Men? No Kidding

Chapter 4

Chloe clenched her fists and retreated to the bedroom.

In the following days, Daniel was constantly shuttling between home and the hospital. Finally, he brought the baby back to the Murphy family.

Chloe looked at the child, instinctively taking a step back.

"Chloe, do you want to hold her?" Daniel asked gently, carefully cradling the baby.

The infant, tiny and swaddled snugly in a blanket, looked so fragile.

Chloe hesitated before reaching out. When Daniel placed the baby in her arms, she was taken aback by how light the child was—almost weightless. The memory of her own lost child came rushing back, leaving her hands trembling.

The baby let out a loud wail, perhaps sensing Chloe's unease.

Madison immediately took the baby back. "I know you don't like her, but she's still Daniel's child. If you can't love her like your own, at least don't scare her!"

"Mom, Chloe would never do that," Daniel said firmly, though a flicker of tension crossed his face.

That evening, after Chloe had finished her bath and was drying her hair, Daniel slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His hands roamed under her bathrobe, a familiar warmth that Chloe found herself resisting.

He hoisted her up onto the dressing table, leaning in for a kiss. Staring at his sharp, familiar features, she couldn't help but think of how those same lips might've kissed someone else. She turned her head aside. "Not tonight. I'm not in the mood."

Daniel stroked her damp hair and whispered, "That's okay, Chloe. I can wait."

Before the accident, their intimacy had been effortless and fulfilling. But since then, her body wasn't the same, and their bedroom life had dwindled. Daniel always claimed it didn't matter, but she knew he was holding back for her sake.

The next day, Madison hired a nanny for the baby.

Just as Chloe was heading out, Madison introduced the new helper. "This is Susan. You're busy with work, so she'll be taking care of the baby from now on."

Chloe's gaze swept over the young woman. Susan had a bright, attractive face and an hourglass figure that would draw anyone's attention.

"Mrs. Murphy, you can count on me to take care of everything," Susan Martin said with a polite smile.

Chloe nodded faintly and left the house without a word.

Her father's sixtieth birthday was only a few days away. Chloe met up with a few friends to shop for the perfect gift. After picking one out, they decided to grab coffee and catch up.

"Back in the day, your Daniel couldn't go thirty minutes without calling to check on you," one of them teased. "What's he so busy with today?"

Chloe took a sip of her coffee, her lips curling into a bitter smile. "He's probably up to his ears with the baby."

"Baby?"

The group exchanged stunned looks, fully aware of how touchy the subject of children had always been for Chloe and Daniel.

"You should congratulate me," Chloe said with a wry chuckle. "I'm a mom now—without all the labor pains."

By evening, she returned to the Murphy villa. As she walked in, Daniel was coming down the stairs, with Susan following closely behind, holding the baby.

"Mrs. Murphy," Susan greeted warmly, though there was a hint of nervousness in her tone.

Daniel's face lit up the moment he saw Chloe. "Chloe, have you eaten yet?"

"I'm not hungry," Chloe said flatly, brushing past him to head upstairs.

On the way, her eyes flicked to the baby sleeping soundly in Susan's arms. But what caught her attention was a damp spot on Susan's chest—milk stains.

Noticing Chloe's gaze, Susan quickly adjusted her hold on the baby, pulling the child closer to her chest.

In the bedroom, Chloe lit a cigarette. The act was deliberate, a small rebellion against everything closing in on her.

Moments later, Daniel entered, plucking the cigarette from her fingers and snuffing it out. "There's an auction tomorrow. Let's go together and pick something special for Dad's birthday."

"I've already bought something," Chloe replied coolly, her tone distant.

Daniel moved closer, his sudden proximity suffocating. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her face away. Frustrated, he cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His voice cracked with emotion.

"Chloe, please. Don't look at me like that. It's killing me."