Chapter 3

Zachary moved into the spare bedroom.

He hired someone to clear out the cardboard boxes, donating what he could and discarding the rest. Before long, the room was completely empty except for a suitcase less than 24 inches tall.

When Naomi saw it, she frowned slightly. "You're only moving from the master bedroom to the spare bedroom. Do you really need a suitcase?"

Zachary said nothing. Naomi had no idea that in seven days, even that suitcase would be gone.

He quickly finished changing the bedding in the spare bedroom.

Just as he was about to head downstairs, Vincent stopped him with a baby in his arms. "Mr. Brooks, could I trouble you to change the bedding in the master bedroom?

"As you can see, I can't leave the twins alone. They start crying the moment I put them down. I really don't know what to do."

Zachary clenched his fists, ready to refuse.

But Naomi suddenly spoke up. "You have a set of silk bedding, don't you?"

Vincent's eyes lit up. "That's perfect! Newborns have delicate skin, so they can't sleep on anything too rough. Silk would be ideal."

Naomi's voice was cool. "Go get it and put it on."

A wave of bitterness rose in Zachary's chest, so overwhelming that he could barely speak. "Naomi, that was my mother's..."

Before he could finish, Naomi had already opened a drawer and found the bedding with uncanny precision.

Vincent handed the baby to Naomi and began spreading the bedding across the bed himself. As he worked, he spoke in an aggrieved tone. "I'm only a newborn care specialist. I shouldn't be troubling Mr. Brooks with something like this. I'll do it myself."

But as he worked, his fingers caught on the delicate silk, pulling countless threads loose.

Zachary trembled with rage. The silk bedding was the last keepsake his mother had left him.

Even he had only used it once, on his wedding night. He'd handled it with the utmost care that night, yet he'd still accidentally snagged a thread.

The moment he woke up the next morning, he'd carefully put the bedding away in the closet, unable to bear the thought of using it again.

But now, the bedding he'd treasured more than his own life suddenly tore with a loud ripping sound as Vincent pulled a gaping hole in the fabric!

"Stop!" Zachary cried, rushing forward in alarm.

To his surprise, before he could even touch Vincent, the man let out a startled cry and fell backward!

Vincent's back struck the corner of the table, and his eyes immediately reddened. "Mr. Brooks! How could you push me?"

Zachary's face went pale. He was about to explain when a tremendous force struck his back.

Before he could react, Naomi shoved him hard, sending him flying like a kite with its strings cut. He slammed into the sharp corner of the bed.

A stabbing pain shot through his lower back. Slumped on the floor, he watched Naomi rush over and cradle Vincent with obvious concern.

"Zachary, you've gone too far. It's just a worthless set of bedding. Did you really have to hurt someone over it?"

The pain was so intense that Zachary could barely breathe. "I didn't..."

With a loud rip, Naomi yanked the bedding off the bed and tore it clean in half!

Her eyes were cold, filled with a disgust so unfamiliar that Zachary barely recognized her.

His entire body shook, and his voice cracked with anguish as he practically screamed, "Naomi! That was the last keepsake my mother left me!"

Naomi froze for a moment, seemingly about to respond. But Vincent clung to her even tighter. "Ms. Cole, I'm hurting..."

Concern flashed in Naomi's eyes. She immediately forgot everything else and helped Vincent to his feet before escorting him out.

Before she left, she hastily tossed out one last instruction. "Take care of the babies."

She didn't even look back.

If she'd spared him a single glance, she would've seen Zachary trembling uncontrollably from the pain, his face deathly pale.