Chapter 6 The Flood

• Mia knew something was wrong the moment Lily went quiet.
• Five-year-olds were supposed to make noise. They asked questions, sang songs, complained about breakfast, and occasionally decided that the entire living room needed to become a jungle. Lily had spent most of the morning happily drawing at the kitchen table, so the sudden silence made Mia suspicious.
• “Lily?”
• Ther was no answer.
• Mia followed the faint scratching sound down the hallway.
• She found Lily sitting outside Adrian’s private office with a box of crayons scattered around her. A sheet of paper was covered in colorful drawings.
• “What are you doing here?”
• Lily pointed toward the office.
• Mia frowned.
• “Your daddy’s office?”
• Lily nodded.
• “Did he say you could come in?”
• Another shake. Mia sighed.
• “Okay. That's not good.”
• Lily pointed at the wall.
• Mia looked through the open door.
• Her stomach dropped.
• Bright blue, red, yellow, and purple crayon marks covered one section of the dark wall.
• “Oh, Lily.”
• The little girl looked frightened.
• “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
• Mia immediately softened.
• “It's okay. Don't panic.”
• She crouched beside her.
• “We're going to fix it.”
• Mia had no idea how to fix it.
• But admitting that would not help. She stepped inside and examined the damage. The wall looked very expensive. Everything in the office looked expensive. The desk alone probably cost more than everything Mia owned.
• She spotted a cleaning cabinet near the adjoining hallway.
• “Stay here.”
• Lily nodded.
• Mia hurried away and returned with a cloth, cleaning spray, and a small bucket of water.
• She stared at the wall.
• “Easy.”
• She sprayed the cloth, but nothing happened. She rubbed harder. The blue mark faded slightly.
• Mia smiled.
• “See? Easy.”
• She rubbed again, then again. The crayon spread. Mia stopped smiling.
• “Oh, no.”
• She tried another section.
• It spread too.
• “Fantastic.”
• Lily peeked inside.
• “Is it gone?”
• “Almost.”
• Mia grabbed another cloth.
• “Maybe I need more water.”
• That was mistake number one.
• Mistake number two was leaving the bucket beside the office sink.
• Mistake number three was forgetting that the old faucet apparently had a mind of its own.
• Mia turned it on, water came out. She wet the cloth. Then she noticed the stream getting stronger.
• “Wait.”
• She reached for the handle. It wouldn't turn.
• Mia pulled harder, but nothing happened.
• “Come on.”
• The faucet suddenly jerked.
• Water sprayed across the counter.
• Mia jumped back.
• “Oh!”
• The bucket tipped and water spilled across the floor.
• Mia grabbed it, but it was too late. The water spread toward the expensive rug.
• “No, no, no!”
• She rushed for a towel. The office floor was already slick. She dropped the towel and bent down then slipped. Her hand caught the edge of the desk and the desk shifted.
• A stack of papers slid onto the floor.
• Mia stared at the disaster.
• “I can explain.”
• There was nobody there to hear her.
• Yet.
• She ran to the hallway and called for Mrs. Sterling.
• “Mrs. Sterling!”
• No answer.
• Mia returned to the office. The water was still running. She tried the faucet again and it finally stopped.
• “Thank goodness.”
• Mia grabbed a second towel and started pushing the water toward the doorway. She worked faster, slipping once more but catching herself against the chair. Lily watched with worried eyes, then picked up a towel of her own. Together they attacked the mess, neither noticing the security camera blinking quietly above the bookshelf. Somewhere else in the mansion, Adrian's phone received an alert about movement inside his office.
• Then she heard footsteps. Heavy footsteps.
• Mia turned.
• Adrian stood at the entrance.
• He looked at the floor, then the soaked rug, then the papers, then the wall covered in smeared crayon.
• His expression became completely blank. That was somehow worse than anger.
• “Mia.”
• She swallowed.
• “Yes?”
• “What happened?”
• Mia pointed toward Lily.
• “Technically, she drew on your wall.”
• Lily immediately hid behind Mia.
• Adrian's eyes moved to his daughter.
• Then back to Mia.
• “And technically?”
• “I was trying to clean it.”
• His gaze dropped to the water.
• “You flooded my office.”
• “I wouldn't call it flooded.”
• He stared at her.
• Mia looked around.
• “Okay. Lightly flooded.”
• Adrian's jaw tightened.
• “That wall is worth twenty thousand dollars.”
• Mia blinked.
• “The wall?”
• “The finish.”
• “Oh.”
• She looked at the smeared crayon.
• “That explains the terrible mood.”
• His eyes narrowed.
• Mia immediately regretted the joke.
• “I can fix it.”
• “You've already fixed enough.”
• “I'll pay for the damage.”
• “With what?”
• The question stopped her. Mia looked away and Adrian stepped closer.
• “You don't have the money.”
• “I'll find it.”
• “You can't even afford the blazer you're wearing.”
• Mia's face heated.
• “That was unnecessary.”
• “So was destroying my office.”
• “I didn't destroy it!”
• “You flooded it.”
• “Because I was trying to clean your daughter's mistake!”
• Adrian's expression hardened.
• “Don't blame Lily.”
• “I am not blaming her!”
• “Then stop.”
• Mia took a breath.
• “Fine.”
• There was silence.
• Water dripped from the edge of the desk. Adrian looked at her for several seconds.
• Then he said the words Mia had been dreading.
• “You're fired.”
• Her heart sank.
• “What?”
• “You heard me.”
• “No.”
• Adrian frowned.
• “No?”
• “I mean, you can't fire me.”
• “I just did.”
• “I have five more days on my trial.”
• “The trial is over.”
• Mia stared at him.
• “You're seriously firing me because of a wall?”
• “I'm firing you because you ignored instructions, entered my office without permission, damaged my property, and flooded the room.”
• “I entered because Lily needed help!”
• “She drew on my wall.”
• “She is five!”
• Adrian's expression didn't change.
• “Exactly. She's five. You're supposed to be the adult.”
• Mia's eyes stung.
• “I was trying to help.”
• “And you failed.”
• The words hurt more than she expected.
• Mia looked at Lily. The little girl was trembling. She immediately crouched beside her.
• “It's okay.”
• Adrian turned toward Lily.
• “Go upstairs.”
• Lily shook her head.
• “Lily.”
• She grabbed Mia's sleeve.
• “Don't.”
• Adrian's voice became firmer.
• “Go upstairs.”
• Lily's eyes filled with tears. Mia looked at Adrian.
• “Please don't do this in front of her.”
• “This is my house.”
• “And she's your daughter.”
• His eyes sharpened. Mia stood.
• “If you're angry with me, be angry with me. Don't make her think she's the reason I'm leaving.”
• Adrian stared at her.
• For a moment, nobody spoke.
• Then Lily screamed.
• “I HATE YOU, DADDY!”
• The sound echoed through the office.
• Adrian froze. Mia froze.
• Lily began crying.
• “I hate you!”
• She ran toward the hallway.
• Adrian turned after her.
• “Lily... ”
• But she disappeared around the corner.
• Mia looked at him. His face had changed completely. The anger was gone. He looked stunned and lost. Mia had never seen a billionaire look so helpless.
• Adrian took one step toward the hallway, then stopped. His eyes remained fixed on the empty doorway.
• “She hasn't said that in years,” he whispered.
• Mia's heart tightened. She looked toward the hallway where Lily had vanished, then back at Adrian.
• “You should go after her.”
• He didn't move. Mia shook her head.
• “She needs her father.”
• Adrian finally looked at her.
• “And you?”
• Mia swallowed.
• “You fired me.”
• “I know.”
• “So I'm leaving.”
• She walked toward the door.
• Her chest felt heavy.
• She had come to Black Mansion needing a miracle.
• Instead, she'd lasted two days.
• At the doorway, she stopped.
• Behind her, Adrian was still standing in the middle of his ruined office.
• For once, he wasn't looking at the expensive wall, he wasn't looking at the flooded floor. He was looking toward the hallway, toward the little girl who had just told him she hated him.
• Mia picked up her bag.
• Then she heard a small voice from upstairs.
• “Mommy!”
• Mia's heart stopped. Adrian's head snapped toward the staircase.
• Neither of them moved. Then the sound came again.
• “Mommy!”
• Mia looked at Adrian. His expression was unreadable.
• And suddenly, neither of them was thinking about the flooded office anymore.