Chapter [62]: A Blessing in Disguise

Claire couldn't believe it—maybe her burned hand had turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because for the past morning, she had been treated like royalty. When she woke up, she found the space beside her empty. Lucas Zeller was already up, and the usual hurried rush of morning routines was nowhere to be found. As she hurried into the bathroom, prepared to freshen up, she noticed something shocking—her toothbrush already had toothpaste on it, all laid out and ready. Feeling uneasy, she brushed her teeth quickly. Just as she grabbed a washcloth and dipped it in warm water, she felt a presence behind her.

Suddenly, Lucas was standing there. He gently nudged her aside, his strong hands dipping the washcloth into the warm water and wringing it out. He then carefully laid the cloth over her face, softly wiping it clean with the kind of tenderness that left her utterly speechless.

Her heart raced wildly, and she stood there frozen, staring at his unbelievably handsome face. "Oh my God," she thought, feeling both confused and overwhelmed. What had gotten into Lucas? He had always been so stern, his usual morning greeting being a yell in her ear: *"Are you planning to sleep the entire day away, Claire? Get up already!"* But now... now he was different.

"Lucas..." she ventured cautiously, feeling like she had stepped into a parallel universe. "What time is it?"

"Nine o'clock," he replied casually.

"Nine—" Claire choked on the words. "What? Nine o'clock?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock. "Lucas, we're late for work! I— I overslept!" She hurried toward the closet, heart pounding, pulling out random clothes in a rush.

Lucas, however, remained calm, almost amused. "We're already late, Claire. There's no point in rushing now," he said, walking up behind her with a relaxed smile. He pulled out a chic, off-white suit from the wardrobe and handed it to her. "Wear this. After breakfast, we'll go shopping."

"Shopping? But... why shopping?" she stammered, still fumbling with her clothes. "What about work?"

She dressed quickly, still confused, her mind racing as she descended the stairs. Nothing was making sense this morning.

When she stepped into the kitchen, another sight took her breath away. The dining table was set with breakfast—toast, eggs, coffee—and all neatly arranged. Lucas was sitting there, looking perfectly composed.

"Lucas, did you make this?" she asked, staring at the food as if it had appeared out of thin air.

"Who else?" he replied, his tone casual as he took a sip of coffee. But Claire could see the small smile tugging at his lips.

She stared at him, still dazed by the surreal morning. Was this really Lucas? The man who always demanded that she prepare everything for him? Who scolded her over the tiniest mistake with her cooking or outfit choices?

"Come on, eat up," he said, handing her a piece of toast slathered with chocolate spread. "You need to put on some weight."

Claire blinked, startled. "Wait, what? You want me to gain weight?" she asked, incredulous. She had always been a bit self-conscious about her petite figure, and everywhere she looked, society seemed to idolize women with the 'perfect' slim, almost model-like bodies.

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I don't want you looking like you're starving in some charity ad. Eat."

Claire accepted the toast, still bewildered by his sudden attentiveness. *Is this real?* she thought, biting into the toast and savoring the taste. Despite her confusion, a small smile crept onto her face. His concern, though strange, warmed her heart. "I'm not that skinny," she mumbled, though the pleased grin on her face said otherwise.

For a moment, they shared a quiet breakfast. But then Claire noticed something odd—Lucas was watching her with an intensity that made her cheeks flush. His dark, enigmatic eyes were locked onto her, filled with an emotion she wasn't quite sure how to interpret.

That look. She'd seen it before—last night, to be exact. The way his touch had set her skin on fire, the warmth of his body, the closeness of their intimacy still lingered in her mind. She remembered the way she had felt, the way her body had responded to his in a way that was so unlike her usual cautious, reserved self. And she hadn't wanted to pull away. In fact, she realized now that she had wanted more.

If it hadn't been for that phone call interrupting them...

A sudden realization hit her like a bolt of lightning—*Wait a second!* The incident with Lucas last night… the moment she had felt him against her. She knew Lucas had always struggled with a particular problem. Everyone whispered about it, and it was a well-guarded secret that he suffered from ED. Yet last night... he had been different. He had responded. She remembered the way his body had reacted against hers—there was no mistaking it.

Claire's eyes widened. *Does Lucas know?* Could it be that his condition was improving? If he realized it himself, it would mean so much to him. He had always carried that weight, that shame, so heavily. But how was she supposed to bring it up? How could she even begin that conversation? Even though they were married, everyone, including Lucas, knew it was mostly for show—to appease his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Zeller.

Just as she was lost in thought, a sudden pain in her hand made her yelp, yanking her back to reality.

"What happened?" Lucas was instantly at her side, his hand already reaching for hers as he inspected her right hand. The chocolate spread on her hand had burned slightly, leaving a small mark.

Claire winced, embarrassed. "I, uh… I was trying to spread the chocolate on the toast and somehow, I… well, I guess I wasn't paying attention."

She braced herself for his usual sarcastic remark or scolding, but Lucas said nothing. Instead, he quietly fetched some ointment and cotton, gently applying the salve to her hand with a care that surprised her. His touch was soft, almost reverent, as he spread the cream over the small burn.

Her heart fluttered, and Claire couldn't help but feel a strange warmth blossoming inside her. Lucas, the man she had married out of convenience, the man she thought she would never truly understand, was showing her a side of him she had never seen before.