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Hope was staring at her little notebook. She had just finished writing all the names that Damon mentioned.‘That’s the lot,’ she muttered to herself. ‘Klaus Mikaelson, Hayley Marshall, Elijah Mikaelson, Rebekah Mikaelson, Marcel Gerard, Kol Mikaelson and Davina Claire,’She closed the notebook and put it back in her pocket. She glanced over at the perimeter and saw a little girl walking with her mum.‘So, tell me what you and nan did yesterday!’ the mum asked, and the little girl had a bright smile on her face.‘Oh, we’ve done loads of things, mummy! Nan thought me how to bake a lemon cake, and granddad said that it was very good! After that, she helped me take a bath, and then –‘Hope’s gaze became vivid, and the sound of chatter from the little girl and her mum became distorted.Throughout her life, Hope never had a family. Damon said that her entire family was killed brutally in one single night and she was the only surviving member. Damon was the one that took her in (because he was there) and treated her as his own protégé. He taught her how to fight, hell, he was the one that taught her everything that she knew. And she was grateful for him.She owed him everything so when he asked her to be his wife, she accepted the proposal without a doubt.He was great. Despite all his faults and sins, he was the only love that she had ever known and as much as Hope hated him for the things he did (he was a hitman), she couldn’t imagine a life without him. It also helped with him being so easy on the eyes too.At first, he was doing the heist all by himself, but then, as time progressed and she grew stronger, he thrust her into his world and now, she’s currently on her first big mission.He said that if she could do this, she could do everything.Turned out, the person that was responsible for the murder of her family was someone from the Mikaelson clan. Someone by the name of Klaus Mikaelson.Damon told her this, and ever since that, the couple had been plotting to take down the bloody lot of them and wiped their existence from this world. Just like what Klaus did to her family.Hope still remembered the look of concern on her husband’s face when she told him that she wanted revenge. He told her that it was too dangerous because The Mikaelsons are a dangerous lot, and Klaus was the worst of them all.But she had made a decision. Come hell or high water, she would see the end of the Mikaelson line. One way or another.And this is one of the ways that she’d been thinking carefully and decided to be the best option for her.Yes, she’s going to apply for a job as a nanny to Rebekah and Marcel’s newborn baby. If she got the job, that means she’s got access inside their fancy Manor (all the Mikaelsons lived under the same roof), and she could bide her time before she proceeded with her plan to bring hell upon the household.She would learn and recognise the pattern of each one of their actions and perfect her plan before finally launching it.Damon helped her by feeding her some general information about the Mikaelsons that he knew and it was quite a lot.There were six Mikaelson siblings, but the eldest two (Freya and Finn), didn’t live in New Orleans, and they were living somewhere in the world with their respective families. So that leaves Elijah Mikaelson to be the oldest Mikaelson sibling in that Manor, followed by Klaus, Kol, and the youngest one was Rebekah.Elijah was married to a girl from the same background as they were, named Hayley Marshall, though she was previously married to Klaus. Then Kol was married to a girl almost half his age, named Davina Claire, and Rebekah was married to her former bodyguard, Marcel Gerard. Klaus and Hayley reportedly have a child together but the baby died just a few hours after childbirth. She ended up marrying Elijah because as the rumour has it, the baby was the result of the affair between the two, and Klaus knew about it, so he killed the baby. The relationship between Klaus and Hayley became like a sinking ship, and Elijah came to the rescue.There were some theories about the baby but none of it was proven true and to this day, no one truly knew what happened to that poor kid. No one also really knew what truly happened between Klaus, Hayley and Elijah, but no one ever said anything because they were afraid of what Klaus might do to their families if he finds out that they were talking about him.The buzz on her mobile phone brought her out of her reverie, and she saw that it was from Caroline, her sister-in-law. Caroline was married to Damon’s brother, Stefan Salvatore, and the two always look very much in love.Hope decided to ignore the call and put the mobile in her other pocket. Whatever it is that Caroline is about to say can wait, her revenge can’t. She took a deep breath before started driving towards the Mikaelson manor. -- ‘Sit down, please’ Rebekah Mikaelson said as she motioned towards the sofa and Hope did as she was told. ‘So, do you have any experience with caregiving?’‘Um, I’ve never done it, but I’m sure I could learn,’ Hope said, then gave her a convincing smile. Rebekah’s face was as stoic as ever and she couldn’t judge what was going on behind those eyes.‘Do you have any experience with nursing children or babies?’‘Uh, no,’Fuck. Hope thought. Why did I say that?! I should’ve lied!But Rebekah’s eyes seemed to be piercing into her very soul and Hope chastised herself for not practising this more with Damon.Just when she thought that things couldn’t get worse, her skirt was ripped at the left side of the hem and her eyes widened.Fuck. She thought.Rebekah noticed this and raised one of her perfectly arched eyebrows. ‘Are you all right?’
Fuck. I should cover this bloody rip or else she would throw me out of this manor instantly for thinking that I was some floozy who will seduce her husband.
‘Oh, yes. Um, do you mind if I take the jacket off? I’m feeling a bit hot,’Hope instantly took off the jacket that Damon gifted her for her 18th birthday and wrapped it around her waist. After seeing that it had covered up the rip and her thigh, she breathed in relief and looked back at the blonde woman across the table.She was looking at her calculatingly and Hope felt her heart drop. If Rebekah declined her application, that means she had to go through all the alternative plans all over again.Just the thought made her sick and she prayed to all the gods to help her get through this disastrous interview, so she could be accepted and gained access to the Mikaelson family, which would eventually lead her to Klaus.‘What exactly do you want to do with your life?’ Rebekah asked suddenly and Hope was stunned. No one, not even Damon, had ever asked her that.‘Beg your pardon?’‘Do you have aspirations for a career? Or a professional dream that you wish to pursue?’‘Umm –‘Hope still remembered it. Just before Damon told her about what the Mikaelsons did to her family, she had told him that morning that she wanted to go to Uni, or take some courses so she could open a bakery or something. As much as she loved being a housewife who waited around all day for him as he did whatever it was he did as a hitman, she also wanted to have a life of her own. Or something that was completely her own.But then he told her about that and ever since that day, her mind was clouded by the Mikaelsons and how could she make them pay for what they did to her, and her family.‘Miss… Hope…’ Rebekah read her name in the paper before looking at her, ‘Why should I employ you, instead of –say- a previous candidate?’‘Umm –‘Rebekah heaved a sigh. ‘Really, you can’t think of a single reason why I should employ you?’Yes, so I can have my revenge on you and your family, more specifically your brother. Hope thought but didn’t say it.‘Well, no, yes, Mrs Gerard –‘ Hope was giving such a performance and she was hoping that Rebekah bought it. ‘I’m… I’m… I’m a fast learner, and I’m never ill, and… and I’m stronger than I look, and… and I make a mean cup of tea. You know there really isn’t much that can’t be solved by a decent cup of tea,’She was pretending to be the foolish, giggly schoolgirl and she desperately wished that the woman would believe her.Before either of them can say anything, the door barged open and a tall, handsome man entered. ‘Don’t mind me, I’m just popping up,’ his eyes fell on Hope and he smiled,‘Ah, another interviewee,’‘Will you be back this evening?’ Rebekah asked him.‘I’ll do my best,’ he answered her before making his way towards Hope and extending his hand. ‘Hello, I’m Marcel, Rebekah’s husband,’‘Oh, I’m Hope,’ when she stood up from her seat to greet the man, her jacket nearly fell off and she cursed herself for not wrapping it hard enough. So with her other hand, she immediately grab the jacket and prevented it from falling to the floor because she would flash them with an eyeful of her left thigh.Marcel smiled at her encouragingly, he seemed to be buying her act, then he said kindly, ‘Nice to meet you, Hope,’After he said that, he left the room. She was kind of hoping that he would stay. His presence brought her immense peace after all the tension and pressure she felt from Rebekah’s smart eyes.‘Would you like the job?’ the blonde woman asked her after she seated back and her eyes widened, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.‘Yes!’‘Can you start immediately?’‘Of course!’The sooner, the better. Hope thought as she was mentally expressing gratitude to all the gods for hearing her prayer earlier and helping her to put her plan in motion.‘Good, then let’s go and meet Harry,’Rebekah stood from her seat and Hope followed suit. The Manor was even grander than what she imagined and she started to wonder what the Mikaelsons does for a living.Yes, Damon told her that they had very successful businesses around the world and she knew that they were rich, but not this rich. They were minted, that’s for sure.And she couldn’t wait for the day when she would turn everything into ashes.The woman started telling her about her job –her duties and obligations-, she half-heartedly hear as she took in every inch of the prestigious room.‘… I must insist that Harry should not be left alone for longer than fifteen minutes,’ she stopped abruptly and Hope realised that they’ve reached the nursery. Rebekah was looking at her expectantly and she immediately nodded her head.‘Yes, Mrs Gerard,’‘And uhh… next time, you might want to wear something a little less revealing,’ her eyes fell on the skirt and the part where it was ripped and Hope immediately fixed the jacket.‘Yes, of course,’‘What’s this about wearing something a little less revealing?’A man’s voice was heard and Rebekah rolled her eyes. Hope was facing the blonde so she couldn’t face the intruder, but when she turned around, her eyes fell on the most beautiful man that she had ever seen in her entire life. Damon was handsome, but this one was also very good-looking.‘Hello, love,’ he winked at her and Hope blushed furiously. Don’t blame her, he was just so tall and handsome.‘Nik, stop flirting with her. This is the third nanny that I hired because of you,’‘I didn’t do anything,’‘Yeah, all right,’He fingered a curl of Hope’s hair and she felt her heart hammer in her chest. No other man had ever affected her this much, not even her own husband.‘Nik! I’m serious, bugger off!’ Rebekah stepped in and broke the spell between them. She pushed the man away from Hope and as much as the latter appreciated it, she wouldn’t mind if the man played with her hair a little bit longer.‘All right!’ this ‘Nik’ raised her hands in surrender but his eyes fell on Hope, and he sent her a cheeky wink. ‘I’ll see you around, pretty little thing,’‘No, you won’t!’ Rebekah tugged Hope by the elbow and ushered her inside the room. The blonde brought her towards the pram and she saw a beautiful baby boy who was currently sleeping peacefully.‘This is Harold, but I call him Harry,’‘He’s so cute,’ Hope said, the first genuine words she spoke since she stepped into this bloody Manor. When it was time for her to bring hell upon the Mikaelsons, she would make sure to put this tiny human being far, far away from this place.
‘I want a baby,’ she gushed and Damon chuckled.
‘What?’
‘Yes, I mean, we’re married, and a baby will make us complete,’
‘A baby will not make us complete, Hope,’ he rolled his eyes as he flipped the pancake. ‘We’re already complete. We don’t need anyone else,’
‘But –‘
‘Eat your breakfast,’ Damon stacked three pancakes into her plate. Then he turned off the hob and circled the bar to go where she was seated. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. ‘I have to go. I’ve got a meeting with Alaric this morning. I’ll be home around 5, like usual,’
‘All right,’ her shoulders fell dejectedly and she watched as he grabbed his black leather jacket before walking out of their flat.
‘Are you all right?’‘Oh, yes,’ she said as she shook her head. She just remembered where she was, and the last thing she should be doing was not keeping her head clear. ‘I’m sorry, I just… I just remembered my conversation with my husband,’‘You have a husband?’ Rebekah was surprised and Hope nodded shyly.‘Yes. We’ve been married for 5 years,’‘Oh, I had assumed that you were single. In your resume, you didn’t write about it. And, I also assumed that because you were only… 23, or was it 24?’‘I’m 23,’ Hope answered. ‘And yes, I’m sorry, when I made that resume, I wasn’t thinking about it clearly –‘ my mind was too preoccupied with how to take you lot down.‘Right,’ Rebekah nodded. ‘Do you have kids?’‘Oh, no,’ she laughed awkwardly. ‘No, my husband said that we don’t need a baby to complete us,’‘Seemed to me like you wanted kids, but he didn’t,’‘No!’ Hope said too quickly, then she remembered her place and she cleared her throat. ‘I mean, no, that’s not like that. Things are just… chaotic, right now, and a baby isn’t our priority,’Rebekah shrugged her shoulder. ‘It’s not my place to tell you what to do in your marriage, but I can tell you this, if you’ve been married for 5 years and things are still chaotic, then you’ve got some issues in your marriage. Most of us managed to calm the storm and settled the boat in three or four years of marriage.’Hope didn’t know what to say to that and she stayed silent. Rebekah apparently took this silence as a chance to continue speaking, ‘Speaking of your husband, is he the same age as you are?’‘Umm, no. He’s older. He’s 11 years older than me,’From the blonde’s expression, she knew that this newfound information shocked Rebekah. ‘And what does he do for a living?’‘He owned a car shop,’Damon told her to answer that if they were asking about his occupation. She knew that she couldn’t tell them the truth about his work anyway, she was not stupid. But it’s one of the little things that ick her about him. He always treated her as if she was a stupid little girl.‘Oh, right,’ Rebekah nodded. ‘Well, as I said, I’m not here to tell you what to do in your marriage,’‘Yes,’ and I’m not here to look for your son. I’m here to get my revenge.‘So let’s get back on track and let me tell you all about your occupation. Starting from Harry’s wardrobe. You see, on Monday, you have to dress him in –‘The rest of the morning went by with Rebekah explaining to her the combination of things that Harry will wear throughout the week. Hope also learned about his nutrition, how to feed him, how to bathe him and how to lull him to sleep. Rebekah would still be around, but because she’s too busy doing whatever it was she’s doing, Harry will spend most of his time with Hope, his nanny, instead of his mum.But again, it doesn’t matter. She was only here to end the Mikaelson line, and this was just a little tit-for-tat that she needed to do as she bid her time.‘Oh, and before I forget, I have an older sister and four older brothers. My sister Freya lived in Melbourne with her wife and son. My brother Finn lived in Edinburgh with his wife and daughter. My brother Elijah is here, and you’ll notice him immediately because he’s always wearing a suit –heaven knows why-, and there’s Niklaus –people called him Klaus-, that’s the pervert that was flirting with you earlier, and lastly, there was Kol –‘‘Wait, what?’ Hope asked suddenly as her brain processed everything Rebekah told her. She was also currently arranging Harry’s socks in order so she wasn’t getting to the part about Kol, her brain stopped functioning when she heard the name Klaus.‘Beg your pardon?’ Rebekah asked in confusion.‘Umm, sorry, I got confused with the names. So, Elijah was the one who always wears a suit. Kol was the youngest one, and Klaus was the one from earlier?’Please say no. Please let me be wrong. Hope chanted inwardly.‘Yes. That’s him,’Hope felt her heart drop.Fuck. She cursed. How can someone who looks like an angel, be capable of doing terrible things? I guess he’s not an angel, but he’s the devil in disguise.‘Why do you ask?’ Rebekah looked at her with one raised eyebrows and Hope put on a fake smile on her face.‘Nothing. Just to make sure,'It doesn’t change anything. Just because he looks like that and talks like that, doesn’t mean that I’m going to change my mind. Never in a million years. Hope thought as he continued putting on the green socks in one drawer.
I’m still going to kill him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
‘Caroline! What are you doing here?’ Hope asked as she saw her sister-in-law leaning against her and Damon’s flat door.She had just gotten off work. She smelled like baby formula and baby powder as well, and she desperately needed a bath before Damon came home and found her smelling like this. She couldn't afford to sit and have a chat with someone else. Most of all, the talkative Caroline.‘Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling you for hours!’ the blonde exclaimed, and Hope put her hand on her forehead. Just remembering about the missed calls.‘I was just about to call you back after I washed up. And to answer your first question, I spent the day in –‘‘The Mikaelson Manor. I know.’‘Yes, well it was… hang on, how do you know?’‘I overheard Damon and Stefan’s conversation, and I knew that I had to call you as soon as I could, but you weren’t answering me back,’‘Care, I’m sorry, all right? Taking care of a baby needs all my attention, and I barely held my phone throughout it all because I was afraid that I dropped him, or he got himself into a dangerous situation because it was going to come back and bite me in the fucking arse,’‘Look, forget about that. I really need to tell you something you should know about the Mikaelsons,’‘That they’re dangerous and a bunch of rich bastards?’‘Well, yes, but there’s more. You see, I –‘‘Caroline,’ Damon interrupted them and put his arms around Hope’s shoulder casually but protectively. She instinctively leaned back against him. ‘What are you doing here?’‘Oh, I was umm… I was just reminding Hope to make her infamous chocolate pudding when we went to visit your parents this Sunday,’ Caroline gave her a glance that made her know instantly that the topic had been shifted and she had to play along, otherwise, he would be suspicious.‘That’s true,’ Hope nodded her head. ‘Everybody loves my chocolate pudding,’That was not a lie at least. Everyone loved her chocolate-flavoured pudding. Even Giuseppe.‘Right,’ Damon seemed to be buying the lie, and he leaned down to kiss her head. ‘Mm, you smell like a baby,’‘That’s because I’ve been in the company of one all day,’ she chuckled and put her hand on top of his. ‘Sorry, I promise to wash it all off,’‘Good,’ he smiled at her before looking at Caroline. ‘Well then.’‘Right,’ the blonde chuckled awkwardly and fixed the strap of her handbag. She bid her goodbye to the couple and left them alone.‘I’ve bought you your favourite cube croissant,’‘Ohh, thank you, love,’ she kissed his jaw, and he chuckled. ‘But first, I’ve got to take a bath. Join me?’‘If there ever comes a day when I say no, I want you to grab my Glock, and shoot me in the fucking head,’Hope giggled as they entered the flat, and in one swift movement, he managed to lift her and held her in his arms. Damon had a bright grin on his face, and she caressed his cheek softly.‘No one will ever love you like I do, Hope,’ he said, suddenly his mood shifted, and he became all serious.She nodded because she knew it was the truth. He was the one that's been with her since day one, and no one could love her as much as he did. He was the one that took care of her and nurtured her when no one else cared.As she said, he was the only love that she’d ever known.‘Yes, I know,’ she laid her head on the crook of his neck and kissed his skin tenderly. ‘And that’s why you’re the only one that I will ever love. Forever,’ - It was three in the morning when she realised that Damon wasn’t in the bed next to her. She knew it was three because she reached for her mobile at the bedside table to look at the time.‘Damon?’ she called out for him and received no response.Hope grabbed his shirt which he tore carelessly to the floor, and put on her. The shirt reached her knee, so she didn’t bother to look for her knickers that he also threw somewhere on the floor. She made her way out of the room and walked towards the kitchen.Maybe he was hungry and wanted to grab a midnight snack. She thought.But he wasn’t there.She quirked her eyebrows and continued to search for her husband.‘Damon?’ she called him again, and just like the first time, she got no response from his part.He probably went to answer a call from Alaric. She thought as she decided to wait for him in the kitchen.She made herself a cereal bowl, and after three minutes or so, the door from the balcony opened, and Damon emerged.‘What were you doing?’ Hope asked him, and he looked stunned to see her.‘I thought you’d be asleep,’‘I was, but then I felt cold and realised you weren’t there with me.’ She answered and watched as he made his way towards her.‘Sorry, darling. I’ve got to accept an important call,’‘From who?’‘My new client,’‘He couldn’t wait until morning to contact you?’ Hope asked, and Damon chuckled.‘What is this, a Spanish Inquisition?’‘You don’t answer my question,’ she gave him a pointed look, and he rolled his eyes at her.‘He’s from England, all right, Hope? It’s morning there already,’ Damon opened the fridge, trying to get something from him to eat.‘You’re not having an affair, are you?’‘Jesus,’ he sighed as he closed the fridge and turned to face her. ‘I’m not cheating on you, Hope.’‘Ok,’ she shrugged her shoulder. She continued to eat her cereal and was just about to put another spoonful of sugary goodness into her mouth when she felt his hands on her shoulder. He pulled her back to him, and she put down the spoon so she wouldn’t taint his shirt with splashed milk.‘Hey, I love you,’ he kissed her head, and she put her hand on top of his, leaning into his body.‘I love you too,’‘I will never cheat on you. I love you too much,’Then why won’t you give me your babies? She wanted to ask him that but refrained. She knew that if she asked that, she would just be igniting another fire, and an angry Damon isn’t something she wanted to deal with at three in the bloody morning.He rubbed her shoulder before letting her go and took his seat in front of her. She saw that he had grabbed the overnights oats that she made earlier.‘What’s this?’ he scrunched his nose in distaste, and she chuckled.‘That’s an overnight oat that I planned to eat this morning,’‘How could you eat this thing? It tasted like rubbish,’‘Well, I liked it. And it’s nutritious,’‘You made the best pudding,’ he said as he stopped eating the oats and pushed the jar towards her direction. ‘But the same can’t be said about this,’‘Yes, your mum even asked for the recipe because she claimed that her chocolate puddings never tasted as good as mine. Oh, speaking of your mum, that reminds me, should I wear the dress that she got me when we visited her and your dad on Sunday?’‘You look great in everything you wear, darling, so,’ he shrugged his shoulder. She knew why he wasn’t enthusiastic about this visit. His father had always been hard on him and his brother, and his mother, even though a sweet woman, was a weak and fragile thing that would never go against Giuseppe.Damon never told her, but from her observation, she knew that at one point in his life, he was abused by his father. Or his mum that was abused. The signs were all there, and she felt terrible for him and his mum.No one deserved that.‘Penny for your thoughts?’ he asked her, and she shook her head, pulling herself out of her reverie.‘Nothing, just thinking about what shoes go well with that dress. Oh, umm, Caroline asked if we wanted to go together with her and Stefan, and I told her that we would be going on our own,’‘You knew me too well,’ Damon winked at her, and suddenly her mind replayed what happened with her and Klaus, and her cheeks blushed deeply.Stop it! Now’s not the time. She chastised herself.
No, scratch that, there is never a good time to be thinking of Klaus Mikaelson in that way.
She avoided eye contact with her husband, afraid that her expression would give her away, so she kept her head down and fixated her gaze on the soggy cereal.He didn’t say anything as she finished her meal, and she only looked up when she heard him pushing his chair back. He patted his belly and went to get some water. After he was done, he went to her back and kissed her head.‘I’m going to bed,’‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ she smiled, and he nodded before leaving her alone. She only released the breath that she didn’t realise that she’d been holding until after she heard the sound of the door to their room being closed. She face-palmed herself in disbelief.Of all the people she could’ve blushed for, it was for him. Pathetic, to say the least.‘Pull yourself together!’ she whispered to herself. Hope continued eating the rest of her cereal while trying to think of anything but a certain devil in disguise.After she finished washing the bowl and putting back the jar in the fridge, she went back to their room and saw that Damon had fallen asleep. Hope smiled and reached for her mobile to snap a few pictures of him. He always sleeps with that look on his face, as if his dream puzzled him.Hope put back her mobile to where it was, then she slipped back to the bed and snuggled up with him. He instantly wrapped his arms around her belly and put his head on the crook of her neck. She closed her eyes and smiled contentedly.I've nothing without you. She thought as she hugged Damon tighter and letting sleep overtook her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
‘Oh, good, you’re here!’ Rebekah said when Hope opened the door. She barely had time to put down her bag or say anything when the blonde already gave Harry to her.‘I –‘‘I’ve got to attend a family meeting because my brother suddenly said that he’s going to throw a ball this Sunday and it’s 2 days from now, and I’ve got so much to do in so little time!’ Rebekah exclaimed. ‘God, I’m going to kill him!’Get in line. Hope thought but didn’t say it.Rebekah looked at Hope. ‘Well, I’m off then. Bye Harry,’ she kissed her son’s cheek before walking away from there with the sound of her heels clinking in the marble floor. Hope looked at Harry and smiled. ‘Bit tense, isn’t it? Well, never mind that. Now that I’m here, the fun’s finally begun,’ and as if he could understand her, he began to gurgle adorably.‘Oh, you are going to give me a baby fever so hard, little one,’ she nuzzled their noses together.‘Who’s a good boy? You are, yes you are,’She put down her bag on the table before moving towards where the dolls were. She sat down and put Harry on her lap. She grabbed the nearest doll and gave it to him. ‘You see? Mr Maurice would like to play with you, do you want to play with him? Or do you want Emilia?’‘Isn’t this adorable?’ she heard a male’s voice and looked up so suddenly that it was a miracle she didn’t break her neck.It was Klaus Mikaelson. And he was leaning against the door frame. He wore blue jeans and a white shirt that made him look impossibly gorgeous.Hope tightened her grip on ‘Emilia’, but put on a fake smile on her lips. ‘Mr. Mikaelson. How may I help you? I thought you were having a family meeting,’‘It’s already ended,’‘Already?’‘Yes,’ he said as he entered the room and then closed the door behind him. He walked towards where she and Harry was and she couldn’t help but keep staring at the way he walked.‘Now, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in school? Or attending Uni?’‘We can’t afford Uni, and I have to help my husband, so here I am,’ she gave an excuse that she rehearsed in front of a mirror a thousand times before.‘Husband? Aren’t you a bit young? You couldn’t possibly be a day after 18,’‘I am 23, thank you very much,’A look of surprise appeared on Klaus’ face. Hope didn’t like the way his eyes linger, it made her feel uneasy. As if he could read her mind and knew everything that she was thinking.‘And how long have you been married?’‘5 years,’‘So you got married when you were 18, gods be good,’‘What? It was love, not something that you would understand,’ Hope regretted the words instantly after she said it. She was supposed to play dumb and be the innocent girl who knew nothing about him, yet here she was, babbling on because she lost control and let her emotions get the best of her.‘Didn’t know you have a sharp tongue, little one,’ his lips curled into a grin. ‘That made you all the more interesting,’Great. I’ve piqued his interest. Hope cursed herself inwardly. The last thing she needed was to get Klaus Mikaelson’s attention on her.‘I can assure you, I am anything but,’ she said and looked away from him because she was afraid that if she kept staring into those eyes, she would make things even worse for herself.She was surprised to feel his fingers on her chin. It was so contrasted with her delicate skin and the roughness of it made her remember the bad things that he did.‘Who are you?’ he whispered and she shook her head.‘I’m no one. Just a nanny,’The sound of Rebekah’s heels was heard and he immediately dropped his fingers, then leaned back, putting more space between them. Harry made an excited noise and for the first time after Klaus came, Hope just remembered that she was carrying a baby in her lap.Goddamn Klaus Mikaelson. She thought. She couldn’t believe how easily swayed she was by his presence alone that she had completely forgotten about everything else.Rebekah opened the door and when she saw her brother, she rolled her eyes. ‘And here you are! I’ve been looking all over for you, Nik!’‘And I’ve been avoiding you everywhere, sister,’ he said with a playful glint in his eyes.‘Very funny. Now come along!’‘Where are we going?’ Klaus grumbled but let her steer him away from the room. When the door was closed, Hope released the breath that she didn’t know she was holding and when she looked down, she saw that Harry was staring at her.‘What?’ she asked him and he made unintelligible noise that Hope was sure just a gibberish.‘Right. Sorry, darling. Now, which one do you want? Emilia, or… oh, you already got her? That’s great, Harry. So, because you got Emilia, I’ve got to have Peaches,’ she grabbed the raven-haired doll and raised it. It reminded her of Damon’s hair.She smiled wistfully, imagining how their baby looked like if he would finally be ready and let her have his babies.Harry grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked it, bringing her out of her reverie. The stinging in her scalp felt like a warning to her and she nodded her head.‘All right, I’m focused now, little one. I was distracted, but no more,’ she smiled and scrunched her nose. ‘Now, let’s play,’ 🐺 Hope was just putting Harry to sleep when the door barged open and Rebekah’s head popped. ‘Is he asleep yet?’‘Yes, Mrs Gerard,’ she nodded.‘Oh, good,’ the blonde entered the room and watched as Hope carefully placed the baby in his bed. Then she grabbed the blanket and covered his tiny body. ‘He’s adorable, isn’t he?’‘Yes. Very precious,’ Hope smiled as she stared at Harry.‘Well, I had a hard time during my pregnancy but when I saw him for the first time, it felt like everything was just a blur, you know? Like a memory from a dream. He gave me the strength that I needed and it felt as if I was a new person. He made me forget all the pain and tribulation, and gave me a reason to be strong, and keep fighting,’‘That’s very sweet,’‘You’ll understand that after you have your baby. Trust me,’ Rebekah patted her shoulder. ‘He’ll be the reason that you want to keep fighting and not give up. Just yet,’From the way she was talking, Hope had an insinuation that things aren’t what they seemed. Rebekah seemed like she’s got it all. Perfect life and a perfect husband. But then it seemed like it wasn’t all that glorious, and she’s got something else.‘Why am I telling all of this to you?’ the blonde shook her head. ‘I was supposed to come here to check on Harry, and take you to the dance class,’‘Sorry, dance class?’ Hope quirked her eyebrows in confusion.‘For the ball that I mentioned this morning,’ Rebekah explained. ‘We need to practice our dancing, and you’re going to stand in as Nik’s dance partner,’‘Oh, umm, I’m sorry, but I –‘Even though she would just be a stand-in, someone that he practised dance with, it would be too awkward and she didn’t know if she was strong enough to pull herself together in such close proximity with him.‘Oh, it’s just for practice. No worries. Look, to convince you, I’ll pay you double today, all right?’‘But I –‘‘Just for an hour, I promise,’ Rebekah said with such finality in her tone and she knew that she was in no position to reject it.‘All right,’ Hope shrugged her shoulder and the blonde smiled brightly.‘That’s the spirit!’Oh, gods. She thought dreadfully. What could possibly go wrong?She and Rebekah made their way out of Harry’s room and went towards what she assumed to be the place where they would attend this dancing class for the ball. When they reached the door, Rebekah looked at her with twinkling eyes as the guards reached for the door handle. ‘Ready?’Hope smiled half-heartedly. ‘Ready,’The door opened and she was gestured in first. Hope made sure to smile brightly as she stepped inside... a smile that froze on her face at the sight of the man rising to his feet at her entrance.Her abrupt stop bottlenecked the threshold and Rebekah ran into her back, sending her stumbling forward.Klaus Mikaelson caught her by the waist, hauling her off her feet and directly into his chest. The air left her lungs in a rush, followed immediately by every bit of common sense she possessed.Even through the layers of clothing between them, his biceps were like stone beneath her palms, his stomach a hard slab of muscle against her own. When he sucked in a sharp breath, her nipples tightened, stimulated by the expansion of his chest.Oh no. I was cursed. Hope thought as rapid-fire series of images flashed through her mind, showcasing a thousand ways she could stumble, fall, trip, skid, or crash in front of the sex god over the days, weeks, and months ahead.'Hello again,' he murmured, the vibration of his voice making her ache all over. 'Always a pleasure running into you, Hope.'She flushed with embarrassment and desire, unable to find the will to push away despite the two other people in the room with him. It didn't help that his attention was solely on her, his hard body radiating that arresting impression of power demand.‘Well, well. What have we here?’ a handsome lad asked as he was walking towards them. ‘You sure do know how to make a memorable entrance, darling,’‘Both of you stop it!’ Rebekah said behind her. ‘This is the new nanny that I just hired, and I don’t need you lot to fuck it all up for me and made me through a thousand more interviewers to replace her, all right?!’‘Rebekah, language,’ a man in a suit said. ‘Hello, new nanny,’ he smiled at Hope while addressing her. ‘It’s good to meet you,’‘It’s good to meet you too, Sir,’ she nodded as she realised that that must be Elijah Mikaelson, and the younger one that greeted her earlier was Kol Mikaelson. She now understood why every girl in the country swooned over the Mikaelson brothers.She wobbled on her trainers when Klaus set her down, her knees weakened from the full body contact. Contrary to this morning, he was dressed in black this evening, and as always, he looked too good.Reaching out, Kol steadied her and eased her back gently. Klaus’ gaze stayed focused on Kol’s hand at her elbow until she was released.‘Right. Ok then,’ Kol smiled at her. ‘I’m Kol Mikaelson. And you are?’‘I’m Hope,’ she smiled back at him even though she was squirming inside. She had heard from Damon about how intimidating the Mikaelsons are, but she didn’t really pay any mind to it until she was in a room and surrounded by the bloody lot of them. Just Rebekah’s presence wasn’t that intimidating but adding her three brothers into it, made Hope feel like she was a little wolf that willingly walked into a forest that was filled by a big bad wolf and monsters.The sound of the door being opened was heard and they saw three women enter, followed by Marcel, Rebekah’s husband.‘Right, everybody’s here. I’m your instructor for this class, my name is Tanya Garrity, and we would be seeing each other a lot in this room for the next two days to practice your dancing.’ The attractive brunette clapped her hands. ‘Now, I want you all to stand in the middle of the room, and stand next to your partner,’Hope tried to pull herself together for the next hour as she, along with the Mikaelsons, attend the dancing class. It was hard to concentrate with Klaus so close to her and she kept praying to the gods to not make a twat out of herself. She’s already drawn attention to herself, the last thing she needed was more attention, that one way or another, would end up with them trying to know more about her and learning about her true intention.‘Well done, everybody,’ Tanya praised as she wrapped the class up and they were all seated at the table, enjoying their drink of choice. ‘I look forward to our class tomorrow. Mr Klaus, I know that Miss Hope is just a stand-in, but your date is the same height as her, so you don't need to –‘‘No, I’m taking her to the ball. I cancelled my date,’Startled, Hope blinked. ‘Pardon me?’The intensity of his gaze was searing. It felt as if his entire focus was on her, which only made her even more nervous than she already was.‘I cancelled my date, and I’m taking you to the ball, Hope,’ he stated again.Klaus’ right arm rested on the smooth wooden surface, his long elegant fingers stroking rhythmically along the top. Hope caught a glimpse of his wrist at the end of his cuff and for some crazy reason, the sight of that small expanse of his skin with its light dusting of hair made her clit throb for attention. He was just so...male.‘I’m not attending the ball,’His beautiful face was impassive when he said, ‘Yes you are. I just invited you, and going to take you as my date,’Her fingers curled around the ends of the chair's armrests. "I can’t come because it was too sudden, and I also don’t have anything to wear, so I –‘‘I’ll get you a dress,’ Klaus stood from his seat. ‘And a corsage, the whole shebang. It will all be here tomorrow for you to see,’Hope sat for a moment, stunned by the breakneck pace of events. Then she looked at Rebekah, who seemed to be wavering between astonished joy and bewilderment.Rising to her feet, she followed Elijah who led the way to the door. Hope was hyperaware of Klaus walking beside her. The way he moved, with animal grace and arrogant economy, was a major turn-on. She couldn't imagine him not fucking well and being aggressive about it, taking what he wanted in a way that made a woman wild to give it to him.He stayed with her all the way to the bank of the lift. He said a few things to Elijah about something that Hope didn’t really understand because she was too focused on the way she was reacting to him to care about the small talk. When the car arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief and hastily stepped forward with Rebekah."A moment, Hope," Klaus said smoothly, holding her back with a hand at her elbow. "She'll be right up," he told his sister, as the elevator doors closed on her boss's astonished face.He said nothing until the lift was on its way up; then he pushed the call button again and asked, "Are you really married, or were you just fucking with me earlier?"The question was asked so casually it took a second to process what he'd said.She inhaled sharply. "Why is that any business of yours?"He looked at her and she saw what she'd seen the first time they'd met - tremendous power and steely control. Both of which had her taking an involuntary step back."Because I want to fuck you, Hope. I need to know what's standing in my way, if anything."The sudden ache between her thighs had her reaching for the wall to maintain her balance. He reached out to steady her, but she held him at bay with an uplifted hand. "Maybe I'm just not interested, Mr. Klaus."A ghost of a smile touched his lips and made him impossibly more handsome.Dear God. She thought.The ding that signalled the approaching lift made her jump, she was strung so tight. She'd never been so aroused. Never been so scorchingly attracted to another human being. Never been so offended by a person she lusted after.You have a husband. She reminded herself. Stop this foolishness at once! And besides, you hate him! You want to kill him, not fuck him!Hope stepped into the elevator and faced him.Klaus smiled. "I’ll see you tomorrow, love."The doors closed and she sagged into the brass handrail, trying to regain her bearings. She'd barely pulled herself together when the doors opened and revealed Rebekah pacing in the empty hallway.‘For god’s sake, Hope’ Rebekah muttered, coming to an abrupt halt. ‘What the bloody hell was that?’‘I have no idea,’ she exhaled in a rush. Wishing that she could share the confusing, irritating exchange she’d had with Klaus, but well aware that her boss wasn’t the appropriate outlet. ‘I’m sure he was just… taking a piss or something,’Rebekah frowned. ‘I just got off the phone with Aurora de Martell. He wasn’t kidding, he really did cancel their date,’Her mind raced as she heard this newfound information. As if everything isn’t complicated already, now she heard about this as well.And also, she suddenly just remembered that she was supposed to go with her husband this Sunday to meet her in-laws.I’m fucked. She thought. What am I going to tell Damon? Oh, god, this is bad. He’s going to be so angry at me.As if she could read Hope’s mind, Rebekah puffed out her breath and said, ‘Oh, Hope, what did you get yourself into?’
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hope couldn’t believe that this was happening. She can't believe that it was so easy for Damon to let her go to the Mikaelson’s ball. She can still remember how nervous she was when she was about to break the news to him. Of course, she left the whole charade with Klaus out of the talk. She's not that retarded to tell her husband that another man was hitting on her. Damon ran his hands around her arms, and his eyes were shining with excitement after she told him that she managed to earn Rebekah’s trust and got invited to the Mikaelson family event. ‘Oh, Hope! Can't you see? This is brilliant! I thought that it was going to be a long way to take them down, yet here you are proving me wrong! Next thing you know, we will put our plan in motion and send them all to hell where they belong!’ ‘Yes, umm…but are you sure that it's all right if I didn't come? I promise I'll still make the chocolate pudding so you can bring them,’ truth be told, his giddiness made her feel unease, and the fact that he didn't even put up a fight with her because she couldn't attend, only worsened the feeling. He must really want to take the Mikaelsons down. ‘Darling,’ her husband pulled her in and put his head on top of hers. ‘It is more than all right. You just focus on gaining their trust and let me handle my parents, all right?’ ‘All right,’ she put her arms around his waist and buried her head inside his chest, trying to push away the uneasy feeling and focused on her husband instead. 🐺 ‘I heard that!’ Caroline barged in the morning without as much as greeting her. Hope looked away from the sizzling bacon in the pan and stared at her sister-in-law. ‘What?’ ‘How could you, Hope?! You left me alone with those vampires!’ the blonde girl put down her handbag before walking towards Hope. ‘Well, sorry. Duty calls,’ she shrugged and flipped the bacon to the other side. Next to her, Caroline took one of the fresh batches of bacon from the plate and scoffed before starting to munch it. ‘I thought your duty was to look after a baby, not to attend a ball,’ ‘Care, it's not my fault, all right? Believe it or not, I'd rather be with you than with those monsters,’ Hope heaved a sigh. ‘I didn't know what I've gotten myself into,’ Caroline stopped munching, and her eyes widened. ‘Oh my god, were you invited as one of the Mikaelson's dates to the ball?!’ ‘I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that’ Hope cursed herself for her stupidity for not choosing her words right, knowing that now Caroline wouldn't let it go that easily. ‘Tell me everything! Although me first, because that's what I want to talk to you about yesterday before we were interrupted by Damon,’ ‘What?’ Hope turned off the hob and faced Caroline. ‘Can we do it on the way? I'm not taking the car today, I needed to clear my head, so I'm going to walk.’ she eyed Caroline’s heeled boots. ‘Are you all right with that?’ ‘Sure! As long as we can gossip all the way there!’ the blonde said as she helped Hope prepare the food. After the lunchbox was ready, she handed it to the younger girl, and the latter smiled gratefully at her. ‘Thank you. Now, shall we?’ Both girls walked out of the flat and made their way to the Mikaelson manor. ‘So, here’s everything you need to know about the Mikaelsons. They are one of the most dangerous and richest families in the world, and whatever plans Damon whispered in your ear, I beg of you to stop the madness this instant and don't think about executing the plan, because you don't want to know what they did to their enemies, Hope. They're savages, and rumour has it, they even installed a torture room somewhere in their Manor where they kept hostages and let them rot there to die,’ ‘What? A bloody torture room?! What is this, the 1600s?’ Caroline heaved a sigh. ‘Sadly, there's more. You must heard about the Stolen Princess tale, right?’ ‘Stolen Princess?’ Hope repeated in disbelief. First, they had a torture room. Now, someone from their family was taken? Or did they steal someone? Gods, what's wrong with these Mikaelsons? She thought. ‘Yes. So the public believed that it was not clear who the father was, but Hayley was pregnant, and it was either Klaus' baby or Elijah’s,’ She remembered the pretty brunette who danced with Elijah in the dancing class yesterday. She also knew the rumour about the baby, just like Caroline did. She can't believe that woman managed to toy with the two Mikaelson brothers. One was overwhelming to her already, never mind two. ‘And get this, she kept the baby until the labour and only just held her daughter once before the baby was taken. Someone said that it was Klaus’ doing because he suspected that Elijah was the father, but here’s my thought after matching the timeline of their relationship. It was not Klaus’ doing,’ ‘Hang on, you knew the timeline of their relationship?’ Hope was astounded by this newly found information. ‘Seriously, will you let me speak?’ Caroline gasped dramatically, and she rolled her eyes. ‘All right. Continue,’ ‘So the baby was born in May, all right? But Elijah and Hayley weren't even in a relationship in September because he was dating the Petrova’s heir, Katherine, until the beginning of November. So, the only one that could be the father was Klaus because he and Hayley were still married from summer till early autumn,’ The idea of Klaus with another woman made her blood boil, and the thought both scared and angered her because he shouldn't be able to cause this much uproar in her. ‘Ok, first of all, how do you know all of this, and second of all, if Klaus was the father, why on earth did he arrange his own child’s demise or disappearance?’ ‘Because he's got loads of enemies who are out to get him, Hope! And as I said, he wasn't the one that orchestrated everything, the baby was stolen, hence, the Stolen Princess tale! And it is said that to this day, he's still searching for her because she is his heir, and probably the only person in this world who can make him a decent human being,’ Hope was shocked for the second time that morning after hearing everything that came out of Caroline’s mouth. So his daughter was stolen from him.
No, not just daughter, his heir, his princess.
Huh, no wonder he was so deranged and out for blood.
‘Wow, that's -’ ‘Some people said that the traitor was his family or someone close to him. This person took his heir as an act of revenge on him because they wanted to bring him to his knees,’ ‘Oh, my God,’ Hope paused for a minute. ‘How are they so sure that she's still alive? I mean, how long has it been? 15 years? Quite a long time, Care,’ ‘Not 15. It was 22 or 23 years, Hope. And I think the reason they are sure that she's alive is because she’s going to be used as leverage. But to this day, no one has ever dared to come against him. So I'm sure they're just waiting for the perfect time to strike before they take down the Klaus along with the rest of the Mikaelsons once and for all,’ ‘Bloody hell,’ Hope held her neck. Sudden chills ran up her spine. So it wasn't only her that’s out to get the Mikaelsons. Other people also wanted their heads on the spikes. Yet she's the advanced one because she managed to get inside their Manor and even got invited to their private family event. ‘So whatever you're doing or planning on doing, please reconsider and think about everything I said. Because you're dealing with something bigger than you think, Hope. I don't want to see you end up dead in an alley, or God forbid, end up in the torture room where you would stay there for the rest of your life,’ Hope managed a small smile on her face. Caroline’s affection lifted the heavy thoughts for a bit. ‘Thank you, darling. I promise you I will,’ Not . Hope finished in her mind. They ruined my family, and I'm going to get my revenge upon them, even if it is the last thing that I do. ‘Let’s change the topic, all right? What's with you being the date? Who was it? Please tell me it’s Kol! He was so handsome, although, in my defence, all of them were handsome. Especially Klaus.’ Caroline giggled. ‘And he's got that bad boy aura around him that just added to his charm,’ ‘I thought you liked good boys?’ Hope chuckled. Stefan was the good one, and Damon was the bad one. ‘Yes, but sometimes you need to spice things up a bit. Klaus definitely can. Wait, isn't Kol married? Elijah’s also married, so that leaves… bloody hell, are you going as Klaus’ date?!’ ‘Shush! Not so loud!’ Hope said with reddened cheeks as a few people turned their heads around at Caroline’s high-pitched squeal. ‘Oh, God, you are!’ the blonde giggled excitedly. ‘Ohh, scandalous! And I bet Damon doesn’t know about this, does he?’ ‘No,’ Hope shook his head. ‘And thank God the ball is going to be a private event where there will be no photographers so my face won't be plastered to the papers all around the country,’ letting her go to the ball is one thing, to see her dancing with Klaus is another thing, and Hope is sure that Damon will not be as understanding. ‘Thank God!’ Caroline agreed. ‘So your husband won’t ever know about what happened with you and Klaus at the ball,’ ‘Nothing will happen, all right? He's my boss's brother,’ They took a turn, and Hope could see the Mikaelson manor already. She tuned out for a bit as she imagined where the hell the torture room was located while next to her, Caroline babbling on about her being Klaus’ date. ‘…have you decided?’ ‘On what?’ Hope asked confusedly. She hadn't heard a single word that Caroline was saying. ‘The dress, silly! You have to make an impression, that's for sure!’ ‘Care, I'm not a debutante, all right? I'm a middle-class girl, and I've already got a husband.’ she raised her left hand and showed the blonde girl her wedding band. ‘Nothing is going to happen, all right?’ But she said that too proudly. Too confidently that the gods above laughed at her and took it as a challenge to show her who was really in control. ‘If you say so,’ Caroline shrugged her shoulders. ‘What's that supposed to mean?’ Hope raised one of her eyebrows. ‘Nothing. Now, this is where we part,’ Caroline said as they stopped in front of the gate to the mighty Mikaelson manor. The blonde girl squeezed her hands and smiled at her. ‘Good luck, and remember what I said. Don't do it. I still need you to stand by me to God knows how many Salvatore family meetings, all right? Don't you die on me,’ ‘I won't,’ the girls exchanged hugs, and Hope was grateful that she had someone like Caroline in her life. Even though she knew that she was going to do the complete opposite of what her friend just said, it was good to know that someone cared enough for her. Besides her husband, of course. ‘Toodle-pip!’ Caroline winked at her before leaving her there. Hope braced herself before entering the monster’s lair. The security bloke was smiling at her. ‘Good morning, Miss Hope,’ How did he know my name? She wondered. Probably Rebekah. ‘Good morning -’ she tried to read the nametag. ‘Ron. All right?’ ‘Ah, not too bad miss. My wife made me a good breakfast this morning, and my kids didn't fuss much,’ ‘Good for you. Well, I'm off, then. Bye, Ron,’ ‘Goodbye, Miss Hope,’ It seems like the preparation for the ball has already begun. There were loads of people in the garden, some were putting up decorations while the others were tending the flowers. In the foyer, she saw Elijah and Klaus standing with a woman holding an iPad, and she was showing them something. Rebekah who's got Harry in her hips, was ordering the maids around, and the bloody lot of them were holding cups and plates. ‘Ah, there you are!’ Rebekah said as her eyes landed on Hope. ‘Good morning,’ ‘Good morning, Mrs. Gerald,’ she smiled before teasing Harry. ‘Hello, handsome,’ ‘Oh, look at him. Can't wait to be with you already,’ Rebekah said as Harry reached out for Hope. ‘Well, who could blame him? She's gorgeous,’ his voice was heard, and Hope closed her eyes, mustering enough courage to deal with him. Her feelings were all over the place, and the last thing she needed was to deal with his larger-than-life presence this early in the morning. ‘Mr. Klaus,’ Hope greeted him, yet still didn't look into his eyes. Instead, she took Harry from Rebekah and put the baby on her waist. ‘Actually, I'd prefer it if you call me Sir,’ judging from his tone, he was smirking, and when she finally had enough courage to look at him, she found that she was right. He was flashing her his blue eyes and that damn smirk that only made her head spin even faster. ‘Don’t be gross, you wanker,’ Rebekah scrunched her nose in distaste. ‘Also, how many times must I tell you to stop hitting on her? I’ve given you permission to take her to the ball, but that is it, Nik.’ ‘Sorry, Bekah. It's not going to happen again, or is it?’ he winked cheekily, and she rolled her eyes. He walked away from them after Elijah called out for him. ‘For your sake, I suggest you stay far away from that man.’ she said to Hope. ‘He will bring you nothing but trouble. His twisted game is hump-and-dump, so if you don't want to be his next cum dump, get away from him,’ ‘Yes, Mrs. Gerald. Umm, do you mind if I bring Harry to the water fountain?’ she asked. Suddenly feel very hot by what Rebekah just said about Klaus. She was sure that her skin was all flushed, and the last thing she wanted to do was to make a twat out of herself in front of the Mikaelson siblings. ‘Bloody hell, you're blushing heavily. Go, before my brother sees it and takes it the wrong way, thinking that it was for him,’ ‘Yes, Mrs. Gerald,’ she wasted no time moving her and little Harry to the fountain. Next to them, the gardener was styling the roses. ‘Hello, Mr. Harry,’ the old man greeted the baby, and he gurgled in response. ‘Isn't he just adorable?’ he asked her, and the latter nodded in agreement. ‘Yes, indeed,’ ‘If only -’ the gardener shook his head. ‘No, I suppose I shouldn't said anything,’ ‘What?’ ‘Well, it's just, I was just thinking about the Stolen Princess,’ the old man’s gaze softened. ‘If only she wasn't taken, I'm sure everything will be different,’ Hope wanted to say something, but let him continue. ‘She will be the light that they all need. The peace,’ he looked at her right in the eyes. ‘She will be their hope,’ Her heart hammered in her chest. Did the old man know about her intention? Why was he staring at her like that? She wondered. In her lap, Harry started to fuss, and she looked at him. ‘I’m sorry, darling. You want me to stand? All right, let's -’ she turned her head and searched for the old man, but he was nowhere to be found. Odd . She thought. He was just tending the roses, and now he's gone. And what did he mean by that? Does that mean that Caroline was right? The heir is still alive? Harry started crying, and she heaved a sigh. Now’s not the time to be thinking about the heavy stuff. Now’s the time for her to do her job, and that is to babysit Harry. ‘I'm so sorry, little guy. You want to go to your room, hmm? Do you want to play with your toys? All right, then,’ She entered the building, and inside of it, the preparation was also taking place. Everyone was so busy doing their job, and no one paid her any mind. She bumped into one of the people and realised that it was Hayley. ‘Watch where you're going! Especially when carrying a baby!’ ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, and the woman raised her chin. ‘So you're the new nanny that Rebekah hired,’ ‘Yes, ma'am,’ ‘Aren't you a bit young to be working? Shouldn't you be at Uni?’ she asked the same question that Klaus asked her yesterday. ‘I’m 23 ma’am, and I'm working to help my husband,’ ‘Husband? Bloody hell,’ Hayley clutched her pearls. ‘Well, then. I suggest you just do your job, and nothing else, understood?’ She must've seen the way Klaus behaved, that's why she was sending me a warning. Hope thought. ‘Yes ma’am,’ ‘You’re here for a job, nanny. You're not to fraternise with any of the Mikaelsons, all right? I know Klaus had asked you to be his date, but for god’s sake, don't you ever think it was more than that because that's where your downfall began.’ she looked at Hope. ‘You’re not the first, and you're not going to be the last,’ Hope wondered if Hayley still harbours feelings for Klaus. Judging by the way she was talking, seemed like the love affair between them maimed her badly. ‘Yes, ma’am,’ ‘God, can you be even more territorial, mutt?’ a voice was heard and both of them looked at the source. A tall and very pretty brunette just entered the room. Her chocolate curls curtained her face beautifully, and she was the second most beautiful woman that Hope had ever seen. The first one was Rebekah, and the third one was Hayley. ‘Are you seriously threatened by a help?’ Even though Hope should feel offended, she was too mesmerised by the woman. The way this woman carried herself was outstanding. Hope had never seen someone that confident and sure of themselves. ‘I’m Katherine,’ she extended her hand to Hope. ‘I’m Hope,’ So this is Katherine Pierce. Hope thought. Elijah sure has a type . And by that, she meant tall, beautiful, and skinny brunettes. ‘Oh, sod off, you bitch,’ ‘Can’t. Elijah still wanted to discuss business with me, so here I'll stay,’ Hope excused herself and let the two women argue. The last thing she needed was another drama. Her life was filled with it already, she didn't need more. In her arms, Harry was hot and heavy, and she kissed the baby’s head. ‘I'm sorry you have to witness that, darling. I promise we'll be at your room soon enough,’ As if replying to her, Harry laid his head on her chest. On their way to the room, they passed by Marcel, and he smiled at them. When she finally saw the door to Harry’s room, she heaved a relief sigh. A relief that was cut short when she saw the person waiting inside. ‘Klaus’