The silence that ensued felt heavier than any shout. Eliza pushed herself up, instinctively placing a protective hand over the stirring twins. Nathaniel’s voice cut through the air, low and caustic: “What is going on here?”
She attempted to speak, but her throat constricted. When he stepped closer, his next question landed like a physical blow: “Why are my sons on the floor, and why are you sleeping during working hours?”
She lowered her gaze, a mixture of shame and indignation swirling behind her eyes, until the light caught the dark bruise along her cheek. His expression shifted instantly.
“What happened to your face?” he asked, confusion displacing his irritation.
The Unspoken Truth
Eliza swallowed hard and answered the question he hadn’t thought to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. “They were crying, and there is no caregiver anymore. No one replaced her. It is just me.”
The words seemed to strike him with unexpected impact. When he ordered her into his office, she followed with heavy steps, feeling as though she were walking toward the loss of the only thing that mattered—remaining near the twins.