Chapter 4

Noah woke up earlier than she needed to.

Sleep hadn’t come easy in a place that still didn’t feel like hers. The unfamiliar ceiling, the silence, the weight of everything that had changed—it all lingered in a way that refused to let her rest completely.

She lay there for a moment, staring ahead, before finally reaching for her phone.

Maybe hearing a familiar voice would make things feel normal again.

She called Jane first. The line rang for a while before cutting off.

No answer.

Noah frowned slightly and pulled the phone away, staring at the screen for a second longer than necessary.

“Busy, I guess…” she murmured.

She tried Lucas next. This time she waited longer, her thumb tapping lightly against the edge of her phone as the ringing continued.

But it ended the same way.

Silence.

No answer.

Noah exhaled softly and dropped the phone beside her, running a hand through her hair as she sat up.

“Great.”

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Miss Noah? Breakfast is ready.”

Noah blinked, pulling herself together. “I’m coming!”

Breakfast felt quieter than the night before.

Simpler. Less overwhelming.

Jennifer smiled warmly as Noah entered, her presence instantly softening the space. Daniel greeted her politely, while Judy waved with bright excitement that felt almost out of place in Noah’s still-settling world.

The conversation flowed easily—light, normal, comfortable.

Almost enough to make Noah forget where she was.

Almost.

“Noah,” Jennifer said after a while, her tone gentle but slightly hesitant.

Noah looked up.

“I have to leave for a day. There’s an urgent business meeting I can’t avoid.”

Daniel added calmly, “We’ll be heading to Manchester.”

“And I’ll take Judy with me,” Jennifer continued, brushing a hand over her daughter’s hair. “She’s still young.”

Noah nodded. “That’s okay.”

“I’m really sorry for leaving you alone like this,” Jennifer said softly.

“It’s fine, really,” Noah replied, offering a small reassurance.

Footsteps echoed into the room.

Slow. Familiar.

Noah didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

Cole.

“Perfect timing,” Jennifer said. “Cole, we’ll be out for the day.”

He nodded lightly, grabbing a glass of water.

“I need you to make sure Noah is okay,” she added. “And that she doesn’t get bored.”

Cole’s gaze shifted toward Noah.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

A faint smirk tugged at his lips.

“Don’t worry, Mom,” he said smoothly.

“I’ll take care of her.”

Something about the way he said it made Noah instantly regret sitting there.

After breakfast, Noah helped Jennifer pack. It was simple—folding clothes, arranging things—but there was something grounding about it. Something that felt almost normal.

Soon, it was time to leave.

Goodbyes were said.

Judy hugged Noah tightly. Jennifer reassured her once again.

You can call me if you need anything honey. Jennifer said softly.

Noah nodded and replied "don't worry i'll be fine".

And then—

they were gone.

The silence that followed felt different.

Heavier.

Noah turned and began walking back inside.

She heard footsteps behind her.

Slow. Unhurried.

Matching her pace.

She didn’t turn.

But she knew.

“Trying to ignore me already?” Cole’s voice came from just behind her, low and amused.

Noah stopped.

Took a breath.

Then turned around.

He was closer than she expected.

Too close.

Annoyance flashed across her face instantly.

“WHAT’S your problem, Cole?”

For a second, he didn’t respond.

Then a slow, satisfied smirk spread across his lips—

like he had been waiting for that exact reaction.

“I think…” he said, stepping closer,

“it’s you.”

Noah frowned. “Excuse me?”

“You’re my problem.”

Before she could process it—

her back met the wall behind her.

It wasn’t harsh.

But it was sudden enough to take her off guard.

Cole lifted his hand, placing it against the wall beside her head.

Then the other.

Trapping her between them.

The space between them disappeared.

Noah’s breath hitched slightly, though she tried to hide it.

Cole leaned in just enough—

not touching her

but close enough to make the distance impossible to ignore.

His gaze dropped.

From her eyes

to her lips

and back again.

Noah felt it.

That shift.

That tension.

But she didn’t move.

Didn’t look away.

The air between them grew heavier with every passing second.

And then—

Ping.

The sharp sound broke everything.

Both of them turned their heads slightly.

Noah’s phone.

The screen lit up.

Lucas: “Miss you… wish I was there with you right now.”

Before Noah could react, Cole had already picked it up.

“Cole, give it back.”

He ignored her, lifting the phone higher, his eyes scanning the message.

A faint, teasing smile returned.

“Well…” he said casually,

“someone’s missing you.”

Noah stepped forward, trying to grab it.

“Give it back.”

He raised his hand higher.

Just enough.

“Cole Sinclair!”

His other hand moved to her waist—light, but enough to stop her from stepping away.

Noah froze for a second.

Then tried again—standing on her toes, reaching for the phone.

Closer.

And that’s when Cole noticed it.

Her face.

Up close.

Closer than before.

The way loose strands of her hair framed it.

The faint freckles scattered across her nose—soft, subtle, real.

The way her lips parted slightly as she focused.

And her eyes—

sharp, stubborn, completely unafraid of him.

For a brief second—

he forgot what he was doing.

Noah pushed forward again—harder this time.

And just like that—

they lost balance.

They fell back onto the couch.

Noah landed on him.

Her hands pressed against his chest to steady herself.

His arm remained loosely around her from the fall.

Too close.

Again.

Their eyes met.

This time—

there was no teasing.

No smirk.

Just something raw.

Unspoken.

A moment neither of them expected.

Noah broke it first.

Quickly grabbing her phone from his hand.

She pushed herself off him immediately, stepping back.

Her breathing slightly uneven.

“DICK!” she snapped, shooting him an irritated glare.

And before he could say anything—

she turned and ran upstairs.

Cole stayed where he was.

For a moment, he didn’t move at all.

Then slowly, he sat up.

Running a hand through his hair.

His gaze shifted toward the stairs.

Where she had just disappeared.

Something about that moment lingered.

Something he didn’t quite understand.

His jaw tightened slightly.

“…What was that?” he muttered under his breath.

But there was no answer.

Only the silence she left behind.

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