In her desperation, Sadie retched even more, and she couldn’t get a word out. She could only weakly wave her hand, signaling him to leave.
Noah’s expression darkened with worry, and without hesitating, he reached for her trembling hand.
“You’re not okay! Let me take you to the hospital!” he declared, his voice a blend of command and concern, leaving no space for her to argue.
As she slowly regained some composure, the last thing Sadie wanted was for Noah to uncover her pregnancy.
Pulling her hand away, she responded in a strained voice, “I’m fine. Probably just some bad food, no big deal. Mr. Wall, please, a little decency-we’re nearly divorced!” Her words seemed to float past Noah, who was focused on the gleaming cleanliness of the sink.
Sadie didn’t vomit anything. Was she really pregnant? No, that couldn’t be.
He was meticulous, always cautious with timings and protection. The very thought seemed ludicrous.
Just then, his phone shattered the silence, its ring slicing through the tension like a knife. The call was from Kyla.
“Noah, where are you? You disappeared without a word! There’s an important contract waiting for you. Can you come and take a look?”
Noah’s eyes flickered to Sadie, who managed a weak, reassuring smile.
“No need to delay business for my sake, Mr. Wall.”
“Take care of yourself,” Noah muttered, pocketing his phone and reluctantly turning to leave.
Sadie’s gaze followed him until he was out of sight, her legs buckling beneath her as she collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
A sense of urgency washed over her. She couldn’t waste any more time-she had to get divorced and walk away soon.
If she stayed, if Noah ever discovered the child’s existence, it would all be too late.
Sadie took a deep breath, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.
The taxi driver caught a glimpse of her pale face in the rearview mirror. His brow furrowed with concern as he asked, “Miss, are you alright? Should I take you to the hospital?”
“No, thank you,” Sadie replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she forced a feeble smile.
The very thought of the hospital sent a chill through her bones. It was too dangerous. Going there could unravel her secret.
The sudden ring of her phone cut through the silence, making her heart skip a beat.
The call was from Noah.
The sight of his name on the display sent a jolt of fear through her. Her heart stumbled over its next beat. She was torn between dread and the urge to disappear.
With a hand that shook slightly, Sadie hesitated, then pressed the answer button.
“Hello…” Her greeting was timid, laced with a hoarseness born of her anxiety.
“Sadie, where on earth are you?” Noah’s voice came through, icy and sharp with anger.
Clutching the phone with both hands now, Sadie tried to steady her voice. “I-I’m heading home.”
“Get back here right now-we’re going to the hospital!” With a commanding edge in his voice, Noah made it clear-this wasn’t up for debate.
Going to the hospital?
The very idea sent a shiver down Sadie’s spine-she couldn’t possibly.
But something in Noah’s tone hinted at concern, sparking a tiny flame of hope in her chest.
With her heart pounding, Sadie ventured, her voice barely audible, “Are you… worried about me?”
But before Noah could answer, a sugary, flirtatious voice cut through the silence, dripping with intimacy.
“Our friends are hosting a party for me tonight, Noah. I’d love it if you came with me.”
Kyla’s voice was sweet, yet her words crashed down like a steel fist, snuffing out Sadie’s lingering hope.
A vice tightened around Sadie’s heart, the agony breathtaking.
How naive she had been!
A bitter chuckle escaped her as she realized the truth. Noah’s concern wasn’t for her well-being; he was simply worried she might be pregnant-a complication for him and Kyla.
Unable to bear another second, Sadie abruptly ended the call.
Tears betrayed her composure, cascading freely down her cheeks.
She clamped a hand over her mouth, muffling the heart-wrenching sobs that threatened to overwhelm her.
A flicker of Sadie’s reflection in the rearview mirror caught the driver’s eye, prompting a soft, thoughtful sigh. He remained silent, the only sound the soft hum of the engine as he pressed down on the accelerator with deliberate heaviness.
Sadie, leaning against the cool window, watched the world blur past. A deep, throbbing ache filled her chest, her heart squeezed by the relentless grip of realization.
She had once believed that two years of marriage would at least forge some semblance of sincerity, even if love remained elusive.
But now, faced with the stark truth, she realized how stupid she had been.
Noah had only harbored disdain, cloaked in the guise of indifference, while she-foolishly, hopelessly-had clung to a fraying thread of hope.
Self-pity washed over her as she allowed the tears to escape, tracing wet paths down her cheeks, mourning the love she had imagined.
Meanwhile, Noah stood firmly as he addressed Kyla’s request. “No, I have plans for tonight,” he stated flatly, his voice a mix of resolve and detachment.
Kyla’s eyes momentarily lost their sparkle, her smile waning slightly, but she nodded with a feigned understanding, her voice tinged with disappointment. “I see. Alright then.”
Her fingers delicately gripped her purse as she turned to leave. Noah’s gaze lingered on Kyla’s retreating figure, his eyes shadowed with a complex, unspoken turmoil.
After she had gone, he reached for his phone, intending to ask Sadie what she had said earlier.
But as he saw the dark screen, he realized the call had ended long ago. The phone’s screen reflected his darkening expression.
Frustration boiled inside him as he flung the phone onto the table, unable to make sense of the emotions churning within him.
“Damn it!” Noah grumbled through clenched teeth.
Just then, the soft murmur of whispers slipped through the thin walls of his office.
“Did you see the pictures? Sadie was getting cozy with two men at the same time.”
“Is that so? That’s hard to believe. She’s always seemed so upright and polished to me.”
“Well, appearances can be deceiving, can’t they?”
As these snippets of conversation reached his ears, Noah’s face clouded over, a storm brewing in his eyes.
With a sudden, forceful motion, he flung the office door open, his eyes piercing as they swept over the group of gossiping women outside. His voice sliced through the air, icy and sharp.
“Don’t you all have actual work to do?”
The women blanched, a wave of fear washing over them as they lowered their heads, hardly daring to draw breath.
“Mr. Wall, we’re truly sorry. It won’t happen again!”
Noah gave a dismissive snort, his silence as condemning as any words. Turning on his heel, he retreated back into the sanctuary of his office. Even when he was back at his desk, his anger continued to simmer, barely contained.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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