Chapter 36: The Man Who Defended Her

Charlotte stiffened.

The air in the room seemed to turn colder.

Before anyone could speak, Morgan took a deliberate step forward and positioned himself beside Isobel.

Not in front of her but beside her. The gesture was subtle, yet it spoke volumes.

His tall frame radiated quiet authority, creating an invisible barrier between Isobel and Charlotte’s hostility.

"Her milk is feeding my twins."

His voice was calm. The kind of calm that made people instinctively tread carefully.

Morgan’s gaze settled on Charlotte, and for the first time, she felt the full weight of his attention.

It was sharp. Cold. Unforgiving.

His next words fell with surgical precision.

"If my babies are filthy, Miss Harris, then what exactly does that make the milk your precious Baby Alex happily drank?"

Charlotte’s face instantly flushed crimson.

The nannies lowered their heads, their shoulders trembling as they fought to keep their expressions neutral.

Even Pamela looked away, afraid her smile might betray her.

Charlotte opened her mouth, but no words came out. For once, she had none.

Beside Charlotte, Kristoff’s brows drew together. His gaze shifted between Morgan and Isobel.

A strange unease settled in his chest.

What did Morgan mean?

He knew Morgan’s wife had fallen into a coma shortly after giving birth. Everyone in their social circle knew the story.

But what did that have to do with Isobel?

Then realization struck.

His eyes narrowed. Was Isobel nursing Morgan’s twins?

The thought landed harder than it should have.

An unfamiliar tightness gripped his chest.

Images he didn’t want to imagine flashed through his mind—Isobel holding Morgan’s children, soothing them, feeding them, spending her days in Morgan’s home.

The sensation was irrational and unwelcomed, yet impossible to ignore.

Charlotte finally recovered enough to speak.

"That isn’t what I meant, Mr. Foster."

Her voice had lost much of its earlier arrogance and turned gentle.

"I wasn’t aware she was serving as your twins’ wet nurse."

The moment the words left her mouth, she reached for Kristoff’s arm and wrapped her fingers around it possessively.

As though reminding everyone exactly who stood at his side. As though reminding herself.

Kristoff felt the pressure of her grip but barely registered it.

His eyes remained fixed on Isobel.

Three months.

Three months without seeing her.

And now every new revelation seemed to pull her farther away from the woman he thought he knew.

"It was a misunderstanding, Morgan."

His tone was cool and professional, the same voice he used during boardroom negotiations. But something in his expression betrayed him.

His gaze lingered on Isobel a second too long.

Long enough for Morgan to notice.

Long enough for Charlotte’s stomach to twist.

Long enough for Isobel to feel it.

And for a brief moment, neither of them looked away.

...

A baby’s cry suddenly pierced the tense silence.

It was Kirsten.

The little girl scrunched up her face, her tiny fists waving in the air as the first wail escaped her lips.

Before the crying could escalate, Pamela moved with practiced ease and placed Kirsten into Isobel’s arms.

The effect was immediate. As though someone had flipped a switch. The crying stopped.

Kirsten snuggled against Isobel’s chest, her tiny body relaxing instantly. Isobel gently rocked her from side to side, humming softly under her breath.

The baby gave an adorable yawn. Then her eyelids fluttered shut. Within seconds, she was asleep.

The scene was so natural it was almost startling.

Kristoff’s hands slowly curled into fists. His jaw tightened.

Standing beside Morgan with a baby nestled in her arms, Isobel looked every bit the picture of a wife and mother.

A family.

And for reasons he refused to examine, he hated the sight.

The sound of the emcee’s voice suddenly echoed through the speakers installed throughout the venue.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please proceed to the main ballroom. We will now begin the cake-cutting ceremony as we celebrate Baby Alex’s third month."

The crowd immediately began moving.

Charlotte’s grip on Kristoff’s arm tightened.

Instinctively, Kristoff tore his gaze away from Isobel and guided Charlotte toward the main ballroom.

Behind them, mothers gathered their children while nannies hurried after their employers carrying babies, diaper bags, and bottles.

Yet while his feet moved forward, Kristoff’s thoughts remained trapped behind him.

With her.

So this was why he couldn’t find her. She had been with the Fosters all along.

The realization stirred something unpleasant inside him.

Months ago, Isobel had told him she wanted a fresh start after giving birth.

A real job. A normal life.

He had known exactly what she was asking. She wanted to work at Dalton Technologies. She wanted a chance.

And he had deliberately ignored her. At the time, he told himself it was for the best.

Allowing her into the company would only keep their lives intertwined. It would complicate his future with Charlotte.

It would create unnecessary problems in the future.

So he kept his distance. But he never imagined she would end up here.

Working for another family. Caring for another man’s children.

Didn’t he leave her enough money? Why would she choose this?

The questions gnawed at him relentlessly.

It took every ounce of self-control not to turn around and look for her again.

"Kristoff."

Charlotte’s voice broke through his thoughts.

He looked down.

"What is it?"

A trace of worry clouded her expression.

"What if Alex starts crying again later? You know how difficult he is when he gets upset."

Kristoff squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Don’t worry." His voice softened and his cold gaze turned gentle.

"I’m here. I’ll calm him down."

Charlotte’s face brightened instantly. She leaned slightly closer to him. For the first time that afternoon, she felt relieved.

The last thing she wanted was for that nuisance to start one of his infamous crying fits in front of so many influential guests.

Soon, the Dalton family was invited onto the stage.

A magnificent three-tier cake was wheeled into the center of the ballroom amid applause.

Each tier represented a stage of Alex’s first three months of life.

The candles flickered beneath the dazzling lights.

Kristoff and Charlotte stood together and blew them out.

The crowd applauded.

Then Henry and Mary stepped forward and sliced the cake while cameras flashed from every direction.

Throughout the celebration, however, Kristoff found his attention drifting elsewhere.

To one woman.

Isobel...