30. Shadows in the Light

The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the apartment. The amber glow of twilight filtered through the blinds, painting the walls with a warm, fleeting light. Belle moved quietly around the kitchen, her mind racing as she set two glasses of wine on the counter. Tonight felt different. Noah had been distant lately, a little too preoccupied with things he hadn’t yet explained, and although he tried to hide it, she could sense the tension building.

They lived together, sharing space, sharing moments, and yet there was still a part of him that felt unreachable. Belle had always known Noah had secrets, had a past buried in shadows, but it was growing harder to ignore the weight of what he wasn’t telling her.

She poured the wine slowly, trying to focus on something other than the knots in her stomach. She loved him, trusted him, but there were times when she caught him staring off into the distance, as if lost in a memory he couldn’t