Chapter 3

On the third day, the Finley relatives were coming to the hospital to see the baby.

Old Mrs. Finley had a nurse's aide wheel me and Vivienne up to the outer room of the VIP suite.

The outer room was meant for whoever stayed to keep watch, separated from the inner room by nothing but a cloth curtain.

A set of clothes came with us.

A staff badge pinned at the chest.

【Temporary Nurse's Aide】

Alfred stood beside the curtain, not meeting my eyes.

“There are a lot of elders here today. Change into this first.”

I stared at the clothes.

“In the circle of Finley family and friends, Jeanette has always been Mrs. Finley. And today they're filming Edmund's one-month record. A scene right now doesn't do anyone any good.”

I thought of four years ago, back when the company's cash flow snapped.

He'd sat on the living room floor, holding my hands, and said:

“Emily, just hold on a little longer. Once we get through this, I'll make everything up to you.”

Now he had it in him to give someone else flowers and a suite. All he had for me was a nurse's aide uniform.

My throat went tight.

“Just today?”

Alfred seemed to let out a breath.

“Just today.”

Laughter drifted out from the inner room.

Jeanette came out, supported by the night nurse.

She saw the clothes beside me, and the corner of her mouth curved.

“Don't blame Alfred, Miss Stephens. He's only thinking of the bigger picture.”

She came closer, bent to tuck the corner of the blanket, and dropped her voice so only I could hear.

“Emily, you don't actually think one marriage certificate is enough, do you?”

My fingers trembled.

She had already straightened up, eyes reddening as she turned back to Alfred.

“Alfred, is Miss Stephens upset? Shouldn't I have come over to talk to her?”

Alfred looked at me.

I wanted to explain, but his expression was tired and irritated.

I swallowed the words.

“No.”

Jeanette let out a soft sigh.

“Then let me have a look at the baby. She is Alfred's daughter, after all.”

She reached out to touch Vivienne.

Vivienne had been sleeping lightly, and the moment Jeanette touched her, she started to cry.

I instinctively pushed her hand away.

The next second Jeanette staggered back two steps and hit the low cabinet behind her.

She clutched her belly, and the tears came at once.

“Miss Stephens, I only wanted to see the baby. Why did you push me?”

Alfred rushed over to steady her.

“Emily.”

I held the crying Vivienne. “I didn't push her.”

Jeanette leaned into his arms, sobbing until her shoulders shook.

“Never mind. She just gave birth, her emotions are all over the place. I won't hold it against her.”

Old Mrs. Finley's face went livid.

“Jeanette's barely out of her recovery period, and she could still raise a hand to her.”

Behind the curtain, the relatives started whispering.

“That's the woman?”

“Looks quiet enough. Nasty streak, though.”

Alfred was only checking Jeanette for injuries.

After a long while he lifted his head.

“Apologize to Jeanette.”

I looked at him.

If I argued, would he only find me more of a nuisance.

Would he stop leaving even this last bit of room for Vivienne.

I closed my eyes for a moment.

“I'm sorry.”

Jeanette rested against Alfred, her lashes lowered.

The corner of her mouth tilted up, so faint it was almost nothing.

Old Mrs. Finley gave a cold snort. “Owning up sooner would have spared us all this trouble.”

She had someone draw the curtain shut.

The suite was split into two worlds.

That side held flowers, blessings, the eldest grandson.

This side held me, Vivienne, half a cup of cold water, and a nurse's aide uniform crushed in my hand.

In the inner room, the photographer asked in a low voice. “Mr. Finley, do we keep filming?”

Alfred's voice came through the curtain. “Keep going.”

The room grew lively again.

“Edmund really looks like Alfred.”

“Time to start calling you Mrs. Finley, isn't it?”

Jeanette laughed weakly. “Don't say things like that.”

Alfred didn't deny it.

I sat on my side of the curtain, taking in every word.

My phone lit up.

The Finley Group's official page had pushed out a post.

【Alfred Finley, heir to the Finley Group, welcomes his firstborn son; the Winfield Pharmaceuticals heiress and baby are both doing well.】

The comments were all congratulations for Jeanette and the family's eldest grandson.

When the filming was done, Alfred pushed through the curtain, a gift envelope in his hand.

“This is from my mother, for the baby.”

He set the envelope on the nightstand, his tone softening.

“Emily, today was hard on you. But Jeanette isn't well, and Edmund is so small. Don't provoke her again.”

I opened the envelope.

There was no money inside.

Just a bank card and a note.

【Take the money and go. Don't let the child learn to be as low as you.】

Alfred saw the line clearly, and his face changed.

“This wasn't my idea.”

I raised my head to look at him.

“Then how long do you want me to keep taking it?”

He froze.

From the inner room came Jeanette's crying again.

Alfred glanced back, his brows drawing together.

“We'll talk later.”

He left anyway.

The curtain fell back into place.

I sat where I was, holding Vivienne, my tears falling one drop at a time onto her swaddling.