Chapter 6

When Clara returned home, a stubborn, high fever took hold of her.

Julian stumbled in later that night, smelling heavily of alcohol, only to find Clara unconscious with her cheeks flushed an alarming red. Panic gripped him as he scooped her up and rushed her straight to the hospital.

When Clara finally regained consciousness, she forced her heavy eyelids open.

Seeing her awake, the nurse adjusting her IV smiled warmly. "Mrs. Vanguard, you’re finally awake! You’ve had a fever for over a day. Mr. Vanguard was incredibly worried and stayed right by your side the whole time. He only just stepped out to take a call. Should I go tell him you’re up? He’ll be thrilled."

Clara shook her head weakly, her voice rough and raspy. "No need."

The nurse didn't push the matter. After carefully checking the IV line, she quietly left the room.

The spacious hospital suite fell silent, so quiet that Clara could faintly hear Julian's voice drifting down the hallway.

He was usually so composed, only ever losing his cool around her. But right now, his voice carried an unfamiliar lightness—a distinct tone of excitement and joy.

Moments later, the sound of his footsteps faded away. He had left.

Gathering what little strength she had, Clara climbed slowly out of bed. Her movements were unsteady as she followed the direction of his voice, making her way down several floors.

Just as she reached the corridor, she froze in her tracks.

Julian was walking out of the obstetrics department, his arm gently supporting Sylvia. Both of them were smiling, their unmistakable joy curving into grins they couldn't seem to hide.

The moment Sylvia spotted Clara, her eyes widened in mock surprise. "Mrs. Vanguard! What a coincidence. Are you here at the hospital too?"

Julian’s head snapped up at her words. His gaze locked with Clara’s across the hallway, and his entire body went rigid. Caught completely off guard, he quickly dropped Sylvia’s arm, his expression tightening with panic.

"Clare, I—I went downstairs to pick up your medication and just happened to run into Sylvia," Julian explained hastily, his flustered tone betraying his fear that she might misunderstand. "She’s pregnant, and I was worried something might happen, so I was only helping her for a second."

Clara’s gaze drifted down to Sylvia’s stomach, her breath catching painfully in her chest. She closed her eyes for a brief moment to steady herself before speaking in an even tone. "Miss Thorne... when did you find out you were pregnant? And why isn’t the baby's father here?"

Sylvia’s face lit up with delight as she rested a hand on her stomach, flashing a sickeningly sweet smile. "I just found out I’m a month along! The baby’s father couldn’t make it today because he’s tied up with work, but he was absolutely thrilled when I told him. He’s already bought me a few villas and transferred two million dollars to my account. Tonight, he’s even planning a citywide fireworks display to celebrate our love and our new baby!"

She beamed with pride, practically glowing as she showed off.

Clara simply stared at her in silence for a long moment before forcing a faint smile. "Is that so?"

Sylvia’s smile turned smug as she pushed further. "Yes, Mrs. Vanguard. Since you’re free today, why don’t we all grab dinner together? I can invite the baby’s father to join us."

At that, Julian’s expression instantly darkened. He shot Sylvia a sharp, menacing look that silenced her immediately. "That won’t be necessary. Clare doesn’t have time for that."

Turning back to Clara, Julian pulled her gently into his arms, his voice dropping to a soft, coaxing murmur. "Clare, you’re still recovering. Don’t push yourself by wandering around."

"She’s just a spokesperson," he added dismissively, his tone turning icy. "She's not worth your attention."

Sylvia’s face went pale, then flushed a deep red. Her expression twisted between anger and humiliation as tears welled up in her eyes.

Lowering her head like a wounded animal, she bit her lip and murmured, "You’re right. I was out of line. How could I ever think I’d be worthy of sitting at the same table as Mrs. Vanguard?"

With that, she wiped at her eyes, turned away in a huff, and stormed off, her shoulders trembling with barely contained frustration.

Julian’s expression shifted, and for a split second, he looked as though he might chase after her. But when his gaze landed back on Clara, who was watching him with calm detachment, he hesitated and stayed right where he was.

After collecting a stack of prescriptions, Clara was discharged and they headed home.

Perhaps still rattled by his outburst at Sylvia, Julian seemed distracted for the entire ride. Once they arrived, he muttered a vague excuse about work and locked himself in his study.

The second Clara stepped into her bedroom, her phone buzzed with a message from Sylvia.

It was a photo of a prenatal ultrasound report.

A series of taunting messages quickly followed:

"Clara, I know you figured it out today. The baby is Julian’s. Don’t fool yourself into thinking he loves you that much. If he really did, what does my existence mean?"

"Do you even know how obsessed he is with me? Every year, on your birthday and your wedding anniversary, he puts you to bed and comes straight to me. He’s insatiable. We go through boxes of condoms every time, and the next day, I can’t even get out of bed."

"We’ve left traces of our love everywhere—his Montclair, his office, even your marital bed. Seventy-two positions, he’s tried them all with me. They say love and intimacy go hand in hand. Has he ever been that passionate with you?"

Reading the texts, Clara took a deep breath, forcing herself to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside her.

She locked her phone screen just as Julian wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"What are you looking at, sweetheart?" he murmured, resting his chin on the curve of her neck.

All he saw was the blank, dark screen of her phone.