The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 502

Rhys took his seat right after her.

Just as he picked up his silverware, he noticed a steaming bowl of hearty broth placed where his empty plate had been.

"Drink some hot soup. It'll soothe your throat," Clara said, turning to him with a gentle smile.

Rhys lifted the bowl and took a sip.

The warm liquid slid down his tight, parched throat, forcefully subduing the lingering metallic tickle.

The conversation around the table shifted to the holiday specials on television. Mia laughed as she complained to Clara's mom about a boring comedy sketch they'd watched the night before, while Mason and Clara's dad discussed a brand-new fishing rod.

Nobody had a clue what had transpired during Rhys's brief trip to the bathroom, and no one noticed his slightly pale complexion.

Except for Felix.

The little boy sat with his spoon suspended mid-air, a half-eaten chicken nugget forgotten.

He tilted his head, looking from his dad sipping the soup, over to his mom, his big eyes blinking owlishly.

Ever since his dad came back from the bathroom, the vibe between his parents felt weird.

Felix couldn't put it into words.

His mouth opened to ask.

But seeing the tight, strained look on his mom's smiling face, he swallowed his question and quietly ate the rest of his food.

As dinner wrapped up, everyone pushed their plates away.

Clara kept smiling, her voice perfectly steady as she chatted with Mia.

When Wendy mentioned that Nellie had recently learned to sing, Clara even let out an exaggerated gasp of delight. "Really? That's amazing!"

Yet beneath the table, Clara's left hand was gripping Rhys's right hand with crushing force.

She held on so tightly it actually hurt his palm.

He didn't pull away. He let her hold him, silently rubbing his thumb soothingly over the back of her hand again and again.

Around four in the afternoon, Mia and her family prepared to head out, citing evening plans.

Mason patted Clara's dad on the shoulder. "Alright, buddy, it's a date. Once the holidays wrap up, we'll hit that new lake and see if they're biting."

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