Chapter 3
I turned around, carefully rolling the baby onto his side and gently lifting the fabric at the back of his collar.
That exquisite haute couture baby outfit had a label sewn inside the collar.
This wasn't any typical cloth tag.
It was a pure gold brand logo, about a centimeter across, with the edges shaped into the brand's signature shield.
The design was stunning, but the pointed tip was as sharp as a miniature blade.
On the most delicate patch of skin at the back of the baby's neck, there was already a red, swollen abrasion.
In some places, the skin had split open, and tiny beads of blood were seeping out.
A newborn's skin was as thin as paper, and this metal tag had been pressed against his neck, cutting into him every time he moved, for three days and nights.
My fingers were trembling.
"Look," I said, showing the back of the baby's neck to everyone, my voice a bit hoarse. "This isn't some nerve problem. It's the metal tag sewn into his collar. It's been slicing into his skin.
"Newborns can't talk, so the only way they can tell you they're in pain is by crying. He's been crying for three days, not because he's sick, but because it hurts."
The room was dead silent.
Josie leaned in, and when she saw the red, swollen abrasion and the tiny beads of blood, it was like all the strength had been sucked out of her.
She collapsed to the floor, mouth open, unable to make a sound.
Anthony walked over, bent down, and glanced at the solid gold tag, then at the wound on Felix's neck.
His face went from ashen to ghostly pale, then flushed red.
Then he slowly turned to Ayden.
Ayden's face had gone pale. His lips moved a few times before he finally said, "This tag... It's easy to overlook.
"When I was examining him, I was mainly checking his neurological signs and didn't look at his skin."
Anthony didn't say a word.
His silence was scarier than anything he could say.
While everyone was focused on Ayden, I quickly found a clean pair of scissors and carefully snipped the metal tag off the collar.
Then I gently turned Felix onto his back, wiped the wound on his neck with a clean cotton cloth, and dressed him in a soft, pure cotton outfit.
Throughout the whole thing, my voice did a complete 180 in my head. [Ah, it doesn't poke anymore. It doesn't poke. So comfy! Finally, no more poking.
[That pretty lady is amazing. I love her. I'm gonna make her my godmom. Wait, no, I'm the Barton family's golden grandson.
[She should be begging to be my godmother. Whatever, I don't care. It feels so good now. It doesn't hurt anymore. I'm off to dreamland.]
Within thirty seconds, Felix's cries went from screaming his lungs out, to choking sobs, then to soft whimpers, and finally, total silence.
The little one who had thrown the whole Barton family into chaos for three days and nights closed his eyes in my arms, smacked his lips a couple of times, and fell asleep.
Nothing could be more persuasive than that peaceful silence.
Josie dropped to her knees, looking up at the baby sleeping peacefully in my arms. Her lips trembled again and again, and then she suddenly burst into tears.
It wasn't a cry of sadness. It was the crying that came from being terrified, relieved, and wracked with guilt.
Anthony leaned on his cane for a long moment before finally speaking, "What's your name?"
"Mia Spencer," I replied. "I'm the intern baby nurse the agency sent over."
"From today on, you're no longer an intern," Anthony said, his voice quiet but every word hitting like a sledgehammer.
"You're my grandson's exclusive nanny. Your pay tripled. Let's talk terms and sign the contract."
The butler opened his mouth, but when he caught Anthony's eye, he held his tongue.
The bodyguard let go of his hand on the belt and stepped back a bit.
The baby in my arms smacked his lips, his sleepy voice all soft and dreamy. [This lady's hands are so warm, and being held by her is so comfy.
[She's a hundred times better than the one who wore perfume before.]
I looked down at his little wrinkled face, and my nose stung a little.
This little guy was only seventeen days old, but he had more drama going on in his head than his grandpa did.
News about what happened in the Barton family spread fast.
It wasn't gossip outside. It was all inside this three-story mansion. The maid told the driver, the driver told the gardener, and the gardener told the doorman.
By the end of the afternoon, every servant in the house knew that the new intern baby nurse had embarrassed Ayden and saved Felix.
The story got juicier with every retelling. By the time it made the rounds, it was all, "That baby nurse spotted the problem in a heartbeat, and Ayden was so pissed that he stormed out and slammed the door."
The truth was that Ayden didn't slam the door. He left without making a scene, though his face was grim.
But his assistant did kick a tire in the parking lot, and the gardener happened to see that.
Ayden's feelings were the last thing on my mind.
Felix's neck wound wasn't deep, but newborn skin was fragile, so I needed to clean, disinfect, and change the bandage every day.