Chapter 2 — Beneath the Wide Sky

Living with Ethan was nothing like Clara had imagined.

He woke before sunrise.

He worked until dark.

He rarely spoke unless there was something important to say.

At first, Clara thought he simply didn’t care about her.

Then she began noticing the little things.

Every morning, there was fresh coffee waiting outside her bedroom.

When the temperature dropped unexpectedly, Ethan repaired the broken heater without mentioning it.

When Clara’s horse became sick, he stayed awake through the night beside the animal.

And whenever she struggled to ride across the rough northern pasture, he quietly followed behind her.

One afternoon, Clara’s horse suddenly panicked.

She lost her balance and fell into the grass.

Before she could stand, Ethan was already beside her.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

He extended his hand.

Clara hesitated before taking it.

His hand was rough and warm.

For the first time, she noticed the exhaustion beneath his cold expression.

“You work too hard,” she said.

“So do you.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

Ethan looked at her for a long moment.

“Neither did I.”

Something changed after that.

They began eating dinner together.

Clara learned that Ethan had lost his mother when he was young and had spent most of his life trying to protect the ranch his father left behind.

Ethan discovered that Clara could repair old fences, ride difficult horses, and sing beautifully when she thought nobody was listening.

One evening, a storm trapped them in an old barn.

Rain hammered against the roof while the cattle shifted restlessly in their stalls.

Clara sat beside Ethan on a stack of hay.

“Do you ever regret marrying me?” she asked.

Ethan was silent.

Then he looked at her.

“No.”

Clara’s heart skipped.

“Even though this was only supposed to be business?”

“Yes.”

He moved closer.

“But I don’t think it’s business anymore.”

Their eyes met.

For a moment, the storm seemed to disappear.

Ethan gently touched her cheek.

Then he stopped.

“I don’t want you to think I married you because I needed something from you.”

Clara whispered, “What if I tell you I don’t think that anymore?”

Neither of them moved.

Outside, thunder rolled across the valley.

Inside, two people who had entered a marriage without love finally realized they were afraid of losing it.