Taking a deep breath, I quietly backed into my room, shutting the door as gently as possible. My heart was pounding, my hands were ice-cold, but I forced myself to stay calm.

I needed to see what Spencer would do.

Was he just humoring his parents, trying to keep them from meddling? Or was this something deeper, something calculated? If he came clean, if he told me everything himself, maybe I could give him a chance to explain.

But if he didn’t… if he actually went through with it, then I’d know the truth, he wasn’t the man I thought he was. He had approached me with an agenda, pretending to be someone he wasn’t and I would never forgive him for that.

The next morning, Alexis was practically glowing. Her face was flushed, her eyes bright, like she had spent the night celebrating instead of scheming.

"Stella, come eat!" she chirped as if nothing had happened. "Women shouldn’t be so obsessed with staying skinny, if you don’t eat properly, it’ll affect your future children!"

I pulled out a chair and sat down but didn’t touch my food. I always worked out on an empty stomach, but that wasn’t the real reason I wasn’t eating.

Alexis was acting like my mother-in-law already, convinced that Spencer and I were a done deal. That would never happen.

"Alexis," I said, my voice calm but firm, "this will be your last month here. I’ll make sure you receive your full salary and any contractual compensation."

The color drained from her face. "What?" Her voice went sharp, almost shrill. "Why?"

Then, as if realizing how desperate she sounded, she forced a laugh. "Is this because of last night? Stella, I swear, it was just a misunderstanding! It won’t happen again. Please, just give me another chance!"

I shook my head. Her smile faded, and in its place, something uglier flickered across her face, resentment, maybe even hatred.

"Employment is a two-way decision," I said evenly. "After spending time with you, I’ve decided you’re not the right fit for this household. I’ll be hiring a new nanny next month. This isn’t a discussion, it’s a notice."

With that, I stood up, pushing my chair back neatly and walked out of the dining room. I needed air.

After running for a while, I slowed down and pulled out my phone. The house had security cameras, something only my mother and I knew about.