Chapter 4: Set Free

Chapter 4: Set Free

But when Noelle thought everything was fine, the days began to blur. Adrian would come home late and sometimes just before dawn, and slip into bed beside her stirring her from a restless, shallow sleep. The mattress would shift under his weight, and she'd catch the faintest scent of that same unfamiliar cologne that wasn't his. Her heart would twist painfully in those moments, but she would rather shut her eyes tight and feign sleep knowing that she couldn't confront the ache blooming in her chest.

Noelle let out a shaky breath. Her gaze lingered on the engagement ring on her finger. The diamond caught the faint glow of the streetlights outside. It had once been a symbol of their love, their promise to build a future together. Now, it felt like a weight, a cruel reminder of a dream that seemed further out of reach.

She sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady herself against the growing ache in her chest. How long had she been standing there on the city sidewalk, lost in her thoughts? The world moved around her with strangers rushing past, cars honking in the distance, but Noelle felt detached as though she were stuck in a bubble of despair that no one else could see.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. She shook her head, mocking her own foolishness. How could she have let things get to this point? How could she still cling to hope when every sign pointed to heartbreak?

And then, as her eyes fluttered open again, the sight before her shattered her completely.

Displayed on a high rise building was a massive digital billboard. Noelle's breath caught in her throat and her legs suddenly felt too weak to hold her up. Her eyes burned as they were fixated on the image, unable to look away no matter how much she wanted to.

Bianca and Adrian.

They were on the billboard together, locked in an intimate pose that oozed chemistry and passion. Bianca's stunning features were tilted toward Adrian. Her hand rested lightly on his chest as if she belonged there. And Adrian... His amber eyes, the ones Noelle had once believed were only for her, gazed back at Bianca with a tenderness that made her stomach twist painfully.

The caption beneath the image read, "The Reunited Lovers—A Romance to Remember", a tagline for their upcoming movie where they starred as the main characters and, apparently, as the ideal couple.

Noelle's heart broke. How could she not have noticed this? How had she not seen the signs? Was this why Adrian had been so distant? Had he been playing a role offscreen as well as on?

The night suddenly felt more unforgiving as the biting cold seeped through Noelle's thin clothing, chilling her to the bone. Yet, as she arrived home, she chose to stay outside and sat on the front steps of their house, refusing to go back inside. The warmth of their home now felt like a prison, suffocating her with memories that once brought her joy but now only served to twist the knife deeper into her heart.

Noelle hugged her knees, her bare feet numb against the concrete. The wind howled, cutting across her skin like icy blades, but she didn't move. She couldn't.

Her teeth chattered as the cold seeped into her bones, but she didn't care. She deserved this, she thought bitterly. She deserved to feel the sting of the icy air, to endure the physical discomfort, because it was nothing compared to the ache in her chest.

Back then, she had felt safe and loved.

But now, all she felt was hollow.

Her mind spiraled, replaying the billboard from earlier, the image of Adrian and Bianca etched into her memory like a cruel joke. The way his hand rested on Bianca's waist, the softness in his eyes—she couldn't unsee it. The doubts, the fears, the pain of betrayal—they all consumed her, clawing at her heart until it felt like there was nothing left.

A tear slipped down her cheek, freezing almost instantly in the cold air. She wiped it away with a shaking hand, trying to keep herself from falling apart completely.

"Why, Adrian?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the wind. "Why does it feel like I'm losing you?"

The minutes stretched into hours, and still, there was no sign of him. Her body trembled violently now, the chill unbearable, but she stubbornly refused to go inside. If Adrian came home, she wanted to see him. She wanted to confront him, to demand answers, to make him explain what was happening between them.

But as the night dragged on, her resolve began to waver. Her vision blurred, her limbs felt heavy, and her breath came out in shaky puffs of white against the darkness. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on.

Just as her eyelids began to droop, she heard the faint sound of a car engine in the distance. Her heart leapt, a flicker of hope sparking in her chest. She forced herself to sit up, clutching her knees tightly as the car grew closer.

It was him. Adrian's car rounded the corner and pulled into the driveway, the headlights briefly illuminating her frail figure on the steps.

The engine cut off, and Adrian stepped out, his tall frame silhouetted against the streetlights. He froze when he saw her, his amber eyes widening in alarm.

"Noelle?" His voice was sharp with concern as he rushed toward her. "What are you doing out here? You're freezing!"

She didn't answer right away, her teeth chattering too much to form words. Adrian quickly shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders, his hands firm but gentle as he tried to warm her.

"Noelle, talk to me," he urged, his voice softer now, laced with worry.

She finally lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes filled with tears and unspoken pain. Her lips quivered as she managed to whisper, "Where have you been, Adrian?"

Before Adrian could form and answer, Noelle's head tipped forward and collapsed into his arms.

"Noelle!" he shouted in panic. He cradled her against his chest, feeling how cold she had become. Her lips were pale, and her skin felt icy to the touch. The sight of her in such a state sent a wave of guilt crashing over him.

He wasted no time. He immediately scooped her up and carried her inside before kicking the door shut behind him.

Adrian gently laid her on the couch, quickly grabbing the blanket that was fortunately on the couch and wrapped it around her trembling body. He knelt beside her, brushing the strands of dark hair away from her face.

"Noelle," Adrian murmured, his voice cracking with emotion. He gently brushed a thumb over her pale cheek, his heart pounding in his chest. "What were you doing outside?"

Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling in delicate, uneven motions. Her eyelids fluttered, and for a moment, he thought she wouldn't respond. But then, her cracked lips parted.

"I... was waiting... for you..." she whispered, her voice weak, yet each word struck him like a hammer.

Her cold fingertips reached up, trembling as they lightly brushed against his cheek. Adrian flinched at the icy touch, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he pressed his hand over hers, holding it there as if to warm her through sheer willpower.

"You smell... good..." she murmured with a bitter, fleeting smile that broke his heart. There was no warmth in her words, only a tinge of irony that cut deeper than any accusation ever could.

"Noelle," he began, his throat tightening, but she interrupted him.

"Carry me to the bedroom, please?" she pleaded softly, a tear slipping down her cheek, glistening in the dim light. Her voice was so quiet, so fragile, it was almost as if she were fading before his eyes.

Before Adrian could respond, Noelle's trembling arms slipped around his neck as her frail body leaned into his with the last remnants of her strength. It wasn't an embrace of love, rather, it was a silent surrender and an acknowledgment of everything she could no longer hold onto.

She was hurting.

Because in her heart, she knew Adrian was no longer hers. He hadn't been for a while, even if neither of them had dared to say it aloud.

And so, Noelle has chosen to let go.

But just this once, she would indulge in the warmth that once healed her and kept her together. Just this once, she would hold onto him as if nothing had changed. And when morning came, she would finally set herself free.