Chapter 2: Chapter 2
My brother-in-law suddenly clapped me on the shoulder and said with a laugh, “My brother-in-law here just adores his niece. But you don't need to be so tense. Nanny Lawrence is family, we trust her completely.”
“You trust her. I don't. Whatever gets said today, no one takes Emily anywhere.”
My voice was firm, and I spread my arms out in front of my sister.
A flicker of embarrassment crossed my brother-in-law's face.
In the end it was my sister who spoke. “Then we'll do it Curt's way. Nanny Lawrence, bring over the bottle you've prepared.”
Nanny Lawrence didn't like it, but she answered all the same.
Watching her turn and walk off, I let out a breath.
Emily lay in my sister's arms, smiling up at me, and I couldn't help stepping closer to play with her.
But I knew the christening wasn't over. My niece wasn't safe yet.
I scanned the room and still hadn't spotted the janitor, Anthony Chavez.
The murmurs kept rising around me. “Young Master Heath is just too young. Likes to make a fuss over nothing. I hear Nanny Lawrence has worked for the Dickersons almost twenty years.”
“Practically one of the family, really. If you can't trust her, who can you trust?”
I ignored the murmurs.
Before long Nanny Lawrence came back with the prepared bottle. My sister tested the temperature on her hand first, and only when she was sure it was fine did she let my niece drink.
Watching Emily finish the formula, I let out a breath.
Nanny Lawrence shot the baby a vicious look, clearly resentful.
But the moment my eyes went to her, her expression settled back to normal.
Just then the host up on the stage began. “Friends and family, thank you all for taking time out of your busy days to join us for our sweet little Emily's christening. Now let our elders come up and offer Emily their blessings.”
The camera swung to Emily, lying in her cradle. At the start she'd been lively enough.
Now she was fast asleep.
It didn't sit right with me. Emily had barely taken a few sips of the bottle, so how had she dropped off all at once?
On any ordinary day, a baby falling asleep after feeding was nothing unusual.
But here, now, it felt wrong.
One by one Emily's elders came up, all smiles and laughter, praising her, some tucking red envelopes beside her.
Someone brought a longevity locket.
When it was my turn, I gave Emily a five-piece gold gift set, a gold bottle, gold chopsticks, and the rest. People's eyes lit up when they saw what I'd brought.
“The heir to the Heath Group, of course his gift is grand!”
“Right? A five-piece gold set, ha…… practical and impressive……”
Looking at Emily lying in the cradle, “asleep” so deeply, I said suddenly, “Sis, the way Emily's sleeping seems off……”
Before my sister could answer, Nanny Lawrence cut in. “Young Master Heath, you really do like your jokes. Babies sleep most of the time. It's just loud in here. Why don't I take her to a room to rest for a bit.”
As she spoke, she moved to lift the child.
I was about to stop her.
And right then the “fire” alarm went off.
That wailing whoop-whoop sound tore through the room.
The sprinklers in the hall opened up fast, spraying water down over everyone, and someone let out a shrill scream. “Fire! Everybody run!”
With that, the whole place broke into chaos.
Everyone bolted for the exits, heedless of anything else.
My first move was to grab my niece, but out of nowhere a burst of spray hit me in the face.
A searing sting flooded my eyes, and all at once I couldn't see.
“Quick, somebody, help!”
I shouted, frantic.
At the same time my sister's frantic voice came. “Where's Emily? Where is she!”
“My daughter's gone!”
My sister's voice was full of panic.
