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157.

Author: Dannywrites
last update publish date: 2026-03-24 13:23:36

ISABELLA

I'm smiling. This is where he agrees and then everything goes back to normal. We'll get on with our lives. But Noah, he's not smiling. I didn't even miss the change in his expression even though it was subtle.

Yeah, it's really subtle. He's still. It's the kind of stillness that settles over my boyfriend when he's trying to choose his words carefully. But I see it. I always see it.

"...Wait?" He says slowly.

My stomach drops a little, but I don't let that deter me. "Yes, Noah. What?"

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georgeohs
Why can’t she just join him after graduation? It’s just a few months separated
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  • CRAVING ISABELLA   191.

    ISABELLA I nod. It's subtle but he's Noah. I'm sure he can catch the faintest of nods when I'm the one nodding. Well, things happen. If I do tell him, I'm sure he'd tell me to do what I want to do. Shut everybody out."If you don't feel talking..." he starts."I want to. I just don't know how to start." I say truthfully.He eyes me, then nods. "Let's start with this. I dropped by the hospital earlier to check on you and give your mom some fruits." I don't tear my gaze away from him. Does he know? Did she tell him anything when he got there? I hope she didn't. I want Noah to hear this from me. "I was with her." He nods. "Your mom?"I don't nod. I just focus on the road ahead and think of the next words. "We talked about you and then she started talking about dad. She seemed mad that he didn't come to see her at the hospital. I tried to tell her that even though he didn't come..." My voice trails off."That he loved her?" Noah continues."Yeah. That. I thought we'd bond. I told you

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   190.

    ISABELLA"I'll understand if you need time.""Time? You're fucking kidding me. I want space. I want a year from you people."The silence that follows is unbearable. I can hear everything... my breathing, his uneven exhales.“I’m sorry.”It’s quiet. So quiet I almost miss it. I frown. “What?”“I said… I’m sorry.” His voice cracks this time, and that’s new. That’s never happened before. “Not just for this. Not just for what you found out today. For everything.”I swallow hard, but I don’t say anything. Because if I do, I might fall apart.“I should’ve told you,” he continues, stepping forward slowly. “I should’ve been honest with you from the beginning. You deserved that. You deserved the truth about your mother… about who you are.”A tear slips down his face, and it does something to me.“I thought I was protecting you,” he says. “But I see it now. I wasn’t protecting you. I was scared,” he admits. “After that night… everything changed. I wasn’t the same man anymore, Isabella. I made c

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   189.

    ISABELLA The way I make my way back to the house is a miracle. I walk, taking slow steps while I try to assimilate. Was she right? Or was she lying to me? She's the woman I know. I don't know anybody else. I don't have a dead mother.I'm walking to the one person who can give me answers. I'm not crying though. I think that it'd be too dramatic to cry. Not until I understand everything."Dad?"No response. I step further inside, shutting the door behind me. I glance around, but now, I'm staring at everywhere different? The couch. Did Dana ever sit there?“Dad!” I call again, louder this time.A sound comes from the stairs. And then he appears. He looks tired. More than tired... wrecked. His shirt is wrinkled, sleeves rolled up unevenly, like he’s been running his hands through his hair over and over again.“Isabella…” he breathes. “You’re back. I was just about to...”“Don’t. When I left... you didn't look like that. Tell me, js she lying?” I ask.Straight to it. No warning. His face

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   188.

    ISABELLA"No," I say immediately, but it comes out thin and I almost do not recognize my voice. I've been loud and dramatic but this is me being a helluva confused. "No, that's not... you're not making any sense." I say, because she isn't. "You're my mom. You raised me. You.. you.. "“I raised you,” she says carefully. “Yes.”Something inside me twists. “No,” I shake my head, stepping back. “No, don’t do that. Don’t start choosing your words now like... like that means something different.”“It does mean something different.”My pulse pounds in my ears. “Then say it,” I demand. “Say what you’re trying to say.”She inhales shakily. “The woman who gave birth to you…” she starts, then falters. "was Dana Adams."My knees almost give out, and I grab the edge of the hospital bed to steady myself. "No." I shake my head, once, twice, harder the third time. “No, that’s not funny. Don’t... don’t do that.”“I raised you,” she says quietly. “I held you when you cried. I fed you, clothed you, wat

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   187.

    ISABELLA "So he outed his Dad to the bad people?" "The cops." I correct her."For what reason?" She is confused. Yeah, she's definitely confused. I mean, she has that scrunch on her face. I don't want to make her think about this too much. I didn't even want to tell her anything about it. If she hadn't pressed, I wouldn't have divulged a word."I think his Dad must have done some pretty personal things for him to have swung on him like that. How lucky your father and I are..." Her voice trails off at that word.Wow. Just wow. My eyes widen and I press my lips shut. This is the first time she's mentioning him since she got in the hospital last week. "Don't say anything. I know what you want to say. I don't want to hear it." She holds a hand up."I wasn't gonna say anything, mom." I'm smiling now, though it's a sad smile. "You okay?" She rolls her eyes. "He didn't come to see me." She mutters."He did call." I offer. "Like that would make it better." "No, I know it doesn't but...

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   186.

    ISABELLAI'm staring at Noah while I hold my breath. Can words hang between us? Because... yeah, these ones do. I mean, I'm not just his girlfriend anymore. I'm his freaking Fianceé. And if he doesn't respect that, I don't know what he will.I get it. He's hurting. He made a promise to Hardin. Hardin his his brother. But it just baffles me that both brothers are so willing to take down their dad's in this manner. Even though the men in question are brutal people. Noah’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, his knuckles paling, his jaw ticking like he’s grinding down everything he wants to say but can’t quite release yet.“…What?” he finally asks, his voice quieter now. Careful.I don’t back down. “You heard me,” I say, softer than I expect, but steadier than I feel. “You made a promise to your brother. Fine. I get that. Loyalty, blood, all of that.” I swallow, my fingers tightening in his. “But I’m right here, Noah. I’m the one who’s going to be standing next to you when all of this

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   155.

    ISABELLAI've been staring at the ring on my finger for... what? Twenty minutes? more? I'm not sure. It's just... After my first class today, I actively avoided Chase and Derek. The only person I couldn't avoid was Antonia. Of course, she'd hunt me down and get the truth from me. Sometimes I wonder

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   154.

    ISABELLASo all it takes for your good mood to be ruined is a knock from your fiance, his face isn't giving the happiness you'd have expected. He looks gloomy and his both hands are tucked into his pockets."Babe?" I call, before I end my call with Chloe and drop my phone on the bed. "Who was that

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   153.

    ISABELLAI don’t even remember leaving the restaurant.Everything after that is just… noise. Laughter. Strangers smiling at me like they know me. Someone saying congratulations for the hundredth time. Noah’s hand wrapped tightly around mine like he’s afraid I might disappear.Now I’m in our room wh

  • CRAVING ISABELLA   152.

    ISABELLAThe sound leaves me before I can stop it. A sharp, startled scream that has every single head in the restaurant turning.And every single phone lifting.Oh my God.Noah is on one knee.Actually on one knee.Right in front of me.The small velvet box in his hand is open, the ring catching t

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