Chapter 19: The Line Between Us

Lani sat frozen at her desk long after Elias left. His words echoed in her head.

"Maybe this time, you don't have to be."

What the hell was she supposed to do with that?

With him?

She pressed her fingers to her temples, taking a deep breath. Elias wasn't supposed to matter. He was just a temporary part of their lives—a nanny, nothing more. And yet, the idea of him not being around made her stomach twist in a way she didn't like.

A knock on the door made her snap out of her thoughts. Olivia poked her head in, raising an eyebrow.

"You look like you just saw a ghost," Olivia said, stepping inside and shutting the door behind her.

Lani exhaled. "It's Elias."

Olivia smirked. "What did my golden boy do now?"

Lani shot her a glare. "He—he's getting too close. To me. To the kids."

"And that's a bad thing because…?" Olivia prompted, crossing her arms.

"Because it's not supposed to happen!" Lani snapped. "I hired him to help—not to become some… some essential part of our lives!"

Olivia gave her a knowing look. "So what you're really saying is that you're scared."

Lani scoffed. "I am not scared."

Olivia sat on the edge of the desk, tilting her head. "Then why are you pushing him away?"

Lani opened her mouth, then closed it.

Because she was scared.

Scared of what Elias meant to them. Scared of the way she felt when he was around. Scared of what it would mean if she let herself care.

Olivia sighed. "Lani, let me tell you something you don't want to hear. Elias isn't just some employee anymore. He matters. And not just to you—but to Lily. To Luca. And whether you like it or not, he's not just passing through your lives. He's in it."

Lani swallowed, staring down at her hands. "I don't know how to do this, Liv."

"You don't have to," Olivia said softly. "Just stop fighting it."

---

Meanwhile…

Elias sat in his small apartment, staring at his phone.

A part of him had expected Lani to call. To say something.

But she didn't.

He ran a hand down his face, exhaustion pressing into his bones. The past few months had been… unexpected. He had come into Lani's house as an employee. A nanny. But somehow, without meaning to, he had become more.

And Lily…

His heart clenched at the thought of her. He had promised himself not to get attached. But she had broken through every wall he had, slipping into his heart like she had always been there.

He sighed and leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling.

He had always known this would end.

The problem was, he didn't want it to.

---

That Night

Lani stood outside Elias's apartment.

She didn't know how she had ended up here.

Maybe it was Olivia's words. Maybe it was her own restless thoughts. Or maybe it was the fact that she had spent the entire evening staring at the photo on Lily's new tablet—the one of Elias and Lily together, grinning, their cheeks pressed close like they belonged to each other.

Her fingers curled into fists.

Before she could second-guess herself, she knocked.

A moment later, the door swung open. Elias stood there in sweatpants and a loose shirt, his hair slightly messy, his expression unreadable.

"Lani?" he said, surprise flickering in his eyes.

She took a deep breath. "We need to talk."

Elias studied her for a long moment, then stepped aside. "Come in."

And just like that, the lines between them blurred even more.

Lani stepped inside Elias's apartment hesitantly. It was smaller than she expected—minimalist, barely furnished, yet spotless. There were no personal photos, no decorations—just the basics. It was as if he had never planned on staying here for long.

She turned to face him, folding her arms. "You're really leaving?"

Elias leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. "I already told you that this job was temporary."

Lani clenched her jaw. "And what about Lily? She overheard you quitting and hasn't been the same since."

His face flickered with emotion, but he masked it quickly. "She'll move on."

"She doesn't want to move on!" Lani snapped. "And neither do Luca or Leo. You mean something to them, Elias. You—"

She exhaled, shaking her head. "You mean something to me too."

Elias's eyes darkened slightly. "That's not fair, Lani."

She blinked. "What?"

"You can't come here and say things like that when you've spent months keeping me at arm's length," he said quietly, his voice tight. "I was never meant to be anything more than a nanny to you. And now, suddenly, you don't want me to leave?"

Lani bit her lip, her heart pounding. "I know I've been difficult—"

Elias let out a dry chuckle. "That's an understatement."

She glared at him. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask for you to come into our lives and—"

"Make you feel something?" he interrupted, stepping closer.

She swallowed hard. "Elias…"

"Because I didn't ask for this either," he admitted. His expression was unreadable, but there was something raw in his eyes. "But it happened. And now I don't know what the hell to do about it."

Silence stretched between them.

Lani inhaled sharply. "Then don't leave."

Elias stared at her, his hands tightening into fists. "You don't understand, Lani. I can't stay."

Her heart twisted at the way he said it. There was something deeper beneath his words—something he wasn't telling her.

She softened her tone. "Why?"

Elias turned away, rubbing his hand down his face. "Because… I don't have much time left."

Lani frowned. "What are you talking about?"

He let out a long breath. "I went to the hospital yesterday. My condition is getting worse. I need a heart transplant, but the chances of me getting one in time are slim."

Lani felt the floor drop beneath her. "You—what?"

He met her gaze with an empty smile. "I didn't want you to find out like this."

Her mind raced, trying to process his words. He had been sick this whole time? And he never told her?

Anger flared inside her. "So your solution is to just disappear?"

"It's easier that way," he muttered.

"For who?" she demanded, stepping closer. "Because it sure as hell isn't easier for Lily! Or Luca! Or me!"

Elias's jaw clenched. "Lani—"

"No!" she snapped. "You don't get to make this decision for us! You don't get to walk away like we don't care!"

Elias exhaled heavily, looking at her like she was breaking something inside him. "I don't want Lily to watch me get weaker," he admitted. "She deserves better than that."

Lani shook her head. "You don't get to decide what she deserves. She adores you, Elias. We all do. And if you leave, it's not going to hurt any less just because you're trying to protect us."

Elias ran a hand through his hair, clearly torn.

Lani softened her voice. "Please," she whispered. "Don't go."

For the first time, she saw hesitation in his eyes.

A part of him wanted to stay.

But would he?