Chapter 2

The next morning Jeanette was moved upstairs to a private VIP suite.

Nurses came and went, a night nurse never left her side, and five nutritious meals arrived on schedule every day.

Old Mrs. Finley sent someone over with a gold locket.

It was engraved with the name Edmund, and a photo of it went straight into the family group chat.

I woke up downstairs.

There was nothing on my nightstand but a glass of plain water gone stone cold.

Vivienne was crying with hunger.

She was so small that after two sucks she had no strength left, her cry thin as a kitten's.

A nurse helped me shift her into position to feed.

"Where's the family? Why isn't anyone here with you?"

I kept my head down.

"He's away on business."

At noon, Zoe Finley came.

The first thing she did was look at the crib.

"A girl?"

I held Vivienne and said nothing.

Behind Zoe came the night nurse, a breast pump in her hand.

Something in me dropped hard.

Zoe glanced at the door. "Shut it."

The night nurse reached back and locked it.

Zoe's eyes settled on my chest.

"Jeanette doesn't have enough milk, and Edmund's broken out in a rash from two different formulas. The nurse says your milk's already come in. Pump some for Edmund to tide him over."

My whole body went rigid.

"What did you say?"

Zoe frowned. "They're both Alfred's blood. Edmund is the eldest grandson. What's the harm in sparing him a feed?"

I held Vivienne tighter.

"My milk is for my daughter."

Zoe's face darkened.

"Emily, don't push your luck. Girls are hardy. Missing one meal won't hurt her. Edmund is the root of the Finley line. Nothing can go wrong with him."

The night nurse carried the machine toward me.

"Miss Stephens, just cooperate. It'll be quick."

The instant her hand touched the collar of my gown,

I grabbed that glass of cold water off the nightstand and threw it at her.

Zoe's voice went shrill. "Have you lost your mind!"

Footsteps came from the hall.

Alfred pushed the door open.

He saw the broken glass on the floor first, then Zoe's livid face.

"What's going on?"

Zoe said coldly, "I asked her to pump a little milk for Edmund, and she's acting like I'm trying to kill her."

Alfred looked at me.

"Emily, it's one feed."

Whatever I'd still been holding on to inside came apart for good.

Vivienne's lips had gone white with hunger, her crying rising and falling in waves.

Alfred just stood there, as if he couldn't hear any of it.

I braced myself and tried to get out of bed.

The moment I moved, the wound tore pain up from my lower belly, and cold sweat soaked through the back of my gown in an instant.

Alfred reached out to steady me.

I threw his hand off with everything I had.

"Don't touch me!"

"Your Finleys want an eldest grandson, go find his real mother and figure it out."

"Stop trying to take the food out of my daughter's mouth."

Zoe raised her hand and slapped me.

Alfred's brow drew together.

But he didn't stop her.

He only lowered his voice. "Mom, she just gave birth."

Zoe sneered.

"This much temper right after giving birth. Let her actually raise the child and there'll be no living with her later."

Half my face had gone numb.

Vivienne cried until her lips turned purple, her voice growing weaker and weaker.

I panicked.

I held her and patted her without stopping, calling out to my baby again and again.

The nurse finally pushed the door open.

She saw the red mark on my face and the breast pump on the floor, and her expression changed on the spot.

"What do you think you're doing? She's a new mother, not twenty-four hours postpartum. Who gave you permission to operate a breast pump on your own?"

Zoe's face stayed cold. "Family business. No need to trouble yourself."

The nurse was shaking with anger. "This is a hospital, not your home."

Alfred told the night nurse to pack up the machine.

The nurse turned and went to call the doctor on duty.

Before she left, Zoe fixed her eyes on me.

"You'd better behave yourself. Make a scene out of this, and this child can forget ever setting foot inside the Finley door."

The door closed again.

Only Alfred and I were left in the room.

He stood at the foot of the bed.

"Emily, this ends here. No more of this."

I held Vivienne and didn't look at him again.