The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 164

Dr. Ward smiled and pressed a few buttons on the machine.

A rhythmic, swishing sound suddenly filled the quiet room.

Clara's breath hitched. She turned her head to look at the grainy, blurry shape on the screen.

"Hear that?" Dr. Ward pointed to a flickering speck of light on the monitor with a smile. "That's the fetal heartbeat. 162 beats per minute. Very strong. The little one is growing well."

A lump formed in Clara's throat, and tears welled up in her eyes. This was the sound of another heart beating inside her body. The nausea, the grievances, and the fear of the last few days were all healed in this instant by that powerful rhythm. It was telling her that it was okay. It was fighting to grow.

Outside the curtain, Noah's expression softened as he listened to the sound. "Congratulations," he murmured softly.

When the exam was over, Clara adjusted her clothes and walked out clutching the ultrasound printout. Noah handed her a tissue.

"Clean your tears."

Clara dabbed at her face, embarrassed, then looked down at the tiny gestational sac on the paper. "It looks like a peanut."

Noah leaned in to take a look and chuckled. "Yeah. A very strong peanut."

He checked his watch. "Let's leave through the back door. My car is in the underground lot. I'll drive the peanut home to get settled, then come back to the hospital."

Clara agreed and folded the printout into her bag. Just as they were about to exit the room, a commotion erupted outside again.

"Stop! Don't run!"

A roar was followed by the sound of chaotic running and a crash as a trolley was overturned.

"What's going on?" Dr. Ward frowned.

Having subdued the suspect, Rhys took a breath and instinctively looked up, scanning his surroundings.

Noah stood in the doorway, his expression frosty. But behind Noah, a figure in a beige coat was walking quickly back into the room, turning away from him.

That back...

The color of the coat. The silhouette.

Rhys's gaze locked onto her, and the grip on the suspect's arm involuntarily loosened. It was too similar. It looked exactly like Clara on the day she turned and walked away from City Hall after signing the papers, wrapped in that thick scarf.

He spoke without thinking, his voice trembling.

"C-Clara?"