Clara woke up to the smell of food again. Warm, buttery, and just a little sweet—it drifted through the house and made her stomach growl.
She smiled to herself as she got out of bed. After last night's dinner, she shouldn't have been surprised Nathaniel was cooking again, but somehow, it still caught her off guard.
Padding quietly down the hall, she peeked into the kitchen.
There he was—Nathaniel, sleeves rolled up, hair a little messy, focused on the pan in front of him. He looked nothing like the serious CEO she saw at work. More like… just Nathaniel. Her Nathaniel.
"Morning," she said softly.
He turned with a small start but relaxed when he saw her. "Hey. You're up earlier than I thought."
"Hard not to wake up when something smells that good," Clara said, smiling as she walked closer.
Nathaniel glanced over his shoulder, pretending not to be too pleased. "Breakfast's almost ready. Sit down."
She did, watching as he plated the food—perfectly cooked eggs, toast, and coffee that smelled way better than anything from a café.
"Are you secretly trying to spoil me?" she teased.
Nathaniel just smiled and set a plate in front of her. "If that's what it takes to make you eat properly, then maybe."
Clara's chest warmed a little at that. She tried not to let it show, but her smile gave her away.
They ate together, the soft clinking of forks and the morning quiet filling the air. It wasn't awkward—it was… nice. Warm. Like something that should've always been normal for them.
After a few minutes, Nathaniel glanced at her. "I'll drive you to work today."
Clara blinked. "What? No, you'll be late."
"I won't."
"You will," she insisted. "I still need to grab a few things, and you can't be late because of me. Go ahead. I'll meet you there."
Nathaniel frowned slightly. "Clara—"
"Don't worry," she said quickly. "I'll grab a cab."
He looked at her for a long moment, clearly weighing whether to argue. Then he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're impossible."
She grinned. "You say that like it's new information."
His lips curved. "Fine. But text me when you're on your way."
"I promise."
After he left, the house fell quiet again—but it wasn't empty. His presence lingered in small ways: the faint smell of coffee, the warmth still in the kitchen, the plate she hadn't quite finished.
She smiled to herself as she cleaned up, humming softly.
Once she'd gathered her things, she ordered a cab and stepped outside. The air was cool and a little breezy—the kind of morning that felt like a fresh start.
But halfway through the ride, traffic slowed to a crawl. The driver frowned. "Looks like an accident up ahead."
Clara leaned forward, trying to see through the windshield. "Can you stop here?"
The moment the car pulled over, she got out. A small crowd had gathered ahead, voices overlapping in worry. Then she saw her—an old woman on the ground, frail and still.
Clara's heart jumped. It was the same woman she'd seen at the dinner party—the one who'd smiled at her like she'd known her forever.
Without thinking, Clara rushed forward and knelt beside her. "Ma'am? Can you hear me?"
The woman's eyes fluttered open weakly.
"Don't move," Clara said gently, taking her hand. "Help's coming."
She called for an ambulance, her voice steady even though her pulse was racing. Within minutes, the sirens wailed in the distance.
When the paramedics arrived, they carefully lifted the woman onto a stretcher. Clara hesitated for only a moment before following them into the ambulance.
"I'll go with her," she told the medic.
The ride was quiet except for the hum of the engine. Clara watched the woman's face, worry twisting in her chest. She didn't even know her name, but something about her felt… familiar. Comforting, in a way she couldn't explain.
When they reached the hospital, Clara stayed. She gave her statement, answered what questions she could, then sat in the waiting area.
She didn't know why she couldn't just leave—but she didn't want to.
Maybe it was the woman's soft eyes at the dinner party, or maybe it was just who Clara was. Someone who couldn't walk away when someone needed her.
So she waited, and would wait until she knows the woman will be okay.
She had no idea how much this one moment was about to change everything.