Chapter 3

The ride to Liam’s house was quiet, but Samantha’s full attention was on Beatrice. The tiny girl was just too adorable, her delicate features, her soft breaths, and the occasional way she wrinkled her nose. Samantha couldn't stop staring at her.

When they arrived, the sun was already sinking lower in the sky. The afternoon light bathed the house in a warm glow, but just as Liam parked the car, Beatrice’s face scrunched up feeling the jolt, and she let out a sudden wail.

Samantha immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to the baby. “Shh, sweetheart, it’s okay,” she cooed, gently bouncing her in her arms as she alighted.

Liam’s brows furrowed as panic flashed across his face. “Why is she crying? Does she have a headache?” His voice was laced with worry.

Samantha glanced at him and shook her head. “Probably just the change in environment. Newborns don’t adjust well to sudden shifts.”

She continued rocking Beatrice, humming softly, but the baby wouldn’t stop crying. Liam, still frowning, pulled out his phone and started typing furiously. “Reasons why a newborn suddenly starts crying…” he murmured, scrolling through the different answers.

“Here, this one says she might be uncomfortable because of her diaper.”

Samantha’s hand touched Beatrice’s diaper to check. “Yeah, it's wet,” she confirmed. They both rushed inside and Samantha shifted the baby onto her lap, already reaching for the bag of supplies from the hospital to change it.

Liam carried it in.

He watched as Samantha effortlessly changed the diaper, handling Beatrice with an ease that left him staring.

“Have you taken care of a baby before?” he asked, genuinely curious.

Samantha nodded, her expression soft. “My sister. Our mom was really sick after giving birth to her, so I took care of her until she…passed away.”

“My condolences.”

Samantha glanced at him, flashing a bright smile that revealed her dimples. “It’s fine.”

For a moment, Liam just stared. She really did have a beautiful smile. He recalled her reason for taking this surrogacy job, her sister’s school fees. She had been clamoring about it when Gianna wasn't in support of her carrying the child, she looked too thin then.

But now, she looks to have put on some weight. And despite everything she had been through, she still smiled so genuinely. He couldn’t help but admire her resilience.

Beatrice’s crying had softened to small whimpers. Samantha lifted her. “I’m going to wash her up a little,” she said.

Liam nodded and led her to the guest room’s bathroom, trailing behind her. He stood near the door, arms crossed, watching as she expertly wiped Beatrice down with onesies.

“You’re really good at this,” He commented as she carefully ran the cloth over Beatrice’s tiny fingers. Samantha glanced up at him with a small smile.

“I had a lot of practice with my sister.” He nodded, remembering what she had told him earlier. He kept staring at them, watching how Beatrice snuggled into Samantha’s chest once she was dressed up.

“She likes you,” He said after a moment.

Samantha turned to him, before looking down at the baby who was searching for her food.

“She wants to eat,” She told him and Liam glanced at her, his brows furrowing.

“But she ate at the hospital a while ago. Feeding her again, won't that cause overeating?” He expressed his concern.

Samantha shook her head gently, “Newborns have tiny stomachs. They can’t hold much milk at once, so they eat frequently to meet their nutritional needs.”

“That makes sense.” He stepped back slightly. “Go ahead then,” He told her, waiting to see how his daughter eats.

Samantha stared at him, did he mean she should feed the baby in front of him? She gulped, adjusting on the bed.

“You just said she has a tiny stomach. Why aren’t you feeding her?” He asked after waiting for a moment.

Samantha’s throat went dry. How was she supposed to tell him to leave without making it awkward? She cleared her throat. “I am going to, but you need to excuse us.”

Liam opened his mouth to talk before realization dawned on him. He exhaled sharply and rubbed his temple.

“Right. Got it.” Without another word, he turned and left the room. The moment the door closed, she sighed in relief, adjusted her top, exposing her left breast before guiding Beatrice to latch on. The baby latched immediately, suckling eagerly.

She chuckled softly, running a finger over Beatrice’s cheek. “You were that hungry, darling?”

The baby continued eating, her tiny hands resting against Samantha’s skin. Warmth filled her chest. She was grateful for this moment. But then, her thoughts drifted to Mrs. Carter.

What could have been so important that she wasn’t here for her own child?

No… our baby. She played an important role too.

From the brighter side, she got to spend some time with her. Even having to get paid, live in a fancy house and no worries about other bills.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

“Are you done?” Liam’s voice came from the other side.

“No,” she called out.

Silence followed. But less than two minutes later, he knocked again. Samantha rolled her eyes, knowing that he eagerly wants to spend some time with his daughter.

She hurriedly pulling her top down to cover herself, adjusting her bra. Beatrice was still licking her lips, she will continue eating later.

Liam entered, his gaze on his daughter, with the help of a blanket, Samantha cradled her into his arms. He left the room shortly after, and she also left to arrange the room given to her.