Chapter 7: Adieu

Grace had been restless all day. Noelle’s breakdown replayed in her mind like a haunting refrain. Her normally composed, graceful friend had crumbled, sobbing in a way that sounded raw—like something inside her had finally broken. Grace couldn’t shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong. Noelle hadn’t told her everything. Not even close.

So, as night fell and the city wrapped itself in silence, Grace parked her car a few houses down from Noelle and Adrian’s. The engine was off, her hands clenched tightly around the steering wheel. The soft glow from the windows made the house look warm, inviting—but Grace’s gut told her otherwise. Her phone buzzed beside her, lighting up with texts, but she ignored them all. Her eyes were locked on the house.

Time crawled. Grace watched every car that passed, heart skipping at each pair of headlights—only for them to continue down the street.

Adrian never came home.

That realization landed like a punch. Her pulse quickened. Was he with Bianca? The thought made her stomach turn. Still, she wasn’t ready to make accusations—not without knowing the truth. Not without seeing it herself.

The upstairs lights flicked off.

Grace leaned forward, eyes narrowing. A few minutes later, the downstairs lights followed. The house went still and silent.

And then, the front door creaked open.

Noelle stepped out.

She moved slowly, pulling a suitcase behind her. Her silhouette was bathed in moonlight, and Grace could see the slump of her shoulders, the hesitancy in every step. She was leaving.

Grace’s heart clenched. She didn’t even think—she threw her door open.

“Noelle!” she called into the night.

Noelle flinched, her hand tightening around the suitcase handle. She turned, tense—then relaxed slightly when she recognized Grace.

“Grace…” she breathed.

“What the hell is this?” Grace asked, marching toward her. “Where are you going? What are you doing?”

“I have to leave,” Noelle whispered, her eyes darting to the pavement.

“Leave? Tomorrow’s your wedding! What about Adrian? What about your life?”

Noelle’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them back. “Please,” she murmured. “Don’t make this harder.”

“I’m your friend, Noelle,” Grace said more gently. “Let me help. Just tell me what’s going on.”

Noelle hesitated, her chest rising and falling in an uneven rhythm. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. But not here.”

Grace led her to the car. They drove in silence, the city a blur around them. Noelle stared out the window. She didn’t cry—but her silence screamed.

They stopped at a quiet subway station, nearly deserted.

Grace turned to her. “We’re alone now. Tell me everything.”

Noelle was quiet for a moment. Then, almost too softly, she said, “Adrian was never mine.”

Grace’s brows drew together. “What do you mean?”

“At the photoshoot…” Noelle’s voice cracked. “He looked at Bianca like she was the only thing that mattered. I've never seen him look at me like that. Not once.”

“Noelle…”

“I know heartbreak,” she said, her voice steadier. “I've lived with it. Survived it. But this—this was different. It was like watching the man I love wake up and remember who he really wanted all along. And it wasn’t me.”

Grace reached for her hand, squeezing it. “I’m so sorry.”

Noelle exhaled shakily. “He barely comes home now. And when he does, it’s like I’m not even there. Like I’m just… an obligation he doesn’t know how to escape.”

Grace’s jaw clenched. “That bastard—”

“I met his mother,” Noelle said, her tone flat. “Carol. She didn’t even pretend to like me. Told me I didn’t belong in their world.”

Grace flinched. “That witch.”

“She’s right,” Noelle said, laughing bitterly. “I was the backup plan. A placeholder. Someone Adrian could settle for. Until Bianca came back.”

Grace shook her head. “No, you’re more than that.”

Noelle turned toward her, eyes glassy. “I was willing to fight for him, Grace. I wanted to believe we could make it. But then I thought… who’s fighting for me?” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Not Adrian. Not anymore.”

Grace pulled her into a hug. “You’re not alone,” she said fiercely. “You hear me? I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Noelle clung to her, shaking. Minutes passed before she pulled away, wiping her cheeks with trembling fingers.

Grace handed her tissues, watching her carefully. “When Adrian finds out you’re gone… he’s going to freak out.”

A faint smile flickered across Noelle’s lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I don’t think he will.”

Grace tilted her head. “You have no idea.”

Noelle looked down at the crumpled tissue in her lap. “But if he does…” she began, then stopped.

Grace raised a brow. “If he does?”

Noelle looked out the windshield, her voice barely audible. “Then it’s already too late. Because I won’t come back for someone who didn’t notice I was gone until it hurt him.”

Grace’s throat tightened.

And she knew—Noelle wasn’t just leaving Adrian. She was choosing herself.

Finally.