Chapter 2

"Don't touch her!"

I pushed away the maid blocking the crib and scooped up the baby, swaddle and all.

Just then, Ethan Sterling, the eldest son, strode forward, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

I clutched the baby and backed away several steps, my back hitting the wine cabinet, making the glasses clink loudly.

"She's not dead! She can still be saved!"

Dr. Reed, who was still kneeling nearby, his face darkening, immediately stood up.

"Nonsense!"

"The child is in severe respiratory failure, her cardiopulmonary function is almost at a standstill. What do you, an intern nanny, know?!"

Sarah White, Mr. Sterling's secretary, had red-rimmed eyes, but her fingers were tightly clenched.

"Chloe, I know you just started and are afraid of taking responsibility, but you can't torment the baby like this."

"Lily is already so pitiful, why are you making her suffer more?"

As she spoke, she moved two steps closer to me.

That sickly sweet perfume scent wafted into my nose again.

The little thing in my arms screamed in my head.

"That's the smell!"

"Back off, back off! If I smell it again, I'll really kick the bucket!"

My scalp tingled, and I quickly dodged sideways with the baby, putting some distance between us and Sarah.

Mr. Sterling, David, who had been by the unconscious Evelyn's side, suddenly whipped his head around, his eyes bloodshot.

"What did you just say?"

My palms were sweating from nerves.

"Lily isn't dying naturally; she was poisoned, which caused her to stop breathing."

"She can't stand this strong scent. She needs to be taken to a well-ventilated place immediately!"

Dr. Reed's face changed, and his voice shot up.

"Absurd!"

"I've been practicing for twenty years! Are you saying I can't even tell if an infant is breathing or not?"

"Mr. Sterling, this nanny is clearly trying to shirk responsibility and is deliberately spreading baseless rumors!"

Noah Sterling, the third son, slammed his fist on the table, shattering a wine glass.

"Lily has always been fine, how could she suddenly be poisoned?"

Hearing this, Sarah White's eyes immediately reddened.

"It's all my fault…"

"I just thought Lily was so cute and got a bit closer to look at her. If I had known Chloe would make a fuss over it, I wouldn't have gone near her."

The baby's voice in my arms was trembling with anger.

"She's faking it! Still faking it!"

"She didn't spray ordinary perfume at all; it's mixed with irritants that are deadly to infants!"

I gritted my teeth and looked up.

"Mr. Sterling, there's something wrong with the perfume she's wearing!"

Sarah White's face subtly changed, but she quickly approached me again, her eyes red.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm kindly comforting Mr. Sterling, and because you can't save the child, you want to pin the blame on me?"

The Sterling sons' gazes grew colder and colder.

My legs were shaking, but the little one in my arms was growing weaker, and the voice in my head kept urging me.

"Get me out of here! There are too many people in this room, and the air is stale. I'm going to suffocate!"

I took a deep breath, deciding to go all in.

"Now isn't the time to assign blame!"

"Any more delay, and Lily really will lose her life!"

Dr. Reed stepped forward with a stern face.

"If we let her continue this madness, the child won't even have her final dignity."

"Mr. Sterling, apprehend her at once!"

Two bodyguards immediately closed in.

My gaze swept across the room, spotting a half-open French door at the far end of the banquet hall.

Then I looked at the extremely weak Lily in my arms.

"Go! A billion dollars! I always keep my promises!"

My mind raced, I hugged the baby tight, turned, and ran.