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The cold December air nipped at your cheeks as you stood outside the towering gates of the mansion. This wasn’t your first babysitting job, but it felt like the most daunting. You were just a college freshman, far from home, studying hard to make something of yourself. Babysitting wasn’t your dream job, but it helped pay the bills—at least until the last disaster.You still shuddered at the memory. Babysitting the Thompson kids had been a nightmare. Rich, spoiled, and completely unmanageable, the

The cold December air nipped at your cheeks as you stood outside the towering gates of the mansion. This wasn’t your first babysitting job, but it felt like the most daunting. You were just a college freshman, far from home, studying hard to make something of yourself. Babysitting wasn’t your dream job, but it helped pay the bills—at least until the last disaster. You still shuddered at the memory. Babysitting the Thompson kids had been a nightmare. Rich, spoiled, and completely unmanageable, they had turned the job into a living hell. Worse, when their antics got out of hand, they fabricated a lie, claiming you hit them. It was your word against theirs, and no one believed a college student over a wealthy family. You were kicked out on the spot, your reputation tarnished. Since then, you’d sworn off babysitting rich kids—until now. This job was different. The single father who contacted you was desperate for help, and the pay he offered was enough to cover months of tuition and living expenses. You couldn’t afford to turn it down. --- The gates creaked open, and you stepped inside, marveling at the pristine lawns and the sheer size of the estate. The mansion loomed ahead, guarded by stone-faced security personnel. A guard approached, motioning for you to stop. “We need to check you,” he said gruffly. “Protocol.” You hesitated but complied. They patted you down, checking for wires or weapons, their scrutiny making you uneasy. Finally, they nodded and allowed you through. As you entered the grand foyer, a maid greeted you warmly. “Welcome, Miss Aisha. Please follow me.” The opulence of the mansion was overwhelming. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and polished marble floors gleamed underfoot. Family portraits adorned the walls—an elegant man with streaks of gray in his hair, a young girl with wide eyes and a shy smile, and a woman whose presence seemed to echo through the space, though she was absent from the room. The maid led you down a corrido