Share

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Author: Billie Summer
last update Last Updated: 2025-02-24 19:29:08

The 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?”

 

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Comments (6)
goodnovel comment avatar
Myrn O'logy
welcome back and Thankyou
goodnovel comment avatar
Diana Elder
Will you eventually finish this book, to show us if Noah and April get together?
goodnovel comment avatar
Swapna Ujalambkar Kulkarni
Take care billie, it's hard to write grief while going through it. U did a good job.
VIEW ALL COMMENTS

Latest chapter

  • CEO Wants His Wife Back In His Bed   Chapter One Hundred-One

    The Harrington estate looked every bit its celebrated grandeur, the perfect location for Noelle’s second birthday. Hydrangeas bloomed like inverted fireworks along the gravel driveway, and the long white portico, where April had played hide-and-seek as a child. They came here as often as possible.April stood at the threshold of the great hall, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear and surveying the guests milled between lawn games and picnic blankets, champagne flutes balanced like trophies in their hands. The kids had clowns and fairies for entertainment. There was just something creepy about clowns, so April didn’t get too close.Noah emerged from the house behind her, hands full of Noelle’s birthday presents—stacks of pastel-wrapped boxes that threatened to tumble tied with silk ribbons. He met April’s eyes, offering a tired but triumphant grin. “Ready?”She took one of the parcels. “Born ready.”He tousled her hair, then turned to navigate a rogue bubble floating across th

  • CEO Wants His Wife Back In His Bed   Chapter One-Hundred

    Birth DayThe moment April’s water broke, it sounded like someone somewhere had popped a champagne cork in slow motion. One second she was leaning over the kitchen island, peering under the sink for the misplaced tea towels; the next, a warm rush spattered onto her sweats and the tile floor.Noah was standing behind her, refolding April’s neatly laundered burp cloths into an ever-dwindling stack of hospital-bag items, and jumped so hard he knocked the cloths—and his coffee—off the counter. The mug shattered at their feet.“April?” he barked, eyes wide as saucers.“Yep,” she said, voice calm but edged with adrenaline, “that was my water.” It explained the back pain she had been getting all day.Noah blinked at the puddle. “Your… what?”She bit back a laugh. “My water, Noah. That water.”He tossed the hospital tote onto the island, sent half the contents spilling to the floor. “So… do we panic? Is that what we do?”She shoved aside her panic and reached for his face. “No, Chef, we don’t

  • CEO Wants His Wife Back In His Bed   Chapter Ninety-Nine

    For the night‑shift nurse, the arrangement was unacceptable. She pushed the door open for the fourth time, shoes squeaking on linoleum, her clipboard braced like a shield. Noah woke up the minute the door started opening.“Mr. Crawford, you’re going to have to use the visitor’s chair. It’s policy. Patients need room to turn safely.”Noah’s gruff whisper carried a quiet threat. “She is turning safely around me.”April stirred, IV line rustling, voice sleep‑rough. “It’s fine… we’ll both fit.”“It’s really not,” the nurse insisted, but her resolve faltered under Noah’s unblinking stare. He looked like a wolf someone had tried to leash overnight—hair a mess, dress shirt wrinkled, jaw covered in stubble—and sexy as hell.Finally, the nurse scribbled an irritated note, muttered something about lawsuits, and retreated. Noah exhaled only when the door clicked shut.“Sorry,” April murmured.He kissed her temple. “Let her file whatever report she wants. I’m not parking my ass in a plastic bucket

  • CEO Wants His Wife Back In His Bed   Chapter Ninety-Eight

    “Move! Hugo, you’re driving.”Noah’s roar bounced off the alley walls as he scooped April into his arms—trembling limbs and all—and bolted for the car. He wasn’t waiting for the EMTs; they’d look after Kayla first. While he understood Kayla had been shot, the bitch had kidnapped his pregnant wife. If anything happened to April or the baby because of today, he’d kill that fucking crazy bitch himself… no police protection would stop him.Brody jogged after him, radio crackling in one fist. “Crawford, I still need a statement before you go anywhere. This was a shooting.”“Statements can fucking wait.” Noah slid into the back seat, April cradled sideways on his lap, her belly shielded by his forearm. “My wife comes first. I’m taking her to the hospital to be checked over, and unless you’re arresting me, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”Brody planted a hand on the door. “We have protocols—”Noah slammed the door with his free hand, not replying. Hugo gunned the engine the second it l

  • CEO Wants His Wife Back In His Bed   Chapter-Ninety-Seven

    Traffic and streets blurred around her. April’s grip hurt on the wheel. Kayla sat rigid beside her, pistol hidden below dash level, arm braced on the door like she was part of the upholstery now.“Take the next exit,” Kayla rasped.April’s mouth was desert‑dry. “That dumps us into Tribeca. Foot traffic’s heavy—”“I said exit.”She obeyed, the SUV shuddering across the chevrons onto Harrison Street.Think. She needed to think. She knew Noah would save her.But maybe Noah was still at his desk at the office and wouldn’t be coming to save her. Maybe she was on her own.For the first time, she felt butterflies in her stomach—the baby. “Hang in there, little one,” she whispered under her breath, too quiet for Kayla to catch.“Keep your eyes ahead,” Kayla snapped, her voice fraying, raw around the edges. “No sudden moves.”April swallowed. “Are we just going to keep driving circles until we run out of gas?”Kayla’s gaze flicked to her belly, then away, jaw working. “We’ll stop when I’m ready

  • CEO Wants His Wife Back In His Bed   Chapter Ninety-Six

    Neil didn’t even hear the car at first—his mind was on the reports he’d left in the back seat of his SUV. He stepped out of the elevator onto Level B of the underground carpark, digging in his pocket for his key fob, when the low hum of an engine caught his attention.A black Audi rolled by, slow. Too slow. He might not have looked twice. But it reminded him of April’s car. The thing that made him go on high alert was the way the driver’s face looked—white. Like a sheet of paper. There was a woman in the car with her in the passenger seat.His blood went cold. Something wasn’t right.April. It was April driving. He didn’t recognize the woman sitting beside her. Disheveled, pale, eyes too wide—wild. He barely caught a flash of something metallic before it was gone. But his instincts screamed.Gun.Neil lunged forward, waving an arm—but the car didn’t stop. He was sure by the time he reacted, they hadn’t even seen him. The car pulled into traffic, vanishing with terrifying calm.He didn’

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status