Part 6
The tension in the room dissolved like mist in the morning sun.
Jenna closed her eyes, a single sob escaping her throat.
She didn't pull away when Nathan reached out and gently touched her arm.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the heater.
"Good morning!" a sleepy voice called out.
Daisy came stumbling out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes.
She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the warm orange glow of the heater, and then her eyes went wide as saucers when she saw the massive boxes on the table.
"Nathan!" she gasped, running forward.
"Did Santa find our house because of you?"
Nathan knelt down, catching the little girl as she threw her arms around his neck.
"Santa had a little trouble with the traffic, so he asked me to deliver these for him," Nathan said, winking at Jenna.
For the next hour, the tiny apartment was filled with the sounds of tearing paper and pure, unadulterated joy.
Daisy unwrapped a thick, pink winter coat, insulated boots, and a matching hat with a fluffy pom-pom.
Then came the toys—a beautiful dollhouse, a set of art supplies, and a soft, giant teddy bear that was almost as big as she was.
Jenna sat on the floor, watching her daughter, a radiant smile on her face that completely transformed her tired features.
Nathan watched Jenna.
He noticed how she secretly touched the soft cashmere of the sweaters he had bought for her, her eyes wide at the luxury of it.
"I can't accept all of this, Nathan," she murmured to him while Daisy was busy setting up her dollhouse.
"The clothes, fine... but this is too much."
"We'll talk about that later," Nathan said smoothly.
"Right now, we need to talk about your job."
Jenna’s heart dropped.
"Are you firing me? Because of Victoria?"
"Firing you?" Nathan frowned.
"Why would I fire you? You don't even work for me, you work for the agency."
"But as of this morning, I've canceled my contract with that agency."
Jenna felt a cold dread settle in her stomach.
Without that job, she wouldn't be able to pay even a fraction of her rent.
"Oh," she said, looking down.
"I see."
"You didn't let me finish," Nathan said, a small smile playing on his lips.
"I canceled the contract because I want to hire you directly. Full-time."
Jenna looked up, confused.
"As a cleaner?"
"As my Estate Manager," Nathan corrected.
"My house is five thousand square feet. I have a staff of cooks, gardeners, and maintenance crews, but I have no one overseeing them."
"My current assistant handles my business life, but my home life is a disaster, as you saw last night."
"I need someone trustworthy. Someone with an eye for detail. Someone who knows exactly what it takes to make a place run smoothly."
"The salary is eighty thousand dollars a year, with full health insurance for you and Daisy, and a housing allowance."
Jenna couldn't speak.
The numbers swirled in her head. Eighty thousand dollars. That was more than she made in four years at her three jobs combined.
"Nathan... I don't know anything about managing an estate," she stammered.
"You managed to keep your daughter happy, clean, and polite while working three jobs and living in a freezer," Nathan said, his voice firm and unwavering.
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"You are more qualified than anyone I’ve ever interviewed."
"So, what do you say, Jenna? Will you take the job?"
