Chapter 95

POV NOAH

Isabela was lying on my chest.

Her body was still warm against mine.

Her breathing slow.

Deep.

Our fingers intertwined over my abdomen, as if neither of us wanted to let go.

The room was silent.

A comfortable silence.

The candles were already burning low, their flames small, flickering, casting soft shadows across the walls.

The air still carried the warmth of what we had lived there.

Hours.

Hours in which the world outside ceased to exist.

Hours in which it was just the two of us.

No pain.

No doubt.

No fear.

Just… us.

I slid my fingers along her bare back, slowly.

Feeling every reaction.

Every shiver.

Every slight change in her breathing as my touch moved lower.

She sighed.

A low sound.

Tired.

Satisfied.

My chest tightened in a good way.

A way I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Maybe I had never felt it like this before.

She began tracing soft circles on my chest with her fingertips.

A simple gesture.

Almost absentminded.

But it affected me in a way that was impossible to ignore.

As if every touch was a silent confirmation that she was still there.

With me.

And I wanted that to last.

I wanted to freeze that moment.

Stay there for hours.

Days.

A lifetime, if it were possible.

But then…

I felt her body shift.

Slightly.

Subtly.

She lifted her head.

Looked at the clock.

And everything changed.

The tension returned.

Silent.

But present.

“Noah…” she murmured.

And just by her tone…

I knew.

My chest tightened immediately.

“It's late…” she said, softer now. “I need to go.”

I closed my eyes for a second.

As if I could ignore it.

As if I could stop time.

But I couldn’t.

I ran my hand through her hair, pulling her closer.

Instinctive.

Almost desperate.

“Stay…” I murmured.

She lifted her face.

Her eyes met mine.

And there it was.

Affection.

Longing.

And… pain.

“I wish I could…” she whispered. “But I can’t.”

My jaw tightened.

Reality is crashing back in.

“I hate this…” I said, unable to hide it. “I hate having to let you go…”

My voice came out lower.

Heavier.

“I hate knowing you’re going back to… him.”

The word tasted bitter.

She shifted, resting her chin on my chest.

Her fingers moved up to my face.

A light touch.

Careful.

“Noah…”

“I don’t want to be apart from you…” I continued, staring at the ceiling for a moment. “Much less imagine you going home to him.”

My chest tightened just thinking about it.

She caressed my face more firmly now.

As if trying to bring me back.

“Soon this will be over…” she said gently.

I looked at her.

Straight.

Wanting to believe.

Needing to.

“I’m counting the seconds for that…” I replied, honestly.

She watched me in silence.

As if analyzing every word.

Every intention.

“I'll just wait for Saturday’s game…” I continued. “After that…”

I took a deep breath.

“I'll fix everything.”

She frowned slightly.

“Fix it how?”

I ran a hand over my face.

“The right way.”

My voice was firmer now.

“Without hiding anything.”

She didn’t insist.

Just nodded.

And that stayed with me.

Because, even after everything…

She still trusted me.

But then…

She sighed again.

Heavier this time.

“I really need to go…”

My chest tightened again.

But I knew.

There was no choice.

She slowly got up.

The sheet slid down her body.

And for a moment…

I just watched.

Without trying to hide it.

Without pretending.

She noticed.

Of course she did.

And she smiled softly.

“Noah…”

I smiled too.

Without guilt.

“Not my fault… you’re too beautiful.”

She shook her head, amused.

But there was a sparkle in her eyes.

A sparkle I recognized.

She started picking up her clothes scattered across the floor.

Slow movements.

Unhurried.

As if she didn’t want that moment to end either.

I got up.

The cold air of the room contrasted with the warmth still on my skin.

I put on my pants.

Then my shirt.

Meanwhile, she fixed her hair in front of the mirror.

Her fingers were running through the strands.

Her gaze was still distant.

Thoughtful.

The silence between us wasn’t empty.

It was full.

Full of everything we couldn’t say.

Full of everything we felt.

When she finished, she turned.

Our eyes met.

And time seemed to slow down.

I walked toward her.

Unhurried.

As if every step carried weight.

I held her waist.

Pulled her closer.

And kissed her again.

This time…

Slower.

Deeper.

Without urgency.

But with intensity.

As if it were a temporary goodbye.

As if we were trying to keep that moment inside us.

For when the distance returned.

I rested my forehead against hers.

“I'll come for you…” I murmured.

She smiled.

A small smile.

But real.

“I know.”

I ran my hand over her face one last time.

Memorizing.

Feeling.

“Take care.”

“You too.”

She picked up her bag.

Walked to the door.

Each step echoes through the room.

But before leaving…

She stopped.

Turned.

And looked at me.

Again.

And in that look…

There was everything.

Longing.

Fear.

Desire.

And something more.

Something that was still there.

Alive.

Strong.

And then…

She opened the door.

And left.

And the moment the door closed…

The room changed.

The silence felt different.

Heavier.

Emptier.

And I felt it.

With brutal clarity.

That, despite everything that had happened…

Now I had even more to lose.

And this time…

I wasn’t going to let anyone take her away from me.