Chapter 53

As Clara lightly ran her hand over her belly, the baby inside gave a little kick, and just like that, the tension she’d been holding onto eased up a bit. Almost on instinct, she checked herself. Everything was clean, nothing unusual. She let out a breath of relief. Just as she was about to get out of bed, she heard the door to the master bedroom being pushed open from the outside. She paused, staying quiet. Only one person could walk straight into the room without knocking—that had to be Ethan. Sure enough, Ethan’s tall figure filled the doorway, and his deep, steady voice followed, “You’re awake. Perfect timing—dinner’s ready.” His tone was calm, casual, like nothing out of the ordinary. Clara gave a faint “Mm” and nodded. But she didn’t make any move to start a conversation. She just headed quietly toward the door. As she passed him, Ethan reached out and gently caught her wrist. Not forcefully, just enough to guide her back toward him. Clara frowned slightly. “Still mad at me?” Etha