The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 389

Rhys didn't answer, and Clara didn't press him for one right away.

If he agreed just to placate her, it would be a hollow promise.

"Think about it carefully," Clara said, leaving him with her ultimatum. "I'm going to check on Felix."

As she walked out of the hospital room, her steps grew slower and slower.

She was afraid that stubborn man would actually choose the uniform.

If he did, she would probably have to harden her heart, take Felix, and leave Brighton City without a backward glance. That would be better than watching him march to his death.

Felix was sitting on a bench in the hallway, fiddling with the smartwatch on his wrist.

When he saw Clara emerge, he said, "Mommy, I want to call Daddy Noah."

A lump formed in Clara's throat.

For the past two days, everything had revolved around the man in that hospital room.

Only Noah had quietly retreated to his original position, as if he had never been a part of their lives at all.

She still hadn't figured out how to explain to Felix that some adult relationships, once broken, were broken for good. They could never be as close as they once were.

"Daddy Noah is very busy," Clara said, walking over and resting her palm on her son's head. "He's a doctor. He has to save lives. We shouldn't bother him, okay?"

Felix wasn't convinced by that reason.

"But I saw him," he said, pointing at his watch screen. "His location was right here just now. Daddy Noah is only a little bit away from us."

The children's watch was linked to a few close contacts, allowing parents to check their child's location at any time, and vice versa. Noah was one of them.

Before Clara could react, Felix's little finger had already tapped the screen.

After a few beeps, the call connected.

"Felix?"

Noah's gentle voice came through the speaker. The background was noisy, with sounds of names being called and carts rolling by.

He was definitely in the hospital.

Felix brought the watch to his mouth. "Daddy Noah, I saw your location upstairs. Are you playing hide-and-seek?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end, followed by a low chuckle.

"You're so smart, Felix. You found me," Noah's voice was as gentle as ever. "Daddy Noah wasn't hiding. I just had a little patient to see, which delayed me a bit."

"Are you done now?" Felix asked. "I miss you, and I want to eat cake."

Noah paused for a moment, then said, "Okay. Wait for my signal, and then have Mommy bring you downstairs."

After hanging up, Felix looked triumphant. "See, Mommy? I told you Daddy Noah was here."

Noah looked up. His eyes rested for a moment on her slightly swollen eyelids before he discreetly looked away.

It had only been a few days, but the subtle tension that had always clung to her seemed to have dissipated.

"Hey," Noah said, taking Felix's hand and standing up. His tone was familiar. "It's snowing outside. Are you cold?"

"I'm okay," Clara said. "We've been upstairs the whole time, haven't really been out."

The two of them stood in silence.

Before, when they were together, even silence wasn't awkward. Just a few days ago, they had been talking about marriage.

But now, the unspoken rejection hung between them like a wall. Their entire past had become an untouchable minefield, making even breathing feel cautious.

In the end, it was Noah who spoke first.

"Felix said he wanted cake, so I bought one from the shop next door," he said, bending down to hand her the box from the floor.

Clara looked down at the ribbon on the cake box and said softly, "Thank you."

"Do you still have to be so formal with me?" Noah managed a smile, though it seemed a bit forced. "How's Rhys?"

"His fever's gone down. He seems to be in good spirits."

"That's good. Dr. Black is an authority in respiratory medicine. With him here, as long as Rhys rests and recovers properly, it's not a major issue."