Chapter 114 The like
Hannah
I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep when I feel it.
A gentle knock.
Then, “Hannah?”
It’s Lisa’s voice.
I groan quietly into my pillow, my body heavy with sleep as I force my eyes open.
“Mm…”
Another knock.
“It’s dinner time.”
Dinner. Right.
I blink slowly, dragging myself back into awareness. The room is dimmer now, the golden hue of evening slipping through the curtains.
I push myself up with a small groan, rubbing at my face. I feel so sluggish.
“Okay,” I mumble, though I’m not sure she hears me.
I sit there for a moment longer, trying to shake off the last traces of sleep clinging stubbornly to me.
Then I reach for my phone.
The screen lights up immediately.
Notifications.
A few messages.
Some random alerts.
I yawn, unlocking it as I swing my legs off the bed and stand.
I don’t really pay attention at first.
Just scrolling lazily as I walk toward the door, my mind still half-asleep.
I open it.
Step out.
I head downstairs.
Scroll. Scroll.
Then…I stop.
Mid-step.
Completely frozen.
My thumb stills on the screen.
My breath catches.
I stare.
At the notification.
At the name.
And for a second, my brain doesn’t process it.
Doesn’t understand what I’m looking at.
Like it’s something that doesn’t belong there.
Something out of place.
Something impossible.
>loretta_diva liked your post.
My heart stutters.
Then starts pounding.
Loud.
Fast.
I stare harder.
As if the words might rearrange themselves.
As if I read it wrong.
But I didn’t.
It’s still there.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
Loretta.
My fingers tighten slightly around the phone.
No.
No, no, no.
What…Why? Why now? Why at all?
My mind starts racing, thoughts colliding into each other, none of them fully forming but all of them loud.
I don’t understand.
She hasn’t…She wouldn’t….
Then….
“Hannah?”
Timothy’s voice cuts through the noise in my head.
Distant at first.
Then clearer.
“Are you coming in?”
I blink.
Look up.
Realize I’m standing halfway down the stairs like an idiot.
I swallow.
“Yeah,” I manage.
My voice sounds… off.
Even to me.
I force my legs to move again, continuing down the stairs, my eyes still glued to my phone.
Like if I look away, it’ll disappear.
Or worse, like if I look away, it’ll become real.
I step into the dining room.
Everything feels… muted.
Distant.
Like I’m slightly outside my own body.
Timothy is already seated.
His gaze lifts to me immediately.
Sharp.
Observant.
I can feel it.
Even without looking directly at him.
I sit down slowly.
Still staring at my screen.
Still stuck on that one notification.
“What’s wrong?”
His voice is closer now.
Concerned.
I blink again.
Force myself to lock my phone.
Place it face down on the table.
Then I look up.
I force a tight smile. Controlled.
“Nothing,” I say lightly. “I think I still have sleep in my eyes.”
He watches me.
Doesn’t look convinced.
But he doesn’t push.
Not yet.
Lisa and the staff start bringing out food.
Plates are set.
Water poured.
Everything normal.
Everything routine.
And yet…I feel anything but.
My gaze flickers back to my phone.
Just for a second.
It’s still there.
Even without looking at it.
Burned into my mind.
Loretta liked your post.
I reach for my fork.
Start eating.
Or at least, I try to.
The food tastes fine.
Good, even.
But I barely register it.
My thoughts keep circling back.
Why now?
After all this time.
After everything.
What does it mean?
Does it mean anything?
Or am I overthinking it?
Probably.Definitely.
But it doesn’t feel like nothing.
It feels…prickly.
Like a warning. Like something shifting. Something unspoken
“Hannah.”
I blink.
Look up.
Timothy is watching me again.
Closer now.
More focused.
“Hm?” I say.
“You’ve been quiet.”
“Oh,” I laugh lightly. “Just tired.”
It sounds weak.
Even to me.
He doesn’t look convinced.
Again.
We continue eating.
Or pretending to.
He tries to start conversations.
Small things.
Work.Random topics.
I respond.
But I drift.Constantly.In and out. Like I’m not fully present.
“Hannah.”
Again.
I blink.
“Yes?”
His hand comes to rest over mine.
Warm.
Grounding.
It startles me.
I look down at it.
Then back at him.
His gaze is steady.Searching.
“What’s wrong?” he asks quietly.
My heart skips.
For a second,I almost tell him.
Almost.
But then…
No.
I shake my head quickly.
“Nothing,” I say.
Too quickly.Too tightly.
Very unconvincing.
I know it.He knows it.
He opens his mouth, probably to ask more.
To push.To get an answer. But I don’t give him the chance.
I pull my hand away. Stand up abruptly.
“I’m not really hungry,” I say. “And I’m kinda tired.”
His brows draw together.“That’s not true.”
I pause.“What?”
“You slept most of the day.”
Oh.
Right. Of course Lisa told him.
I don’t have a response for that.
I just… stand there.
Caught.
Then I shake my head slightly.
“Still tired,” I repeat weakly.
He looks at me.
Really looks at me.
Like he’s trying to figure something out.
Like he knows something’s off but can’t quite place it.
“Goodnight,” I say quickly.
Before he can stop me.
Before he can ask anything else.
I grab my phone.
Turn.
And walk away.
Fast.
Up the stairs.
Down the hall.
Into my room.
I shut the door behind me.
And lean against it.
My breath comes out shaky.
My hands tremble slightly.
I stare down at my phone again.
Slowly.
Almost like I’m afraid to confirm it.
I unlock it.
Open Instagram.
And there it is.
Still there.
Loretta liked your post.
My chest tightens.
“This is stupid,” I whisper.
It’s just a like.
Just a tap.
Nothing more.
It doesn’t mean anything.
It shouldn’t.
But…It doesn’t feel like nothing.
It feels…
Heavy.Like something looming.Something waiting.
And the worst part?
The timing.
The one-year mark is close.
Too close.
This whole arrangement…this marriage…It’s already on borrowed time.
And now…
This?
I press a hand to my forehead.
“Stop it,” I mutter.
“You’re overreacting.”
Maybe I am.
Probably.
But I can’t shake the feeling.
That something is about to change.
And not in a good way.
I slide down against the door slowly, pulling my knees up.
My mind keeps racing.
Going in circles.
No answers.
Just questions.
And one name.
Over and over again.
Loretta. Loretta. Loretta.