Liam glanced at Sunny and raised his eyebrows.
Don’t take the bait,he seemed to be saying.
Sunny gave a thin smile back.
The rest of breakfast passed in tense silence, broken only by the girls’ chatter. Sunny kept her head down, focusing on the children, but she could feel Morgan’s eyes boring into her. It was a relief when Liam announced he was taking the girls to the park.
“Sunny, why don’t you take the morning off?” he suggested, his hand briefly squeezing her shoulder. “You deserve a break.”
Morgan watched the gesture with keen interest.
“Yes, Miss Thompson. Please feel free to put your feet up.” The statement was laced with accusation. “I’d like to catch up withmy family, anyway,” she added.
Alone in the house, Sunny tried to distract herself and pass the hours with chores, but Morgan’s words echoed in her mind —‘You’re not family. You’re just the help.’
She was right, wasn’t she? No matter how she felt about Liam, no matter how much the girls adored her, and vice-versa, she was still just the nanny. She would do well to remember that. Other people would be quick to remind her.
The sound of the front door opening startled her from her heavy thoughts. Liam and the girls were back early, and judging by Maddie’s tear-stained face, something was wrong.
“She’s in trouble,” Hailey whispered to Sunny as she passed. “Aunt Morgan yelled at her.”
Sunny’s heart clenched. She found Liam in the kitchen, his face a mask of fury.
“What happened?”
“Morgan,” he spat. “She told Maddie that she shouldn’t get so attached to you because you’ll just leave like everyone else. That you’re only here for the paycheck and nice house.”
“Oh, Liam,” Sunny breathed, her own hurt put on the back-burner in the face of Maddie’s pain. “I would never…”
She had no idea why she felt the need to defend herself.
“I know,” he interrupted, his hand instinctively grasping hers. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to us, Sunny. Don’t forget that.”
Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world fell away. Liam leaned in, his breath warm on her cheek.
But a sharp cough broke the spell.
Morgan stood in the doorway, her eyes cold.
“Well, isn’t this cozy? My brother canoodling with the nanny.”
“It’s not what you think, Morgan, you…” Liam started, but his sister cut him off.
“Oh, please. I’m not blind, Liam. The longing looks, the little touches. You’re sleeping with her, aren’t you? Have you forgottenKate so quickly? Your own wife. The mother of your children.”
Liam recoiled as if slapped.
“Don’t you dare bring Kate into this!”
“Why not?” Morgan spat back. “She’s the reason you have those precious girls. Girls who are now being corrupted by this… this interloper!”
“That’s enough!” Liam roared.
He stepped in front of Sunny, shielding her from Morgan’s venom.
“You come into my home, insult the woman who’s been a rock for my daughters. Use my late wife’s memory against me. But where was Auntie Morgan when those ‘precious girls’ needed her the most? When they were lost and hurting? What happened to family then?”
Morgan’s eyes went wide, her mouth hung open.
