Chapter 4 - The Unspoken Word
Nico blinked his wide, bright blue eyes, his tiny mouth opening in a quiet gasp as he spotted the tall, broad figure standing in the doorway.
"Dada!" Nico babied softly, pointing a tiny finger toward Ethan.
Lena’s musical laughter died in her throat. She froze instantly, her head snapping toward the entrance. When her blue eyes locked onto Ethan Caldwell standing in the doorway—his dark suit jacket slightly open, his white dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his expression unreadable—her fair cheeks flushed with sudden surprise.
"Mr. Caldwell!" Lena gasped, her voice trembling slightly as she quickly sat up on the carpet. "I... I thought you left for the airport!"
Ethan didn't answer immediately. The sight of her sitting among his sons, bathed in the golden sunlight, sent a strange, unfamiliar jolt through his chest. He took a slow step into the room, his polished black shoes sinking into the thick carpet, while Marco remained standing vigilantly in the hallway.
Ethan slowly dropped down onto one knee, keeping his posture gentle so as to not startle the boys. He held out his broad, tattooed arms toward his sons, a rare, soft warmth softening his rugged features.
"Hey, buddy," Ethan said quietly, his deep voice smooth as velvet. "Come here to Daddy."
Usually, the moment Ethan entered a room, the twins would scramble across the floor to climb up his broad chest. But today, something unexpected happened.
Nico looked at his father’s open arms, then looked up at Lena. Instead of crawling toward Ethan, Nico turned around, wrapped his tiny arms tightly around Lena’s neck, and buried his face into the soft lace of her pale-yellow dress.
Beside him, Noah immediately followed his twin’s lead. He scrambled into Lena's lap, clutching the fabric of her white apron with both tiny hands, pressing his rosy cheek against her waist.
Both little boys looked back at Ethan from the safety of Lena’s arms, their bright blue eyes sparkling with innocent, overwhelming affection for their nanny.
"Mama! Mama!" both twins chirped together in sweet, excited little voices, smiling brightly as they snuggled deeper against Lena's chest.
The room fell into an absolute, suffocating silence.
Ethan froze completely on one knee, his broad arms remaining outstretched in mid-air. His piercing eyes widened in sheer, unadulterated shock. The word echoed in his ears like a thunderclap: Mama.
Lena’s face went completely pale, her blue eyes widening in sheer panic. She gasped softly, her hands instinctively wrapping around the twins to support them, but her body went rigid with embarrassment and fear.
"Oh... oh my goodness! No, sweethearts!" Lena stammered frantically, her voice quivering as she looked up at Ethan, terrified he would be furious. "Mr. Caldwell, I am so sorry! I swear I never told them to call me that! I—I always tell them you are their daddy and their mother is in heaven! I swear, sir!"
Ethan remained kneeling, his mind reeling. For a man who controlled politicians, crime syndicates, and millions of dollars with a single word, he felt entirely powerless in the face of two one-year-old boys declaring who held their hearts.
He looked at Lena’s fair, trembling face. He saw the genuine terror in her blue eyes—not because she had done something wrong, but because she was afraid of losing her job, afraid of his immense power.
Slowly, Ethan lowered his arms. He stood up to his full height, his dark suit framing his imposing figure, though his expression was no longer cold.
"They... they call you Mama?" Ethan asked, his deep voice carrying a strange, raw vulnerability.
Lena swallowed hard, hugging the boys tighter against her yellow dress. "Only... only when they are really happy, sir. They started saying it last week. I tried to correct them, but... but they are so young. Please, Mr. Caldwell... do not be angry with them. It’s my fault for not being stricter."
Ethan looked down at his sons. Nico and Noah were looking up at him, smiling happily from Lena’s lap, completely unaware of the heavy emotional storm they had just sparked.
"I'm not angry with them, Lena," Ethan said softly, his piercing eyes searching her face. "And I'm not angry with you."
Lena let out a shuddering breath of relief, her shoulders dropping slightly.
May you like
Ethan took another step closer, his brow furrowing as the puzzle pieces in his mind began to shift. He looked at the gentle, loving woman holding his children, and the dark truth began to dawn on him.
"Lena," Ethan asked, his voice dropping into a serious, low register. "Has anyone in this house been telling you... that you shouldn't be close to my sons?"
