She cried until fatigue overtook her and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, Noah brooded in his office, the golden whiskey in his glass catching the light as he moved, mirroring his troubled mood.
Sadie’s defiant words tormented him, echoing in his mind.
“Who does she think she is, telling me she doesn’t love me anymore?” he muttered, scoffing as he swallowed his drink. Despite the warm trail it left, his anger remained unquenched. “As if her words could affect me. Absurd!”
With a forceful gesture, he set the glass down, its clink resounding in the quiet room.
Suddenly, he grabbed his phone and dialed Samuel’s number.
“Bring Kyla to Myrtlewood Estate immediately,” he instructed, his voice cold and detached.
Samuel’s voice came through the phone, laced with uncertainty. “Why? Myrtlewood Estate was meant to be a haven for you and Mrs. Wall. Isn’t it wrong to have Miss Wade move in? Mrs. Wall would be devastated if she knew.”
“Devastated?” Noah scoffed, his voice thick with disdain. “She won’t be devastated. Better yet, I hope it crushes her completely!”
The fury in Noah’s tone was unmistakable to Samuel, who sensed that something grave had upset him.
Samuel felt compelled to urge Noah to reconsider. “Mr. Wall, please… try to calm down,” he suggested carefully.
“I am calm,” Noah insisted, taking a slow, deep breath to control his rising anger. “Just do as I say and bring Kyla to Myrtlewood Estate now, or consider yourself fired!”
He abruptly ended the call, reaching for his glass to gulp down the last of his drink.
Hearing the disconnect tone, Samuel exhaled a weary sigh.
The situation was escalating. Noah was determined to stir up trouble. Samuel had a sinking feeling about the impending fallout but felt powerless against Noah’s direct threat.
Noah poured himself another drink, seeking solace in alcohol, yet the inner chaos only intensified.
Visions of Sadie’s defiant stare and her biting words haunted him, each memory stabbing at his conscience like a relentless blade.
Frustrated, he yanked at his tie, feeling each breath grow laboriously heavy.
He puzzled over his own rage. He had initiated their separation and been unfaithful, so why did Sadie’s declaration of lost love incite such bitterness?
A fleeting thought crossed his mind-could he have feelings for her?
He dismissed the notion almost instantly.
He shook his head firmly, determined to banish such thoughts from his mind.
When Samuel arrived at Myrtlewood Estate with Kyla, he found Noah already drunk-sprawled across the study’s sofa, eyes barely slits in his flushed face.
“Mr. Wall?” Samuel called out, his voice cautious.
He moved to help Noah to his room, but a slender hand caught his arm. “I’ll take care of him,” Kyla murmured.
Samuel mustered a strained smile. “Mr. Wall’s not exactly light-Wade. Let me do it.”
It was a flimsy excuse. The truth was, Samuel didn’t want to be anywhere near Noah, especially while Noah was drunk.
This wasn’t because he favored Sadie over Kyla; his loyalty lay squarely with Noah, not with Sadie or anyone else.
As Samuel supported Noah, he felt like he was carrying a sack of bricks. The overwhelming blend of alcohol and Noah’s usual heavy, woody cologne made his head swim.
Noah groaned, his brow creased, as though even unconscious, he couldn’t escape his troubles.
Kyla trailed silently behind them, her eyes glinting with a strange cocktail of satisfaction and unease she couldn’t quite shake.
“Samuel, are you sure you can handle that?” Kyla’s voice dripped with a subtle mockery, just enough to grate on Samuel’s nerves.
Sweat trickled down his temple. “Don’t worry, Miss Wade. I’ve got it.” In truth, Samuel was silently cursing his misfortune. This wasn’t assisting a boss-it was like hauling deadweight uphill, with Kyla’s sharp gaze stabbing at his pride.
“Good,” Kyla murmured, her eyes slicing through him with a glacial glare.
A chill crawled up Samuel’s spine. All he wanted was to dump Noah in bed and escape this place.
He knew Noah cared about Sadie-even if the man hadn’t realized it yet.
As his loyal assistant, Samuel’s job was to keep Noah safe from opportunists, especially in this drunken stupor.
Kyla watched him struggle with barely concealed amusement, a cold smile tugging at her lips. “Samuel, are you trying to come between me and Noah?”
Samuel, now drenched in sweat, shook his head quickly. “Of course not. It’s just… Mr. Wall is really heavy.”
Kyla chuckled, a sound devoid of warmth. “Fine. Help me get him to the bed. After that, you can stop worrying.”
Samuel swallowed a groan. He’d have been better off staying out of this mess altogether.
But with Kyla making the request-and knowing Noah rarely denied her anything-he couldn’t exactly refuse.
Reluctantly, he followed Kyla’s lead, helping Noah to the bedroom door, wishing he were anywhere else.
Taking a steadying breath, Samuel nudged the bedroom door open.
But as it creaked wide, both he and Kyla froze in their tracks. There, sprawled across the master bed, was Sadie-her breathing slow and even, lost in deep sleep.
Her face, though pale and shadowed with fatigue, still held an effortless, delicate beauty that seemed to glow in the dim light.
Kyla’s expression darkened instantly. The smug confidence she’d worn like armor melted away, replaced by a venomous mix of jealousy and rage.
She bit her lip hard, so much so that it nearly drew blood.
“Well…” Samuel managed to say, his voice thin with shock. Sadie asleep in Noah’s bedroom was the last thing he thought he’d stumble upon tonight.
Kyla inhaled sharply, her fury simmering beneath the surface. She leaned toward Samuel, her voice a low, icy whisper. “Take him to the guest room.”
The warmth had bled from her tone, leaving nothing but cold steel.
She had believed Noah invited her to move into Myrtlewood Estate out of love, but finding Sadie-so comfortably ensconced in the master bedroom-felt like a slap to the face.
Kyla’s fists clenched at her sides, the bitter taste of regret rising in her throat. She should’ve gotten rid of Sadie long ago.
Samuel, however, felt an unexpected wave of relief wash over him. With Sadie here, the chances of anything reckless happening between Noah and Kyla seemed slim.
Without another word, he guided Noah’s dead weight toward the guest room. The moment Noah was settled, Kyla turned to Samuel with a sharp glare, her voice flat and final. “You should get going.”
Kyla tiptoed toward the bed where Noah lay, holding her breath as she neared him.
Under the faint light, Noah’s defined features became more pronounced.
His eyes were firmly closed, long lashes casting slight shadows. His lips remained just barely parted.
Charm seemed to radiate from him even in sleep.
Many times, Kyla had imagined making her dreams a reality, yet Noah had never touched her.
At last, the moment she had yearned for was within reach!
Her heart thudded loudly.
Kyla’s fingers shook slightly as she reached for Noah’s belt.
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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