Chapter 4 - The Intrusion of Eleanor Vance
Nathan stepped forward immediately, placing himself between Eleanor and Claire. "This is Claire Donovan, the boys' nanny. And she has done more for this family in two weeks than anyone else has in three years."
Eleanor scoffed, pulling off her leather gloves. "A nanny? She looks like a college student. Nathan, this home is in complete disarray. I went past the drawing room and saw Caroline's portrait taken down from the mantle!"
"It wasn't taken down to be hidden, Mrs. Vance," Claire spoke up calmly, stepping beside Nathan. "Mason and Miles moved it to their playroom so they could see their mother while they build their Lego sets. They wanted her to be part of their daily lives."
Eleanor turned her sharp gaze on Claire, sizing her up with bitter contempt. "Do not speak to me about my daughter, young woman. You are a hired hand. You know nothing of the Vance family heritage or what my grandsons need."
"They need their father, Eleanor," Nathan interjected firmly. "And they need a home that feels like a home, not a mausoleum."
"A mausoleum?" Eleanor raised her eyebrows, her voice rising in pitch. "Is that what you call preserving my daughter's dignity? I gave you my most precious gift, Nathan, and you worked her into an early grave! Now you let a common girl rearrange her memory?"
The commotion brought Mason and Miles to the top of the stairs. Seeing their grandmother, they shrank back slightly. Eleanor had always been a distant, stern figure who insisted on rigid etiquette and quiet compliance whenever she visited.
"Mason, Miles," Eleanor called out, her tone instantly softening into an artificial warmth. "Come down here to Grandmother. Pack your things. You are coming to stay at the estate in the Hamptons for the rest of the summer."
"They aren't going anywhere, Eleanor," Nathan said, his posture hardening.
"They are coming with me!" Eleanor asserted, taking a step toward the stairs. "Look at them! They are pale, unruly, and being raised by staff. I have already instructed my legal team to file for temporary legal guardianship based on parental neglect."
The word neglect hung in the air like a cloud of smog.
Nathan's jaw clenched. In the past, such an accusation would have sent him into a retreat of guilt, making him question his worth as a father. But looking at Claire's calm, reassuring presence, he felt a renewed sense of strength.
"You can call whoever you want, Eleanor," Nathan said quietly but with absolute authority. "My sons stay with me. This is their home."
Eleanor glared at Nathan, realization dawning that the guilt-ridden man she used to manipulate was no longer easily swayed. Her eyes shifted back to Claire, glinting with a vengeful light.
"We shall see about that," Eleanor sneered. "I will look into your background, Miss Donovan. Every detail. Let's see how long a woman with your... background... remains employed in a high-profile home."
With a dramatic turn of her coat, Eleanor turned on her heel and swept out the front doors, slamming them behind her.
The foyer fell silent.
Miles ran down the stairs and threw his arms around Nathan's waist. "Dad, don't let Grandma take us away! She makes us sit in dark rooms and read etiquette books all day!"
Nathan wrapped his arms around his son, lifting him up, while Mason joined the hug from the side. "Nobody is taking you anywhere. I promise."
Over the boys' heads, Nathan looked at Claire. Her face was unusually pale, her hands trembling slightly as she held the stack of drawings.
"Claire?" Nathan asked softly. "Are you alright?"
May you like
"I'm fine," she said quickly, forcing a faint smile. "Just... tired. I'll go help the boys finish their homework."
She turned and headed upstairs, but Nathan noticed the subtle hesitation in her step. He realized then that Eleanor's threat to investigate Claire’s past had shaken the young woman far more than she let on.
