Chapter 51 A FLASH OF MEMORY
Nancy’s POV
The moment I stepped into the room, a breath of relief escaped me.After walking out earlier, I had honestly thought I was going to lose it.
Then the message came.
The judge had declined our warrant to arrest the guy.The sheriff had also refused to see us.
The weight of it all hit me so hard that my legs felt weak, forcing me to sit down for a while just to gather my thoughts. None of it made sense. They had dismissed our evidence, claiming it wasn’t strong enough to issue a warrant—and I knew right then that something was wrong.
Very wrong.
And maybe… just maybe, Jaxon had been right all along.
But knowing he was the only person who could help me find Mia left me drowning in emotions I couldn’t even begin to name. Fear. Anger. Frustration. Helplessness. They all tangled together until my chest felt tight.
I slowly looked around the room, taking in how neatly arranged everything was. The interior was breathtaking—clean lines, quiet elegance, a space that felt nothing like the chaos in my head. The large bed across the room looked like a cloud, dressed in crisp white covers and perfectly arranged pillows.
I searched for somewhere—anywhere—to sit, and the only option was the office desk and chair near the window.
I was exhausted. Every part of me needed rest. But the thought of lying on his bed sent a strange shiver down my spine, dragging memories to the surface I had no business revisiting.
So I walked over to the desk instead.
I dropped into the chair and let my head fall forward onto the cool surface, my body finally giving in. My thoughts blurred, my breathing slowed—and before I even realized it, sleep claimed me.
Jaxon’s POV
“Thank you so much, sir, for considering me,” Miss Carter’s sister said, a smile so bright it practically lit up the room.
Unlike her sister—who had always looked at me with nothing but anger and resentment in her eyes—hers held something entirely different. There was admiration there. Soft. Genuine.
“It’s our pleasure, Miss Carter,” I replied. “We’ll get back to you via email. I trust my assistant already explained that to you.”
She nodded quickly in response.
Just then, Troy walked in holding a few files, stopping beside us as his eyes skimmed the papers in his hand.
“Miss Carter, I have one last question,” Troy began, his gaze still fixed on the file. “Your health records were left blank, so I wanted to ask if there’s anything we should know about—”
“No, there isn’t,” she answered almost immediately.
Both Troy and I froze, exchanging brief looks of confusion as tension settled around her like a heavy fog.
“I’m sorry,” she added quickly, forcing a nervous smile. “I mean, there’s nothing wrong with my health. I’m perfectly healthy—that’s why I left it blank.”
“Oh… okay,” Troy replied hesitantly.
“I’ll just go now,” she said, turning almost too abruptly before heading downstairs.
The moment she was out of sight, Troy let out a breath.“Okay. This one is nothing like the detective.”
I watched her disappear down the stairs.“Tell me about it,” I muttered.
“But the beauty clearly runs in the family,” Troy added, sounding far too impressed. “She’s very beautiful.”
I shook my head slightly, already recognizing that look on his face. Head over heels—dangerously close.
I’ll admit it. She is beautiful. And worse—she knows how to use it.
“I’m just confused,” Troy continued. “She said she’s applied several times for the executive assistant role and got rejected. Her CV looks solid to me, and honestly, she seems perfect for the position.”
“Then hire her,” I replied without hesitation as I turned toward the stairs. “What are you waiting for?”
“Where are you going?” Troy called after me.
“To call in the next candidate,” I answered. “We still have four people waiting downstairs. Let’s move fast so they can be on their way. I hate having my house invaded—and you know that.”
With that, I headed upstairs and called in the second applicant while Troy moved on to the third.
And yet, even as I worked, my mind kept drifting away.
I was practically bored out of my mind questioning the lady sitting in front of me. She lacked confidence and barely answered even the simplest questions, and that irritated me more than anything else. My mind was completely elsewhere—on the woman who was probably still hiding in my room.
For the next twenty to thirty minutes, I had no choice but to listen to her ramble nonsense in response to every question asked.
Who comes to a job interview this unprepared?
I could hardly believe I had managed to land myself in one of the things I hated most—interviewing my own staff.
I didn’t hesitate to dismiss her before heading downstairs to bring in the final candidate of the day.
At least he was better than the last one.
In less than two hours, Troy and I wrapped everything up, seeing the remaining applicants out and informing them they would receive final feedback via email or phone call.
“That was dull,” Troy said, letting out a deep sigh as he shut the door behind them. “Now all I have to do is find Miss Carter somewhere around the house. I can’t believe I forgot about her,” he added, flashing a grin as he rushed upstairs.
“Don’t worry,” I said calmly. “I know where she is. I’ll check on her. Just book a flight for three. We're going to Brentmere.”
He stopped short, confusion clearly written all over his face.
“Okay… I won’t ask why we’re going to Brentmere,” Troy said slowly, rubbing his temples, “but why on earth are we taking Alba with us?”
“The third ticket isn’t for Alba,” I replied, already walking away. “It’s for Nancy. She’s coming with us.”
“Oh—Nancy… what?” Troy exclaimed as realization finally hit him.
“I’ll send you her details,” I added, completely ignoring the explain-yourself look he shot me as I headed upstairs.
When I reached the door, I gave it a light knock to announce myself before walking in.
And the sight that greeted me stopped me in my tracks.
Miss Carter was curled up on my reading desk, fast asleep.
I stared for a moment, both shocked and strangely amazed. I never would have imagined she could fall asleep so easily in my space. With how guarded and tense she always was around me, this was the last thing I expected.
I stepped closer, intending to keep my distance—but I didn’t.
Before I realized it, I was standing right beside her, watching the rise and fall of her chest, listening to her steady breathing.
A quiet chuckle slipped from me.She really is something else.
But then… why the desk when the bed was right there?
I already knew the answer to that question. And yet, whether it was the bed or the desk, she was still in my space. So why not be comfortable?
I wondered how long she’d been like this. She was bound to wake up sore. I should have woken her—but I couldn’t. She looked like she needed the rest.
I pulled out my phone and quickly texted Troy, asking him to book our flight for three hours from now. Then I stood there, debating whether to leave her as she was or carry her to the bed and risk the awkwardness if she woke up.
After a moment of hesitation, my body made the decision for me.
I gently scooped her into my arms.
She stirred slightly, and I froze, certain I’d woken her—but instead, she shifted closer, resting her head against my chest before slipping right back into sleep.
I carried her to the bed and carefully tucked her under the blanket. A few strands of her hair fell across her face, and I instinctively reached out to brush them away.
I hesitated.
What was I even doing?
But my hand moved anyway, gently tucking the strands behind her ear. My eyes stayed on her face, unable to look away. She looked softer like this—more beautiful when she wasn’t angry, when the weight she carried wasn’t etched into her expression.
And just as I stood there, lost in my thoughts, a memory flashed before my eyes.
I couldn’t tell if it was real or imagined.
But it felt familiar.
A slender figure wrapped in my arms—and a bond I couldn’t quite explain.