We reached home to find that our things had been tossed and turned. It was as if someone had gone through our stuff while we were gone. Since theft cases had never occurred in Seth’s apartment complex, I was truly taken aback by the incident.“Why don’t you guys check if anything is missing?” asked the officer, suggesting that he would file an FIR if something had been stolen from us.We looked in every nook and corner, but we couldn’t find anything that had been taken from us, which was why it was hard to decipher the motive behind the act. Seth could even find the engagement rings that he had mentioned to the officer earlier.“When are you planning on holding the ceremony then?” asked the Officer, while texting somebody on his phone.Unwilling to burden Seth anymore, I chose to answer the officer’s new query by saying, “Since I still haven't finished my studies, I want to wait a little.”“That sounds fair,” answered the officer, and then assured us that we’d have footage of the pers
“Don’t you know that I’m still naked underneath this towel?” I asked, tightening my grip on my towel.Seth looked at me from the top to the bottom, sort of like taking notice of my curves, something he had never done before, and then asked me, “Has anybody ever told you that you’re really beautiful?”“You’re the first guy to say that,” I lied because I didn’t want to talk about Noah.With a broad smile on his face, he began walking towards me, disregarding the fact that I had just asked him to give me some personal space. He then wrapped his arms around me tightly, as if he was afraid that somebody might steal me from him.Since this behaviour was alien to me, I had to ask him, “What are you doing, Seth?”He requested me to stay mum, as he feared that the beautiful moment between us would be ruined. He then rested his head on my shoulder, something he had never done to any woman before me. It was sort of like he was tired and wanted to rest.Caressing his back, I told him, “You’ve been
I still couldn’t believe that Seth had asked me to spend my life with him. I was genuinely concerned about the request he had made. Didn’t he realize that any association with me could destroy his life?Noah wouldn’t think twice before hurting Seth if he were to find out about it. Even though he was no longer in my life, I was still haunted by the fear of encountering him. After all that he had done to me, I didn’t want that.“If I were to accept Seth’s feelings, I think that I might end up getting him involved in my matter, which might make him a target for Noah,” I muttered while looking out of the window. I cared too much about him to expose him to such danger.The sky was clear tonight, which was why the moon’s comforting light could illuminate the entire room. It was the first time I had slept with my lights off. After what had happened with Noah, I got nightmares of him torturing me, which made keeping the lights on necessary for me.“I can’t deny the fact that Noah has scarred m
“I don’t know what I’m so scared of,” I said, taking a glance at the tall building before us.“You’ll be alright,” promised Seth, grabbing my hand to help me with my anxiety.Without allowing my fear to take up more space in my head, I began walking to get to the main entrance, pushed the door open, and entered. Unlike the usual times, nobody seemed to be occupying the living area.“Where is everyone?” I asked Martha, the housekeeper.“They are in your sister’s room,” replied the woman, pointing in the direction of Anne’s room.Seth and I, thus, climbed the stairs to meet everyone and discovered that my father had told me the truth. Anne was actually sick. She seemed to be lying on the bed with her eyes shut. She appeared significantly weaker than the last time I had seen her.Seth finally let go of my hand and nudged me towards my family to initiate the talk. I, thus, approached my distressed parents and asked them what had happened to Anne. They both exchanged a distressed look but d
I should’ve told Anne that I sympathized with her, and things should’ve ended there. They, however, escalated for the worse. Not only did the woman who had tried to kill me a few days ago wanted me to lend her a shoulder, but she also requested me to talk Noah into taking her back.“What makes you think he would listen to me?" I asked, wondering about the source of her confidence.“Since he decided to throw me out of my house because of you, it’s obvious that you matter to him,” admitted Anne, with a sour expression on her face.Since she was carrying his child, I refrained from discussing the nature of my relationship with Noah. It would’ve hurt her to find out what he had planned for me just a few months ago. Other than that, I didn’t think it was the most fruitful thing to do at that moment. She wouldn't like to hear that her husband wanted me to give birth to his children.“I’m not sure if he would even want to see my face,” I said, trying to reason with the despondent one. “We did
I could feel my heart beat right out of my chest, as the familiar building came into view. Though I had visited the same place numerous times in the past, my hands were shivering. It was hard to stay calm.Sensing the fear in my face, Seth suggested, “Should I go and talk to Noah instead?”“What makes you think he would be happy to see you taking a stand for his ex-girlfriend and wife?” I asked, conscious of the fact that Noah didn't like Seth much.“I just want to help you in every manner I can,” confessed Seth, unwilling to put me in danger. “You’ve been through so much. I don’t want you to go through the same things again.”“I know that, and I respect you for that,” I said, placing my hand over his shoulder. “But I need to do this on my own.”“I understand that,” responded the man, forcing a smile. Even though he couldn’t say it, I knew he wasn’t fine with sending me to my vindictive ex-boyfriend. “But, I can wait in the parking lot, right?”“Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem,” I sai
With my mouth wide open, I asked, “What’s wrong with you?”“Why do you ask so many questions? Did you forget that you cannot afford to upset me?” countered Noah, crossing his arms and placing them over his chest.Without getting into an argument, I did what was asked of me. I was on all fours, waiting for him to do as he pleased. The mere thought of being used as an object filled me with disgust. However, there was nothing I could do to change the situation.Feeling powerful upon seeing me looking like I was ready to be fucked, he walked closer to me, asking, “Did you ever think we’d end up like this, Christie?”I made no response because I knew it might’ve led to me shedding unnecessary tears. The man who stood before me when compared to the Noah I once knew and loved always resulted in feeling immeasurable grief.“You’ve gotten quiet, Christie,” pointed out Noah, slapping my bottom. “Is it remorse that stopped you from talking? Do you know understand that you’ve done me wrong?”“I do
If only I hadn’t overstayed my stay at my parent’s place, I wouldn’t have been stuck in this situation. I wouldn’t have been lying naked next to the man who wanted to ruin me, holding on to his torso as if he were my lover.“Do you know how it feels when you’re not next to me, Christie?” whispered Noah into my ear. “It felt as if I lost something vital. I was not able to function effectively. There was just a huge cavity left in my chest which kept on growing with every passing day.”Though I was not in the position to confess to the same pain that I had undergone upon being thrown out of his life, I wanted to tell him that I felt just as incomplete without him. I also had that widening gap in my chest that made it hard to forget him and move on with my life.Noah mistook my silence for my indifference. He, thus, asked me, “Why won’t you even say anything? When did you stop loving me, Christie?”“The day you got married to my sister,” I lied, hoping it would push him away from me. “The
The morning sunbeams were streaming through the bedroom windows, warm and golden, that covered everything with a soft glow. I slept in a bit later than usual, enjoying the serenity that had become a constant in my life. Life had changed in so many ways, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I was finally happy.I turned to my side and smiled at Seth, still sleeping beside me. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his face relaxed, and his hand rested near mine as if he unconsciously sought me even in his dreams. This was my life now—this love, this stability, this sense of belonging.A soft flutter in my stomach made me smile even wider. The secret I had been carrying for weeks was growing stronger, more real, and soon I would share it with Seth. This thought filled my heart with equal parts of excitement and nervousness, but mostly joy.I slipped out of bed without waking him, padding into the kitchen. The house was quiet, the silent kind that makes you feel at home
~Noah’s pov~The walk back to my apartment seemed to stretch endlessly. My feet moved in a mechanical sequence, one in front of the other, but my mind went round and round, reenacting the scene at Christie and Seth's house. Her words echoed louder than the traffic, louder than the distant hum of the city."I don't belong to you. I never did."I had been so sure—so certain—that if I just showed up, if I just made her see what we had, she would remember. That she would feel the same pull, the same ache that I had carried with me since the day we parted. But she hadn't. Her gaze had been steady, her voice firm, as she told me that she had moved on. That the new Christie didn't need me. Didn't want me.When I finally reached my apartment, I sank onto the couch without bothering to turn on the lights. The dim glow of the streetlamp outside cast long shadows across the room, fitting for how I felt inside.It was the first time in years that I allowed myself to think—really think—about every
I heard a knock. It was sharp and insistent against the quiet rhythm of our morning. I was at the sink, washing dishes, while Seth worked on something at the table. The sound jarred me, and for an instant, I hesitated. Something about it—urgent, almost aggressive—put me on guard."I will get that," Seth said, already standing up from his seat.I quickly dried my hands and trailed after him, wondering and afraid. He opened the door, and I was to confront the last person I could have expected to meet- Noa.He looked exactly as I recalled him: tall, broad-shouldered, blonde hair tousled. There was something in his eyes, though, that I had never seen before: desperation.Christie, he whispered aloud, his voice low but fervent, his eyes fixed hard on mine.I froze as if my breath was physically caught in my throat. It was to see a ghost, a fragment of a life that no longer exists for me. Seth tensed up beside me, his grip on the door's edge tightening."Finally, Noah," I said, my voice cra
The restaurant was warm and dimly lit. A faint aroma of garlic and freshly baked bread clung to the air. Seth sat across from me, as calm and steady as always, his fingers lightly tapping against the base of his wine glass. I studied him discreetly: a sharp line of his jaw, a slight crease between his brows when he was lost in deep thought. He looked utterly, amazingly tired, as if he wanted tonight different, better.I also wanted it.The past weeks were turbulent, and therefore a jumbled mass of feelings that I couldn't make sense of.Memories I thought I'd long since buried—the evanescent meetings with Noah, leftovers from a life that had belonged to someone else—emerged now to haunt me at odd moments. So long I had harbored these memories, allowing them a slice of myself. Now sitting here with Seth, I see just how much they took.Christie?" Seth broke into my thoughts, his voice soft but tinged with angst.I blinked, realizing that I had silently stared at him. "Sorry," I said qui
Seth had come down with a fever recently. Illness had washed the colour from his cheeks and put shadows under his eyes. More than his look, though, the silence that crept in during those days seemed to live in my head: distance, but not out of malice. More out of fear.I hovered by the door of our bedroom, hesitant to step inside. Seth had asked me to come in, his voice steady but with an edge of something I couldn’t quite place. Resignation, perhaps? Pain? I couldn’t tell. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. This was the man who had been my anchor, my unwavering support, and now he seemed so… tired.I entered at last, and he sat on the edge of the bed. His shoulders were slumped, heavy with a weight I didn't understand yet. He looked at me then, his dark eyes softer than usual but unmistakably determined. My stomach tightened at the look."Christie," he said, his voice calm but strained. "We need to talk."My heart sank. Those words—they were never good. They heralded endings, s
Walking home with Noah, I felt a lightness in my chest that I hadn't felt in so long. It was as if a weight had been placed upon one shoulder and then, in effect, had flipped to the other, if only for a fleeting moment. I laughed at something he said; in this case, not really listening to what he said, but to the comfort enfolding us. It was a cool evening air, adorned with a soft breeze that brushed my cheeks, and streetlights softly lit the path before us. I knew I should not have agreed to walk with him. I knew this was wrong. But Noah had this strange pull on me, something that was beyond explanation and resistant to stopping.His presence felt familiar and cozy, and at this moment I cleared all the mess and madness from my mind. I let myself enjoy it, let myself pretend everything was easy and matter-of-fact, despite knowing deep inside of me that it wasn't.I should have stepped back when approaching that house. Reality was slowly sinking in: where and what I was doing stood rig
The air was crisp in the afternoon, and I had to leave the workplace, my mind buzzing with routine as it has just completed. It was an ordinary day in all aspects, yet it felt off about it somehow. I don't know if it was the heavy clouds that hung low in the sky, threatening to break and pour rain anytime, or maybe it was the strange heaviness that I had been carrying with me these past few days—the weight that I couldn't explain. Seth has been so patient and loving, but I still felt. unsettled about something.I wasn't expecting to see him again-Noah. It had been unsettling enough the last time we met, but there he was, literally standing by the aisle of the same departmental store I wandered into, tossing items into a basket as if this were something absolutely normal in his world. My heart skipped a beat the moment I recognized him. It had resulted in betraying my body with a flush of heat that I couldn't ignore. I tried to calm my breathing, try and remind myself of everything Set
As we walked into that house that night, my brain would still glisten with the words spewed by Seth. All that weight, all that heaviness - Noah and those lies, manipulation, twisted web which life has become. My chest felt like it was stuck in some heavy fog, where nothing could be distinguished clearly, nothing trusted as what was thought to be known. Even Seth, the man who had been there for me, seemed at a distance somehow. The puzzle he'd given me, it seemed, was not pieced back together either; no matter how very hard I tried, those pieces wouldn't mesh.Seth treated me gently when he brought me home, like fragile glass that might break if one breathed too hard on it. And in his eyes, I saw the worry, the sadness, the hope that maybe, just maybe, this was the night that might change things between us. I had seen him trying everything to make me feel special, make me smile, and a part of me wanted to give him what he so desperately needed: a sign that I was coming back to him. Tha
I thought Seth was taking a leave from work for spending the day with me, which rather seemed to be a sweet gesture, but deep inside, upset me. We had been so tensed against each other lately without either of us being able fully to articulate what was nagging; it would always hang there in mid-air like an invisible barrier. While I would have liked to dissuade him from leaving, at the same time, I could not reject him. Seth had tried hard to make things be normal by bending over backward and doing all in his power; the least I could do was try to meet him halfway.We went out to a great little restaurant. It had a warm, cozy atmosphere. The low illuminations were rich in earth tones. After all, there isn't a setting more perfect for anyone who ever wanted to feel at ease. Couples were scattered all over the room, some laughing, some whispering low over glasses of wine, and it was one of those scenes-the kind of atmosphere which usually lulled me into a state of peace, but tonight mad