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

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

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

“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 looked around to see if she didn't leave any of her stuff behind, because by doing that, she might have to come back for it, plus she didn't want anyone Jack sent seeing her stuff here, and that was if he didn't come here himself. She knew she had only few things so she knew she couldn't afford to miss anything. She started to look around again, more careful this time. It was the middle of the night and she was sure he was asleep. She just couldn't wait for morning as she had told herself she would. Not when she knew she could be caught here any moment.There was no way she was save as Noah had assured her, not when she wasn't sure anybody would risk their lives for a total stranger like she was. It might seem like she was too quick to make up her mind, or too hard to trust anyone as completely as she had always done in the past, but she knew what she had gone through. Plus, she knew the kind of secret she was carrying with her, a secret she knew might not be able to keep under