The loud growl echoed off the marble countertops.

Edward's hand froze mid-air. He looked down at the cashmere bundle, his expression twisting into a mix of disbelief and deep annoyance.

Hayley wanted the floor to swallow her whole. Being wrapped like a mummy made the humiliation ten times worse. She blinked up at him, trying to look apologetic.

But the hunger was real. Her infant stomach contracted painfully, and the damp, cold diaper was making her skin crawl. The adult logic in her brain tried to suppress it, but the biological demands of the baby body won.

Her lower lip trembled. A small, pathetic whimper escaped her throat.

The whimper quickly escalated. Within seconds, Hayley was crying loudly, her face scrunching up in genuine distress.

Edward dragged his hands down his face. The noise was drilling directly into his skull. He leaned over the counter, getting right in her face.

"Cry one more time," he hissed, his voice dropping to a lethal, quiet register, "and I will throw you in the dumpster downstairs."

The sheer malice in his eyes triggered Hayley's adult survival instincts.

She gasped, choking on her own spit. The crying stopped instantly. Not a slow fade, but a sudden, unnatural silence.

She held her breath, her chest frozen, her eyes wide with terror.

Edward narrowed his eyes. The sudden silence was too perfect. Too calculated.

He leaned closer, his face inches from hers. His gray-blue eyes searched her face, analyzing the fear in her expression.

"You..." he started, his voice slow and dangerous. "You understand what I'm saying, don't you?"

System Warning! the voice in Hayley's head screamed. Identity compromise imminent! If he suspects adult cognition, you will be institutionalized!

Cold sweat broke out on Hayley's forehead. She had to fix this. She had to act like a stupid, irrational baby.

She sucked in a massive breath and let out an ear-splitting, chaotic shriek.

She thrashed her body wildly inside the cashmere blanket, kicking her legs and shaking her head from side to side. She forced the tears to flow like a river, screaming with zero rhythm or reason.

Edward flinched hard, slapping his hands over his ears. The sheer volume of the noise shattered his suspicion. No rational being, adult or otherwise, would make a sound that obnoxious.

He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. Arguing with a baby was pointless.

He pushed off the counter and stalked over to the massive kitchen island. He stared at the row of high-tech bottle warmers, sterilizers, and formula dispensers like they were alien artifacts.

He grabbed a plastic bottle. He didn't bother checking the instructions. He turned on the hot water tap, filled the bottle halfway, and grabbed the tin of formula.

He scooped three massive, unmeasured spoonfuls of powder into the water. He screwed the cap on, barely twisting it tight, and shook it violently.

He walked back to the bar, his face set in a grimace. He grabbed Hayley's chin with his large hand, squeezing her cheeks to force her mouth open.

He shoved the nipple in.

The water was too hot, and the powder had formed thick, gooey clumps that immediately blocked the hole. Hayley sucked hard, but nothing came out.

She gagged on the hot plastic, spitting the nipple out. She let out a furious yell, glaring at him.

Edward scowled. He pulled the bottle back and looked at the nipple. Seeing the blockage, he shook the bottle again, harder this time.

Because the cap wasn't screwed on properly, the pressure forced the hot, sticky milk out.

A stream of white liquid shot through the air and hit Edward directly on the bridge of his nose.

Edward stopped breathing.

He froze, the warm, sticky liquid dripping slowly down his nose and splashing onto his lips. For a terrifying second, the urge to follow through on his threat and hurl the offending creature across the room was overwhelming. His hands twitched with dark intent. But then he looked down. The baby was blinking up at him in pure, unadulterated confusion, her tiny hands grasping at the empty air where the bottle used to be. The sheer, ridiculous absurdity of the situation slammed into him, forcefully deflating his murderous rage into a long, agonizingly suffering sigh.

He wiped the milk off his face with the back of his hand. He tightened the cap until the plastic creaked, shook it once more, and shoved it back into Hayley's mouth.

It tasted awful. It was gritty and too warm. But Hayley was starving. She clamped her gums down and drank greedily, the loud swallowing sounds filling the quiet room.

Edward watched her eat. The tension in his shoulders slowly drained away. He let out a long, heavy sigh, resting his forehead against his hand.

Hayley sucked the last drop of the clumpy formula down. She pulled off the nipple and let out a loud, satisfying burp. The heavy weight of the milk in her stomach immediately triggered a wave of intense exhaustion. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she fell asleep almost instantly.

Edward stared at the empty bottle in his hand. He tossed it into the stainless steel sink with a loud clatter. It felt like he had just negotiated a hostile takeover.

He turned back to the bar. Hayley was fast asleep, wrapped tight in the ruined cashmere.

But the smell was still there. The faint, sharp odor of urine lingered in the air, scratching at his germaphobia.

There was absolutely no way he was changing a diaper.

He pulled his phone from his robe pocket and dialed his executive assistant, Corinne.

It was 2:00 AM. She answered on the second ring, her voice crisp and wide awake. "Mr. McClure. What do you need?"

"Fire the entire domestic staff," Edward ordered, his voice flat. "All of them."

"Understood," Corinne replied without missing a beat. "Severance will be wired by morning. Reason for termination?"

"Gross negligence," Edward snapped. "I need a new team. Specifically, a head nanny with a pediatric nursing degree and a Level One background check."

"I'll have a premium childcare team at the penthouse in thirty minutes." Corinne promised.

Edward hung up. He didn't look at Hayley again. He walked straight up the stairs, locked himself in his master bathroom, and turned the shower on scalding hot.

Hayley slept through the noise. The exhaustion of the infant body kept her under until a soft, warm sensation woke her up.

She opened her eyes. The cold marble counter was gone. She was lying in a brand-new, pristine crib. The wet, uncomfortable diaper had been replaced, and she was wearing a soft, dry cotton sleep sack.

A middle-aged woman in a crisp, gray uniform stood over her, holding a digital thermometer.

The woman smiled warmly. "Good morning, little angel. I'm Martha, your new nanny."

Hayley looked around. The nursery had been completely reorganized. Everything was spotless, and the air smelled faintly of lavender.

System update, the voice chimed in her head. Edward utilized his wealth to replace the entire staff at 3:00 AM.

Martha logged the temperature on an iPad. Hayley's stomach gave a small rumble. The terrible formula from last night hadn't lasted long.

Martha immediately walked over to the prep station to mix a fresh, perfectly measured bottle.

The nursery door opened.

Edward walked in. He was dressed in a flawless navy-blue bespoke suit, his tie perfectly knotted, his hair slicked back. He looked like a man ready to conquer the world.

He adjusted his cufflinks, his cold eyes sweeping over the clean room before landing on Martha.

Martha bowed her head respectfully. "Mr. McClure. The young miss's vitals are normal. I am preparing her morning feed."

Edward gave a short, dismissive nod. He turned on his heel, ready to leave for the office.

Warning! the system blared. Mandatory bonding task initiated. Do not let him leave without interaction!

Hayley panicked. She kicked her legs hard, throwing off the light blanket. She took a deep breath and let out a sharp, loud, "Ah!"

The sound cracked through the quiet room.

Edward's foot hovered over the threshold. He froze, his back stiffening.

Edward's foot slowly lowered to the floor. He turned around, his brow furrowed in deep irritation.

He stared at the small, pink bundle in the crib, waving her arms frantically. He assumed she had soiled herself again.

He looked at Martha, his voice dripping with impatience. "What is wrong with her now?"

Martha, completely unphased by his tone, smiled gently. "Mr. McClure, I believe she is asking for a morning hug before you leave."

The words "morning hug" hit Edward like a physical blow. His face went completely blank, his body stiffening as if Martha had suggested he jump out the window.

Hayley knew she had to sell it. She pushed herself up slightly, extending both her chubby arms directly toward Edward. She opened her mouth and gave him the widest, most toothless smile she could muster.

Edward stared at her. His mind instantly flashed back to the warm, spreading stain of urine on his suit the night before. He took a distinct step backward, his body physically rejecting the idea.

Task failing, the system warned. Target is retreating.

Hayley cursed internally. She dropped the smile. She squeezed her eyes tight, forcing a massive pool of tears to form. Her lower lip jutted out, trembling violently.

The instantaneous shift from a bright smile to utter heartbreak caught Edward off guard. The cold, mechanical rhythm of his heart stuttered.

Martha stepped in, her tone perfectly professional. "Infants who lack physical contact from their primary caregiver often develop severe separation anxiety. It can lead to deep-seated behavioral issues later in life."

The clinical terminology worked. Edward's brain processed "behavioral issues" as "future liabilities."

He let out a harsh breath, treating the situation like a necessary, unpleasant business transaction.

He walked slowly toward the crib. He reached down, his large, manicured hands hesitating before slipping under her armpits.

The moment his skin brushed against her cotton sleep sack, a shocking amount of heat transferred to his palms.

Edward tensed, but he didn't pull away. He lifted her up, holding her stiffly in front of him.

Hayley didn't waste a second. As soon as she was high enough, she threw her arms around his neck, locking her hands together.

She dropped her head forward, pressing her soft, warm cheek directly against his expensive silk tie. She nuzzled into his chest, letting out a soft, contented sigh.

The absolute trust in the gesture sent a jolt of electricity straight through Edward's chest.

His rigid spine relaxed for a fraction of a second. A strange, tight sensation bloomed in his throat. It was an emotion he couldn't name, and it terrified him.

His right hand twitched. He almost brought it up to cup the back of her small head.

Then, logic slammed back into him.

He was losing control.

Edward's eyes widened in panic. He grabbed Hayley by the waist and practically peeled her off his chest. He shoved her into Martha's waiting arms with frantic speed.

Hayley grunted at the sudden loss of gravity, but as she looked up, she saw a faint, undeniable flush creeping up the back of Edward's neck.

Edward aggressively smoothed down his tie, coughing to clear the tightness in his throat. His voice was harder and colder than usual. "Watch her. I likely won't be back tonight."

He turned and practically sprinted out of the nursery, desperate to put walls between himself and the terrifying vulnerability he had just felt.

Martha held Hayley, watching the billionaire flee. A small, knowing smile touched the nanny's lips.

Ding! the system chimed. Emotional barrier breached. Survival crisis temporarily averted.