Chapter 5

Sara gently applied the ointment to Spencer's skin, unaware of the storm of thoughts racing through his mind. "There. We should head down for dinner now. Grandpa will be waiting," she finally said. Spencer hummed in response. Together, they left the study and headed to the dining room, where Oswin was already seated. Oswin's face lit up with a smile when he saw them. He gestured for Sara to come over—a complete change from how he'd acted earlier when he'd scolded Spencer. "Sara, hurry and come eat. Let Winnifred serve you some soup first. It'll be good for your health." "Sure, Grandpa," Sara softly replied, taking her seat beside Spencer at Oswin's side. Oswin truly cared about Sara—not just out of loyalty to his old comrade Neil, but because he understood Spencer was a man ruled by emotion, easily deceived, and vulnerable to heartbreak. Though gentle and kind, Sara possessed a quiet strength beneath her soft demeanor. She was the type of woman who'd stand by her man through thick and thin. Oswin wished Spencer would stop being a fool and realize how good she was for him. He'd finally rest easy if they settled down and maybe even had a child soon. "Why don't you two move back here? Sara's alone at home all day. It'd be nice for her to keep me company," he said. "I don't mind," Spencer replied. Oswin wasn't wrong. Sara might avoid boredom if they moved back to the Tiernan residence. Up until now, Spencer hadn't even realized that he'd started considering her feelings. Sara had heard Oswin's suggestion. Indeed, staying home alone didn't exactly appeal to her. But with her pregnancy, Oswin would find out if they moved back in. So, it wasn't really an option. "Grandpa, it's fine. I'm used to it. Your rest might be interrupted when Spencer comes home late sometimes. Plus, living on our own makes it easier for me to look after him," she said. Spencer hadn't expected Sara to turn down Oswin's offer. After all, Oswin would definitely side with her if they stayed at the Tiernan residence. Wouldn't it be better to have him as an ally? He wasn't sure why she'd rejected the offer, but he respected her decision. Meanwhile, Oswin was worried about their relationship. He could keep an eye on things if Spencer and Sara lived under his roof, especially if Clementine tried to do anything. Given Sara's temperament, she'd probably end up at a disadvantage otherwise. But she'd turned him down, so there wasn't much to say now. "I respect your decision. But let me know if Spencer ever crosses the line or upsets you. I'll set him straight." As Oswin spoke, he shot Spencer a pointed look. However, Spencer ate on, unbothered. It was as if Oswin's comment hadn't reached him at all. "No, Grandpa. Spencer treats me wonderfully," Sara replied. Spencer raised an eyebrow and glanced up at her, clearly confused by his wife of nearly three years. Sara didn't need to defend him in front of Oswin. She could've complained, and Oswin would've undoubtedly sided with her. Upon noticing Spencer's reaction, Sara lowered her head, focusing on her meal as her confidence wavered. "Since you're not moving in, stay here tonight. It's too late to leave now. You can head home tomorrow," Oswin said. Spencer didn't object, so Sara simply replied, "Alright, Grandpa." Dinner ended, and for once, Spencer wasn't caught up in work. He sat in the living room, watching TV with Sara and Oswin. Oswin, being elderly, soon asked Bruce to help him get ready for bed. With only Spencer and her remaining, Sara assumed he'd leave now. She said, "You can go take care of your work. I'll watch a little longer before heading to our room." But Spencer replied, "I'm not busy today." Sara wondered if he was actually taking a rare opportunity to relax. After all, his phone had preoccupied him the whole time they were watching TV. In fact, he was hardly paying attention to it. Nevertheless, Sara decided not to disturb him. With Oswin gone, she curled up on the couch and hugged a throw pillow to her chest, becoming completely absorbed in the TV drama. She planned to watch it until the end that night before going to bed. It was the series finale, after all. In the end, the drama ended sadly, with its two leads parted forever. Lost in the story, Sara couldn't help shed a few tears as the final episode came to a close. Meanwhile, Spencer lounged on the couch, scrolling aimlessly through news articles. A pile of work waited for him, but he couldn't explain why he'd just sat there, wasting time on his phone. The old him would've rolled his eyes at wasting minutes on something as dull as a drama. But upon seeing Sara sitting quietly on the couch, he realized how grounding and comforting something as simple as shared TV time could be. He had just looked back at his phone when a muffled sob broke the silence. When he turned, he found Sara's tear-stricken and puffy-eyed face. Uncertain about what had happened, he quickly sat up and offered her a tissue. "What's wrong?" "I-It's nothing. The drama… It's just so sad. The female lead died," Sara choked out, her voice catching between quiet sobs as she struggled for breath. She felt embarrassed when Spencer approached her. Crying over a drama seemed ridiculous, but the sadness had taken her by surprise. Lately, her emotions flared up over the smallest things, as if she were walking on a hair trigger. Even the smallest heartache could swell into a tidal wave when pregnancy was involved. When Spencer realized that it was just the drama that had made Sara cry, he exhaled in relief. "Alright, stop crying. Grandpa will think I upset you if he hears," he quietly said. There was a tenderness in his voice that he hadn't realized was there. However, Sara couldn't hold back her tears and continued to sob. Spencer gently patted her back, murmuring soft reassurances until her sobs began to quiet down. Sara felt a brief wave of embarrassment when she realized how close they were leaning toward each other. "That's enough crying. The drama's over. Let's get some rest. Don't stay up watching," Spencer said. Sara gave a faint hum in response. She knew Spencer's kindness would only make the ache in her chest worse. He comforted her as if she were precious to him, but she couldn't shake the thought that it was Clementine who truly held his heart. This tenderness was probably more about avoiding Oswin's anger than anything else. Still dazed, Sara allowed Spencer to pull her upstairs. However, his phone rang as soon as they stepped into the room. When he pulled it out, all she saw was a string of digits on the screen. "Go shower first. I'll take this call," Spencer said. "Okay." Sara turned to the wardrobe, picked out her pajamas, then walked into the bathroom. After closing the door, she leaned against it and let her thoughts drift. The brief gentleness Spencer had shown downstairs had tricked her into imagining things. It had even stirred up a hope she knew she shouldn't let herself cling to. Maybe he wouldn't let her leave if she told him about her pregnancy. After all, he'd make a good father. Oswin had once told her, "Sara, Spencer has struggled ever since his parents passed away. He refused to let himself cry, but I know how deeply it hurt him. That's why he kept waiting for Clementine, even after she left him. "She was never the right one for him. All these years, he's longed for the warmth of a family. He'll stay if you marry him, start a life together, and have children. He's a responsible man, and you won't have to be apart." Oswin's plan for Sara was clear—secure Spencer's commitment by getting pregnant as soon as possible. But even if she kept him by her side, she'd never truly win his heart. All Sara wanted was for Spencer to be happy, even if it meant stepping aside. Her instincts told her the call had been from Clementine. She didn't know what Clementine would say, nor if Spencer would leave tonight to see her and never return. Sara knew she had no right to stop him even if he chose to leave. After all, their marriage was built on an agreement, with the three-year term almost at its end. Would Spencer and Clementine have reunited by now if she hadn't shown up and Oswin hadn't forced their marriage?