The same waitress from last night greeted us with a bright smile on her face. “Good morning! How was your night? You two were so sweet together at dinner.”I felt my face heat up, remembering my over-the-top display of affection. It had been fabricated just to make Noah feel bad, and yet…Before I c
HannahI stood there, frozen in shock as I stared at the tiny bundle in Lily’s arms. A baby. My sister had a baby. When? How? Why was this the first I was hearing of it? Why, when I asked if I heard a baby crying the other night, had she kept it from me?“Surprise!” Lily exclaimed, her face beaming
“Hello there, little one,” Noah murmured, his voice softer than I had heard it in years—or maybe ever. He tapped her little nose, and she wriggled and grabbed his index finger. “Aren’t you just the most beautiful thing?”As I watched Noah with Olivia, a traitorous thought crept into my mind. Would h
HannahMy fingers traced the delicate lace patterns on the pillowcase while my eyes wandered the floral wallpaper, picking out patterns that I had almost forgotten over the years. The sun streamed in through the open window, the sheer curtains billowing slightly in the wind.Everything in this room
And now, he didn’t even seem to remember them at all.Sure, we went through the motions of a honeymoon phase for a few months; we had lots of sex, shared pillow secrets, went on dates. But now, looking back, I knew that it was all an act. A tactic to keep me happy, keep me obedient until I produced
HannahI sat stiffly at the dinner table, my gaze flickering between Noah and my father.The tension in my shoulders refused to ease as I waited for some sign, some hint of the deal I was convinced they had struck earlier. Lily told me that Noah had handed my father a check to help with his failing
“There we go, little one,” he said in a soft voice. “We’ll have you all clean and comfy in no time.”I must have made a sound because Noah looked up, his eyes meeting mine in the doorway. “Did you need something, Hannah?”I shook my head, still trying to process what I was witnessing. I wanted to pi
HannahNoah’s warm hand rubbed gentle circles on my back as he held my hair, his voice soft and soothing.“I’m here for you, Hannah. Just let it out.”His tone was more tender than I had ever heard it, a contrast to the cold, calculated demeanor he usually wore. The touch of his hand, the reassuranc