Ellena whispered, her eyes still on the empty training ground. "Did you see him? Officer Ethan… he looked so worried for Bella."
"It's obvious," Norah replied quietly. "If anything had happened to her, how could he have answered her family?"
Harry shook his head, frustration clear in his voice. "Why does Officer Becky always have to target Bella?"
Derek shrugged. "They adjusted the water temperature according to our bodies, so we could endure it safely. They're not careless enough to actually put anyone in real danger."
Ellena frowned. "But Bella's water was colder than ours… and she was alone. What if something had gone wrong?"
Harry's eyes darkened. "And Bella… she's too stubborn. She wouldn't leave until she completed the full time."
Norah added softly, "She might have gotten out if Officer Becky hadn't singled her out."
Ellena and the others exchanged solemn nods, the unease lingering in the air.
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In Officer Ethan's office, Bella lay on the couch, exhaustion settling into her muscles as the warmth of the room washed over her. Ethan sat nearby, focused on his laptop, fingers moving over the keys, though his attention kept drifting toward her.
The gentle heat and the fatigue soon overcame Bella, and within minutes, she had drifted into a light, peaceful sleep. Ethan slowly tore his gaze from the laptop and watched her, and in that moment, she seemed like a delicate, sleeping child. Her long, dark lashes fluttered softly, and the faint blue tint that had marked her lips not long ago had returned to a healthy, soft pink.
He reached out carefully, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Leaning in slowly, with utmost caution, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. His lips lingered there for a long moment. Then, softly, he kissed the corner of her right eye, and then the left, careful not to disturb her rest.
The thought of losing her was impossible to bear. Ethan, the fearless, commanding officer of SID—known for his calm in every impossible situation, unshaken in the face of any danger—found himself powerless in front of this one girl. Every ounce of his intelligence and composure, every strategy he had mastered over years of service, seemed to fail here.
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In the quiet of the evening, Bella's eyes fluttered open. Ethan noticed immediately. "Are you awake?" he asked gently.
Bella gave a small nod. Slowly, she rose from the couch and sank into the cushions, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?" she murmured.
Ethan glanced at the clock. "It's six. You've slept for three hours."
Bella's eyes widened in shock. "My classes…" she whispered, panic rising in her voice.
Ethan moved closer and sat beside her. "I already informed them. You weren't feeling well," he said reassuringly.
Bella nodded, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I'm sorry for giving you trouble," she said softly.
Ethan tilted his head, a mixture of amusement and concern in his gaze. "Why are you so stubborn?" he asked.
Bella looked at him and then said softly, "Am I?"
Ethan smiled and shook his head. "Don't be too hard on yourself."
Bella sighed. "Don't I have to prove that even though I'm Chief Luke's youngest, spoiled daughter, there's no bias in SID?"
Ethan looked at her and replied calmly, "And now you're also the wife of an SID officer."
Bella smiled faintly. "Yes… now the pressure on me is even greater. Now I also have to prove that Officer Ethan isn't biased either."
Ethan laughed, and for a moment Bella found herself lost in a trance, watching his carefree laughter.
Noticing the intensity of her gaze, Ethan asked, "What are you looking at?"
Bella smiled and said honestly, "You look nice."
Ethan blinked. "Huh?"
"Yes," she said softly, "you look nice when you laugh."