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Chapter 1
JADE
I crouch down and quickly swipe the feather duster over all the little odds and ends on the living room table. I know for a fact everything is already clean, but I have a routine, and prefer to keep the place in pristine condition.
A smile creeps across my face as I glance around the room. At times, I’m still surprised I live in such an expensive home in the most prestigious part of West Hollywood. Never in all my dreams did I think I would even walk through such a place, let alone actually live here. Luckily Rachel, my old roommate from college, introduced me to Magdalene Martez and suggested I apply for the nanny position she had available.
Being a nanny wasn’t my first career choice, but I was out of options at the time. Fresh out of college with my English degree in tow, the job market was scarce. If only I could have known that before racking up all those student loans. But once I met Jacob, Magdalene’s son, I fell completely in love with the little boy. After three months of caring for him full-time, there’s no place I’d rather be. In fact, I’m with him more than his actual parents are. It’s to the point where people often ask if he’s my son. I’m lucky we have such a close bond.
As if living in such a swanky place and caring for an adorable little boy isn’t enough, I’m able to fully dedicate myself to my real passion… cooking. The love I have for food runs deep and I have dreams of owning my own restaurant one day.
In the meantime, I have my own personal in-house taste tester in Magdalene. It seems like every night I’m trying out new recipes, like the roasted duck I made last night, or braised lamb with red potatoes which I made two nights ago. The other bonus in my life is the never-ending supply of fresh ingredients to work with. Like everything else around here, no expense is spared when it comes to grocery shopping. Magdalene prefers organic home-cooked meals, which is right up my alley. Jacob has never had fast food and I make it my business to keep it that way.
Just as I decide the living room is finished, Magdalene walks in with her purse on her shoulder. Watching as she stops to give herself a quick once over in the mirror, I find myself admiring her unbelievable figure. Most women need a little time to recover from childbirth, but Magdalene’s body has never looked better. Her fast metabolism helps keep her rail thin, just like she was in her modeling years, as far as I can tell from the photos I’ve seen around the condo. When she begins smoothing non-existent wrinkles from her tight dress, I wonder if something is bothering her.
Her small hands tug at the beautiful silk scarf draped around her neck before she tosses it onto the sofa I’ve just finished dusting. I wish we were the same size, because I absolutely love her style. With her generous clothing allowance, she definitely has more than she knows what to do with. In fact, I’ve never seen her wear the same thing twice. Despite my fashion envy, I love the curves on my petite frame and wouldn’t change a single thing. Some girls can pull off the model look, I’m not one of them.
Magdalene adds more lipstick to her already pouty red lips as she moves about in silence. The color pops against her perfect olive tone skin, and her sandy-colored hair cascades over her shoulders in beautiful waves. Jacob, who’s down for a nap, inherited his mother’s striking green eyes, although his eyes still hold that childlike innocence in them. Sadly, that feature is long gone from Magdalene.
“Jade, don’t forget to wipe down the picture frames,” says Magdalene, pointing her perfectly manicured finger in my direction.
I never forget. I know the ins and outs of this place better than you do.
I pick up the photo closest to me and smile, remembering the day I snapped it. It’s a picture of Jacob, captured mid laugh as he played with his father, Heath. To be honest, I hate any and all interactions I have with Heath Vanguard, one of the biggest assholes in Los Angeles. He’s overly demanding, and every word he has ever spoken to me has been extremely condescending. It seems Jacob is the only person who can make that man crack a smile, and even then, it’s a rare occasion. I don’t understand why Magdalene puts up with Heath, considering he only shows affection to his son.
Although I don’t care for how he treats me, he treats his on-and-off girlfriend Magdalene ten times worse. She’s the mother of his child, but she may as well call herself a glorified concubine. I’ve seen her cry on more occasions than I care to count, and to me I don’t think it’s worth it. Everything she could possibly want is at her fingertips, everything but Heath. When he feels like being bothered, he summons her to meet him at a moment’s notice. Whatever he wants, he gets, and it’s all on his time.
