The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 135

Clara stayed in the hospital for a week.

The attending physician came in the morning to review her latest blood work.

"The levels have stabilized. The little one has a strong will to live. But you still need to be careful this month. Go for a walk in the garden downstairs, get some sun. Being cooped up inside isn't good for your mental state."

Clara nodded.

Simon had practically moved into the hospital these past few days. Wrapping his coat around himself, he came over to help her up. "Let’s go. Your humble servant will now escort Her Highness downstairs for a stroll."

The snow in the garden had mostly melted. Clara sat on a bench, watching a boy of about three or four running on the grass nearby.

The boy ran in circles before crashing headfirst into the arms of a young man following him.

The man laughed, picking the boy up and lifting him high above his head.

Clara touched her lower abdomen.

If it were Rhys, would he laugh and lift the child up like that?

Clara didn't think so.

He would frown, brush the dirt off the child’s clothes, and say indifferently, "Be careful. Don't make your mother worry."

"Zoning out again?" Simon snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Come back to earth."

Today was the last day of the holidays.

It was also the deadline she had previously set for Rhys.

She no longer tried to prove Rhys had cheated, nor did she obsess over what exactly happened in that hotel room.

It was meaningless now.

Some truths were like a rotten tooth. Pulling it out would cause bleeding, but if you didn't pull it, it would hurt for a lifetime.

In the evening, fireworks exploded high in the sky.

Simon hadn't seen Alex recently, so he was hiding in the suite's outer room on a video call.

Clara stood by the window watching. Her finger traced the word "Go" in the condensation on the glass.

Simon returned at that exact moment. Quick as a flash, he snatched the phone, signaled Clara to leave it to him, and answered with a loud voice:

"Hey!!"

Clara's mom paused on the other end. "Simon? Where is Clara? Why are you answering her phone?"

"Clara is super busy right now! Our company is doing a special late-night holiday stream. She's helping me proofread the script—she's so buried in work she can't even look up."

As he spoke, he winked dramatically at Clara.

"You guys really never stop, even for the holidays," her mom said with concern. "How is Clara lately? Is she feeling any better?"

"With me around, obviously she's doing fantastic! Auntie, young people these days are all about making money. Once this busy spell is over, she's definitely coming back to bring you a Hermès bag!"

"I don't want a Hermès bag; I just want her to be safe and sound. Simon, keep an eye on her for me. She always reports the good news and hides the bad. If anything happens, you tell me secretly."

Clara sat to the side, listening to the trivial, loving fussing over the phone, her eyes turning a messy red.

Simon kept up the banter for several more minutes before finally coaxing her mom into hanging up happily.