It was Grace Miller.
The housekeeper Victoria had hired just a month earlier. Jonathan barely remembered her—quiet, always looking down, dressed in a blue uniform. That very morning, Victoria had casually warned him, “Be careful with that girl. I think she’s rough with the boys. I’ve seen them cry around her.”
But the scene before him told a completely different story. Grace moved back and forth across the lawn, making exaggerated, silly faces that sent the boys into bursts of laughter. Sweat glistened on her forehead, yet she smiled as if the effort itself made her happy.
What stunned Jonathan wasn’t just the joy—it was the trust. There was no fear, no hesitation. The boys clung to her as if she were the safest place in the world.
His knees nearly gave way. Either Victoria had been telling the truth—or she had been lying to him for months.
Jonathan remained hidden behind a towering oak tree. If he revealed himself now, the moment—and the truth—might disappear.
Grace knelt down when Ethan scraped his knee. No panic, no shouting. Just a calm gesture of care. She blew softly on the wound, then planted an exaggerated kiss on it.
“All better, brave boy. Auntie Grace’s magic works every time.”
For illustration purposes only
The twins wrapped their arms around her.
A painful wave of shame washed through Jonathan’s chest. That hug should have belonged to him.
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