Chapter 30

Eric walked into the house, feeling both exhausted and anxious. As he entered, the warm glow of the lights and the delicious smell of food filled the air, easing the tension on his face. “Stella?” His voice was tentative, afraid she might see the newspaper before he had a chance to explain. “Eric, you’re home!” Stella called out cheerfully, walking toward him with a plate of food in hand. She smiled at him as she stopped in the doorway. “Why are you standing there? Come on, dinner’s ready. You came back just in time, too!” Seeing her smile made Eric breathe a sigh of relief. He took the plate from her, setting it on the table, and slipped off his coat while rolling up his shirt sleeves. “Why didn’t you wait for me to get back? You’re still recovering; you shouldn’t be moving around so much.” “It’s fine, my wound is healed,” Stella said, her face flushing slightly. She lowered her voice. “Besides, you already... ‘checked’ it, right?” “You little rascal.” Eric pinched her cheek