The Officer's Runaway Wife and Secret Son novel Chapter 390

He was a decent man. Even in defeat, he wouldn't curse his rival or say something nasty.

Clara's heart ached. All the words she wanted to say could only be distilled into one phrase: "Noah, I'm so sorry."

Noah's eyes darkened for a moment, then his brow relaxed with a sense of acceptance.

"Clara, you know I don't like hearing that."

He looked at her earnestly. "When it comes to matters of the heart, no one is ever truly at fault. I took a gamble and lost. But losing to him… I can't complain."

Seeing the guilt in her eyes, Noah sighed internally.

"Actually, even if Felix hadn't called, I was planning to find you today," Noah said, pulling up a message on his phone.

"I'm leaving."

"You've decided to go?"

"Yeah, to Zurich," Noah said. "The plan was already set, actually. I postponed it for… for personal reasons. But I've thought it through. There's a great research project there, and I want to give it a try."

If he stayed here, they'd be running into each other all the time.

As long as he was around, Clara would always carry a heavy burden of guilt when she faced him, unable to truly move on.

He didn't want her to live with that burden.

Noah still couldn't be completely selfless, but at the very least, he could give her freedom.

Clara looked at the message. It was from Noah's mother, saying everything was arranged and his departure was set for next month.

"Are you going for three years?" she asked.

"Maybe longer," Noah said, putting his phone away and shrugging with forced nonchalance. "The mountains there are beautiful. I want to see them, change my environment. Maybe I'll meet someone new."

Clara understood. This wasn't just about advanced studies; it was also his way of forcing himself to forget, forcing himself out of her life.

Noah saw through her thoughts and changed the subject with a smile.

"Don't look at me like that. It's not like I'm never coming back."

Felix tugged at his hand and looked up at him. "Are you going somewhere far away?"

"Yes," Noah said gently. "Daddy Noah is going on a business trip to a place with lots of snowy mountains where you can ski."

"I want to go too," Felix said anxiously. "Can you take me and Mommy with you? I can pack myself in a suitcase. I'm very light."

Noah's eyes burned, and he almost lost his composure.

He wanted so badly to say "yes."

But he had watched them through the window for a long time.

He saw Clara fussing over Rhys, saw the worry and anxiety in her eyes, saw her lose her temper with him in the hospital room.

That was the real, vibrant Clara.

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