27. Unraveling Shadows

Belle had always known that Noah wasn’t a simple man. From the moment their paths crossed again after years apart, there had been an undercurrent of secrecy that ran beneath his charm—a past he rarely spoke of. In their most intimate moments, he’d open up just enough to let her feel like she knew him, but she always sensed that there were parts of him he kept locked away.

Now, as she walked across campus, that feeling of unease settled over her like a heavy fog. The crisp autumn air did little to shake the chill creeping into her bones. It was a stark contrast to the warmth and intimacy they had shared just hours before, when they lay tangled together in her bed, blissfully lost in each other’s embrace. That morning had been a reminder of how far they’d come, a moment of bliss she had never expected to experience with him. Yet, as she navigated through the throngs of students, laughter and chatter echoing all around, her mind was consumed with qu