Chapter 263: I think the title suits you better

Clara had barely spoken to Dominic about her past, but then, she had never really needed to. The man seemed to know almost everything about her, even things she had never told him.

However, this time, she wanted to explain things herself. She didn’t want any misunderstandings between them, and honesty was something she expected from their relationship.

Of course, she expected the same openness from Dominic.

"I suppose you already knew about all this, didn’t you?" she asked, watching him curiously.

She hoped he wouldn’t deny it. Ever since Dominic had started speaking his mind more openly, she had found it increasingly difficult to hear his thoughts. Whatever had changed about him, it certainly wasn’t making things any easier for her.

Dominic met her gaze.

"Yes, I did."

Clara blinked, momentarily taken aback by his straightforward answer.

"I see."

"I already knew about your past, but hearing you tell me about it yourself makes things easier than having to run a background check on you every time."

Clara stared at him.

"..."

This man!

"You could have just asked me," she muttered, feeling slightly offended.

Dominic raised an eyebrow.

"And you would have told me?"

Clara’s lips immediately formed a pout.

Well, he had a point.

Back then, she had considered him nothing more than a troublesome man who seemed determined to make her life difficult. There was no way she would have willingly shared her secrets with him.

But things were different now. Dominic was no longer just the man who constantly got on her nerves. He was her husband, someone she wanted to share everything with, even the things she had once kept to herself.

"No," she admitted reluctantly.

At least she knows that.

Clara’s eyes widened when she heard his thought.

Dominic, however, continued eating as though he hadn’t just said anything particularly offensive.

She pursed her lips, resisting the urge to argue with him.

"Back then, people were feeding me lies about you, but you could at least have been considerate enough not to stalk me!" she protested. "Do you have any idea how frightening that can be?"

"You weren’t just any woman, Clara. You were my woman. Making sure you were safe was my responsibility."

His response was so matter-of-fact that Clara found herself momentarily speechless.

In the end, she decided to drop the subject.

"Fine. But there’s one more thing I want to make clear. I don’t want you getting jealous over my online friend."

Dominic nodded calmly.

"I won’t."

Clara narrowed her eyes. That was suspiciously easy.

"You’ve been awfully cooperative lately. I’m starting to wonder if you’re up to something."

Dominic glanced at her. "And what exactly do you think I’m doing?"

"I hope you aren’t secretly investigating my online friend."

"Why would I?" he asked with a shrug.

Clara narrowed her eyes even further.

"Because I know you."

[No, you don’t. Because if you did, you’d know who I am.]

Clara froze.

Her gaze snapped toward Dominic, who hadn’t even bothered to look at her.

What does he mean by that?

Before she could make sense of his thoughts, Dominic’s voice interrupted her.

"Anyway, you can rest assured that I’m not jealous of your friend."

Clara studied him suspiciously before finally nodding.

"Good to hear. Although, I have to admit, I still have my doubts."

Dominic didn’t bother responding. He simply finished his dinner and headed to their bedroom, leaving Clara staring after him.

Something about her husband was definitely strange. And she had a feeling she was missing something important.

Clara had a feeling she was missing something important. However, rather than dwell on it, she decided to follow Dominic to their bedroom.

Once they settled into bed, Clara turned onto her side, propped her face against her hand, and studied her husband.

"Dom, have you been acting strangely lately?" she asked.

Dominic turned to look at her, his expression suggesting that he thought she had gotten things backward.

"Strange is something that suits you better, wifey."

Clara rolled her eyes.

"I know that, but for now, I think the title suits you better."

Dominic couldn’t help chuckling at her response.

"Perhaps you’re just tired, wifey. After all, didn’t you complain about how boring your day was because Zane was being unusually obedient?"

Clara nodded, remembering how surprised she’d been by the boy’s sudden cooperation.

"Yes, it was rather boring," she admitted.

Without another word, she slowly moved closer and nestled herself in Dominic’s arms, resting her head against his chest.

Dominic instinctively wrapped an arm around her and began gently stroking her hair.

It was strange to think about how far they had come. There had been a time when Clara could barely stand being around him, and now she willingly sought his embrace at the end of the day.

Yet, despite the happiness he felt, a part of him remained troubled.

There was still a side of himself that he had kept hidden from her, a past he wasn’t sure how to explain.

[Will she accept that part of me too?]

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Clara lifted her head and looked at him.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.

Although she already knew the answer, she wanted to hear him say it himself.

Dominic paused, meeting her curious gaze. For a fleeting moment, he considered telling her the truth. However, the words never made it past his lips.

Instead, he offered her a gentle smile.

"Nothing."

A flicker of disappointment crossed Clara’s eyes before she quickly concealed it.

He lied.

She could hear his thoughts, yet he still refused to share what was troubling him.

For some reason, that realization left her feeling a little dejected. She wanted him to trust her enough to tell her what was on his mind, just as she was trying to do with him.

Still, she decided not to push him.

If Dominic wasn’t ready to talk, she would give him time.

"All right," she murmured, settling back against his chest.

Dominic tightened his embrace slightly and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"Come on, let’s get some sleep."

Clara nodded, closing her eyes as she snuggled closer to him.

For now, she would let it go.

After all, she had already decided to trust her husband, even when he wasn’t ready to tell her everything.

And as Dominic continued stroking her hair, Clara slowly drifted off to sleep, allowing the warmth of his embrace to quiet her restless thoughts.

Dominic, however, remained awake a little longer, his gaze fixed on her peaceful face.

There were things he still needed to tell her; however, he only hoped that when the time came, she would still look at him the same way.