My Cop Boyfriend Killed My Father

Chapter 5

As the bright spotlight swept past, I shielded my eyes. When I lowered my hand, my gaze locked directly with Ethan's.

But he calmly looked away, as if I were nothing more than a stranger.

I watched the red and blue emergency lights flashing outside the bar as his team wrapped up and prepared to leave. Driven by some inexplicable urge, I ran out after him.

I ignored my friend's frantic calls behind me and didn't look back once.

Outside, the rain was pouring down in sheets, soaking me to the bone in an instant.

Seeing Ethan about to get into his vehicle, I cried out, "Ethan!"

At my voice, Ethan and the officers who hadn't boarded yet turned to look.

Staring at him through the heavy downpour, I didn't know if he would come to me, so I took the initiative and walked up to him. "I need to talk to you."

Seeing this, the other colleagues got into their cars.

The vehicles quickly drove off, leaving only me and Ethan, who was holding a black umbrella, standing in the rain.

He shifted the umbrella over to cover me. "Speak."

I didn't know what to say. After all, it was just an excuse I had made up on the spot to keep Ethan from leaving.

I stared at the rain soaking Ethan's navy blue uniform, remaining silent for a long time.

Finally, Ethan broke the silence. "It's late. Go home."

He shoved the umbrella into my hand and turned to leave.

I reached out and grabbed him.

My rain-soaked clothes clung to my skin, making me shiver from the cold.

I heard myself say, "I don't want to go back."

The large black umbrella slipped from my hand, falling onto the wet ground and rolling away.

Ethan stared back at me for a long time. After a silent standoff, he finally took me to the branch headquarters' dormitory.

Inside the room, the luggage Ethan had packed from our place was piled in the corner. Aside from him, there was no trace of anyone else ever having lived there.

So after Ethan left with Grace today, he had moved straight here. He wasn't living with her.

My suffocating, tight chest finally found some relief.

"Change your clothes before you catch a cold." Ethan's voice suddenly broke the quiet.

I stared at the T-shirt he handed me, making no move to take it.

The alcohol I had consumed at the bar, chilled by the cold rain earlier, was now rushing to my head, making me feel warm and lightheaded.

Losing control, I walked over to Ethan, wrapped my arms around him, and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him—

But the moment my lips drew near, Ethan turned his head, avoiding me.

His eyes were cold and distant. "Clara, you're drunk."

With that, his iron grip pushed me away firmly. He set the T-shirt down and walked straight out.

The dormitory door slammed shut behind him.

Standing in the center of the room, the harsh fluorescent light above cast a solitary dark shadow at my feet.

Ultimately, I fled that place that night in utter humiliation.

After that night, Ethan and I didn't see or contact each other again.

I holed up in our shared home, tending to the hydrangeas day after day, as if doing so would somehow bring Ethan back.

Until early one morning, my phone rang urgently.

I answered to a woman's unfamiliar voice: "Is this Clara Smith? This is Alderidge First Hospital Emergency Room. Your grandfather fell into the water while fishing and couldn't be resuscitated. You need to come down and handle the final arrangements."

Boom!

A sudden c***k of thunder split the sky, and the rain began to pour.

Clutching my phone, I ran all the way to the hospital.

Led by a nurse, I arrived at my grandfather's side.

The freezing air of the morgue hit me, chilling me to the bone.

Staring at the body covered by a white sheet, my limbs grew numb and stiff, and my mind went completely blank.

I raised my hand and let it drop several times before I finally found the courage to peel back the sheet with trembling fingers, revealing my grandfather's familiar, loving face.

His eyes were tightly closed, silent and still, as if he were merely sleeping.

"G-Grandpa..." My throat tightened, and tears poured down my face uncontrollably.

But the old man would never open his eyes again to smile and call me, "Clara."

He just lay there, just like my mother had when she passed away, never to return.

I collapsed onto my knees beside him, utterly lost and helpless.

In the end, Ethan arrived. He handled the death registration paperwork and helped me lay my grandfather to rest.

Southside Cemetery, Alderidge.

The rain had long since stopped, leaving only a biting, relentless wind.

Dressed in black mourning attire, I knelt before my grandfather's grave. My eyes were swollen and red, my gaze numb, having cried until there were no tears left.

"My condolences."

Ethan's quiet, cool voice sounded. My eyelashes fluttered as I looked up at the man standing beside me.

He was rarely out of uniform, but today he wore a black suit. He looked exceptionally solemn, yet his presence brought me a profound sense of comfort.

Seeing me look up, Ethan leaned down and pulled me into a hug.

The familiar warmth dispelled my crushing loneliness. I wrapped my arms tightly around him, my hot tears soaking through the chest of his shirt. "Ethan, my grandfather is gone! I don't have any family left!"

Ethan's arms tightened slightly around me.

This comfort gave me a sudden surge of courage. Burying my face in his chest, I sobbed, "Ethan, can we get back together? I don't want to break up with you!"

Ethan remained silent for a long time—so long that I thought he was going to refuse.

Then, his deep voice murmured, "Okay."