Chapter 269: She Said It

Chapter 269: She Said It

(Sophia POV)

I saw Chloe pulling Noah's arm, stepping back two steps toward the other side of the dance floor. Her smile was a bit too bright—the kind that wasn't really happy, the kind that was covering something up.

Noah looked down at her, his lips moving a few times. I couldn't hear what he said, just saw his expression was flat, but Chloe's smile froze for half a second.

Her mouth opened and closed as she explained. I vaguely caught words like "switch partners" and "normal process." Noah didn't press further, just placed one hand on her waist, and the two of them slowly turned a circle with the music.

Chloe kept her head down, her lips constantly moving. She spoke urgently, like pouring out beans. Noah's expression didn't change much, but I noticed his hand on her waist—his fingers tightened for a moment. Chloe lifted her head and met his gaze. She said something, and Noah's steps paused.

I don't know what she said, but her expression changed—not that deliberately bright smile from before, but that hard-to-describe look of relief mixed with tension after finally saying something you've been holding in for a long time. Noah's hand didn't loosen from her waist, nor did it tighten. He just kept turning with her, as if nothing had happened. But his grip on her hand was a bit tighter than before.

The lights in the dance floor shifted from warm yellow to pale gold. The song was ending. People around started clapping, some leaving the floor.

Chloe let go of Noah's hand and stepped back.

When she turned around, I saw her expression—a smile still hanging on her lips, but not in her eyes. That smile was for others to see, not for herself.

She walked out. Not quickly, even stopping at the dessert table to grab a cookie. As she passed by me, I reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Chloe."

"I'm fine." She broke the cookie in half, stuffing one half in her mouth and holding the other. "I'm going to get some air."

She left. I turned to look at the dance floor. Noah stood in place, his hand still in the position it had been on her waist. He held it there for two seconds, then pulled it back and stuck it in his pocket. He glanced toward the side door of the hall.

Laura and Hannah were standing together somehow, both wearing that "we planned this" smile.

Laura looked toward the side door, and Hannah followed her gaze.

After Chloe went out, Noah followed.

I stood in the center of the hall with my glass, pretending I hadn't seen anything. People around were still dancing, still laughing, still clinking glasses.

Night air rushed in through the side door. I didn't go out. Through the hall's floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see the garden outside. Light spilled from the windows onto the stone path.

Chloe sat on a bench in the garden, head down. Noah stood in front of her, less than 3 feet between them.

I couldn't see their expressions or hear what they were saying. I could only see Noah's lips moving and Chloe's shoulders pulled tight. She stood up quickly, like she'd sprung from the chair. Her lips were moving, speaking fast, like pouring out beans. Noah stood in front of her, motionless.

She stood on her toes, clasped both hands behind his head, and kissed him.

My hand holding the glass stopped.

Her movement was quick, like she was afraid she'd change her mind. Noah didn't dodge, but he didn't respond either. He just stood there, like someone had hit pause.

About three seconds, then she let go and stepped back.

Her lips were moving. I don't know what she was saying, but Noah turned and walked toward the hall. Didn't look back, didn't pause, his stride as steady as always.

Chloe stood in the garden, her hand still suspended in mid-air. She shouted something at that retreating figure, her voice loud. Through the window I vaguely caught a few words.

Noah's figure disappeared around the garden corner. Chloe's hand slowly lowered, clenching into a fist. She turned around, then froze completely.

Noah stood at the garden entrance, hand extended.

I don't know how long he'd been standing there. Chloe crouched down, burying her face in her hands. Noah bent down, put an arm around her shoulder, and led her toward the hall.

I looked away. People in the dance floor were still turning.

William appeared in front of me somehow, extending his right hand, palm up.

I took a deep breath and placed my hand in his. He held my hand, not too tight, just the right warmth, and started moving with me. His steps were steady, his lead gentle.

Neither of us spoke for the first few steps. Quiet to the point of being a bit awkward.

"Your steps are good." He spoke first.

I smiled. "You're a good lead."

"Who taught you?"

"College elective. Took a semester of ballroom dancing. The teacher basically dragged me through it."

William looked down at my footwork. "Mm, I can tell. Good basics."

I looked up at him. "Are you complimenting me or grading me?"

The corner of his mouth curved. "I'll give you an eight."

"Only eight?"

"I'll add the other two points when you stop stepping on my feet."

I looked down and realized my left foot had just touched his shoe. "...Sorry."

"It's fine." He smiled. "These shoes can take it."

The music continued flowing. The atmosphere between us relaxed a bit. He led me through the last turn.

The song ended. The string instruments held their final note long, then stopped. People in the dance floor began to disperse.

I let go of William's hand and stepped back. "Thank you."

He put his hand back in his pocket and nodded. "You're welcome."

I turned around, ready to walk toward Noah.

At the moment I turned, my gaze swept across the edge of the hall.

Behind the crowd, near the side door. There was a figure in a dark gray suit, tie neatly fastened, standing where the light didn't reach.

Daniel.

My steps stopped for less than a second. My expression didn't change, my eyes didn't linger. But in that one second, William saw it. He followed my line of sight. The crowd had already blocked that direction. Nothing could be seen.

"Sophia."

I looked back at him. "What were you looking at just now?"

"Nothing."

William looked into my eyes. His expression was calm, but he'd known me too long.

"Was that your ex-husband you saw?"

"William." I cut him off. "He and I are over. We've been over for a long time. Anything related to him, good or bad, has nothing to do with who I am now."

He looked at me, silent for about three seconds.

"Okay."

He didn't ask any more questions.