Chapter 29 What Can A Woman Do?
Lina's POV
What can a woman do? I let him sink in. I let him hold me. I let him tuck me close like he used to seven years ago. And here we are now...just here... confused. Enraged. Torn
I shut my eyes tightly, biting back another wave of anger, spinning around, and finally hitting the button to go back up. Back to collect my phone from his room. I bet it fell off the table when he flipped me over on the bed, my legs spread so wide I kicked my bag off. That has to be when I lost my phone.
“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself, heart hammering, lungs tight, mind spinning.
No matter how much I didn't want to set my eyes on Noel tonight anymore, 8 had no option—I’ll have to go back up and grab my phone whether I like it or not.
The elevator doors opened again—this time around, on Noel's floor. I didn't expect to reach the top so soon but I was here anyway.
I stormed out of the elevator with even more force than before.
My footsteps echoing sharply as I made it down the endless hallway—marchimg towards his room like I would stab him to death if I set my eyes on him. Well, I wouldn't—not as if I can. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up on his bed again just like I did earlier, but I was certain that won't happen because of the tension that's clearly between us.
My mind was already automatically preparing the next argument I would throw at Noel if he refuses to let me go.
The moment I got to his room, I didn't bother to knock—my anger was too high to respect manners—that’s on me anyway.
I pushed the door open and barged inside just like I planned to do it in my head.
But the minute my eyes landed on Noel, it was as if all the life had been drained from me. Every word I had memorized, rehearsed, all of it—died on my tongue, vanishing like I had never thought of it at all.
My bag slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a soft thud.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
Noel was standing at the window, not inside the room, but outside on the ledge, the cold night wind blowing his shirt and hair violently as he stood there frozen.
His posture was surprisingly stiff—too stiff, maybe unnatural even—like his body wasn't his own. I don't know and didn't want to think too far about this, but…Noel looked possessed from the back.
He was staring blankly at the night sky, the city lights catching in his eyes—but they weren’t really seeing anything. Not the world, not me, not even himself. He still didn’t move.
I swear, if it weren’t for the tiny, almost imperceptible tattoo on the back of his arm, I could have sworn this wasn’t Noel at all. Maybe it was someone else—someone wearing his face, his form, his body. Maybe…just maybe…a soul shifter, slipping into the world in his place, mocking me with that empty, unreadable gaze.
My chest tightened. My hands trembled. I couldn’t tell if I was staring at him—or staring at a ghost.
My lips parted in shock, but no sound came out. I couldn't even find my voice.
I couldn't move for several seconds, and my entire body suddenly went cold. Then finally, I forced my legs forward, slow and careful—one hesitant step after another.
“Noel…?” I whispered softly, my voice trembling as I barely pronounced his name clearly.
He didn’t respond. His eyes slowly drifted from the sky—where he had been staring—down to the ground below. If Noel managed to jump from such a height, I swear his body would end up in pieces. I’m hellishly scared right now. He’s looking down…what is he doing? Does he want to jump?
The closer I walked towards Noel, the more he shifted towards the edge of the window where he was already standing. My breath caught. “No, no, no—don’t move—please.” I cried, stretching my hands out as if I could grab him before he decided to jump off.
I was still inches away from him…there's no way I can reach him before this shut happens.
Oh God, what's happening?
Why is he doing this to himself?
Himself? Did I just say himself? Is this even Noel? He looked…possessed.