The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 70

Noah put his hand back in his pocket. "Pediatrics. You don't qualify."

Simon immediately countered, "That's fine, my mental age is three. Besides, when I have kids in the future, I can bring them to you."

"You can," Noah said in a flat tone. "But appointments are hard to get. I suggest booking two weeks in advance."

With that, he gave a slight nod to Clara. "You guys chat. I have to go."

Simon watched his retreating figure and tutted twice. "Those legs, that physique. Clara, I think I'm in love again."

"You better think about how you're going to explain this to Alex."

Clara turned to head back. "He's the Director of Pediatrics, specializing in disobedient children. You need to book an appointment to get your brain checked."

"You're ruthless," Simon followed her. "But that doctor is way easier on the eyes than Rhys. He didn't even give me a cold face."

Clara laughed. "Rhys hasn't given you a cold face either."

Hearing this, Simon's eyebrows shot up.

"Princess, do you have amnesia? Who was the guy who almost dislocated my arm senior year?"

The smile on Clara's face faded.

"That was a misunderstanding. He was just angry."

Simon retorted, "Angry enough to attack someone randomly? If I hadn't been quick-witted, I'd have been six feet under for years by now."

That had been the first violent conflict after she and Rhys got together.

It was also the first time she realized that for Rhys, the word 'trust' had a double standard.

At a department party back then, everyone had been drinking heavily at a karaoke bar.

Clara was happy and had a few too many, so she asked Rhys to pick her up.

While waiting, she went outside for fresh air. Her heel got stuck in a crack in the pavement, and she stumbled.

Simon was right there. Quick as a flash, he grabbed her waist to hoist her up.

Clara thought nothing of it.

She and Simon had been best friends for years; physical contact was normal. She didn't think twice.

Later, Clara found out that Margot had called Rhys.

Prior to that, Margot had casually mentioned seeing Clara being intimate with a guy who had a chaotic private life, worrying that Clara would be taken advantage of.

Even after the misunderstanding was cleared up and Simon's orientation was confirmed, Rhys never apologized.

He was always right.

"Remember now? Not even a 'sorry'," Simon was still angry. "He'd rather trust an outsider's instigation than trust the friends you chose."

Clara didn't speak, her chest feeling tight.

She had been so stupid back then, secretly finding sweetness in it.

Thinking it meant he cared.

Only when someone cares do they lose control, do they get jealous.

Or so she had thought.