Clara said slowly.
" I am a billionaire. If someone needs help, that should be her, " he said, going around his desk and slumping on his chair.
" It's about the headline, but. . . " Clara snapped. " I will see to her___ "
" Wait a minute! Headline? " he paused for a fleeting moment. " Send her in. "
" Yes sir, " she said and left the office.
In a few minute, she returned with a dark haired, ocean blue eyes lady. She was average height and curvy. She had striking blue eyes. Her dark long hair fell from her scalp to her back. She had fire and determination in her eyes. She didn't look younger nor older than a twenty three years old.
The billionaire leaned forward as he raked her from head to toe. There was something about her. Something mysterious. He felt a connection. He felt familiar with her.
" I know you, " he began.
Clara excused herself.
The young lass stared at him, as her lips curled into an innocent smile. " Hello, I am Jessica Kimberly. "
Her voice was firm. He had heard that voice but he wasn't sure he recognized the voice. And the name? There was something about the name. What was it? " Jessica? " he mimicked quietly.
" Yes, " she said, maintaining the same innocent smile.
" You claim you can help me? In that case, you must know Debbie Trump? " That was his former nanny.
" No___ "
" Then how can you help me? " he chimed in rudely.
" I know you want a nanny badly, " she said tenderly.
" How did you know? " he asked.
" The headline made me know, " she said straight forwarded.
" Why would you want to be my baby's nanny, after seeing all the bad things said about me? "
" Because I have passion for what I do. I love being a nanny___ "
" Because I am a billionaire right? " he cut in proudly.
" I don't need your money, " she snapped terrifically.
" I have heard that sermon before. A countless times but at the end they all prove the sermon to be empty and false because they steal from me, " he said promptly.
" I don't need your money____ "
" I need your CV, " Raphael said leaning forward.
She stretched it to him. " I am from the Nanny's foundation, " she added. She was raking his face with her blue eyes.
" Your CV doesn't qualify you to be my son's nanny, " he said, giving her back her CV and relaxing on the chair.
" My medical records are clean. I don't smoke, I don't drink, " she began to say. " I am not disabled. I don't have an eye problem. I have been a nanny for like all my life. I love children____ "
" Your educational background is what I need____ "
" Mr. Raphael Coleman, we both know, you will never find a nanny, especially not with the rumors circulating. . . " she paused slowly. Taking a deep breathe, she continued, " Swallow your pride Mr Raphael, we both know you need me. . . "
" I need you? Get the heck out of my company this instant, " he screamed as he stood.
She turned to go but stopped for a moment, immenses in calculation. She turned back to him. " I know what Debbie said about you is wrong. I only want to help you by proving to the world that you are not a barbarian and that's all. Debbie has a good educational background but she failed in her duties. I promise, I won't fail you, " she said viciously.
" You know what? I do not trust a single word that came out from your trap, " he said sitting down. " But I will give you as much as a chance. I have rules. If you break as much as two, you are fired. . . "
" Can I sit? " she asked walking to the visitor's seat.
" It's fine. You can seat, " he snapped.
" First rule, on the first day of your work, you are to come as early as six o'clock to my Mansion. Two, you are not to enter into my room on any account. Three, you are to leave my house only during the weekend and come back the next day. Four, my son is to be carried on the right hand and not on the left hand. Five, you have no right to bring in anyone, not even a fly into my home. Six, you are to respect my girlfriend or fiancee when they come to see me. Seven, you are to swim in my pool before seven in the morning because that is when I have my swimming classes. Eight, you are not to use any swearing word near me or my son. You are not to smoke any type of stuff as well. Nine, you are to do whatever I tell you to do. And lastly, you are to obey all my other rules. I am sure you got the rules. "
Jessica stared at him expressionlessly.
" Jessica, " he called rudely. " Shall I repeat my rules? "
" No, I recorded them. . . "
" I hate that. Do not record me or take pictures of me, it is also one of my rules, " he said, stretching out his hand to Jessica. " Can you keep the rules? "
" Of course, " she retorted smiling, as she shaked him.
" We have a deal. My personal assistant will present all the documents you need to sign. As for your payment, you will receive hundred thousand dollars every month, just for a start. My son must be loved. "
Jessica stood. " Thank you sir for giving me this opportunity. "
" You earned it, " he said looking away.