Chapter 404

Benjamin worked swiftly. Within five days, he had shortlisted a group of nanny candidates. He placed a neatly stacked pile of resumes on Adrian Roland's desk.

Adrian's slender fingers flipped through the top resume. The master's degree in education made him raise an eyebrow. "Have all their backgrounds been thoroughly vetted?"

Benjamin stood respectfully nearby. "Rest assured, young master. We contacted only the top domestic service agencies this time. When they heard it was for the Roland children, they took it very seriously."

He paused before adding, "Each candidate has undergone three rounds of background checks."

Adrian's gaze shifted between the documents and resumes. Finally, he closed the folder. "Narrow it down to the five most suitable. I'll make the final decision."

Benjamin exhaled silently, his hidden hands finally relaxing. He discreetly wiped his sweaty palms. "Understood. I'll handle it immediately."

Leaving the study, Benjamin pulled one resume from the stack. The woman in the photo had delicate features—it was Stella Valentine.

"Little Star, now it's up to fate," Benjamin murmured with a sigh.

Stella had exhausted herself applying to every domestic service agency in the city. When she submitted her resume, the HR manager eyed her skeptically. "Ms. Valentine, with your qualifications... as a nanny?"

Only when someone recognized her as Adrian's ex-wife did the company reluctantly accept her application. But her resume was immediately rejected in the first round—no one dared risk angering Adrian.

"Benjamin, please," Stella stood at the entrance of the Roland estate, her eyes slightly red. "Just give me one more chance."

Seeing her gaunt face, Benjamin's heart softened. "I can only include your resume. The rest is..."

"I understand," Stella interrupted. "Whatever the outcome, I'll always be grateful to you."

Fate seemed to side with Stella. Adrian was preoccupied with a corporate crisis and didn't scrutinize every resume. Stella's educational background and childcare experience secured her a spot in the final interview round.

On interview day, five candidates sat in the Roland living room. Stella clenched the hem of her dress, her heart pounding.

The sound of wheelchair wheels approached.

Adrian's gaze froze the moment he saw her. The air turned thick with tension.

"Why is she here?" His voice was icy.

The other four candidates exchanged glances, all eyes shifting to Stella.

"I applied through proper channels," Stella met his gaze steadily, her voice calm.

Adrian studied her briefly before turning to the others. "Let's begin the interviews."

He picked up a resume at random. "Ms. Emily, please introduce yourself first."

Emily stood confidently, detailing her studies in Europe. But Adrian's attention kept drifting to the corner.

Stella sat quietly, until suddenly, she looked up.

Their eyes locked.

Time seemed to stand still.