Episode 4

Gloria left Blake's house and went straight to the most humble part of Chicago where she lived.

Aunt Grace's boarding house was where Gloria had stayed years ago when she arrived in the city, fleeing from an abusive husband who almost killed her.

Unfortunately, her sister was not as lucky and ended up murdered by a scoundrel she had been with for years. From this relationship, Helena was born and was raised with all the love, becoming a proper young woman, well-behaved.

Helena never had enough money to attend college, but with great effort and determination, she managed to enter a public university. She studied during the day and worked every night, finally achieving her dream of graduating in administration.

Their reunion was filled with emotion. It had been a long time since they last saw each other. As soon as they hugged, they were quickly sitting at the table, having coffee. Helena anxiously shared the news with her aunt, also mentioning that she needed to find any kind of job to support herself while completing her course and then look for a job in her field of study.

"Tell me, aunt, what's new with you?"

"Oh, my dear, not much has changed..."

"How so? And your job? Are you still working for that family? What were their names again?"

"The Sheltons... yes, I'm still working there, but a lot has changed since..."

Gloria paused for a brief moment. It was difficult for her to remember the tragic night when Julliane died.

"Since when, aunt?"

"Since Mr. Blake's wife died..."

"Oh my, poor thing..."

"Well, it has been a very difficult time for him. Even after almost seven months, he hasn't recovered, which has caused various problems for him..."

Helena took a sip of her coffee and asked, "What kind of problems, aunt?"

"His relationship with his children, for example... With the oldest, Nicolas, it's distant and troubled. They don't respect each other, constantly argue, and don't treat each other as they should. But to me, what he does to Elisa... the baby... is worse."

Helena looked shocked, fearing what her aunt was about to say, she interrupted, "Oh my God, aunt, please don't tell me he hurts the baby! If he does that, he's a monster!"

"No, my dear, he rejects her ever since she was born. He never even touched her or held her in his arms. Mr. Blake blames her for his wife's death..."

"Oh my, how can he be so heartless? How can he blame such an innocent angel? And who takes care of the baby? And the poor boy?"

"Well, since Mrs. Shelton passed away, he has hired five nannies in an attempt to be able to work in peace. But none of them could handle it... because of Nicolas' outbursts."

Helena smiled, "So it seems like the boy must be very difficult to handle..."

"Yes, my dear, he's not easy at all. However, this time, Mr. Blake demanded that I find someone who is firm and resistant to Nicolas's possible fits of rage."

Even though Helena thought the idea was crazy, an opportunity arose for her to make some money temporarily. As strange as it may sound, she asked her aunt to recommend her for the position.

"Aunt, I've been thinking..."

"What is it, my dear?"

"You could recommend me for this job..."

"Helena, you wouldn't be able to handle it... Nicolas has a very difficult, rebellious, and uncontrollable temperament."

"That was before he got to know me, aunt... You'll see... please try. I bet this Mr. Blake, in his own needs, must be a generous old man and will give me a chance. Besides, I would be with you, which would make things easier for you."

Gloria didn't say anything and looked at the clock. Realizing that she was getting close to the scheduled time, she said, "Well, dear, I can't promise anything, but I'll talk to him, alright? Now I need to go back. I hope you'll be alright. Lock the door if you leave, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Alright, my dear aunt... thank you for helping me..."

Gloria said goodbye to Helena and left. She closed the door and went to pack her things.

Being alone, she started to think about how that family's life must be, especially that man being alone with his two young children.

After washing the breakfast dishes and unpacking her clothes, putting them in the drawer, she decided to go out for a run.

A strange silence hung in the air as Gloria arrived at the residence. Quickly, she entered and went to her room to leave her belongings, when she noticed Nicolas sitting in the huge armchair in front of the window, looking outside.

Slowly, Gloria approached in yet another failed attempt at possible communication.

"Hello Nicolas, what are you doing there?" she asked.

"Hi Gloria," the boy sighed.

"Why the long face?"

Nicolas then turned to Gloria and said, "What do you think, Gloria? It had to be Blake again... hey, how about this: are you hungry? Come with me to the kitchen, I'll make a snack for you, and you tell me what Mr. Blake did this time."

He looked at her with his best pleading eyes, and finally gave in to the temptation and followed Gloria to the kitchen, where he sat at the table, waiting for his reward.

"Gloria, did you know that unbearable woman with a bitchy face is coming here tonight?" Nicolas asked.

"Nicolas, I don't like her either, but we can't call her that."

"But that's exactly what she is... a bitch. She knows Blake has money and only wants to get close to him because of that."

Gloria took a deep breath. In her deepest feelings, she felt a lot of sympathy and pity for Nicolas, as she knew he was not to blame for being the way he was, especially considering that his father didn't even acknowledge his existence.

She prepared a generous snack and passed it to him, and he promptly started devouring it.

"You know, Gloria, sometimes I don't think God is as fair as everyone says out there..." Nicolas said.

"Why do you say that, boy?" Gloria asked.

"Because if he were good and just, he would have taken Blake and not my mom. She loved me, took care of me... but Blake can't stand me."

Those words brought tears to Gloria's eyes...

"Nicolas, who said he doesn't love you?"

"Oh, Gloria, really? I may be 11 years old, but I'm not an idiot like everyone thinks. Love means taking care, and he doesn't even know I exist. Actually, he only knows because he is the one who created me."

Gloria came out from behind the counter and sat in front of the little boy.

"Listen, tell me something. Do you want to change all of this?"

"Sometimes, yes... but sometimes I think I've gotten used to it, so it doesn't affect me anymore."

"What if you tried talking to him?"

"Talking? Since when does Blake know how to have a conversation? His conversations are limited to shouting, scolding, cursing, and in extreme cases, slaps and punishments."

"Nicolas, I'll tell you something. I'm 57 years old, with a lot of life experience. I know that Mr. Blake cares a lot about you, but we also need to understand that it wasn't easy for him to suddenly find himself alone with you and your little sister. Give him some time. Start changing yourself and you'll get his attention and be able to disarm him."

"How can I do that?"

"Hmm... now the conversation is going where I wanted it to. Make him come after you... start from the beginning, don't call him by his name, but by what he truly is to you, your father. Be less aggressive and rebellious, that way, you will disarm him."

The small boy with the maturity of an adult stared at the wise woman, with uncertain sparkle in his eyes.

"Do that and you'll see that things will change... start cooperating."

"Cooperate with what, Gloria?"

It was now that she would gather all her strength and courage to tell him that once again Blake would try to hire a nanny for him.

"With the new nanny candidate who will arrive tomorrow afternoon for an interview."

"What did you say?" Nicolas's bright-eyed expression gave way to his mischievous self again.

"Oh, I see... so that's why you wanted to have a possible conversation, a false reconciliation with Mr. Blake."

"No Nicolas, everything I said is well-founded, and I hope that if you use the intelligence I know you have, it will end up in your hands." He asked me to find a new candidate, and I've already found one. I believe that this time will be different from all the others you've seen come through here.

"Since when don't you understand that I don't need a babysitter and I can manage perfectly well on my own?"

The conversation was taking an unexpected turn when suddenly Nicolas stopped speaking and turned his back to me. Such an attitude could only have been done because someone had arrived and was standing at the kitchen entrance.

"Hmm... Gloria? Have you been here long?"

"Hello Mr. Blake... just a few minutes... do you need something?"

"How are the preparations for dinner going?"

"Everything is going as planned, sir..."

"Very well. I hope no one is distracting you so that things go wrong..." Blake said, staring at the young boy who returned his gaze with a glare.

"Hey, what's your problem huh? Leave me alone, that's what you do best... muttered Nicolas as he passed him."

Blake shook his head in disapproval and massaged his temples.

"Look, I will be picking up Miss Megan soon, so when I get back, I want everyone ready at the dinner table."

"Yes, Mr. Blake."

He was about to leave the kitchen when Gloria called out to him...

"Oh, sir?"

"Yes..."