It fascinated her, what Noah had said about his tattoo, and what he had said about people's choices had scared her. It was as if he had been talking to her directly. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the memories of the past that threatened to engulf her. As she stared out of the window, her mind wandered back to what Noah had said. They had been a brief, but those words had struck a chord deep within her. The idea of a different life, one where she could have been loved and cherished, seemed like a distant dream.She had walked out of there after that, but only because she wanted to pounder more about it all. The pain inflicted upon her by her ex-husband had scarred her both physically and emotionally. It had shattered her self-esteem, leaving her questioning her worth and doubting her own judgment. She had once believed she had found solace in him, mistaking his possessiveness for love. But now, she saw the truth: he was a psychopath, someone who reveled in causing pain and
Finally, after purchasing a new phone and getting it set up in the store, she decided to forgo driving and opted to take a leisurely walk back home. The day felt different somehow, and she thought it might be nice to make a quick detour and visit her friend Charlotte. It was her day off, and Charlotte had mentioned having someone come in to take over the shop, allowing her some free time. The prospect of doing something else aside from going home to sleep or read lifted her spirits. As she strolled down the street, her newly acquired phone safely tucked away in her bag, she made a mental note to put the emergency number on speed dial when she got home, and probably add Noah and Charlotte's number as well. The emergency services number would be a priority, along with the contact information for Noah and Charlotte. It was a small step towards feeling more secure and prepared. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the presence of someone walking behind her until a hand touched he
Never wanting to feel like this ever again, Grace made sure to look around her and be aware of her surroundings, because the last thing she wanted was a heart attack and God knows she couldn’t afford that after everything she had gone through already. There was never a time she was off guard, but maybe coming to the small town of West Valley Rocks had changed her, she had learned that this town had always been a place of tranquility, with its charming streets lined with quaint houses and a sense of community that permeated the air. It was in this idyllic environment that Grace found solace and a new beginning. She was starting to get settled so much she wasn't taking more of her surroundings anymore, and that wasn't good. Grace's heart still pounded with a mix of anticipation and worry as she arrived at Charlotte's home, but she tried to push it back because the last thing she needed to do was worry anyone.Their friendship had just started, and it hadn't weathered any storms, so s
Grace headed back to the kitchen to retrieve a heating pad. As she plugged it in, she let out a soft chuckle, marveling at how her imagination had taken hold of her. The picturesque town of West Valley Rocks had fed her desire for tranquility, but it had also stirred her imagination, fueling unwarranted fears.“That bastard added to my fears, though.” She muttered to herself. It was the truth, but a truth she had to keep under wraps. She had almost said something to Charlotte that she shouldn’t, something she was keeping to herself. “Damn, I hope she doesn’t mention anything to Noah about this.” She said, shaking her head. How gullible she had been to jump to that kind of conclusion. Even if Jack wanted to come to this town to harm her, she didn’t think it was someone else he would harm first, but again, he was a very bad man and could think of that contorted way to send her a twisted message.Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Blowing out a breath of relief for her friend, she ret
Noah’s weariness didn’t prevent him from contemplating what Jimmy Guerrero had told him about Grace, the video he had watched from her dashcam, which led him to reflect on the potential pain she had endured. It had been on his mind for quite a while and had been there since forever, eating at him. As he glanced around, he noticed Grace’s absence but saw the meal she had left for him; a kind gesture she had repeated over the past few days since she's been living here. While Noah appreciated her thoughtfulness, he felt the need to tell her that she didn’t have to go to such lengths just because she felt the need to repay him in a way. He walked to the counter and smiled, before lifting the plate covering the food and he discovered the food was still warm. Setting his bag down on the kitchen floor, he sat down to eat, feeling both famished and fatigued. Prioritizing his hunger, he intended to ponder other matters afterward. Though the sun had emerged, Noah could sense that rain might
There was something about being on the run from someone, and that was the constant fear and looking over one's shoulder. At least, that's what Grace believed was typical for people who were on the run. And in a way, her situation wasn't all that different. But as time went on, Grace found herself becoming less scared and more confident, especially since she had arrived in this wonderful town.She walked briskly back home, making sure her bag was secure on her shoulder. She had quickly gone to the store down the street to buy some gloves and dye. While she was starting to feel comfortable here, it didn't mean that she had completely settled down.As she neared the house, she could see that a car was parked in the driveway of the house and then there was Noah's car. It was clear that someone was visiting, but she hadn't seen this particular car before, which meant it might be someone she didn't know.As she walked towards the house, she started to pull her keys out of the bag, but stopp
“What's this about, Noah?” Grace asked, sitting across from him at the kitchen’s table. She was in her room when he called her about talking, but she already had an inkling of what he wanted to discuss.Knowing that it had only been a few hours since Ezekiel left and what he had said before he did, she realized that he was probably trying to talk her into going to the wedding, but it was the last thing she would be doing, whether he liked it or not. There was no way, just no way at all around it. “I'm sorry to bother you, but there's something very important I would like to talk to you about.” Noah said. Of course there was something he wanted to say, but she doubted it was important. She nodded her head at him, hoping that he got it over with soon, because she was not interested in going to the wedding, or talking about it for that matter, not even when all that marriages represented for her was pain. “I don't want you to think that I was digging around you, or something,” Noah s
She needed to start packing or she was doomed, that was for sure. Quickly, she got up and started to run for her room. Damn, she wasn’t even here a month and she was up and leaving soon? She didn’t think this was the journey she would live here, and this was how short it would be, but what in the world was she supposed to do when she was probably been tracked as they spoke? “Where are you going, Grace?” Noah asked behind her as he stood up as well to follow her, but she ignored his question, not saying anything. What was there to talk about when she was probably already too late? There was no time for talking and explaining things, she just needed to leave before she was caught here and people were dragged into her mess. It was, after all, her own cross to carry. “I’m talking to you, Grace. Where are you going?” He asked her again just as they got to the door of her room. Still, without answering, she opened the door and walked to the closet, she grabbed her bag and suitcase and