The nanny fell silent.
Edward stayed where he was.
For perhaps ten seconds, no one moved.
Then Olly stepped forward.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Ruby stays.”
Mrs.
Thompson’s face drained of color.
Edward’s eyes filled instantly.
He did not move toward his son.
He had finally learned.
Liam took one step after his brother.
“Please.”
Ruby pressed her lips together as tears gathered in her eyes.
Edward nodded.
“Okay.”
Olly searched his father’s face, waiting for more.
There was none.
No demand for another sentence.
No celebration.
Just acceptance.
The tension in Olly’s shoulders eased.
Mrs.
Thompson looked from the children to Edward.
“You cannot base household decisions on two frightened children trying to keep someone who entertains them.”
Edward slowly stood.
“I’m not.”
He returned to his desk.
“I’m basing my decision on what I have watched for three days.”
He pointed toward the monitor.
“They approach Ruby voluntarily.
She gives them space.
They leave whenever they want.
She doesn’t ask them to speak.
She doesn’t reward speech.
She doesn’t punish silence.”
Mrs.
Thompson’s expression tightened.
“And what exactly have you watched me do?”
Edward hesitated.
That question mattered.
He opened another section of the security archive.
He had not planned to examine Mrs.
Thompson’s interactions when he first began watching the footage.
But once he started noticing the twins around Ruby, he had also started noticing how differently they moved around the other adults in the mansion.
A recording from breakfast appeared.
Mrs.
Thompson placed two bowls on the table.
“Sit straight.”
The boys adjusted.
“Olly, spoon.
Liam, napkin.”
They obeyed.
Nothing in the scene was cruel.
Nothing was abusive.
But nothing was warm either.
