Opal Delarney stood in the nursery doorway, her arms folded tightly across her chest, watching the maid’s hands work with meticulous care as she dressed Junior. Her son giggled as his tiny fists batted at the air, his chubby face glowing with pure innocence. The sound should have softened her—once, it might have—but now it only deepened the knot in her stomach.
He was beautiful, her son. Perfect in every way. His wide, dark eyes mirrored her own, his chubby cheeks and soft olive skin an unmistakable testament to her lineage. And yet, when she looked at him, there was always something else lingering just beneath the surface. A whisper of unease. A truth she couldn’t let anyone uncover.
“Careful with his coat,” she snapped, her tone sharper than she intended. The maid flinched but didn’t m
