Chapter 2

Zoe leaned down, giving me a helpless smile. "Sweetie, I'm not a bad person. As soon as Alex finishes his milk, I'll bring him right back to you, okay?"

I shook my head wildly, refusing to budge. "No! Alex can't leave. I have to keep my eyes on him!"

In my past life, it was precisely because Dad and I didn't keep a constant eye on Alex that the villain managed to snatch him away.

So this time, I was never letting him out of my sight.

I spread my arms wide, shielding Mom's hospital bed, refusing to yield no matter what Zoe said.

Dad frowned. "Since Ava's against it, let's delay the feeding a bit. Come back in five minutes."

He then crouched down and ran a hand through my hair. "And Ava, Alex has to drink his milk, or he'll get sick. No more throwing tantrums later, alright?"

Looking at Dad's gentle face, I was reminded of the day I lost both my parents in my past life. All the longing and fear I'd carried welled up, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

I buried my face in his chest, clutching his shirt as I sobbed. "The nurse is a bad person! Don't let her take Alex away!"

Dad's face hardened instantly, and he cast a questioning glance at Zoe.

The latter's face drained of color for a second before her eyes turned red. "Ava, why would you say that?

"I worked so hard to pass the exams and become a nurse here. How could I be a bad person? Are you just lying and framing me because you don't want to be separated from Alex? Mr. Hardy, don't you think so too?"

She stared at Dad, looking utterly wronged, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Though Dad still had his doubts, Zoe's words seemed to make sense.

She was an officially hired nurse, and I was just a three-year-old child.

He couldn't very well label a nurse as malicious based solely on a toddler's words.

He looked down to soothe me. "Don't be scared, Ava. I'm here. I'll protect you both."

He turned back to Zoe with an apologetic look. "She's just a child and doesn't know any better. Please don't take it to heart."

A faint curve touched the corner of Zoe's mouth as she put on a generous front. "It's alright. I forgive her."

With that, she quickly hurried around to the other side of the bed, reaching her hand out toward the mattress.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I grew frantic.

Just then, Dad's voice rang out. "Still, my daughter has a point. Please feed him right here. There's no need to take him next door."

At his words, Zoe's hand froze inches from the swaddle. A brief flicker of annoyance flashed in her eyes.

She turned to him and explained logically, "Mr. Hardy, your wife just gave birth and needs her rest. Feeding the baby in here will disturb her. It's really better if I take him next door. It's much more convenient. Besides…"

She let out a bitter, helpless sigh. "You are a VIP guest at our hospital, while I'm just a new nurse. If the head nurse finds out I didn't follow proper procedure to take care of your wife and baby… I might… lose my job…"

Her explanation sounded flawless, and when she mentioned the head nurse, her eyes filled with just the right touch of anxiety and dread.

Seeing that look, Dad relented as expected.

He tried to negotiate with me. "Ava, let her take Alex to feed him, okay? It'll only take a moment."

I shook my head, my tiny hands gripping the edge of the bed so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Dad turned back to Zoe. "Ms. Scott, I'll explain things to your head nurse for you. You can just feed him here."

Zoe bit her lip, tears finally spilling over. "Mr. Hardy, please don't make things difficult for me…"

Dad frowned, his demeanor turning cold. He seemed to feel Zoe was being rather ungrateful.

Just as he was about to dismiss her, Mom stirred awake. "Dariel, what's going on?"

Dad filled her in on everything that had just happened.