The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 442

The bright morning light left the exhaustion on his face with nowhere to hide. The dark circles under his eyes were even more pronounced than before, and he looked pale.

Clara lowered her gaze, not mentioning how she’d ended up in bed last night or asking him how long he had actually slept.

"No, I just woke up on my own." Clara took the plate from Felix and walked toward the dining room. "After you eat, take your medicine and go back to bed to get some rest."

Rhys followed her, listening to her instructions without a hint of protest.

"Okay," he agreed readily.

Felix walked between them, glancing from his mother's cool expression to his surprisingly compliant father. He felt that today felt even more like a family than yesterday.

By the time Clara had washed up and returned, the father and son were already seated at the dining table, but neither had started eating. They were waiting for her.

Clara pulled out a chair and sat down. Her eyes immediately fell on Rhys's plate.

It held nothing but a single, dry piece of toast. No egg, no vegetables, and certainly no ham.

Compared to her and Felix’s hearty breakfast, his looked downright pitiful.

Clara frowned. "Is that all you're eating?"

Rhys nodded.

He had been truly exhausted these past couple of days, feeling a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath that had killed his appetite.

"I'm not very hungry. I can't eat much right now, I'll have more at lunch." He smiled at her, his expression open. "Don't worry, I promised you I wouldn't mess around with my health. I'll go to sleep right after I take my medicine."

His uncharacteristic directness and obedience left Clara with no opening for the lecture she had prepared, so she decided not to press the issue.

"About Grandpa's affairs, do they need your help today?" she asked, changing the subject.

He wished that name would simply vanish from Clara's world forever.

The mere thought of the four years Noah had spent by Clara's side, of every little moment they shared, made his chest tighten.

He worried that once she was at the airport, watching that gentle, considerate man walk away, her heart would soften and she'd regret her choice to stay with him.

But if Clara, mindful of his feelings, chose not to see him one last time, to forgo a proper goodbye, he knew that a part of her would be left with a permanent, unfillable void. That was just her nature.

He had already put her through so much. He didn't want to use his own selfish desires to dictate her choices anymore.

He knew perfectly well that in his current position, he had no right to interfere with her relationships and was in no condition to compete with Noah. Yet, he still couldn't stop himself from asking the question.

Clara's eyes were fixed on his face.

"Do you want me to go?"