Chapter 4: First impressions

The morning air was crisp.

Isaak and Leon were in the front yard, tossing a small ball back and forth.

“Catch it, Isaak!” Leon called.

Isaak ran, stumbling slightly on the stone path.

“Oooh! Careful!” Leon shouted.

Isaak tripped.

His knees hit the ground hard.

He let out a small wail, tears forming instantly.

Leon dropped to his knees beside him.

“Hey, buddy, it’s okay. Look at me,” he said, gently lifting Isaak’s tiny hands.

“I…” Isaak cried, pointing to his scraped knees.

Leon hissed softly under his breath.

“Damn it. You okay, little man?”

Isaak sniffled.

“Owie…”

Iris walked up the front driveway, medical bag in hand.

She spotted them instantly.

Isaak crying. Leon crouched protectively.

Her green eyes softened instinctively.

She moved quickly toward them.

“Do you need some help?” she asked, calm, professional, gentle.

Leon froze.

Her presence was unexpected.

He moved his hand slightly toward his gun holster.

“Who are you?” he asked, voice guarded.

Iris kept her hands visible.

“I’m… I’m Ryker Vance’s new nurse,” she said, holding her posture.

“Mrs. Vance arranged for me to arrive today.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed.

He didn’t like surprises, especially when it came to Ryker’s household.

Isaak sniffled again, looking up at the tall woman with curious eyes.

Leon bent down and picked Isaak up, holding him protectively against his chest.

“Are you really a nurse?” Leon asked, still wary.

“Can you help him with that scrape?”

Iris nodded firmly.

“Yes. I can. Let me take a look.”

Leon studied her for a long moment, then finally gestured toward the estate.

“Alright,” he said.

“Follow me. But one wrong move, and…” His voice trailed, leaving the warning in the air.

Iris simply followed, calm and composed.

Inside the estate, Claire was waiting.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of Iris.

“You must be Iris,” she said warmly.

“Welcome.”

Iris returned the smile with professional politeness.

“Thank you, Mrs. Vance. It’s a pleasure to be here.”

Then Claire’s eyes flicked to Isaak’s knees.

“Oh, Isaak!” she exclaimed, rushing forward.

Iris moved immediately, crouching to examine the tiny scrapes.

“Don’t worry, little one. I’ll take care of you,” she said softly.

Isaak sniffled again but stayed quiet, eyeing her with curiosity.

Leon carried him to the kitchen, gently placing him on the countertop so Iris could treat him.

Iris pulled out a small first-aid kit from her bag.

She cleaned the scrapes carefully, talking softly to Isaak all the while.

“You’re so brave,” she said, her voice calm and soothing.

Isaak blinked at her.

“What… name?” he asked, pointing to her.

“Iris,” she said gently, smiling.

Isaak scrunched his nose.

“I… Ris?”

Iris laughed softly. “Close enough, little one. That’s me.”

Isaak nodded seriously.

“Isa… I-sah?”

“Yes! Isaak. That’s a beautiful name,” Iris said.

Leon watched silently, arms crossed, noting her calm confidence and gentle manner.

Once Isaak’s knees were bandaged, Claire stepped forward.

“Well done, Iris. You have a natural way with children.”

Iris smiled politely.

“Thank you, Mrs. Vance. Isaak is very brave.”

Claire nodded, then gestured toward the hallway.

“Since you’re here, I thought I’d give you a quick tour of the estate. You’ll need to know where everything is,” she said.

Iris nodded.

“Of course. I appreciate it.”

The first stop was Ryker’s office.

Claire opened the heavy wooden door.

Iris stepped inside, taking in the space.

Dark wood furniture, walls lined with bookshelves, a polished mahogany desk dominating the room.

“Impressive,” Iris murmured.

Claire smiled faintly.

“This is Ryker’s domain. He spends most of his time here. Papers, calls, meetings… everything happens in this room.”

Iris ran her fingers lightly over the edge of the desk, careful not to disturb anything.

“It feels… very controlled,” she said softly.

Claire nodded.

“He likes it that way. Efficient. Organized. But he’s… particular. Be prepared.”

Iris’s eyes glimmered with quiet confidence.

“Understood.”

Next, they went to Isaak’s room.

Iris paused at the door, peeking in.

Bright colors, soft toys scattered across the floor, a small bed with a blue blanket.

Finally, Claire led Iris to her own room.

“It’s right next to Ryker’s,” Claire explained.

“You’ll be close if he needs you, but you’ll also have privacy.”

The room was simple but comfortable.

A small desk, a dresser, and a window overlooking the garden.

Iris set her bag down carefully.

“Thank you, Mrs. Vance. It’s perfect,” she said.

Claire gave her a small nod.

“Good. Now, I’ll leave you to settle in a little. Isaak and Leon are still downstairs, and Ryker… well, you’ll meet him eventually.”

Iris’s green eyes flickered with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

“I’ll be ready,” she said softly.

Back in the kitchen, Isaak was inspecting his newly bandaged knees.

“They… better,” he said.

Iris crouched beside him.

“Much better. You took that very bravely.”

Isaak looked up at her, curious.

“You… Ris… help me?”

“Yes,” she said softly.

“I’m here to help you and your dad.”

Leon watched from the side, arms crossed, still wary.

“She’s… competent,” he muttered quietly to himself.

Isaak smiled faintly.

“Fun… Ris!”

Iris laughed, a soft, warm sound.

“I’ll try my best to make it fun.”

Leon allowed himself a small, amused chuckle.

Claire watched from the doorway, satisfied.

“She’s exactly what we need,” she said softly.

The sun poured through the kitchen window.

Isaak was calmer now, inspecting a toy car.

Iris packed away her kit carefully, keeping everything organized.

Leon kept a watchful eye on her, still protective but slowly realizing she could handle the boy.

Iris’s green eyes flickered to Isaak again.

“You’re quite a little man,” she said gently.

Isaak grinned.

“I… Isaak!”

Leon’s gaze softened slightly, impressed by how naturally she handled everything.

Claire stood behind them, a quiet smile on her lips.

Ryker still didn’t know she was here.

And soon… that would change everything.

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