As a nanny, I had taken care of many children, but never had I felt as protective over one as I did for little Mary Jane. And never had I been so wronged for doing the right thing.
From the moment I met her, Mary Jane stole my heart. She was just five, a bright-eyed girl with the sweetest smile, but behind that smile was a lonely child longing for love. Her mother had passed away when she was only two, and though she barely remembered her, the absence left a wound no child should bear. Her father, David, buried himself in work, perhaps as a way to cope with his grief. And then, when Mary Jane turned five, he brought someone new into their lives.
Her name was Kira.
She was beautiful, elegant, and charming, the kind of woman who turned heads wherever she went. With her came her six-year-old son, Tony, a lively boy who quickly made himself at home.
David, eager to provide Mary Jane with motherly care, entrusted Kira with the role, but Kira insisted that looking after two children was too much for her. That’s where I came in. David hired me to care for Mary Jane, and at first, everything seemed fine. On the surface, they looked like a happy family. Smiles, shared meals, polite conversations.
But the longer I stayed, the clearer it became that something was very wrong.
At first, the differences were small. Tony always had special meals prepared for him—steaks, gourmet snacks, and desserts—while Mary Jane ate whatever was left over. He received new toys every week, while Mary Jane clung to the same stuffed bunny night after night. Kira took Tony on outings, amusement parks, and shopping trips, but Mary Jane was always left behind.
Then, one day, I overheard something that made my blood boil.
“Tony gets a chocolate bar. Why can’t I have one too?” Mary Jane asked innocently.
Kira barely spared her a glance. Tossing the wrapper into the trash, she sighed. “Because you’re a girl,” she said. “You already eat too much.”
Mary Jane’s small shoulders slumped as she looked down at the floor.
I clenched my fists. A child should never have to hear something so cruel. I took a deep breath, knelt beside her, and gently took her hand. “Mary Jane, how about we go for a walk in the park?” I asked, my voice soft.
Her face lit up instantly. “Really? Yes!”
As we left, I heard Kira mutter under her breath, “Thank God, I get a break from that child.”
Her words made my stomach turn. Mary Jane wasn’t a burden. She was sweet, kind, and so easy to love. I couldn’t understand how Kira could be so cold.
At the park, I bought Mary Jane an ice cream. As she happily licked her melting vanilla scoop, she suddenly asked, “Why doesn’t Kira love me?”
The question hit me like a punch to the gut.
“Why do you think that?” I asked carefully.
“She gets mad at me a lot. One time, I asked if I could call her ‘Mom.’ She yelled at me and said never to do that again.”
I forced a smile, trying to protect her little heart. “Maybe she wasn’t ready,” I said. “That doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you.”
Mary Jane frowned. “But she loves Tony more.”
I had no answer. I had seen it too.
That night, after putting Mary Jane to bed, I walked downstairs and heard Kira’s voice.
“I can’t take it anymore!” she snapped. “All David ever talks about is Mary Jane. ‘Mary Jane this, Mary Jane that.’ It’s like no one else in this house exists!”
She paused, listening. I held my breath and stepped closer.
“A wife should come first. A husband should care about his wife, not some little girl,” she continued. “I have a plan. I found a boarding school. They take young kids. I’ll tell David she needs discipline. He won’t question it. He’s never home anyway.”
My heart pounded. If she sent Mary Jane away, the poor girl would lose what little connection she had with her father. I had to do something.
The next day, I waited for David to come home.
“I need to talk to you,” I said firmly as he set down his briefcase. “It’s about Mary Jane.”
David’s brow furrowed. “Is something wrong?”
I took a deep breath. “Last night, I overheard Kira. She wants to send Mary Jane to a boarding school.”
David’s eyes widened. “That can’t be right. Kira loves Mary Jane.”
“I don’t think she does,” I said carefully. “I’ve seen things, David. She favors Tony. She ignores Mary Jane.”
Before he could respond, Kira walked in, her expression sweet. “What’s going on?”
David turned to her. “Sandra says you want to send Mary Jane away. Is that true?”
Kira gasped dramatically. “What?! Of course not! That’s ridiculous!”
David looked uncertain. “She says she overheard you.”
Kira’s eyes darkened. “I didn’t want to bring this up, but I guess I have no choice.” She sighed, then looked at me. “My diamond earrings went missing today. I think Sandra took them. She’s just trying to cover her tracks.”
I gasped. “I didn’t take anything!”
David’s face twisted in discomfort. “Are you sure?”
“Check my bag,” I said, my voice shaking.
David unzipped my bag and froze. Slowly, he pulled out a pair of diamond earrings.
I stared in shock. “I swear, I didn’t take them!”
David let out a heavy breath. “Sandra, I can’t ignore this. You have to leave.”
I blinked back tears. Kira smirked. She had won—at least, that’s what she thought.
The next day, I met Mary Jane outside her school. “I need you to do something for me,” I whispered, slipping a small recorder into her backpack.
The following day, I retrieved it and played the audio. When I heard Kira’s voice, my blood ran cold.
“Sandra isn’t coming back. She got in my way. She cared about you too much,” Kira said.
Mary Jane sobbed. “But you don’t even want to play with me!”
Kira let out a cruel laugh. “That’s right. I can’t wait to send you far away.”
I called David. That evening, at a café, I played the recording.
David’s face turned pale. “I had no idea,” he whispered. “I’m sorry for not believing you.”
“You love your daughter. You deserve to know the truth,” I said.
David’s jaw tightened. “Would you be willing to come back?”
I smiled. “I’d love to. But what about Kira?”
David’s eyes darkened. “She’s out of our lives for good.”
Relief washed over me. Finally, Mary Jane would have the love she deserved.
