Chapter 19: They Came Looking for Me

Three days after I blocked Noah, someone knocked on my apartment door.

I wasn't expecting anyone.

I checked the security camera.

Noah stood in the hallway.

My heart didn't race the way it used to.

I simply picked up my phone and called building security.

“There's someone outside my door who isn't welcome here.”

Noah must have realized what I was doing because he stepped toward the camera.

“Rowan, please. Just give me five minutes.”

I didn't answer.

A few minutes later, security escorted him downstairs.

...

That should have been the end of it.

It wasn't.

The next morning, my lawyer called.

“Rowan, you need to come in.”

Her voice was unusually serious.

“What's happened?”

“Noah's lawyer contacted us.”

I frowned.

“For what?”

“He claims you abandoned the shared residence and violated several financial agreements connected to the wedding.”

For a second, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Then I laughed.

“He's suing me?”

“He's threatening to.”

My lawyer paused.

“But there's something else. His attorney requested copies of your financial records.”

“On what grounds?”

“They claim Noah contributed significantly to the wedding expenses.”

I stared at my desk.

Of course.

If he couldn't make me come back emotionally, he would try to pull me back legally.

“What should I do?”

“Nothing without speaking to me first. And don't contact Noah.”

“I won't.”

“Good. Because I think we finally have enough evidence to turn this around.”

...

That afternoon, I met my lawyer at her office.

She had printed copies of every suspicious transaction.

The unauthorized transfers.

The insurance application.

The lease documents.

And the messages between Noah and Diane.

She placed everything into a folder.

“If Noah wants a legal fight, he's going to have one.”

I looked at the folder.

“What about the video?”

“Already preserved.”

She tapped the evidence file.

“And there's more.”

She handed me another document.

It was a statement from the bank confirming that several transfers had been initiated from a device registered to Diane's home.

My eyes narrowed.

“So my mother accessed my account.”

“That's what the records indicate.”

I sat back.

For years, I had believed my family simply didn't appreciate me.

Now I understood something much worse.

They had treated my trust like permission.

...

Meanwhile, back in Boston, everything began falling apart.

The lease termination notice finally reached Diane and Rick.

They had sixty days to move.

Rick exploded.

“She can't do this!”

Diane stared at the notice, trembling.

“The lease is in her name.”

“Then she'll have to change it.”

“She already left.”

Rick slammed his hand against the table.

“Then find her!”

Chloe sat quietly nearby.

Her face had gone pale.

“Mom...”

Diane turned toward her.

“What?”

“What if Rowan tells Noah everything?”

The room went silent.

Rick slowly looked at Chloe.

“Everything?”

Chloe swallowed.

Diane's expression hardened.

“She doesn't know everything.”

Chloe looked away.

“But she knows enough.”

Rick's eyes narrowed.

“What exactly did you two do?”

No one answered.

...

That evening, Chloe called Noah.

He didn't answer the first time.

Or the second.

On the third attempt, he finally picked up.

“What?”

“We need to talk.”

“About Rowan?”

“Yes.”

Noah closed his eyes.

“There's nothing left to talk about.”

“There is if she has those videos.”

His eyes opened immediately.

“What videos?”

Chloe went silent.

Noah's voice turned cold.

“Chloe. What videos?”

“I don't know.”

“Then why did you mention them?”

She hung up.

Noah stared at his phone.

For the first time, fear replaced anger.

...

The following morning, I received one final message from an unknown number.

“If you want the complete truth about Noah, come to the café on Beacon Street at noon. Come alone.”

I almost deleted it.

Then another message appeared.

“Ask him about the night he proposed.”

My fingers stopped.

The proposal.

I had always thought that night was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Noah had taken me to the rooftop of our favorite restaurant.

There had been candles, flowers, and music.

He had gotten down on one knee and promised me forever.

I had believed every word.

Now I wondered whether even that memory had been a lie.

...

At noon, I walked into the café.

A woman sitting near the window stood when she saw me.

I didn't recognize her.

She placed a thick envelope on the table.

“Sit down, Rowan.”

I remained standing.

“Who are you?”

She looked toward the door before answering.

“Someone who worked for Noah's family.”

My stomach tightened.

She pushed the envelope toward me.

“Inside are the messages Noah sent before he proposed to you.”

I stared at the envelope.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

Her expression was filled with pity.

“Because you deserve to know that the proposal wasn't the beginning of your story with Noah.”

I slowly opened the envelope.

The first page contained a date.

Nine years earlier.

My breath caught.

That was the year Noah first told me he loved me.

I looked at the woman.

“What does this mean?”

She lowered her voice.

“It means Noah had another reason for choosing you.”

I looked down at the papers again.

And suddenly, every memory I had cherished began to look different.