The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 313

Faint noises drifted in from outside—Clara's mom trying to persuade her guests to stay, followed by Daniel and Emily saying their goodbyes.

Not long after, there were sounds of movement downstairs.

The new sofa had arrived.

Clara listened to the noises, wanting to get up and wash her face, to pretend nothing had happened. But her legs were numb from squatting, so she just sat on the floor.

The door was knocked on twice before being pushed open without waiting for her response.

Noah stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the light.

Clara glanced at him, certain her eyes were swollen from crying, and buried her face in her knees again.

Noah closed the door behind him and walked over, squatting down beside her.

"Daniel and Emily left."

With her head down, Clara managed a muffled, nasal "Mmm."

"The sofa's here. Just got set up. I checked it out, the color is a perfect match," Noah said casually, sticking to mundane topics. "Eloise is asking if we want mushroom soup for dinner, and Felix mentioned he wants to take Orange to get his shots. Looks like we're keeping the little guy."

Clara took a shaky breath, her chest tight. She finally lifted her head. "I'm not hungry."

"You skipped lunch. You can't skip dinner too," Noah said with a smile, pulling a tissue from the box on the desk to wipe her tears. "Your uncle mentioned the company's annual gala is next month. Are you trying to lose weight?"

He didn't ask what Daniel had said to her, just smoothly moved past the topic with a few simple words.

He was always like that—emotionally stable, never prone to dramatic waves, capable of wrapping up any problem in the gentle routine of daily life.

A wise man never gazes into the abyss, but no one knew the melancholy in Noah's heart.

Looking at her, at the red circles around her eyes, Noah's heart ached with tenderness.

"Are your legs asleep?" Noah asked.

Clara nodded.

"Here, slowly now." Noah slipped his hands under her arms and, with a bit of effort, lifted her from the floor.

The pins and needles made Clara wince. She lost her balance, and her forehead bumped against Noah's shoulder.

He instinctively wrapped an arm around her back, his palm gently rubbing her shoulder blades, just like he did when comforting Felix.

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