Chapter 0205 +25 BONUS Noah opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it again. His jaw clenched tightly as he turned and stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him. The sound made me wince, my arms wrapping around myself in a protective gesture.
It was only once he was gone that I let out a breath I hadnât realized I had been holding, and a cold realization washed over me like ice water.
Our marriage really was over. It had been over from the beginning. I knew that for certain now.
Noahâs POV Noah stormed out of Hannahâs room and slammed the door shut behind himself. As he strode down the hall, he couldnât keep his mind from reeling over what had just happened. A little ways down the hallway, as the sounds of the indoor festival reached his ears, his steps faltered.
âDammit...â he whispered to himself. He leaned against a nearby pillar, the photograph of him and Zoe clutched tightly in his hand. Why wouldnât Hannah listen to him?
Noah couldnât help it; a pang of sadness washed over him as he replayed Hannahâs words in his head. She genuinely believed he had offered this picture to the Moon Goddess, no matter how much he tried to convince her otherwise.
She thought that he didnât value their relationship.
But that wasnât true. Perhaps their marriage was over, but that didnât mean that Noah didnât value it in some capacity. He wouldnât have made an offering so blatantly disrespectful of it.
Noah hadnât made an offering of this picture-he didnât even know where it had come from. It was from years ago, a relic of a past he had long since put behind him. Last he could recall, he had slipped it into a box of old photographs and tucked it away in his closet.
He would never...
Sighing, he unfolded the photo and studied it closely in the dim light of the hallway. He and Zoe looked so young, so carefree. It was strange seeing it now, after all this time. Noah tried to remember the last time. he had felt this happy, and his mind came up blank. But that wasnât important right now.
As far as he knew, only he and Zoe had copies of this photo. So how had it ended up wrapped in the cloth of his offering?
Noahâs brow furrowed as he considered the possibilities. Someone must have planted it there, but who? And why?
He pushed himself off the door, tucking the photo into his pocket. He needed to find Zoe. If anyone could shed light on this situation, it would be her.
As Noah descended the stairs back to the main hall, the sounds of the festival grew louder. People were Naughing and talking, the crisis of the sudden rainstorm seemingly forgotten. The dance hall smelled like fresh food and incense, and the servants scurried about mechanically with piles of towels in their hands.
But Noah barely noticed any of it. His mind was focused solely on finding answers. And hopefully, the 1/2 +25 BONUS Chapter 0205 culprit behind this.
Zoe wouldnât do something like that, right? What would even be her motive?
Noah stepped back into the crowded dance hall, his eyes scanning the faces around him. Vendors were busy selling their wares, children ran between the legs of adults, and couples swayed to the music playing in the background. But Noah saw none of it.
His eyes darted from person to person, searching for a familiar blonde head in the sea of faces. His heart raced as his gaze swept across the dance hall, looking for Zoe.
He had to find her.