Chapter 148 Interview

Chapter 148 Interview
"Good morning, Madam Miska. I am Casey Lauren, the candidate scheduled for an interview today," Casey said softly, bowing her head with deep respect.
Madam Miska opened the main wooden gate wide. Her hand warmly clasped Casey's offered palm, her eyes taking in Casey's appearance from head to toe. The young woman wore a modest, neatly buttoned white shirt paired with a dark knee-length fabric skirt. Her honey-blonde hair was tied neatly back without any eye-catching accessories.
"Good morning, Casey. Please come in, Madam Rose is already waiting in the living room," Madam Miska said, smiling warmly. "You look very neat and polite."
"Thank you, Madam. I always strive to maintain a neat appearance," Casey replied in a calm, low voice.
Their footsteps echoed softly against the marble floor as they walked down the hallway toward the main living room. Rose sat on a long leather sofa with a stack of application files on the table before her. Beside her, several cups of warm tea were still breathing faint wisps of steam.
Rose lifted her gaze when she heard steps entering the room. She observed Casey's posture, erect yet unrigid, and the clarity in her eyes.
"Please sit down, Casey," Rose greeted her, gesturing toward the single armchair opposite her.
Casey sat down with a refined posture. Her legs were neatly together, her hands folded gracefully in her lap. "Thank you very much for this interview opportunity, Madam Rose."
Rose picked up Casey's application documents and opened them slowly. "Your track record with the agency is very impressive. You hold certifications in child development from Europe. But for me, theory on paper is not enough."
Casey nodded softly, a faint smile gracing her face. "I completely agree, Madam. Caring for a child cannot be equated with reading a textbook. Every child has a unique character that requires a different emotional approach."
Madam Miska set down a tray carrying an extra tea cup for Casey, then joined Rose on the sofa. She watched every expression on the prospective nanny's face.
"I would like to pose a few scenarios," Rose said, placing the documents back on the table. "Emily is currently in a very active phase and sometimes expresses her frustration by screaming or throwing things. How would you respond without resorting to a raised voice?"
Casey listened to Rose's question without interrupting. She met Rose's eyes steadily before answering.
"My first step would be to avoid getting swept up in the child's emotions," Casey answered calmly. "When a child screams or throws things, it is not an act of defiance, but rather their limitation in expressing what they feel. I would kneel so that my eyes are at eye level with hers, then speak in a low tone. I would give her space to calm down first, and only then help her name the emotion she is experiencing."
Madam Miska nodded along as she listened to the answer. "A very patient approach. What if the child refuses to eat vegetables or take medicine while sick?"
Casey turned her gaze to Madam Miska and smiled warmly. "With food, I usually engage the child's imagination or present the food in a more appealing shape without forcing it directly. As for medicine, I prefer connecting it to a short story about how the medicine works to help her body become strong again so she can play. Children respond much better to stories than to rigid commands."
"That makes a lot of sense," Madam Miska murmured softly. The older woman turned to Rose. "Madam Rose, Casey's answers feel truly sincere and full of warmth."
Rose carefully studied Casey's face. There was no hesitation or nervousness in the woman's gestures. Casey spoke in a remarkably organized manner, reflecting someone highly trained and professional in her field.
"What about my son, Alan?" Rose asked again. "He is very analytical and likes to ask complex questions about science or the things around him."
"I am very fond of children with a high sense of curiosity," Casey responded quickly yet politely. "If I know the answer, I will explain it in language easily understood by a child his age. But if I do not know, I will not lie. I will invite Alan to look for the answer together in books or safe educational media. That can build early research habits in a child."
Rose let out a long breath. The exhaustion shadowing her face gradually lifted, replaced by a sense of relief. Casey's explanations successfully answered the concerns that had been weighing on her mind since morning.
"You seem very prepared for this position, Casey," Rose said.
"I have dedicated my life to the world of education and childcare, Madam," Casey replied with a persuasive expression. "For me, the child's safety and happiness are the utmost priorities while the parents are away from home."
Madam Miska gently touched Rose's arm. "Madam Rose, to be honest, I feel very good about Casey. Her manner of speaking is polite, her understanding is vast, and her demeanor is very refined. I am certain she could be a wonderful help to us in this house."
Rose looked at Madam Miska, then turned back to Casey, who still sat gracefully before her.
"In theory and in this interview, you have exceeded our expectations, Casey," Rose stated firmly. "But the real deciding factor is how you interact directly with my child."
Casey nodded quickly, her eyes gleaming with readiness. "I am completely ready to be tested directly, Madam. Whenever you give me the opportunity."
Rose stood up from her sofa, adjusting her work clothes briefly. "Emily is playing with Alan in the backyard. We will head out there now."
Casey stood up nimbly. She straightened her skirt and took a step back to yield the path for Rose and Madam Miska.
As Rose walked past her toward the glass doors leading to the garden, Casey followed behind with footsteps that were nearly silent. The gentle smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by a cold glare fixed straight on Rose's back.
Rose stopped her tracks right before the glass door to the patio, then turned around to look at Casey.
"Are you ready to meet Emily now, Casey?"