Chapter 86: His Nanny?!
Alone once again, Mina decided to count her notebooks that were now neatly stacked on a brand-new bookshelf in the corner of the room. Satisfied that they were all there, she opened the closet, only to be stunned by the sheer amount of clothing but she could not find one of her own personal items. She wondered who could have left behind so much clothing all with the tags still attached to it. When Mina opened a nearby draw, there were many rows of brand-new undergarments all in her size. With a fright, she realized that the items in the closet must have been purchased for her. Assuming it was Miss Luna, Mina became worried. She did not know how she was going to pay the woman back for her kindness, because she instinctively knew that President Lee would not have done anything of the sort. She also hoped that the woman's brother would not be angry with his sister for wasting money on her and she secretly prayed that the man would never find out.
Mina rummaged through the clothes and found that almost all of them were exactly her style, but there were more than a few items that she would never touch. None of the clothing was overly fitted and although there were more dresses than she would normally wear, there was also a draw filled with thick tights of various colors for her to pair with any one of the many dresses. Looking down at the floor, Mina could see that Luna had even purchased several heels, flats, and boots. If this were any other circumstance, she would have been overjoyed. In her life, she had only received a gift once, and it was lost the first time she had returned home for a holiday break. Since that time, no one had ever bothered to give her anything and her parents couldn't afford to.
Feeling sleepy, Mina began to search for a set of pajamas. Once she found what she was looking for, she forced herself to take a bath. She was really exhausted, it was not that she worked hard in the kitchen, but because she was physically weakened by her ordeal, the small amount of energy she used today drained her.
Making her way into the bathroom, Mina filled the tub with water. As if she were in a five-star hotel, there was a shelf lined with bath oils. Mina took a whiff of each one and settled on citrus. Its clean and fresh smell reminded her of the soap she used in her previous apartment. She had always been a fan of simple and natural scents. Plunging herself into the tub, Mina closed her eyes and relaxed for the first time since arriving at the Lee mansion.
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When their nan announced dinner was ready, it had been hours since any of them last ate, so they did not waste time heading to the dining area. When Ruby entered behind them, she saw the extra place setting on the table. Curious, she asked Ian if he was expecting another guest. Feeling somewhat guilty for forgetting about Mina, Luna volunteered to call her to the dinner table. Her nan, of course, did not allow her to do so and insisted upon fetching the guest herself. She wondered why the children hadn't mentioned someone else being in the house from her arrival. Thinking no more of it, she headed to the room where she was told the guest was staying. After knocking several times, the guest did not open the door.
Cautiously, Ruby opened the main door and stepped into the room. There was no one. Creeping toward the washroom, Ruby could smell the fresh scent of citrus in the air and knew that someone must have been taking a bath. She knocked loudly on the wall and heard the startled sound of a woman and the splashing of water.
"Just a second," the voice called out, and Miss Ruby responded by telling the woman to take her time. Ruby planned to leave, but when she saw that the girl had prepared night clothes in the changing room, she quickly made a trip to the closet to find her something comfortable, yet appropriate for the dinner table. She had always found pleasure in choosing Luna's clothing, and a small part of her wished that she had the pleasure to do the same for her own biological daughter, but alas, she had been blessed with a tomboy.
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Mina washed her body off and drained the water from the tub. She wrapped a robe around herself and headed to the changing room. She was confused to see that the pajamas had been replaced with something else. Mina stuck her head out the door only to see an elderly woman sitting on one of the armchairs in the lounge area. The woman had a friendly face, and when she saw Mina look out, her eyes went wide in shock. Before Mina could get out a word, the woman quickly explained why she had replaced her change of clothes. Mina did not understand what the woman's reaction meant. All she knew was that she was not in the mood to have dinner with President Lee. She only agreed to go because the old woman looked eager for her to come down. Mina quickly dried her hair, pinned it into a messy bun on the top of her head, and changed into the clothes the woman set out.
As they headed toward the dining room, Mina introduced herself and asked the older woman for her name. The woman said her name was Ruby, but she told Mina to address her as Nan. Mina had met someone with that name, so she did not find it weird at all.
"Are you President Lee's mother?" Mina asked cautiously, and Ruby laughed.
"You could say that, but actually I'm his nanny."
"His nanny?!" Mina exclaimed. How old was President Lee that he still needed a nanny? She could not stop herself from laughing a little, and Ruby was amused by the girl. They entered the dining room at the same time and both Ian and Zane shot out of their seats at the sight of Mina.