Chapter 5 - Dawn in the Nursery
By 5:00 AM, the harsh fluorescent glare of the medical suite had softened into the cool, pale blue light of dawn filtering through the tall arched windows.
Ethan stirred in his sleep, letting out a soft whimper as he shifted against the pillows.
Lily was out of her chair in a heartbeat. Her hand was on his forehead before he even fully opened his eyes. "Shh, baby, I'm right here. Mommy's—I mean, Lily's right here."
Ethan blinked sleepily, his big brown eyes focusing on her face. He raised his uninjured left hand, patting her cheek clumsily. "Wawa..."
Lily smiled, grabbing the sippy cup of water from the nightstand and guiding it carefully to his lips. He drank greedily, his little throat working as he swallowed.
Across the room, Victor stirred on the velvet pull-out cot he had finally collapsed onto around 2:00 AM. He sat up, running a hand through his dark hair, looking remarkably composed despite wearing the same rumpled shirt from the previous night.
"How is he?" Victor asked quietly, standing up and walking over to the bed.
"His fever is down," Lily reported, smoothing the blanket over Ethan’s chest. "He slept through most of the night once the pain medication kicked in. He's going to be sore for a few weeks, Dr. Moreno said, but kids bounce back faster than we do."
Victor looked down at his son, then shifted his gaze to Lily. The morning light caught the dark bruising forming along her jawline where Serena had kicked her during the foyer confrontation.
"Your face," Victor noted softly, his brow furrowing with sudden displeasure. "Did Dr. Moreno examine your abdomen?"
"I'm fine, Mr. Blackwood—"
"Victor," he corrected automatically, his voice firm. "Given that you spent the entire night acting as co-guardian to my son while wearing a torn uniform in my house, I think 'Mr. Blackwood' is entirely too formal."
Lily hesitated, a faint blush warming her cheeks. "Victor, then."
He nodded in quiet satisfaction. "And you are going to let our estate doctor examine those bruises this morning. That is not a request, Lily."
Before Lily could argue, a soft knock echoed at the door.
Sarah Gable pushed the door open, carrying a silver tray with fresh coffee, herbal tea, and warm pastries. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but a profound sense of relief seemed to lighten her posture.
"Good morning, sir... Lily," Sarah whispered, setting the tray on the desk. "Marco sent a secure update up from the basement holding unit. Miss Montigue signed the full confession regarding the foundation embezzlement. The federal marshals are scheduled to transfer her to the downtown holding facility at eight o'clock."
Victor didn't look surprised. He simply picked up a cup of black coffee, taking a slow sip as he stared out the window toward the iron gates of the estate where the first morning news vans were already beginning to park along the perimeter road.
"Inform PR to release a statement," Victor instructed calmly. "State that the engagement has been mutually terminated due to irreconcilable differences, and that the Blackwood Foundation is launching an immediate independent audit of all past administrative expenditures."
"Right away, sir," Sarah said, dipping her head respectfully before slipping out of the room.
Lily poured herself a cup of tea, wrapping her hands around the warm ceramic mug. "What about the press? They're going to tear the estate apart once they realize Serena was arrested for financial crimes."
"Let them try," Victor said, turning away from the window and looking directly at Lily. "My security team owns the perimeter for a mile in every direction. No reporter gets past the gates without my express authorization."
He stepped closer, his imposing presence filling the small space between the desk and the crib.
"Lily," Victor said, his voice dropping into that rich, resonant tone that commanded absolute attention. "When you threw yourself between Serena and my son last night... you weren't just protecting an employer's child. You risked your life for a family that hadn't given you the support you deserved."
Lily looked down at her tea, a sudden lump forming in her throat. "He's just a baby, Victor. Nobody should ever be treated like that. Wealth or no wealth."
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Victor reached out, his warm fingers gently brushing against her knuckles where they clutched the mug. The touch was so unexpected, so tender, that Lily stopped breathing for a second.
"You're staying here," Victor stated, not as a question, but as an absolute decree. "Not just as Ethan’s nanny. As part of this household. We rebuild this place from the ground up. Together."
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