The Man Who Comes Home Late
Alison picked up his cell phone. "Here, you've got a text."
She instinctively glanced at the screen.
It was from Yukon.
"Who's it from?" Jack asked, taking the phone.
Alison gave a faint smile. "You should take a look yourself. I just hope it's not from some woman."
Jack took the phone and glanced at it.
His face showed no particular expression, but he straightened up.
"It's from Yukon. Alison, I have to go. Lyla and Tyler are in your care. Oh, right—they're not drinking formula. It's the breast milk you pumped earlier and put in the fridge."
A wave of intense unease washed over her.
She wanted to say something but couldn't get a word out.
Even after Jack went upstairs to wash up and change into a clean, crisp suit, Alison remained slumped on the couch when he came back downstairs.
She was so absorbed that she didn't even notice Tyler crying.
"Alison, the baby's crying. What are you thinking about?" Jack lifted her chin with a long finger, forcing her to look up at him.
"Jack, I'm a little tired. I was thinking about hiring another nanny to lighten my load. What do you think?" Alison asked.
Jack paused for a moment, then smiled gently. "Sure. I don't want you to get too tired, either."
"Then I'll contact the agency right away to find a reliable nanny."
"Okay," Jack said as he tied his tie and strode out of the living room.
In the garden, Audrey was playing in the sand with Sophia and Ethan.
As both a teacher and a bodyguard, she was the perfect choice.
Jack stopped in his tracks, and Audrey stood up from the sand pile.
The two stood face-to-face in the sunlight, chatting.
Watching them, Alison fell deep in thought.
When Jack learned that Gwendolyn had arrived at the office, he reacted quickly.
She must hold a special place in Jack's heart.
“Gwendolyn...” Alison mulled over the name repeatedly.
By the time she looked up again, Jack had already driven off, and Audrey was still playing with the children.
After lunch, Audrey put Sophia and Ethan down for a nap.
Alison drove to a nearby supermarket.
She carefully selected ingredients for dishes Jack and the kids loved, the dishes she knew best.
An hour later, she returned with her arms full of bags.
Back home, Alison received a call from the housekeeping agency to schedule a nanny interview.
At exactly 3:30, the doorbell rang.
Alison rushed to press the video intercom and saw a woman in her fifties outside.
She was simply dressed and had a kind face.
"Come in," Alison said.
"Okay," the woman replied, stepping through the door.
"Hello, ma'am," she greeted Alison politely.
"What's your name?" Alison asked.
"Skyla Mitchell," the woman replied.
"I hear you've been working as a nanny for a long time?"
"Yes, for over a decade. I've cared for children ranging from a few months to several years old," Skyla replied.
"All right, you can stay. Your salary will be as the agency said, but we won't follow their rules for time off," Alison said.
Upon hearing this, Skyla grew anxious. "Ma'am, the standard in this line of work is one day off per month. Is that not acceptable?"
Alison smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm giving you four days, which works out to one day per week."
"Thank you, ma'am!" Skyla said, looking embarrassed. "I misunderstood. I thought you wouldn't give me any day off."
"Of course not—everyone needs a break. If you ever need time off, just let me know a day or half a day in advance," Alison said.
At five o'clock, Audrey was playing with Ethan and Sophia in the playroom while Skyla looked after Lyla and Tyler.
Meanwhile, Alison was cooking in the kitchen.
Dish after dish was placed on the table.
Audrey had already left for the day.
Jack still hadn't come home.