CHAPTER 3 â THE SECRET BEHIND THE BABYâS CRY
Victor Hale had spent his entire life learning one thing:
Never trust what you cannot control.
In business, hesitation meant weakness.
In negotiations, emotions meant mistakes.
In his world, information was power.
And yetâŠ
For the first time in years, Victor was sitting alone in his office, staring at a single name on a piece of paper.
An Parker.
The woman he had barely noticed three days ago.
The maid he had dismissed as insignificant.
The woman who somehow knew his son better than anyone.
But nowâŠ
She wasn't just a maid.
She had been connected to Elena.
His wife.
The woman whose death had destroyed his entire world.
Victor picked up the file again.
His eyes moved across every line.
Previous Position: Private caregiver.
Employer: Elena Hale.
Duration: Eight months.
ThenâŠ
A blank space.
A missing period.
The last three days before Elena's death.
Victor frowned.
"Why was this hidden?"
His fingers tightened around the paper.
He hated unanswered questions.
Especially when they involved his family.
A knock came from the door.
Victor immediately closed the folder.
"Come in."
An entered quietly.
She held a bottle of milk in her hand.
"Sir, Ethan's feeding time is approaching."
Victor watched her carefully.
She didn't look nervous.
She didn't act like someone hiding a secret.
That bothered him even more.
"How long did you work for my wife?"
The question came without warning.
An froze.
Only for a moment.
But Victor noticed.
"I see you already know."
Her voice was quiet.
Victor stood.
"You should have told me."
"Would you have believed me?"
The answer came instantly.
And Victor had no response.
Because the truth wasâŠ
He probably wouldn't have.
He would have assumed she was trying to use Elena's name to gain his trust.
An looked down.
"I didn't come here because of your wife."
"Then why did you?"
A long silence filled the room.
An looked toward Ethan's nursery.
"Because he needed someone."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"No."
She looked back at him.
"It doesn't."
Something about her calmness frustrated him.
Everyone else feared his questions.
But An carried secrets like they were things she had learned to survive.
Before Victor could push further, a sudden sound came from the nursery.
A cry.
Not loud.
Not yet.
But different.
An immediately turned.
Her entire expression changed.
Victor noticed.
It wasn't panic.
It was recognition.
She moved quickly.
"What is it?"
Victor followed her.
"What's wrong?"
An reached Ethan before he could.
She picked him up carefully.
"He's uncomfortable."
Victor immediately stiffened.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
An didn't answer.
Instead, she checked the baby's position.
Then she gently pressed her hand against his stomach.
Ethan began crying harder.
Victor's heart jumped.
"What are you doing?"
"Sir, please trust me."
Those words stopped him.
Because three days agoâŠ
He wouldn't have.
But now?
He stayed silent.
An carefully adjusted Ethan's position.
Then she whispered:
"He has trapped gas."
Victor blinked.
"That's it?"
An nodded.
"Newborns can't tell us when something hurts."
She looked at him.
"They only know how to cry."
Victor watched silently.
Minutes laterâŠ
The crying started to fade.
Again.
Just like before.
Victor stood there, unable to speak.
Because this wasn't luck.
It couldn't be.
"You knew."
An looked at him.
"Knew what?"
"That he was hurting."
She lowered her eyes.
"I listened."
The same words.
Again.
Victor looked away.
Those words were becoming impossible to ignore.
The next morning, Victor called Ethan's pediatrician.
Dr. Samuel Reed arrived at the penthouse within an hour.
After examining the baby, he looked surprised.
"Mr. Hale."
Victor stood.
"What's wrong?"
The doctor smiled slightly.
"Nothing."
Victor frowned.
"Nothing?"
"Actually, your son is perfectly healthy."
Victor looked confused.
"Then why has he been crying every night?"
The doctor glanced at An.
Then back at Victor.
"Because someone finally noticed what he needed."
The room became quiet.
Victor didn't like hearing that.
Not because it was an insult.
Because it was true.
The doctor continued:
"Your son has been experiencing discomfort from feeding issues. It's common, but someone needs to recognize the signs."
Victor looked at An.
She stood quietly in the corner.
Not seeking credit.
Not expecting praise.
She had helped because Ethan needed help.
That was all.
After the doctor left, Victor remained silent.
Finally, he spoke.
"You saved him."
An shook her head.
"No."
Victor looked at her.
"What?"
"I helped him."
She smiled faintly.
"Parents save their children."
The words hit him harder than she realized.
Because Victor still felt like he had failed.
That afternoon, Victor watched An interact with Ethan.
She wasn't just caring for him.
She understood him.
She noticed when he was tired.
When he was hungry.
When he needed comfort.
She knew every small movement.
Every sound.
Every expression.
Things Victor had missed.
And that realization hurt.
Because he had been so focused on protecting his sonâŠ
That he never learned how to truly know him.
But someone else was watching.
From the hallway.
Victor's younger sister, Victoria, stood silently.
Her eyes followed An.
Cold.
Suspicious.
She had heard everything.
And she didn't like what she saw.
A maid becoming important inside the Hale family?
Impossible.
Victoria walked away and immediately picked up her phone.
"Find everything about An Parker."
She lowered her voice.
"Her past. Her family. Everything."
A pause.
Then she added:
"And if she thinks she can replace Elena..."
Her expression hardened.
"Make sure she learns her place."
That night, Victor entered Ethan's room.
For the first time in monthsâŠ
He didn't feel afraid.
His son was sleeping peacefully.
On the chair beside the crib was An's small notebook.
Victor hesitated.
He knew he shouldn't read it.
But curiosity won.
He opened the first page.
Inside were notes.
Ethan's sleeping habits.
His reactions.
His fears.
And thenâŠ
A sentence stopped Victor completely.
Written at the bottom of the page:
"He has his mother's eyes. Just like Elena."
Victor's hands froze.
Because An had written that before he ever told her about Elena.
Before anyone mentioned it.
SlowlyâŠ
Victor looked toward the closed door.
A cold feeling moved through him.
May you like
How did An know?
And what else was she hiding?
