Chapter 255

Chapter 255
Emma

Noah had insisted on making dinner himself while I showered—nothing fancy, just pasta, but it smelled amazing after days of bland hospital food. When I entered the kitchen wrapped in my robe, hair still damp, I found him stirring sauce with one hand while checking on Mike in his portable bassinet with the other. There was something irresistibly attractive about seeing the normally impeccable Noah York, CEO extraordinaire, with his sleeves rolled up and a dish towel thrown over his shoulder.

"Something smells amazing," I said, pausing in the doorway to admire the view.

He looked up, his eyes warming as they took me in. "Just pasta. Nothing special." He set down the spoon and crossed to pull out a chair for me. "Sit. You need to eat, beautiful."

I felt a flutter in my stomach at the casual endearment. "Yes, sir," I replied with a mock salute, enjoying the way his lips twitched in response.

Noah served me, his movements unexpectedly graceful in the kitchen. He sat across the table, chin propped on his hand, watching as I took a bite.

"Oh my God," I moaned, closing my eyes in bliss. "Real food. I've been dreaming about this."

"Hospital food that bad?" he asked, looking pleased by my reaction.

"You have no idea. I swear they make it terrible on purpose so you'll try harder to get discharged."

Noah laughed, a rare, uninhibited sound that made me smile in response. We ate in comfortable silence for a while, our feet tangled together under the table. I caught him glancing at Mike repeatedly, his expression softening each time.

"You're good with him," I said softly.

Noah looked surprised. "You think so?"

"I know so. The way you hold him... it's like you've been doing it forever."

A faint color touched his cheeks. "I've been practicing when you were asleep. Watched some videos." He looked almost embarrassed by the admission.

"Noah York watching baby tutorials? Now that I wish I could have seen." I reached across the table to squeeze his hand, my heart full.

When my eyelids began to feel heavy, Noah took my plate without comment. "Bed," he ordered gently, pressing a kiss to my temple. "I've got the dishes."

Too exhausted to argue, I made my way to the bedroom, collapsing onto the bed. I was nearly asleep when I felt the mattress dip beside me. Noah had brought Mike in, placing him in the bassinet beside our bed before sitting next to me, his hand finding mine in the dim light.

"Emma," he said, my name like a prayer on his lips. "I need to tell you something."

I stirred, blinking up at him, instantly alert at the tension in his voice. "What's wrong, honey?"

"I'm sorry," he said, the words seemingly dragged from somewhere deep inside him. "For before. For pushing you away when you needed me most."

I sat up, reaching for him. "Noah—"

"Please, let me finish." He took my hands in his, his thumbs tracing circles on my skin. "When I started experiencing symptoms... the mood swings, the aggression... I was terrified I might hurt you."

I watched him in silence, my heart breaking at the pain etched across his face.

"That morning, when I nearly grabbed your wrist too hard—" His voice broke, his hands trembling in mine. "Every time I saw the bruise, I wanted to kill myself. I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you or our baby."

"You should have told me," I whispered, reaching up to cup his face, my thumb brushing away a tear he probably didn't even realize had fallen. "I would have understood."

He leaned into my touch, his eyes closing briefly. "I thought I was protecting you by staying away. I thought I could handle it alone." His eyes opened, meeting mine with raw honesty. "I was wrong, Emma. So wrong. And it almost cost me everything I care about."

Tears filled my eyes as I pulled him closer. "You stubborn, beautiful idiot," I said softly, pressing my forehead to his. "We're a family. Whatever happens, we face it together. That's what I chose when I married you—not just the good days, but all of it."

Noah's arms encircled me, drawing me against his chest as his control finally crumbled. I felt the shudder that ran through him, felt his tears dampen my hair as I held him, my fingers tracing soothing patterns along his back.

"I'm right here," I murmured, my own tears falling silently. "I'm not going anywhere. We need each other—both of us."

He pulled back slightly, his hands framing my face as his eyes—red-rimmed but clearer now—met mine. "I promise, I won't push you away again. Not ever."

"I believe you," I said, a watery smile touching my lips. "The same way you've always believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself."

From the bassinet came a soft, gurgling coo, as if Mike was adding his endorsement to our reconciliation. I laughed, the sound releasing some of the emotion that had built between us.

"See? He agrees," I said, glancing at the bassinet.

Noah smiled, a genuine smile that transformed his face. "Smart kid. Takes after his mother."

He pulled me close again, his lips finding mine in a kiss that started gentle but quickly deepened, conveying all the words we'd left unspoken. When we finally parted, breathless, he kept me in the circle of his arms, my head tucked beneath his chin.

"I love you, Emma York," he whispered against my hair, the words so quiet I almost missed them. "More than I ever thought possible."

My heart swelled, tears pricking my eyes again—happy ones this time. "I love you too. Always have."

Noah eased us back against the pillows, still holding me close. "Get some rest, sweetheart," he murmured, his fingers trailing through my hair. "Tomorrow's a new day."

I closed my eyes, still cradled in his arms, feeling for the first time in months that I was exactly where I belonged—with the man I loved and the family we'd created together. Whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together.