Tiny fingers reached toward him, wiggling eagerly.
For a moment Ethan hesitated.
He had spent so little time with them that even the simplest interaction felt unfamiliar. The idea of holding something so small and fragile made him uneasy.
Still, he slowly extended one finger toward the baby.
The little hand wrapped around it instantly.
The grip was surprisingly strong.
Warm.
Trusting.
Ethan felt something tighten in his chest.
The maid stirred the vegetables again, blowing lightly across the spoon to cool them before lifting a small portion toward the baby’s mouth.
“Just a little,” she whispered softly.
The baby opened his mouth clumsily, smearing a bit of food across his cheek. She laughed quietly and wiped it away with a cloth.
“You’re in a hurry today, aren’t you?”
Ethan watched carefully.
She wasn’t rushing.
She wasn’t simply completing a task.
She was patient.
Attentive.
Almost protective.
“What’s your name again?” Ethan asked after a moment.
She looked up.
“Emily,” she replied.
Emily Parker had only started working in the house two weeks earlier. One of the agencies had recommended her after the twins were born.
Ethan remembered signing the paperwork but barely recalling the interview.