Maddie poked at her food, barely eating, her little face pale. Amelia's eyebrows pinched in worry. "You don't like it?" she asked, her voice soft but clearly concerned.
Maddie shook her head, trying to manage a smile. "It smells really good, Mommy," she said weakly, "I just need some time to finish it."
Sean, sitting beside her, snorted, rolling his eyes. "You're just pretending so you can get someone to feed you, huh?" he teased. "You want Nick to feed you again, don't you?"
Amelia's eyes widened in shock, glancing over at Nick, who didn't seem bothered by Sean's comment at all. In fact, he just chuckled. It threw her off completely. She'd expected Nick to be distant, maybe even resentful, knowing the twins weren't his biological kids. But instead, here he was, playing the father role like it was second nature to him.
Nick smirked, ruffling Sean's hair. "Hey, it's no big deal. Kids get a free pass when they're sick," he said, his tone easy. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed a spoon and started feeding Maddie, gently coaxing her to eat.
Amelia sat there, stunned, watching Nick take care of Maddie like it was the most normal thing in the world. How had things gotten so tangled up? Just yesterday, she was convinced Nick would never be able to bond with her children. But here he was, making her doubt everything she thought she knew about him.
After a few more spoonfuls, Maddie's strength seemed to return a bit, and she finished her meal. "Alright, sweetheart," Nick said, holding up a small cup of medicine, "time for your medicine."
Maddie wrinkled her nose, clearly not a fan of the idea, but after a moment's hesitation, she opened her mouth and let Nick give her the medicine without a fight. It caught Amelia off guard. She hadn't even noticed Sally had returned until the woman quietly spoke beside her.
"Nick's been giving her the medicine since yesterday. She wouldn't take it from me," Sally admitted, her voice a mix of concern and relief. "I was worried about how I'd get her to take it today."
Amelia blinked, feeling slightly out of place in her own home. "I'll stay home today then," she said, thinking of how she couldn't just leave when Maddie was still recovering.
Nick, wiping his hands on a napkin, turned to her, his eyebrows raised. "Amy, Sally's here. That's why we hired her. We both made sure she's the best person for this," he said calmly. "Besides, we have to head to the office today. Remember?"
"But Maddie—" Amelia began, her voice shaky.
Nick crouched down beside Maddie, brushing a stray hair from her forehead. "Cupcake, you know Sally works here because your mom and I wanted someone great to take care of you and Sean, right?" he asked gently. Maddie nodded, her eyes bright but tired. "So, can you promise me you'll take your medicine with her later?"
Maddie smiled and hooked her pinky with Nick's. "Okay, I promise," she said, and Nick whispered something in her ear that made her giggle softly.
Amelia watched the exchange, her chest tightening. She wasn't sure why seeing Nick like this unsettled her so much. He was good with the kids. Too good, almost. She felt like the ground was shifting beneath her, and she didn't know how to steady herself.
Once things were settled, Amelia reluctantly followed Nick to the car. Today was the day she would officially sign off on the financial support agreement with Nick's company. A few board members would be there to witness it. It felt monumental, and yet, all she could think about was how out of place everything felt.
As they drove, Amelia's mind wandered. The silence in the car was thick, like there were too many unspoken words hanging between them. She bit her lip, gathering the courage to speak.
"Nick, I'm sorry for all the trouble yesterday," she began, her voice small but sincere. "Thank you for—"
"No problem, Amy," Nick cut in casually, like it was nothing. But his tone caught her off guard. There was something different in it. "I saw you with Aiden yesterday."
Amelia's head snapped toward him. "You?" she asked, her eyes wide in surprise.
Nick nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "It's been a while since you two saw each other, right? You probably missed him," he said, his voice calm but with a slight edge. "I figured I'd give you some time with him."
"Nick, it's not what you think," Amelia stammered, her heart racing. "I was just—"
Nick interrupted again, his voice steady but distant. "It's fine, Amy. I know when someone shuts off their phone, they don't want to be disturbed. You and Aiden both had your phones off."
Amelia felt her throat tighten. She hadn't realized he'd noticed. "I was just out for a walk—" she began to explain.
Nick, however, wasn't interested in hearing her out. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, speaking as though he was making peace with something internally. "I've been thinking about our agreement," he said, his voice growing heavier. "I never meant to trap you in a loveless marriage for the rest of your life. I thought… maybe the twins were the result of some one-night stand or something."
Amelia's eyes widened, and she tried to interject, "Nick, they—"
"And I thought my mom pressured you into wanting a divorce. But I think I was wrong about that too," Nick continued, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little tighter as he pulled into the office parking lot.
"Nick," Amelia's voice faltered. Wasn't this what she wanted? A clean break, no drama, no complications?
Nick glanced at her briefly, his expression unreadable. "As I promised, If you've found someone else, someone you really love…" he hesitated, swallowing hard, "once your part is done, we'll finalize the divorce. Just like you asked."
He forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. Amelia sat there, staring at him, her mind spinning. This was what she'd been asking for, wasn't it?
"Good," she said quietly, her voice thick with something she couldn't quite name. "You're being really understanding, Nick."
Nick clenched his jaw, staring straight ahead. His thoughts whirled in a bitter haze. *Understanding my ass!* He mentally scolded himself. *Don't get emotional, Nick. Think rationally. Being single ain't so bad. No more loyalty to anyone, no more ties. Freedom.*
He forced himself to believe it.