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Chapter Twenty-Nine
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2025-02-24 19:29:08The soft murmur of voices surrounded April as she stood by her father’s coffin, holding onto Tally’s hand for support. The church was filled with mourners, some family, some distant friends of her late fathers, but April’s attention was fixed solely on the casket before her. Her father, once a pillar of strength, now lay in quiet repose, an almost peaceful expression on his face. The thought felt wrong, too final. There was so much more to say, so much left unsaid between them. The last few years of sickness had been telling on him. Even if she wished for more time. This earth could not hold him. His mind might have been sharp until the end, but his body hadn’t been.
Tally, ever the rock, stood by her side, squeezing her hand lightly in support. She hadn’t known Tally long, but in the time they had spent together, Tally had become April’s anchor. April’s heart felt heavy with gratitude, and yet the weight of her secrets almost choked her. Her friends from university couldn’t be with her now, but she was glad to have Tally. A new but true friendship. “April,” Tally whispered, leaning in closer, her voice soft and comforting. “You’re in a world of pain now. But it will get easier and you will remember the good times.” April managed a weak smile. It wasn’t much, but it was the best she could do. She had to stay composed, not just for herself, but for the image she had created, the identity she was hiding behind. The veil hid her face, a symbol of the walls she had built around herself at this moment. No one knew who she truly was, not even Tally. And as much as April longed to confide in her, she couldn’t bring herself to reveal everything just yet. Not here, not now. She knew he would be coming, and she wasn’t ready for him to know it was her. She couldn’t hide the changes in her body, but she could hide her face. The thought of Noah broke her focus, and April’s gaze flicked nervously to the church. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the tall, commanding figure of Noah standing at the back of the church, his sharp features as striking as she remembered. His eyes scanned the room, but she felt the weight of his gaze, a reminder of the past she wasn’t ready to face. Tally squeezed her hand once more before pulling away. “I’m going to sit with Ryan. I’ll be right here if you need me.” April nodded, her throat tight as she watched Tally make her way to the back of the room. But it wasn’t her friend that occupied April’s mind now. It was Noah. She turned her attention back to her father’s coffin, willing herself to focus on the grief of the moment. She would miss him. He had been her rock. But then, like a magnet, Noah’s presence seemed to pull at her attention. Every so often, she would glance toward the back of the church, where he still stood, observing the mourners. It didn’t matter if she was May or April. He was still the man who had hurt her, who had betrayed her in ways she couldn’t even explain. But that didn’t stop her heart from racing every time she caught sight of him. Stupid, really. Here she was mourning the loss of her beloved father and she was thinking about him. April turned away from the man who had broken her heart to the one man lost to her now who had always loved her. She had been enough for him. Noah’s eyes had narrowed as he watched her. Something about the woman standing at the coffin. The veil covered her face, leaving only her silhouette visible, but there was a grace to her posture, a confidence that wasn’t there when he’d last seen her. April had been different back then, timid, unsure of herself. This woman, whoever she was, had changed. The way she moved, the way she held herself, spoke of a woman who had grown, a woman who had endured hardship and come out stronger. He was part of the reason she had faced hardship. Something he would have to deal with. He found himself leaning forward slightly, his curiosity piqued. But then the realization hit him: he hadn’t seen April in four years. Could it really be her? She had lost a lot of weight, but that wasn’t what unsettled him most. He’d known her when she was younger, before the world had caught up with her, before the changes that had surely come with time. But still, there was something about her. Noah’s brow furrowed as he watched her, feeling guilt over how he had treated her in the past. He had been a dick. But it wasn’t enough to compel him to approach her, not yet. Not here. He needed to apologize for his behavior towards her, but now wasn’t the time or the place. April felt Noah’s eyes on her and shuddered involuntarily. She could feel the weight of his gaze, the intensity of his scrutiny. She knew he hadn’t recognized her—not yet. But she couldn’t shake the fear that he might soon. And when he did, would he see the woman she had become, or would he only see the girl he had left behind? The girl who had once loved him, who had once believed in their future together. Not anymore, she needed to move on…Who was she kidding, feeding herself that lie. She told herself she didn’t love him, but she did. She moved away from her father’s coffin, taking her place at one of the front pews. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the barrier in front of her as the emotions threatened to overwhelm her. What was she going to do about Noah? She was still his wife. Despite everything, she was still tied to him, bound by a marriage. But she would change that soon. Her father was gone, and she didn’t need Noah. And yet, here she was, hiding behind a veil, hoping to remain invisible. Hoping that Noah would never find out who she truly was. She was April, but she was May as well. April’s mind swirled as she tried to push back the tide of emotions. The grief over her father’s death was one thing, but the unresolved feelings for Noah were another. She couldn’t face him. Not now, not with everything that had happened between them. And yet, she couldn’t stop herself from wondering what would happen if they spoke again. What would he say? What would he think when he realized who she was? What if he found out today? Would he hate her as she fantasized about hating him? It felt like the room was closing in on her. She felt so alone. Suddenly, Noah stood up from his seat and began to move toward the front of the church. April’s pulse quickened, and she instinctively looked away from his direction, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hand trembled as she clutched the hem of her veil, trying to keep herself composed. Noah’s footsteps grew closer, and before she could react, he was standing beside her. His voice was low, his words unsure, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “April?”
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April made her way outside as soon as the service had finished. She had been relieved. It had started at the prefect time when Noah had said her name, not giving her time to talk. The courtyard was eerily quiet despite the low murmur of voices from mourners lingering nearby. The cold air wrapped around April, but she barely noticed. Her focus was on the man standing a few feet away, his gaze sharp, searching. Noah.He had followed her out after the funeral service, his long strides full of purpose. She could feel the weight of his presence, the tension radiating between them, thick and undeniable. He still didn’t know who she was, and she needed to keep it that way.April’s fingers curled into the fabric of her dress as she forced herself to remain still, composed. When she finally spoke, she kept her voice soft, careful. Not hiding her voice from him, but speaking softly instead, hoping that was enough. “Can I help you with something?” She said, spinning around to face him after she
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On the drive back to the estate, she enjoyed the quiet and solitude. April sat stiffly in the back seat of the black town car, her fingers clenched tightly in her lap as she stared out the window. The funeral had been draining, but she had little time to grieve. Her father’s will was about to be read, and she knew it wouldn’t be a quiet affair. The rest of the mourners would be heading back for drinks and food, as her father’s lawyer read William Harrington’s will in the privacy of her father’s office.David had made it clear where he stood, and she had no doubt he believed himself entitled to everything her father had built. But William Harrington had never been a man to let others dictate his decisions. If there was one thing her father had been adamant about, it was control and there would be no splitting the estate.The estate loomed ahead, its grandeur somehow colder today. As the car rolled to a stop, April exhaled slowly. Tally was already waiting for her near the entrance, stan
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The manor was filled with murmurs and the clinking of glasses as mourners settled into the grand halls and sitting rooms, drinking her father’s expensive whiskey and picking at the catered food. April moved through the crowd with a practiced ease, nodding politely when necessary but never stopping long enough for conversation. The years she had been away, she had learnt how to handle crowds. How to be polite during social gatherings. A funeral was no different.She had barely had a moment to breathe since the reading of the will. The weight of her father’s empire sat on her shoulders now, and she could already feel the vultures circling. Her uncle. His wife. Their spoiled daughter. Plus, she watched her father’s second in charge and CFO and their families.Let’s not forget the extended family that had only ever cared about William Harrington for what he could offer them. They were all here, their condolences empty, their eyes sharp with greed.Spotting Tally and Ryan near the grand fir
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April held her ground as David’s furious gaze bore into her, his entire body tense with barely contained rage. The night air felt charged, thick with the weight of unsaid threats.April arched a brow at his last words. She would not regret anything when it came to him, refusing to let him see even a flicker of fear. “Don’t worry, David. I’ve never needed your help before, and I certainly won’t start now.”His jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists, and for a brief second, she thought he might actually lose control. But before he could take another step toward her, Noah moved.Quick. Decisive.One second, he was standing beside Ryan, and the next, he was in front of her, blocking David’s path entirely. His voice was calm, but there was a lethal edge beneath it.“I suggest you walk away before you say something you’ll regret.”David let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You think I’m afraid of you, boy?”Noah tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “No. I think you should
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Noah stared at the woman in front of him.April.May.They were the same person.His chest tightened as he stared at her—the long black hair spilling over her shoulders, the striking sea-green eyes he could lose himself in. His mind reeled, scrambling to make sense of it, but the truth was already staring him in the face.The lighting in the club that night and later had been terrible. If he had seen her eyes in daylight, he would have known.He took a few more steps forward, making sure he wasn’t seeing things. No. It was plain as day now.Standing in front of him was the woman he had been trying to find for months.May Jones was April Harrington.He hadn’t slept with some stranger in a nightclub. He had slept with his wife.April’s expression shifted from surprise to guarded caution as she stood from the chaise lounge, her movements slow. She didn’t take her eyes off him. She didn’t speak right away, but he saw the tension in her frame, the way her fingers clenched at her sides.“Noa
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April’s hands curled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she stared at the man in front of her. The man who had been her husband for four years. The man who had humiliated her, ignored her, and lived his life as if she had never existed.“I can get a divorce if I want one, Noah. Nothing can stop me. You think this changes anything?” she asked, voice sharp. “You think just because you found out who I am, suddenly things are different?”Noah’s jaw tightened. “I think it changes everything.”April let out a bitter laugh. “Of course you do. Because now the joke isn’t on you anymore, right?” She took a step closer, anger and hurt burning inside her. “But let me ask you this, Noah. Would anything have changed if you had known back then? Would you have treated me differently? Or would you have still taken my father’s money and done exactly what you did?”His eyes flickered with frustration. “April—”“You did take the money, didn’t you?” she pressed, her voice shaking.
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Noah pulled up to Ryan and Tally’s house, cutting the engine. He sat there for a moment, gripping the steering wheel, his gut twisting. Something was off. He had heard it in Ryan’s voice when he called earlier today.“Come over for dinner,” Ryan had said. “There’s something we need to talk about. Something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you sooner.” And that was the problem.They were close, always had been. Ryan could tell him anything, and yet here Noah was, parked outside his friend’s house, gut churning with unease. It had been two days since William’s funeral. If Ryan had waited this long, it meant whatever he had to say wasn’t just important—it was something Noah wasn’t going to like.Exhaling sharply, Noah pushed open the car door.Before he could even knock, the front door swung open. Tally stood there, arms crossed, her expression too careful, too controlled.That was the second sign something was wrong.“Hey, Noah.” Her voice was soft, deliberate.His brows
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Noah pulled up in front of Ryan and Tally’s house for the second time in a week. But this time, his gut wasn’t twisting with dread. He wasn’t walking into a nightmare. No life-shattering news awaited him.And yet, he still sat in his car for a moment, gripping the wheel, exhaling slowly as if trying to steady himself.His mind was still reeling from what he had learned the last time he was here. He had fathered a child—a child he had never known about, never even had the chance to fight for. And now, he never would. That reality wasn’t something he could just shake off. It clung to him, burrowed deep into his chest like a wound that refused to close. The fact that he had been kept in the dark only made his hatred for Ashley even more raw.But he wasn’t here to drown in that grief today. He had drunk enough this past week to sink any ship. But it hadn’t helped. He needed to deal with it and move on. Like Ryan had. For years, his best friend had believed the baby was his.Then Ryan had t
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The smell of espresso and fresh toasted bread filled the kitchen the next morning. There had been no time for more because they had overslept. April grinned at the reason they had overslept. Noah had been… hungry for her during the night.April sat barefoot at the breakfast bar, wearing Noah’s crisp button-down shirt. She sipped her coffee while scrolling through her emails to check for any urgent tasks that needed attention that morning. Although she had showered and washed her hair, she had not yet put on her work clothes. She had always fantasized about wearing one of his business shirts as a nightie or robe.Noah stood at the stove, shirtless and smug, flipping pancakes like a man who had absolutely no shame in how good he looked, half-naked in a domestic setting.She didn’t trust it.“What?” he asked, catching her watching him with narrowed eyes.“You’re being weird.” He was a jackass. She just needed to figure out if he was her jackass.“I’m making pancakes.”“Exactly. You made s
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April lay tangled in the sheets, her breathing still uneven, skin slick with sweat, body thrumming from the high he’d dragged out of her. Noah was beside her, propped on one elbow, watching her like he was trying to memorize her face.She hated how much she liked that look.Silence stretched between them… not uncomfortable, but full. Heavy. They’d never had the post-sex autopsy before. In some ways, April was glad. She hadn’t wanted to rake over the past. But she also knew they needed to. It hung over them like a storm cloud, waiting to burst. She just wondered which of them would break the silence first.“Why are you looking at me like that?” she murmured, eyes on the ceiling.“Like what?” His voice was low, threaded with something she didn’t trust herself to name.“Like you’re seeing me for the first time.”“I feel like I am,” he said. “Or maybe… maybe I just wasn’t allowed to see you properly before.”April turned her head toward him, her expression unreadable. “You saw enough back
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“Sometimes, you don’t realize you’ve found home until your body stops wanting to leave.” By Unknown.April barely had time to breathe after Noah’s kiss before he was pulling her tighter against him, lifting her onto the counter like she weighed nothing. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and he slid his hands down to grip her thighs, his mouth still devouring hers like he couldn’t get enough.His body was warm, solid, and everywhere. His lips trailed from her mouth down her throat, biting lightly at the base before soothing it with his tongue. April gasped, arching into him.He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “Tell me to stop. Because I will if needed.”She couldn’t. Wouldn’t ask him to stop.Her silence was permission.With a low, satisfied growl, Noah pulled her long sleeve dress over her head, baring her to him without ceremony. His eyes darkened as he took her in. “You’re so fucking beautiful, April.”Before she could come up with a comeback, his mouth was
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“Sometimes, home isn’t a place. It’s a person you’re still pretending not to need.” By Unknown.April unlocked her front door and stepped into the familiar sanctuary of her home. The familiar scent of it hit her immediately, grounding her. Her space.Except… now it wasn’t just hers.That was about to change. Noah Crawford would be living here for three months. Was she truly ready for that?She set her bag down and glanced around the spacious living room. Everything was as it should be, minimalist, elegant, quiet. Her housekeeper had been in that morning. Not a single cushion was out of place. It looked like a spread from a home magazine.And still, April felt jittery. Anticipation thrummed beneath her skin like an itch she couldn’t scratch.Noah would be here any moment.The thought was both unnerving… and thrilling. She hated that part. Hated that her stomach fluttered at the idea of him in her kitchen, in her hallway, in her bed.No. Not yet. She wasn’t going to think of that. She di
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“Sometimes, the only person you can trust with your demons is the one who’s danced with them before.” By Unknown.April didn’t move for a long time after the door closed behind Gail.She just sat there, staring at the city skyline like it might offer answers she didn’t have. The weight on her chest was different now. Less grief, more fury.She wanted to scream. Or cry. Or throw something.Instead, she reached for her mobile phone.There were maybe five people in her life who she trusted without question. None of them had the resources or connections she needed right now. And the one person who did?She hated that it was him.Still, her fingers moved before her brain could stop them. The line rang twice.“Look who finally remembered my number,” Noah’s voice came through, low and amused.April immediately rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. This isn’t a booty call.” Remembering his hands on her this morning outside her place.“Shame. I was hoping you were calling for another... per
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“One of the biggest lies ever told is that blood makes you family. Blood makes you related. Loyalty, love, and trust make you family.” By Unknown.When Neil had first said someone was waiting in her office, April had half-assumed it was Noah. A last-minute booty call, maybe. The man had a habit of showing up without notice and lighting her world on fire, only to leave her hot and bothered after like this morning.But it wasn’t Noah. It was her mother.She stared at Neil, unmoving. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it was trying to claw its way out of her chest. “I’m sorry… what?” She needed him to repeat it, just in case the universe was pulling a sick joke.Neil didn’t flinch. “She’s waiting in your office.”April blinked. “You’re sure? My mother?”“She said her name’s Gail Harrington.” His expression was concerned, maybe even a little sympathetic, though there was something close to apology in the way he said it. “I can have her removed, if you’d prefer.”“No,” April muttered. “
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“Some people can’t take a hint. Others turn the hint into a weapon.” By Unknown.Noah stepped into the lobby of Crawford HQ and immediately regretted not taking the service entrance.There she was… Kayla.Fuck.Perched behind the front desk like she owned the damn building, she flashed him that same too-sweet smile she always wore when she thought he might finally cave.Her blouse was tighter today, her hair styled just a little more than usual. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was trying again. Maybe he could get HR to fire her for sexual harassment.“Noah,” she said brightly, as if they hadn’t already had this conversation before.“Morning.” He didn’t break stride, heading straight for the elevator bay.“I didn’t see you come in yesterday,” she called after him, standing now, like she might follow.Wow, no kidding. He wasn’t always in the office, sometimes he worked remotely. “That’s because I wasn’t here,” he replied, pressing the elevator button. He didn’t turn around.The
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“Sometimes the biggest step toward a future is simply choosing where to begin.” By Unknown.The smell of fresh coffee drifting in from the next room stirred April. She sat up fast… shit, what time was it? She needed to get to the office. Throwing off the covers, she was halfway to the door where the coffee smell was coming from, before remembering she still needed a shower.Yes, he had used a condom this morning... but last night? Not so much. Bareback sex was pretty messy. Hot, but still messy.She grabbed her phone on the way to the bathroom. 7:27 a.m. Thank God.She moved fast, taking the quickest shower known to mankind, still managing to wash her hair. There was a hairbrush and a new toothbrush sitting on the vanity. Of course there was. Noah had thought of everything.She wasn’t about to throw on yesterday’s clothes just yet, though. Instead, she slipped into Noah’s robe. It drowned her and washed her underwear out in the sink. She’d wear her dress home, but the wet underwear? Ab
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“Love is war. You have to be willing to fight for it… or surrender completely.” By Unknown.April’s eyes narrowed, her body tense beneath the sheet she had wrapped tightly around herself. “What condition?”His jaw flexed, like he was bracing for her reaction. “Give our marriage a three-month trial.”April blinked, sure she’d misheard him. “Excuse me?” He couldn’t be serious.“You heard me.” He sat up fully, the sheet falling to his waist, revealing far too much golden skin and muscle for April’s brain to compute properly. “Three months. We live as husband and wife. No lawyers, no threats, no running. We talk and work on our marriage.”April stared at him, stunned into silence. Then she laughed a sharp, bitter, and humorless laugh. “You’re insane.”“Maybe.” He didn’t flinch. “But I’m serious. Three months. If at the end of it you still want out, I’ll sign the papers. No argument. I’ll make it quick and painless.”She gaped at him. “You’re blackmailing me into staying married to you?
