Chapter 122: There are still few things you need to work on
Morning arrived, and the entire Steling family had already gathered around the dining table for breakfast.
Well... Almost everyone with two very important people were still missing.
Jonathan glanced toward the staircase for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.
"I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dominic wake up this late."
Grace nodded in agreement. "Neither have I."
She smiled helplessly. "Clara once told me that Dominic treats being late like it’s a criminal offense."
Jonathan chuckled. "That sounds exactly like my son."
Both of them looked upstairs again. Still no sign of the couple.
Just then, cheerful footsteps echoed through the dining room.
"Good morning, everyone!" Hannah happily pulled out a chair and sat down. She reached for a croissant. "Finally... I’m starving."
"Young lady."
"Huh?"
Nicholas’s deep voice stopped her. Hannah slowly looked up.
"Yes, Grandpa?"
"Where are your manners?" He gestured toward the untouched breakfast.
"Your brother and sister-in-law haven’t joined us yet."
Hannah blinked. Only then did she notice that despite the table being filled with delicious food...
No one had touched a single bite.
She turned to Jonathan. "Dad... you’re waiting too?"
Jonathan looked longingly at the basket of warm croissants before letting out a dramatic sigh.
"My heart says eat. My father says wait."
Nicholas calmly took a sip of tea.
"Your heart should learn discipline."
Jonathan instantly straightened in his chair. "Yes, Father."
Hannah bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing. She looked upstairs again.
After everything that had happened the previous night, she had expected Clara to lock Dominic out of the room... or perhaps lock herself inside and leave him wandering the hallway.
Instead... neither of them had come downstairs.
Just how upset was Clara...?
Or...
Maybe they had already made up?
That thought made her even more curious.
***
Meanwhile... upstairs...golden rays of sunlight slipped through the curtains, slowly filling the bedroom with warmth.
The first victim of the morning sunshine... was Dominic.
A sharp beam landed directly across his face.
"...Mm." He frowned before slowly opening his eyes. However the moment he tried to move—
"Ow..."
A sharp pain shot through his neck and he winced.
"I think I sprained my neck."
Sleeping on a tiny couch had sounded manageable the night before.
Actually doing it...was another story entirely.
"My back hurts...my neck hurts...I’m never sleeping on a couch again."
He carefully tried to sit up only to realize that he couldn’t. Something was holding him down.
His body instantly stiffened. ...What?
Dominic slowly lowered his gaze and his entire body went still.
Clara was curled up beside him. Half of her body was practically draped over his as she hugged him in her sleep.
She had somehow squeezed herself onto the already tiny couch.
One wrong movement...and she’d roll straight onto the floor.
Dominic’s eyes widened.
[Holy shit... when did she come here?] As though hearing his thoughts, Clara frowned in her sleep.
"Hmm..." Her arms tightened around him.
"Dom..." She mumbled sleepily. "Don’t move... I’ll fall..."
It was then Dominic finally noticed just how close she was to the edge. Without thinking, he wrapped an arm securely around her waist and gently pulled her closer.
Only after making sure she was safe did he let out a quiet sigh.
"Who in their right mind leaves a perfectly comfortable bed...just to sleep on a couch?"
His voice carried more frustration than annoyance. Not because she had joined him. Because she had sacrificed her own comfort.
Dominic huffed while holding Clara securely, making sure she wouldn’t fall down.
However few moments later, Clara slowly blinked awake. She looked up at him and smiled.
"Good morning."
Dominic immediately became stiff again. "...Good morning."
He stared at her for a few seconds before finally asking the question that had been bothering him.
"I thought you were still angry. So..." He glanced around the tiny couch. "Why are you here?"
Clara stretched lazily before looking back at him.
"You’ve been forgiven."
Dominic blinked. "...What?"
She smiled. "For now."
Dominic was on the verge to celebrate when she raised a finger. "But don’t misunderstand."
Her tone suddenly became serious. "That doesn’t mean you’ll always be forgiven."
Dominic remained silent. His thoughts, however... were anything but quiet.
[Forgiven...? Does this mean... I’m allowed back on the bed?]
Clara couldn’t hold it in anymore. She burst into laughter.
Dominic looked even more confused.
"What?"
"You." She shook her head, still giggling. "Nothing"
Clara slowly got off the couch and stretched her sore muscles. Turning around, she looked straight into Dominic’s eyes.
"However... there are still a few things you need to work on, Dom."
Dominic carefully sat up, ignoring the protest from every aching muscle in his body.
Sleeping on the couch had clearly been a terrible idea.
"What are they?" he asked sincerely.
Clara folded her arms. "Communication."
She pointed a finger at him. "You are unbelievably bad at it."
Dominic pursed his lips before giving a small nod.
"I know. I’ll work on it." He paused for a moment. "Anything else?"
Clara blinked in surprise. "You agreed that quickly?"
She had expected him to argue. Or at least defend himself a little.
Instead... he had accepted it without hesitation.
Dominic looked down at his hands. After a brief silence, he spoke quietly.
"I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday." He met her gaze again.
"And... about what happened before...I never meant to hurt you."
His voice remained calm, but Clara could hear the sincerity behind every word.
Soon her expression softened. She knew how difficult it was for Dominic to put his feelings into words and the fact that he was trying meant more to her than he realized.
"I know," she replied with a gentle smile.
"That’s why I forgave you." Then her smile slowly turned mischievous.
"But don’t think you’re getting away that easily."
Dominic raised an eyebrow and watched Clara walking toward him.
Before he could react, she climbed onto his lap and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.
Dominic instinctively held her by the waist. She leaned close enough for their foreheads to almost touch.
"When all of this is over..." A playful smile tugged at her lips. "I’m going to make you lose your mind, Dom."
A dark spark flickered across Dominic’s eyes and the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile.
"Then..." He gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let me make it up to you too."
Clara couldn’t help smiling. "Deal."
"Yes deal"
She then lightly tapped his chest before getting off his lap.
"Now come on." She reached out her hand to him. "Everyone downstairs is probably wondering if we disappeared."
Dominic took her hand without hesitation.
Together... the couple left the room, having finally put the misunderstanding behind them.