Scented Claudia

As i lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I heard Raphael knocking softly on my door.

His voice was calm but carried that quiet authority he never seemed to lose.

"Claudia, can we talk?"

My heart started pounding.

Was this it?

The conversation i'd been dreading?

I gripped the sheets tighter. I tried to keep my voice steady. "I'm tired, Raphael. Let's talk tomorrow."

There was a pause.

Long enough for my anxiety to twist in my chest before he finally answered, voice softer.

"Alright... Good night."

I shut my eyes tight.

My mind was spinning with what-ifs.

What if tomorrow he'd say it was over?

What if he'd finally tell me he wanted out?

I tried to push those thoughts away, telling myself i was just being paranoid.

But a part of me was terrified that it was true.

-

The next morning, I woke up with a start, immediately glancing at the empty space beside me.

He hadn't come in.

And worse, when i checked the rest of the house, he was already gone.

It felt emptier than usual or maybe it was just me.

Shaking my head, I forced myself to get dressed.

I refused to fall apart.

Not today.

At the office, I drowned myself in work.

Back-to-back meetings.

Endless paperwork.

Anything to keep from thinking about Raphael.

But at exactly five PM., as i was packing up, I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Claudia."

I froze.

He was standing by the door, looking unfairly good in his white button-down, but his eyes were darker than usual.

I wanted to leave.

Pretend i didn't hear.

But he was faster, stepping forward and gently catching my wrist.

"Let's talk," he said quietly but firmly.

My heart thundered in my chest.

I wasn't ready.

But i let him lead me anyway.

He sat me down on the office couch and stood in front of me, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

"You've been avoiding me."

I didn't respond. Couldn't.

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair before meeting my eyes.

"Claudia, I know i messed up. I said things i shouldn't have. I was frustrated, exhausted. But that doesn't excuse how i treated you."

I swallowed, trying to look away. "Raphael—"

"Let me finish."

His voice left no room for argument.

I pressed my lips together.

"When you started avoiding me, I had time to think." He took a deep breath. "I realized something."

He paused, eyes boring into mine.

"I love you, Claudia."

My mouth fell open.

What?

He didn't let me respond, stepping closer, voice steadier now.

"I thought i could live with it. That our marriage could stay the way it was. But i can't. I don't want this to be fake anymore."

My chest tightened painfully.

"Let's make it real," he said. "No more contracts. No more pretending. Just us."

I felt tears sting my eyes.

I blinked them back, but one escaped, rolling down my cheek.

"But... I thought you wanted to divorce me," I whispered, voice cracking.

His eyes softened.

He crouched in front of me, taking my hands gently in his.

"That was never what i wanted," he said, squeezing my hands. "What i want... is you."

The tears fell faster, my throat closing.

"You idiot," I choked out, half-laughing, half-sobbing.

He let out a low, relieved laugh. "Yeah. I know."

Before i could respond, he pulled me into his arms, hugging me so tightly it knocked the breath out of me.

And i held on just as hard, burying my face in his shoulder.

I let myself cry.

But it wasn't from pain or frustration anymore.

It was relief.

When i finally calmed down, he pulled back just enough to cup my face, his thumbs brushing away my tears.

His eyes burned with so much intensity it made my chest ache.

"Claudia," he whispered. "Can i kiss you?"

I swallowed, breath hitching.

Instead of answering, I leaned in.

Our lips met in a soft, tentative kiss that quickly deepened.

It wasn't just a kiss.

It was a promise.

A confession.

His fingers threaded through my hair, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.

I melted into him, letting the last walls i'd built crumble.

When we finally broke apart, breathless, he rested his forehead against mine.

"I love you," he murmured again, voice thick with emotion.

I let out a wet laugh, brushing my fingers along his jaw. "I love you too, Raphael."

He smiled, truly smiled and kissed me again, this time with more urgency.

Like he couldn't believe this was real.

We laughed between kisses, clumsy and giddy like teenagers.

"Let's celebrate," he said suddenly, standing up and pulling me with him.

"Celebrate?" I blinked, dazed.

He smirked, brushing a stray tear from my cheek. "We've wasted enough time pretending. Let's make up for it."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my smile.

"Fine. But you're paying."

"I always do," he teased.

He drove us to one of my own restaurants. But tonight, I wasn't the boss.

I was just Claudia.

Just his wife.

We shared wine, laughed over dinner, and toasted to "new beginnings."

"To real love," I whispered, clinking my glass against his.

He didn't take his eyes off me as he drank.

And for the first time, I truly believed it.

This wasn't a contract anymore.

This was forever.

-

We woke up the next morning tangled in each other's arms.

I blinked blearily, feeling his breath against my neck.

When i turned, he was watching me with a sleepy, amused smile.

"You're staring again," he teased, voice husky.

I snorted. "Shut up."

He chuckled, pulling me closer.

"Good morning, wife."

I rolled my eyes, but my heart soared.

"Good morning."

We ate breakfast together, bickering lightly over coffee and toast.

At one point he caught me reading, leaning over to see the cover.

"So... this is the book making you all sweet lately?"

I nearly choked. "Raphael!"

He flipped it open, reading aloud in an exaggerated, dramatic voice until i snatched it back, red-faced.

He just laughed. "You're cute when you're flustered."

-

After breakfast, I drove him to work.

When I parked, he turned to me, brushing his thumb over my hand.

"See you later?"

I nodded. "See you, Doc."

He kissed me, soft but lingering.

At my office, Samuel barged in to introduce his new girlfriend, Kourtney.

After some teasing and a forced beso on the cheek, I waved them off, shaking my head in amusement.

Vanessa immediately sensed my good mood, chirping about her "bonus" as she handed me papers.

"Actually, I'm thinking of deducting your salary since i'm in such a good mood," I deadpanned.

Her shriek of outrage made me laugh.

-

Later that afternoon, my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Chanel. Raphael's friend. Just a heads up—it's his birthday today. He mentioned you hadn't greeted him."

I froze.

What?

I fumbled for my bag, panic rising.

"Thanks, Chanel. Really."

I rushed to buy a cake and practically flew to the hospital.

But when i got to his office, I saw another cake already there.

From Alaine.

My heart sank.

Raphael walked in moments later, surprised but smiling when he saw me.

"Claudia."

I held out my cake, trying not to glare at the other one.

"Happy birthday," I managed.

He pulled me into a hug.

"Thank you," he murmured.

We sat quietly for a bit.

He noticed my gaze flick to the other cake and sighed.

"We're not allowed to wear rings in surgery," he said suddenly.

I blinked.

I hadn't even asked.

But i understood what he meant.

I let out a breath. "Oh."

Alaine popped in once, saw me, and practically ran.

I smirked. "She's weird."

"She always is," he muttered.

"Jealous?" he teased after a beat.

I scoffed. "As if."

He only grinned, leaning over to kiss me quickly before heading out to check on patients.

I stayed behind, eventually falling asleep on the small cot in his office.

When i woke up hours later, he was there, brushing hair from my face, watching me like i was the only thing in the world.

"You fell asleep in my office?"

"Shut up," I grumbled, embarrassed.

He laughed softly, pulling me up.

"Come on, wife. Let's go eat."

We had dinner at a tiny place nearby.

A nurse tried to flirt with him until he calmly said, "I'm having dinner with my wife."

Her face fell.

I nearly cackled.

He just shook his head, trying not to smile.

"You enjoy this too much."

I winked. "Maybe."

-

When we got home, he didn't even ask.

He just followed me to my room, grabbed some clothes, and changed.

We lay there quietly, his arm wrapping around me.

"Just sleep, Claudia," he whispered.

I let myself relax.

For the first time in so long, I wasn't scared of tomorrow.

Because this, this was real.

And i wouldn't trade it for anything.