Nathaniel looked down at his daughter, then at Maya. Something flickered in his expression—confusion, hesitation, and then… defeat.

He handed Lily back.

The baby curled into Maya’s chest instantly, like her body remembered where safety lived. In less than thirty seconds, the crying stopped. Only a few hiccupping sobs remained before she drifted into fragile sleep.

Maya sat back onto the rug, rocking gently, murmuring without thinking. “I got you. I got you, little one.”

Nathaniel stood there, silent, watching.

No one spoke for the rest of the night, but the air in the house felt colder.