#willne x reader

Video: We Tried The Internets Weirdest Candy

Channel: a bit more willne (wrote this before the name change :( )

“I am absolutely hating this video.” You huffed sitting back after trying yet again another disgusting product.

“Well then you’re gonna be really upset about the next one! SmileLicker! Apparently it’s sour chocolate.” Will said, his eyes scanning the ingredients on the wrapper.

“That is so fucking gross, why can’t it be nice things like chocolate covered marshmallows- OH speaking of which I fucking know what you did you nonce!” You shouted scaring Will. 

“Fuck am I gonna be in the doghouse for this?” 

“Yes, you ate the last of my sweets that I was saving for when I get my period you dick!” Will burst out laughing as you kept your serious face and crossed arms.

“Oh are you seriously pissed?” Will asked still chuckling as you nodded.

*cameraman Ieuan* “I think Will should eat the whole chocolate by himself as punishment.”

You’re face grew into a wide giant mischievous smirk as you looked to Ieuan nodding your head excessively. “Yes omg Ieuan, you’re so brilliant for that. Go on Will.” You said pushing the chocolate towards him.

“What!? This is torture! I could just buy you another pack of marshmallows!” He shrieked his eyes wide with horror.

“Mmh no, this seems like the proper punishment for what you did.” You replied, the evil smirk on your face not leaving your lips as you continued to unwrap the entire chocolate. 

You held it out in your hand, taking a small whiff of the sour chocolate smelling the sweet aroma of chocolatey goodness that’s holding a sinister secret. “Cmon Willy Poo, we know how much you love chocolate.” You said shoving it towards his face.

He grimaced at the oozing sour stuff spilling out of the cracked parts. “Love, I promise I will do whatever you want, I will get on my hands and knees. Don’t make me eat the whole thing.” The sight in front of you was hilarious. 

Will had such large puppy eyes as he grabbed your arm praying that you’d give into his pleads, the slight glint in his eye making you almost cave.

“You’re so cute, but no, eat up boy.” You said with a laugh as the production team laughed along with you. Will fell back into his sulky position, taking the chocolate in his hand.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing, I sign your paychecks.” Will snarked as he held the chocolate to his lips. 

“Don’t worry guys, laugh all you want, the big bad wolf can’t hurt you if I’m here.” You said running a hand through Will’s hair and scrunching your face at him. His lips curled at that because even though you had all the power right now, he found that insanely hot.

Will took all the chocolate into his mouth and what followed was the funniest scene ever.

“AUGGHGH AGUGHAH OH MY GOD WHODEVENMAKESOMETHIN’LIKETHAT This is the absolute worst thing that has ever been created!” Will shrieked scrunching his face and immediately spitting everything out as you and the team just laughed until your sides hurt.

“You happy now?” He sulked, you had tears in your eyes at this point, you couldn’t even speak, just nodded your head. 

“Yes! Oh my god that was perfect!”

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Video: £100 vs £1000 Race to Where Football Began

Channel: ChrisMD

“Call Reader to see how they’re doing!” Will slurred as he continued to nurse his wine bottle.

“Jesus Will.” Chris laughed as Stephen facetimed you.

The scene cut to you, Harry, and Reev.

“Oh I’m getting a call from Stephen.” You said excitedly as you answered the call. “Hello!” You waved as soon as you saw him on screen.

“Oh lovely, you wanna talk to your boyfriend.” Stephen said turning the phone towards Will, he sipped at the wine bottle but stopped the moment he noticed, the wine spilling out from the sides of his mouth and onto his lap.

“How’s it goin’ love? Those boys ‘aven’t been pricks ‘ave they?” Will slurred making you roll your eyes with playful annoyance. 

“Chris, you let him drink!?” You shouted into the phone causing Harry to snatch it from you. “Awh! They’re drinking!? I didn’t know we could do that!” Harry whined as you snatched the phone back.

“I did not let him drink, they forced me to drive, both of them got pissed-” Chris started.

“-Ah ah ah, that’s not true Chris, we offered you a drink!” Stephen interjected

“Oh let’s drink and drive, that sounds like a good way to end this video and our lives.” Chris replied with sarcasm in his voice.

You chuckled. “Okay well sorry Chris, I’ll take him off your hands after we win this challenge.” You replied with a smug smile on your face as Reev and Harry cheered in the back.

“Right we better win this challenge if I have to drive the whole way.”

“Hey, you chose the teams! I offered to go with Will but someone said they didn’t want us making out the whole time.” You mocked Chris’ voice.

“First of all I do not sound like that, secondly all you two do is snog when you’re together- yeah you heard it here first viewers, you know our editors have to work extra hard to cut out all those scenes, ruining my content.” Chris explained with a huff, joking of course.

“Oh shut up Chris, you’re compiling all of those clips so you can make one of those compilations that always bring you all the revenue.” You said with a cheesy smile.

“I cannot confirm or deny.” Chris said with a hesitant tone.

“Well I can and I’ve just confirmed it for you here live folks.” You said in an old timey accent saluting the camera.

“Will, your girlfriend is banned from future videos.” Chris sulked. 

“Oh Chris you love me.”

“-he better fuckin’ not, you’re all mine!” Will said, snatching the phone from Stephen. 

“Love you willy.” You said sending an air kiss to Will.

“Love you more my princess.” Will replied, smooching the phone’s camera up close.

“Great another cut.”

If you’d thought the house felt big before, that was nothing compared to how it felt now. 

Every footstep seemed to echo endlessly throughout the spiralling hallways, making you wince whenever you dared to venture outside of your room for longer than a minute. Every breath felt too loud, every word deafening as you spoke to the children or forced a stiff ‘good morning’ when you passed by Will on your way to wake Olly up. 

Now you understood what people meant when they described a silence as deafening. 

You felt as if you were drowning - that same heart-rending, suffocating feeling you hadn’t felt since that first day in Anne’s office, had now become your normal, the insistent pressure on your ribs your only companion now as Will avoided you like the plague. He was strategic about it, though - never allowing Victoria or the kids to catch on to what was was, or had been, between you. 

He’d offer you a tight-lipped smile whenever you passed by each other alone. In front of the kids, though, it was like nothing ever happened. He’d smile, laugh, joke and tease you, appearing to all the world as the picture-perfect husband, father and boss. The kids, bless their hearts, were none the wiser. Victoria, you couldn’t speak for. You’d made it your life’s mission not to ever make eye contact with her ever again if you could help it, the pressure on your ribs becoming almost nauseating when you saw that slight glint in her eyes that hadn’t left since Isabella’s birthday. 

So, like you probably should have been doing anyway, you threw yourself into your work, dedicating yourself wholly and fully to the three children you’d come to know and, admittedly, love. 

It was now four days since that night, and you were currently standing in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for the kids. Outside, the sunlight had just started to warm the rich green grass, and you could see the staff tending to the hedges that Victoria was oh-so-proud of and making sure that no leaves had fallen in the pool overnight. Next to you, Janie was chattering away whilst she made lunch and dinner for the next couple of days. To your pleasant surprise, you’d actually come to recognise a few of the dishes that were lined up neatly in one corner of the island - it still made your eyes water whenever Janie would show you the receipt for the cost of the food, but you were happy for the evidence of your experience. 

Isabella was curled up on the sofa, nose buried in a book and an ice-cold glass of lemonade clutched in her other hand. Her hair hung in two thick braids over her shoulders, and her clothes were remarkably casual, by her standards at least - the sight of her neat, shiny hair made your heart clench a little whenever you looked over at her. Most mornings, you found yourself doing Isabella’s hair, knelt at her side and listening closely to her quiet instructions. She’d never look you in the eye during it, but you could tell that she appreciated the gesture, judging by the way her fingertips danced over the folds of her braid almost absently as she read. 

Bea, on the other hand, had none of her older sister’s composure as she sat hunched over one one of the barstools, muttering to herself like a mad scientist as she attempted to work her way through her homework. Next to her sat a small bowl of sweets that you’d given her for ‘motivation’ - you kept a close eye on her as you carefully cut up the fruit they were having, making sure she wasn’t sneaking any before she finished, something you’d already called her out twice for. 

‘Ugh, this is so stupid. I hate this subject. The teacher’s an idiot anyway - surely I could just pay someone to do this for me, that would be so much easier.’ Bea declared, slamming her pencil down on the table with a resounding bang and crossing her arms over her chest. You looked up from where you stood, raising your eyebrows. 

‘Bea, we talked about this. What did we say? No….?’ You trailed off, waiting for her to finish. The girl held your gaze for a beat, before sighing in defeat, her arms unfolding to hang limply by her sides. 

‘No paying people to do things I can do myself.’ She muttered begrudgingly, snatching up her pencil again. You nodded. 

‘That’s right. Well done.’ 

It was still a little astounding to you that a saying like that had to be reinforced as often as it did - but then again, you’d known what you were getting into when you’d taken this job. The first time you’d had to address the subject had been a rather mortifying incident in public where Bea had attempted to tip her teacher after she’d printed out some extra worksheets for her. You’d flushed bright red, scrambling for an apology as the teacher had just laughed. You supposed he was more used to dealing with the richer children than you were, but you’d still been mortified as you’d snatched the money out of Bea’s hand. 

Bea once again fell silent (save for a few quiet grumbles of dissatisfaction) as she started up her work again, allowing you to focus back on Janie. 

‘....So, that’s what I was saying, like - you want me to get all of this expensive stuff, but you’re not going to move your fifth car out of the driveway so the truck can pull up? I’ve already spoken about this to him about eight times, but I think it just goes in one ear and out the other, honestly. You know Will - he’s pretty, but not a thought in his head, that one.’ She said with a sigh, throwing the myriad of onion peel she was currently holding into the bin with a decisive slam. 

You just nodded along, not trusting yourself to comment on that last part of her rant. 

‘It’s a wonder he gets anything done, that man. Gets distracted so easily- did I ever tell you about the old girl who used to work on the bar down the garden? God, he was like a kid in a candy shop with her.’ 

‘What?’ 

The question burst from you before you could stop it, hands falling deathly still. Janie looked up at you, brows pinched together in a confusion you didn’t quite place, before she refocused with an awkward little cough that had a slight pang of shame rushing through you. 

‘Yeah- did he not tell you? Would’ve thought at least it’d come up in some capacity. Or from this little one, hm?’ She said, this last part directed at Bea with a nudge of her elbow. Bea just grinned, nodding happily. 

‘But yeah, anyway- she was hired part time at first, just to sort of look after things down there- you’ve been there, right? To the little bar at the end of the garden- yeah, that one. She was mostly there for whenever Victoria’s friends would come over, but it didn’t really take long for Will to start making up reasons for her to stay behind. Things needed restocking, he wanted someone to try this new coffee flavour, blah, blah, blah, you get the idea.’ She waved her hand vaguely, never pausing her regular rhythm of chopping, stirring, grating and frying. She seemed none the wiser to the fact that your entire world felt like it had been knocked off its axis. 

‘Victoria fired her, of course. She said it was because the girl wasn’t good at her job, but, if you ask me, I think it had something to do with the fact that Will always liked a challenge, if you know what I mean.’ She finished, punctuating the gesture with a dramatic sweep of the pile of diced vegetables that had been steadily growing over the last half hour into the searing hot pan, steam instantly billowing out of it with a loud hissing noise that had Bea whooping with joy, homework momentarily forgotten. 

‘What d’you mean? As in, he likes to cheat?’ You asked, hoping your voice didn’t sound as strained as it felt, your throat squeezing uncomfortably as you spoke. Your fingers, of their own accord, floated up to brush across your lips, the touch sending sparks through you as you remembered the soft press of Will’s lips against yours, slick with sweat and spit as he’d gently pulled you apart one heartbeat at a time. 

‘Oh no, God, no!’ Janie exclaimed, turning to you with a scandalised expression on her face. You just shrugged, spreading your hands. 

‘He’s never actually cheated on Victoria. Like…..sex cheating. But I’m pretty sure he and that girl kissed at least once while she was here. Oh! I almost forgot, there was also that girl that Anne employed to help her keep her stuff sorted - I can’t remember if she’s still here or not, but he liked her as well. I don’t think they ever kissed, but there was definitely something there, at least in my opinion.’ She said, whispering conspiratorially behind her hand, gaze flicking to the children and back as she spoke. 

Your knuckles were white where you gripped the knife in your hand. 

Janie might as well have just ripped your heart right out of your chest. 

‘Right- I see. He likes the forbidden type.’ You grit out. Janie made a noise of agreement, gesturing to you. 

A terrible, sickening idea started to take root in your mind - was that why he’d done it?

Had that been the reason he’d touched you so softly? Kissed you like you were the most precious thing he’d ever had? 

Was that why he liked you?

‘Yes, that’s exactly it! - hey, are you okay? Sorry, I didn’t mean to speak quite so freely, I just got into the flow of it, you know?’ Janie said, the playful lilt to her voice suddenly disappearing entirely as she caught sight of your clenched jaw and trembling hands. You nodded at once, waving her off as you forced yourself to relax. 

‘Yeah, yeah- I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Just- learning new things, is all.’ 

‘Yeah, ‘course. Sorry- that was maybe a bit unprofessional. Don’t tell Will I told you that, okay?’ She said, reaching out to squeeze your hand anyway. The gesture made your heart clench, and you squeezed back. 

‘Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m not sure I’m his first pick of company, anyway.’ You said. Janie frowned at you for a second, eyes darting around your face as you schooled your expression into a bright, playful smile that you hoped reached your eyes. 

‘Okay, that’s good. I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut.’ She said, muttering this last part. You laughed, finally resuming your cutting of the fruit. 

‘If I finish my homework, can we go to Louis Vuitton later? There’s a new bag that my friend has that I want to get - I think I like the burgundy one, but I might just get two so I have one for summer as well.’ Bea piped up, breaking the terse spell of your conversation with Janie. 

‘Uh, yeah, sure, Bea. No problem.’ You replied. Bea cheered, shoving another sweet in her mouth as she refocused on her homework. You just sighed, long past trying to enforce the t to rewards rule with her. 

‘Can I come too? I want to get a new watch, mine’s old.’ Isabella interjected from her corner of the room. 

‘No fair, you just got one! My other bag is, like, four months old, I need a new one!’ Bea shot back, turning on the stool to face her sister. Isabella’s book lay discarded on her chest, the argument now demanding her full attention. 

‘Oh, poor you? And I didn’t ‘just get it’, thank you very much, it was a birthday present. My friend Elodie’s already got the newest version of it, so-’

‘Alright, enough! Both of you girls- honestly. You know there’s enough space in the car for you both to come. And Isabella, you can go and buy yourself a new watch by yourself if you don’t want Bea around. Bring a friend, if you like. We’ll make a day of it.’ You shouted, slamming your hands down on the countertop, effectively silencing both girls. 

‘Fine. Whatever.’ Bea grumbled, settling back into her chair. 

‘Hey, none of that attitude, Bea. Thank you.’ You scolded, feeling a faint pulse of pride as Bea’s posture relaxed slightly, her pout lessening as she picked up her pencil once more. 

Eventually, you finished cutting the fruit and served it to both girls. Olly was still yet to wake up, but you figured you could find him something to eat whilst you were out - he was fussy at home, but in public, you’d found out that he was more than happy to eat whatever you handed him as long as it came alongside the telltale beep of your credit card. 

You and Janie remained in the kitchen, chatting amiably as you washed up and she packaged the meals she’d made into the fridge. 

‘Oh, here comes trouble. Lips. Sealed. Remember?’ She said suddenly, grabbing you by the shoulder and pressing her finger to her lips. You blinked, nodding as you realised why she was suddenly so serious. Behind her, Will swept into the room, halfway through rolling up his sleeves. 

‘Morning, girls. Everything alright? I heard a bit of an argument just now.’ He said, pointedly not looking at you as he stepped past you to grab his coffee out of the fridge. You hadn’t been able to bring yourself to make it this morning, passing the mug to Janie with a hurried excuse of needing to check the fridge for fruit. She hadn’t protested as you’d pretended to be busy looking for strawberries. 

‘Yeah, everything’s fine. Bea and Isabella just got into a little fight, that’s all. We’re gonna go shopping later- if Bea finishes her homework, that is.’ You replied, keeping your voice carefully even and your gaze down at the dishes as Will slid into one of the barstools. 

‘Mm, okay, that sounds good. I’ll tag along, then. I’ve not got any meetings today. We’ll make a day out of it.’ He decided, taking a sip of his coffee. A sense of intense deja vu ran through you as your hands froze beneath the water. 

‘Um- yeah. Okay, that sounds great. I’ll come get you when we leave, then.’ You replied. 

You just hoped he couldn’t hear the tremble in your voice. 

The girls sang along happily to the radio as the car flew down the road. Olly sang as best as he could from where he was sitting on his booster seat, kicking his little feet along with the beat. 

Will sat in the passenger seat whilst you drove, hands clasped in his lap and his gaze trained on the road ahead of you. You hadn’t spoken a word to each other this entire journey. Occasionally, his gaze would lift to the rearview mirror, a faint, fond smile curling at his mouth as he watched his daughters and son sing. 

The scene felt full, domestic in a way that almost made you sick. For a brief, fleeting moment, you imagined that this was your life - that the man next to you wasn’t your employer, but someone else, someone more. That the children in the back weren’t just your job, but your whole life. You swallowed around the lump that had formed in your throat. 

‘Bea, what’re you wanting to get whilst we’re out?’ He asked, turning to face the backseat. You tried your best not to look at the strong cut of his jaw or the way his lips moved when he talked, lest you remember the soft press of them against your own. 

‘Um, I wanna get a bag. Or two. Yeah, probably two, just in case, and so I have one for the different seasons, you know? I think it’s weird when people just have one bag. Like our nanny, she only has one bag for all the seasons, even if it doesn’t go with her outfit!’ Bea explained. You coughed, hiding your laughter as Will grimaced. 

‘It’s fine. We’ve had this chat before. Don’t worry.’ You assured him. Will just nodded, turning his attention to his oldest and repeating the question. You just did your best to drown him out, letting the noise fall to a low hum in your ears as you focused on the road and the wheel in front of you, the points of your nails digging into your palms as you resisted the urge to reach across and slap him. 

Once you were there, you helped Will haul the children out of the car - it was one with a sizeable distance between the seats and the ground, something you’d learned the hard way, and so it took a little effort from both of you to get the children safely onto the ground without suffering any casualties. 

Bea immediately skipped off, clutching her fathers hand and leaving you, Isabella and Olly to scramble to catch up. Will’s laugh echoed through the parking lot, a bright, joyous sound that made your heart flutter against your ribcage. 

‘Come on, you two. Let’s go catch up before we get lost.’ You said, grabbing Isabella’s hand and hoisting Olly up onto your hip as you jogged after Bea and her father. Isabella didn’t protest, letting herself be pulled along by you as you entered the shopping centre. It was one of Bea’s favourite ones, a regular haunt if you will, and so as the group of you passed by the luxurious, dimly lit shop fronts, the patrons and staff gave her polite little waves and smiles, which the girl happily returned. 

The next few hours were a blur of flashes of the gold of Bea’s card against the reader, the rustle of bags as she handed them off to Will to hold, debates that seemed almost in a foreign language to you as the seven year old described to the staff what she wanted, and occasional smiles and passing comments from people you didn’t recognise. Will seemed to, though, but you could tell that the constant attention was starting to grate on him. 

He was actually, contrary to popular belief, quite a private person. He preferred the calm quiet of his house or office to the bustling world of business he’d thrown himself into and hadn’t quite managed to dig himself out of. That first night, when you’d found him in his office with the curtains half closed, that had been probably the closest you’d gotten to seeing him for who he really was. 

Your arms were beginning to ache from holding Olly as Bea corralled you towards another shop, her ponytail bouncing with every step. She seemed unchanged, unbothered by the miles of walking and thousands depleted from her account, charging forwards towards a glittering display of earrings you were probably better off not knowing the price of. 

‘Oh, William, I thought that was you!’ 

You almost laughed at the expression of absolute fury that flashed across Will’s face as he turned towards the woman who’d spoken, who was now approaching at a speed that left very little opportunity for exit. 

‘Hello, you - it’s been a while, hey?’ He said, immediately turning on that charm you knew so well, reaching out to draw the woman into a one-armed hug as he juggled Bea’s bags. You quietly took a few from his hand, ignoring the apologetic glance he gave you as you shouldered them. A few feet across, Bea sighed - you smiled, remembering the feeling of a parent running into a family friend well. 

‘And these must be your lovely children - my, it’s been so long, you’re all so big now! Isabella, I haven’t seen you since you were a toddler! And Bea, oh my goodness, how you’ve grown! You’re nearly as tall as your dad now!’ She exclaimed, flattening her hand over her heart. Isabella just smiled. 

‘No, I’m not. My dad’s super tall, I’ll never grow that high.’ Bea said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. You cleared your throat, shaking your head slightly. The woman seemed unphased, but the intervention on your part meant that her attention had turned, terrifyingly, towards you.

‘Oh, you must be William’s wife, then. I’ve heard so much about you, dear - all your exploits in the entrepreneurial world. I must say, it’s very modern of you, to balance being a mother and a working woman in this day and age. I think-’

Your eyes went wide, mouth dropping open as she continued to talk. You were at a loss of what to say. Though, you supposed, it was better than being treated like a servant. 

‘Oh, no- she’s not- she’s not my wife. Victoria’s at home today. This is my- our nanny. She’s here to look after the kids.’ Will cut in, stepping back slightly to rest a hand on your shoulder. His thumb twitched against your skin, the movement strained and stiff, as if he was holding himself back from touching you properly. The woman fell silent, looking between the two of you. 

‘Well, I must say, you know how to pick them, William. This one’s even prettier than the last!’ She said with a hearty laugh. Will echoed her, the sound empty and hollow as he turned to look at you. 

‘Seriously, though- you two just look so good together! If you hadn’t have told me, I would’ve gone home preaching to the choir about William’s lovely wife! Are you absolutely sure she’s not? You two would make such a fine couple, it’s a shame about you being staff and all.’ She said, patting you on your other shoulder in a gesture you assumed was supposed to be sympathy. Will huffed out a laugh, grip tightening slightly on your shoulder as he watched. 

‘I promise. Trust me, I would know if she was.’ He said, turning his smile towards you, tilting his head to the side. 

‘Mm, yeah. I’d love to, but yes- I am unfortunately just his nanny.’ You replied. 

The admission surprised you - but you couldn’t deny that it wasn’t true. It was a fantasy you only allowed yourself to indulge in in the darkest, smallest hours of the night, when you traced your fingers over the gold edges of your headboard and wondered what it would be like to have the solid shape of his sleeping body next to you. You’d often found yourself wondering if the weight of his ring would become familiar, or if it would still take you by surprise whenever you lifted your hand. And, in your most shameful, private moments, you’d wondered what it would feel like to have him on top of you, fingers laced together as he pulled you apart, properly this time, piece by piece until you fell apart for him in that beautiful, unrestrained way. 

‘Oh well, maybe in another world. I’ve got to pop off now, but we should see each other sometime, it’d be lovely to see Victoria again!’ She said with a wave, and then she was gone, leaving only a cloud of cloying perfume as proof that she was ever even there. Well, that, and the slowly gaping pit that was opening in your stomach the longer Will’s hand rested on your shoulder. 

‘Yeah, sounds- good. Great.’ Will trailed off, hand falling back to his side as she retreated. 

Olly shifted on your hip, dislodging Will’s hand as he forced you to readjust. You suppressed a shiver at the sudden cold that skittered across your collarbones. 

‘Sorry about that. Old friend- very old, clearly.’ He said, scratching at the back of his neck. You shook your head, turning away so he wouldn’t see your heart practically leaping out of your chest as you shifted Olly over. 

‘No, no. It’s fine. It was just a mistake, no harm done.’ 

Silence stretched between you as you turned back to him. For the first time since that night, you allowed yourself to meet his gaze. 

Instantly, you knew this was a bad idea - the warmth of his soft brown eyes brought back all the memories you’d been trying to forget. 

The cloying heat of the hot tub, the drag of his fingertips as they traced your features, pausing to play with the soft fat of your lips before ghosting over your jaw. A flutter of shaky breath fanning over your face as he’d leaned in. The hot, fragile feel of his lips against yours, then the all-consuming, almost desperate way he’d swallowed down the sounds of your surprise. 

‘Yeah, just a mistake. No harm done.’ 

You barely slept that night. 

Every time you closed your eyes, all you saw was the same thing - Victoria’s hand curled into Will’s arm, her hand on his jaw, her mouth on his. And the smug little smile she’d shot your way not moments later, her eyes twinkling like stars from across the garden as if she’d won the grand prize. 

By morning, your body felt like lead, and shame had replaced shock. You’d spent weeks convincing yourself that it meant nothing. That every small smile he’d sent your way, every soft word of encouragement when you messed up, every time you met his gaze and found him already looking, meant nothing. And now, you finally believed it - clearly, they didn’t. 

You didn’t know what you’d been expecting - she was his wife, after all. She had every right to kiss him, to touch him. You, on the other hand, had no right to feel the way you did. 

But one thing you did allow yourself to feel in the wake of Isabella’s birthday was anger. That, you felt, you were allowed to feel. The memory of Will’s distracted gaze was burned into your mind, the sound of his awkward cough and forced cheer as he’d turned back to his associates resonating painfully across your mind, knocking against your skull with every toss and turn of your body on the plush mattress that was starting to dip in the middle, giving you the distinct impression that you were sinking. 

It wasn’t anger at just Will, though that was the main part, it was anger at everyone else who hadn’t stepped in. You’d been close enough to feel the warmth seeping off the bodies of other guests, nearly standing shoulder to shoulder with a few as they’d continued to hold their conversations, hands full of glasses and paper, and not one of them had stepped in. In fact, in your mind’s eye, you remembered seeing a few smiles - eerily similar to that of the one Victoria had sported mere minutes later, cruel little upturns of the lips as they watched the nanny get put in her place. You didn’t know what you’d expected, but it still hurt nonetheless - sure, they were rich, but they were still human. 

‘Hey! Are you falling asleep at the table again?’ 

Bea’s voice snapped you out of your reverie, your hand slamming down on the marble countertop as you flinched away from the loud noise. You blinked rapidly, gathering your bearings. The shape of three small silhouettes came into focus as you cleared your throat, pushing some hair out of your face as you forced yourself to refocus. 

‘Um- no, Bea, I wasn’t sleeping. Just- thinking.’ You said hurriedly, straightening up and taking a sip of the coffee you’d forgotten completely about, grimacing when the lukewarm taste bloomed on your tongue. 

‘Are you sure? Your eyes kinda looked like this.’ She asked, hooking her fingers in the corners of her eyes and pulling down, giving herself a droopy expression as she hung her head despondently in front of her. You just shook your head, pushing on her forehead until she righted herself. 

‘No, I’m sure, Bea. Come on, finish your breakfast, then we can go to the court outside.’ You said. Thankfully, you didn’t have to ask her twice, the promise of her beloved tennis court enough to spur her on to shovel her toast into her mouth, jam spilling over her lips and onto the table. You just wiped it away without complaint, not really willing to argue with her right now. 

Isabella was silent as always next to you, spooning her cereal into her mouth in an even rhythm. Olly was spending the day with his mother, who apparently had a whole circle of friends with young children that they liked to parade around in fancy buggies while their ringed, manicured hands clutched dripping iced coffees that fuelled endless talk about anything and everything. 

Once they were finished, you sent them away to get dressed, having already helped Isabella pick out her outfit for today. Bea, you (mostly) trusted to dress herself - you knew she already had a tennis dress, and a tennis bracelet that, you had attempted to tell her, didn’t actually have anything to do with tennis, to no avail. You reckoned she’d put two and two together and wear that, but you made a mental note to go and check on her before you went. The girl’s mind was a whirlwind of noise and a constant stream of thoughts, and so it wasn’t rare for her to forget items of clothing completely - you remembered one particularly stressful morning where she’d forgotten her coat in her driver’s car, who had dropped them off at school and then gone on to take his day off, driving halfway across the city to his house, meaning you had spent the better part of your day chasing down this seven year old’s fur jacket. 

You were midway through wiping down the table when Will walked in. He was on the phone, ear pressed to his shoulder as he attempted to fasten his watch around his wrist and not fall into the sunken conversation pit on the way to the coffee machine at the same time. 

Against your will, your hands froze where they were busy cleaning out Isabella’s cereal bowl, cold fear splashing through you - before you forced yourself to move again. Come on, it’s not hard, you’ve done the dishes before. Round in a circle - clockwise, then anti-clockwise, then clockwise again. You took a deep breath, keeping your gaze deliberately lower as his footsteps drew closer. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a flash of silver as his hand reached out towards the machine, pressing buttons in a combination that had become intimately familiar to you over the months you’d been here - ironically, working out that coffee machine was probably one of the things you were most proud of yourself for figuring out. That came right after figuring out the exact level of presence you needed to keep in order to not piss off Victoria and keep your job. 

Despite yourself, you couldn’t help but listen in as he walked around the kitchen, coffee clutched in his hand as he opened and closed the cupboards in search of something. Peering at the drink, you reached out and wordlessly passed him the syrup. 

Will stopped in front of you, glancing at the bottle, your face and back again. You held his gaze, gritting your teeth to stop your hand from shaking (with anger or nerves, you weren’t sure) as he reached out to take it from you. 

You didn’t give him time to reply, turning back towards the sink and plunging your hands back into the water, seizing the pan you’d been avoiding until now. It was one of Janie’s - a beautiful pink frying pan that she was almost too fond of. You’d made your own breakfast in it this morning, enjoying your eggs whilst perched on a barstool as you watched the sun rise over the wide expanse of the garden, the pinks and purples of the early morning reflecting in the rippling waves of the swimming pool. 

The smooth, regular motions of the sponge calmed you slightly as you worked over the surface of the pan, the noise in your mind dulling for a brief moment as you lost yourself in the task. You barely registered Will’s presence behind you as he sipped his coffee, occasionally nodding along to whatever the person on the other side of the phone was saying. The material of your jumper swished softly in time with your movements, the only other noise apart from his occasional hums and the scrape of your sponge against metal. 

Across the room, Will couldn’t keep his eyes off you. The words of his colleague fell on deaf ears as his eyes traced the soft lines of your shoulders and biceps over and over again, never daring to dip lower than your shoulderblades. You were angry - he could see it in the way you stood. Your shoulders were set squarely, the movements of your hand as you washed up almost too measured, too regular. 

He wasn’t stupid, that much he’d already spent hours agonising over. He knew it had to do with what had happened at the party, and those women he’d seen talking to you. After you’d left, the whispers had started almost immediately, beady eyes following your steps as you’d walked back into the house without looking back. He’d wanted to go after you, truly he had, but he’d gotten a little distracted when his wife had suddenly appeared by his side minutes later. He doesn’t remember much after that, the champagne he’d steadily been knocking back all afternoon hitting him with a force that had his legs buckling in Victoria’s hold. 

‘Um, yeah- okay, I’ll talk to you later. I have to go.’ He said, suddenly unable to bear the droning that was unbelievably still pouring into his ear. He hung up with a decisive click, shoving his phone into his pocket as he heaved himself up from the counter, taking a few steps towards you. 

‘Daddy! Are you coming to the court with us?’ 

Will fought the urge to groan as he turned towards his daughter just in time to catch her as she thudded into his legs. He swept her up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple as she continued to chatter. 

‘No, pet. I’ve got to work, unfortunately. Someone’s got to, if you want to keep having stuff like this, hm?’ He told her, holding up her wrist for emphasis. The tennis bracelet encircling it shimmered in the sunlight, winking over and over as she shook her hand, giggling. 

‘Aw, okay. Maybe later?’ She said hopefully. Will’s heart clenched as he looked into her eyes, so eager and full of hope. From where you were still standing at the sink, you could practically hear the cogs turning in his brain as he tried to figure out how to reply. 

‘Yeah- yeah, later. Remember Daddy’s got to go on that trip for work tonight, yeah? But you’ve got your lovely nanny to play with still, so maybe she’ll play tennis with you, yeah? Or your sister, Bella will play with you, won’t you, Bells?’ He said, turning towards where Isabella had shuffled silently into the room. At her father’s attention, she nodded. 

‘Yeah, I’ll play with you, Bea. Maybe we could play together against her.’ She said, smiling slightly when you caught her eye. Isabella and yours’ relationship was definitely better, but it still left a lot to be desired, clearly. 

‘Okay, I guess that’s fine. See you later, Daddy, have fun on your trip. Bring me back a present.’ Bea said decisively, dropping out of her father’s hold and skipping happily back towards her bedroom. Isabella followed a moment later. 

Will wasted no time in crossing the kitchen, closing the small space between you. 

‘Look, I just wanted to say-’ 

‘Mr Lenney, with all due respect, I’m really not in the mood to have this discussion right now.’ You interjected, yanking your hands out of the water and grabbing at the towel next to you with probably more force than necessary. You weren’t sure where this surge of confidence had come from, but to be honest, you were really enjoying the look of surprise on his face right now. 

‘Oh, okay- but, um- I just wanted to-’

‘You wanted to what? Apologise for doing nothing when your guests were treating me like shit?’ You snapped, slamming the towel down on the countertop. Will just stared at you, taking another step forward, now close enough to you that you could smell the cologne he always wore - rich and sweet and so entirely him it made your heart clench. 

‘Watch your tone when you speak to me. Now listen - listen. I wanted to apologise for not stepping in the other day. I didn’t hear what those women said about you, so I didn’t know it was quite so bad until someone else told me. But regardless - you’re part of our family. I should’ve told them to back off. I’m sorry.’ He said softly, resting his hip against the counter, lowering himself a few inches down to look you in the eyes. 

You swallowed, unable to tear your gaze away from his. The slight edge to his tone had butterflies bursting in your stomach, the intensity burning in his gaze doing nothing to help. 

However, you weren’t going to give up that easily. You shook your head. 

‘No, I’m sorry- I can’t accept that. You were close enough. You heard. You just chose not to because you couldn’t bear to be seen defending your nanny.’ You spat, crossing your arms over your chest. Will’s jaw ticked, a frustrated sigh escaping him as he tipped his head back in a groan. 

‘Look, I can’t- I can’t do this right now. I have to leave for my trip in an hour. I’m sorry for what happened, I made a mistake. Whether you accept that or not, I couldn’t care less. Hate me all you want, but do not  let your personal feelings affect my children. Bea’s already asked me three times if I did something to make you mad. She notices everything, that girl, so you’d better be careful how you act around them if you want to keep your job.’ 

Will’s words hit you like a flurry of bullets, striking you over and over, the confidence that you’d felt slowly dwindling until it sat uselessly in the pit of your stomach. He dragged a hand through his hair and checked his watch, glancing at you when you remained silent. 

‘Right. Well. I’ve got to be off. We’re- uh, installing a new hot tub in the garden, just to the side of the pool. You’re welcome to use it if you want. I don’t want the kids in there just yet, but- uh, you can, if you like.’ He told you, straightening up. You nodded dumbly, tongue suddenly feeling too big for your mouth. 

‘Okay.’ You replied. 

Will nodded once, looking you over one final time before turning away. 

‘Okay. I’ll see you in a few days. Vic’s also out at a conference, so it’ll be just you and the kids. Look after the place, make sure no one dies. You know the drill.’ 

‘Yeah- yeah, okay, got it. See you soon.’ 

The next few days were actually surprisingly nice. 

Maybe it was the lack of Victoria breathing down your neck all the time, or maybe it was because now that Will was gone, you could actually focus on just being a nanny. 

The first day was slow - you woke up late, finding the children already up and sat together on the couch in the conversation pit, a movie playing softly in the background. Bowls of cereal were balanced carefully in their lap, matching crystal glasses filled with orange juice balancing on the coffee table in front of them. Isabella had smiled at you as you’d come in and stopped short at the sight, offering you a little wave. The girl seemed softer now, the lack of parental observation smoothing her into, well, a child who acted her age. 

You took them to the beach again, and ended up nearly doubled over in laughter as Bea failed time and time again to mount her paddleboard, toppling unceremoniously into the sea with a shriek every time. Even Isabella let out a few chuckles at her sister’s struggles from where she was sat with her brother, dipping his feet into the water and letting the waves wash over them both. You’d fished Bea out, righted her, and the whole process had started again. You’d stayed until the sun was nearly gone behind the line of the horizon, unwilling to let go of the perfect bubble of joy you’d created. 

They’d showed you the home cinema - a luxurious, plush room that had made your jaw drop as you’d stepped in. That had been where you’d stayed for the majority of the third day, watching film after film, the children sprawled out beside you with their hands buried in bowls of various snacks. You’d discovered Bea’s undying love for hot chocolate that day, carting tray after tray into the room. During a film that had turned out to be scarier than you’d thought, the girls had both pressed close to you with a yelp, Isabella burying her face in the crook of your neck whilst Bea grabbed onto your arm with a death grip. You’d been unable to help the smile that spread across your face. 

You’d gone for a drive in one of the many, many fancy cars that Will had in the garage, rolling down all the windows so the kids could stick their heads out to their hearts content, whooping with joy. Olly had sung along to the music the whole time, then stubbornly requested ice cream when he woke up the next morning with a scratchy throat. After some bartering, you’d managed to get him down to two pieces of toast before he could have some ice cream. 

It had been peaceful - fun, even. Slowly but surely, over the months and days you’d been here, the children had been getting more comfortable with you. These few days were the prime example of that - Bea felt comfortable enough to let you accompany her on a shopping trip, even if it was to just be there to carry all her bags as she dragged you from shop to shop, tapping her card on the reader without a care in the world. You didn’t want to know where exactly the money on there had come from or how much she had, but you figured you were better off not knowing. Your bank account had been growing steadily since the first week, but you’d not allowed yourself to touch it just yet unless absolutely necessary. 

The sun was just setting on the fourth day when you finally decided to take up Will’s offer of the hot tub. The children were safely in bed, tucked away and sleeping soundly. Janie was off for the weekend, and the rest of the staff were generally nowhere to be seen. 

You hummed to yourself softly as you got dressed, slipping on your swimsuit and putting up your hair. Grabbing a towel, you stopped by the kitchen, deciding to indulge for once and grabbing a bottle of wine out of the bottom of the fridge, carrying it carefully with you as you made your way out the back. The workers this morning had told you it was ready to go, so you figured what better time to make the use of your time alone?

You didn’t bother with a glass, popping open the bottle and taking a sip as you padded outside. Following the distinct hum of the jets you could hear, you rounded the corner to the small house-like structure that had been built to house the tub. Even now, the sight of this house never failed to steal the breath from you. The place was decorated with soft yellow fairy lights that twinkled in the dark of the evening, the delicate crosshatch of wood framing the already steaming tub. You smiled - one of the staff must have heard you thinking out loud about it and switched it on for you. You took another sip of wine, relishing the dry taste and the alcohol that settled nicely in your stomach as you dropped your towel and climbed in. 

The warm water on your sore muscles had a small moan slipping past your lips. Days and weeks of bending over to talk to Olly or help Bea with something had done a number on you, so this felt like heaven, especially as you switched the jets on higher, relishing the pressure against your body. 

Your eyes fluttered shut, the warmth and hum of the tub and the soft sounds of the night lulling you into a sense of calm you’d almost forgotten how to feel. In between deep breaths and gentle movements in the warm water, you took slow sips of wine, head becoming increasingly fuzzier as the night drew on. Occasionally, you listened out to hear if any of the children were calling for you, but when you heard nothing, you allowed yourself to relax fully. 

Truthfully, you lost track of time. The bottle lay emptied and discarded on the side of the deck, the wine settling in your system, slowing your heart and mind to a pleasant buzz. For once, your mind was calm - no trace of Will in sight. 

‘Thought I might find you out here.’ 

Nevermind.

You lifted your head slowly, unhurried as you blinked to focus on the blurry shape in the threshold. 

‘Mm, well. You said I could use it.’ You replied, not even bothering to hide the way your words slurred together slightly. Will huffed out a laugh, walking forward slowly. You looked up at him as the shape of him sharpened, and you smiled at the soft, amused expression on his face. 

‘I did. I did say that.’ He said, sliding his hand into his pockets. He nudged the empty bottle with his foot, laughing quietly. Your gaze tracked downwards, catching on the full bottle he had clutched in one hand. 

‘Did you have a good trip?’ You asked, finally finding it in yourself to sit up and turn around, propping yourself up on your elbows to look at him. Will shrugged, nodding vaguely. 

‘Yeah- I mean, as much fun as you can have on a business trip. What about you, kids have fun?’ He asked. You nodded at once, launching into an explanation of everything you’d gotten up to. Will, to his credit, listened raptly, laughing at all the funny bits and wincing when you described Bea’s tribulations at sea. 

‘Well, sounds like you had a good time.’ He said through a laugh, raking a hand through his hair. You nodded happily, settling back in the hot tub, the cool breeze causing goosebumps to rise on your arms and neck. 

‘Mind if I join you?’ 

Your mouth moved of its own accord, murmuring your assent. It was only when you heard the faint whispers of clothes being shed did your brain catch up to what you’d just agreed to. You opened your mouth to protest, only for it to snap shut when you felt the water stir. It took everything in you not to immediately look over. You made a show of fixing your hair and swimsuit, tightening your bun unnecessarily and fidgeting with the straps until you felt Will go still next to you, a soft sigh escaping him as he settled into the water. 

‘Mm, should’ve done this sooner. ‘S nice.’ He murmured. You hummed noncommittally, taking a deep breath as you turned to face him. 

The sight of him set something alight low in your gut, heat pooling between your thighs at a dangerous speed. 

Here, he looked different. His face was relaxed, bathed in the soft glow of the fairy lights and framed by his dampening curls as he slid further into the water, shifting until he was sat up straight. You watched as he twisted to grab the wine, swallowing as you traced over the hard planes of muscle over his chest and back, his biceps flexing as he grabbed the bottle and turned back. 

‘Vic’s not home, so she won’t get on my arse about drinking.’ He muttered, popping open the bottle and immediately taking a long swig, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. You resisted the urge to lean over and lick away the stray droplets that ran down his chin when he pulled the bottle away. He offered the neck towards you, a silent offer. 

And, possibly against your best interest, you took it. 

The wine went down easily, the bottle passing back and forth between you until it too was empty. Your mind grew fuzzier and lips looser, and soon you two were talking. About what, you couldn’t say - business, yours and his, what you’d done before you came here, the kids, how you were liking it, your life, your ex boyfriend- 

‘He wasn’t a bad boyfriend, as such. He just- forgot things a lot. You know? Like, my birthday once- um, our date nights, mostly. He just never really listened to me. Didn’t even really like kissing me, either. In fact, I don’t even know why we were together.’ You rambled, cheeks aching from your smile as Will laughed along. 

‘Well, he sounds like an idiot to me.’’ He said. You laughed, shaking your head again. In all your chatter, you hadn’t realised that you’d shifted closer to each other, your knees nearly touching under the water. As Will’s expression shifted into something more serious, reality caught up to you. 

‘You don’t even know him.’ 

‘I don’t need to.’ 

Your heart thudded as Will reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear, his fingers lingering on your jaw as he pulled back. Your heart pounded in your chest as his gaze dropped to your lips, eyes wide and dark. 

It almost felt like a magnet was pulling you together as you leaned further towards him, the water carrying you, heat and steam surrounding you as the world around you fell away. 

Neither of you spoke. 

Will’s touch felt like it was burning your skin as his thumb rubbed gently over your cheek, dropping down to trace over your bottom lip, pulling it out slightly before letting it snap back into place. You inhaled shakily, breath fanning over him. 

‘Mr Lenney-’ 

‘Shh- don’t. Let me just…have this.’ He murmured, continuing his exploration of your features. The tips of his fingers floated over your nose and opposite cheek, cupping your jaw in his palm and holding you there as he lifted your chin up to meet his gaze at his level. 

‘Mr Lenney, please-’ 

‘Shh, darling. Please just- let me have you like this.’ He said, clicking his tongue softly. The petname fell from his lips before he could stop it, but, judging by your sharp inhale and the way your pupils dilated, you weren’t complaining. 

‘Mm, you liked that, did you?’ He teased, mouth curling into a smirk at the small whine that slipped from your lips. Your tongue darted out, mouth slowly closing as you spoke. 

‘Mr Lenney-’ 

‘Yes, darling? Tell me what you want.’ He asked, gripping your chin harder, forcing you to look at him. You stared at him, mind suddenly blank. 

‘Where’s all that fire you had earlier? Maybe I can help with that.’ He muttered, fingers digging into your jaw as he pulled you forward gently. 

You went willingly, shifting up and out of the water and towards him until your lips met. 

The first taste of you pulled a groan so deep out of his chest it was almost painful. And Will was immediately addicted. 

‘Fuck-’ He growled, hands moving to your hips under the water and hauling you closer to him, helping you to swing your leg over his lap until you were straddling him. The feeling of him pressed so close to you forced a gasp from you, the sound swallowed by Will as he surged forward to kiss you again. 

This time, you were expecting it. You opened easily for him, accepting his tongue as it slid, hot and eager, into your mouth to tangle with yours. Your lips slotted together over and over, sliding slick against each other as you moaned softly. 

‘God- no idea how long I’ve wanted this.’ He groaned against your lips, hand sliding into your hair and tugging you down impossibly closer to him. You moaned in agreement, hands squeezing at his bare shoulders and feeling the strong muscle there. 

‘Ever since we hired you- can’t take my eyes off you.’ 

The admission shocked a small whine out of you. 

What?

The realisation of what he’d said seemed to hit you at the same time, because suddenly the heat and pressure of Will’s lips on yours was gone, sending you reeling with a whine as you chased the sensation. 

‘Shit- shit, shit, shit. I’m sorry- I shouldn’t have- fuck!’ 

You scrambled off of his lap, ignoring the heady pulse between your legs as you watched Will heave himself out of the hot tub, dropping heavily onto the deck and reaching for his clothes. 

‘Wait- no, Mr Lenney-’ 

‘Just- stop. Please- I’ve already done enough damage.’ He said, voice sharp as it cut through the air towards you. You swallowed thickly, wiping at your eyes as tears started to well at the corners. 

Will was silent as he dressed himself, buttoning up his shirt so hastily it hung open in places and pulling on his trousers. He took a deep breath, dragging his hands down his face. 

‘This stays between us. Yes?’ 

You nodded at once, shrinking back into the water that now felt stiflingly hot. 

‘Yeah. Of course.’ 

Will nodded decisively, stooping to pick up both empty bottles of wine, the sound of them clinking together echoing across the empty garden. 

‘Okay. Goodnight.’ 

‘Goodnight, Mr Lenney.’ 

You dipped your head down as you replied, unable to bear the sight of him anymore. 

By the time you looked back up, he was gone.  

The sound of laughter and chatter could be heard a mile away, the garden bursting with childlike joy and excitement. 

Bright streamers lay tangled in the carefully trimmed hedges, balloons bobbed lazily in the warm afternoon breeze, and somewhere near the inflatable castle, a chorus of shrieking children erupted as a magician dramatically "lost" a rabbit. Plastic-covered tables bowed under the weight of bowls of crisps, platters of sandwiches, cut up fruit and vegetables and, at the centre, an elaborate birthday cake that shimmered under the glass dome, twinkling like a crown jewel. 

Parents clustered together with champagne flutes and polite smiles whilst caterers and servers moved through the crowd, refilling drinks before anyone realised they were empty. 

You were currently attempting to balance a tray of six glasses of lemonade on one hand, whilst the other held Olly tightly to you, the three year old having apparently given up with socialising for the near future. As you weaved your way through the crowd towards Isabella and her friends, parents and carers alike offered you tight-lipped smiles as you passed. Most of them didn’t even deign to look at you. A few of them offered you their glasses for your tray, not a hint of recognition behind their eyes despite the fact that you’d now been working here long enough to recognise half the guests by name. 

Names and titles drifted through your mind as you passed them, making a note of who was who as best you could - the woman in the corner with the gold hoop earrings was the mother of Isabella’s best friend from school, and the man next to her was not her husband as you’d previously assumed, but rather her brother. You couldn’t remember what exactly she did for work, but you knew that the black card you could see in her pocket definitely had no limit to speak of on it. The man talking to Will was his business partner, James - someone you’d only seen pictures of up until now. The woman next to Victoria was her old friend from university, now married to another ludicrously rich businessman for either the third or fourth time. 

You took a deep breath, shaking your head to clear it as you finally broke free of the crowd and approached Isabella’s circle. 

‘Okay, everyone - got you some drinks.’ You said, stepping deftly into the centre of the crowd and lowering yourself as best you could. The children all reached for their glasses at once, grabbing them with careless hands before settling back on the grass. You’d learned by now not to expect a thank-you. 

‘Wow, Bella, your maid is so pretty!’ One of the kids piped up, and you felt a hand reach out to run through your hair. Isabella just laughed, taking a sip of her lemonade. 

‘She’s not my maid, she’s my nanny.’ She replied, emphasising the last word as if it was something dirty, lips curling around the syllables as she gestured vaguely at you. This garnered a round of giggles from the kids, and you took that as a cue to take your leave from them before your confidence took more knocks than you could manage. 

‘Come on, Olly, let’s get out of here, hm?’ You cooed, gently bouncing the boy. Olly nodded sleepily, resting his head on your shoulder. Your heart clenched at the sight - even after months of working here, the fact that these children trusted you never ceased to amaze you. You slipped back through the crowd towards the house, humming softly all the while. Again, nobody seemed bothered to acknowledge your presence, not even Bea, who was too busy stretching out on the sun loungers next to the pool.

You breathed a small sigh of relief as you stepped back into the kitchen, the noise falling away as the door slid shut behind you. Walking over to the kitchen island, you sat Olly carefully down on top of it as you fetched him a snack. 

‘Stay there for a second, Olly. I’ll get you a banana. Do you want that?’ You asked over your shoulder. Olly immediately clamoured in agreement, clapping his little hands together. You smiled, wrenching the fridge open and stooping to grab one for him. 

The sound of the sliding door reopening caught your attention, and you straightened just in time to see Will walking into the kitchen, head bent over his phone. In his hand he clutched several empty beer bottles, which he unceremoniously tossed in the sink before walking over to the fridge where you stood. 

‘Hi, Mr Lenney. Can I get anything for you?’ You said, clearing your throat quietly. Will startled, head whipping up to meet your gaze. 

‘Oh, Jesus- I didn’t know you were in here.’ He said, clicking off his phone and shoving it in his back pocket. 

‘Sorry, I’m just grabbing Olly a snack.’ You explained, holding up the banana in lieu of an explanation. Will just nodded, tongue darting out to wet his lips. It was then that you realised you were still standing in front of the fridge, and you shuffled away with an awkward little cough. 

The two of you hadn’t been properly alone together since that night he’d come to apologise. You’d told yourself it was just a coincidence - he was a busy man, after all. There would always be phone calls, guests to see, or meetings to attend. Just because you lived in the same house didn’t mean your time together was guaranteed. After all, you were here for his children. Not him. 

‘Just getting some more beer. If you don’t mind.’ He said, reaching past you to the bottles. You shuffled further, grabbing a bowl for Olly’s banana. 

‘Yeah, ‘course. Does James- uh, Mr Marriott want anything to drink?’ You asked, quickly correcting yourself. You still weren’t sure exactly where you stood with Will’s associates - you didn’t even call him by his first name (not to his face at least). Will just scoffed, pulling back and kicking the fridge shut. 

‘No. James doesn’t drink. He’s sober.’ He told you, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. You just nodded, pursing your lips. 

‘Right. Sorry.’ You replied, starting to cut up the banana just to give your hands something to do. Olly watched as you methodically sliced it up, his little hands for once still. 

‘Mm. Well, it’d do you good to remember the little things. Just in case.’ He said, and then he was gone, pushing past you and back out through the sliding door. You sighed, handing Olly his bowl as you pinched the bridge of your nose. 

‘It’d do you good to remember that- fuck off. It’s not like I’ve got three kids to look after, or anything.’ You grumbled, dragging your hand through your hair. You watched Olly eat the rest of his banana, enjoying the brief moment of quiet. 

You tipped forward slightly, leaning on the island to take some pressure off of your heels - Victoria had insisted that you looked ‘presentable’ for Isabella’s party, and so you’d ended up borrowing a dress from Janie, and a pair of heels you’d impulsively bought with your first paycheck. You looked nice enough, you thought. The dress was a dark blue, framing your curves nicely without being inappropriate - that had been something Victoria had been very insistent on - whilst still giving you enough freedom to move around and not worry about ripping something. 

‘Done!’ Olly pronounced, slamming his now empty bowl down on the table. 

You sighed. Moment of peace officially over. 

‘Right, come on then, young man. Before your mum starts to worry.’ You said, lifting him under the armpits and lowering him gently to the floor. Immediately, he took off, toddling as fast as his little feet could take him towards the open sliding door, shrieking with joy. You followed at a slower pace, letting him have a brief moment of freedom as you wove in and out of the crowd of parents and children. 

It didn’t take long for you to fall back into the rhythm of the day - circling between where Isabella was sat with her circle of friends, making sure her birthday crown was straight and that her glass of lemonade was always full, and to where Bea was stretched out by the pool to remind her to put suncream on. Olly followed you dutifully, ever your little shadow, clutching your hand as he stumbled along beside you, occasionally peeling off to launch himself at his father before returning to your side. 

Janie appeared and disappeared at irregular intervals, always shooting you a beaming smile or a quick wave as she flitted to and from the kitchen, disappearing into corridors you’d never seen before and then suddenly reappearing holding yet another tray of small, elegantly arranged food that you probably had never even heard of before. At this point, you weren’t sure how much of this party was for Isabella and how much was for the parents. 

You tried to help her out as much as you could - wiping down tables where glasses of wine and lemonade alike had spilled and stuck, picking up discarded plates from the grass and tossing them away, removing empty bottles and cans that otherwise would have piled sky high. 

Approximately two dozen paper plates and half as many empty wine glasses were balanced in your arms when a hand on your shoulder stopped you in your tracks. 

‘Excuse me.’ 

You turned to see a woman in an expensive-looking linen dress holding out an empty champagne flute. Her expression seemed almost bored as she looked you over, taking in your simple dress and flyaway hair that was steadily coming undone from your bun as you moved. 

‘Another glass, please. And one for my mother - but only half, I don’t want her drinking too much.’ She instructed, presenting the empty glass to you. You paused, mouth opening and closing as you scrambled for the correct response. 

‘Sorry- I-’ You started, shifting your weight slightly, angling yourself away from her in the hopes she’d get the hint. She just smiled impatiently, already looking past you. 

‘Champagne, please. Quick as you can.’ 

You cleared your throat, squaring your shoulders. 

‘Sorry,’ you managed to say, ‘I’m not actually-’ 

'Oh, come now. Just a drink, it's not the end of the world.' She said, pushing her glass more insistently towards you. You just stared at it, unsure of where to go from here.

‘Oh, darling, she’s not catering staff,’ Another guest interrupted with a laugh, placing her hand on the woman’s shoulder, ‘She's one of Will’s personal staff.’ She said, smirking as if it was some grand secret. 

‘Actually, I’m their nanny, thank you. I work with their children.’ You said through gritted teeth, a strained smile pulling taut at your cheeks. The women shared a glance, smiling conspiratorially as they looked back at you, then back at each other. 

‘A nanny? Well, how…..modern.’ 

‘Victoria must be one very understanding woman, to let someone like you so close to her husband. Will did always prefer attractive staff.’ The other said with a sigh, leaning close to her friend as if this would make their conversation suddenly inaudible. 

‘Yes, agreed. Will always did like to keep a pretty little thing around, didn’t he? Remember that girl who used to work in the home bar…..’ 

Your jaw began to ache with how tightly it was clenched together, holding back every single thing you so badly wanted to say to these women if there was no risk of you immediately losing your job afterwards. They continued to whisper, sharp gazes flicking back and forth between your still form and each other, their perfectly smooth faces betraying no hint of remorse for their words. 

The sound of the conversation dulled to a low thrum under the rushing of blood pounding in your ears. 

Instinctively, you looked over to Will. A small shock of surprise rolled through you when you met his gaze, his head already turned towards where you and the two women were standing. 

He was close enough that you knew he had to have heard at least the end of that conversation. Your heart thumped wildly in your chest as you stood there, half expecting him to at least take a step forward. For one ridiculous second, you actually believed that he might. Although, you didn’t know what you expected him to do if he did. Didn’t know what you wanted him to do if he did.

His gaze lingered on you for another brief moment, before James appeared at his shoulder and then, just like that, his attention was elsewhere. The moment passed. 

No correction, no clarification. No defense. Not even a smile. Just a disappearance into yet another conversation you weren’t part of. You took that as your cue to leave. 

Turning smartly, you strode back into the house, glasses clinking as your hands shook. You deposited them in the sink and tossed the plates away, blinking rapidly to dispel the tears that were fast approaching and threatening to spill over, your jaw aching as you held back a sob. 

It shouldn’t bother you - you knew that. He was busy: he had guests to entertain, connections to make, children to check up on, a hundred conversations demanding his attention more than your plea to save your own ego. The feeling sat uncomfortably in your chest, teetering dangerously between embarrassment and something you didn’t care to examine too closely at this moment in time. It felt as if it were expanding with each shaky inhale, squeezing painfully at your ribs and clawing at your heart from inside. 

You couldn't have explained it if someone asked, not in a million years. It wasn’t as if Will had done anything wrong, not in the traditional sense. What would you say? His crime against you was that he hadn’t come over? 

She hadn’t called you anything you weren’t. You were just the nanny. 

Will didn’t owe you a defence - he wasn’t even under any obligation to acknowledge your existence at all. The fact that he had was just a bonus. 

Your knuckles were white as you gripped the edge of the kitchen island, slowly breathing in and out in an attempt to calm your racing heart. Your dress suddenly felt too small - all the wrong parts of you sticking out at odd angles, your heels now looked ridiculous strapped to your feet. The rings you’d put on this morning to add a finer touch of elegance to your look now felt chunky and gaudy, weighing you down and accentuating your chipped nail polish that you hadn’t had the time to reapply yet. Something ugly began to worm its way under your skin, the ladies’ comments ringing across your mind. 

Did Will really view you like that? Just a pretty face to keep around for the sake of it?

Had he hired you solely based on that? 

Did he actually think you could do this at all?

You didn’t know how long you stayed inside for. Not that it mattered anyway, the children were all otherwise occupied. Olly had found a quiet corner and was amusing himself with a bubble wand that someone had given him, blowing to his heart's content and laughing himself silly as they popped against the grass. Bea was still by the pool, although now she’d taken to huddling together on a single lounger with another girl, their heads bent as they gossiped. Isabella was the picture of grace and class as she floated around the garden, accepting wishes and compliments as they came, crown perfectly placed atop her head. 

You waited until your cheeks were cool to the touch and your breathing less uneven before approaching the sliding door once more. Outside, it was as if you’d never left. The scene was still as lively as ever, children laughing and playing, parents talking and watching, staff slipping through the cracks to make sure it all ran seamlessly. You stepped over the threshold, letting the warmth and life wash over you, taking a deep breath to ground yourself. 

Your gaze caught on Will before you could stop it. He was still in the same spot, fingers wrapped loosely around a half-full glass of wine as he talked amiably with James and another man you didn’t recognise. 

Victoria reached him a heartbeat later, appearing at his side like a glorious vision, arm sliding into the crook of his elbow like it belonged there. Her diamond winked in the bright sunlight, sparks flying in your vision as you slowly walked back around the garden. 

Your breath caught in your chest as her dark gaze found you, cutting seamlessly through the noise and bustle of the crowd and meeting you squarely. For once, she didn’t look away as you stared, holding your gaze as her free hand slid up Will’s chest, toying idly with the buttons on his shirt. 

The smile that spread across her face was small, the slightest curl of the corners of her mouth as her hand traveled steadily upwards. She tilted her head slightly as her fingers brushed lightly against his jaw, nudging him ever so slightly. He bent instinctively towards her, attention caught by whatever she’d muttered into his ear. 

She didn't need to check if you were still watching - she could feel the weight of your gaze on the back of her head as she turned towards her husband.

She met him halfway, pressing her lips to his in an unhurried kiss. Her hand stayed curled around his bicep, the other cradling his jaw as she held him there for a beat longer than necessary. Will responded instantly, turning towards her to return the kiss. His fingers tightened a fraction around the stem of his champagne glass, twitching slightly before falling still. 

They parted a moment later - to all the world appearing as just a sweet gesture of affection between a happy couple. But you knew better. 

Victoria waited until Will’s attention was back on his associates, his thumb tracing lightly over her arm where she was still tucked into his side. Then, in one slow movement, she turned towards you, still standing frozen amidst the crowd, found your gaze once more:

And smiled.