Chapter 3

After the whole earring incident, I became even more cautious.

I was like a robot wound up tight, carrying out every task with precision.

I didn't say a word more than necessary and didn't spare a single extra glance.

All I wanted was to get through these two months safely, collect my paycheck, and then get the hell out of this place.

After the baby hit the one-month mark, it was time to start adding baby food.

I followed the expert nutritionist's recipe exactly and made pumpkin oatmeal.

I used only the freshest organic pumpkin, steamed until it was soft and tender.

The oatmeal was imported, all-natural, with no additives at all.

I made sure every drop of water was filtered and pure.

After I finished, I even took a big bite myself to make sure there were no issues.

It was sweet and soft, with a creamy texture.

I carefully fed the baby with a small spoon.

The baby loved it, enjoying every bite.

Lorelei and Blanche stood by, watching closely.

For once, Blanche didn't nitpick.

I felt a bit relieved.

But before I could even fully relax, disaster struck.

Less than half an hour after the baby finished his solid food, he suddenly started breathing rapidly, his little face turning bright red.

Then, terrible red rashes quickly appeared on his delicate skins.

My mind went completely blank.

"What's going on?" Lorelei was the first to react, rushing in and scooping the baby up into her arms.

Blanche's face turned deathly pale. "Oh my god. My baby boy. What's wrong with him?!"

I yelled, "He's having a really bad allergic reaction. Get him to the hospital now!"

The villa erupted into chaos.

On the way to the hospital, I clutched the crying baby in my arms, my whole body cold with panic.

I kept replaying everything in my head, desperately searching for what could've gone wrong.

I thought about the recipe, the ingredients, and the process.

I checked and rechecked every single step, again and again.

There was no way I could've screwed up.

But the reality was undeniable.

The baby in my arms was barely breathing now.

As soon as we arrived at the hospital, he was immediately rushed into the ER.

In the hallway, Tristan snapped.

He charged at me like an enraged lion.

His hand swung up, aiming for my face.

He roared, "You evil woman. Were you trying to kill my son?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, paralyzed with fear.

I braced myself for the burning pain and the humiliation that was about to hit me.

But the slap I was expecting never came.

I carefully opened my eyes a bit, peeking out.

It was Lorelei.

She rushed over and grabbed Tristan's wrist in a tight grip.

Her hand was slender, but her grip was shockingly strong.

Tristan's arm was suspended in midair, unable to move an inch.

"Enough!" Lorelei shouted.

Her voice was hoarse and trembling, but unusually firm.

"Is now really the time to assign blame?" she demanded.

Tristan's eyes were still red, like he could eat me alive.

"Why are you defending her? She's the one who did this to our son!" he shouted.

"I said, enough!" Lorelei's voice suddenly rang out, full of authority.

Tristan finally lowered his hand, still fuming.

But his glare at me was like a poisoned blade.

I looked at Lorelei with gratitude.

She was the one who kept me from being humiliated.

But when our eyes met, my heart froze all over again.

Even though she'd stepped in for me, her gaze was like she was staring at a criminal.

It was full of cold scrutiny and disappointment.

I had no way to defend myself.

I made the baby food. Every single step was done by me.

I had absolutely no way to prove I was innocent.

The ER lights were still shining.

Every second was pure agony.

I felt like a wraith, completely drained, curled up in the corner of the hallway.

It was as if the whole world was filled with malice, pressing down on me so hard I could barely breathe.

Guilt, fear, and despair drowned me.

Then, a pair of immaculate leather shoes came to a stop right in front of me.

I slowly looked up.

It was Blanche.

I thought she was about to sneer at me again, maybe twist the knife a little deeper.

I was already bracing myself for it.

But what she did next caught me totally off guard.

She bent down and slipped a cold bottle of mineral water into my cold hands.

Her movements were quick and discreet.

With her back to Tristan and Lorelei, who were standing nearby, she leaned in and whispered something in my ear.

"Don't be afraid. It's not your fault."

Then she straightened up and walked away.

It was like the whole thing had been a figment of my imagination.

I stood there, frozen, clutching the bottle of water in my hand.

I was shocked and at a loss.

I wondered what she meant by that.