Chapter 2 - The Return to the Estate
Everett stood in the aisle of the private jet, staring out the window at the blackness of the predawn sky. His reflection in the glass was pale, his jaw set in a hard, uncompromising line. He had spent the last three hours reviewing sixty days of security footage. It wasn't just Hannah; Celeste had been systematically dismantling the quiet peace of his home.
He watched her berate the chef over a menu he hadn’t even requested. He saw her dismiss the gardener who had planted Emily’s favorite hydrangeas, replacing him with a landscaping firm she preferred.
She wasn't just planning a wedding. She was erasing the life Everett had built before her.
And he had let her.
The guilt was a physical weight in his chest. He had been so consumed with running away from his own grief that he hadn’t noticed the woman he was about to marry was turning his daughter’s home into a hostile environment.
“Sir, we are beginning our descent,” the pilot’s voice crackled over the intercom.
Everett checked his watch. It was just past 5:30 AM in New York.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Walter’s private number.
“Sir,” Walter answered immediately, sounding tired but alert.
“I’m landing in twenty minutes. Have a car waiting on the tarmac.”
“Already arranged, Mr. Cole.”
“Is Hannah still in the nursery?”
“Yes, sir. I checked the feed ten minutes ago. She and Miss Rosie are still asleep on the floor.”
“Leave them,” Everett instructed, his voice thick with emotion. “Do not let Celeste near that room when she wakes up. Tell her I’m coming home.”
“Understood.”
When the car pulled through the massive iron gates of the estate, the sun was just beginning to break over the horizon, casting a cold, gray light on the sprawling stone mansion. It was a beautiful house, but this morning, it felt like a fortress he had abandoned to the enemy.
Everett bypassed the grand entrance and used his private access code for the side door. He didn't want announcements. He didn't want the staff scrambling.
He walked quietly through the silent hallways, the thick carpets muffling his footsteps. He bypassed the master suite, where Celeste was likely still asleep, and headed straight for the east wing.
The nursery door was slightly ajar.
Everett stopped, his heart hammering against his ribs. He pushed the door open inches wider.
Hannah was exactly where the camera had shown her. She lay on her side on the pale rug, her gray uniform wrinkled. Rosie was tucked securely against her, her small hand gripping the fabric of Hannah’s collar.
They looked peaceful.
But the reality of why they were on the floor hit Everett with renewed, sickening force.
Then sit on the floor. You are not to use the chair, the window seat, or anything else in this room.
He stepped into the room.
His shoe barely brushed the edge of a stray wooden block, making a soft clack against the hardwood floor.
Hannah’s eyes snapped open instantly. The protective instinct was immediate; she pulled Rosie tighter against her chest before she even registered who was standing over her.
When she saw Everett, the color drained completely from her face.
She scrambled to sit up, careful not to jostle the sleeping toddler. Panic flared in her eyes.
“Mr. Cole,” Hannah gasped in a harsh whisper, struggling to untangle herself from the sleeping child without waking her. “I’m sorry, sir. I know I’m not supposed to be in here... Miss Warren said—”
“Stop,” Everett said softly. He dropped his briefcase near the door and knelt on the floor beside them.
Hannah froze, her breathing shallow. She looked terrified, expecting him to deliver the final blow to her employment.
Everett didn't yell. He looked at Rosie, who whimpered slightly at the sudden movement but settled back down when Hannah instinctively patted her back.
Then, Everett reached out and gently touched the sleeve of Hannah’s uniform.
“You don’t have to apologize to me for comforting my daughter,” Everett whispered, his voice cracking with an emotion he hadn't allowed himself to feel in two years.
Hannah stared at him, bewildered. “Miss Warren told me...”
“I know what Celeste told you,” Everett interrupted gently. “I saw the cameras, Hannah. I saw everything.”
Tears welled in Hannah’s eyes, a mixture of exhaustion and profound relief. She looked down at Rosie, her hand trembling as she stroked the toddler’s soft hair.
“She was so scared, Mr. Cole,” Hannah whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. “She just needed someone to hold her.”
“And you did,” Everett said, a fierce wave of gratitude washing over him. “When I wasn't here, you stayed with her.”
He stood up, reaching down to offer Hannah his hand. She hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking it. He pulled her gently to her feet.
“Go to your room, Hannah,” Everett instructed softly. “Get some sleep. You’re off duty for the rest of the day.”
“But the breakfast service...”
“I will handle it.”
Hannah looked at him, searching his face. She found no anger, only a quiet, resolute determination. She nodded slowly, slipping out of the nursery without another word.
Everett looked down at his sleeping daughter. He didn't pick her up and put her in the crib. He sat down on the floor exactly where Hannah had been, leaning his back against the wall, and gently pulled Rosie onto his lap.
She stirred, letting out a soft sigh, and buried her face against his chest.
Everett closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of baby shampoo and sleep. For the first time since Emily died, he didn't want to be anywhere else.
At 7:30 AM, the heavy oak door of the nursery swung open.
“Hannah, I told you to have the coffee ready by—”
Celeste stopped dead in her tracks.
She was wearing a pristine white silk robe, her hair perfectly styled. The arrogant command died on her lips as she stared at the man sitting on the floor of the nursery, holding his child.
“Everett,” Celeste gasped, recovering quickly, pasting on a bright, surprised smile. “Darling! I didn't know you were coming home! Why didn't you wake me?”
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Everett didn't smile back. He didn't move. He simply stared at her with cold, gray eyes.
“We need to talk, Celeste,” he said quietly, ensuring he didn't wake Rosie. “In my office. Now.”
