HannahI stared at Noah, unsure of what to say. I had assumed that he wouldn’t show up today, since I had taken care to schedule our meetings during his work hours, but it seemed I was mistaken. And now he wanted me to come up with something to do.“We could go out to eat,” he suggested, counting of
I gasped, grabbing a pillow and chucking it straight at him. “Noah!” The pillow hit him square in the face, and for a moment, I saw a flash of the boy I used to know—an uncharacteristic smirk, a huff of laughter, and reddened cheeksDammit; I had to bite back the urge to laugh, too. I was supposed t
HannahThe next day, I woke up feeling groggy and irritable. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, but it did little to improve my mood.I didn’t expect Noah to show up again. Yesterday was probably just a one-time thing, a way to placate me or ease his guilt. And so, after showering and having br
He raised an eyebrow. “Why not? I want our child to have the best of everything.”“But—”“No buts, Hannah. This is for our baby.”Feeling vindictive, I decided to test him. I pointed to a ridiculously expensive, crystal-encrusted mobile. “Okay. I want that, then,” I said, certain he would refuse.“O
Hannah & NoahHannah’s POVThe next few days passed in a blur of awkward silences and forced interactions. Noah showed up every day, like clockwork, for our two-hour ‘bonding’ sessions, seemingly unfazed about missing work.I couldn’t decide if I liked it or hated it. On one hand, it was nice to hav
“What? When were you going to tell me this?”Viona had the decency to look ashamed. “Look, I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner. But Hannah, you should have seen him. He was so worried about you, about the baby.”For a moment, it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. I had an i
HannahI found myself standing outside Noah’s office door. The sun had begun its nightly descent, the shadows in the hall lengthening. I hadn’t seen Noah all day; he had abruptly canceled our daily bonding time that morning, and I wondered if my locking the bedroom door last night when I heard him s
I waited, staring at him with wide eyes, silently begging him to remember—to have saved at least one of our letters, just like I did.But Noah just blinked again, looking utterly devoid of emotion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said simply.I stared at him, astounded. He didn’t…It fe
“Almost done…” she murmured, leaning in with a touch of gloss for my lips. I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she looked, as if I were some delicate art piece she was trying to perfect. Finally, she stepped back with a smile. “There. Now, the dress.” Amber was already at my side, helping m
Hannah The next morning, I woke with a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked up at the ceiling, letting that first realization sink in. It was the day of our wedding. In le
Hannah Mornings had gotten louder since Melody learned to walk. And she wasn’t just walking—she was trying to run, arms flapping and her chubby legs barely holding her up as she went. This morning, she seemed to be hell bent on dashing down the hallway as Noah tried to brush his teeth and I hunted
I laughed, hoping it sounded more natural than I felt. “Hey, I can spoil you once in a while if I want. Just because it’s a Thursday doesn’t mean I can’t surprise you.” We chatted about our day as we ate, filling each other in on all the usual things. But every so often, his eyes would flicker to
Hannah My hands shook a little as I straightened the delicate flower crown over Melody’s soft hair, adjusting it so the petals framed her tiny face just right. She blinked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, slapping her hands contentedly on the top of her high chair. I smiled as I ran my f
Hannah By the time we stepped out of the ring, it felt as if my entire body was on fire. Every muscle seemed to be taut, every heartbeat one thump away from shifting. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to run circles around the building or maybe tear up the walls like a caged animal. What was wrong wit
Hannah For what felt like the hundredth time that morning, I sidestepped Drake’s punch with ease, narrowly dodging his hook. Training with him had become an obsession of mine lately. He’d pushed me in ways I hadn’t expected, helping me learn how to use my speed and endurance instead of relying on
Noah pushed himself harder, letting out a playful howl as he gained on her, the hunt pulsing through his veins like a drug. She glanced back, her ears twitching, and he saw her eyes flash with excitement before she put on an extra burst of speed. It became a game of cat and mouse, each of them pus
Noah For the millionth time that morning, Noah’s gaze drifted from the stack of papers on his desk to the stretch of forest that was visible through the office window. The afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting that familiar, deep green hue over the landscape. Just seeing the expans