Chapter 5

Nick arrived at the large iron gates of the Sinclair Estate taking a deep breath. He couldn’t believe he was actually there to take the job Clara had offered.

Memories of his time with Clara flooded his mind, reminding him of the disapproval he had faced from her family. They had scorned him, belittled him, and made it abundantly clear that he was not worthy of their daughter. But Clara had been different. She had always stood by his side, defending their love.And now, she was no longer on his side.

As the gate slowly swung open, Nick couldn't help but feel like a condemned man heading for his end.But he was out of options - with no job,no home and no savings left, this was his last chance.

Making his way up the long driveway, Nick's anxiety grew larger. 

Just then, the massive front doors swung open to reveal Clara standing framed in the entrance. Gone was the warmth and affection Nick had always seen in her eyes,now they were cold and calculating as she surveyed him silently. 

"Clara, thank you for giving me this opportunity," Nick said sincerely as he climbed the front steps. "I know things ended badly between us, but I'm hoping we can find a way to move past it for the sake of my employment here."

"We'll see about that," was all Clara said, her curt tone sending a sharp sting through Nick's chest. She led him inside to the grand living room.

"Mom, Dad, Seth, Nick is here," Clara announced. Her family appeared and the hostility in their eyes was almost a physical force.  

Lena Sinclair,her mother, was the first to speak. "Clara,what the hell is a poor loser like him doing on our property?" 

Vin Sinclair, Clara's father, stood beside Lena, his face clearly angry. "I thought you were done with him, Clara. Why on earth would you bring him here?" he growled.

Even Clara's brother, Seth, couldn't hide his disapproval. "You've got to be kidding me," he frowned. They all looked at Nick with contempt.

Clara stepped forward, her voice firm "Everyone, calm down," she said, her eyes darting between her family and Nick.

"I brought him here because he's starting his new job."

Lena fanned herself, a slight smile playing on her lips. "For a moment there, I thought you had taken this pathetic waste of space back.Thank goodness you’re not stupid," she remarked in relief.

Clara brushed off her mother's concern. "Of course not, Mother. Nick is in need of a job and a place to stay, and I thought our house could use a good hard worker around. I've hired him on as the new houseboy."

Anger and hurt flashed across Nick's face but he held his tongue. This was humiliating, but he had no other choice if he wanted to get his life back on track. 

"You what!" Seth exploded. "This loser living under our roof? I don't think so."

"Seth, enough," Vin said firmly, holding up a hand. "If the man is willing to work, we could use the help. As long as he earns his keep and stays out of trouble." His cold eyes bored into Nick's. "You understand me, boy?"

"Yes sir, absolutely." Nick nodded earnestly,"I won't let any of you down, I promise. Just tell me what you need done."

Seth, still skeptical, spoke up. "No need to waste any more time," he said, his tone dismissive. "Go draw a bath in the maids' quarters, and then head to the basement. That's where you'll be living from now on."

Nick's heart sank at the thought of living in the basement, but he knew he had no other choice. He mustered a smile, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Thank you for the opportunity," he said, his voice laced with gratitude. "I won't let you all down."

Shortly after, Nick reviewed the extensive menu for the Sinclair family dinner. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread—it was enough food to feed an army. 

Lena's instructions echoed in his mind, "The cooks are merely observing. You will be solely responsible for this meal."

Taking a breath, Nick got to work. He had always known how to cook as he took a liking to it when he was quite young. And he had learned from the best,his mother. He started by prepping the chicken, rubbing it with herbs before roasting it to golden brown perfection. Next, he peeled mountains of potatoes, mashing them fluffy and light with cream and butter. 

The beans were trimmed and simmered in a skillet with bacon and onions. As the cornbread batter came together, its sweet scent made him feel lightheaded. Soon, every dish was completed.

Nick proudly presented the finished work to the Sinclair large dining table. He was met with total silence, the family digging in expectantly. 

Vin took the first bite of chicken. "Well I'll be damned, the boy can actually cook," he chuckled. “Not anything special,but at least we could make do with it I guess,” Lena commented. 

Clara remained stoic but Nick swore he saw that she was enjoying it. She had always loved when he made home cooked meals for her.  

He couldn’t wait to dig into the food he had prepared but as he turned to leave, Seth's icy tone stopped him.

"I assume you realize you are not permitted to eat the food you've prepared," Seth stated coldly.

 Nick's stomach dropped. "Not even leftovers, sir?" 

Lena cut in sharply, "Of course not. You may have the old soup from yesterday if you're still hungry." Dismayed, Nick nodded silently and went to retrieve the soup. 

It tasted way too sour. There was no way he could eat that. In the kitchen, one of the cooks was kind enough to show him where the fresh soup stock was kept. "Warm some up, it'll be far more nourishing."

“Thank you so much,” he replied gratefully as he got right into it.

As he finally settled down to drink his now hot fresh soup,Seth burst in suddenly. 

"What is this?" he spat, gesturing to the steaming pot. Before Nick could explain, Seth thrust the pot to the ground with a crash almost burning him. Broth splattered Nick's worn shoes as he stood, stunned.

"And who said you could warm it up?” Seth roared. "How dare you even disobey direct orders? Isn’t this the fresh soup?" 

“The other one tasted sour and I couldn’t—"

“Just shut the hell up. I had the feeling that you were going to do otherwise. I guess I wasn’t wrong.”

Nick opened his mouth to apologize but Seth continued, "Get out of my sight before I do something I might regret"

"Seth, that is enough." Clara had entered, gaze level but stern "Nick, clean the mess and try to stay out of our way?" With that, she escorted Seth out, leaving Nick to clean up.