The voice was sharp enough to snap her awake. Nathaniel Blake stood over her, his expression cold. Before she could answer, he pulled Lily from her arms.
“You’re the maid,” he said harshly. “Not the mother. You serve, you observe — you don’t hold.”
The baby immediately began wailing again, tiny hands reaching toward Maya.
“She just fell asleep,” Maya said, sitting up. “She’s been crying for hours. I was trying to help.”
But Nathaniel only frowned, bouncing Lily awkwardly as the cries grew louder.
“She only sleeps if I hold her,” Maya said softly. “Give her back.”
For a moment, he hesitated. Then, almost reluctantly, he handed the child over.
The transformation was instant. Lily tucked her face against Maya’s shoulder, her sobs fading to hiccups, then to peaceful silence.
Nathaniel said nothing. He watched as Maya rocked the baby, murmuring, “I’ve got you, little one.”
A Shift in the House
The next morning at breakfast, Nathaniel was quieter than usual. His coffee sat untouched. That night, the same pattern repeated — Lily cried for everyone but Maya. By the third evening, Nathaniel was waiting outside the nursery, listening to the soft lullaby inside.
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