When we hired a new nanny, everything looked perfect at first. I thought we had finally found someone to help with Brady and give me a bit of breathing room. But soon, I started noticing little things—the way she looked at my husband, Sean, the way he acted differently around her.
Something didn’t feel right. At first, I thought she was after Sean, trying to steal him away from me. But I was wrong. What she really wanted was something even closer to my heart. Something I never saw coming.
Nobody ever warned me that becoming a mother would add another full-time job on top of my existing one. And that this job would last forever.
Before Brady came into my life, work was my whole world. I had built a strong career from the ground up. Even after Sean and I got married, I refused to quit. We could afford it. But I wanted to stay independent. I wanted to be his equal partner. And I had done exactly that. But what I couldn’t do was become a mother.
For ten long years, Sean and I tried everything to have a baby. Nothing worked. My eggs were old, like those of a woman in her fifties. We spent hundreds of thousands on treatments, on IVF, but every attempt failed. Each failure broke me a little more.
Sean suggested surrogacy once, but I just couldn’t agree. Not yet.
Then one day, at the hospital, I saw a tiny baby lying in the nursery. He looked so small, so perfect. A nurse told me his biological mother had given him up. In that moment, something inside me changed.
That same evening, I sat down with Sean. “We should bring him home,” I said quietly. And that’s how Brady came into our lives—my beloved boy.
I had sixteen weeks of vacation saved up over the years, so I took them to care for Brady full time. It was hell.
I was exhausted. I wasn’t myself anymore. It felt like my life was no longer mine. I didn’t sleep. I barely showered. I smelled bad. The house was a mess. Brady cried all the time and only calmed down in the car.
But slowly, as the days passed, we learned each other. I learned to sleep when he slept. I played soft music to help him fall asleep—not just in the car anymore. I learned to give Brady to Sean when I needed a quick shower.
After those sixteen weeks, I hired a nanny to help me while I worked from home. It was a huge relief. Life became a little easier.
But when Brady was almost three, Carmen—the nanny—left us, and chaos returned.
Yes, Brady was in daycare during the mornings, but that only covered part of the day. I still needed someone in the afternoons and evenings when I worked late. I loved being a mom more than anything, but I also didn’t want to lose the career I had fought so hard for.
I had promised myself and Sean that Brady would have the best life possible—a safe home, a good education, and a happy childhood. That’s why we began searching for a new nanny.
We interviewed so many women I lost count. Some were too strict. Others seemed careless. None felt right. Sean rejected every single one without even giving them a real chance.
I started to feel hopeless. Would we ever find someone trustworthy?
Then, Emily came to our door.
She was young, fresh out of college, but something about her felt different. There was warmth in her smile, a natural ease with Brady. He took to her instantly—and honestly, so did I.
Sean and I hired her that very day.
For a while, everything seemed perfect. Brady adored Emily. She cared for him gently, like he was her own child. Sean and I finally had room to breathe. We could focus on work again. It felt like life was back to normal.
But then, little things began to bother me. Sean started working from home more often after Emily arrived. He even insisted that I go to the office to “unwind.” I caught them exchanging looks, smiles that lingered too long. Sean was always on his phone, texting someone but never showing me.
At first, I couldn’t figure it out, but slowly, the puzzle pieces fit together.
Sean had been the one pushing to hire Emily, even though he had rejected every other candidate before. Emily and Brady had grown close. Brady cried every time Emily left. Had she decided to replace me? To take my family away?
One morning, as I was getting ready for work, Emily was already at the house, playing with Brady.
Before leaving, I peeked into the nursery. I saw them sitting on the floor, molding colorful playdough.
“I want to make a yellow elephant,” Brady said, his small hands shaping the soft dough.
Emily laughed softly. “Like the sun, right?” she asked, smiling as she shaped the yellow playdough.
Brady nodded and Emily handed him the dough.
Then he said something that made my heart stop: “Thanks, Mom.”
He said it so casually, like it was normal. And he didn’t even correct himself.
My son just called another woman “Mom.”
My legs turned to jelly. The ground disappeared beneath me.
I forced a calm smile. “Emily, can I talk to you for a moment?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Of course,” Emily replied, coming over.
“Why is Brady calling you Mom?” I asked, looking her in the eyes.
“Oh, kids say things like that sometimes. It was an accident,” she answered quickly.
“But you didn’t correct him,” I said.
“I just didn’t notice,” Emily shrugged.
I sighed deeply. “Tell me the truth. Is there something between you and Sean? Do you want to take my husband? My child? My family?” I asked, unable to hide the hurt anymore.
“What? Regina, no. I would never think that. Brady just made a mistake, but I’ll correct him if it happens again,” Emily said.
“Alright,” I said, then left for work, but inside, I felt like my whole world was falling apart.
Sean stayed home that day, and I felt like I was losing my mind, like something was hidden right under my nose.
So I decided to be smart. I came home early without telling anyone.
The house was quiet. Brady must have been napping.
Then I heard noises coming from Sean’s office upstairs.
I climbed the stairs as quietly as I could, heart pounding.
When I reached the office door, I grabbed the handle and flung it open.
I froze.
Sean and Emily were there. They weren’t doing anything physical, but they were standing way too close—too close for a father and the nanny.
“What is going on here?!” I shouted.
“Regina, honey, you’re home early,” Sean said, trying to sound calm.
“Is that all you have to say?” I asked, furious.
“It’s all Emily. She told me she wants to be with me,” Sean blurted out.
Emily didn’t say a word. But I saw the fear in her eyes. Her eyebrows shot up when Sean said that.
“Emily, say something!” I demanded.
She stayed silent, unable to look at me.
“Do you think I don’t see it? The way you look at each other, Sean always texting her, working from home all the time?” I said.
“Regina, you’ve misunderstood everything,” Sean said. “It’s all Emily. I have nothing to do with it. I love only you,” he added, trying to convince me.
“Give me your phone,” I said firmly.
“Regina…”
“Give me your phone!” I shouted.
Trembling, Sean pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to me.
“Password?” I demanded.
“Stop it. Don’t do this,” Sean said nervously.
“Password!” I insisted.
“4321,” he muttered.
I unlocked his phone, expecting to find messages, photos—proof.
Instead, I found something else: dating apps, dozens of conversations with women. I opened the chat with Emily. There were only messages from Sean, asking her out to dinner or drinks when I wasn’t home. Emily only replied about Brady, ignoring everything else.
I handed the phone back.
“Emily, huh?” I said coldly.
“Regina, I can explain,” Sean begged. “I made a mistake.”
“Get out!” I screamed.
“Please…” Sean pleaded.
“Get out! Now!” I yelled again.
Sean stared at me for a moment, then left. The front door slammed behind him.
I collapsed into a chair, finally letting out a long breath.
Emily just stood there silently.
After a few minutes, I asked, “Is Brady asleep?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
Then, after another long pause, Emily spoke.
“Please don’t fire me. I really need this job.”
“Who said I’m firing you?” I asked, my voice cold but tired.
Emily smiled faintly, but then Brady whimpered.
She went to him.
I sat quietly, staring at the wall, knowing the hard battle ahead—a divorce, custody fight.
That night, as I prepared for the next day’s court hearing, Emily sat next to me feeding Brady.
Then I heard it again.
“Mom, I want some water,” Brady said, looking at Emily.
I looked up, confused.
Emily paused, then quickly said, “Brady, this is your mom,” pointing at me. “And I’m Emily.”
“No! You’re my mom too!” Brady shouted.
I stared at Emily. “What is going on?”
“I… I don’t know,” Emily stammered.
“Emily said I was in her tummy!” Brady shouted again.
“What?!” I gasped.
Emily covered her face with her hands, trembling.
“Are you Brady’s biological mother?” I asked firmly.
Emily was silent.
“Emily!” I said louder.
“Y-yes,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier, but I didn’t know how. Please don’t kick me out. I just wanted to spend time with him.”
“You knew Brady was your son when you came to work for us?” I asked.
“Yes. That’s why I applied,” she admitted.
“You gave him up and now you came to take him back?” I asked.
“No. I wanted to see how he lived. I gave him up because I couldn’t give him a good life. You give him everything a mother dreams of. I see how much you love him. I just…” Emily trailed off.
“You had no right to do this,” I said.
“I know. I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Leave. Please,” I said.
Emily hesitated, then stood.
“Please, let me see him,” she said softly before closing the door behind her.
I wanted to cry. Betrayal, divorce, and now this—my son’s biological mother had been with him all along.
I picked Brady up from his high chair and held him tight, rocking him gently. I didn’t know who needed it more—him or me.
That night, Brady slept with me, but I couldn’t sleep.
My head spun with endless thoughts.
I looked at Brady and felt all the love I had for him.
I was ready to lose everything in my life except him.
Emily had done what no one expected—she gave him up to give him a better life.
I was angry at her, but I understood.
So, I took my phone and opened the chat with Emily.
I stared at the screen for a long time, unable to write.
Finally, I typed: You can see Brady whenever you want, but remember, I am his mom too.
Emily’s reply came instantly: I am incredibly grateful to you!
I turned off my phone and hugged Brady close.
He was my whole world.
And I would do anything to protect him.
