Chapter 41: What exactly do you think my wife is doing?
"Tch... I should’ve gone easier on myself."
Clara hissed as she flexed her sore wrist, rolling it gently to ease the ache.
She had barely taken a few steps away from the VIP room when she suddenly froze.
Two familiar faces were standing right in front of her.
"Madam!" Lily called out, making Clara jump ever so slightly. Lily’s eyes darted between Clara and the door behind her. "What took you so long?"
Silvia folded her arms, her brows knitting together.
"You told us you’d be back in five minutes." She glanced at her watch. "It’s been almost half an hour."
Her gaze slowly traveled from Clara’s face to the black-and-white waitress uniform she was wearing.
"...And why are you dressed like a waitress?"
Clara blinked.
"Oh... this?"
She looked down at herself as though she had only just noticed the outfit.
"I was... experimenting."
Silvia stared at her.
"...Experimenting?"
"Yes." Clara nodded seriously. "I wanted to know if I looked good in customer service."
Lily blinked.
"So... how did it go?"
Clara struck a dramatic pose.
"I’d definitely get Employee of the Month."
Silence.
Silvia pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Madam."
"What?"
"That doesn’t explain anything."
Clara cleared her throat.
"The original waitress suddenly had... stomach problems."
Lily tilted her head.
"So you stole her uniform?"
"I borrowed it."
"...With permission?"
"...Let’s not focus on the tiny details."
Silvia sighed.
After Clara still hadn’t returned even five minutes later, she and Lily had searched almost the entire floor. When they couldn’t find her anywhere, they had followed the hallway and ended up outside this very VIP room.
And now Clara was walking out of it wearing someone else’s uniform.
Nothing about this made sense.
Clara noticed the suspicion growing on their faces and immediately hooked an arm around each of them.
"Come on," she said cheerfully. "Forget the boring questions."
She spun around dramatically.
"Be honest."
She flashed them a grin.
"Don’t I look cool?"
Lily couldn’t help laughing.
"I’ll admit... you actually do."
Silvia, however, remained unconvinced.
"You also look suspicious."
"Hurtful."
"I mean it."
Just then—
"Mmmph..."
A painful groan drifted from behind the closed VIP room door.
The three women stopped walking.
Another muffled whimper followed.
"Ow..."
Lily frowned.
"Did someone just cry?"
Silvia’s eyes immediately narrowed as she looked toward the door.
"That sounded like it came from inside."
Clara’s heart skipped a beat.
Then she smiled so brightly it almost looked unnatural.
"Oh, that’s probably... karaoke."
Silvia slowly turned to look at her.
"Karaoke?"
"Very emotional karaoke."
Another groan echoed from inside.
"My leg..."
Clara nodded without missing a beat.
"See? They must be singing a tragic song."
Lily looked utterly confused.
"I’ve never heard anyone sing, ’My leg.’"
"It’s... a remix."
Silvia wasn’t buying it.
She took a step toward the door.
"I think we should check."
The moment she reached for the handle, Clara grabbed her wrist.
"No!"
The word came out a little louder than intended.
Silvia raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
Clara forced an awkward laugh.
"I mean... why disturb people’s private party? Everyone enjoys clubs differently."
"They sound injured," Silvia replied flatly.
"They’re... expressing themselves."
Another miserable cry came from inside.
"It hurts..."
Clara quickly clapped her hands.
"Oh! Speaking of hurting, I’m starving."
Neither Lily nor Silvia moved.
Clara immediately changed tactics.
"I suddenly remembered there’s an amazing dessert downstairs. Limited edition. If we don’t go now, it’ll be gone."
Lily’s eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
Silvia looked from the door to Clara.
"You hate sweets."
"...Today I support local businesses."
Silvia narrowed her eyes.
"You are hiding something."
Clara smiled innocently.
"Me? Never."
The silence stretched between them.
Finally, Clara slipped between the two women and gently pushed them toward the exit.
"Come on. If we stay any longer, we’ll miss the dessert... and I still need to return this uniform before someone reports a missing waitress."
Lily chuckled and reluctantly followed.
Silvia cast one last suspicious glance at the VIP room door before allowing Clara to usher them away.
As the three disappeared around the corner, another muffled groan escaped from inside the room.
Silvia slowed her steps.
"...I’m still convinced something happened in there."
Clara draped an arm over her shoulders with a carefree grin.
"Silvia..."
"Yes?"
"Some mysteries are healthier when they remain unsolved."
Silvia looked at her for a long moment before sighing.
"I have a feeling you’re going to give me a headache one day."
Clara laughed.
"Only one day?" Clara pouted but then she laughed leaving both Silvia and Lily shaking their head in disbelief.
***
Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the Sterling Estate grew heavier with every passing second.
No one dared to make a sound.
The servants stood in neat rows, each lowering their head, afraid that even breathing too loudly might attract their master’s attention.
Dominic sat on the living room sofa, his long fingers tapping slowly against the armrest. The rhythmic sound echoed through the silent hall, making everyone even more nervous.
Butler James cleared his throat before speaking carefully.
"Master, there’s no need to worry. Madam is with Miss Silvia and Miss Lily. They should be back soon."
Dominic didn’t respond.
His expression remained unreadable, but the silence itself was enough to make everyone sweat.
James sighed inwardly.
That didn’t work either.
Dominic had purposely finished work early today. For the first time in weeks, he had even canceled two meetings just so he could spend the evening with Clara.
He had imagined walking through the front door and being greeted by his wife’s bright smile, followed by her throwing herself into his arms.
Instead...
The house was empty.
Mark had already confirmed that Clara closed the bakery on time and had left hours ago.
Which made one question impossible to ignore.
Where was she?
Three hours.
It had already been three hours.
Mark stood nearby, trying to make himself as invisible as possible.
Please don’t look at me... Please don’t ask me anything... I know nothing...
Unfortunately...
"Mark."
His heart skipped a beat.
"Y-Yes, Boss?"
"Get the car ready."
The calm voice sent a chill down his spine.
Before Mark could even answer, Dominic had already risen from the sofa and walked toward the front entrance.
His long strides carried a quiet sense of urgency.
Dominic tried to suppress the thoughts creeping into his mind.
He trusted Clara.
She had promised him.
She said she wouldn’t leave him.
Yet...the longer she stayed away, the louder the doubts became.
She promised she wouldn’t leave...
Did she lie to me?
His jaw tightened, and his expression darkened further.
Behind him, Mark almost burst into tears.
Boss... please don’t think like that! Madam probably just got distracted by food or found a stray cat to pet.
Why am I the one suffering?
He hurried after Dominic.
"Boss, maybe Madam’s phone ran out of battery."
No response.
"Maybe traffic was bad?"
Silence.
"Maybe... maybe she found a buy-one-get-one-free sale?"
Dominic stopped walking.
Mark froze.
"..."
"..."
He immediately wanted to slap himself.
Why would I say that?
Dominic slowly turned his head.
"What exactly do you think my wife is doing?"
Mark forced out an awkward smile.
"Saving money?"
Dominic stared at him without a word.
Mark lowered his head.
Congratulations, Mark.
Your annual bonus just waved goodbye.
Just then—
Click. The grand front doors opened.
Everyone instinctively turned toward the entrance.
A cheerful voice rang through the hall.
"I’m home!"
Clara walked in with a bright smile, humming happily as if she hadn’t disappeared for three hours.
Silvia and Lily followed behind her, each carrying several shopping bags.
The gloomy atmosphere in the mansion vanished instantly.
The servants visibly relaxed.
Several of them secretly let out the breaths they had been holding.
Madam is back!
We’re saved!
Mark nearly dropped to his knees in gratitude.
Thank heavens!
Madam, if you had arrived one minute later, Boss would’ve taken half the city apart looking for you... and I would’ve been the first victim.
Completely unaware of the panic she had caused, Clara looked around in confusion.
"Huh?"
She blinked at the dozens of eyes fixed on her.
"Why is everyone looking at me like I just robbed a bank?And darling where are you going?"