To her, his apology seemed ironic and hollow.
She clung to the quilt, gripping it as if it were a protective barrier. “Just leave! I never want to see you again!” she cried out, her voice raspy with emotion.
Noah, attempting to soothe her, moved closer.
Reacting swiftly, Sadie grabbed the bedside lamp and threw it at him. The lamp struck Noah and shattered on the floor, its breaking echoing sharply in the room.
Noah released a muffled groan but held his ground.
His gaze was fixed on Sadie, swirling with a tempest of unspoken emotions, each layer more complex and obscure than the last. Sadie clutched the quilt to her chest, her body quivering, the tremors of fear evident in her tightened grip.
“Come any closer, and I won’t hesitate to call the cops,” she said, her tone as firm as it was fraught with anxiety.
Noah’s gaze remained on Sadie, unspoken words hovering on his lips before he forced them down.
He ached to reassure her, to diffuse the tension with explanations. Yet, the shadow of his past indifference and questionable actions stripped his assurances of their strength, leaving them feeble and unconvincing.
The rejection glaring back at him from Sadie’s eyes stung, a sharp pang of remorse slicing through him.
He drew in a deep, steadying breath, trying to quell the ache spreading through his chest. Accepting the inevitable, he knew that nothing he said would bring them any closer.
“Get some rest,” he murmured, his voice a low echo of his internal defeat.
With those parting words, Noah turned away, his departure marked by the soft click of the door closing gently behind him.
The room fell silent, leaving Sadie alone with the echoes of the night. Only then did she allow her defenses to crumble, her face buried in the softness of the quilt as sobs wracked her body.
She didn’t know when the tears finally stopped, but by morning, her eyes were painfully swollen and rimmed with red.
As she brushed her teeth, her reflection caught her off guard-a ghostly pale face with eyes puffed up like golf balls. Right at that moment, Alex’s call lit up her phone.
“Sadie, everything’s set for tonight’s banquet. I’ll swing by to pick you up before five this afternoon. No need to worry, Roy’s definitely going to be there,” he said, his voice carrying a warmth that felt almost tangible.
“Thank you, Alex,” Sadie responded, her voice rough and slightly strangled by the emotions she fought to keep at bay.
“Think nothing of it,” Alex replied, his chuckle light and comforting. “Get yourself ready. I’ll see you later.”
“Alright.”
Once the call ended, Sadie stared at her reflection, her fingers softly pressing against her puffy eyes. There was no chance she’d show up at that event looking like a disaster.
With a crucial meeting lined up with Roy to discuss potential business partnerships, she had to embody professionalism and competence. She couldn’t let personal feelings interfere with work.
This was her moment to forge a new path after her split from Noah; she couldn’t afford to stumble now.
Determined, Sadie quickly placed an order for cooling eye patches through a delivery app and applied them diligently while working on the project files that Noah’s disruption had left incomplete. These were crucial for her meeting with Roy.
Sadie kept going relentlessly, only stopping once everything was done – well past three in the afternoon.
Soon, Alex arrived in his car.
With a crisp “click,” the car door swung open, unleashing a wave of stifling heat that enveloped Sadie. She grimaced slightly, her fingers clutching the door’s edge with a faint tremor of discomfort.
With a smooth stride, Alex approached her, offering his hand with a charming smile. “Be careful.”
Managing a weak smile, Sadie attempted to straighten up, only to be caught by a wave of dizziness.
“Ugh…” she groaned under her breath, her body reacting on its own, tipping slightly forward.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling alright?” Alex was quick to steady her by the waist, his touch brief yet firm, his eyes scanning her face for signs of distress.
Sadie pressed a hand to her forehead, her complexion paling. “I haven’t eaten yet. It might be low blood sugar,” she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alex’s brow creased with worry. “That’s not good. Tonight’s banquet is all about mingling and making connections. You won’t get a chance to eat properly. Let’s grab something quick at a nearby restaurant first.”
The word “restaurant” echoed ominously in Sadie’s mind, tightening her chest with sudden dread.
A restaurant again.
The memories of last night’s dinner at the upscale restaurant, where they had stumbled upon Noah, flooded back. That chance meeting had led to so many misunderstandings, and now, regret gnawed at her.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Sadie forced the rising turmoil down. There was no time to get lost in her thoughts-she had to pull herself together and get ready for the banquet.
“Would that make us too late?” She glanced anxiously at her watch-it was edging toward five. “If we stop to eat, we’ll certainly be late for the banquet.”
Alex’s eyes darkened with concern as he studied Sadie’s pale face. “Is this banquet really that important?”
“Absolutely,” Sadie responded with conviction. “I’m meeting Roy to discuss a collaboration. If it works out, I’ll finally be able to open my own studio.” Her eyes briefly darkened with a touch of resentment. “Having my own business is essential for my independence.”
Seeing how important this moment was for Sadie, Alex decided not to press her about going to the restaurant. Instead, he fetched a small box of beautifully packaged candies from the car and handed it to her with an encouraging smile. “Here, take these for a little energy boost.”
“Thanks, Alex,” Sadie said softly, accepting the candies. She carefully unwrapped each one and placed it in her mouth. The rush of sweetness spread across her tongue but did little to calm her nerves.
Alex started the car, the engine purring as they pulled onto the road. The drive was smooth, and the streetlights cast fleeting shadows across Sadie’s face as she leaned back, her eyes closed, trying to steal a moment of rest.
From the rearview mirror, Alex observed Sadie’s serene facade. His fingers tightened around the steering wheel, his jaw clenching slightly. He wasn’t just going to stand by; he’d do whatever it took to help her get through this.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, a Bentley trailed discreetly behind. Samuel kept a steady gaze on Alex’s car. The Bentley’s superior performance made it easy to maintain a close distance without drawing attention.
Samuel clicked his tongue, watching the car with mild amusement. “Well, well… Mr. Howe seems quite devoted to Mrs. Wall,” he murmured, recalling the photo he had taken earlier.
It showed Alex with his hand resting protectively on Sadie’s waist. The sight had sent an uneasy chill down Samuel’s spine.
Samuel let out a quiet sigh. His boss was completely oblivious, blind to how deeply he cared for his wife, unaware of the weight of his feelings.
Samuel could almost foresee a future where Sadie, drawn in by Alex’s unwavering care, slowly let her guard down until she finally leaned on him. By then, Noah would be left with nothing but regret, powerless to change anything.
Maintaining a safe distance, Samuel trailed the car to Alex’s neighborhood and parked a few houses down. He promptly sent Noah the location coordinates.
“Mr. Wall, I’ve sent the location,” Samuel murmured, his tone measured as he recorded the voice message.
When Noah received the photo of Alex resting his hand on Sadie’s waist, he assumed Samuel had deliberately framed it to exaggerate their closeness. He was tempted to scold him for acting like a gossip-hungry paparazzo, twisting reality with angles that made things look more intimate than they really were.
“Samuel, you rascal…” Noah muttered, his voice tinged with annoyance.
But when he saw the location Samuel sent, he was taken aback; it was the family estate where Alex had been raised, a place full of memories and significance. Realizing that Alex had taken Sadie there stirred a deep unease in Noah. Was Alex introducing her to his family? The idea sent a chill through him.
As this thought nagged at him, a surge of irritation overwhelmed Noah. His grip tightened on his phone until his knuckles turned white. “Could she be meeting his parents?” he whispered to himself, his voice laced with a mix of shock and a budding jealousy he hadn’t noticed before.
The rest of his business meeting passed in a blur. Noah’s mood cast a palpable shadow over the room, the atmosphere thick with tension. His presence, usually commanding and poised, now made the air around him feel oppressively heavy.
Finally, Noah said, his voice icy, “We’re done here.” He stood abruptly and exited the room, leaving a lingering chill behind.
In the grandeur of the banquet hall at the Howe family estate, the shimmering light from the crystal chandelier bathed the room, casting a warm glow over the elegantly dressed guests as they conversed in small clusters.
The hall was teeming with notable personalities from various sectors. Sadie clutched a glass of champagne, her gaze sweeping across the sea of attendees, her eyes keenly searching for Roy.
At last, her eyes locked onto him; he was seated on a plush sofa in the far corner of the room.
However, the scene before her didn’t match her expectations.
Roy’s face was etched with discontent, his voice tinged with a sharp edge of reproach. “Alex, using my niece to make me come? That’s a bold move!”
Across from him, Alex lounged with deceptive ease, his smile unwavering as he dismissed the tension in Roy’s voice. “I had no choice. You’re a hard man to reach, Roy, and I had to make sure you’d attend. There’s someone here who’s eager to collaborate with you. Allow me to introduce you.”
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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