The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 436

“Who asked about his family’s drama? I’m asking about Rhys. Rhys himself. How is his health, really? And what’s the deal between you two now?”

Clara’s fingers tightened slightly around the handle of the spatula.

After a moment of silence, she said, “He filed for a transfer. He won’t be a special police officer anymore. The damage to his lungs is irreversible. If he takes good care of himself from now on, he might live a few more years.”

She said it calmly, and Clara figured it was because she was finally willing to face reality.

The other end of the line was quiet for several seconds.

Emily was at a loss for words.

She truly hated the cold shoulder Rhys gave Clara, and she hated his ambiguous attitude even more. But hearing this outcome from Clara’s own lips, Emily’s heart ached.

He had nearly died, and now he had to stand vigil for a dying relative in the hospital while dealing with a pack of relatives, each with their own agenda.

She didn’t know how to comfort Clara.

With matters of the heart, an outsider could never truly intervene or judge whether it was all worth it.

To keep the mood from sinking further, Emily cleared her throat deliberately. “Your life has been one hell of a roller coaster. So are you at home now? Is Felix with you?”

“Yes, he just helped me wash the vegetables. Now he’s staring at the meat in the pot.”

“Alright, you’re making me even more bored cooped up here. My stomach’s rumbling. Hey, Daniel’s getting off work early today, and I really don’t want to eat another one of his healthy meals.”

“Clara, can we come over and crash your dinner?”

Clara knew Emily was worried she’d overthink things being alone with the child at Riverside Court, so she was deliberately coming over to liven things up.

“Fine, but you can’t eat for free. When you get here, have Mr. Reed chop the onions. I hate dealing with things that make my eyes water.”

“No problem! He’s a pro at chopping onions. Even if his eyes are tearing up, he can keep a straight face. We’ll be there in twenty minutes. Wait for us!”

The call ended.

The sky outside had completely darkened. The light snow showed no signs of stopping, instead falling more densely.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost six.

She wondered how things were progressing at the hospital. Had Margot and Veronica West left? Would those people take advantage of Rhys’s fragile state to bother him, to say something awful to provoke him?

Rhys hadn’t slept since yesterday. Could he handle pulling all-nighters like this?

Clara thought for a moment, then opened her messaging app again.

[Your side…]

Before she could finish typing, a call from Rhys popped up on her screen.

Clara quickly answered.

“Okay, I’ll stop,” he said, forcing himself to sound cheerful, ready to end this conversation that left him feeling defeated. “You get some rest, then. I’ll hang up…”

“Stop worrying about me. Remember to take your medicine on time at the hospital.”

Clara’s voice came through again.

“Don’t think it’s okay to skip a dose. No matter how late it is, no matter what they’re arguing about over there, you have to take it when it’s time.”

“If you feel tightness in your chest or can’t breathe, don’t just tough it out. Go find a doctor for a nebulizer treatment. The one thing a hospital isn’t short on is doctors and equipment. Stop worrying about what those people are fighting over. It has nothing to do with you. Your only job right now is to take care of yourself and come home.”

Standing by the window, Rhys’s fingers holding the phone were too stiff to bend. In that instant, his heart began to race wildly.

“If Aunt Mia tells me you’ve collapsed in the hospital again, I won’t bring Felix to see you. Do you hear me?”

Clara knew Rhys’s bad habits all too well.

If she didn’t speak sternly, he would absolutely suppress any discomfort just to avoid troubling others or to keep up a strong front for those ill-intentioned relatives.

A gust of wind blew across Rhys’s hot eyes.

He opened his mouth, realizing his voice was hoarse beyond recognition.

“I hear you.”

A film of moisture welled in Rhys’s eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up uncontrollably. “I promise I’ll take my medicine. Clara, wait for me to come home.”