Semua Bab Divorced My Husband And Found Love: Bab 121 - Bab 130

Naomi’s POVBy the time the day ended, I was wound up tighter than a spring. As soon as the final bell rang, I practically flew out of the classroom and out of the main entrance. Jace was waiting by the SUV, leaning against the vehicle as always. He straightened up the moment he saw me, opening the rear passenger door.“Good day, Miss Knight,” he murmured.“Good day, Jace,” I said, sliding into the plush leather seat.He closed the door, walked around, and got into the driver’s seat. The engine started almost silently. As we pulled out into the congested afternoon traffic, the car was quiet, the air between us thick with unsaid things.Normally, I’d scroll my phone or stare out the window. Today, though, my friends’ voices were still buzzing in my head.So I decided to test him.I pulled out my phone, scrolled to my messages, and pretended to text while simultaneously watching his reflection in the rearview mirror. He was focused on the road, his hands steady on the wheel, completely

Naomi's pov“You don’t have to watch me pick jeans,” I said.“Orders are orders.”I rolled my eyes. “You’re impossible.”He simply rolled his eyes in response.I ignored him, flipping through hangers until I found a jacket I liked. Still, I couldn’t shake off the awareness of his steady gaze.When I finally emerged with a shopping bag, Gabe and Isla were waiting by the fountain. Isla was munching on a pretzel with Mr. Bunny stuffed under her arm.“Success?” Gabe asked.“Maybe,” I muttered.“I know you bought something boring as usual,” he chuckled.“Thanks for the review.”We ended up at the ice cream stand and I let Isla pick first, because apparently letting a three-year-old get the first pick is critical to global peace.“Pink one!” she squealed, pointing to strawberry flavour.Gabe ordered chocolate. I got mint. Jace didn’t get anything, just stood there like ice cream was beneath him.We walked to the center court to get a bench, juggling cones and napkins. Isla was seated betwe

Naomi’s POVTime seemed to slow down to a painful crawl. Isla’s words were filled with innocent delight yet, they felt like a perfect, tiny hand grenade dropped right into the air.Mum froze, color draining away from her face almost completely. Her protective instincts flared instantly. She set Isla back just enough to look her in the eye. She didn't look at us. She kept her gaze fixed on Isla, but her smile was completely gone. Her hands rested on Isla's shoulders gently like she wasn’t losing her cool. “What did you just say?”“The old man!” Isla repeated proudly, bouncing on her heels. “He said I could come play with him at the palace. With lots and lots of toys.”“Isla,” Mum said, her voice dropping, the light tone gone, replaced by a low, sharp thrum of alarm that made my stomach churn. “Baby, I need you to explain. Who was this man? Where were we when he talked to you? Did you go anywhere with him?”The quick pace of the questions and the undeniable urgency in Mum’s voice, were

Naomi's povBreakfast, the next day, was unusually quiet. It felt like walking into a library where everyone was mandated to keep quiet. The long dining table was filled with bowls of fruit, steaming trays of eggs, toast and bacon, and the silver gleam of cutlery. But no one said much.Dad sat at the head of the table, his eyes already on the latest issue of a financial magazine beside his plate. Mum sipped her green tea in delicate, graceful movements, the china cup never clinking against its saucer. Isla kicked her legs under the table, her fork stabbing mercilessly through her eggs before she finally took a bite.And me? I picked at my toast like it had personally offended me.And of course, Jace was missing from his usual post by the doorway which only meant he was outside, stationed near the garage or perhaps preparing a car for the ride to school. My eyes flicked toward the tall windows and I caught a glimpse of Jace standing outside the glass doors.The silence pressed in, thic

Naomi’s povMy heart stuttered. Skip? Me? Naomi Knight, the girl who got a panic attack when her grade dipped below an A-minus?“Hypothetically speaking,” I said, packing my things and standing, trying to feign an air of nonchalance I didn’t feel. “My mum would send a very stern, very polite email to the principal. My dad, on the other hand, would be more intense. He could get the principal arrested and possibly sacked, and then my security detail would probably get an earful.”He laughed and took my bag from my hands as he stood. “Okay, so the usual doom and gloom. But what about you? What’s the worst that would happen to you?”“I’d probably feel guilty for two days straight,” I admitted.“Only two days?” He nudged me carefully to the side so he was shielding me from the crowd as we walked out of the cafeteria together, trailing behind my friends. “I bet I can get you over the guilt in less than two hours.”I bit my lip. He didn’t know how much I wanted to say yes. How much I needed